Helen Turner at the 1969 FA Cup Final

[scoreboardender]

Lovely lady, heart in right place, used to look after lads on A coach during 80s 90s.

But a lot of people will probably be shocked to learn she was in actual fact a Man United fan until mid 1960s.

I had the misfortune to be on that coach a couple of times to away games in the late 80s. Sorry to say she was a right woman and acted like a Mrs Hitler.

Fully appreciate the charity work she did and the way she is favourably portrayed as a City icon, but she was hard work running the coaches.

yep, she was a nightmare, Birmingham midweek 0 - 0 during Billy McNeill's promotion season (84 85?) is etched on the memory as not a very fun day, from shouty beginning to violent end.

 

[bridgeblue]

Lovely lady, heart in right place, used to look after lads on A coach during 80s 90s.

I remember at a spurs away in the 80s she had a piss at the back of our mini bus, the dirver pulled forward, and left Helen exposing herself to the masses. Great lady though, as you said she always looked after the young uns on away trips.

 

[Gary James]

On other posts I've posted links to footage of City from the 20s-50s, but have also noticed this:

<a class="postlink" href="http://www.britishpathe.com/record.php?id=45809" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://www.britishpathe.com/record.php?id=45809</a>

It's out takes from the 1969 colour FA Cup Final footage and, if I'm not mistaken the lady at 2mins 30secs is Helen The Bell Turner. She's wearing a tall red and black hat.

There are some great shots of City fans and the goal is shown after about 3mins 45 secs from a different angle to usual footage. Near the end there's good film of Chairman Albert Alexander really pleased with the result. He is clearly delighted and leans over Princess Anne to commiserate with Leicester's Chairman.

Bumping this up, so that anyone who missed these threads showing/linking to great City footage can see them. There's lots of good City footage out there.

 

[helenthe bellsgrandson]

As Helens Grandson i have to say she never supported the rags before football she followed rugby St Helens and Leeds she changed to city when someone (i do not know who) took her to game, i hope to get the bell back to the club as soon as they reopen the museum

 

[NPBlue]

I don't believe for a second she was ever a rag, but back in the 70's she used to sit at the front of the coach, and she was a star in my eyes.

I can't remember how many times she stopped some bolshie coach driver driving off early, but she always made sure everyone who got on the coach in Manchester got home after the game.

She was a wonderful woman, very kind and caring.

 

[Chipmeister]

The only reason I was allowed to go to away games as a youngster was because Helen was running the coaches and my Dad knew everyone would get looked after who went to the games.

How this was managed after some matches was pure luck, I am sure there are some great stories of trying to get back to the coaches and the journeys home.

 

[ccr]

Think I posted this before . I sat near her at Reading away, another 7-0. Arse full of splinters and Helen constantly ringing that bell. If I hadn't moved there would have been no bell and Helen would have walked funny. Got Mike Doyles shin pads after the game. God knows what happened to them.
The cup final ? Think its the one where Wales played England same day, and ended up getting mousebottomed with a load of Taffs (am I allowed to say that?). Fantastic lads but loud,very loud.

 

[Alex the Blue]

Good to watch that. Brought back some great memories. My first trip to Wembley and an unforgettable experience. There's a picture of Helen with that bell in a museum in Torino, don't ask it's a long story that somebody else might be able to explain better than me.

 

[christened at st marks]

Great memory's I was on the left side of the tunnel looking at the pitch as a 15 year old

 

[Joycee Banercheck]

Love that woman. Had the sheer joy of sitting with her for a few seasons from 87-92. She was a proper blue. Used to drop her off at her house in Ardwick and then count down the days to the next home match. The only negative was that during the inflatable craze and we all had those singular Fyffes bananas she had one with three bananas all together and she used to put them on the old railings at the front of the North Stand and obscured most of my view. Still God love her.