Re: Most memorable..
That photo reminds me of a moment that changed my life...a real epiphany, and was also one of the funniest moments, IMO, to ever occur at Deepdale. Quite a few on the Kop saw it.
On the left, there was a childrens/family enclosure, with big fences around it. Generally, it was not crowded...just the odd spread out adult with a few nippers around him.
Now on this fateful day, I was in the Skeffington, pissed as a newt, about 16 and with a right bunch of Nobber hooligans...I`d fallen in with them over the course of 10 or 12 games, home and away, and was starting to get in some serious trouble.
It got 10 ter 3, and still nobody was trying to get to the game..that started to do me head in. Seemed like they were more interested in supping than watching. At that moment, I felt myself questioning the crowd I was with for the first time, instead of looking up to them as older mentors.
Then, as a group, we set off running down towards the ground. As we ran, it became surreal. I was told that we were going to crash the turnstiles, and that I`d `better not chicken out or we`ll come for you later`.
Racist taunts were flung at a passing family. I saw knives been hidden down undercrackers. Someone tried to sell me smack...all as we were running.
We got to the turnstiles..and summat in me just snapped. Hey..I WANTED to pay to get in, this was my club!
So I made my decision and split.
Paid me money, stood on Kop, and waited for the inevitable ..a right kicking. But I felt happy.
Then a commotion broke out in the kids enclosure. The crowd in`t Kop surged to see what was happening.... and saw a large group running desparately around the kids enclosure trying to hide from the police and stewards.
It were hilarious. In their drunken state, they had gone through the wrong turnstile and were now crouching down behind little kids.
There were thousands laughing at them..and I never saw one of them ever go on the North End again.
Since then...I go to most matches on my own, even now. Just like it that way.
Corner of t`kop, with a fag and a Yorkie, pie at half time. The lone Nobber.
That was my spiritual home. Still is, somewhere in time.
..oh, and I made summat of me life after that crossroads moment.
I owe PNE that.