To the male population of the North East it was an institution which was more important than Saturday night telly, or even a drink down the local. But, in this ever-changing world, all good things must come to an end - and so it was for the North East's once premier voice of soccer The Pink just over a week ago, on Saturday, December 17, when, after 110 years (it was originally called Football Final), the last edition went to press. In the halcyon days of football, when the First Division, really meant the First Division, the Pink was the all-important recorder of soccer statistics for Geordies. The plain fact that Newcastle United and also Sunderland now play so many matches on a Sunday or a Monday has affected sales figures. Put this together with the massive competition from the TV results service and televised games, it was obvious the writing was on the wall. But fond memories of those days when the cry around the streets of Tyneside, after final whistles on a Saturday evening, was "FOOTBALL FINAL", as many a bike laden with Pinks was pushed up back lanes and down streets. Crowds of men and boys stood outside newsagents, in the cold or rain, waiting for the van to deliver their Pinks. Even rock star Bryan Ferry admits it was the Pink that earned him his first wages - as a young teenager selling the paper around Newcastle pubs and clubs. One of Tyneside's great pastimes for the man of the house on a Saturday night was not watching TV, but to scour his Pink from cover to cover, relive that day's match at St James' or Roker Park, kick-by-kick, and then check the results against the league table. `Yes, we have West Ham and Birmingham at home, four points (in the old days it was two points for a win), then away to Tottenham, one point or even a win, that would put us in the top six by January' - We were so optimistic in those days! But when we had finished dissecting the game summarised by Pink's writers, it was on to the lower divisions and non-league football reports - Gateshead, Blyth, Tow Law, etc. - it was all in the Pink shortly after the final whistle was blown. Having been lucky enough to work in the Chronicle offices in the great days of The Pink, with the massive Linotype machines crashing away, metal clanging on metal and excited shouts of, GOAL - SUPERMAC, ringing around the comp room, you could never forget the atmosphere that was generated. After a slow build-up, from 3pm, getting everything ready for the match reports, building up the game paragraph by paragraph until the final sprint for the tape and the sending of the pages to the plate room with everyone operating at 100 miles an hour and on to the printing press literally minutes after the final whistles. So it was with a touch of sadness and regret, when the final edition of The Pink finally fell victim to football on the box. However, one thing that should not be forgotten. Once you had paid your coppers for your Pink, you could continue reading it for the next few days and it did not cost a penny more - then it could be recycled, chip paper or fire lighter. The Pink first appeared with its distinctive coloured paper on Saturday, August 24, 1963, priced at 3d. Now you may not buy a newspaper for the results but every time you switch on television you are paying, either for the electricity, licence fee or Sky subscription, and you don't even have to think anymore - the pundits will do it all for you. RIP - The Pink | 
Tyne Bridge Publishing
