Joe Dixon’s
Football Memories
1977
As I was born in 1945 you will appreciate that my playing days in local football in the Sunderland and Seaham areas are long long gone. However back in 2008, while clearing the attic, I came across information from those days which brought back some great memories. I played in, and against, some really good teams and came across some great players and personalities.
I'd been wondering what to do, if anything, with this information. As I'm retired
and have a bit of spare time, especially since I don’t play much golf these days,
I decided in late 2008, for a bit of fun, to develop a web site for my family and
friends.
Players from the 1960's, 70's and 80's may find some of it of interest.
Obviously, as I mainly kept information relating to myself, I can well understand
it could be quite boring to a lot of people. Never the less thanks for dropping in
and I hope, at least, it has triggered off some of your own great football memories
from the distant past.
I was lucky enough to play in some really good teams like Ryhope
YC, which later became Ryhope CA and now Sunderland RCA, Seaham Red Star and the
Silksworth RAOB (Buffs) team that won the League and Cup in the 1975/76 season. Great
memories and some great dressing rooms. There are always characters in every dressing
room and the humour can be second to none. When you retire from the game it is often
the dressing room atmosphere that you miss the most.
Talking of dressing rooms none
was better than that of the Ryhope Poplars (Pops) team, which played in the Hetton
CIU League on Saturday mornings, and I played for back in the '60s. We got off to
a poor start in the 1966/67 season and after we had just lost a game, it was suggested
that we should start doing some mid week training. Someone else said 'and how will
that help', and in a flash Frankie Gilmore replied 'because it'll make us play bad
faster'. The whole dressing room just erupted. Absolutely priceless. I still laugh
whenever I think of it.
Given time I hope to give my thoughts on some of the many
players and personalities I admired. If I haven't mentioned you, and you know me,
be patient I hope to get round to you. Bear in mind that my memory, although quite
good, is not as good as it was. In any case if you have any memories, even if it's
to remind me of an open goal I missed (and unfortunately I still remember my 3 worst
misses), please click here to e-
Above are some of the players and management that I’ve been most associated throughout my playing days
WELCOME to my Website
1975/1976 Season
Silksworth ‘Buffs’
Trevor Campbell 1970
Kevin Brace 1973
Keith Hembrough 1976
Norman T Taylor 1974
Harry Orrell 1970
Norman Baird 1968
Bobby Pickering 1974
Terry Brace 1973
Billy Mitchell 1974
Ernie Carlin 1974
Billy Anderson 1970
Jimmy Clark 1974
Brian Page 1974
Harry Clark 1974
'Buffs' Pre 1975/1976 Sseason |
'Buffs' 1975/1976 Season |
1976/1977 Season |
Carlisle Utd 76/77 Season |
Achievements 1979/1982 |
Other Photos |
1984/1985 Season |
1986/1987 Season |
1987/1988 Season |
RYHOPE F.C. Over 35's |
DURHAM FIRE BRIGADE Over 40's |
RYHOPE CHERRY KNOWLE |