Nostalgia - What are your memories of Stafford?

MISS T

Forum user & abuser
I enjoyed the Stafford pageant, the floats, dancing, marching bands. I was in one or two myself and my Mum in her heyday did The Beatles. What about the big Gas thing where Sainsbury's is parked now. I spent a day or two watching The Colosseum smouldering hoping that nothing like it would ever return . . and one of my earlier memories is, my Mum dragging me into the local butchers every Saturday and being greeted by a blood covered butcher, that man terrified me for years. Who knew then that 20 odd years would pass and I'd fall in love with his son and make him a Grandad.
 

db

#chaplife
MISS T said:
Who knew then that 20 odd years would pass and I'd fall in love with his son and make him a Grandad.
what did you make it out of - papier-mâché? :teef:
 

gon2seed

(and me! - Ed)
Pageant was always a highlight of the year, so much effort and inventiveness by so many people and local companies, it was a simple pleasure but non the worse for that.

Never felt so proud to be a Staffordian as I have when I have been at the big Stafford Rangers Games. The two Wembley victories stand out, the town emptied, every club and pub put on a coach or coaches, and it was a huge family day out. Magic! But having said that 32,000, yes 32,000, people watching the Boro' take on Peterborough at the Old Victoria Ground in the FA cup was amazing! Surely Rangers will never draw a crowd like that again? Well you should never say never!
 

jimbob23

Official 1000th poster
The big car parks where the courts and Sainsburys now stand. Wilko's being Sainsburys.

The town centre not being pedestrianised. There being a cafe on the first floor next to where Pizza Express is now, where you could sit and look out over the buses going round Market Square.

Mr Sandy giving out badges in the Wimpy behind Woolworths.

The workers doing all the excavations where the Guildhall now stands.

Getting them little chocolate buttons (pearl drops?) with little coloured bits of shit all over them from the old indoor market.

The sports shop underneath the Ancient High House. You used to go downstairs and all you could smell was brand new trainers. Got my first pair of Adidas from there. I reckon that shop is the main cause of my unhealthy trainer fixation.

There being a chippy in Doxey.

Weird what you remember.

Does anyone remember the underground toilets in Market Square? I don't, but apparently they just filled 'em in and built over them. It'd be wicked to uncover it all and have a look at what the bogs used to look like.
 

BBC

You knows it
jimbob23 said:
The sports shop underneath the Ancient High House. You used to go downstairs and all you could smell was brand new trainers. Got my first pair of Adidas from there. I reckon that shop is the main cause of my unhealthy trainer fixation.

There being a chippy in Doxey.
Sportsco! Quality shop. All the trainers were down in the basement as well so the smell just multiplied! I wish my house smelt like that!!

My mate's Dad used to own that chippy. I don't remember it or him personally but he is dead now. RIP.

I remember the excitement caused for me and my older brother when the yellow minibuses first came out. We got dayriders on the first day which meant you could travel anywhere around town on one ticket!

We travelled to glamourous locations that we previously never knew existed. Places such as Moss Pit (what a name), Trinity fields, holmcroft and western downs. I could go on. I remember coming home in awe of how big and exciting our county town was! *The dayrider is now sits in a frame. Pride of place on my wall at home ;)


*factually incorrect for nostalgic reasons.
 

jimbob23

Official 1000th poster
BBC said:
My mate's Dad used to own that chippy. I don't remember it or him personally but he is dead now. RIP.
Wasn't someone Cox was it? He owned it for a while and his son went to my school.
 

BBC

You knows it
Yeah thats him. Steve. He also a Doxey boyo although is residing with the clayheads now.
 

TENSHON

4000th post? Whatever, I'm nonchalant..
BBC said:
The dayrider now sits in a frame. Pride of place on my wall at home
Dayriders were ace. i used to stay on the bus and go back and forth between weeping cross and town without ever getting off. back seat of course. hardcore you know the score.
 

BBC

You knows it
gon2seed said:
Never felt so proud to be a Staffordian as I have when I have been at the big Stafford Rangers Games.
I would have loved to have gone to these big games at wembley. Unfortunately due to my 'youth' i was not around back in the seventies! A guy I work with was a director of the club in those glory days and frequently recalls those occasions with a lump in his throat and a tear in his eye!

I have partaken in all the 'glory days' since such as the win over lincoln at a muddy marston road back in 92' and who can remember that trip to the gay meadow a couple of years back! Am obviously off to Brighton on saturday for what should, hopefully, be another historic day for the borough :)
 

TENSHON

4000th post? Whatever, I'm nonchalant..
station hotel. why they knocked this down to build a mercedes garage and left that shite office block next door standing is a mystery...
 

BBC

You knows it
Amazing work Tenshon!! Where on earth did you find these?

Frank Boston and Big Ron together in a photo. Quality!! Is Big Ron taking delivery of a Tipo??? Surely not!

I remember Andy Gray picking up his Astra Cabrio form Walton's of Stafford. It would be ace if you could get a photo of that!

keep them coming!!

:D
 
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