Helen the bell ringer

[Kinkladze's crazy skills]

Remember Helen ringing her bell at Maine Road in my childhood when going to the match mostly with my oldest brother, it made the hairs on the back of your neck stand up or did for me.

I met her once without realising it my Nan was in hospital I went to visit her with my dad, remember a paralympic games was on TV maybe 2000 event but not even sure if it could've been 1996, on the way out she was in there and my dad spotted her and stopped to chat about City for a few mins, probs ignorance of youth I wasn't taking proper notice thought it was one of my Nans friends he spotted, was worried about my Nan who was fine for a good few more years but only realised after we left it was the legendary Helen Turner he was talking to, was gosmacked when he said probs seemed awkward and shy said I was a City fan to her when asked, to which she said I'd obviously been taught well... Can't even remember the hospital she and my Nan were in but a Little Chef and Wimpy Burger were close by I think, maybe the MRI as another said.

She also used to run that flower stall and I knew someone who helped out but sadly like Helen he is no longer with us, all my mum's other kids had a different dad and he used to help her on the stall as a young lad, he got to meet Rodney Marsh before he actually officially signed think Corrigan might've introduced Rodney to Helen and him, Joe said he's our new signing he's gonna help us win the league which obviously never happened, he regularly got to meet 1st team players for a while when helping out Helen though.

Didn't Helen hit or shove a cop with the bell and get it confiscated, cos a cop had refused to help out her son being trampled on during trouble or something along those lines? Might've heard it wrong but sure it's something like that, then after the game Joe Mercer went to the cop shop personally and demanded the local constabulary return Helen Turner's bell, "now!!!!" Which they immediately did.

 

[Sky Blue Thinking]

first game late 70s, smell of smoke and beer, airhorn build up for "CITY", then hear helen ring her bell.

then if the city game was one of the chosen two games to have tv cameras and be on grannda tv with gerald sinstadt, first thing you would hear on tv we helens bell...

Watching old footage from Maine Rd and hearing Helen's bell always brings back memories and makes me smile. A top blue, hope she's ringing the bell in the North Stand in the sky.

 

[helenthe bellsgrandson]

My mate won the name card away to Notts County in 81. Last name on it too .... guess who?
Fookin hilarious when she made him go to the front of the coach to collect his winnings after announcing his name and the winning square at the top of her voice! Tight git kept the money too.

I remember a time on the coach Helen won the card to sounds of fixed fixed a fortnight later i won the card and again fixed fixed was shouted one guy asked why people was shouting fixed because a young lad won the card and the guy next to him said because its Helens grandson. only time i won the card.
Also remember the time the back window was put through at wolves and there was a copper on a horse just in front of the coach, nan got the driver to open the door but the scallys had run off so she had a go at he copper . she pulled him off his horse so she could get his number. Was cold coming back and come of us was three to a seat.
a couple of weeks later i was at nans when the door bell went, i answered the door and there was two coppers there asking for nan, they told her the officer was repremanded for not taking action and no action was to be taken against her for pulling him of the horse, by the way she gave the horse some apple or carrot she always had some in her back for the police horses

 

[Cheadle_hulmeBlue]

Would be great if we could hear this again at the etihad.

 

[blue b4 the moon]

After seeing her regularly from the Kippax as a kid, I along with Mrs Moon would travel on coach A as 20 somethings, I'd also chatted to her at MRI various times especially when my dad (rip)had a triple bypass 30 odd years ago.

I remember the bell being rang after she passed, think it was against Everton when Mills scored that goal....eerie silence observed then probably @helenthe bellsgrandson rang the bell.

Lovely lady who could put the fear of god into you at times. End of an era.

 

[Franny 1234]

Would be great if we could hear this again at the etihad.

The very same bell as been heard at Wembley being rung by her granddaughter. I spoke with her she said she had to ring the the at Wembley as a mark of respect for Helen. I can't remember exactly which final it was sorry to sound like a ragout we've been to that many in the last decade they have got muddled up. Stoke or Wigan I think. RIP HELEN and respect to her Granddaughter. CTID

 

[JGL07]

Helen used to sell flowers outside of Southern Cemetery. I recall a Tory Councillor - I think it was Richard Rodgers - trying to stop her alleging some breach of bye laws. It turns out he owned a florist shop in the Chorlton area as well as representing Alexandra Ward on the City Council.

 

[Pubteam Lomas]

There was no messing with her and lads on her coach would be given 'a slap' for any bad language.
A character who LOVED the club and would stand no messing.
Pretty sure Granada's Kick Off did a feature on her friendship with Joe Corrigan and her giving him so lucky heather before every game.

 

[AsaMac]

Was on coach coming back from Anfield in 79/80 when a brick flew through a window. I got some glass in my hand and Helen sucked it out. It sounds madness now but blood wasn’t considered dangerous back then. What a hero.

 

[Ric]

There was an urban myth that she was a relation of El Jefe himself @Ric so maybe can we can finally put this one to bed one way or another

Ha, sorry to disappoint but we’re not related.