PHS006 David Morey MP3
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Audio details
| Collection Title | Champions of England: Oral Histories |
|---|---|
| Date of Recording | 12th November 2020 |
| Name of Interviewer | Samantha Middleton |
| Location of Interview | Southsea |
| Participant Name | David Morey |
| Participant Date of Birth | |
| Participant Sex | Male |
| Participant Occupation | |
| Participant Background | |
| Type of Recorder | Zoom H4n Pro |
| Track No | 1 |
| Track Duration | [00:45:28] |
| Recording Format | MP3 |
| Transcript Summary |
[00:00:00] David Morey, born in 1930, 89 years old. Always lived in Portsmouth. During the time that Pompey won the championship was in the Royal Air Force from 18th November 1948 to June 1950. Although away in service a lot, did see many good games. Stationed firstly in Wilmslow in Manchester and from there to Perthshire in 1949 to the RAF Police School. Finally posted in Norwich till end of Service which was good as Portsmouth were playing Norwich at Fratton Park in a cup tie. Norwich drew that match and was able to watch the replay up in Norwich due to being stationed there in the RAF. Portsmouth won that game 2-0 on the replay. Mentions last season’s match against Norwich and had the urge to go back to Norwich to watch and the first game away had seen for a very long time. Remembers when going away although now seating everyone stands and found had to stand for most of the match [00:03:36] Remembers first match at Fratton Park being 8 years old and sitting on the wall behind the goal at the Fratton End as a young lad. As a young man remembers then sitting in the South Stand with parents and brother and were shareholders of the club and still sit in the same seat now. Father and Grandfather were shareholders, shares were passed to brother and then on him. Until the time when Milan Mandaric bought the club and all the shares. Remembers Father getting a very small dividend on the shares. [Shows list of matches attended during 49/50 seasons]. Remembers the most important match that season being the FA Cup semi-final against Leicester City on the 26th March 1949. The game was played at Highbury in London and although being in the RAF Police a kind friend took his duty over so he could attend match. Remembers everyone assuming Portsmouth would win as they were in the First Division and Leicester were in the 2nd Division. Pompey lost 3-1 and didn’t reach the Cup Final, the scorer was Don Revie, who went on to become England Manager. [00:06:58] Mentions being involved in Pompey Schools Football for over 50 years and at the end of each season used to travel around the schools presenting trophy with Mr Vernon Stokes who was a President of Portsmouth Schools and also Portsmouth Football Club and always invited a guest to accompany him, going to 8 schools a day. In 1975 he invited Don Revie and also took them to the Queens Hotel for a lunch sitting next to Mr Don Revie who had upset me so many years before by scoring those goals against Portsmouth in 1949. [00:08:04] Mentions another match on the 11th February 1950 and although still serving in RAF in Norwich travelled across to Manchester to meet brother to play Man Utd, losing 3-0, but drew back to 3-3 and earn a replay, to then lose at home. Remembers last match during that time was against Aston Villa and beat them 5-1 to win the Championship. The crowd that day was 42,295 which is lot more than we get today. [00:10:15] Remembers being at the 1939 Cup Final, as an 8-year-old was in the 100,000 crowd beating Wolverhampton Wanderers. Remembers the tremendous feeling of seeing them win the League title. Mentions the City has always been a tremendous supportive city of Portsmouth Football Club and everyone thought to was wonderful to have won the Championship that year and to win it again the following season. Shows tie of the title win. Remembers how people have always support the club through bad times, particularly during administration, mentions contributing financially £1,000 during this time and when Mr Eisner took over monies could be returned if you wished or donated to the Pompey in the Community which was done. [00:12:45] Remembers the crowd being packed and stewards at the front instructing people to move to the front or right, and no bad language during any chants. [00:13:50] Mrs Morey contributes by remembering attending the football also during that time and never having to worry as there was never any trouble, everyone all just joined in and not pestered. Just there as a supporter and remembers seeing Reg Flewin and Peter Harris, remembers watching the footballers and the football didn’t always matter. Working as an office girl and finishing lunchtime on Saturdays and going down to Fratton Park. [00:14:50] Remembers not being so many children then as there was then, as there wasn’t a family section, many men, chanting was different then, remembers a man shouting ‘set them alight’. Mentions those days if a player passed back to their own goalkeeper the crowd would shout ‘windy, windy’. Meaning it was wrong to pass back to your own keeper. [00:16:12] Remembers travelling to the ground very young on the bus, but when with the family would go by car and park near the ground. Remembers a little old man being there offering to look after your car for sixpence and show you a space in the road. [00:16:50] Remembers at the end of the war, lived in Portsmouth during the war, although wife was evacuated to the Isle of Wight for 5 weeks. Remembers being in the City and schools were bombed so had to go to another school. At 12 went from Southsea to Purbrook High School by bus, same school as current England International, Mason Mount. Mrs Morey remembers city derelict and flattened during her cycle to work. Remembers at the end of the war when Portsmouth Grammar School returned and played football there until left school before they focussed on rugby. Remembers football being different during the war as the League was changed to the Southern League and Portsmouth playing teams in Reading, London or Aldershot and didn’t travel to the North. Portsmouth won the London Cup final during this time in 1942 at Wembley stadium. Very much become a very local area during the war. Lots of guest players as a lot of service especially Sailors, people would play. For example, Jimmy Scoular was one that joined along with Jimmy Dickinson, and by far a better style of football than it is today. [00:21:05] Remembers that players would try to beat other players, tear down the wing and score goals. Nowadays it’s all just passing as soon as they are going to be tackled, completely different to the football from the late forties to fifties. Remembers being managed by a group of elderly gentleman from the local area, estate agents, solicitors, etc. Mentions not seeing any other away matches during that time. Since then in later years has been to vital matches against Wigan to avoid relegation. Mentions how enjoyable away games can be on the supporter’s club and remembers the cup final with wife and daughter and daughter winning the raffle of a signed shirt. [00:23:44] Remembers people looking at Portsmouth Football Club for entertainment and enjoyment and it was very important to the people of Portsmouth. Mentions players mixing with supporters, experience of 21st birthday and 2 players, Guy Wharton and Bill Hindmarsh came to party. His father used to pick them up sometimes when he saw them on their way to training. Players were always recognised in the street unlike today, except Christian Burgess, with his particular hairdo even though some live in the area. Players were very friendly. They were called and asked if they would attend and they just came to the party and played some of the games. Mentions Jimmy Dickinson, Peter Harris and Jack Froggatt as favourite players. Remembers team being a popular side, highly regarding and played abroad Norway and Belgium. Remember there was not rivalries like with Southampton or Plymouth but no so in those days. Football was very tough and not the number of sending offs like there is today, which spoils the game. One remembered was Jimmy Scoular who was sent off often but was a tough player and went on to captain Newcastle United and won the FA Cup with them, great days. Remembers the procession and crowds and crowds of people at the Guildhall and the bus trip around the city. Seeing it from the seafront. [00:29:16] Mother, brother and father used to go to Fratton Park and sit in the same row left of the Directors Box and following an extension of the Directors Box seats were moved and has been sitting there since that time ago. Family passed away now but daughter now sits behind me. Last match she said if you want to move up with me to be a bit warmer. Mentions supporting the club for years and years and that will go on. [00:30:43] End of interview |
| Copyright Clearance | Full |
| Copyright Holder | Pompey History Society |
