Hatters Worldwide- 11 Phil Robinson ( Burnage)

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Hatters Worldwide- 11 Phil Robinson ( Burnage).

 

 

Now something of a tangential switch some might argue, but not I , as long time County stalwart Phil Robinson makes his case out for County Exile status……..

 

  Absolute Rubbish !

 

My name is Phil Robinson and I’ve supported Stockport County all my life.

Born in 1961 (the year that it became official that Rock & Roll was on it’s a**e)...

My father first took me to Edgeley Park as an infant,
early memories are of being whacked squarely in the face by the (old style, heavier) ball courtesy of a gormless Doncaster centre half ,and pre-match sitting on my dad’s shoulders to observe the steam trains on the turntable outside Edgeley Railway Sheds...he wasn’t happy, I was 22 at the time.

My first paper round helped secure funds for my first full home season...72/73. Soon after I was attending away games, but went to around 20 odd grounds before seeing us win!...a superb evening`s entertainment versus the monkey hangers at an absolutely freezing Hartlepools United. Unfortunately it took a long while to get warm again as the home supporters trashed the windows of our coach.

I moved to London for 10 years and, with the help of ‘Daz washing powder’ 2 for 1 rail coupons (remember them?), I usually managed to avoid the ticket collector on the first leg of the journey by hiding in the unsanitary bogs.

 Phil in `virus protection` mode

 

 

 



After moving back up North, I have been on the move again this time to far flung Burnage.

Being further away from the Equator than Stockport, as you’d expect...it’s a lot colder up here!
As the other exiles in this series will vouch, transport to matches (be it home or indeed away) is a problem as the inconvenience levels rise the further away from ‘God’s Own’ one becomes.

Editor`s note: I would like to explain why a photo of Area 51 is included here….but I can`t…


 





Then there’s the language barrier to contend with. I’m taking night school at the moment to learn ‘Burnagese’...and as well as being expensive it’s considered more tongue twisting than the ridiculous Welsh language...  (the gurgling sound is similar but the facial expressions are awkward to master...not to mention the shouting)...still I’m getting there, and can use the constant swearing at the drop of a Trilby (the National hat of Burnage...apart from Wednesday’s when a Top Hat MUST be worn!)

So forgive me if I seem loud, tired and prone to a filthy expletive when you see me at a match...it takes a bit of time to get used of Stockport (...or St. Ockport as I tell people here in Burnage).

To end…….an occasion recalled , in all its vivid detail, as if it were yesterday….   


 

 

The year was 1977 and we had some sort of Cheshire Bowl game at home...I was supping in the Unity after work and was really toying with the idea of spending the entrance fee on beer and not bothering to walk up to EP in the rain (it was a non-event game anyway).

 
An elderly gentleman in a County scarf approached me (I recognised him as D. Jacket), and asked what time I was leaving for the ground...he looked at me with contempt as I mentioned that I was probably going to give the game a swerve, and told me how he had it on good authority that a high court writ had been served and it looked like this would be the last ever County game!

 
With this devastating news he exited the pub and left towards the game in the pouring rain.


I was in shock!


Of course,I drained my pint of bitter and sallied forth to the historic event.


On arrival at the ground I asked about four stalwarts in the sparse attendance about the writ...they all looked at me with scepticism and asked if I had been talking to Dosser, when I mentioned that I had they openly laughed at me....that’s when I noticed the old gent smirking at me.

 

 

Phil Robinson

 

Well, massive thanks to Phil for making his case so well there. As far as hedgegrower is concerned it is for sure resolved `case proven` as Stockport definitely is NOT in Manchester ….Burnage is.

 

hedgegrower

 

 

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