IN Coronation Street he plays evil Alex Swinton - whom half Britain presently loves to hate. In reality, actor Joe Simpson is a Peterlee lad, Sunderland football nut and - by common consent - a charmer.

"One of the nicest men you could possibly hope to meet, not true to his Corrie character at all," says Dave Bowman, chairman of the Manchester branch of the Sunderland Supporters Association, whose dad was pit manager at Shotton in the 1960s.

"A lovely, lovely lad," says Joe's Aunt Cynth, who persuaded her junior school class in Peterlee to write telling "Swinton" what they thought of him.

"They all got smashing letters and autographs back," says Cynthia Simpson. "I'd told them the sort of person he really was."

Joe, who also played a villain in Emmerdale, sounds a bit surprised by it all. "I might play baddies but I'm still the same bloke. The Peterlee lads I go to the games with would soon slap me down if I got hoity-toity."

Born John Simpson, he changed his stage name to Joe - the actors' union Equity already had one John Simpson - in honour of Joe Bolton, a formidable Sunderland full back throughout the 1970s.

"He was the hardest man alive, just fantastic," says the actor. "I've always preferred defenders and Joe's still my all time hero."

A former pupil at Our Lady of the Rosary primary school in Peterlee, he moved to the Manchester area at the age of six when his dad was promoted there - but Sunderland remained the one that both father and son had to come back for.

"Our return visits to see relatives always coincided with the lads being at home," says Joe. "Sunderland was just something I grew up with."

It made for hard times at school, though. "It could get quite hairy when we played Man United or Man City - especially if we got beat, which we often did - but the worst was a two leg League Cup tie against Stockport County.

"We were in the second division, they were in the fourth. We'd drawn at their place and were probably expected to walk it at Roker Park, but Tommy Sword hit a late winner for County.

"There was hell on at school next day, everyone claiming to support Stockport County and me the only Sunderland fan in the place."

After Joe Bolton, his favourite player was Gary Rowell - "especially when he scored a hat trick at St James's Park" - his most unforgettable match the play-off final against Charlton Athletic.

"I'd said for a long time that I was going to give up smoking at the end of the season, but it just seemed to be extended and extended.

"We lost in the penalty shoot-out - until recently I couldn't even watch it again on video - and I couldn't have a cigarette on the bus back to Manchester.

"The whole day was hell on earth. I tell people that I took to heroin after that."

He is a Peter Reid fan, believes the summer signings have strengthened the club in all departments, is optimistic of European qualification in May.

"Last season was a disappointment in that it was so near and yet so far, but you have to remember where we were a few years ago.

"We have very high expectations now, but six years ago our hopes were just to stay in the first division. Sometimes people have very short memories.

"Reidy has built a firm foundation at the club and that has to be applauded. There's many a Manchester City fan wishes they'd kept hold of him; now the poor devils have got Kevin Keegan instead."

Presently between engagements, as they say in the entertainment industry, he will be on the bus from Manchester for Saturday's opening encounter with Ipswich Town, and for many more.

Alex Swinton, meanwhile - the villain in the "Sex swap love tug dash", or whatever it is the Weatherfield Gazette calls it - faces nemesis before the month's out.

"I've really enjoyed it, but as soon as I saw the script I knew it would only be a limited run. In the moral world of soap operas, baddies have to have their come-uppance eventually.

"Obviously I can't reveal the story-line but it's a good conclusion. He gets even nastier before it ends."

Then Joe Simpson, lovely bloke as predicted, was off to check on the travel arrangements for the Ipswich match. "Fame is fickle, tomorrow's fish and chip wrappings. There'll be 11 fellers on the pitch far more famous than I am.

"At the Stadium of Light I'm just one of the Peterlee lads again. I'd never want it any other way.."

BACK from Sunderland's pre-season tour of the west, Paul Dobson reports a couple of pints with Peter Reid - "the one from Ryhope, not the foul mouthed Scouser" - in the Hole in the Wall in Torquay where the landlord used to play bowls with Reidy's dad.

"The Scouser, not the one from Ryhope."

What he really wants to say - a theory confirmed by Bill Thompson in Billingham - is that two men other than Stan Anderson and Alan Foggon (Backtrack, July 22) have played for all the North-East's big three.

They are William Barbour Agnew, before the first world war, and right winger Tom Urwin who signed for Boro in 1914, Newcastle in 1924 and Sunderland in 1930.

Foggon remains the only footballer to have represented four of the North-East's five League clubs.

JACK Coe's funeral took place at St Stephen's church, Willington, invigorated by an affectionately anecdotal eulogy by his son, John.

Jack was 93. As we recalled on August 7, he had been Willington's goalkeeper in the 1939 FA Amateur Cup final, twice claimed 100 wickets in a Mid-Durham Senior League cricket season, offered a rich seam of memories (and, in truth, of copy.)

John remembered how his dad and his friend George Simpson - one 75, the other 81 - would walk from Willington to Sedgefield, spend a day at the races, and walk home again.

He recalled how Jack had given up playing cricket at 64 because he could no longer see the ball, turned to umpiring instead - "not being able to see the ball appeared an ideal qualification for an umpire" - and relived the memorable match between North Bitchburn and Stanley.

John played for Bitchburn. Jack and his pal Arthur Gibson, who there, were almost resident umpires, enjoying a drink with the players before the match and one or two more afterwards.

John went in with his team 20-odd for four. That he scored 60 and helped win the match may not have been entirely unconnected with the fact that "at least ten" LBW appeals were turned down flat by his dad.

"It's what's called," he told a crowded church, "giving the batsman the benefit of the doubt."

NOT even Jackie Coe, probably, would have encountered five umpires on the same day of a County championship match. It happened in Durham's game against Derbyshire on Friday.

When appointed umpire Nigel Cowley became ill he was replaced - square leg, both ends - by Derbyshire 12th man Adrian Marsh. Soon afterwards, however, visiting wicket keeper Karl Krikken departed injured and was replaced behind the stumps by Luke Sutton.

Marsh took Sutton's place in the field; Derbyshire physio Craig Ramson took to standing at right angles. At lunchtime, Derbyshire scorer John Brown, a qualified umpire and instructor, offered his services instead.

It meant, of course, that Durham scorer Brian Hunt - "I've always been ambidextrous" - had to do the job for both sides. And five umpires? "I've never seen anything like it in my life."

FINALLY we got to a football match on Saturday, Bedlington Terriers v Dunston Fed to penalties in the Cleator Cup. Fogged off last Tuesday, the Ernest Armstrong Cup semi-final between Stanley United and Crook Town (Backtrack, August 10) won't now take place, United being short handed. Crook entertain Tow Law in the final tomorrow evening.

The boxer who held the world heavyweight title for 11 years and 25 days (Backtrack, August 10) was, of course, Joe Louis.

Brian Shaw in Shildon today seeks the odd one out in the Derby, Oaks and St Leger. Flat out again in Friday

Published: Tuesday, August 14, 2001