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 WHAT IT MEANS...
with Joe Thompson

A series examining the whys and wherefores of being a Crues fan

Fifty-one year old Campbell Browne has been a Crusaders supporter since the 1962/63 season, I guess. Sorry about revealing your age, Campbell, but at least you're younger than me! So during all that time as one of the Seaview faithful, who have been your elite wearers of the red-and-black?

"Norman Pavis, Danny Trainor, Walter McFarland, Glenn Dunlop, Kirk Hunter, and Glenn Hunter", is the immediate reply, "but there've been so many more excellent players, and quite a few not so excellent!"

As we both work in Belfast city-centre, I regularly bump into Campbell, at lunchtimes, and we usually discuss what went right or wrong with the previous Crues' match, week, month, or indeed, on occasion, season.

Campbell will tell you that his Crues highlights include the two Irish Cup Final wins, in both of which the red-and-blacks were massive underdogs. He recalls, "I'll never forget the 1967 Final, against the Glens, at Windsor. It was just such a great day-out, in every sense of the word. We took Glentoran apart, early on, with goals from Danny Trainor and Alan McNeill, and then, in the second half, we saw Sammy McCullough's screamer, into the top corner, from about 25 yards. We held on to beat the League Champions, 3-1"

And he says, "The following season's Final, when we faced the Blues, at The Oval, was probably even more dramatic. Linfield had gone over 30 games without defeat, and were massive favourites. Joe Meldrum scored the goals in our 2-0 win, but will we ever forget the Blues' two missed penalties?!"

Any other memories, Campbell? "Well, Tom Finney inspires a couple", is his reply. "I remember a game against Coleraine, around 1972/73 season. The Crues were a goal down, but Tom scored two, in a comeback win, and one of them would, seriously, have done credit to George Best! The same season, I think, we stuffed the Whites 8-0, here. If I remember rightly, Finney scored 5. He nutmegged Distillery's Peter Rafferty twice, within seconds. The Raff took offence, punched Tom, and was promptly sent off! And just to rub salt, Finney scored from the free-kick!"

Thanks for those memories, Campbell, so articulate, and one of life's gentlemen. Bet that's embarrassed him.