As Newcastle United fanatic Alan Golightly approached his landmark 70th birthday, there was never any doubt he would mark the occasion with something that had a Toon theme.
If some folk might treat themselves to a holiday or throw a party to celebrate their big day, Alan, from Backworth, North Tyneside, decided to commission an original piece of artwork recreating his first ever match at his beloved St James' Park. The result is a striking painting by renowned local artist Peter Davidson, which Alan has titled The Start Of A Love Affair.
That first game took place on September 2, 1959, when the Magpies beat Birmingham City 1-0 in front of 35,000 fans. It was the Newcastle United of George Eastham, Ivor Allchurch, Jimmy Scoular and centre-forward Len White, the goalscorer on the day and a deadly marksman in black and white who would become young Alan's favourite player.
READ MORE: Tyneside in the 1970s - 10 photographs
"I wanted something a bit different and the painting has turned out brilliantly," says the married father-of-two and retired Northumbria Water employee. "I'd known Peter Davidson for a while and loved his work. He was keen to do the job when I asked him."
The wonderful painting manages to capture the spirit of the old St James' Park before it was transformed in the late 1990s into the 52,000 all-seater stadium we know today. From the vantage point of the old Leazes End terraces, we see the Popular Side and the Gallowgate End in an era when nearly everybody stood, mostly without the benefit of a roof.
"There's a lot of small detail," says Alan. "The fan with the cigarette in his mouth and the Chronicle newspaper in his pocket. You can see Len White, number 9, in action on the pitch. There's the 10-minute flag in the Gallowgate End, and one of the four giant floodlight pylons that towered over the ground. The peanut sellers even make an appearance. And you can see me, aged seven, with my mam and dad watching the game. It's very special."
The painting was created by professional artist Peter Davidson from Tudor Grange, Newcastle, who has developed a growing reputation in recent years for his stylised North East-inspired original artwork and limited-edition prints.
Peter based his painting on a 1968 Evening Chronicle photograph showing that same view of a deserted St James' Park with, in the background, the multi-storey office block Wellbar House, which as many older fans will remember loomed behind the old Gallowgate End. After adding the crowds, players and all the relevant detail, however, a problem emerged. Wellbar House, it transpired, hadn't yet been built in 1959 and had to be taken out of the painting.
After being a regular at St James' Park for more than 60 years, Alan Golightly has seen many up and downs at Newcastle United. His first hero, Len White, who he describes as "fast, hard, stocky and good in the air" was a prolific goalscorer who many fans feel doesn't get the modern-day recognition he deserves.
Alan's favourite era as a fan was the victorious Inter-Cities' Fairs Cup campaign of 1968-69 when he attended all the home games - and his favourite team were the thrilling mid-'90s 'Entertainers' who came so close to winning elusive silverware.
"After the dismal Mike Ashley years," he says today, "I'm just so pleased we've got our club back and now anything is possible moving forward." You can follow Alan Golightly on Twitter where as Old Toon Fan, he is a regular and entertaining contributor on all things Newcastle United.
Find out more about Peter Davidson's work on his website peterdavidsonart.co.uk. You can also follow him on Instagram at Peter061830 and on Facebook at Deetz artist and Peter Davidson Art.
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