PHS007 Tom Cooper MP3
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Audio details
| Collection Title | Champions of England: Oral Histories |
|---|---|
| Date of Recording | 1st December 2019 |
| Name of Interviewer | |
| Location of Interview | |
| Participant Name | Tom Cooper |
| Participant Date of Birth | 1st January 1930 |
| Participant Sex | Male |
| Participant Occupation | |
| Participant Background | Farm Labourer |
| Type of Recorder | |
| Track No | 1 |
| Track Duration | [00:14:14] |
| Recording Format | MP3 |
| Transcript Summary |
[00:00:00] Tom Cooper, now age 89, attended the two matches with the biggest gates, 51,000 one against Derby County aged 19/20. Remembers going into any part of the stadium wherever you stand. Once they took your money they just pushed you in especially you arrived later. Remembers getting the train to matches whilst living in Sidlesham. Remembers children being passed down over fans down to the front and safer, shielded by the crowd. Remembers the war finished in 1945 and then starting to attend just before the championship years. Remembers living in Sidlesham as a farm labourer during this time. Normally was in the North Stand in the terraces. Remembers lots of sailors and their white hats dotted around the ground, especially with the Naval Base in the city, lots would want to come and watch Pompey. [00:03:54] Remembers not spending a lot of time in Portsmouth but travelled in to watch the matches by train from Chichester to Fratton. Mentions not being so interested due to the War. Remembers a game when Portsmouth won 5-1. Duggie Reid, forward, was one of the favourites amongst the crowd, tremendous shot on him and could head a ball, a tall burley Scotsman that was well liked and finished up as the Groundsman at Fratton Park. Celebration was simple and not showy at all like today. Jack Froggatt and Peter Harris were there, and Flewin, and Jimmy Dickinson who was a clean player and never booked not like Scoular was the opposite. Built like Freddie the boxer, a real Scotsman. [00:06:39] Went to 1 or 2 matches later but not during the championship season. Club was well supported by people in the area. Father went to odd games but did support them. [00:08:10] Never had the opportunity to meet any of the players. Southampton were always the rivals but not during that time. It was always clubs like Everton who we beat often 5-0 and Pompey used to thrash everyone. [00:09:52] Remembers aged 9 winning the club but was young and didn’t remember much although played football. [00:10:35] Just remembers being pushed into the ground and supporters were not segregated like today. Straight to game and back home. Brilliant team at the time, back line, Dickinson, Scoular and Flewin. Remember Butler being the goalkeeper and brilliant upfront, Harris, Reid and Clarke and Phillips. Harris was a brilliant winger and very quick and a great goal scorer. Not a big player but very quick, 5-3-2 formation. Remembers players back then don’t compare with players today and not in the same class. Team were never as good as they were then once they started to go down. [00:14:14] End of interview |
| Copyright Clearance | Full |
| Copyright Holder | Pompey History Society |
