[Jackolt]

Since I've recently posted on the board I thought I'd say hello. Been following the Spireites since I saw us draw at home with Stoke City in the League Cup when I was a nipper,(I think) sometime around 1967. Apparently Dave who I sit next to in the West Stand was there too on the same day for his first match at Saltergate. My biggest early buzz was watching the forward pairing of Ivan Hollett and Kevin Randall. I've been a supporter ever since and regularly read the Boards but apart from a period in the 90's never posted much. But what the hell, I reckon I'll start posting again now!

I took my Scottish mate Jim (Dundee fan) to watch us at Wembley when Kevin Davies was a teenage sensation (rather than the middle-aged sensation he is now). I also took Jim to the FA cup semi final at Old Trafford and when Dyche scored the penalty I gave him a spontaneous bear hug. He reckons he's still seeing a chiropractor as a result. Given I had to queue all B****Y night in the rain outside Saltergate for the tickets, I reckon he got off lightly.

In recent years I've taken my partner Carol to see us twice at Wembley and away at Burton last season. She's now a committed Spireite despite us both living in exile north of Bradford. I manage to get her to a lot of away matches and regularly at home. She has a strong mothering instinct and is still mourning the loss of Liam Cooper. Being of half Yorkshire - half Irish extraction, I'm not sure Carol will ever get over the loss of Eoin Doyle but I reckon the Spireites will. In my view, the day we ever really need to worry is when Cookie moves on. Arthur Cox could have taken us somewhere good if we had the money and infrastructure, but stayed only long enough to get a better job. I hope and trust Paul cook is of a stronger calibre.

Carol and I often have the pleasure of sitting next to Big Dave in the west stand - a true Spireite if ever I met one! Carol also had the surreal pleasure of sharing a long conversation a few months ago with Brian the Singing Miner. Despite coming from Yorkshire she thinks us Derbyshire Spireite types are ace. Obviously that's why I'm with her! She and I do our best to get to matches although in recent times health has got in the way somewhat, but I reckon the worst is over so I'm hoping to get her a season ticket too next season. I am currently teaching my greyhound Marlon to drive the car so he can chauffeur us down the M1 on matchdays. Give us a wave if you see us.

I don't know about you but despite all the ups and downs the Spireites keep me going. Long may it continue.

All the best

John Holt

[Rudeboy spireite]

See you Sat John, talk about unbelievable places where you meet a Spireite, what about this. We are doing a job in Dunbar Scotland and I am talking to the quarry manager, "where are you from" he says, Chesterfield I reply, that's my team he says, I say what. Turns out that he is a caravan man and has been going to Chatsworth House for years and as a consequence he and his family are Spireites. He and his family will be there on Sat. You couldn't make it up lol

[Westbars Spireite]

Good man. New blood is most welcome.

[lindave]

Jackolt, on 12 March 2015 - 08:40 PM, said:

Since I've recently posted on the board I thought I'd say hello. Been following the Spireites since I saw us draw at home with Stoke City in the League Cup when I was a nipper,(I think) sometime around 1967. Apparently Dave who I sit next to in the West Stand was there too on the same day for his first match at Saltergate. My biggest early buzz was watching the forward pairing of Ivan Hollett and Kevin Randall. I've been a supporter ever since and regularly read the Boards but apart from a period in the 90's never posted much. But what the hell, I reckon I'll start posting again now!

I took my Scottish mate Jim (Dundee fan) to watch us at Wembley when Kevin Davies was a teenage sensation (rather than the middle-aged sensation he is now). I also took Jim to the FA cup semi final at Old Trafford and when Dyche scored the penalty I gave him a spontaneous bear hug. He reckons he's still seeing a chiropractor as a result. Given I had to queue all B****Y night in the rain outside Saltergate for the tickets, I reckon he got off lightly.

In recent years I've taken my partner Carol to see us twice at Wembley and away at Burton last season. She's now a committed Spireite despite us both living in exile north of Bradford. I manage to get her to a lot of away matches and regularly at home. She has a strong mothering instinct and is still mourning the loss of Liam Cooper. Being of half Yorkshire - half Irish extraction, I'm not sure Carol will ever get over the loss of Eoin Doyle but I reckon the Spireites will. In my view, the day we ever really need to worry is when Cookie moves on. Arthur Cox could have taken us somewhere good if we had the money and infrastructure, but stayed only long enough to get a better job. I hope and trust Paul cook is of a stronger calibre.

Carol and I often have the pleasure of sitting next to Big Dave in the west stand - a true Spireite if ever I met one! Carol also had the surreal pleasure of sharing a long conversation a few months ago with Brian the Singing Miner. Despite coming from Yorkshire she thinks us Derbyshire Spireite types are ace. Obviously that's why I'm with her! She and I do our best to get to matches although in recent times health has got in the way somewhat, but I reckon the worst is over so I'm hoping to get her a season ticket too next season. I am currently teaching my greyhound Marlon to drive the car so he can chauffeur us down the M1 on matchdays. Give us a wave if you see us.

I don't know about you but despite all the ups and downs the Spireites keep me going. Long may it continue.

All the best

John Holt

Welcome to the Board John, I was freaked out when I read that your first Spireite game was the Stoke game.It was mine too, 4-45pm ko with no floodlights 2-2 (Nobby Clarke 2 ) after being 2 down.Randall was my all time hero, and apart from Ernie, Ivan was the best header of the ball ever in a Town shirt. I've had the Town bug ever since that first game and long may it continue on this gret roller coaster ride.

[howardb]

Welcome John

I knew you were ill but hadn't heard an update; just pleased it's so positive

Maybe we can grab five minutes sometime

For everyone else John and I both went to Netherthorpe School

All the best

Howard Borrell

[whittman]

lindave, on 12 March 2015 - 08:54 PM, said:

Welcome to the Board John, I was freaked out when I read that your first Spireite game was the Stoke game.It was mine too, 4-45pm ko with no floodlights 2-2 (Nobby Clarke 2 ) after being 2 down.Randall was my all time hero, and apart from Ernie, Ivan was the best header of the ball ever in a Town shirt. I've had the Town bug ever since that first game and long may it continue on this gret roller coaster ride.

that match was in 1964-65 and we had to go straight from school lol. My mate threw his flask in the air when Gerry Clarke scored the equaliser at the Cross Street end

He is still waiting for it to come down

From memory I think the attendance was nearly 13,000 for a 4-45 ko. I think if we had floodlights at that time a crowd of nearly 20,000 could have been possible

We lost 2-1 in the replay with Gareth Salisbury scoring

[Dreaming Spire]

Yes, it's amazing how just a few seconds of one incident can linger in the memory for the rest of your life !
I especially remember Gerry Clark's second goal .... It was just about identical to his first just a few minutes earlier and as the ball came to him the crowd knew what he was going to do and suddenly there was this 'roar' around the ground as if everyone was thinking "Hit it Nobby!" .... and he DID ..... It flew in from about 25 yards or so ! Brilliant ! .... It was just like an action replay of his first.

I'll never forget it.

[clarevoyant.]

Dema Reborn, on 13 March 2015 - 02:10 PM, said:

October 13 65/66 12235 a few years before i started going.....

During an 11 day period we played Stoke twice Port Vale and Crewe




Oh and also Stoke had Maurice Setters sent off but to even things up the ref (Mr Dagnell a late entrant to the recent crap refs thread)sent off Gareth Salisbury

[carlT]

clarevoyant., on 13 March 2015 - 02:32 PM, said:

During an 11 day period we played Stoke twice Port Vale and Crewe




Oh and also Stoke had Maurice Setters sent off but to even things up the ref (Mr Dagnell a late entrant to the recent crap refs thread)sent off Gareth Salisbury

you,ll have Mr Turner sweating, thinking of a crowd like that, lol

[Bankrobber]

howardb, on 13 March 2015 - 08:46 AM, said:

Welcome John

I knew you were ill but hadn't heard an update; just pleased it's so positive

Maybe we can grab five minutes sometime

For everyone else John and I both went to Netherthorpe School

All the best

Howard Borrell

Good school that ;-)

[blue4life]

In the late sixties John showed true dedication to the Spireites by walking to the home games from his home in Woodthorpe at the bottom of Mastin Moor hill.

Various people (several of whom I suspect are members of this board) joined John on the walk.

By the time I joined the Spireite Express, (as it became known) in Brimington there were often about a dozen of us.

Good times

Glad to hear you're on the mend John

[Westbars Spireite]

Out of interest when did the term 'Spireite' become popular and who/what used the term first?

[lindave]

Westbars Spireite, on 13 March 2015 - 07:43 PM, said:

Out of interest when did the term 'Spireite' become popular and who/what used the term first?

I used to love the old "Spire Power" chant. I can remember having a blue and white baseball cap which had the words printed on it.I wore it with pride when playing in goal for the school until I got it nicked playing away at Manor school,i've never seen one since.Can anyone remember them it would be about 1967/68.

[Alan Birch]

Westbars Spireite, on 13 March 2015 - 07:43 PM, said:

Out of interest when did the term 'Spireite' become popular and who/what used the term first?

Westbars - that Q deserves a thread in its own right...intriguing....now go and set one up please

John - welcome here, from the comments you're a true Spireite I've yet to have the pleasure of knowing, but perhaps one day......

Cheers, AB.

[Eastander]

howardb, on 13 March 2015 - 08:46 AM, said:

Welcome John

I knew you were ill but hadn't heard an update; just pleased it's so positive

Maybe we can grab five minutes sometime

For everyone else John and I both went to Netherthorpe School

All the best

Howard Borrell

Which years were you there ?

[blue4life]

In response to WS's question I can't give a definitive answer.

However, when we were on the supporters committee (I guess) 71) we issued a handwritten information / joke /notification sheet which we called "Spire Writes" so presumably Spireites pre dated that.

[moondog]

lindave, on 13 March 2015 - 07:52 PM, said:

I used to love the old "Spire Power" chant. I can remember having a blue and white baseball cap which had the words printed on it.I wore it with pride when playing in goal for the school until I got it nicked playing away at Manor school,i've never seen one since.Can anyone remember them it would be about 1967/68.

That reminds me "Spires" was also popular in the 70's, lots of graffiti and in my case my school bag, adorned with the shortened version of our nickname, now extinct, much like the "C-hesterfield" chant

[CrossStreet62]

Bankrobber, on 13 March 2015 - 04:32 PM, said:

Good school that ;-)

Absolutely.........had the pleasure of my attendance during this period of mid to end of the sixties....sounds like there are a few on here who I will know by name....time passes and dims the memory somewhat of putting names to faces but I had good times there.

[CrossStreet62]

Jackolt, on 12 March 2015 - 08:40 PM, said:

Since I've recently posted on the board I thought I'd say hello. Been following the Spireites since I saw us draw at home with Stoke City in the League Cup when I was a nipper,(I think) sometime around 1967. Apparently Dave who I sit next to in the West Stand was there too on the same day for his first match at Saltergate. My biggest early buzz was watching the forward pairing of Ivan Hollett and Kevin Randall. I've been a supporter ever since and regularly read the Boards but apart from a period in the 90's never posted much. But what the hell, I reckon I'll start posting again now!

I took my Scottish mate Jim (Dundee fan) to watch us at Wembley when Kevin Davies was a teenage sensation (rather than the middle-aged sensation he is now). I also took Jim to the FA cup semi final at Old Trafford and when Dyche scored the penalty I gave him a spontaneous bear hug. He reckons he's still seeing a chiropractor as a result. Given I had to queue all B****Y night in the rain outside Saltergate for the tickets, I reckon he got off lightly.

In recent years I've taken my partner Carol to see us twice at Wembley and away at Burton last season. She's now a committed Spireite despite us both living in exile north of Bradford. I manage to get her to a lot of away matches and regularly at home. She has a strong mothering instinct and is still mourning the loss of Liam Cooper. Being of half Yorkshire - half Irish extraction, I'm not sure Carol will ever get over the loss of Eoin Doyle but I reckon the Spireites will. In my view, the day we ever really need to worry is when Cookie moves on. Arthur Cox could have taken us somewhere good if we had the money and infrastructure, but stayed only long enough to get a better job. I hope and trust Paul cook is of a stronger calibre.

Carol and I often have the pleasure of sitting next to Big Dave in the west stand - a true Spireite if ever I met one! Carol also had the surreal pleasure of sharing a long conversation a few months ago with Brian the Singing Miner. Despite coming from Yorkshire she thinks us Derbyshire Spireite types are ace. Obviously that's why I'm with her! She and I do our best to get to matches although in recent times health has got in the way somewhat, but I reckon the worst is over so I'm hoping to get her a season ticket too next season. I am currently teaching my greyhound Marlon to drive the car so he can chauffeur us down the M1 on matchdays. Give us a wave if you see us.

I don't know about you but despite all the ups and downs the Spireites keep me going. Long may it continue.

All the best

John Holt

Welcome on board mate.....we are of a similar age and most on here were good to me when I joined the board......if you've been reading the board regularly then you will know most are ok .....but there is the odd muppet....lol.......good to hear your health is on the up.