Newcastle United fans who were around at the start of the 1960s will remember the club's popular goalkeeper from the era, Dave Hollins.
Born in Bangor, Wales, in 1938, the Welsh international was at St James' Park from 1961 to 1966, making 121 appearances for the club. Now, the former Magpie is the subject of a new book by author and freelance journalist Spencer Vignes titled Eric & Dave: A Lifetime of Football and Friendship.
It tells the heart-warming story of lifelong pals Eric Gill - now 91 - and Hollins - now 84 - once feted as two of the finest goalkeepers in Britain. Born into poverty, the pair dodged Hitler’s bombs as children before representing several top clubs as footballers.
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They played against some of the game’s most iconic names, a list that includes Stanley Matthews, George Best, Pelé, Garrincha, Jimmy Greaves, Tom Finney, Denis Law and Bobby Charlton, not to mention their shared nemesis, Brian Clough.
Their unique friendship started out as a rivalry, two men wrestling over the same goalkeeper's jersey at Brighton & Hove Albion during the mid-1950s. Almost 70 years later they remain the best of friends having lived long, eventful lives bookended by the horrors of World War II and the Covid-19 pandemic.
The book recalls how Dave went from being Eric’s understudy at Brighton, conceding nine goals in only his fourth professional match, to keeping goal for Wales - despite not even knowing he was Welsh. It covers the big-money transfer that took Hollins (older brother of Chelsea midfielder John) from Brighton to Newcastle United, to his international debut against Pelé and Brazil, rooming with the great John Charles on away games, and surviving a suspicious case of food poisoning on the eve of a vital World Cup qualifier in Russia.
Dave's time at Newcastle United is the focus of a chapter titled Our Friends In The North . He recounts the friendliness of his new neighbours when he and his wife Jackie set up home in the region, "a lovely, semi-detached, three-bedroom house" on Powburn Gardens in Newcastle.
He recalls: "They just wanted to get to know you and help. When all the furniture arrived, several of them asked us into their houses to have a cup of tea. If you went out anywhere for a bite to eat, straight away people would talk to you. Everybody seemed so warm." The couple would also discover there was indeed life north of Watford, and that beyond the industrial grime of early 1960s Newcastle, the beautiful countryside and coastline of the region were a real eye-opener.
On the pitch, he recalls a dramatic introduction to his Newcastle United career, saving a penalty on his debut - a shock 2-1 win at eventual double-winners Spurs, then three days later conceding six goals (four scored by Jimmy Greaves) to Chelsea. The game at White Hart Lane also saw United's prolific centre-forward Len White suffer a broken leg after a bad challenge from Spurs' hard man Dave Mackay. It was "a very, very nasty tackle," recalls Hollins, who adds that White "was never the same player again". The Magpies were relegated, but later promoted back to the top flight during Dave's time at St James' Park, before he eventually left for Mansfield Town in early 1967.
Decades later and now in the their autumn years, sport continues to play a central part in the lives and friendship of Eric Gill and Dave Hollins, albeit through bowls rather than football...
Eric & Dave: A Lifetime of Football and Friendship, by Spencer Vignes, published by Pitch Publishing, priced £18.99 is on sale now.
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