[Archived] Wainwright Of The Rovers

[wilyrover]

Here's a nice snippet about AW's love for Rovers. He wrote about them and did drawings too. But these are never mentioned in the media.

Eric Robson Society Chairman, broadcaster and walking companion of AW, writes:

alfred wainwright

‘I think the happiest I ever saw Alfred was one summery afternoon when the pair of us were standing on a bit of grass that was plusher than his normal stamping grounds.

Sadly, the view was nothing to write home about. This wasn’t Haystacks or Borrowdale or Mardale before the flood - were standing in the centre circle of Ewood Park, the Blackburn Rovers football ground and Wainwright was reminiscing about his long connection with both the club and the town.

The happiness came from his unshakeable conviction that the Rovers was the best club in England. It was just a series of unfortunate coincidences that happened to be making it do so badly at the time.

Every Saturday he would still rush away early from whatever filming we were doing to get the Blackburn result, convinced that this was the week when the old glories would start to return. He remembered every detail of the Rovers line -ups that won the FA Cup three years in a row – even though that was in the 1880s. He remembered the struggling days in the late 1930s when he was co founder of the supporters club. He remembered stirring goals and players as heroes and he didn’t dwell too long on the days they spent in the third division.

[thenodrog]

  wilyrover said:

Every Saturday he would still rush away early from whatever filming we were doing to get the Blackburn result, convinced that this was the week when the old glories would start to return. He remembered every detail of the Rovers line -ups that won the FA Cup three years in a row – even though that was in the 1880s. He remembered the struggling days in the late 1930s when he was co founder of the supporters club. He remembered stirring goals and players as heroes and he didn’t dwell too long on the days they spent in the third division.

What a shame he died just as the Walker era was getting underway.

[gillibrand]

That is real special, were can more info on AW'S Rovers connections be found?

[wilyrover]

The Wainwright Society has a good website dedicated to our fellow Blackburner. They speculate it may have been his association with Rovers which tipped the balance in having the Freckleton Street bridge named after him.

"We at the Wainwright Society applaud the readers for choosing AW. He was followed in the voting by author Josephine Cox, singer Kathleen Ferrier and former Blackburn Rovers owner Jack Walker. AW was, of course, born in Blackburn, and lived here for the first thirty-three years of his life. He founded Blackburn Rovers Supporters Club, which may have been a major factor in his topping the poll."

www.wainwright.org.uk/

[blue phil]

  thenodrog said:

What a shame he died just as the Walker era was getting underway.

At least he never saw the bridge they named after him .......

[wilyrover]

In Kendal they're talking about erecting a statue to him. He certainly wouldn't have liked that.

[philipl]

Always thought it was a great shame that Rovers' last game before AW died was a thoroughly miserable 0-1 home defeat to Ipswich.

I like the Wainwright Bridge.

[jim mk2]

The Wainbridge Bridge is a fine piece of modern architecture and a fitting tribute to a famous son of Blackburn.

Typical of some miserable folk always to find fault.

[thenodrog]

  jim mk2 said:

The Wainbridge Bridge is a fine piece of modern architecture and a fitting tribute to a famous son of Blackburn.

Typical of some miserable folk always to find fault.

Fitting? Are you daft? A stark, functional steel and concrete structure spanning the industrial railway sidings and carrying a road to nowhere? How appropriate is that? It's Wainwright we are talking about here not bloody Lowry! How come then that he wrote so much about the Lakeland hills and so little about Foundry Hill Jimski? Care to explain that one? From the little I know he couldn't wait to get out of Blackburn... hmm maybe the railway line is apt in that respect after all.

Taste and history should have seen it named 'Walker Bridge', with some other more fitting tribute bearing AW's name. Some arty cairn or similar structure on top of Billinge Wood with a view looking toward the Lakes might have been more appropriate

[jim mk2]

  thenodrog said:

Fitting? Are you daft? A stark, functional steel and concrete structure spanning the industrial railway sidings and carrying a road to nowhere? How appropriate is that? It's Wainwright we are talking about here not bloody Lowry! How come then that he wrote so much about the Lakeland hills and so little about Foundry Hill Jimski? Care to explain that one? From the little I know he couldn't wait to get out of Blackburn... hmm maybe the railway line is apt in that respect after all.

Taste and history should have seen it named 'Walker Bridge', with some other more fitting tribute bearing AW's name. Some arty cairn or similar structure on top of Billinge Wood with a view looking toward the Lakes might have been more appropriate

To repeat: typical of some miserable folk always to find fault.

Ad nauseum.

[gillibrand]

Are there any pictures of AW's Bridge? I have never seen it on the TV.

[Ozz]

[Mike Graham]

read Wainwrights Biography !!

It is a great read, and good photos of him at Ewood Park.....he was founder member of the Blackburn Rovers Supporters Association (the one by the triangle which was knocked down approx12/15 years ago) long before he became famous.

He remembered his roots.....and his team.

[gillibrand]

Thanks for the Photo, it's a pity The Rovers are not mentioned a bit more in conjunction with Wainwright, the media seem to love AW at the moment but not Blackburn Rovers!

[mhead]

AW used to take the train every fortnight to see his beloved Rovers. Meanwhile his wife used to creep out of the house and also take the same train from Kendal to see the match(his communication skills with his wife were non-existent) because she was an even bigger fan.

During the Wainwright series he is shown with Robson walking on the pitch at Ewood slowly to the Centre circle and then asking Robson to leave so he could have a moment of contemplation(with tears in his eyes). Post 95 me and The lads used to watch the highlights of the 94/95 season...particularly the last 10 mins of V.E. Night and then someone would say "put on the Wainwright" video - and it was like the home match after Jack Walkers death -not a dry eye in the place. Magic.

Currently trying to get a video of that Wainwrights walks series just for the Rovers sequence. Anyone got it?

[SIMON GARNERS 194]

I would also love to see footage of that mhead, I really would!

A great character who obviously knew a grand and proud old football club when he saw one as well as a good Mountain.Again,very sad that he passed away just as Rovers were 'reborn'.

[broadsword]

  jim mk2 said:

To repeat: typical of some miserable folk always to find fault.

Ad nauseum.

Why don't you try addressing his reasonable points?

oh I forgot, you live in Nu labour luvvie la-la land, where everything is brilliant.

[Ewood Spark]

  thenodrog said:

Fitting? Are you daft? A stark, functional steel and concrete structure spanning the industrial railway sidings and carrying a road to nowhere?

Ever heard of the word catalyst?

Freckleton St. Masterplan

[thenodrog]

  Ewood Spark said:

Ever heard of the word catalyst?

Freckleton St. Masterplan

ES I cannot be bothered looking it up but could you inform me what year the inner ring road was first proposed and carried? I'm sure China has built an economic miracle in half the time it took us to even get rid of Byrom Supplies.

[wilyrover]

Wonder if he would have minded having a beer named after him? I'd be happy if one was named after me.

[blue phil]

  jim mk2 said:

The Wainbridge Bridge is a fine piece of modern architecture

No , no , jim , you senile old bugger ........he plays for City ........

[broadsword]

:laugh:

[Ozz]

Bloody hell I missed that-seems that Phil is the only one left in control of all his faculties.