Annie Bassett

[Focher]

Last time I saw her was in a pub in Theale in 2006. Age has not been kind to her.

how many pints would it take to do her up the balloon knot?

[Dirk Gently]

This was the time in the 80's when the Thatcher Government was pushing to make membership cards compulsory for all supporters attending all matches.

The South Bank membership scheme (sponsored by Netwrok South East) was a sweetener to the powers that be - a non-compulsory sort of half-way house to show that RFC was doing its bit without actually doing anything particularly far-reaching.

It applied just to the South Bank, not the whole ground, ISTR.

[Thaumagurist*]

But good on her if she started that idea as it is still in use today.

Ah, no, this was a different breed of a membership card, more for id purposes and it got discontinued at some point. And it was for just the Southbank and prevented away fans from easily gaining entrance to it.

[The Real Sandhurst Royal]

went to Fulham in the late 90's.

[RoyalBlue]

http://web.ukonline.co.uk/m.gratton/Names/Annie.htm

Top of the list!

Didn't her appointment inspire some script writers to go one step further and come up with 'The Manageress', a tv series about a female manager of a professional football team?

Staring the gorgeous Cheri Lunghi, the links with RFC continued as some of the series, including the action on the pitch, was shot at Elm Park. I remember going along as an 'extra' to appear in some of the crowd scenes. IIRC, the turnout by Reading fans was so poor that the producers had to make a panic phonecall to arrange for some professional extras to be bussed in!

[Tadleys Finest]

But good on her if she started that idea as it is still in use today.

Ah, no, this was a different breed of a membership card, more for id purposes and it got discontinued at some point. And it was for just the Southbank and prevented away fans from easily gaining entrance to it.

I seem to remember Chelsea gaining easy entry to it, although to be fair that was because some loon opened the gate between the home and away ends.. never seen the Southbank empty so quick.. or my bowels for that matter! (I was 12 at the time and seeing a bunch of skin heads and assorted nutjobs charging at me was an eye opener)

[Tadleys Finest]

http://web.ukonline.co.uk/m.gratton/Names/Annie.htm

Top of the list!

Didn't her appointment inspire some script writers to go one step further and come up with 'The Manageress', a tv series about a female manager of a professional football team?

Staring the gorgeous Cheri Lunghi, the links with RFC continued as some of the series, including the action on the pitch, was shot at Elm Park. I remember going along as an 'extra' to appear in some of the crowd scenes. IIRC, the turnout by Reading fans was so poor that the producers had to make a panic phonecall to arrange for some professional extras to be bussed in!

Yes I turned up too, about 200 people in the tilehurst road end (about usual for those days anyway??) being filmed 'pretending' to react to things that happened in the game. Odd day that!

[RoyalBlue]

But good on her if she started that idea as it is still in use today.

Ah, no, this was a different breed of a membership card, more for id purposes and it got discontinued at some point. And it was for just the Southbank and prevented away fans from easily gaining entrance to it.

I seem to remember Chelsea gaining easy entry to it, although to be fair that was because some loon opened the gate between the home and away ends.. never seen the Southbank empty so quick.. or my bowels for that matter! (I was 12 at the time and seeing a bunch of skin heads and assorted nutjobs charging at me was an eye opener)

Milwall and/or Pompey (can't remember which) also got very easy access. They were sat in the stand nearest to the Town End and just before the whistle blew for kickoff came hurtling across the pitch and over the wall into the Southbank.

Or was that just before the membership scheme was launched with a visit by the poison dwarf Moynihan?

[largetrousers]

This was the time in the 80's when the Thatcher Government was pushing to make membership cards compulsory for all supporters attending all matches.

The South Bank membership scheme (sponsored by Netwrok South East) was a sweetener to the powers that be - a non-compulsory sort of half-way house to show that RFC was doing its bit without actually doing anything particularly far-reaching.

It applied just to the South Bank, not the whole ground, ISTR.

Still got my card somewhere, think mine was from early 90s tho. The white one with the rail badge and our old three stiped badge on it?

[Dirk Gently]

This was the time in the 80's when the Thatcher Government was pushing to make membership cards compulsory for all supporters attending all matches.

The South Bank membership scheme (sponsored by Netwrok South East) was a sweetener to the powers that be - a non-compulsory sort of half-way house to show that RFC was doing its bit without actually doing anything particularly far-reaching.

It applied just to the South Bank, not the whole ground, ISTR.

Still got my card somewhere, think mine was from early 90s tho. The white one with the rail badge and our old three stiped badge on it?

Yep.

[Tadleys Finest]

This was the time in the 80's when the Thatcher Government was pushing to make membership cards compulsory for all supporters attending all matches.

The South Bank membership scheme (sponsored by Netwrok South East) was a sweetener to the powers that be - a non-compulsory sort of half-way house to show that RFC was doing its bit without actually doing anything particularly far-reaching.

It applied just to the South Bank, not the whole ground, ISTR.

Still got my card somewhere, think mine was from early 90s tho. The white one with the rail badge and our old three stiped badge on it?

Yep.

does anyone remember the train they laid on for a game at Wolves.. might have been a cup game? Anyone with a "network southeast southbank" card got free or discounted travel? ahhh memories of simpler times when expectations were suitably low.

[eddiegrundy]

As well as the Network South East membership card, there was also a later one for Bratt Vehicle Hire. Examples of both are shown in the scan.

[Hugo Boss]

Still got my card somewhere, think mine was from early 90s tho. The white one with the rail badge and our old three stiped badge on it?

Plastic.

[dean horrix legend]

http://web.ukonline.co.uk/m.gratton/Names/Annie.htm

Top of the list!

Didn't her appointment inspire some script writers to go one step further and come up with 'The Manageress', a tv series about a female manager of a professional football team?

Staring the gorgeous Cheri Lunghi, the links with RFC continued as some of the series, including the action on the pitch, was shot at Elm Park. I remember going along as an 'extra' to appear in some of the crowd scenes. IIRC, the turnout by Reading fans was so poor that the producers had to make a panic phonecall to arrange for some professional extras to be bussed in!

Yes I turned up too, about 200 people in the tilehurst road end (about usual for those days anyway??) being filmed 'pretending' to react to things that happened in the game. Odd day that!

I was one of the 200 and won second prize in the draw at the end,a week in Florida all expenses paid for two.
First prize was a video camera you needed two to carry

[dean horrix legend]

[quote="[/quote]

Ah, no, this was a different breed of a membership card, more for id purposes and it got discontinued at some point. And it was for just the Southbank and prevented away fans from easily gaining entrance to it.[/quote]

I seem to remember Chelsea gaining easy entry to it, although to be fair that was because some loon opened the gate between the home and away ends.. never seen the Southbank empty so quick.. or my bowels for that matter! (I was 12 at the time and seeing a bunch of skin heads and assorted nutjobs charging at me was an eye opener)[/quote]

I remember this,we were stood in our normal place,halfway line three rows from the back and people were streming past us.How we LOLed

[Rev Algenon Stickleback H]

Last time I saw her was in a pub in Theale in 2006. Age has not been kind to her.

to be fair, nor was youth.