:00:19. > :00:24.On tonight's Late Kick Off: We check in with Newcastle's Ivory Coast star
:00:25. > :00:28.Cheick Tiote. How did the miners' strike affect
:00:29. > :00:32.football in the area? We go back to 1984.
:00:33. > :00:34.And we're joined in the studio by a local Olympian, and hero of London
:00:35. > :00:45.2012! Steph Houghton. Good evening. Welcome along. Plenty
:00:46. > :00:48.to come tonight. I'm delighted to have Steph Houghton with us. We're
:00:49. > :00:52.also in the company of the former Newcastle United goalkeeper Steve
:00:53. > :00:54.Harper - now at Hull City - and our regular journalistic viewpoint comes
:00:55. > :00:57.from Simon Bird of the Daily Mirror. Thanks again for all of your
:00:58. > :01:03.comments and questions on Twitter. Keep them coming at #LKONEC. The
:01:04. > :01:07.closing of tonight's show features the glory days of Carlisle United -
:01:08. > :01:10.if you want to see a specific clip from our archives, get in touch.
:01:11. > :01:12.First tonight, it was another disappointing weekend for
:01:13. > :01:16.Sunderland, while Newcastle left it late to return to winning ways. Here
:01:17. > :01:21.are the views of the two managers of the day, starting with John Carver.
:01:22. > :01:27.Being a local lad, I'm a fan inside as well - not just the assistant
:01:28. > :01:30.manager! I'm delighted for Papiss Cisse, and for the fans. I'm also
:01:31. > :01:36.delighted for myself because it's been a tough time. You do get put
:01:37. > :01:39.under a little bit of pressure when the manager's not here. But
:01:40. > :01:43.thankfully we had quite a bit of communication today. We were not
:01:44. > :01:51.competing enough. They were always in front. They won second balls,
:01:52. > :02:01.tackles, decisions... We were second best then we decided to change. Some
:02:02. > :02:04.players paid the price. They were not directly responsible for the bad
:02:05. > :02:09.30 minutes but I had to make changes. Gus Poyet not happy and
:02:10. > :02:13.it's not looking any better week by week for Sunderland. Perhaps the
:02:14. > :02:15.only saving grace is that all of the bottom five lost at the weekend,
:02:16. > :02:24.therefore they didn't move. Sunderland are three points from
:02:25. > :02:27.safety with two games in hand. Steph, great to have you here -
:02:28. > :02:30.we're going to talk Olympics and women's football a little bit later,
:02:31. > :02:33.but first, you're a die-hard Sunderland fan. How worried are you
:02:34. > :02:37.about your team? I'm a little worried. As a Sunderland fan, you'd
:02:38. > :02:39.expect them to go and try to get something off Norwich at the
:02:40. > :02:43.weekend. That wasn't meant to be. Over Christmas they had a really
:02:44. > :02:48.good spell of picking up points. Ever since the cup final, we've lost
:02:49. > :02:51.our form a bit. We've got some big games coming up, especially
:02:52. > :02:54.Wednesday against Liverpool. From a fan's point of view, do you look
:02:55. > :02:57.back now and think that was a turning point? They played so well
:02:58. > :03:00.at Wembley and everybody thought it could be a springboard but it's been
:03:01. > :03:04.disappointing since. I think every fan thought that would be the case.
:03:05. > :03:10.If they played well at Wembley, you thought it might have had a knock-on
:03:11. > :03:15.effect. As a Sunderland fan at the moment, you're thinking that the
:03:16. > :03:18.next ten games are all cup finals. It's a cliche but they are big games
:03:19. > :03:21.and it's a fight to stay in the league. We're not ones to repeat
:03:22. > :03:24.ourselves, Simon, but they haven't scored again. We're talking about
:03:25. > :03:27.Crystal Palace, Norwich... A real lack of goals. Today's news is that
:03:28. > :03:30.Gus Poyet has recalled Connor Wickham from his loan spell at
:03:31. > :03:32.Leeds. He played five games there and didn't score. Is that a
:03:33. > :03:36.desperation measure at this stage? It does have a feel of the last
:03:37. > :03:39.throw of the dice for Poyet. He's wondering every week about how to
:03:40. > :03:43.get the best out of his forward line. He's not found a combination
:03:44. > :03:46.that scores. Look at the stats - Adam Johnson is top scorer with
:03:47. > :03:49.seven goals. Borini has got three. That's not good enough in the
:03:50. > :03:54.Premier League. You need someone getting double figures. A couple of
:03:55. > :03:57.people. Will Connor Wickham do it? I don't know. He's got one goal for
:03:58. > :04:00.Sunderland in the Premier League - four in total. It's desperation.
:04:01. > :04:04.Steve, without wanting to bring back old memories, you've been part of a
:04:05. > :04:08.squad that's been relegated from the Premier League. How difficult is it
:04:09. > :04:11.when you're on the slide to try to arrest that and try to get some
:04:12. > :04:14.belief from somewhere? I think when you're struggling and you've got
:04:15. > :04:18.games in hand you tend to think you'll be OK, but every weekend one
:04:19. > :04:22.or two of the teams around you gets a result. That puts more pressure on
:04:23. > :04:26.you. The lack of goals has to be a concern. I remember the last two
:04:27. > :04:32.games of the season, we lost them both 1-0. If we'd scored in either
:04:33. > :04:35.we'd have stayed up. I know Danny Graham had a very difficult 2013 but
:04:36. > :04:45.I think he's scored 15 or 16 Premier League goals. Maybe not recently...
:04:46. > :04:48.But if there was somebody you're looking to recall... I'm surprised
:04:49. > :04:52.he hasn't called Danny back. There are ten games to go for Sunderland
:04:53. > :04:59.to decide their destiny, really. There they are. The next is this
:05:00. > :05:02.week, at Anfield. It looks a difficult one. I was at their game
:05:03. > :05:07.against Cardiff and they were irresistible going forward. Steph,
:05:08. > :05:10.Fabio Borini is unable to play in that game. He's your most likely
:05:11. > :05:16.goal-scorer but they're his parent club. He'll be a big miss. He's been
:05:17. > :05:20.one of our form players in the last few games. He's going to be a miss
:05:21. > :05:26.on Wednesday but hopefully we can try and nick something. Liverpool
:05:27. > :05:29.are just in top form at the moment. As far as Newcastle are concerned,
:05:30. > :05:32.Steve, an important win for them. They left it late. Papiss Cisse got
:05:33. > :05:36.the goal. Only his second of the season. You know him. You played
:05:37. > :05:39.with him. Has he managed to keep his head up, do you think? I'm sure he
:05:40. > :05:43.has. People have said his confidence will be down but that's the type of
:05:44. > :05:46.goal he needed - an instinctive, reactionary finish. We saw at Fulham
:05:47. > :05:50.last week, when he had time to think about it, he ran around it a little.
:05:51. > :05:53.But the big thing is he's getting in there. He keeps getting the chances.
:05:54. > :05:58.Hopefully that goal will set him off to get a few more. You were at St
:05:59. > :06:00.James' at the weekend. Was there a feeling of relief when that goal
:06:01. > :06:03.went in? Massively. Palace had parked the bus and done a good job
:06:04. > :06:06.stifling. When Cisse scored everybody was delighted for him.
:06:07. > :06:10.He'd actually had quite a good game. He had four or five chances before.
:06:11. > :06:14.We got some lovely quotes from him after the game. He said that after
:06:15. > :06:17.his miss in the 92nd minute he was lying on the ground, looking at the
:06:18. > :06:20.sky, thinking 'oh my god, I've killed the game'. But he kept
:06:21. > :06:23.believing. He got his chance and took it so that was brilliant.
:06:24. > :06:26.Steve, we heard from John Carver there - saying it's an important win
:06:27. > :06:29.for him. He's been thrust into the limelight. You obviously know him
:06:30. > :06:32.well from the dressing room. How pleased are you for him? What's he
:06:33. > :06:35.like? I'm delighted for John. He's very passionate - black and white
:06:36. > :06:37.through and through. Despite the circumstances he'll be loving his
:06:38. > :06:40.time in charge. Now, talking Newcastle, following
:06:41. > :06:42.the sale of Yohan Cabaye, Cheick Tiote has resumed responsibility in
:06:43. > :06:45.the centre of Newcastle's midfield. He's now looking forward to a
:06:46. > :06:53.positive end to the Premier League season and to a successful World Cup
:06:54. > :06:56.in Brazil with the Ivory Coast. He's been at the heart of
:06:57. > :07:01.Newcastle's midfield for nearly four seasons. And in less than a few
:07:02. > :07:10.months, Cheick Tiote is due to play in his second World Cup for the
:07:11. > :07:13.Ivory Coast. You've been made captain a few times this season.
:07:14. > :07:22.Have you enjoyed having that extra responsibility? Yeah, I was so happy
:07:23. > :07:27.because I didn't imagine I would ever be captain for Newcastle one
:07:28. > :07:32.day. It's a top club. This season you've had fewer bookings. Do you
:07:33. > :07:42.think being made captain changed that part of your game? Yeah!
:07:43. > :07:46.Really! Before that some people said I was naughty but at the moment I'm
:07:47. > :07:56.much better and I hope I'll continue. Alan Pardew isn't on the
:07:57. > :08:03.sidelines for matches at the moment. Is that strange for yourself and the
:08:04. > :08:13.other players? I think we don't have any point to make about that, as a
:08:14. > :08:16.player. For the players, it's hard but we have to stay focused. Do you
:08:17. > :08:27.think it'll have any bearing on results? I don't know... We have to
:08:28. > :08:36.fight, every game. How do you relax and how do you take your mind off
:08:37. > :08:45.football matches? When I'm at home I watch a lot of African movies to
:08:46. > :08:50.relax. I speak to my parents, my brother and my sister. We talk a lot
:08:51. > :08:56.on the phone and that helps me a lot. I can be lonely but that really
:08:57. > :08:59.helps. Off the pitch, Cheick is into his fashion. He's currently working
:09:00. > :09:05.with a friend to launch a clothing line. So who's the best dressed
:09:06. > :09:15.United star? At the moment, Loic Remy. Who's the joker in the team?
:09:16. > :09:23.The joker... I would say Gutierrez but he's on loan. He's a really nice
:09:24. > :09:29.man. The World Cup is on Cheick's agenda. He's hoping to be on the
:09:30. > :09:36.plane to Brazil with his Ivory Coast team-mates this summer. It's going
:09:37. > :09:43.to be my second World Cup so I'm happy. We aren't there yet but I
:09:44. > :09:49.hope I won't get injured. You never know in football. This Ivory Coast
:09:50. > :09:53.team has been described as a golden generation. You've got players like
:09:54. > :10:01.yourself, Didier Drogba, Yaya Toure... Toure! When I started
:10:02. > :10:07.playing I was watching them on the TV. I was in Africa. I never thought
:10:08. > :10:13.I would play with them in the national team! I'm just enjoying my
:10:14. > :10:18.time at the moment. Pele said he always thought an African nation
:10:19. > :10:21.would win the World Cup one day... The Ivory Coast have got an all
:10:22. > :10:34.right group! Do you think they could do it? Maybe! I think it's too soon
:10:35. > :10:37.for an African country. We have some good players and good quality but
:10:38. > :10:46.compared to the top teams like Spain and Brazil... I think it would be
:10:47. > :10:52.hard for a team from an African country! Certainly a big few months
:10:53. > :10:55.ahead for Cheick Tiote, for club and country. You know him well - a
:10:56. > :10:59.former team-mate. Do you see an extra responsibility and maturity
:11:00. > :11:02.about him recently? I do actually. When he first arrived a few years
:11:03. > :11:05.ago, he was very disciplined - sitting in front of the back four
:11:06. > :11:10.and breaking the play up. He mentioned he was maybe a little rash
:11:11. > :11:14.when he was first arrived! But he made a real impact in winning the
:11:15. > :11:19.ball back and giving it to the likes of Cabaye. Last year, he tended to
:11:20. > :11:22.wander off and lose the discipline in that position but this year
:11:23. > :11:25.they've reigned him in and given him more responsibility. The bookings
:11:26. > :11:34.have lessened and he's winning the ball back. He's quite a funny guy.
:11:35. > :11:38.He was quiet when he arrived. He actually got changed next to me so
:11:39. > :11:42.it's good to know he's interested in fashion now! Clearly from you! I
:11:43. > :11:45.wish! But I think we're seeing the best of him now and I'd put him in
:11:46. > :11:48.the top three performers for Newcastle this season. He's getting
:11:49. > :11:52.praise at the moment, Simon. The irony is that when a Newcastle
:11:53. > :11:55.player gets that he might be on his way soon. Cabaye left in January. Is
:11:56. > :11:59.there a worry Cheick Tiote might not be there next season? We spoke to
:12:00. > :12:02.Alan Pardew about him today and he said he's in the top three players
:12:03. > :12:06.for Newcastle this year. He also said he wants him to stay for the
:12:07. > :12:09.next two or three years. That was out of the blue. I don't know if
:12:10. > :12:13.Alan Pardew is expecting a bid. He's had an up and down time at Newcastle
:12:14. > :12:16.- a couple of great seasons and one not so good. A good defensive
:12:17. > :12:19.midfielder is very underrated. Arsenal and Manchester United could
:12:20. > :12:23.both do with one. We'll have to wait and see what happens after the World
:12:24. > :12:32.Cup. We certainly will. Time now for the weekend's Football
:12:33. > :12:34.League action. Middlesbrough head coach Aitor
:12:35. > :12:37.Karanka said afterwards that he couldn't explain how his team lost
:12:38. > :12:41.this game. Both sides went close early on but it was Boro full back
:12:42. > :12:47.George Friend who broke the deadlock after 18 minutes. He keeps going...
:12:48. > :12:53.Friend will shoot... He does and it's over the line! George Friend's
:12:54. > :12:55.effort is a goal but it may well go down as a mistake from Rob Green!
:12:56. > :13:02.QPR's equaliser came in fortuitous circumstances just before the break.
:13:03. > :13:07.The shot's blocked... Chance for Benayoun... He's onside and there's
:13:08. > :13:11.the equaliser! Both sides seemed happy to settle for a point, but
:13:12. > :13:16.Boro hearts were broken in a dramatic and bizarre final few
:13:17. > :13:19.minutes. It's looking busy in the penalty area! Here's George Friend
:13:20. > :13:22.with a chance to win it... He's inches wide! Rob Green's clearance
:13:23. > :13:24.appeared to cause no danger, but when Kenneth Omeruo sent the ball
:13:25. > 1:26:02back to Boro keeper Dimitrios Konstantopoulos... This happened.
1:26:03 > 1:26:02He's missed it! What a chance for Zamora to win the game for Queen's
1:26:03 > 1:26:02Park Rangers! He won't have an easier goal, ever! Boro's play-off
1:26:03 > 1:26:02ambitions now look almost over. Their misery was complete when Ravel
1:26:03 > 1:26:02Morrison broke through the middle of the defence to fire in QPR's third,
1:26:03 > 1:26:02and ensure Harry Redknapp's team returned to London with three
1:26:03 > 1:26:02points. Carlisle faced their former manager
1:26:03 > 1:26:02Greg Abbott, now on the coaching staff at fellow relegation
1:26:03 > 1:26:02candidates Notts County. The contest was effectively over just after
1:26:03 > 1:26:02half-time, with the Cumbrians conceding three goals in seven
1:26:03 > 1:26:02minutes. Aidan Hollis was alone in the six yard box to get the first...
1:26:03 > 1:26:02County's second came from some neat play down the left. Ronan Murray was
1:26:03 > 1:26:02left with the simple task of putting the ball into an empty net. Hollis
1:26:03 > 1:26:02headed in his second and County's third from an Alan Sheehan
1:26:03 > 1:26:02free-kick. Carlisle did manage to find the net thanks to this
1:26:03 > 1:26:02deflected effort from James Berrett - only the club's third goal in six
1:26:03 > 1:26:02games. But Shaun Derry's side boosted their survival hopes when
1:26:03 > 1:26:02former Hartlepool defender Craig Liddle scored this acrobatic effort.
1:26:03 > 1:26:02That defeat sends Carlisle into the drop zone, one point from safety.
1:26:03 > 1:26:02Hartlepool travelled to the Kassam Stadium on Friday night needing a
1:26:03 > 1:26:02win if they are to realise their play-off ambitions. Colin Cooper's
1:26:03 > 1:26:02side had chances early on but were reduced to ten men with 15 minutes
1:26:03 > 1:26:02left when Simon Walton was sent off after collecting his second yellow
1:26:03 > 1:26:02card. Oxford seized on their numerical advantage just three
1:26:03 > 1:26:02minutes later when David Hunt's free kick found veteran striker David
1:26:03 > 1:26:02Connolly, who headed in the winner. Nigel Worthington declared his side
1:26:03 > 1:26:02as outstanding as they stretched their winning run to five games with
1:26:03 > 1:26:02a victory at Portsmouth. Michael Coulson's thunderous effort just
1:26:03 > 1:26:02five minutes in gave the Minstermen the perfect start. That goal was
1:26:03 > 1:26:02enough for York to win and move into the play-offs on goal difference,
1:26:03 > 1:26:02while Hartlepool drop down to 11th, six points from the play-offs.
1:26:03 > 1:26:02Gateshead needed a win over Lincoln city to keep in touch with the
1:26:03 > 1:26:02Conference play-off positions, and 38-year-old striker Jack Lester made
1:26:03 > 1:26:02quite an impact on his full debut for the club, finding the net on 34
1:26:03 > 1:26:02minutes. Jamie Chandler's volley gave Gary
1:26:03 > 1:26:02Mills' side some breathing space before half-time. John Nolan pulled
1:26:03 > 1:26:02one back for Lincoln. But the former Sunderland striker Ryan Noble
1:26:03 > 1:26:02secured the points with a third for Gateshead. That win leaves the
1:26:03 > 1:26:02Tynesiders just one point off fifth place.
1:26:03 > 1:26:02Three second-half goals without reply gave Berwick Rangers a
1:26:03 > 1:26:02comfortable 3-0 win over Clyde, leaving them just two points off the
1:26:03 > 1:26:02play-offs in Scottish League Two. Some really positive results for
1:26:03 > 1:26:02some of our teams, not for Carlisle. We had the Carlisle manager here,
1:26:03 > 1:26:02pinpointing the fixtures coming up, he's only got one point since nine,
1:26:03 > 1:26:02a huge point against Shrewsbury, it is looking dire. They were just
1:26:03 > 1:26:02above that zone, but they have fallen into it after the weekend.
1:26:03 > 1:26:02But a huge week, Shrewsbury and Tranmere, the two teams either side
1:26:03 > 1:26:02of them, hopefully they can pull themselves out of it. If you can get
1:26:03 > 1:26:02down to support Carlisle, a massive game against Shrewsbury, gets down
1:26:03 > 1:26:02to Brunton Park. We're delighted to be in the company of one of the
1:26:03 > 1:26:02country's top women's footballers. Steph Houghton has won two Women's
1:26:03 > 1:26:02Super League titles with Arsenal, including a domestic treble and 44
1:26:03 > 1:26:02England caps. She was also the star of the 2012 London Olympics.
1:26:03 > 1:26:02It's Houghton, it is brilliant! Steph Houghton scores!
1:26:03 > 1:26:02Fantastic memories for you, what was that Olympic experience like?
1:26:03 > 1:26:02Unbelievable, I think I struggle to put it into words now, and seeing
1:26:03 > 1:26:02those images, it brings goose bumps back. But the whole Olympics
1:26:03 > 1:26:02experience was brilliant for everyone involved, whether as a
1:26:03 > 1:26:02supporter, being involved in the Olympic Village was something you
1:26:03 > 1:26:02would never forget and something no-one can take away from you. We
1:26:03 > 1:26:02all feel very inferior sitting next to somebody who has scored for Great
1:26:03 > 1:26:02Britain against Brazil at Wembley, I guess it doesn't come much better
1:26:03 > 1:26:02than that. That's obviously my favourite moment in my career so
1:26:03 > 1:26:02far. It was the fact that we have 70,000 in the stadium, that was a
1:26:03 > 1:26:02turning point for women's football. To be able to play against one of
1:26:03 > 1:26:02the best teams, you dream of that as a kid, to play in Wembley Stadium,
1:26:03 > 1:26:02and to score was to top the whole night off. To have your friends and
1:26:03 > 1:26:02family there made it more special. You said it was a turning point, do
1:26:03 > 1:26:02you feel, domestically, the women's game has grown since the Olympic
1:26:03 > 1:26:02Games? Yes, of course, the amount of media coverage that we did get from
1:26:03 > 1:26:02the Olympics has meant that women's football has been in the spotlight a
1:26:03 > 1:26:02lot more, and I think everybody is taking a little more interest in the
1:26:03 > 1:26:02game. And clubs are putting a lot more money into making it as
1:26:03 > 1:26:02professional as they possibly can, and that's good for us as
1:26:03 > 1:26:02individuals, but in turn it's going to help the national team that so
1:26:03 > 1:26:02much money is being put in, and we get a lot more recognition for what
1:26:03 > 1:26:02we do as footballers. And the new WSL season is about to start in the
1:26:03 > 1:26:02middle of next month, eight teams once again in it. We should point
1:26:03 > 1:26:02out for the first time there will be relegation from WSL1 into the newly
1:26:03 > 1:26:02formed WSL2. A couple of new teams in there,
1:26:03 > 1:26:02Notts County, the old Lincoln Ladies have reformed. Liverpool are the
1:26:03 > 1:26:02reigning champions, and Manchester City Ladies are the newly into the
1:26:03 > 1:26:02WSL, which is your new team. How exciting a challenge is that?
1:26:03 > 1:26:02Yeah, really exciting. It was really hard to leave Arsenal after three
1:26:03 > 1:26:02years and winning a lot of trophies and developing as a player. But as
1:26:03 > 1:26:02soon as Manchester City came calling, it was really hard to turn
1:26:03 > 1:26:02down, their plans are unbelievable. As a female footballer, the chance
1:26:03 > 1:26:02to turn professional was a big pull, to be on the ball every day, getting
1:26:03 > 1:26:02looked after. It's going to help me as an individual for club and for
1:26:03 > 1:26:02country, and it was just something I couldn't turn down. And you've got
1:26:03 > 1:26:02England team-mate Jill Scott there, Lucy Bronze, Jordan Nobbs. All
1:26:03 > 1:26:02players from this area, but you had to leave the area to further your
1:26:03 > 1:26:02career. How frustrating is that, the fact that you had to leave? Really
1:26:03 > 1:26:02frustrating, obviously because we're all Sunderland supporters, it has
1:26:03 > 1:26:02always been a dream to play for the team you support, and we came up
1:26:03 > 1:26:02through the ranks from a young age. And we had to find first-team
1:26:03 > 1:26:02football in the best league we possibly could to develop our
1:26:03 > 1:26:02international career. And it is frustrating when you're playing
1:26:03 > 1:26:02England, five of us in the starting 11, just think how good Sunderland
1:26:03 > 1:26:02could be. Even though they are a good team, they could have been
1:26:03 > 1:26:02fighting in the top league now. It just shows what Sunderland have
1:26:03 > 1:26:02done, good coaching staff, the setup they have, bringing young players to
1:26:03 > 1:26:02represent their country. It can't be that bad. Steve, I am interested to
1:26:03 > 1:26:02know, since you started as a footballer, do you a big change in
1:26:03 > 1:26:02the women's game? Yeah, funnily enough, we were talking about it
1:26:03 > 1:26:02before, and my son played an under-11s game, in the game before
1:26:03 > 1:26:02there was a girl, North Shields under 11s, the best player on the
1:26:03 > 1:26:02pitch by a mile. That says it all, doesn't it?
1:26:03 > 1:26:0230 years ago this month, thousands of miners across the country went on
1:26:03 > 1:26:02strike over government plans to close pits. Lee Johnson has been
1:26:03 > 1:26:02finding out how football helped members of one mining community in
1:26:03 > 1:26:02County Durham. March 1984, Easington Colliery,
1:26:03 > 1:26:02miners from across the country are striking against government plans to
1:26:03 > 1:26:02close 20 pits with an estimated loss of 20,000 jobs.
1:26:03 > 1:26:02It was very hard, cos I had two children at the time. And for coal
1:26:03 > 1:26:02and that, we were going down to the beach. You're doing something you
1:26:03 > 1:26:02believe in, I never contemplated going back to work nor nothing. I
1:26:03 > 1:26:02was out for the duration. The strike put a strain on families
1:26:03 > 1:26:02and friendships, with some workers choosing to cross the picket. I had
1:26:03 > 1:26:02a scab lived down the road to me, and I come out thousands six o'clock
1:26:03 > 1:26:02in the morning, and he used to walk down behind me when I went to the
1:26:03 > 1:26:02picket line to stand on the picket line, and he'd walk through the
1:26:03 > 1:26:02picket line. But football offered miners in
1:26:03 > 1:26:02Easington Colliery a temporary escape from the dispute. For 90
1:26:03 > 1:26:02minutes, when you were actually playing, it just took over. Your
1:26:03 > 1:26:02strike was out of your mind, everything was out of your mind,
1:26:03 > 1:26:02what hardships you had. You know, just for that Saturday afternoon, it
1:26:03 > 1:26:02was very, very important. Something that I would have been lost without.
1:26:03 > 1:26:02The biggest thing that I found during the miners' strike with
1:26:03 > 1:26:02football was that a lot of the miners had spare time, so on the
1:26:03 > 1:26:02morning they used to go on the picket line, on their lunchtime they
1:26:03 > 1:26:02used to go to the club for the free meals, and then on the afternoon
1:26:03 > 1:26:02everyone used to meet at the welfare, six, seven days a week, for
1:26:03 > 1:26:02a two-hour game of football in the afternoon. So I played more football
1:26:03 > 1:26:02join the strike than I've ever played, and it was all with the
1:26:03 > 1:26:02miner, yeah. While the police were perceived by a
1:26:03 > 1:26:02lot of miners as the enemy, one local bobby, George Curry, was just
1:26:03 > 1:26:02another player. I myself sympathised with the miners' plight. This thing
1:26:03 > 1:26:02was separating families, relationships, but it is a common
1:26:03 > 1:26:02bond, football, and when you go in the dressing room, you were just one
1:26:03 > 1:26:02of the team. You got changed, got your team-mate team talk, and out
1:26:03 > 1:26:02you went to play. To us, he was champion, there was no problem, the
1:26:03 > 1:26:02lads accepted him, because they knew he wasn't the fault of what was
1:26:03 > 1:26:02going on in Easington Colliery. He had a job to do, and obviously we
1:26:03 > 1:26:02accepted him. Money was tight during the strike, and playing football
1:26:03 > 1:26:02helped in more than one way. I was expecting a third child in November
1:26:03 > 1:26:02'84, so it was difficult. But I was fortunate. I played football, and I
1:26:03 > 1:26:02got expenses for it. There was a lot of people who didn't have that, I
1:26:03 > 1:26:02know a lad that got threatened with houses being repossessed.
1:26:03 > 1:26:02The miners' strike would last until the following spring, but 30 years
1:26:03 > 1:26:02on Tommy and George still have fond memories of playing together. You've
1:26:03 > 1:26:02got to remember that people were salvaging everything they could to
1:26:03 > 1:26:02keep the home fires burning, literally. We played in the County
1:26:03 > 1:26:02Cup once in the afternoon, and as footballers know, you always go back
1:26:03 > 1:26:02to the club for a drink. And on the way back home after two or three
1:26:03 > 1:26:02hours in the club, we wanted to stop for a toilet break. The coach
1:26:03 > 1:26:02stopped, and the side door opened, and I think I was the only one left
1:26:03 > 1:26:02on the bus. And one of the lads spotted some logs had been chopped
1:26:03 > 1:26:02down, so we all ended up getting a log. And they put the wood onto the
1:26:03 > 1:26:02coach and climbed back on board. And if the chief constable's watching, a
1:26:03 > 1:26:02lot of common sense and discretion was used that day, sir!
1:26:03 > 1:26:02Steve, a poignant tale, one you know very well, we saw your uncle in that
1:26:03 > 1:26:02report. Yeah, I am from Easington, my dad was a miner, and I used to
1:26:03 > 1:26:02watch them. They had a very good team, Geordie, the policeman, the
1:26:03 > 1:26:02centre half, Tommy Garside was a very good centre forward as well.
1:26:03 > 1:26:02And they were tough times, but football was a important thing, as
1:26:03 > 1:26:02was touched on in the VT there, the community really pulling together,
1:26:03 > 1:26:02football giving them an opportunity to do that.
1:26:03 > 1:26:02And East Durham as an area seems to be a proud area, Adam Johnson, Paul
1:26:03 > 1:26:02Kitson, your good selves, a proud area of the community. I think
1:26:03 > 1:26:02football was used as a release for all the families, something that
1:26:03 > 1:26:02everybody could go and enjoy. As you said, you mentioned those names,
1:26:03 > 1:26:02there is obviously something good in the water in East Durham and
1:26:03 > 1:26:02hopefully it can continue. Simon, is it a case of politics dividing but
1:26:03 > 1:26:02football uniting? There are many examples of football being a uniting
1:26:03 > 1:26:02force and a release for communities in times of hardship like the
1:26:03 > 1:26:02miners' strike. At the time, the government was destroying the
1:26:03 > 1:26:02industry, and it was not very keen on football fans as well. Brian
1:26:03 > 1:26:02Clough made an appeal on television for people to contribute to the
1:26:03 > 1:26:02miners' strike fund. Alex Ferguson mentions it in his autobiography as
1:26:03 > 1:26:02well. When he walked past miners doing a collection, Jock Stein
1:26:03 > 1:26:02pulled him up and said, you had better put a fiver in there.
1:26:03 > 1:26:02We've just got time for a few Twitter questions, thank you for
1:26:03 > 1:26:02your correspondence, keep them coming. Steph has been inundated,
1:26:03 > 1:26:02Emma says, is there one moment you will never forget in your career? I
1:26:03 > 1:26:02would have to say the Olympics 2012, when we played at Wembley against
1:26:03 > 1:26:02Brazil, nothing can beat that. Julian says, your ambitions for City
1:26:03 > 1:26:02and England, World Cup qualifying as well. For England, the ultimate aim
1:26:03 > 1:26:02is to qualify for the World Cup, individually to have a really
1:26:03 > 1:26:02consistent season for both club and country, and hopefully nail a
1:26:03 > 1:26:02starting-11 spot with England. Simon has had a tweet personally for
1:26:03 > 1:26:02him, from Daniel, what are the ramifications financially of
1:26:03 > 1:26:02potential relegation for Sunderland? The straight finances are ?63
1:26:03 > 1:26:02million a year TV money for the bottom of the Premier League team,
1:26:03 > 1:26:02that will go down to a ?26 million parachute payment in the
1:26:03 > 1:26:02Championship. It is about ?40 million they are playing for in the
1:26:03 > 1:26:02next few games. Steve, one from a Newcastle fan, are
1:26:03 > 1:26:02you worried the big boys may come calling for Tim Krul in the summer?
1:26:03 > 1:26:02It wouldn't surprise me, I think a lot of that is dependent on Tim. If
1:26:03 > 1:26:02he goes, it would be a good chance to get Fraser Forster back from
1:26:03 > 1:26:02Celtic. Interesting! Thank you for your company once again. Please
1:26:03 > 1:26:02remember to keep in touch with us on Twitter. Keep your archive video
1:26:03 > 1:26:02requests coming in as well. Tonight it is the turn of Carlisle united
1:26:03 > 1:26:02and a season in the sun, '74-'75, when goals from heroes of the past
1:26:03 > 1:26:02Bill Green and Les O'Neill took them to the top of the Football League
1:26:03 > 1:26:02with a win at Chelsea. We will see you next week. Good night.
1:26:03 > 1:26:02# We had joy, we had fun. # We had seasons in the sun.
1:26:03 > 1:26:02# But the stars we could reach were just starfish on the beach.
1:26:03 > 1:26:02# We had joy, we had fun. # We had seasons in the sun.
1:26:03 > 1:26:02# But the stars we could reach were just starfish on the beach...
1:26:03 > 1:26:02#. Green puts it in! Good running by
1:26:03 > 1:26:03O'Neil. That's useful, and he's scored!