As Allen, our Chair, would miss the start of our meeting, Barbara began the afternoon by bringing everyone up to date on the details of the upcoming outings she has arranged. She said that the Winery tour in November had booked up twenty-four hours after it was announced, and so she will try to book another one next year. Barbara is hoping to arrange a tour of Everton’s new stadium, but it is proving difficult at the moment as it’s very popular with their own supporters.
You always know when Autumn has arrived when Barbara is asking for names for our Christmas meal. She would like these at our October meeting.
Barbara then informed the members that we are planning to celebrate 1966 at our March Social Day. 1966 was a great year. England won the World Cup; it had been twenty years since Hull City had moved from the Circle on Anlaby Road to Boothferry Park. More importantly to the fans, City had been promoted from Division 3 to Division 2 that season when the legendary Waggy and Chillo were playing. Barbara would like any memorabilia that members may have from 1966 for our event.
During Tony’s talk on sustainability at last month’s meeting, he indicated that we would be holding an afternoon tea to talk about the Senior Tigers and the Memorabilia Team. This has now been put on hold. However, if anyone is interested in joining his team or wants to know more information, please contact Tony or any member of the Committee.
There has been a response to Tony’s request for volunteers to take part in the Listening Project, but he would like more members to take part to make it a success. If anyone is interested, they were asked to contact Tony or Rob.
Before our guest speaker arrived, Louise Babych from KCOM gave a talk to the members about the Digital Drop-In Sessions. She had brought leaflets about these sessions as a reminder to our members about them. Louise told us how their Customer Champions love to see our members at the sessions, as they usually work in a call centre and therefore do not get to speak face-to-face with customers. If you have a technical problem or line issue, they can help with this, too, rather than you having to talk to them over the telephone.
Louise also talked to the members about KCOM’s ‘Get Online Week’. This is a campaign run yearly with the Children’s University. ‘Kids Take-Over’, the inter-generational session will take place during the Senior Tigers IT Drop-In Session on Monday, 20th October. The KCOM’s Customer Champions will support the children. Louise said how it would brighten the children’s day if some of our members could attend the session and make it really special.
Louise finished off by saying that she hopes our members will continue to support the IT Drop-In Sessions, as she doesn’t want them to end and only wants our members to stay safe online.
Our guest speaker this month was Terry Dolan, who managed Hull City from 1991 to 1997. Richard started the interview by asking how Terry got into football. Terry said it was after he started supporting Bradford City, his home team, as a five-year-old. It was as a seven-year-old that he was good enough to play his first competitive game in an under-eleven league. When he was fifteen and still at school, a new head teacher decided to ban all football and said only rugby union would now be played. Although he was very good at both, he knew he only wanted to pursue football and joined Bradford City as a schoolboy in 1966. A year later, he signed as an amateur for them. Unfortunately, when it came time to turn professional, they did not want him, and he ended up signing for Bradford Park Avenue, who he did not really want to play for, as he had supported Bradford City since childhood. His first game for them just happened to be against Bradford City, which they drew 2-2.
Terry told us he had a three-week trial with Arsenal at a time when Bob Wilson, Pat Rice and Charlie George played for them. However, as he had only met his future wife just six weeks before the trial, he said it was not for him and went back to Bradford. His friends thought he was mad. Arsenal went on to do the double. Terry said it’s the only thing he has regretted in his career.
He told us he has played at every ground and in every league in the country. He has played against George Best, whom he considers the best player he has played against. When he played against West Ham, Bobby Moore, Martin Peters, and Geoff Hurst were in the team.
It was while he was the youth team coach at Bradford City that the Bradford Fire disaster happened. He said it was horrendous to watch as events unfolded. The team had been presented with a trophy before the game, and everyone was in a happy mood. It was a shock for him to see the dead bodies in the stand. It was a dreadful day, and something he cannot forget. Terry went on to manage Bradford City two years later. He then went on to manage Rochdale before coming to Hull City.
Terry came to Hull City at a difficult time in the club’s history when the football club had no money. It is a period well documented. He was doing his best with the limited resources he was given and couldn’t stop us from being relegated. It was Terry who brought the legendary Dean Windass to City, with whom he still has a good relationship. When Deano was due to sign the paperwork for his transfer to Aberdeen, he asked Terry to go with him. He asked Terry whether he would need a passport to go, which made us laugh.
Richard asked how his time at Hull came to an end. The simple reply was that I was sacked. This was during David Lloyd’s tenure. During his time as manager, he received a lot of flak, and it affected his children. Although it had been a difficult time while he was at Hull City, Richard said, You must have liked the area to still be living here. Richard went on to say how Terry had been easy to interview and thanked him for coming. Terry replied by saying it was great to be back and that it was good to see us all still supporting the team, which is what it is all about.
Pat gave her usual vote of thanks and said that there had been some great times as well as some bad ones, whilst Terry was the Manager, but through it all, we still supported the lads.
Terry made the draw for the raffle, which raised £254. To finish the afternoon, Allen thanked everyone for coming and wished them a safe journey home.
Shirley Cormack
The Minibus Members
Louise Babych from KCOM presenting to our members Louise Babych and Shirley
Richard interviewing Terry Dolan Terry Dolan and Richard
