Cod Almighty | Postbag

Spot the ball - coming to a TV screen soon.

26 September 2022

Patrick Conway welcomes our youngest contributor to his new home while Neil Drakes has a pitch for the producers over at Netflix.

Welcome

Welcome to the northeast, the 'hotbed of football' as Arthur Appleton famously described the region. But please don't be too impressed by the view from your student room. Make sure there is a Town flag in the window, emblazoned with the message 'Remember Jim Dobbin'

A resident of Durham for many a year, I recall that October afternoon in 1992 when Dobbin burst Kev Keegan's bubble. The Mags had won the first eleven games, Town were there to make up the numbers and the stadium announcer could not, in the tone of his voice, hide his amusement when informing fans of Town's number six. Jim definitely had the last laugh.

The goal was scored at a then truncated Leazes End where we were standing, alongside some Toon pals from work, after a few pints in the Strawberry. They were magnanimous in defeat - well up to point - and then we repaired to the Crown Posada.

Can I also suggest you sample Northern League football, the second oldest league in the world? Heaton Stannington are just along the road, and further afield, across the river, are the delights of Easington, Tow Law, the famous Bishop Auckland where McMenemy cut his coaching teeth, Crook, Willington and many more.

Of course, if homesick there are always Dunston, Hebburn, North Shields, Consett, Shildon when Cleethorpes and Grimsby Borough are in the area. I'm sure you'll already have Town's trip to Hartlepool in the diary

No time for studying! Though if you haven't already, get hold of Harry Pearson's 'The Far Corner', an evocative celebration of Appleton's perceptive understanding of what football means to the region.

Enjoy and don't forget the Durham Miners Gala, second Saturday in July, a celebration of working class solidarity in these troubled times.

from Patrick Conway

Letters Ed responds: I will also attest to the splendidness of Harry Pearson's writing.

Five goal thriller for telly

In reference to the search for the famous five goal ball from 1937's demolition job of Sunderland, I can attest that it not only ends like a history channel pseudo-documentary about the treasures of the knight's templar, but actually has more facts and genuine research involved.

If curse of oak island can get an eighth series, we can surely get funding for a six-part thriller covering this story on Netflix? I should know, I'm a history plus subsciber.

from Neil Drakes

Thanks to all our readers who have sent letters in recently - keep 'em comin'. You can send them in via the feedback form.