North-East folk of riper years will know that when a patient is termed "only moderate" it means not so much that he is at death's door but haggling with the devil over the cover charge.

Northern Echo, the reluctant racehorse, was rated "moderate" in yesterday's Racing Post. It could hardly have been more appropriate.

Our champion may most kindly be said to have been a disappointment, an Anne Widdecombe among maidens. In 27 outings it had been just twice in the frame; yesterday at Sedgefield its final chance before the "sales".

Whilst all-time loser Quixall Crossett has inspired nothing but affection, Northern Echo's fan club is smaller and less vociferous.

"I have no personal feelings for it at all," insisted Echo editor Peter Barron, an optimist holding a forlorn front page.

"I think it should be shot," trainer Michael Dods is said to have observed after an earlier debacle.

The "sales", it should also be explained, are not so much a chance for equine experts to spot hidden talent as for rag and bone men to recruit cheap labour.

The horse is owned and trained by Michael Dods at Denton, near Darlington, but leased to an Echo-based syndicate where 20 shareholders pay £65 a month each.

The syndicate is said to be particularly strong in Cockfield, where Northern Echo's photograph hangs in one of the pubs next to an advertisement for Doggydins.

Previously we had owned a similarly under-achieving animal called Mr News, trained by Bill Pearce near Thirsk until Mr Pearce shot himself, though there is not thought to have been a connection.

Thereafter Mr News was sold and on its first outing over hurdles won at 33-1. "It didn't go down very well," observed the editor, so four-legged friendly that he has a rabbit run in the back garden.

"The problem with it was that in the first year they didn't know whether it was a sprinter or a stayer, whether it needed blinkers, whether it preferred soft or firm ground and whether it could go round bends," said Peter.

Apart from that, Northern Echo's only other little difficulty was that - contrary to the received wisdom among racehorses - it went quite fast early on and got slower as events unfolded..

Yesterday it was in the 1.40, the Sedgefield Selling Handicap Hurdle (Class G), known otherwise as the Last Chance Saloon.

Recent displays, said the shareholders' somewhat lukewarm hotline, did not inspire confidence and nor did Mr Bill Warby, racing adviser to the rich, the famous and the Backtrack column.

The "f" before its name stood for "fell" not "first", explained Mr Warby; the suffix "tv" meant not that Sky Sports had dramatically re-arranged its schedules but that it's tongue was tied and it wore a visor.

The morning betting forecasts were dismissive, 14-1 bar. There was more chance of Bar winning, the deputy editor had said early doors.

In the cafe we bumped into veteran trainer Denys Smith, invited his opinion. Denys looked critically down the 14-horse card, not so much a field as a rough pasture.

"If it can't win today it never will," he said, and may never have spoken truer word.

Seth Shildon, comedian or renown, was also pottering about beforehand. What chance, we asked? "Only if it sets off now," said Seth.

The bookies, as ever, were cautious. "Pulling up last time won't have helped," said Johnny Ridley from Shotton. "It may have affected his confidence.

"I don't recall ever having significant money on it."

(Mr Ridley's companion, who described himself as president of the National Union of Tick-Tackers - "The Nutts" - made an observation which, since it may have been defamatory of Northern Echo and manifestly libelled corned beef, had best not be repeated.)

We gathered in the parade ring, the trainer - shopping in Newmarket - represented by his wife Carole. "What he needs is holding up," said Carole, though Northern Echo may have been held up more times than a commuter on the A1(M).

Brian Storey rode him for the first time. "It's not a whip you need, it's a magic wand," said the editor.

By the end of the first circuit Northern Echo was in a familiar position, a rear view of 13 white breeched backsides. On the second, however, the horse became suddenly animated, as if face-to-face with mortality and deciding he was too young to die.

He finished second at 12-1, the occasion so overwhelming that the trainer rang soon afterwards from Newmarket. The upshot is that Northern Echo may well be reprieved, the smile on John Ridley's no less broad than those among the editorial conference.

Someone had staked £300 on our horse, to win. "I should think," said John, "that right now he's feeling pretty moderate."

On the parade ring rail we also bumped into Ken Thwaites from Ufthorpe, near Whitby - familiar North-East footballer, cricketer and greyhound trainer, retired headmaster, Methodist church organist and owner and breeder of Kindle the Flame, the only racehorse named from a snatch of a hymn.

Backtrack readers will at once recognise the Charles Wesley composition "Oh thou who camest from above."

His horse, Mary Reveley trained, was favourite in the ten past three. Without wishing to infringe the mores of Methodism, Ken considered it worth a few shillings on the nose.

Like Northern Echo, it was second. The flame burns rather less brightly.

After seven successive near misses of their own - a record, surely? - Tow Law Town were awarded yet another penalty on Wednesday night, the decision inciting unexpected criticism of the can't-win referee.

"How man, it's only an indirect free-kick," yelled the Lawyers' own faithful. Kenny Powell pointed, inexorably.

Having missed (again) last Saturday, Mr Lee Innes stepped up, scored, briefly contemplated a lap of honour and returned to his duties. Brandon United 0 Tow Law Town 1.

It was a wintry morning in 1940 when young Jim Ferguson trudged through the snow to King James I Grammar School in Bishop Auckland.

First in the classroom at 8.45, he was attempting to dry himself against the radiator whilst looking out towards Bishop Auckland's Kingsway football ground, which the school bordered.

Suddenly, he recalls - the memory prompted by last Friday's column on the Bishops - the main stand collapsed before his eyes.

"It was absolutely amazing. It just imploded, disappeared up its own backside," says Jim, who lived in Auckland Park but (like all the best) supported Shildon.

"There was very little noise, just a large cloud of dust rising over the site, leaving a heap of firewood on the ground.

"Obviously it was the weight of snow which had brought it down; you hardly dare think about what would have happened if there'd been a match on."

He was the only witness, wonders even now if he'll be believed - "it was the sort of thing you read about in The Wizard, but it's a true account without exaggeration or invention."

His late arriving fifth form class mates didn't believe it either - until they looked out of the window. There's also confirmation from Bill Botcherby, a long standing former Bishops' committee member.

"A lot of people believe the present stand to have been there much longer, but it was built by Wilson's Forge when the old wooden one collapsed.

"It might have seen a bit better days now but it was a wonderful job at the time."

Jim, still in Bishop Auckland, was 16 at the time of the Great Collapse. Three years later he was a navigator on Wellington bombers - but that's another war story entirely.

Perhaps because they'd got space to fill, but haven't we all, the Northumberland FA newsletter tells of the chap at a sell-out St James's Park match who finds an empty seat alongside him.

"My wife had the season ticket but unfortunately she died," explains the spectator next but one.

The first bloke commiserates but asks if he couldn't have given the ticket away to a friend.

"Well I tried," he says, "but unfortunately they're all at her funeral."

Still in Northumberland, Ashington FC are thankful that little was taken in a recent clubhouse break-in.

The thieves also left behind the drum beloved of the Colliers' upbeat barmy army - but since it was dusted for fingerprints the instrument has officially been renamed. It's known as Exhibit A.

The last amateur to win the Grand National (Backtrack, October 30) was Marcus Armytage.

Brian Shaw from Shildon today seeks the identity of the three Liverpool players who appeared in each of the Reds' cup winning sides between 1986-92.

The final say, again, on Tuesday.

Published: Friday, November 2, 2001