Thank-You Christie Park

[ShrimpDownUnder]

I have been a shrimps supporter for 24 years now and always find myself rolling over at stupid o'clock in the morning to flick on the iPhone and check BBC Sport for the latest score (not that that’s a reliable source on the odd occasion!

I remember my first game at Christie Park when the North Stand was a dream and all we had to put up with was a corrosive terrace with a white block wall which I helped paint as a kid once (and yes, they knew I was painting it!!!)

I remember the red railings instead of the solid block walls surrounding the hallowed turf and I remember rolling around the bar as a kid and my Grandad telling me off for not watching the game!

I remember John Coleman and Robbie Armstrong playing table football in the main bar with me and my friends as kids and handing me a pint of beer as a 6 year old (Mum wasn’t too impressed!!)

All these memories also had a down side, losing in the play-offs and crying for the first time at a football game!

But no matter what has happened everyday I always smile thinking of the games I used to watch and the friends I made and used to see on that terrace and I feel privileged. It is an honour to be a Morecambe supporter and no matter how far I do travel I will always talk about Morecambe and always say their name with pride and humble thanks which leads me to saying thank you to all of the players, the staff, the volunteers and the supporters past and present that have helped make this club the wonderful place I remember it as and the wonderful place I am sure it is today.
I will be on the edge of my seat on Sunday morning here in Oz and I know Morecambe will be there again for the play offs but for me not being able to see a place that I call home for so long makes it so much harder to say goodbye so please, to Sammy and all of the boys, give Christie Park the final curtain draw that she deserves!!

Good luck everyone,

COME ON YOU REDS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[CASS]

Great post Cobber..I was filling up whilst reading it
Take Care.

[Keith]

What a great first post!

Does anyone else remember 'Shep*' the collie that ran the line in front of the cinders? He would stick a nose under the advertising and understood the off side rule. If a player was off side he would stop dead and on a few occasions when the linesman got it wrong, the dog would stop dead for a second, just long enough to give a glance at the liner, before catching up with the game. If the crowd ever shouted that it was off side and the linesman had missed it, you could check with the dog to see if it was right! On one occasion the away team were delayed and someone brought the dog on to play ball. that was the only time he ever went on the pitch. He used to play ball with the kids on the school playing field too.

I've got a brick from the old Rosebery Stand.

*Don't know if that was his proper name?

[Burnley Shrimp]

What a great first post!

Does anyone else remember 'Shep*' the collie that ran the line in front of the cinders? He would stick a nose under the advertising and understood the off side rule. If a player was off side he would stop dead and on a few occasions when the linesman got it wrong, the dog would stop dead for a second, just long enough to give a glance at the liner, before catching up with the game. If the crowd ever shouted that it was off side and the linesman had missed it, you could check with the dog to see if it was right! On one occasion the away team were delayed and someone brought the dog on to play ball. that was the only time he ever went on the pitch. He used to play ball with the kids on the school playing field too.

I've got a brick from the old Rosebery Stand.

*Don't know if that was his proper name?

Shep was my dog.He was bought from a farm at 10 weeks old and his parents were both working sheep dogs. I lived opposite the ground at that time and when he did the pitch display (the time the away team were delayed) his picture made the front page of the Visitor.

I didn't take him into the games of course but he was a super intelligent dog who allways seemed to find his way into the ground. I swear he was a better player than some we had on the pitch at that time. Explaining the off side rule to him was tricky but he managed to pick it up. Probably understood it a lot better than some of the liners we get now.

I know it's going back about 30 odd years but it shows how far we've come when in those days nobody batted an eyelid at a dog running up and down the cinder banking side. (car wash now)

[San Miguel]

Can anyone remember the Corgi dog owned by Jimmy Pyrah (I think). It used to do a pre match demonstration dribbling with the ball.Sometimes putting the players to shame.
Oh the good old days!!

[Gnasher]

Shep, the Corgi and Jim, all old memories. Jim gave me my own bar stool and half pint glass in the social club, I was about 3 at the time. What became the snooker room was my sand-pit. I still carry a scar after falling on the cinders. Jack letting me sit on top of the old score board. Not paying to get in because the back garden was behind the turnstiles - I was 2 and the turnstiles were in the wall of the supporters car park. Kicking the tin hoardings as I walked to Lancy Rd School.

All but the main stand has completely changed in my lifetime, I didn't say farewell to the bits before so it seems strange having to say farewell now.

For me, farewell to more than just the ground tomorrow.

[captain sparkle]

aye, gnasher,
no more making fizzy vimto with a soda syphon before a match!

[Gnasher]

aye aye Captain, those were the days except you still try to put the sparkle into everything

[Jack Poulton]

The one I can't get out of my head was the day we beat Rossendale 14 - 0 in the old Lancashire Combination. 9 - 0 up at half time and Arnold Timmins scoring something like 8 of them. Jack Baxter keeping the Vistor scoreboard up to date and, I think, even finding a board with the correct score on it. Happy days.

[Christies Child]

The one I can't get out of my head was the day we beat Rossendale 14 - 0 in the old Lancashire Combination. 9 - 0 up at half time and Arnold Timmins scoring something like 8 of them. Jack Baxter keeping the Vistor scoreboard up to date and, I think, even finding a board with the correct score on it. Happy days.

The mention of a scoreboard prompts me to ask 'are we going to use the scoreboard given to us by Carlisle as part of the Danny C deal at the Arena OR has it been thrown out or whatever'

[Plain Peter]

I scored a goal at Crusty.
It was my very own-goal, v Blackburn Schoolboys U/15s in 1969.

[Freez]

Colin and Keith, we have done an article in the next Corpus Christie ( yes we are still going) which Shep features in as a Christie Legend!! Good timing!!

[heysham_mfc]

we should put a score board up if we have got one stored away somewhere