Born in the Gallowgate corner but whatever happened to those Hey Man, Woo Man chants?

Paul Gadd wrote...

You morons should be ashamed of the Mido chants yesterday.

Posted by: Paul Gadd  | August 27, 2007 1:25 PM

ray wrote...

awwh man! kenny everit!! that put a smile on my face everytime i heard it back then and reading it now was just great to have those memories..

sadly its just memories now.

when i;m able to get back for home games i'm sat up in level 7 and its just never been the same.. ppl sat silently whilst we get abuse off the away fans.

problem is that for most, football is now priced out for the same kind of ppl who went and made all that noise in The Corner -- the lads who made that noise have either grown up/seperate due to seating/priced out so we get a slightly different type of supporter. if anyone wants to see 'mob mentallity' (in a nice way) then there it was in the corner -- someone starts singing and the rest will follow.

bring back the noise indeed!

Posted by: ray  | August 27, 2007 2:35 PM

Ronnie ( Busker ) Lambert wrote...

Aye Lee, '' I'll brave the dark at St. James's Park at the Gallowgate end in the rain.'' These lyrics were born from real-life experiences of being back home from ' the big fat city ' and chanting, ' In the cor-ner, in the cor-ner. 'Didn't we have a funny chant up to the seats in the Beardsley stand about flasks or something? Letters on a postcard please. Actually, I stood just on the perifery of the corner cos my small son got hurt once in the frequent surges, but the banter with the sign-ers was great crack. The Leazes was the place to be until it was demolished, then it wasn't big enough to hold the hardcore fans, so we emigrated to the Gallowgate. My old mate used to stand on a barrier and lead the chants, perhaps that could be resurrected . Last week's noise attempt was pretty good, only at times though, it will grow with persistence from these ultra kids. I've heard that some sneaky clubs in time gone by, actually played recordings of crowd chants over the sound-system, just to egg the fans on. My greatest ever noise day was when we were already up and played our last game at home on Keegan's final playing season in '84. During the non-stop lap of honour by the team, the club played 2 songs over and over again. Home Newcastle and Goin' Up which was a first and last record ever to appear on an N.U.F.C. label. Me and my son were the proudest people there as the crowd had the lyrics indellibley etched onto their brains and sang those songs from St. James' Park to Pelaw metro station. Happy days.

Posted by: Ronnie ( Busker ) Lambert  | August 27, 2007 4:24 PM

malcolm carr wrote...

reading the comments on the late eighties i started thinking about the early eighties when wor kev played his first game for the toon,i qued up at about 9.00am and ended up getting carried in with my feet not touching the floor and when he scored against q.p.r. the roof nearly came off i couldnt even see the pitch for the toon army going mad what a site to see i also was a corner regular once they changed to seats the place did not seem the same can you remember ;if you could not get in you used to climb over the toilets by the old police block in the corner and drop down into the bogs ,the bloke that used to stand up and give out the indian cry only for the corner to give him abuse class!,after the match to get out it was hard to avoid the flood of no1s flooding down the stairs,one game in christmas time at home to man city pelting the goalie with snow balls for the keeper to run out of his box,and pelting the scoreboard end.

Posted by: malcolm carr  | August 27, 2007 4:48 PM

scoreboard wrote...

I was a scoreboard boy.. I remember during Keegans playing years the people climbing up the scoreboard for a better view whilst the terraces were packed.

I remember Tommy (everyone used to chant his name) standing on a crush barrier and starting the chants with his pack of broon ale in is hand.

I remember the ritualistic burning of a sunderland shirt on a stick on the xmas derby game..

I remember the whole scoreboard section applauding the away keepers each week as he ran to the goal.. and as soon as he raised his hand in aknowledgment he was booed, hissed and pelted with anything and everything.. usually having to duck for cover.

A lot has changed over the years thats for sure

ha ha

Ryder's reply: Saying as you are the only one from the Score Board to reply so far in true corner fashion I'd have to say ON YA OWN, ON YA OWN, ON YA OWN or BY YERSELF, BY YERSELF BY YERSLEF.
Cheers for the memories though

Posted by: scoreboard  | August 27, 2007 6:54 PM

John Ince wrote...

I know this is a bit of light hearted banter, and I do enjoy reading the comments, however, Lee, using the term "ULTRAS" with all of the connotations that has especially in Italien football with murder, mayhem and violence, do we realy want that type of shadow cast over the Toon Army. Or am I just being to PC for my own good?

Posted by: John Ince  | August 27, 2007 7:26 PM

scoreboard wrote...

I sit now half way between the corner and old scoreboard area gallowgate end..

whats it they chant in teh corner now? .."sing in the library".. ha ha

Someone just mentioned the indian warcry .. HAHA.. what a memory..

queuing up for tickets for the brighton game at the end of keegans season was probablythe worst experience of my teenage years.. joined the back of the queue near the gallowgate when the ticket office was up near the leazes and the queue was like a snake all the way down the back of the paddocks... blistering hot day.. nee money for a drink to cool down.. only me ticket... would have lost me place anyway..

was worth it though

Posted by: scoreboard  | August 27, 2007 7:47 PM

Markus wrote...

Wasnt the 'korna' popular cos it was easier to get to the back at half time? My fondest memory of the corner was Carlisle in the sunshine at home, 2-0 up and them given a dubious penalty. Alan Shoulder steps up, penalty is saved, ball comes down our right wing crossed over, hits keegans shoulder and is sucked in by the crowd. My fondest memory of the Leases was 4-3 cup win (nullified later) against Forest. Wonderful, wonderful stuff after the teams came back on. One long goal fest. I still remember the United echoing round the ground when we smashed Chelsea 4-0 (all goals in the second half). Nothing has come anywhere near the noise generated since. Favorite away match Burnley 2-0 FA Cup Final for the importance but the mauling we gave Rotherham is right up there.

Posted by: Markus  | August 27, 2007 8:43 PM

Iain wrote...

2 memories -

the first of people forced to stand in the scoreboard after the corner was closed as a punishment for the abuse gazza and waddler received when playing for spurs. we were losing to norwich so the scoreboard split into 2, one lot singing rangers, the other celtic

2nd memory was taking my scouse missus to the corner - someone set light to a mackem shirt, she was terrified

Posted by: Iain  | August 27, 2007 10:26 PM

ken Atkinson wrote...

Do you remember the old black and white flag with NUFC on it .It flew in the corner in the 70s,well iv got that in the loft now,its to big to take to any off the matches,but i did take it to Anfield during the keegan eara.

Posted by: ken Atkinson  | August 28, 2007 8:42 AM

Paul White wrote...

Best corner memories;
Someone hoyin a mars bar at Gazza when he came over to take a corner, he took a bite then put it down his sock!
Great chants like 'get yer flasks out for the lads' to the benches.
The Indian Warcry when we played Liverpool and Grobbelaar mimed shooting the bloke with a bow and arrow.
Fantastic!

Posted by: Paul White  | August 28, 2007 1:17 PM

Ego wrote...

One lasting memory of queuing up for the corner was seeing two lads trying to get in dressed as a pantomine horse. Cue the chant of 'When the horse goes marchin' in - i want to be in that stable, when the horse goes marchin' in'

Posted by: Ego  | August 28, 2007 1:58 PM

Hen Broon wrote...

I had the pleasure of travelling to many away games with the aforementioned "Kenny Everett" and I have to say I never laughed so much and the guy is a gem. For instance, we travelled from Haymarket on a 1:30am bus to Upton Park for a first day of the season encounter with Charlton. By 9:30am we were coralled in some municipal park near the ground where Kenny proceeded to drink eight cans in front af a thirsty cockney parkie then refuse him a sip 'cos "we hate cockneys!" I also recall the bizarre sight of several hundred Toon fans cheering on the local Sunday league team who happened to be playing in black and white and an ambulance arriving for a Toon fan who'd fallen off the Monkey Climb. Other memories include Kenny waving Pontiff-like through the sun roof opening whilst we drove past Toon fans outside pubs in Derby to the salute "Kenny, Kenny!" When we all got in the car for away trips, we had crisps and sarnies for the day... Kenny always had cans. He also had a daft little dance that was certain to defuse any heavy handedness from the polis (they also fell about laughing). 3-0 down at Barnsley, Kenny's Birthday request came on the tannoy... Monty Python's "Always look on the Bright Side of Life!" Sadly, Kenny stopped attending matches so regularly when he learned his shenanigans had attracted the interest of the Old Bill.

Posted by: Hen Broon  | August 28, 2007 2:02 PM

Ronnie ( Busker ) Lambert wrote...

Now that is funny, the smog calling us morons and signing his name Paul Gadd. That's the real name of Gary Glitter, synonymous with smogland don't you think ? Or is that synonym not allowed either ? Heck Man !! Arsenal chants of 'do you need a shilling for the gas ?' amongst other anti-semitic jibes at Spurs, have gone on for years. Does political correctness mean that referees will have their parents marriage certificates emblazened on the back of their shirts as a preventative measure ? Or any witicisms about short, lanky or fat footballers be regarded as bullying, as in school playgrounds ? I remember an Arsenal crowd at a pre-season game at Spurs, throwing a female blow-up doll around and chanting, '' We've got you girlfreind here, David Pleat, David Pleat. '' just after he'd been prosecuted for kerb crawling. We were in stitches , til my little lad asked me what the doll was for. The Mido thing is sour grapes, I couldn't distinguish the chant on telly where I watched the match. Boo-Hoo p.s. DOH! I bet Paul Gadd's really a Geordie with a cracking sense of humour.

Posted by: Ronnie ( Busker ) Lambert  | August 28, 2007 2:14 PM

trev wrote...

Should that not be:
"Hey man, HOO man," as opposed to "woo"?

Hey man, huw man!" is a Geordie exclamation since time immemorial.

Posted by: trev  | August 28, 2007 2:25 PM

rich wrote...

2 memories from me.
1. The Indian war cry that used to go out about half way through 2nd half every week.
2. Some mouthy kid being bounced around over everyones head until someone pushed a bit too hard and he landed on the inviting, crumbling concrete only to be treated like a hero after the St john's Ambulance finished with him. Pure class
Ryder's reply: I am sure I went to school with him you know.

Posted by: rich  | August 28, 2007 2:35 PM

Craig Colquhoun wrote...

"Born in The Corna"
Let me take you back to nearly
35 years ago me and my pal Vincey Bollard now incharge of match day operations ball boys and girls and match sponsors anyway him and I sitting scarfs hanging over advertising boards at the gallowgate Corna up steps our then and now hero Supermac to take one of his famous long throwins he beny over that far he could of had a cup of bovril from the little hut at the back anyway just before he threw the ball me and vincey pulled hairs from the back of his legs unreal as he turned and got back into play he looked back and muttered some words like "little B......."me and Vincey nearly filled our pants what a memory eh !! years later we became huge corna fans attending nearly every game through the 70s 80s and 90s remembering getting peed on by those fans that just used to pee right there in the middle of the corna cause they didnt wanna go to the bathroom and miss the match ?? who remembers that eh ? there was lots of them I guess the greatest night of all was Keegans farewell party helicopter anall I had fond memories of the Corna I could right a book panning 3 decades Roll on the new blood keep the singing going !!!!reply welcome www.thehouseofc.com
Craig Colquhoun

Posted by: Craig Colquhoun  | August 28, 2007 2:43 PM

stephen wrote...

i remember a match against man united in the relegation season of 88/89 and the board war was in full swing with the takeover from john hall,anyway after the game there was a huge sit down protest in the ground.as for match memories remember the bust up between gazza and mirandinha in a game against monaco in a friendly cos they wouldnt pass to each other that was funny watching that

Posted by: stephen  | August 28, 2007 9:30 PM

Ronnie ( Busker ) Lambert wrote...

Paul Gadd is a mischievous geordie, just trying to whip up a new thread. Smogs couldn't think anything up that deviously.

Posted by: Ronnie ( Busker ) Lambert  | August 29, 2007 2:48 AM

deano wrote...

I think most toon fans will be looking happy today. The mackums getting stuffed

Posted by: deano  | August 29, 2007 8:42 AM

Dave Havery wrote...

I was a scoreboard regular, until a fateful day in 1982, we were playing Burnley and the awarded a free kick in the 6yd box because Kev Carr picked up a back pass, right in front of the Gallowgate end, as you can imagine the Gallowgate went nuts, F'ing & j'fing, and of course surging forward as if to try and get to the poor ref whose face was a picture with these thousands of irate geordies apparently heading straight for him, however thats not, why I'm writing, because the crowd had surged so far forward and I was right under the scoreboard with someother black n white tarten kilted hero, from the sham army!! we got left behind and the permanently position coppers had to knick somebody for the amount of verbal abuse being hurled around, so i got taken to market street nick and was fined £100 & £10 costs, after that day it was 15 years before I set foot in the gallowgate end, but I'm now back in seat no1 right next to the corner and it's great we've got some banter back. They sing "the corner" and we reply "full of brown stuff" !
it's all good humour. Glad the Ultras are making so much noise, reminds of those good old days.
PS can any one remember the Guy who used to stand on the concrete barrier under the scoreboard and sing "A little white bull" Classic!! or Celtic Rangers!!!

Posted by: Dave Havery  | August 29, 2007 2:11 PM

gareth wrote...

kenny were are you kenny were are you. MAGIC DAYS .
remember setting fire to some free magazines that had been giving out before the game and every one started singing WE'AVE GOT CENTRAL HEATING . WE'AVE GOT CENTRAL HEATING LA LA LA LA . then we all got lifted by the OB also remember the blaydon races when every body used to rush down the terrace some one always lost a shoe or got crushed against the barier THE CORNA THE CORNA THE CORNA

Posted by: gareth  | August 29, 2007 7:59 PM

mag in boro wrote...

really think ALL TOON FANS should check jeff wintersbased contribution to last weekends eventslee people need to read this the whole geordie nation is being totally slated

Posted by: mag in boro  | August 29, 2007 8:20 PM

Paul Robinson wrote...

Two Fantastic memories regarding the crowd and singing 1st the F.A. Cup Semi Final against Burnley at Sheffield, i have never heard as much noise that lasted for such a long time one end of the ground singing Newcastle and the Kop end singing United just Fantastic the Hairs on the back of my neck are now standing up The other game was the Toon v Arsenal at Highbury,Malcolm McDonalds first game against us a great game with a 5-3 scoreline McDonald with a hat-trick, but 10,000 Loyal Geordies demonsrated to Arsenal Supporters how Supamac should be sung.
And then a good night out in the Volunteers run By a Geordie couple then watched the highlights on Match Of The Day. Absolutley Fantastic thats what we are.

Posted by: Paul Robinson  | August 30, 2007 5:20 AM

kenny atkinson wrote...

Tommy he used to push the barra around the green market hes the guy that sang little white bull.

Posted by: kenny atkinson  | August 30, 2007 6:41 AM

Davey G wrote...

i was a corner boy myself and those days of 'indian joe' and 'Darren' singing the little white bull as we had all requested him to do so 'darren darren give us a song' were the best days of my life of supporting the toon. Even dare I say it surpassing the Keegan era!! The run up to Bonfire night was always a joy to behold with bangers and rockets flying about everywhere....can you imagine that happening today?? The surgeing, although tinted with a bit of panic when you were pushed up against a concrete barrier, was always one of the highlights of a match as the relief when the surge stopped, and normal breathing resumed filled you with a type of euphoria, that can only be matched by winning the big one on the lottery!Can anyone remember the dodgy half time song, we used to call it the clap clap song. It sounded like it was played on an accordian and was from a german beer festival!!Tremendous......

Posted by: Davey G  | August 30, 2007 12:08 PM

Steve wrote...

Hey, Dave Havery - I remember the guy who stood on the concrete barrier under the scoreboard. What a legend! A personal hero of mine! God knows how he managed to balance 'cos he'd definately had plenty of refreshment before the game. Actually, quite often he'd fall off. He'd always start the singing off in his distinctive, gravel-throated voice. "An eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeennnnnnnnnnnnnn and and eeeeeeeeeee and a wubble u C,..... etc, etc" Classic!

Posted by: Steve  | August 30, 2007 2:33 PM

Clarky wrote...

Ahhh, Ive had many a nostalgic chat about the corner over the years, I was resident in there from the early 80's to late 80's.

My dedication to the corner was great, as a young kid who done plenty of paper rounds I had a few quid that used to comfortably pay for me to go to home and away games (unlike today). I'd get down to the gallowagate early to get in the queue (turnstiles 1-7 were for the corner), if the kids turnstile was too long I'd use an extra quid of my paper money and go in the blokes turnstile, this meant I could get on my prefered barrier or a good spot in front of a barrier.

As I was always in early there would be the obligotary chanting at the away team who would come on the pitch in their suits, think this was normally about quarter to 2.

If I was standing I would often start chants, and by the time I was about 15/16 could have the whole terrace going, I used to really enjoy this especially if the corner was completely packed.

One long standing memory of the corner was having my shoes launched on the pitch by that fat lad Darren and his pals, I think my socks ended up over the back whale and my shoes down by the corner flag. What made matters worse was it was around bonfire night and someone dropped a banger while I was bare foot, so it was a bit trick to scarper as you usually did. To make matters worse when I went to get my shoes back from the local constabulary on the pitch side he whiffed ale on my breath (I'd occasionally have a few sneeky tins of mcewans pre match in my teens). He was not impressed but I managed to get them back and even had a good few of the lads chanting at me while I was on the pitch.

Another funny instance was when another corner regular who me and my pals nicknamed cesar decide he would put a birds nest on his head and start a sack the bird chant ! this was about 87 or so when the main entertainment was not actually on the pitch but on the terraces.

As for games it has to be the Keegan playing era for me, particualrly the second season. The corner was always packed and the atmosphere always class. The later games that season were memorable , the likes of Derby, Carlisle and of course Brighton at home. the Chelsea home game when they had 5000 away fans up was also a cracking atmosphere.

I can even remember my first game in the corner, against Leeds in the milk cup. I was perched on the back wall of the corner and remember learning the words to a little ditty about Frank Worthington.

I know people are trying to bring back a bit of this atmosphere to SJP but they will never recreate the spontanious atmosphere of being in the likes of the corner, it was a unique and often crazy experience.

Posted by: Clarky  | August 30, 2007 4:24 PM

Pete wrote...

I stood in the corner from the age of 10 during the eighties, one of the best games was supporting Blyth Spartan's in the FA Cup, the toon were out, so 38,000 turned up to cheer Blyth. They lost but it was a magic night - as a kid my feet never touched the floor that night.

Bobby Shinton went on to sign for the toon from Blyth and in the next season was top scorer with 8 goals - I've got his authograph - he came along to Earsdon Cubs one night.

Posted by: Pete  | August 30, 2007 5:46 PM

Joseppie wrote...

All the singing fans used to go in the old leazes end,which was superb but then they, (Westwood & co) took off the roof and we all went into the gallowgate end. Best singing fans were 1960's & 1970's. Warra bout when we had a corner and all you could here was, WYN WYN WYN WYN, great stuff, come on lads sing up.

Posted by: Joseppie  | August 30, 2007 11:32 PM

Clarky wrote...

After my stint in the corner I moved across to the centre Leazes, my last home on the terraces bvefore taking up residency in the East Stand.

Good thing about the Centre Leazes was the proximity to the away fans so this always meant a good bit of banter. I was also in my early twenties and was a regular in the farmers rest (RIP) in the haymarket. Strangely enough I could sup a good few ales in there and roll into the ground at 2.50 and still pay to go in the kids turnstile !

There was some good characters over there as well, including a good few old school skin heads. It could get a bit mad in the leazes as well and occasionally the local constabulary would be called into action.

Never mind bring back the noise, bring back the terraces.

Posted by: Clarky  | August 31, 2007 3:58 PM

Chris Gray wrote...

It was Alan Shoulder who we signed from Blyth`Spartans not Bobby Shinton. Anyway, I was there that night too. Can't remember who Blyth played (Wrexham?? - which might explain the Shinton confusion cos we signed him from there - what a strike force that was, Shinton and Rafferty) but can you see that happening today? 38000? Never.

I reckon it should be "hey man, how man" - that's what I remember. And can anyone explain the "Rangers, Celtic" chants usually started during a particularly boring period of play. And what about "Oo it's a corner, oo it's a corner..." "We've got Terry, Terry, Terry, Terry Hibbitt on the wing, on the wing" was a good one too. You can tell I go back to the Leazes End days (first match 3-2 versus Chelsea in 1967)when the loudest noise of all was the old bloke in a white coat wandering up and down the touchline yelling "Peanuts" at the top of his voice and selling you a tightly wrapped paper bag of peanuts for sixpence a time.

The most inventive chant I can think of from those days was the famous, "Gibbo, Gibbo, Gibbo, Gibbo, Gibbo ... Gibbo, Gibbo, Gibbo, Gibbo, Gibbo, Gibbo, Gibbo, Gibbo". And then it started again. That was a good one - pure poetry.

However, the best chant I remember was at Southend, the lowest point in the history of NUFC - a 4-0 defeat which put us bottom of the old second division under Ardiles. Just before Keegan arrived. I was sitting just behind Brock and O'Brien who were injured (that's irrelevant although mildly interesting) and we had Thompson, Watson, Clark, Howey, Roche and Makel playing, average age about fifteen. Makel was wearing no 11 and one guy behind me says "isn't it nice of Ossie to let them wear their ages on their shirts." But the chant in question referred to the somewhat embarrassing stand at Roots Hall - a round-roofed corrugated iron affair where all the Southend fans stood ... as Brett Angell had just been put through by an underhit Alan Thompson back pass to score his second to put us 3-0 down our supporters started "Sing in the bread bin". Very good.

Posted by: Chris Gray  | September 1, 2007 1:56 PM