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Post by The Stubborn Optimist on Oct 12, 2020 13:17:03 GMT
Remember being on a coach with Steve going to Orient many moons ago. He was with his misses who lived in Stoke. On the way back we drive through Tottenham and they had played at home I think. Anyway there was road works and Spurs mob spotted us and put just about every window in the coach through. One of the only windows still intact was next to Steve and his Mrs. Anyway not sure if Steve lived around the Tottenham area. But that’s where he got off in the middle of the mayhem and just walked through the mob as if to say try it if you want to lads. And disappeared into the night. Another cold journey home as experienced by many back in the day ! I was also on that bus as was Pep I believe. This thread is bringing back memories about transport back in the day. The Bristol Rovers van and now the Orient bus. Happy days.... I was on that bus , as you say mate. A case of get them thar waggons in a circle them injuns are coming!  As others have said freezing cold doesn't begin to describe the journey back to Stoke. As for Tony, my memories of him go back to when I first started to travel to aways as a callow and very naive 14 year old around 1970. As others have said he was face at every away game and yes he did keep an eye out for the young 'uns. He saved my neck at Leeds in about '72 when he stepped in between me and 3 or 4 Leeds twats who were about to batter me. Some good stories of Mr. Gray on the thread, many I saw at first hand, one that hasn't been mentioned is the trip to Ajax in '74, the night he swapped his axe for a flag pole Respect to Mr. Gray. |
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Post by garthisalegend on Oct 12, 2020 14:12:20 GMT
Saw Tony most away days .At Burnley early 90;s his van had broke down .he and a few others plus sue got in our van from leek.As we drove under the bridge in Burnley the one with the pub under it Burnley were attacking young stokies and families .up went the roar from tony everybody out .with in 2 minutes we had seen them off .Tony to a tee looking after them that could not.R I P small in size but massive in stature.
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Post by Northy on Oct 12, 2020 15:28:42 GMT
The Salamanca got knocked down a few years ago and a house was built there. Sure were some good times those stop offs on the way back Two houses, one still being built. Odd looking pub the Salamanca. That 2nd one must be new, the first one has been up a while and I saw they were building a big garage recently. |
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Post by scfc1863 on Oct 12, 2020 15:47:19 GMT
Very sad news, it feels like losing a bit of my Stoke City dna.
There's been wonderful posts in his honor but none mention the generous side of Tony. I first got to know of him when me and a couple of mates, I was 15, got one of the PMT football specials to watch us play a cup match at Oxford away in January '69. We soon realised that the youth sitting on the back seat with long black hair and wearing a greaser leather jacket was called Tony. Next to him was his then girlfriend (Tina?) also in a leather jacket, it was quite evident that he commanded respect by those around him.
On the way there, the bus driver stopped near Banbury and everyone piled into a Spa type shop, we returned with pop, sweets etc then along the aisle came Tony carrying a large cardboard box containg 24 packets of biscuits which he'd acquired. Within a couple of minutes all the bus was scoffing Ginger Nuts..... so generous.
Then there was the famous Ajax trip in '74 to Amsterdam, which one or two posters have mentioned. As has been said elsewhere Tony became the proud owner of a brand new flag pole and using his wit and charm, as well as the flag pole, relieved a program seller of a box of programs. But showing his selfless side, he handed out the programs to all his chums, (I've still got some in the attic)..... again so generous.
Rest in peace fella, great knowing you.
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Post by castlecooperman on Oct 12, 2020 16:13:02 GMT
january,1969,on the bus to york,,,piss stop in buxton,,and someone nicked a charity box!!,,,cops on the bus!!,,,,beat york 2-0,raided a sweetshop,in the home of rowntrees!!!i ended uo with a full pack of tunes,donated by a certain mr grey...cops on the bus again,sittin on forsaid tunes as mr grey and the crackley lads gave em plenty,,,a formative day in my teens.rip little legs.,,,the piss stop at a pub at hilton on the way homen from derby is another classic. |
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Post by castlecooperman on Oct 12, 2020 16:18:16 GMT
Yes I was also on that coach. I remember the police coming on the coach and saying that the coach would not move until someone owned up to said theft, needless to say nobody did and following great abuse they had to let us carry on to York.
Remember most of us jumping over the turnstiles at the ground without paying. Happy days
Also on the coach to the Leeds game..RIP Tony
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Post by bullring on Oct 12, 2020 16:47:29 GMT
RIP Tony Stoke City and England royalty knew him since late eighties,legend
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Post by chad on Oct 12, 2020 18:34:18 GMT
I was also on that bus as was Pep I believe. This thread is bringing back memories about transport back in the day. The Bristol Rovers van and now the Orient bus. Happy days.... I was on that bus , as you say mate. A case of get them thar waggons in a circle them injuns are coming! As others have said freezing cold doesn't begin to describe the journey back to Stoke. As for Tony, my memories of him go back to when I first started to travel to aways as a callow and very naive 14 year old around 1970. As others have said he was face at every away game and yes he did keep an eye out for the young 'uns. He saved my neck at Leeds in about '72 when he stepped in between me and 3 or 4 Leeds twats who were about to batter me. Some good stories of Mr. Gray on the thread, many I saw at first hand, one that hasn't been mentioned is the trip to Ajax in '74, the night he swapped his axe for a flag pole Respect to Mr. Gray. I was in Amsterdam that night If I recall the incident was after the game as we were getting on the coaches. Something kicked off and the next thing Tony’s there charging at these Dutch lads with a bloody great flag pole |
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Post by questionable on Oct 12, 2020 19:10:15 GMT
Without a doubt if you were stuck for a lift going to or from a match somehow he was always there as if by magic he’d appear, uncanny really but he’d never see a Stokie stranded anywhere in the country.
The lads in the van were berserk and didn’t give a shit who they went up against, Sheffield United was horrendous there was some serious disorder that day and they gave some serious beatings out after they saw a few Stoke fans getting hammered.
It took us 6 hours to get back and they even started fighting in Meir on the way back...
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Post by Caerwrangonpotter on Oct 12, 2020 19:30:11 GMT
Some fantastic tales to read from the era's past.
Any more tales of The Axe?
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Post by woodstein on Oct 12, 2020 19:35:18 GMT
Suppose Rest in peace isn'tquite right is it? Perhaps Rest in breach of the peace! 😂
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Post by charlieruby8 on Oct 12, 2020 21:52:01 GMT
I always remember Birmingham away ‘92’,we were 18 and 17yrs old and went down with all the leek lads on a coach but me and my mate had no tickets,we ended up having a fair few in one of the local pubs saying we’d come down shopping for togs,keeping an eye on the scores on their tv we were buzzing when Stoke equalised and couldn’t stop grinning,we said ‘best get back to the coach’only to see it speed past us leaving us stranded and up shit creek in brum,,,,,,then Tony’s blue transit came round the corner and after flagging them down we jumped in the back for the safety of Stoke,There was a rule on the way back that if you nodded off you got a hard slap round the face,,,,I only nodded off once,happy days ,RIP TONY,a Legend
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Post by Squeekster on Oct 12, 2020 21:57:27 GMT
The Salamanca got knocked down a few years ago and a house was built there. Sure were some good times those stop offs on the way back Two houses, one still being built. Odd looking pub the Salamanca. Great pub back in the day, not odd at all really. |
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Post by CalgaryPotter on Oct 13, 2020 2:55:28 GMT
Some fantastic tales to read from the era's past. Any more tales of The Axe? After the match at Wigan we all piled into a pub & there was a rugby league lad sat at the bar with not a stitch on. It was his birthday apparently. Tony buys him a pint then invites him over to our table. We all look at him as if to say what the fuck? Tony’s face is dead pan & he tells him to sit himself down then tells us I think he’s cold. Everyone was in stitches including the landlord & ale was spat in all directions. Tony just had a great smirk on his face 😁 |
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Post by Northy on Oct 13, 2020 17:53:20 GMT
Some fantastic tales to read from the era's past. Any more tales of The Axe? After the match at Wigan we all piled into a pub & there was a rugby league lad sat at the bar with not a stitch on. It was his birthday apparently. Tony buys him a pint then invites him over to our table. We all look at him as if to say what the fuck? Tony’s face is dead pan & he tells him to sit himself down then tells us I think he’s cold. Everyone was in stitches including the landlord & ale was spat in all directions. Tony just had a great smirk on his face 😁 what happened to his mate Pete, had a black moustache, think he was known as Pyscho Pete by a few of us. |
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Post by colnepotter on Oct 13, 2020 20:14:52 GMT
Some fantastic tales to read from the era's past. Any more tales of The Axe? Yes. Many. I remember going to his (surprise) 40th Birthday Party at the Bear in Newcastle. Ahead of the night, we were racking our brains as to what he might like most as a gift. The usual things were on the short list, including a Stripper Gram etc.......but some of the more personalised items included a commemorative axe and a bus load of Vale fans!! |
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Post by str8outtahampton on Oct 15, 2020 17:43:40 GMT
Tony G is on here. One or two others that you can probably identify. Quite possibly some Oatcake contributors. Attachments:
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Post by leicspotter on Oct 15, 2020 17:47:36 GMT
Tony G is on here. One or two others that you can probably identify. Quite possibly some Oatcake contributors. ...and 2 members of the Bay City Rollers how I miss the flares (trousers not pyrotechnics)!!  |
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Post by Gods on Oct 15, 2020 17:51:03 GMT
Tony G is on here. One or two others that you can probably identify. Quite possibly some Oatcake contributors. What a magnificent picture that is, very much if it's time, for those of us of a certain age close your eyes and you're right there, a slice of social history  |
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Post by str8outtahampton on Oct 15, 2020 17:55:11 GMT
Tony G is on here. One or two others that you can probably identify. Quite possibly some Oatcake contributors. ...and 2 members of the Bay City Rollers how I miss the flares (trousers not pyrotechnics)!! LoL out loud! I think all the Rollers are here. Plus evidence that when the Milky Bar Kid wasn't in the studio, he was partial to a Players No 6. |
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Post by Gods on Oct 15, 2020 18:08:20 GMT
...and 2 members of the Bay City Rollers how I miss the flares (trousers not pyrotechnics)!! LoL out loud! I think all the Rollers are here. Plus evidence that when the Milky Bar Kid wasn't in the studio, he was partial to a Players No 6. I've spotted 2 members of Wishbone Ash  |
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Post by str8outtahampton on Oct 15, 2020 18:26:34 GMT
LoL out loud! I think all the Rollers are here. Plus evidence that when the Milky Bar Kid wasn't in the studio, he was partial to a Players No 6. I've spotted 2 members of Wishbone Ash Great spot. Also the Uriah Heep bassist. Need to get confirmation from danceswithclams but I think the father of at least one of World of Twist may have been there. |
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Post by misterj on Oct 15, 2020 19:29:54 GMT
Anyone heard when the funeral is / might be? An overseas mate of TG could prob watch a live streaming which seems to be available these days?
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Post by newsteadst3 on Oct 15, 2020 19:35:04 GMT
Tony G is on here. One or two others that you can probably identify. Quite possibly some Oatcake contributors. ...and 2 members of the Bay City Rollers how I miss the flares (trousers not pyrotechnics)!! Not a Gazelle or Trimm Trab in sight I love it |
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Post by NassauDave on Oct 16, 2020 11:11:44 GMT
Tony G is on here. One or two others that you can probably identify. Quite possibly some Oatcake contributors. Where was that picture taken? |
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Post by str8outtahampton on Oct 16, 2020 11:33:05 GMT
Tony G is on here. One or two others that you can probably identify. Quite possibly some Oatcake contributors. Where was that picture taken? I honestly don't know. An old friend of mine shared it about a month ago - I suspect he got it from the Sentinel, which sometimes features archive stuff. It was a real coincidence because he pointed out that Tony was in it. I think Mark Bentley also. Recognise anyone else? I would place it 74-ish. Away game almost certainly. Maybe en route to Ajax? What do you reckon? |
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Post by misterj on Oct 16, 2020 12:04:39 GMT
That isn’t Neil Baker at the back on the right is it?
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Post by Northy on Oct 16, 2020 12:33:06 GMT
Tony G is on here. One or two others that you can probably identify. Quite possibly some Oatcake contributors. I'm sure the one in the black vest over the shirt middle row was something like Dave Hamlett ? |
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Post by newsteadst3 on Oct 16, 2020 13:06:48 GMT
Where was that picture taken? I honestly don't know. An old friend of mine shared it about a month ago - I suspect he got it from the Sentinel, which sometimes features archive stuff. It was a real coincidence because he pointed out that Tony was in it. I think Mark Bentley also. Recognise anyone else? I would place it 74-ish. Away game almost certainly. Maybe en route to Ajax? What do you reckon? Plymouth away watney cup |
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Post by benjaminbiscuit on Oct 16, 2020 13:19:06 GMT
That isn’t Neil Baker at the back on the right is it? Good spot |
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As others have said freezing cold doesn't begin to describe the journey back to Stoke.
