Aye lad a thowt a knew yer
an a nivver thowd ad see
The day when thad go thro them gates and
turn thi back on me.
The lines an lines o bobbies tried
ter keep us all i place
But as the bus rushed by us all a recognised yer
face.
Ave worked wi you for all these years a
thowt you were mi mate
Ave watched yer back while workin now a
watch it thro the gate.
Wive shared us jobs, wive shared us snap, wive shared us
soap it bath
But therell bi no more sharin in the bitter
aftermath.
Cos Coal Board bowt yer heart an soul
wit promised bonus pay
Its all a Con Cost
brass is what thi owed us anyway.
I ope yer think its worth it cos
this strike as got to end
An tha mun look ther them thas joined
When next tha needs a friend.
September 1984
When former workmates started passing picket lines, the overwhelming emotion was not anger, but hurt, and disappointment. The words are mine, but, the sentiments are those of my son Thomas, on the day a former friend went in at Ledston Luck.