For half a century Norman “Bomber” Crighton and Peterhead FC have blended smoothly together, like the whisky he famously offered all guests of the club’s boardroom. The Blue Toon joiner, who served the club as a fan and a committee member, has passed away aged 89. As condolences from peers, players and pundits poured in, we looked back on Norman’s life, paying tribute to “one of life’s very good guys”.
Aberdeenshire born and raised Born on September 28 1934 at Station House, Hatton, Aberdeenshire, Norman was one of five children for station master James and his wife Maggie. He and siblings Bunty, Margaret, Alf, and Ernest, began their education in Hatton before moving on to Ellon School. His early years were filled with laughter and a special kind of mischief that Norman would come to be known for.
His career began with a year at trade school in Edinburgh, where he lived with his sister Bunty, a housekeeper at a mansion in Morningside. He served his apprenticeship at Hall’s Builders in Aberdeen but made some extra money by raffling chickens “on the side”. Building a life, and a business Norman’s career journey was punctuated by a two-year stint in the RAF for National Service.
When he returned home he went back to Hall’s, contributing to the building of Aberdeen’s first high-rise flats. Ever the entrepreneur, Norman soon set out on his own. Buying an old shed from Simmer’s Bakery and a second-hand van was all he needed to launch his own building an.