Fountain the Bradford pub that scored with so many customers (From Bradford Telegraph and Argus)

Fountain the Bradford pub that scored with so many customers

8:44am Tuesday 7th February 2012 in Remember When? By Emma Clayton

The Remember When? article on Heaton’s Fountain Inn prompted football-related memories for Mark Neale.

Mark, of Queensbury, formed the Heaton branch of Bradford City Supporters Club, based at the Fountain Inn from the mid-1980s, and worked behind the bar from 1997 to 2000.

“It was at one of the Heaton branch meetings in 1994 that Geoffrey Richmond told a packed upstairs room that ‘we will be in the Premier League in five years time’,” recalls Mark. “Even though the room was full of City’s staunchest supporters, it seemed an incredible thing to say and was met with some sceptimism. Amazingly, he was right!

“Geoffrey had arrived at the Fountain earlier and struggled to find a parking spot for his Bentley sporting the personalised plates GR1.”

Mark adds: “I remember former City manager John Docherty and his assistant Leighton James sharing a few drinks with us.

“Football chat was commonplace at the Fountain. The names of footballers who have passed through the Fountain doorway reads like an international team line-up. I met Paul Gascoigne, Lee Clark, Roy Aitken, Frank Stapleton, Stuart Pearson, Peter Jackson, John Hendrie, Eddie Gray and many more in the pub.

“The annual new-season barbecue was hosted by Frank Lee the day after the first home game, and City players and supporters attended.

“Edinio, a native of Brazil, but new in Bradford from Portugal, remembers the barbecue as the first time he and his family met other City players. He also sampled Guinness for the first time and was an instant convert!”

Mark recalls player Paul Showler taking a group of young supporters to the nearby St Bedes school playing fields for a kick-about, “becoming a hero to them in the process”.

The Yorkshire branch of the Newcastle United Supporters Club was based at the Fountain.

“Both sets of fans played an annual game, in memory of City’s 1911 FA Cup victory, on FA Cup final day, then both teams went to the pub for lunch and watched the FA Cup Final on TV,” says Mark. “The Fountain was largely a Bradford City pub, but also played host to the Bradford Speakers Group, Bradford Woodcraft Club, Bradford Motor Traders Society, and the Bradford Lions and Rotary groups.

“It was an emotional night when Frank rang the bell for last orders before retiring to Lytham St Annes, but the Fountain’s memories will live for ever.”