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Post by Gods on Apr 24, 2015 11:11:50 GMT
Gus, my father arrived in England in 1962. One of the coldest winters on record. He lodged at a friends house in Peel Street, Dresden. He saved up enough to bring his wife and stepson around 1964. I was born actually in those lodgings in Peel St. in 1966. Shortly after we Gus an family in tow moved to Brocksford Street Fenton. Mum and Dad were both working at Ridgeways Pottery. 1971 Gus became the proud father of a daughter. I fell in love with football and SCFC just after 1972. In 1974 Gus and I attended our first football match at the Vic. We smashed Burnley 4-0 and Spurs 1-0 the next fixture. Gerry Sergeant from SCFC Promotions got Gus his job selling lottery tickets at the club. He was already into fund raising Meir Heath Cricket Club and one of the local characters around Longton so those punters had to donate twice much I guess. He did have a go at learning to drive but he hit a brick wall in our back alley. We never told the neighbours ! He then bought his infamous bike. When I was playing cricket with my mates on Foley Park my dad who was out for a stroll would join in. Pretty embarrassing. He raised a crazy amount of money for St. Peters Children in Need Appeal in the 1980's. Meanwhile mum had a severe mental breakdown the first of at least 4 or 5. Gus managed to keep it together though mum could not work again. Juggling working at Finneys Pottery and charity work for Stoke City and M.H.C.C. An incident on his bike left him very shook in the early 1990's. He did not cycle after and stopped attending matches around 1995. Gus passed away Xmas Eve 2002 aged 81, I really miss him. Wonderful story. Got a picture you could share? Pretty sure I remember him but a pic would jog my memory. Thanks. |
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Post by newsteadst3 on Apr 24, 2015 20:34:54 GMT
Well how spooky! This evening I played tennis with some friends and stopped off at The Finney Gardens for a pint. As I left, I was just saying goodbye to one of my friends when a lass standing outside spotted my Stoke shirt and said "ahh you're a Stoke fan are you?". Bit of a daft question I thought but not wanting to be rude I said "yes are you?". She said not really but my Dad used to work at Stoke a long time ago". Yes, you've guessed it, this was Gus's daughter (Fitz's sister)  /? She was amazed when I said I'd only been reading about her father this lunchtime, especially as she no longer lives local and was only up from Bristol for a funeral. I told her about the Oatcake and hopefully she will get to read this and Fitz's post. As I said goodbye to her, she told me her name and I had to smile.... it was Vicky. Nice touch Gus.... naming your daughter VICTORIA  This post for some reason wAnts me to want a win now more than ever tomorrow...... brilliant. |
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Post by cobhamstokey on Apr 24, 2015 22:00:11 GMT
Gus was one of the big memories I had when I started following the mighty mighty potters back in 77. Always wondered what became of him.
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Post by tijuanabrass on Apr 25, 2015 4:08:27 GMT
It was funny but reading the 'memories of the vic' thread and Gus was one of the first things that sprang to mind. He always seems to be wearing a rain coat and Balaclava. I didn't know him personally but often wondered whether he worked for the club or came and sold the totes independently.
Back in the boothen you'd always see a lot of the same characters each week because people would gravitate to the same part of the stand without being confined to their allocated seating.
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fitz
Spectator
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Post by fitz on May 5, 2015 11:40:57 GMT
I am using a photos of Gus as my profile pic, thanks everyone for contributing to this thread :-)
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Post by dexta on May 5, 2015 14:02:46 GMT
Gus, my father arrived in England in 1962. One of the coldest winters on record. He lodged at a friends house in Peel Street, Dresden. He saved up enough to bring his wife and stepson around 1964. I was born actually in those lodgings in Peel St. in 1966. Shortly after we Gus an family in tow moved to Brocksford Street Fenton. Mum and Dad were both working at Ridgeways Pottery. 1971 Gus became the proud father of a daughter. I fell in love with football and SCFC just after 1972. In 1974 Gus and I attended our first football match at the Vic. We smashed Burnley 4-0 and Spurs 1-0 the next fixture. Gerry Sergeant from SCFC Promotions got Gus his job selling lottery tickets at the club. He was already into fund raising Meir Heath Cricket Club and one of the local characters around Longton so those punters had to donate twice much I guess. He did have a go at learning to drive but he hit a brick wall in our back alley. We never told the neighbours ! He then bought his infamous bike. When I was playing cricket with my mates on Foley Park my dad who was out for a stroll would join in. Pretty embarrassing. He raised a crazy amount of money for St. Peters Children in Need Appeal in the 1980's. Meanwhile mum had a severe mental breakdown the first of at least 4 or 5. Gus managed to keep it together though mum could not work again. Juggling working at Finneys Pottery and charity work for Stoke City and M.H.C.C. An incident on his bike left him very shook in the early 1990's. He did not cycle after and stopped attending matches around 1995. Gus passed away Xmas Eve 2002 aged 81, I really miss him. Fitzgerald now there's a blast from the past...we had many a good time on Foley park mate....in the summer months there would always some of us playing cricket....can remember when we were playing one day and your dad came across and you were batting...so we threw him the ball to have a bowl at you and he skittled you first bowl...was expecting your dad to be a quick bowler but he was a spinner...also remember the painted goal posts on the factory wall opposite where you lived....sorry about your dad mate he was a legend fella... |
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fitz
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Post by fitz on May 5, 2015 20:55:40 GMT
Thanks to you and everyone for your condolances mate. Now you remind me he did get me out first ball ! My brother painted those goals but Gus gave him a scolding for it, glad it was not me ! Better to be on the recieving end of his tricky spinning delivery !
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Post by CalgaryPotter on Oct 22, 2015 4:54:27 GMT
The sentinel seller was Norman Rhead lived on London rd in Stoke,died some years back,think the away when he was kidnapped was chelsea away on a wednesday nite,Mel Abbott also died few years ago was found not far from the brit on one of the footpaths,used to tell some great stories when he used to walk from stoke to leek and back midweek on market day to get hammered and once or twice ended up sleeping in hedgerows cuz he'd spent up, in latter years he signed up as an acting extra and played some part in one of those period dramas which was filmed up leek way,a bigger stoke fan you"ld struggle to find. That kidnapping would have been the 0-1 win then I think? That would make sense, an afternoon in Soho & Leicester Sq., him on the harmonica, Bentley & Anton taking it in turns to get songs going, booted out of numerous pubs and everyone making sure our man was with us. RIP Norman, as long as I live I'll remember the smile on your face that day, you were a star. Id seen you flogging papers as a kid for years but that day you were one of us and you loved it. |
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Post by Deleted on Oct 22, 2015 5:30:56 GMT
Fantastic thread
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Post by daveandeddy on Oct 22, 2015 15:47:34 GMT
Thanks to you and everyone for your condolances mate. Now you remind me he did get me out first ball ! My brother painted those goals but Gus gave him a scolding for it, glad it was not me ! Better to be on the recieving end of his tricky spinning delivery ! |
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Post by daveandeddy on Oct 22, 2015 15:50:21 GMT
Fitz ................... 1st time poster ... I am not sure if you will remember me . I was one of the lads off Sandford Hill who would regularly meet up down the fields ( as we used to call them ) I think you knew my girlfriend then at the time ( Hazel Morgan ) before you knew me
I remember your dad very well and always see him with a big smile on his face and a huge booming laugh
Hop you are well buddy Dave Davies
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Post by Deleted on Oct 22, 2015 16:44:52 GMT
It's threads like this that make The Oatcake worth reading.
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Post by ukcstokie on Oct 22, 2015 20:02:44 GMT
I don't often start threads that I can look back on with a warm glow. Hope the Oatcake picks this up as I'm sure many more people will remember Gus fondly. |
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