Meet Mark Wilson (Bromsgrove Stokie) Part 1
This boy is a true STOKIE
Det finns många olika typer fotbolls supportrar i världen eller hur? För 25 år sedan träffade jag Mark Wilson för första gången. Han bodde i Bromsgrove (långt från Stoke – on – Trent) i en familj som inte har något fotbolls intresse alls. Men han fastnade för Stoke City och jag kan intyga om någon har givit sitt liv för en fotbolls förening är det denna man. Han brinner för Stoke City på ett sätt som är grymt imponerande. Han skulle nog offra sitt liv för att hjälpa Stoke City. Han svarar nu på frågor;
1. Not growing up in the Stoke area or having any family there, what made you choose Stoke City?
At an early age I started playing football and fancied myself as a goalkeeper. The best at the time, and the greatest ever, Gordon Banks was playing for Stoke so that was my team.
2. What do the rest of your family think of your love for the Potters?
All my close family thought I was mad, though my sisters and mum took me to my first game. As I’ve got older I’ve coaxed my two nephews (now both season ticket holders), my son and my wife (another season ticket holder) in to becoming Potters fans, even a mate at work has now become a season ticket holder.
3. What/when was your first game and how did you get there?
My first game was the last home game of 1977/78 season against Notts. Co. just after Alan Durban had taken over. A 1-1 draw with Garth Crooks scoring and as I mentioned my sister took me in her little mini car.
4. How many years have you been a season ticket holder?
I’ve been a season ticket holder consecutively since 1997, since moving to the Britannia. I’ve moved around the ground 3 times due to the Family stand moving and I’m now in my favourite “Boothen End”
5. How did you get in touch with Dave (vår man på plats)?
I met Dave through school, I’d got a Stoke bag, he spotted this and we got talking. Our first ever game was a 3-0 home defeat against West Brom (very rare) in 1982. After that we saw a 4-1 away win against Birmingham City that featured my favourite ever goal scored by Mark Chamberlain.
6. You have followed them through some dark periods of the clubs history, what was the darkest time in your opinion?
A very tough question with so many dark times. From my very early times following them, the Blyth Spartens cup game, all the other cup embarrassments such as Telford, Nuneaton but probably the most would have to be under Alan Ball.
7. Your car/number plate is something special, can you tell is something about it?
My number plate S7 OKC was an early gift from Jo my wife, it cost £500, though S7 OKE number plate sold recently for £8 000.
8. You also have an old turnstile from the Victoria ground, how did you get that? Was it expensive?
Yes I bought it off eBay. It cost me £320 from an old gentleman from Stone (village outside Stoke) he bought it when all the items from the old ground were being auctioned off. Back then, I had just bought my new house and didn’t have so much money to be able to buy anything, this still bugs me today.
9. How many Stoke tattoos do you have?
I’ve got 7 Stoke tattoos, still looking for more……..any ideas?
10. Back to the football, were you surprised last year that we went up?
No I wasn’t surprised we got promotion last year maybe a little that we went up automatically. I thought we were a little unlucky we didn’t get into the play-offs the previous season.
11. This year we’ve done better that many thought we would, why do you think this is?
We haven’t done any better than I thought we would, two reasons. The premier league if you take away the top 5-6 teams is not as strong as people say. Also we have a strong team both on and off the pitch.
12. Do you think we will stay up? And if so, what about next season? Where do we need to improve?
Yes, I think we will stay up! But knowing Stoke it will probably go down to the last game. as for next season, I’ll worry about that on my sun bed in Greece this June.
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