The MEN Pink

When I was a paperboy (so 13) we used to buy 10 Pinks at 9p each and basically sell them for a few pence more taking them round to the local pubs and houses, some would charge 10p and make a penny on each one, others around 12-15p, especially if we’d travelled further out.

The Pink Final stands out in my mind for the following incident more than any, one freezing winters night, I ended up at the top of Woodhouse Lane near Ringway Airport trying to flog my last one, for those that don’t know it, back then, there were few lights along there and was dimly lit at best where the few houses were, so anyway, knocked on a few doors down there, luckily (as I thought then) one guy bought my last one, 12p, which I thought was a fair price all things considered.

So off I pop down the the garden path and got on my bike, next thing, this guy comes running out absolutely fuckin raging, I’m thinking ‘crap, wtf’s going on here ‘ and start to make my way off on my bike , “ you little fuckin ****” he shouts, “ you’ve charged me 12p and it’s only 9p, gimme my 3 pence back you little ****”.

As I’m riding off I’m trying to explain why I’d charged the 3p, but he was clearly having none of it, still absolutely raging, but eventually I’d managed to put enough distance between us and started to make way home.

About a minute later, I can hear the screeching of wheels and a car racing up behind me, I’m thinking shit I better get up on the grass verge and onto the pavement, the next thing, the car mounts the pavement and is trying to run me over, I realise it’s this mad fucker who I’d sold the Pink to !

Honestly, it ended up like a cross between the film “Duel” and “The Terminator”, this mad fucker was literally trying to kill me, I was shitting myself and knew I was in serious trouble, probably only lasted about 5 minutes but it felt more like an hour, luckily, I managed to get to the Vault of the “Red Beret” pub, I pretty much knew either one or two of my mates Dads would be in there, or someone relatively normal and balanced, as it happens, one of my best mates Dads WAS in there, who was hard as nails, I told him what had happened and that the guy was outside in the car park looking for me.

Suffice to say, he went outside and gave this guy the mother of all hidings, it was fuckin brutal, but the next day I went back to the Newsagents, handed my paper bag over and quit my job, to this day I’ve never forgotten that and have never let my children (and now my grandchildren in the future) take up a paper round.

That’s my memory of The Pink Final.
 
When I was a paperboy (so 13) we used to buy 10 Pinks at 9p each and basically sell them for a few pence more taking them round to the local pubs and houses, some would charge 10p and make a penny on each one, others around 12-15p, especially if we’d travelled further out.

The Pink Final stands out in my mind for the following incident more than any, one freezing winters night, I ended up at the top of Woodhouse Lane near Ringway Airport trying to flog my last one, for those that don’t know it, back then, there were few lights along there and was dimly lit at best where the few houses were, so anyway, knocked on a few doors down there, luckily (as I thought then) one guy bought my last one, 12p, which I thought was a fair price all things considered.

So off I pop down the the garden path and got on my bike, next thing, this guy comes running out absolutely fuckin raging, I’m thinking ‘crap, wtf’s going on here ‘ and start to make my way off on my bike , “ you little fuckin ****” he shouts, “ you’ve charged me 12p and it’s only 9p, gimme my 3 pence back you little ****”.

As I’m riding off I’m trying to explain why I’d charged the 3p, but he was clearly having none of it, still absolutely raging, but eventually I’d managed to put enough distance between us and started to make way home.

About a minute later, I can hear the screeching of wheels and a car racing up behind me, I’m thinking shit I better get up on the grass verge and onto the pavement, the next thing, the car mounts the pavement and is trying to run me over, I realise it’s this mad fucker who I’d sold the Pink to !

Honestly, it ended up like a cross between the film “Duel” and “The Terminator”, this mad fucker was literally trying to kill me, I was shitting myself and knew I was in serious trouble, probably only lasted about 5 minutes but it felt more like an hour, luckily, I managed to get to the Vault of the “Red Beret” pub, I pretty much knew either one or two of my mates Dads would be in there, or someone relatively normal and balanced, as it happens, one of my best mates Dads WAS in there, who was hard as nails, I told him what had happened and that the guy was outside in the car park looking for me.

Suffice to say, he went outside and gave this guy the mother of all hidings, it was fuckin brutal, but the next day I went back to the Newsagents, handed my paper bag over and quit my job, to this day I’ve never forgotten that and have never let my children (and now my grandchildren in the future) take up a paper round.

That’s my memory of The Pink Final.
Haha fucking hell
 
As young lad coming back to Manchester from the sleepy seaside town we lived in was amazing.
We stayed with our grandparents on eastern circle Burnage. And when allowed to play out side the local kids took great interest in us lol. Can remember what seemed like a huge rec full of football pitches just up the main road near Fairly Aviation. Dad would tell us how he played football on the rec. Plus how he nicked a vice from work Fairly Aviation by tying it around his neck and rested it on his crossbar under his cycling cape. He rode back to didsbury like that lol. Mum would show us her old school at the back of Maine Road

Grandad would always have a collection of old programs and tickets for us.

Going to a match over easter was the highlight for me, the posh seats the main stand, 80p per ticket !
Before the match trying to find somewhere to park our car than walking to the ground with grandad and dad. As you got nearer the noise and smells would increase. The horseback police, the bloke with the sandwich board " the end of the world is nigh" lol. The smell of burgers and hotdogs.
Than the noise of Maine Road, the songs I didnt know.
Sometimes we wouldnt do posh seats and be near the front, that was more fun. Than walking back to the car with people selling the football pink, I could never understand how that happened so quick !

In later life I had the privilege of taking my grandad to the Vic in Burnage to have his usual after match pint. I was his first grandchild to take him for a beer. Happy days.
Now my son takes me to matches ! But no grand child on the horizon yet lol to take me for a beer

During the week we would go down the platt fields to watch City train. Can remember one time we were allowed into Maine Road to watch City train. Only a few of us there and most players came over for a chat and to sign our autograph books. A book I still have to this day along with my tickets. Things that todays fans dont get as the ticket is now on your phone.

Looking forward to being back tomorrow and Wednesday might take a look at grandads and our old homes. Feeling abit sentimental lately.
 
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I think it was the other way around.
The MEN was green and the Chronicle was Pink.
When the MEN bought / merged the two, they chose to have it the Pink as it was the more successful
Fairly sure tha Evening News was the"pink".
As i remember the two main papers the Evening News and the Chronicle were of different formats. The News was a broadsheet and the Chronicle was of the smaller size ala todays daily Mirror.
In those days pre internet and technology it was all type set,, and my old man who was Night Manager and FOC at the Daily Express in Manchester used to start at 6pm Sat evening and they used to work through until 6am Sat morning.
 
When I was a paperboy (so 13) we used to buy 10 Pinks at 9p each and basically sell them for a few pence more taking them round to the local pubs and houses, some would charge 10p and make a penny on each one, others around 12-15p, especially if we’d travelled further out.

The Pink Final stands out in my mind for the following incident more than any, one freezing winters night, I ended up at the top of Woodhouse Lane near Ringway Airport trying to flog my last one, for those that don’t know it, back then, there were few lights along there and was dimly lit at best where the few houses were, so anyway, knocked on a few doors down there, luckily (as I thought then) one guy bought my last one, 12p, which I thought was a fair price all things considered.

So off I pop down the the garden path and got on my bike, next thing, this guy comes running out absolutely fuckin raging, I’m thinking ‘crap, wtf’s going on here ‘ and start to make my way off on my bike , “ you little fuckin ****” he shouts, “ you’ve charged me 12p and it’s only 9p, gimme my 3 pence back you little ****”.

As I’m riding off I’m trying to explain why I’d charged the 3p, but he was clearly having none of it, still absolutely raging, but eventually I’d managed to put enough distance between us and started to make way home.

About a minute later, I can hear the screeching of wheels and a car racing up behind me, I’m thinking shit I better get up on the grass verge and onto the pavement, the next thing, the car mounts the pavement and is trying to run me over, I realise it’s this mad fucker who I’d sold the Pink to !

Honestly, it ended up like a cross between the film “Duel” and “The Terminator”, this mad fucker was literally trying to kill me, I was shitting myself and knew I was in serious trouble, probably only lasted about 5 minutes but it felt more like an hour, luckily, I managed to get to the Vault of the “Red Beret” pub, I pretty much knew either one or two of my mates Dads would be in there, or someone relatively normal and balanced, as it happens, one of my best mates Dads WAS in there, who was hard as nails, I told him what had happened and that the guy was outside in the car park looking for me.

Suffice to say, he went outside and gave this guy the mother of all hidings, it was fuckin brutal, but the next day I went back to the Newsagents, handed my paper bag over and quit my job, to this day I’ve never forgotten that and have never let my children (and now my grandchildren in the future) take up a paper round.

That’s my memory of The Pink Final.

I'm still looking for you you little c****t! With inflation it's about 20p you owe me lol!
 
When I was a paperboy (so 13) we used to buy 10 Pinks at 9p each and basically sell them for a few pence more taking them round to the local pubs and houses, some would charge 10p and make a penny on each one, others around 12-15p, especially if we’d travelled further out.

The Pink Final stands out in my mind for the following incident more than any, one freezing winters night, I ended up at the top of Woodhouse Lane near Ringway Airport trying to flog my last one, for those that don’t know it, back then, there were few lights along there and was dimly lit at best where the few houses were, so anyway, knocked on a few doors down there, luckily (as I thought then) one guy bought my last one, 12p, which I thought was a fair price all things considered.

So off I pop down the the garden path and got on my bike, next thing, this guy comes running out absolutely fuckin raging, I’m thinking ‘crap, wtf’s going on here ‘ and start to make my way off on my bike , “ you little fuckin ****” he shouts, “ you’ve charged me 12p and it’s only 9p, gimme my 3 pence back you little ****”.

As I’m riding off I’m trying to explain why I’d charged the 3p, but he was clearly having none of it, still absolutely raging, but eventually I’d managed to put enough distance between us and started to make way home.

About a minute later, I can hear the screeching of wheels and a car racing up behind me, I’m thinking shit I better get up on the grass verge and onto the pavement, the next thing, the car mounts the pavement and is trying to run me over, I realise it’s this mad fucker who I’d sold the Pink to !

Honestly, it ended up like a cross between the film “Duel” and “The Terminator”, this mad fucker was literally trying to kill me, I was shitting myself and knew I was in serious trouble, probably only lasted about 5 minutes but it felt more like an hour, luckily, I managed to get to the Vault of the “Red Beret” pub, I pretty much knew either one or two of my mates Dads would be in there, or someone relatively normal and balanced, as it happens, one of my best mates Dads WAS in there, who was hard as nails, I told him what had happened and that the guy was outside in the car park looking for me.

Suffice to say, he went outside and gave this guy the mother of all hidings, it was fuckin brutal, but the next day I went back to the Newsagents, handed my paper bag over and quit my job, to this day I’ve never forgotten that and have never let my children (and now my grandchildren in the future) take up a paper round.

That’s my memory of The Pink Final.
Didn't you fancy selling the Football Green instead? ;-)
 
The skinny bloke with the long hair who sold them outside the platt lane stand as you were leaving was there for the entire 25 years I went to Maine Road and I saw him at an either game later, still with long hair only old now.

They had to write the headline with about 20 minutes to go so it was often out of date by the time you got your copy. For some reason I remember “Quinn Derby Joy” after a game which ended up 1-1.

blokes sold it around the pubs on Saturday evenings so everyone would be having their first pints and passing it around.
Ha ha, I remember him(the skinny bloke) he always shouted "final scores" and sometimes added "...and racing results" . Happy days pre Internet
 

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