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Tales from The Bridge


chrisb

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A thread to regale everyone from times gone by, from amusing stories to heartbreaking results, from characters that frequented the stands to electric fences….it’s all about “The Bridge” and the memories we all have of this cathedral of football!

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With the talk in the Fulham match day forum turning to the supporters and tourists it reminded me of a game when I was in the MHL with a group of 4 or 5 “tourists” to my left. There was a fair bit of singing and the tourists appeared to be enjoying listening to it as they were chattering away and taking recordings on their phones. Come the second half during a raucous rendition of “Carefree” they decided to join in but unfortunately for them they must have misunderstood what was being sung as they all started singing “Jeffrey, where ever you may be”!  No one can knock them for trying though!

Edited by chrisb
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2 hours ago, chrisb said:

With the talk in the Fulham match day forum turning to the supporters and tourists it reminded me of a game when I was in the MHL with a group of 4 or 5 “tourists” to my left. There was a fair bit of singing and the tourists appeared to be enjoying listening to it as they were chattering away and taking recordings on their phones. Come the second half during a raucous rendition of “Carefree” they decided to join in but unfortunately for them they must have misunderstood what was being sung as they all started singing “Jeffrey, where ever you may be”!  No one can knock them for trying though!

I've said on here before that I spent my first 6 months as a Chelsea fan at the bridge singing "Geoffrey" as I mistakenly thought it was about the manager at the time. 

 

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36 minutes ago, Mark Kelly said:

He was bloody terrible too undeserving of your song!

Ah yeah...I always partner him with Danny Boy in my head...two great players who should have stuck to being just great ex players!

The Bridge....will never forget climbing the steep steps..for the first time...potential deathtrap...and reaching the top looking down at such a green wonder.

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When humour lurked on the terraces...me and my mate Pete would make a point of standing near two older really funny guys and along with similar minded fans enjoy the banter...a Spurs game...guy one//"I knew they were poor" guy two.."Poor but honest"...the sublety of the praise not lost on the "audience"!!!

Great topic chrisB...Thanks.

Edited by chara
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I used to go mainly in the 90s up until mid 97.

I only started supporting as I was getting too much pain due to injuries when playing and a friend from my first job recommended Chelsea. I was about 20 years old.

Watching the game was one thing yet I also was intrigued by the singing and within a couple of games had migrated to the Middle of Shed terrace.

There was a chap perhaps in his ealry 30s, barrel-chested and he could hold and carry a song really well. Seemed to have a GSOH too. He used to stand in the upper middle more to the White Wall side. I think his name was Mick and he had a well trimmed moustache.

I had a go once at starting a song and it was really awkward as I started well on the 'give me a C', paused 'give me an H', pause and by the time I got to ''S my vocal chords were tightening badly and some of the chaps around me joined in too.  I knew then I was never going to compete with MIck yet still enjoyed joining in the chorus of other songs.

Come April 92 the friend that recommended I start supporting also advised me not to got to the next match as the rumour he had heard was West Ham were 'going to take the Shed'.

I thought he was mad as the Shed seemed like an invincible institution of English football and besides I had already agreed to go. 

Now this was before Mourinho, before Zola and before JFH our forward players were the likes of Dixon,Wise and Cascarino. 

At our meeting place in the pub across the road from the club, it might have been the Cross-Eyed Newt only one turned up out of another expected four. We waited drinking until 2.50pm and then gave up and headed for the ground.  

In getting to the ground and walking through the crowd at 2.55pm it was ominously quiet and then I made up my mind I was going to have my second attempt at starting a song. We pushed through the upper middle to the normal spot and I threw my arms into the air and bellowed out 'Caref....' and before I got any further the Shed chorus had joined in and the song then echoed around the West Stand as the players kicked-off.

We won 2-1, Wise and Cascarino.

Was not aware of any trouble, yet could not see or hear Mick and the attendance was lower than expected. 

I did not start any other songs yet did often help other songs to get momentum as I noticed when we were often not playing well the atmosphere sometimes lifted the players.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited by jasonb
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