"Nearly all the sports practised nowadays are competitive. You play to win, and the game has little meaning unless you do your utmost to win. On the village green, where you pick up sides and no feeling of local patriotism is involved, it is possible to play simply for the fun and exercise: but as soon as the question of prestige arises, as soon as you feel that you and some larger unit will be disgraced if you lose, the most savage combative instincts are aroused. Anyone who has played even in a school football match knows this. At the international level sport is frankly mimic warfare. But the significant thing is not the behaviour of the players but the attitude of the spectators: and, behind the spectators, of the nations who work themselves into furies over these absurd contests and seriously believe – at any rate for short periods – that running, jumping and kicking a ball are tests of national virtue."
George Orwell writing in Tribune December 1945
I confess I have not meandered far this past week. My poor excuse is that I've been watching EURO2024 on TV. I did apply for tickets to see some of the games in Germany, but alas, I was unsuccessful. The fact that there are empty seats at some games gives me pause for thought as to my lack of success.
Readers will know I enjoy (and sometimes endure) watching NUFC play. It doesn't sound overly patriotic to say I am less enamoured with travelling to watch the England football team. There is still an unhealthy element within those who travel to 'watch' England with a propensity to violence. People from other nations support their teams passionately, but it does not drive them to wish to assault rival fans or break up places. And it's not a British disease; it's only English. The Welsh and Scots are boisterously joyful supporters, and they are not prone to the aggression of some England supporters.
There's also the lack of atmosphere around England games, and the England team's playing style can be tedious to watch. Compared to the enthusiasm, noise, boisterousness and variety of songs of a Geordie crowd, those who go to see England have a more limited repertoire to offer encouragement, and it usually falls back on random chants of "Engerland" and the occasional line from 'God Save the King'. With all due respect to His Majesty, the British national anthem does not get the blood pulsing compared to the likes of 'La Marseillaise' or 'Inno di Mameli'.
There has long been an argument for an English Sporting anthem to compare with those of Scotland - 'The Flower of Scotland' or the Welsh 'Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau'. You can't help feeling your soul stirred when thousands of Scots or Welsh belt out those anthems. 'Jerusalem' is a popular choice as an English anthem, but the title could raise an eyebrow, and it's not terribly inclusive. Other choices include 'Land of Hope and Glory' (a bit too Empire, conquest and conquering), 'I Vow to Thee My Country' on the face of it strikes the right note, but as with 'Jerusalem', it appeals to one sector of the nation. Maybe that Second World War song 'There'll Always Be an England' could be an option. It's cheery and uplifting, but the old Empire days reoccur when you get into the words. Maybe England needs to adopt formally 'Three Lions' by Skinner and Baddiel: it's pretty much the unofficial anthem, after all…
So, while proud to be English, when I successfully get tickets to major international football tournaments, I'm drawn to watch the Netherlands, Spain, Italy, Brazil, etc. While I always wish to see England do well, I enjoy that more vibrant atmosphere that supporters of other teams create and the free-flowing football of those countries.
For instance, the orange hordes that follow the Netherlands. You name it; the Dutch fans colour it orange — their hair, skin, clothes, shoes. They are a remarkable sight when they group en masse. It's as if they've all overdosed on Sunny Delight. They now have a British double-decker bus (painted orange, not red, of course) that travels around the world with them. It has become the centrepiece of a parade by the supporters before tournaments.
Then there are the Danes, Swedes and Norwegians, all of whom prefer the horned helmets that legend says once brought fear to the hearts of the Anglo-Saxons in Britain (despite the fact the invaders did not wear such headgear at the time). I've come across some noticeably big lads amongst Scandinavian supporters wearing such headgear, and even though it is plastic, it's even a bit disconcerting seeing them today. It doesn't take much imagination to think of their ancestors marauding the British countryside and terrorising the population. Current supporters also drink prodigious quantities of beer. However, unlike their ancestors, in the present day, it leads to boisterous good humour rather than pillage.
As you would imagine, Italian fans have more style. There's even elegance to how they wear their scarves and colours of the 'Azzurri'. They also seem just as likely to order un caffè as una Birra. I once sat in a bar in Rome watching a Napoli v Roma game on TV and was one of only two people drinking alcohol. The Roma fans preferring soft drinks or coffee. Yet, it didn't stop the emotion in words and gestures whenever Roma came close to scoring. However, losing Italian teams can come in for some stick from their supporters. In England, we might throw epithets at poorly performing players. After the World Cup in England in 1966, an Italian squad returned home to a waiting crowd that pelted the players with overripe tomatoes. I felt for those players as they were based in the northeast of England before their early exit from the competition and had visited my primary school. I was a small, skinny, pale 9-year-old boy, and seeing these tall, tanned, and fit footballers made them appear as gods. Not to their fellow Italians, alas.
That is not to say I haven't gone along to watch England over the years. I wrote about one memorable occasion in my piece Flower of Scotland
I was also at the old Wembley stadium in 1975 when I saw my boyhood Newcastle United hero Malcolm Macdonald. or 'SuperMac' as we 'christened' him in Newcastle. England were playing Cyprus, and I'd joked with my work colleagues as I left to travel to the match that if SuperMac scored a goal that night, I would streak across the Wembley pitch. Those of a certain age will recall that taking off one's clothes and running about was something of a popular pastime in the early 1970s. Fortunately for me, SuperMac scored all five of England's goals that evening. As I argued afterwards to those colleagues, my streaking promise was based on only one goal, and thus, I felt relieved of any obligation.
England hosted Euro96, so that year, Mark, my then 12-year-old eldest son, and I travelled around England catching a few games. Only one of those games involved England. That was the opening of the 1996 competition against Switzerland, which ended in a 1:1 draw. I have three memories of the game: Alan Shearer's (by then, he had replaced SuperMac as a NUFC Legend) cracking goal for England. 'St George', having a mishap when his horse slid during the pre-match entertainment — and hearing the Red Arrows as they conducted a short display above the ground. We couldn't see them. The roof of the old Wembley Stadium blocked our view. Air displays and sporting arenas don't work.
Mark and I also went to Porto to watch some Euro2004 games. I fondly remember that trip, of which a couple of memories stand out…
The first was sitting in a small restaurant, tucking into a tasty dish, when two police officers entered. They were in full uniform and armed with both pistols and automatic weapons. The welcome they received was warm, and they were clearly regulars. On sitting at their table, they placed the automatic weapons on the floor. Then they tucked into their meal, but to Mark's and my surprise, they washed it down with beers and a bottle of wine. I assume (hope) they were off duty.
Mark and I also met the King of Spain and the President of Portugal on that trip. I confess that while I recognised the King of Spain, I did not the President of Portugal. And when I say we met them, we were some two feet from them as they passed by, smiling, waving, and shaking hands with people before the pair were to journey to the stadium hosting that afternoon's football game. Juan Carlos is a tall, elegant man who caught the eye, but his close protection really stood out. They looked like they could stop a bullet mid-flight with their bare hands.
While saying that following Euro2024 has been my main activity this week, I did attend a history talk. The title engaged me: 'The River Tyne and the American Civil War'. At first glance, I struggled to see any connection, but the talk enlightened me. Despite being a Brit, the American Civil War has always fascinated me. I have several books on the subject, and back in the early 1990s, I watched the TV documentary series produced by Ken Burns. I found it absorbing at the time although I know the series has now come in for some criticism. Still, the series narrator, David McCullough, reading the Sullivan Ballou letter at the end of the first episode, stays with me to this day and completely twanged my heartstrings…
"But, O Sarah, if the dead can come back to this earth, and flit unseen around those they loved, I shall always be near you in the garish day, and the darkest night amidst your happiest scenes and gloomiest hours always, always, and, if the soft breeze fans your cheek, it shall be my breath; or the cool air cools your throbbing temples, it shall be my spirit passing by."
Before attending the talk, I knew there was a strong anti-slavery movement in northeast England dating to the 1730s, beginning with the Quakers and then being joined by the Methodists and the Unitarians. A Unitarian founded the Newcastle Abolition Society in 1791, one of the first outside London. The Quakers were the loudest advocates, and it was through their offices before the beginning of the American Civil War that the people of Newcastle raised money for Frederick Douglass, the great abolitionist and civil rights leader, to buy himself out of slavery. Today, that sum would be $25000. Frederick, a friend of Abraham Lincoln, is generally known as 'The Greatest Black Man of the 19th Century'. In the Civil War documentary series, I recall Morgan Freeman voicing Frederick's words.
I also knew of Mary Ann Macham, who escaped slavery and made her way to northeast England. I cover her story in my piece... The Old Low Light
I had not realised that Mary met Frederick when the latter preached in a Chapel in North Shields that Mary attended.
Unlike Liverpool, Glasgow, and Bristol, Newcastle had no close association with the cotton trade. Some 80% of the cotton exported from the southern states came to Britain, and four-fifths of that through Liverpool. That city, therefore, had a vested interest in seeing that trade continue. Once the North started the Anaconda Plan, that trade was seriously jeopardised.
The Anaconda Plan was part of General Winfield Scott's strategy to strangle the Confederate economy by preventing the export of cotton and the import of war supplies and other goods. The blockade began in April 1861, and throughout the war, the Union Navy expanded its efforts, deploying ships along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts to patrol and intercept Confederate vessels.
The blockade covered approximately 3,500 miles of coastline and many ports, including key locations such as New Orleans, Charleston, and Wilmington. Initially, the blockade was porous due to the Union Navy's lack of ships and experience in coastal operations. However, as the war progressed, the blockade became increasingly effective, with the Union Navy capturing or destroying hundreds of blockade runners.
Blockade runners were typically small, fast ships designed to outmanoeuvre Union vessels. Liverpool and Glasgow shipyards, known for their advanced maritime technology, built many of these ships, often featuring sleek, low profiles to minimise detection. They used steam engines, allowing for greater speed and reliability than sail-powered ships. To circumvent the law in Britain at the time preventing the sale of such vessels to warring nations, private individuals 'bought' them and then 'donated' them to the Southern cause.
Blockade runners operated primarily at night to evade the blockade, relying on their speed and the cover of darkness. They employed various tactics, such as running without lights and using smoke screens, to avoid detection. The blockade runners played a crucial role in sustaining the Confederate war effort by providing much-needed supplies and supporting economic ties through the port of Liverpool. In return, the Confederacy exported cotton for Liverpool's textile industry. Ships sailing west typically carried cargoes of high-value goods, such as munitions, medicines, and other military supplies that were vital for the Confederate armies. The cotton trade also provided the Confederacy with foreign currency that was then used to buy supplies from other countries and support diplomatic efforts.
Wilmington, North Carolina, and Charleston, South Carolina, were among the most active ports for blockade running. These ports had natural defences and complex waterways, making it difficult for the Union Navy to blockade effectively. Nassau in the Bahamas and Havana in Cuba were key intermediary ports that saw goods transferred from larger ships from Britain to smaller blockade runners for the final leg of the journey.
The blockade runners faced significant risks despite their success in bringing in goods. The Union Navy captured or destroyed many of these vessels, and the loss of ships and cargo was a constant threat. By the war's end, the Union blockade had become increasingly effective, and the risks of blockade running outweighed the potential rewards. This decline in successful blockade running contributed to the overall depletion of Confederate resources and morale.
The struggle between blockade runners and the Union Navy led to several technological and tactical innovations. The Union developed faster, more manoeuvrable ships and improved their patrolling and interception techniques. Conversely, the Confederacy and their 'allies' in Liverpool and Glasgow continually refined the design of blockade runners to enhance their speed and stealth.
While the British ports on the west of the country were the primary source for blockade runners, the northeast of England's shipyards did build three. Something that the local people did not take well to, believing they were building craft for other trade. The Union Navy captured the Aries, an iron screw steamer intended as a blockade runner, built at a Sunderland shipyard. Charles Palmer's shipyard on the Tyne also built two vessels, and both were sunk early in plying their trade.
Some might remember my mention in earlier 'Meanders' of Sir W.C. Armstrong & Company, one of the biggest arms manufacturers in the world at the time of the Civil War. He was even-handed in his trade, selling to both North and South. One gun, 'The Armstrong gun', has been an important part of the West Point landscape since 1865. It is the most photographed artillery piece among the many on Trophy Point. As such, it is an integral part of the National Historic Landmark. The original teak and mahogany carriage deteriorated long ago, and the gun is now mounted on a steel replica carriage incorporating the original fitting. But the gun didn't begin its life in the North. It was one of two presented to the Confederate government by English 'admirers' in 1864. Forts Fisher and Caswell, North Carolina, first housed the two guns to guard the port of Wilmington. After the Fort Fisher gun was captured, it ended up at West Point. The capture of the Fort Caswell gun by the US Navy happened about the same time. The US Navy moved it to Annapolis before scrapping it during the Second World War.
One Union officer described the guns as ". . . the most elegantly finished piece of artillery I ever saw . . . ". Though a muzzleloader, it was one of the most advanced weapons of its day and used a unique 'shunt' rifling system that allowed easy loading and ensuring accuracy. Its shells were forerunners to the modern 'shaped charge'. Though deadly against Union vessels, a shortage of ammunition limited the gun's effectiveness during the fighting for Fort Fisher, the Confederacy's last blockade-running port.
However, selling the guns did not help Armstrong's future sales. At the end of the Civil War, the company's representatives approached the US Army, intending to sell weapons. In an early meeting, the Armstrong representatives asked the US officer they met whether he knew of their guns. "Yes", came the reply, "I helped take Fort Fisher". An exchange that, by some accounts, 'killed the sale.'
The strongest link between Northeast England and the American Civil War was the number of sailors who left its shores to join the conflict, either simply for adventure or, more often than not, as 'substitutes' generously rewarded for taking another's place in the Union Army or Navy. One such was Robert Rennoldson, a young naval apprentice, when the war between the North and South began. Reports are that when the ship he was on docked in an American port, Rennoldson, eager for adventure, left it determined to take part in the fighting. By all accounts he met some farmers more interested in tending to their land than engaging in warfare and offering a bounty to men who would fight in their place. Rennoldson accepted this bounty and fought for five years before returning to North Shields. Upon his return, he became a shipyard labourer. Robert passed away in 1917.
Another remarkable figure was John Pendergast, who embarked on a journey from North Shields to America where he enlisted in the Northern Army as a private in Captain Lewis Beckworth's 15th Battalion Connecticut Fusiliers company. Pendergast experienced intense battles in locations such as Port Hudson, along the Red River, and Sheridan's Shenandoah Valley campaign. After three years of active service, he returned to his home in North Shields, dying in 1901.
However, the most illustrious of all was George H Bell of Newcastle, a man of exceptional courage and skill, who was bestowed with the Medal of Honour—the US equivalent of the Victoria Cross—for his extraordinary bravery off the coast of Texas. George embarked on his maritime career at the tender age of fourteen, sailing the oceans and seas of the world over the next seven years. While docked in New York City just after the outbreak of the American Civil War, Bell enlisted in the United States Navy as an able seaman, quickly rising to the rank of coxswain due to his extensive sailing experience. It was at Galveston Bay, Texas, on November 7, 1861, that he truly distinguished himself during a mission to destroy the Confederate ship 'Royal Yacht'. For this act of valour, he was awarded the Medal of Honour two years later, with the citation reading,
"Served as pilot of the U.S.S. Santee when that vessel was engaged in cutting out the rebel armed schooner Royal Yacht from Galveston Bay, November 7 1861, and evinced more coolness, in passing the 4 forts and the rebel steamer General Rusk, than was ever before witnessed by his commanding officer. Although severely wounded in the encounter, he displayed extraordinary courage under the most painful and trying circumstances."
Bell returned to Newcastle after the war and died in 1917 at age 78.
But as a tenuous segue from war back to football, I'll use a quote often misattributed to Orwell - 'Football is war without the bullets'. And a ponder on who will win the Euro2024 tournament? Some see England as a favourite, but Portugal and Spain are the most impressive teams I’ve seen. And given that they are playing at home, one can never rule out the German team. But I think the final will be a French-Spanish affair. England may make it through to the quarter or even the semi-final, offering us of this nation false hope before they fall. No doubt in a penalty shootout. It was ever thus.
That quote by Jack Nicholson about sports being an antidote ( something similar ) to philosophy comes to mind. " It's either in or out. It's safe or it's not. IT'S CERTAIN ! ".