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Washington's Bobby Bulch
Robert 'Bobby' Bulch
Notts County FC (1956-57)
AN AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL ACCOUNT
Part 1
I was born at The Gables on the 1st of January 1933. Six months later the whole family moved to Tyne Gardens in the new area now known as Concord.
My first schooling was the St. Bede's School on Heworth Road, and I moved later to St. Joseph's at Washington Village. When I was ten years old I was placed into Usworth Secondary Modern School and stayed there until I was 15 years old. That last move was brought about by a problem between my older brother Billy and a teacher at St. Joseph's which ended up by my father putting the teacher down, and then moving us to Usworth School. There I became more interested in football and captained the school team and also played for Durham County during my last year at Usworth School.
On leaving, I started work for a Newcastle (Jesmond) engineering company along with my father who already worked there. I was employed as an apprentice Whitesmith, but after only six months felt that the work was not suiting me. I left and got work as a wages clerk at the NCB Glebe Colliery, Washington. I stayed there until I was called up for service in the Royal Air Force at 18 years of age.
During the three years at Glebe Colliery I played junior football for Fatfield and was Captain and Wing Half. I also played for Hetton Junior League Team and also a few times for Newcastle United Juniors.
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This article was written by Bobby Bulch.
Bobby's family later made it freely available to the people of Washington. It is reproduced verbatum.
Bobby Bulch's Story
Part 2
During that period when I was only 16, I had and took the opportunity to play for Chelsea, the London club. After only three months I started to feel homesick, so the club notified my father and made arrangements for him to travel down to London and help me overcome this problem. I eventually did, but only till the end of the season, then I opted not to return the following season.
Football remained my chosen sport, and when in the R.A.F. I played for both camp and command teams. One of our matches was away against Notts County Colts in a Cup Tie. After the game the Notts County coach invited me to play for the team and I made several appearances for both Colts and their reserve team that season.
On demob from the R.A.F. I signed as a professional player and stayed with them until 1958. During my time with Notts County I had been in a successful Midland League side winning the league in 1954/5. I also played in the 1955/6 and 56/57 teams. I enjoyed my football in the first team, before leaving in 1958.
I was then transferred to Darlington FC and I was with them for two seasons. The next season saw me with Hartlepool United but by then I just could not compete at that level any longer, having sustained a serious knee injury that stayed with me from my Darlington days. I then retired from football.
When I read about the huge pay and benefits that go to today's footballers I am just reminded of what we were paided all those years ago. I was signed at a rate of £7 a week and £20 per week when I played First Team football. We were not given a BMW to use, and I remember the hassle of crossing London by tube train to get to the stadium of Chelsea, where among other chores I cleaned Roy Bentley's boots. Mind you, when I was at Nottingham Tony Hatley cleaned MY boots.
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This article was written by Bobby Bulch. He illustrated it with the above images.
Bobby's family later made the article freely available to the people of Washington. It is reproduced verbatum.
Bobby Bulch's Story
Middlesbrough v Notts County, 1956/57. Bobby Bulch: extreme right.
Bobby Bulch illustrated his autobiographical article with the above images.
Bobby Bulch's Story
Notts County v Blackburn Rovers, 1956. Bobby Bulch: extreme left.
Bobby Bulch illustrated his autobiographical article with the above images.
Bobby Bulch's Story
Part 3
After I retired from football, I took a job with the well-known Firm I.B.R., staying with them until my eventual retirement.
Sport has always been my main interest. Football, Golfing (9 handicap) and Snooker. Football, but only as a viewer in recent years. Golf is still an interest even after having held a 9 handicap for nearly twenty years, snooker in recent times because it was a far less strenuous activity. I also enjoy gardening, fitting the necessary housework in between, as my wife still works for a living, and of course watching T.V. with my grandchildren.
Over the last ten years I have admired my son Robert's performance as a striker, playing football for his school, the district and a Sunday league team. Perhaps if he had been a mid-field player like his father, he might have made his task easier. Who knows!!!
I have only returned to Nottingham once, taking my son Robert with me to attend an ex-player dinner and presentation at Meadow Lane. He was quite surprised when people came up and asked for my autograph after all those years had passed.
© Robert Bulch 2005
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This article was written by Bobby Bulch. He illustrated it with the above image.
Bobby's family later made the article freely available to the people of Washington. It is reproduced verbatum.
Bobby Bulch's Career
- PERSONAL
- Full Name:
- Date of Birth:
- Place of Birth:
- Date of Death:
- Place of Death:
- Height:
- Team Position:
- Robert Stephen Bulch
- 1 January 1933
- The Gables, Washington (Co. Durham)
- 8 May 2012 (aged 79)
- At home in Washington (Tyne & Wear)
- 6 ft
- Wing Half
- SCHOOL TEAMS
- (1943 - 48)
- Usworth Colliery Secondary School
- Durham County Schoolboys
- AMATEUR TEAMS
- (1948 - 1953)
- Fatfield Juniors
- Hetton Juniors
- Newcastle United Juniors
- Washington
- Royal Air Force (Syerston)
- CLUB
- 1948 - 49
- 1949 - 53
- signed March 1953
- signed June 1958
- signed November 1960 - 61
- Chelsea
- Local Teams & R.A.F.
- Notts County
- Darlington
- Hartlepool United
- App's / Goals
- -
- -
- 27 - 1
- 44 - 1
- -
