1966: The year of World Cup magic, excitement in Sunderland and frustration in South Shields
World Cup fever was gripping the country in 1966 but not everyone was feeling the love.
Sunderland was basking in the glory of being a host for some of the top teams with the likes of Chile, Italy and Russia playing at Roker Park.
Bus takings went down as Cup fever mounted
But one of the most celebrated games of the tournament came with Hungary’s 3-1 victory over World Cup holders Brazil.
It was a match that thrilled football fans all over Europe. Less impressed was South Shields’ town hall transport manager R. E. Bottrill who blamed the soccer spectacle for a drop in bus takings.
‘The World Cup did us no good’
Speaking at a meeting of the transport committee he said: “Everyone stayed in after Hungary and Brazil played.
“The World Cup did us no good.”
Television fans in South Tyneside were about to have even more reasons to stay indoors.
Another channel on the way
Up to 1966 viewers only had the choice of two channels and they were BBC on Channel Five and Tyne Tees on Channel Eight.
But the BBC2 service from Pontop Pike in Durham was about to be launched, giving 1.7 million people in the North East access to the new channel from November 5 that year.
Did you stay indoors to watch the World Cup that year or did you still get out and enjoy the North East using public transport?
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