Friday August 26, 1977

Martyn and I paid a visit to Tony at Bradford Royal Infirmary this evening. The place stank of disease and rotting flesh and made me feel positively flat, but otherwise it was a joyful 45 minutes. We were joined at the hospital by Barry, Wendy, Anne, Georgina and other Smith vassals. We polished off Tony's grapes, Kit Kats and Bourbon biscuits.

Mum: Plantagenet blood.

At 8.30 Martyn, the ladies and I went on to the Hare & Hounds at Heaton. It was the usual tight squeeze but we had a laughable time. However, at 10.55 when Martyn and I went out for a bus our laughter turned to grimaces of devastation and horror. It was like the Nazi invasion of Czechoslovakia and the defeat of Leeds United by Sunderland at Wembley in 1973 all rolled into one. Precisely, no bus was to be had whatsoever. We legged it to Shipley and then paid £1 to a sombre taxi driver to bring us to Guiseley. Had an exchange of 'words' with Mum in her boudoir. She objects to Martyn using our home like a hotel. Mummy takes on an extremely fiery  and war-like countenance at times which I can only put down to the hot, Plantagenet blood in her veins. Blimey, when your great-uncle started the Wars of the Roses, a bit of aggression is bound to rub off isn't it?

Saturday May 5, 1973

John gets up at 6.00 and goes to Wembley with Geoff Saxton. Yes, the day has come. Leeds United are playing Sunderland in the FA Cup Final today. How can Leeds loose? Sunderland, a second division team, have only played at Wembley once before, way back in 1937. Watch the build up to the kick off from 10.30.

Mum and Dad go shopping a buy a few large cans of ale. Bill Stott rings up at 2.15 and asks if he can come round to see the final on our colour tv, which, incidentally, is one year old today. Mum is furious when Dad says yes to him. When he does come he turns up with his father-in-law - both nice blokes really. Kick off at 3. The Duke and Duchess of Kent in the royal box. At half-time Sunderland was winning 1-0. We all seemed to take it for granted that Leeds would snatch two goals in the second half. Full-time: Sunderland wins 1-0. We are all stunned. Poor John, going all that way to see his idols defeated! Geoff Saxton will no doubt commit suicide. Tragedy!

Go to the CW. Sue and Toffer didn't even watch the match. She said I was a baby for saying I "felt sick inside" when contemplating the defeat. Pauline came in at about 7.10. She says she was on Sunderland's side throughout. Later on in the evening she promised to 'rape' me when I had finished doing the washing up. Not a very hectic evening. Toffer brought me home, un-raped, at 1.15 after sitting with some beers for an hour. Working again tomorrow. Fool, Michael. You bloody fool!

--==--