My complete life of supporting Bournemouth.

Good stuff Al. Me and my 2 brothers used to live in Orcheston Road (my Mum and Dad are still there). My older brother was born in 64, me in 67 and my younger brother in 68 both in Boscombe Hospital. My younger brother and me also went to St Andrews and all 3 of us used to spend hours over at Queens Park doing one thing or another, whether that be football, cricket, cycling or taboganning! My older brother remembers you from the park those days although I don’t. We obviously would have frequented the same fish and chip shops, newsagents (usually Cunninghams in Bennett Road run by Laurie, another ex-AFCB legend) and other establishments.

I went to school with a Sheena McGilivray, surely must have been Charles’ sister with such an unusual name as that. I have a vague recollection that she lived on St Leonard’s Road not far from Richmond Park Road?
 
Blimey, what a memory Al, I can't even remember what I did yesterday let alone 50 odd years ago.

I am also an St. Andrews alumni, I think I must have been the year below you.


Mark Levells brother Jamie was in my class ,can't remember any cherries fans though apart from Chris Guy & Gary 'Wembo ' Wembridge who I still see at games.

I used to do a paper round for Jim Stirling's newsagents in Alma Rd, and have seen Russell at a couple of away games this season.

My dad used to play for Poole Town 58-61 , and he loved his football , but never once took me to a game .

It's funny ,you think you can't remember much but as you start typing it all comes flooding back.

Look forward to the next installment.
 
Last edited:
AFCB Ironman said:
Blimey, what a memory Al, I can't even remember what I did yesterday let alone 50 odd years ago.

I am also an St. Andrews alumni, I think I must have been the year below you.


Mark Levells brother Jamie was in my class ,can't remember any cherries fans though apart from Chris Guy & Gary 'Wembo ' Wembridge who I still see at games.

I used to do a paper round for Jim Stirling's newsagents in Alma Rd, and have seen Russell at a couple of away games this season.

My dad used to play for Poole Town 58-61 , and he loved his football , but never once took me to a game .

It's funny ,you think you can't remember much but as you start typing it all comes flooding back.

Look forward to the next installment.
Click to expand...
Did you play for the town team and Strouden Rangers
 
AFCB Ironman said:
Blimey, what a memory Al, I can't even remember what I did yesterday let alone 50 odd years ago.

I am also an St. Andrews alumni, I think I must have been the year below you.


Mark Levells brother Jamie was in my class ,can't remember any cherries fans though apart from Chris Guy & Gary 'Wembo ' Wembridge who I still see at games.

I used to do a paper round for Jim Stirling's newsagents in Alma Rd, and have seen Russell at a couple of away games this season.

My dad used to play for Poole Town 58-61 , and he loved his football , but never once took me to a game .

It's funny ,you think you can't remember much but as you start typing it all comes flooding back.

Look forward to the next installment.
Click to expand...

Remember the Levell brothers very well, and their mate Paul Torrible.
 
Chapter 3. Part 2.
1970-71.

Three big things happened in my life in January 71.
We moved from 279 Malmesbury Park Road to 62 West Way. Still in the "Charmy" district, but a bit posher.

Dad was getting lots of work and had a great reputation as a reliable and good plumber.
The decision was taken to move me to another school. Summerbee Junior at the top of East Way. A 5 minute walk for me.
Mum couldn't drive at the time, so keeping me at St Andrews wasn't really an option. I could have gone on my bike, but it would have been a bit far on miserable wet days.

Within days of the move we got the shocking news that Dad's football companion Jim had died in a work accident at Kennedy's. He stood with Dad for around 15 years on the South End.
The funeral was at St John's church in Pokesdown (The closest church to the ground). It was well attended, with Bournemouth scarves worn by all, and a wake in the Queens Park Pub. He had a younger girlfriend, Janet, and a young son who was around 3. Janet sadly took her own life a few months later.

I made new friends at Summerbee quickly, and the days of kicking a ball around Winton Rec, or Queens Park were soon forgotten.
Castle Lane was the new venue, and I joined Strouden Rangers who used to train Saturday mornings and play Sunday afternoons, against teams like Redhill, Lychett Matravers & East Howe. I loved Saturdays, training in the morning, Dean Court in the afternoon.
The team was short of a goalkeeper, so I volunteered. All went well for a while, till Lychett put 10 past us in the first half. I was spared further punishment, and Chris Bowden went in goal. (His Father ran The Dolphin Pub in Kinson). I was put upfront and scored twice in a 16-2 defeat. My influence was huge in that result.

Dad didn't want to stand in the South End any more, probably because of Jim's passing, so we switched to the New Stand, and got in to the habit of moving to the end we were attacking at half time.

Phil Boyer had been signed from York, and reunited with Ted upfront. It was dynamite. We were playing great attacking football, and looked like we would score with every move foreward.

Two games in a week stick out. A 5-0 home win over promotion rivals Oldham. We were 4-0 up well before half time. Phil had scored two, the second from just inside the Oldham half which he smashed across the goalkeeper, maybe 40 yards or so. I can't recall seeing a goal like it for it's brilliance. Ted also scored that day.
A week later we beat Northampton, also in the promotion race, 4-2. Again 4 up before half time. 2 for Ted and another for Phil.
Then in midweek, we smashed 4 past Exeter. 13 goals in 3 consecutive home games, in the space of 11 days. Champagne stuff indeed.

A big game against leaders Notts County was on the horizon. Mum was from Nottingham, and still had family up there, so we went up on a Friday. I believe my first overnighter away game. Meadow Lane was packed, or so it seemed. A 1-1 draw, and it was at that point we realised we might not win the league, but as we were always in the top 4, mainly second, promotion looked a good bet.

Promotion was secured with a couple of games to spare. What a feeling that was after the despair of last season.
The last game was at home to York, who were also up. The aim of the day was to see if Ted could get a hat trick and claim 50 goals for the season. He was on 40 league goals, and 7 FA Cup goals.
I have no idea why, but we were in the Brighton Beach End that day. My first time. A gloriously warm day, Bournemouth were in celebration form again, winning 4-0. Ted got two, and finished on 49. I remember us trying to tee him up on numerous occasions to get that third, but it wasn't to be.

A glorious season. The town had it's pride back. The standard 4000-5000 crowd of the season before was now 9000-10,000.
It was a great time to be a supporter.
 
That was the first season i can remember. As an 8 year old lad, remember the feeling that we were invincible.Sadly future seasons proved me wrong.

We used to sit as my Gran who was 70 ish used to come with my Dad and I. I remember very uncomfortable wooden seats and waiting for people to leave their cushions before grabbing one for a few minutes of comfort. I think cushions thrown on the pitch were not a thing due to our success; I think that came a bit later!
 
AlGard said:
Chapter 3. Part 2.
1970-71.

Three big things happened in my life in January 71.
We moved from 279 Malmesbury Park Road to 62 West Way. Still in the "Charmy" district, but a bit posher.

Dad was getting lots of work and had a great reputation as a reliable and good plumber.
The decision was taken to move me to another school. Summerbee Junior at the top of East Way. A 5 minute walk for me.
Mum couldn't drive at the time, so keeping me at St Andrews wasn't really an option. I could have gone on my bike, but it would have been a bit far on miserable wet days.

Within days of the move we got the shocking news that Dad's football companion Jim had died in a work accident at Kennedy's. He stood with Dad for around 15 years on the South End.
The funeral was at St John's church in Pokesdown (The closest church to the ground). It was well attended, with Bournemouth scarves worn by all, and a wake in the Queens Park Pub. He had a younger girlfriend, Janet, and a young son who was around 3. Janet sadly took her own life a few months later.

I made new friends at Summerbee quickly, and the days of kicking a ball around Winton Rec, or Queens Park were soon forgotten.
Castle Lane was the new venue, and I joined Strouden Rangers who used to train Saturday mornings and play Sunday afternoons, against teams like Redhill, Lychett Matravers & East Howe. I loved Saturdays, training in the morning, Dean Court in the afternoon.
The team was short of a goalkeeper, so I volunteered. All went well for a while, till Lychett put 10 past us in the first half. I was spared further punishment, and Chris Bowden went in goal. (His Father ran The Dolphin Pub in Kinson). I was put upfront and scored twice in a 16-2 defeat. My influence was huge in that result.

Dad didn't want to stand in the South End any more, probably because of Jim's passing, so we switched to the New Stand, and got in to the habit of moving to the end we were attacking at half time.

Phil Boyer had been signed from York, and reunited with Ted upfront. It was dynamite. We were playing great attacking football, and looked like we would score with every move foreward.

Two games in a week stick out. A 5-0 home win over promotion rivals Oldham. We were 4-0 up well before half time. Phil had scored two, the second from just inside the Oldham half which he smashed across the goalkeeper, maybe 40 yards or so. I can't recall seeing a goal like it for it's brilliance. Ted also scored that day.
A week later we beat Northampton, also in the promotion race, 4-2. Again 4 up before half time. 2 for Ted and another for Phil.
Then in midweek, we smashed 4 past Exeter. 13 goals in 3 consecutive home games, in the space of 11 days. Champagne stuff indeed.

A big game against leaders Notts County was on the horizon. Mum was from Nottingham, and still had family up there, so we went up on a Friday. I believe my first overnighter away game. Meadow Lane was packed, or so it seemed. A 1-1 draw, and it was at that point we realised we might not win the league, but as we were always in the top 4, mainly second, promotion looked a good bet.

Promotion was secured with a couple of games to spare. What a feeling that was after the despair of last season.
The last game was at home to York, who were also up. The aim of the day was to see if Ted could get a hat trick and claim 50 goals for the season. He was on 40 league goals, and 7 FA Cup goals.
I have no idea why, but we were in the Brighton Beach End that day. My first time. A gloriously warm day, Bournemouth were in celebration form again, winning 4-0. Ted got two, and finished on 49. I remember us trying to tee him up on numerous occasions to get that third, but it wasn't to be.

A glorious season. The town had it's pride back. The standard 4000-5000 crowd of the season before was now 9000-10,000.
It was a great time to be a supporter.
Click to expand...
Yes Chris went to Oakmead and still see him at games,he was the year above me,he is a bus driver i think
 
This is brilliant Al, my first game was 1966 at home to Scunthorpe but your thread is bringing back so many memories for me. My first away game ever was v Notts County, the same one as you and I drove over on my own from Manchester where I was at uni in my Morris 1000.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

;