As requested by Johnboy
January 1968 and TV character Alf Garnett is on hand at the Boleyn to drum up support for the Pools!
He paraded around the ground – actor Warren Mitchell, himself a Spurs fan, – playing the part before kick off in front of the Lower West terracing.
Alf was created by writer Johnny Speight and could only be a Hammers fan as Johnny was born and brought in Canning Town, just off Star Lane, and was himself a massive Iron.
Alf was based on many of the people Speight would hear in the pubs he frequented.
The idea he had was that by exposing Alf’s bigotry, the viewers watching on TV would see what a fool Alf was. Problem was many at home didn’t see it that way and Alf became an anti hero for many who agreed with his ranting.
As Garnett, Warren was an ‘ammer to his backbone, famously declaring in one great line: ‘Now yer Bobby Moore…yer Mooro – ‘e only ‘ad ‘is name take once…and that was by ‘er majesty the Queen!
Words and pictures from CandH historian Nigel Kahn
Follow Nige @mywhufc
Thanks Hugh , great memories ,
If I remember wrightly Alf appeared a few times at Upton Park,
If only we could have beat the scousers up there when till death do us part was on the box ,
Giving it to the scouse git ( tony booth ),
The last time we beat the scousers was a few years prior to this photo which may put it into perspective the joy with us old un,s when we whooped em 0-3 a few weeks back !!!!
Thank you Nigel keep em coming mate !!!
Its going to be hard leaving the place at the end of the season, very emotional !!!!!
COYI!!!!!!!!S
Johnny Speight got it completely wrong, everybody knew people like Alf and a great number of the public identified with his views – completely at odds with what Speight intended!
I think that’s what he said in the article?