A mate of mine (Philpott) suggested a COCKEREL, and an idea was born….
After sourcing a huge cardboard box, I made a template of a 6ft COCKEREL standing on a ball (the Spurs emblem of course), and this I then took to the local timber merchant, and asked for it to be cut out of plyboard.
I explained to the merchant that the COCKEREL was going to WEMBLEY!!!.
His reply was that he also was a Spurs fan and would cut it out for me “FOR NOTHING”. He wouldn’t take any money for doing it, and even gave me an 8ft long, 2inch by 2inch pole to attach the COCKEREL onto. “WHAT A DUDE”.
I got it home on the bus!!! That was an experience in itself….
Once home I set about the task of fixing the pole, and painting the COCKEREL, it was TOTTENHAM BLUE (of course), with a white ball. When the paint was dry (two coats ha ha), I finished off the outlines with a big industrial black marker pen. It looked “REALLY COOL”, (well I thought so)…
IT WAS READY FOR WEMBLEY…
The thing is, it was a 6ft COCKEREL, mounted on an 8ft pole, and even at 14 I was touching 6ft myself, and when hoisted up into the air, it was nearly 20ft high….. MENTAL!!!
Me, my dad, and my mate Smithy, had tickets for this FINAL. The journey on the tube was electric, with Spurs fans singing and chanting. The COCKEREL was getting loads of comments. The atmosphere was building, and this was just the train…
THE WALK DOWN WEMBLEY WAY WAS INSPIRING…
All day long Spurs fans were chatting to us, commenting on the COCKEREL, saying what a fine effort it was (check me out)… Inside WEMBLEY, it was a mass of banners and flags, but I did manage to spot “THE COCKEREL” on TV after the final, (I was sooooo proud of myself ha ha).
Spurs won that FA CUP FINAL (after a replay), and the COCKEREL was deemed our lucky mascot. Smithy insisted that the COCKEREL return to WEMBLEY the following year (82) for the cup final verses QPR. The COCKEREL did return to WEMBLEY….. And Spurs retained the FA CUP.
I found the COCKEREL in my loft this week. It is 30 years old now. I still think that it looks COOL. There is NO WAY you would be able to take it into WEMBLEY these days. How times have changed. I might post a picture of it sometime, it makes me smile….
If you have enjoyed my trip down memory “LANE”, then check out my short stories that I have posted titled (MEMORIES OF WHITE HART LANE). Maybe have at look at my profile, or even subscribe to my blog…. Until then COYS
Join the Discussion
vBulletin Message