A Geordie Institution. Blaydon Races 150.

Does this sound familiar?

Aw went to Blaydon Races, 'twas on the ninth of Joon,

Eiteen hundred an' sixty-two, on a summer's efternoon;

w tyuk the 'bus frae Balmbra's, an' she wis heavy laden,

way we went alang Collingwood Street, that's on the road to Blaydon.

(chorus)

Ah me lads, ye shud only seen us gannin',

We pass'd the foaks upon the road just as they wor stannin';

Thor wes lots o' lads an' lasses there, all wi' smiling faces,

Gawn alang the Scotswood Road, to see the Blaydon Races.

and the song continues....

A familiar chant at Newcastle United games and rightly so because it's part of our traditions in this part of the world but how many of you realised that this year was the 150th Anniversary of the aforementioned song?

Probably not that many due to various reasons in life but there are a collection of people who know more on this subject who have gathered to get the occasion noticed. Over the next few weeks we will be running a series of articles to get an inside to what's going on and how it's come about.

Hopefully by the end of it,we'll know a bit more about a day which may yet go down as a Geordie bank holiday. 9th June.

Click here to join in the debate on the club forum.