FAN PROFILE

 This week’s fan profile is a bit special. It is from 93 year old David Robinson who is an ever present at home matches this season and who hopes we quickly get promoted as he wants to watch Southport in the league again before he dies!

 FIRST HOME GAME EVER SEEN- Southport v Durham City (1-1) in August 1921.Attendance 7000. This was Southport’s first game in the newly formed northern section of the 3^rd Division. I watched from the paddock in front of the old wooden stand. Although I don’t remember much of the game, the names of several of the players come to mind, Sinclair, Rigsby, Billy Semple and Billy Glover. I saw Billy Glover score six goals against Grimsby later in the season.

FIRST AWAY GAME EVER SEEN-Blackburn Rovers v Southport in January 1922 (1-1) Attendance 24000. This was an FA Cup tie and Southport did very well to draw with their First Division opponents. We went by special train which was packed. There was a big crowd in Ewood Park, the biggest football crowd I had ever been in up till then and I couldn’t see much of the pitch. Luckily, just before kick off I was lifted up and passed over the heads of the people in front and then over the fence and watched the game sitting on the grass beside the pitch with one or two other youngsters. Billy Glover scored for Southport.

We unfortunately went on to lose the replay five days later 2-0 in front of 12448 fans.

MOST DISAPPOINTING GAME-Everton 9 Southport 1 in February 1931. Attendance 45647. This was a miserable day for Southport supporters. It had been snowing and the pitch at Goodison was like a mud heap with snow still on parts of it and Everton with Dixie dean at centre forward adapted much better to the conditions. It was disappointing because Southport did not do themselves justice. They had played much better in the previous cup ties but at least they had reached the last eight in the FA Cup. We did get something from our trip to Goodison, at least my pal did. While we were queuing up outside the ground the Southport Visiter cameraman took a photograph of the fans and when the photo was published in Tuesday’ Visiter my pal’s face had been ringed and he won 10/- (50p) which was worth something in those days.

BEST GOAL SEEN SCORED BY SOUTHPORT PLAYER-

 It’s very difficult to pick out the best goals because there are so may good ones, but I can give twogoals that gave me considerable pleasure. The first was in our 1-1 draw with Newcastle in January andcame in front of 20010 fans which has remained our highest ever attendance at Haig Ave to this day.

This replay was played on a Tuesday afternoon and as there were no floodlights in those days kick-off was quite early. Corporation employees who supported Southport were allowed time off to watch the match but had to work as soon as it was over (Would Sefton Council do this today?) Jimmy Cowen scored the goal that saved the match and forced a second replay.

My second favourite was Alex Russell’s injury time equaliser in the 1-1 draw at home to Hartlepool in April 1973 from a fine free kick to draw the game and ensure promotion to the Third Division.

WORST OCCASION-During the 77/78 season being knocked out of the FA Cup by Runcorn. In the first match Southport had been winning 2-1 and Runcorn equalised with the last kick of the match and beat us 1-0 at Runcorn. Then at the end of the Season we were voted out of the League and we are still struggling to get back. Perhaps one of the worst occasions, apart from the actual football, was going to Haig Avenue early morning on the day after Boxing day in 1966 to see the main stand a burnt out wreck and wondering if that meant the end of league football.

BEST GROUND VISITED WATCHING SFC- Undoubtedly Wembley. I had visited it years before, but there is nothing like the thrill of watching your own team there. The team played well and with a bit of luck might have won, but on the whole it was a smashing day out.

FAVOURITE PLAYER-I have several favourite players and having watch Southport for over 82 years I couldn’t pick just one of them, but I think perhaps Alan Spence might qualify. He served the club over five or six years and scored almost a 100 goals for us and then of course there was Eric Redrobe who I remember seeing at Prenton Park head the winning goal against Tranmere Rovers, which against the run of play, won us the match in our promotion season in 1967.

ANY ANECDOTES-One day in 1944 I went to the football stadium in New Delhi to watch an International Football match between England and Scotland and lo and behold England’s centre forward was no other than Jack Rothwell of Southport FC.