One of Middlesbrough’s most famous supporters celebrated his 60th birthday this week and many football idols were delighted to play a major part in making it a memorable occasion.
Boro fan Eric Hughes is well-known for carrying his huge radio through the Ayresome Park turnstiles years ago and then across to the Riverside where he would keep fans informed of the updated team news and other scores from around the country.
Eric’s big radio was the source for so many fans as they approached the games and then on leaving with Eric’s instant updates providing a constant, reliable source for thousands of Boro fans through three decades.
A chance meeting with popular BBC Radio Tees presenter Paul ‘Goffy’ Gough some years ago whilst out shopping along Linthorpe Road would lead to Eric being invited as a special guest to functions that Goffy was staging, featuring many of his Boro idols through his many years supporting the team.
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Legends such as Bryan Robson, John Hickton, Jim Platt. David Armstrong and many others were just a few that Eric was able to meet up with and be photographed with.
Goffy said: “We have tried to make Eric our special guest at the shows through the years when his Boro heroes were in town for us.”
Telly star Tim Healy presented him with a framed signed Bryan Robson on stage a little while ago and he has that on display at home.
Goffy kept in touch with Eric over the years and visited his home to keep their friendship alive.
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Goffy takes up the story: “It was when he started talking about his 60th birthday that I started thinking how we could make it memorable for him at BBC Radio Tees.
“Eric had said that he had always wanted to appear on the radio and had never had the opportunity to do so. It was bizarre that after becoming famous for carrying his radio around – he had never appeared on one!
“Through my long running ‘Inspirations’ feature I was able to arrange that quite easily and to chat on air with him about the impact that his association with so many players had had on his life.”
Eric told Goffy on his BBC Radio Tees weekend show about his early Boro memories. He said: “I was staying at my nana’s in Napier Street back in the early 70s just alongside Ayresome Park and on a Saturday I would see loads of fans going to the game and I would open up all the windows and hear them all singing.
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“I used to join in with them whilst listening to the game on the radio.
“On a Tuesday night game I could see the floodlights illuminating my nana’s house and I used to walk all around the home watching it all unfold - from that moment I was hooked.
“The fans still stop me when I’m out shopping and talk about the good old days and the great players.
“Many remember me from watching the Speedway at Cleveland Park, plus my many visits to see the shows at Middlesbrough Town Hall, Foster and Allen were my favourites to watch, and just heading to town on my bike to spend my pocket money on records on a Saturday morning.
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“They all have a very special place for me and I love that and the Boro fans.
“Jack Charlton, David Hodgson, Billy Ashcroft, and Tony Mowbray would let me jump in the back of their cars with the players after training over at Hutton Road and take me back to Ayresome Park and they were so lovely to me.
“They were all great friends and I used to get really upset when they moved to other clubs as they were a big part of my life and I had to get used to not seeing them each day when they were no longer there.”
Eric struggles to get to the games these days due to rising costs so his link to BBC Radio Tees is vital to him as he tunes in at his home in Redcar.
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The exposure on the radio has prompted some offers to go to the games next season as a guest, so Eric continues to win.
Goffy continued: “Eric’s lovely family kindly invited me over to his surprise party and the surprises didn’t stop there. He even received a call from his old Boro friend Roy ‘Çhubby’ Brown who invited Eric to join him at his Middlesbrough Town Hall show in July.
“Other Boro favourites and friends called us up to say that Eric will forever hold a special place in their memories. I arranged some unique personally signed Boro prints for him and he loved opening them.
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“It was a magical day with his fantastic family and Eric loved every second of all they did to make it so memorable for him with loads of their own gifts and cards – they were amazing to him.
“The fact that he always wanted to be on his much loved friend the radio, and he finally achieved that after 60 years with me will forever be a wonderful memory for me too.
“I announced recently that I was leaving BBC Radio Tees but things like this will forever be special”, said Goffy.
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