Page 136 - 368603 LP250721 AWY AWY AWY Book (238pp A5)

I don’t know why I wanted to go really but the ’73 Final had meant a great deal to me, partly because that cup run had taken place during my first year in London as a young guy, and the tremendous pride and inspiration it bestowed on all of us helped me through a difficult time. I felt that I’d missed something by not attending Bob Stokoe’s service in 2004. I was also sure that I wouldn’t be the only Sunderland fan present who had no association with Ian’s family and the prospect of sharing a beer or two with a few fellow fans appealed to me. Every death also brings home to us the fears we have about our own mortality and the desire to swarm with fellow travellers is a basic source of comfort at such times.
I left home in Ladbroke Grove at midday and after getting a couple of tubes to Richmond and then a couple of trains I arrived in Bagshot around 1.45. I’d been looking around for fellow Sunderland fans but none were visible, though on the leafy walk from the station round to London Road the well-dressed guy in front of me holding a rolled-up brolly reminded me of Ian Todd, president of the London branch of the SAFC Supporters Association. We were the only two in the street and I was close behind him; so close that I think I was giving him a bit of the heebie-jeebies. If I had mugged him, a description of a grey-haired guy wearing a SUNDERLAND WEMBLEY 1973 rosette would surely have brought about my speedy arrest. I’d managed to get there earlier than expected and I knew the service wasn’t due to begin till 2.30 so of course a quick tipple was in order. I
128