I have lived in Middlesbrough all of my life. I was born in Outram Street which is in Gresham Ward and moved to Park End , with my family, in 1955. I have also lived in Thorntree and Linthorpe. I now live in Acklam with my wife and grown up children.
I took early retirement from teaching in 1995 and afterwards worked part-time for Middlesbrough Football Club as a tour-guide. Just think of it, I was getting paid for talking to people about football. It doesn`t get much better than that. I have run evening classes on the History of Middlesbrough Football Club and the Chelsea game in October was exactly fifty years since my first match in October, 1953. That was against Sheffield United in the old 1st Division and the Boro won 2 - 0 with Wilf Mannion scoring both goals.
Just in case anyone is interested, I rate the following, as the best Boro players in the last fifty years.
1. Brian Clough
2. Juninho (his first incarnation)
3. Graham Souness.
My Teaching Career
I have taught in Primary, Secondary and Further Education. The majority of this being in the Comprehensive sector. I am against selection in education as I believe that there is ample evidence to show that this merely serves to label many children as failures. The old system of the 11+, or the "Scholarship," as most at the time called it, is a classic example of negativity in education and in the lives of impressionable children . 20% passed the examination while 80% failed. What a disgraceful label to burden children with ie that they are failures. So much for helping chidren to develop self esteem and a sense of worth.
Those who passed the 11+ would have been just as well educated in good all ability schools with a good social mix of pupils. This type of school reflects the real world and not the false community that the old type Grammar School threw together. There was never a need to herd all the so called bright kids into a special establishment. I speak from having spent 5 years in a Grammar School. It was only later that I came to realise that the complete emphasis of the school was based on academic achievement, with little thought given to how my friends and I could play a role which would not only benefit ourselves but also the lives of others. It was a socially deficient education.
My Personal Philosophy
I believe in the Christian Gospel. I also have a great degree of respect and liking for other religions and the people who live by them. In practice, this means working with people whose core of inner belief has a different source than mine but which mean nevertheless, putting people first. I also respect the beliefs of those who are affirmed atheists and agnostics.
I have no time for bigots and those who cannot see that all human beings share a common humanity. That which unites us is far greater than our differences. To me, that is the essence of what the founder of Christianity is saying.
