Legends silence George

The audience had gathered in the Minstrels' Gallery, as in one singer one song, though several seemed intent on joining in the chorus.

Tyne-Tees do it very well. What may have made it particularly legendary, however, was that it was the night that George Reynolds couldn't get a word in edgeways.

There'd been a couple of references to him. Bernie Slaven considered it "outrageous" to build a 27,000 seat stadium in a place like Darlington; Malcolm Macdonald (who sounds ever more like Mick Jagger) thought it "defied logic and common sense."

Later, when discussing the tenth anniversary of the disappearance of West Auckland's World Cup, someone suggested - jocularly - that George might know something about it.

The former Darlington chairman had already been on the phone back stage, demanding his right of reply. Standard practice, they said they'd ring him back.

When there wasn't another peep, thoughts turned to an unscheduled personal appearance. George's home in Witton-le-Wear is just four miles up the road; was he even at that moment speeding down the A68 to demand a fair deal for former felons?

The programme, carefully rehearsed, ended without a murmur. Shortly afterwards, however, George was again on the phone, demanding to know what had happened. Ken Pollard, the producer, was apologetic. "We always ring people back. Unfortunately, we appear to have taken down the wrong number."

The word telegenic, meaning looking naturally good on the box, was first coined in 1939. It may not strictly have been applicable to the 11.30pm audience to the Manor borne.

"I'm telling you it's wild in here tonight," said presenter Roger Tames, an old hand at bringing order from chaos and, alone, drinking water.

"No rushing to the gents in the commercial breaks," urged the floor manager, floored, and might as well have charged High Force to reconsider its impetuosity.

Amid the Premiership passions, they also found time to talk about wild West Auckland's Albany Northern League side, where both general manager Stuart Alderson, 55, and team manager Alex Mathie played - almost 30 years apart - for Newcastle United.

"Before you went on the field you had to drink half a bottle of whisky. Only Ron McGarry could do that," said Stuart.

Both made just three starts though, Mathie, now 35, added 22 substitute appearances before a £500,000 transfer to Ipswich Town in February 1995. He now commutes to West from Pocklington, south of York.

Both also met up again with Supermac, another who made a bit of a name at St James's. There was even an attempted photograph of Malcolm and Stuart together, though it probably didn't come out.

"That's it," said Stuart, circa 1. 30am, "two legends together."

There's little question that Roger Tames resembles both ace ventriloquist Roger de Courcey and former Premiership referee Alan Wilkie - a double double, as it were.

Like de Courcey's pal Nooky Bear, he also had something up his back, though it proved only to be a cable.

Ardent Arsenal fan, he'd three days earlier broadcast his first commentary from Highbury and will be at the Riverside for tomorrow night's Carling Cup second leg.

He is reluctant to forecast the outcome, however. "Arsenal are a very exciting side, but I'm supposed to be impartial."

Arsenal Ladies were themselves in Cup action on Sunday - against Middlesbrough, of all teams, at Billingham Synthonia. The Gunners won 6-1.

A Boro spokesman explains that they included six teenagers, including a 14-year-old. "Arsenal are a division above us and there's quite a big gap, but I don't see it as an omen at all.

"We're going to win the Carling Cup semi-final very comfortably."

A rather bigger Sabbath crowd turned out for the Save the Quakers match, and were intrigued to see Gazza's battered conk - suffered, he told reporters, after he ran into a glass door. The blow seems to have affected the poor lad's memory, too.

The incident, said Gazza - "I just thought it would be a bit of fun to head butt the glass" - took place on Saturday evening.

In truth, it happened in a Newcastle city centre bar on Thursday lunchtime and was reported by the column's spies on Saturday morning.

Was he sober, we enquired? "Well," said the spy, "he certainly wasn't walking in a straight line afterwards."

Anticipating tea time by the television, several Newcastle United fans - including award- winning programme editor Paul Tully - turned up at Brandon v Horden on Saturday. The talk was of the Magpies' remarkable disciplinary record.

Up to that point, they'd gone seven games without so much as a caution - Laurent Robert was the last to be booked, against Spurs - and also kept the sheet clean during the Cup tie at Liverpool.

Not even the estimable Mr Tully knows - others might - if that's a latter-day record. Fair play to them, anyway.

The year's first column reported bumping into Premiership referee Jeff Winter - another man with a Saturday afternoon off - watching his 21-year-old son Craig playing in the Albany Northern League second division for Northallerton.

There has now been a hiatus, a rude interruption, however. The ANL magazine notes that Craig is serving a suspension - for swearing at the referee.

"He's finding his feet quite well at this level, but obviously he doesn't think much of referees," says the Teesside official.

The magazine also asked the youngster what he'd learned from having one of the game's most celebrated whistlers as his dad. "By the look of it," said Craig, "nothing whatsoever."

...and finally

The Manchester United player who scored six times in an FA Cup tie and still finished on the losing side (Backtrack, January 23) was Denis Law - United leading Luton 6-2 when the match was abandoned. Luton won 2-1 at the second attempt.

Speaking of Ron McGarry, which over half a bottle of whisky we were, readers may today care to recall the side from which he joined the Magpies and the side to which five years later he was transferred.

Supposing we've got back through the snow from watching Chester-le-Street in last night's FA Youth Cup tie at West Ham, the column returns on Friday. Hammers and tongs again then.

Published: 27/01/2004