THE NORTH RIDING PROJECT

‘Arry Cripps was the best player ever to have a name beginning with an apostrophe.  He performed at a time when teams really did not like visiting the Den: they’d have trouble finding the ground, then had to contend with cramped surroundings, intimidating fans and, on top of it all, crunching tackles from ‘Arry.  Even his name sounded exactly right, fitting in with the Dickensian image of shadowy figures and swirling mists around Cold Blow Lane.

Bellers/Saturday

Cold Blow Lane on a dark, wet night might be a perfect setting for a Jack the Ripper horror film, dry ice wafting about the cobbled streets and under the low tunnels.  There are mysterious yards full of scrap, malodorous goings-on behind high fences, tower blocks looming in the distance, even old tram lines embedded in the roads.  They knew what they were dealing with when they called it Cold Blow Lane.

Inglis/Grounds