Big Geordie Posted April 17 Share Posted April 17 5 minutes ago, madras said: Same here. Am sure Northampton was a midweek game - possibly due to the weather? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Curva Sud Milano Posted April 17 Share Posted April 17 My first live experience with English football was Arsenal vs. Aston Villa in the mid-1980s. Up until then I'd only seen it on TV (one game a week on a private Italian channel). You should know that, unlike other European fans for whom Wembley was the most iconic English stadium, for us Italians it has always been Highbury because of a memorable match between England and Italy that had been passed down from generation to generation, so the choice of match and stadium was no accident for me and my friend. The impact outside the stadium was a shock: a large group of Villa fans walked among the home fans escorted by a small police force... something out of this world compared to what was happening in Italy in the 1980s. Inside the stadium, another surprise: we knew the stadium was old but it was still much better than 90% of the Italian stadiums of the time, and the proximity of the stands to the pitch was something we loved. The atmosphere among the fans, though very different from the Italian one, was good and, above all, much much better than what I experienced many years later in the same stadium during the Wenger era. In the '80s that was the only match I saw; in the '90s I saw many because I had many friends in London who were studying or working there...the football had improved greatly but the atmosphere had deteriorated significantly compared to that match I saw in the '80s. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harry 209 Posted April 17 Share Posted April 17 (edited) My first memory was being in the family enclosure with my dad and seeing a bloodied George 'Rambo' Reilly up close when he approached the touchline, I was absolutely terrified and hated it. Edited April 17 by Harry 209 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harry 209 Posted April 17 Share Posted April 17 I also remember walking up to that brown corregated iron West Stand with NEWCASTLE UNITED FC written on it and thinking, even as an 8 year old, "that looks REALLY shit." Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Earp Posted April 17 Share Posted April 17 3 hours ago, jemo96 said: Some of my memories are.. Going to Zoots to see the strippers before the match. Getting tanked up on Broon & Exhibition The West Ham petrol bomb incident The Farmers Rest incident Beardsleys hatrick NYD against the mackems King Kevs testimonial game against Liverpool Beardsleys chip over Joe Corrigan Chris Waddle skinning Des Walker and firing in a screamer. The utter dross of Tony Cunningham & George Reilly Directors box invaded at the Den Millwall, scary day that was getting out of London. The 1987 FA cup match at Spurs and nearly getting crushed to death, was not long after Hillsborough. Listening to the news about Hillsborough on the coach coming back from Arsenal I think it was. The war cry of Indian Joe from the east stand every home game (who was he? 😆) We were Gallowgate corner lads often scoffing a shit burger from the little stand up top. Getting pissed on by beer monsters. loads I’ve probably forgotten also. Spurs away FA Cup was frightening. Abiding memory was fans shout to the police to open the pens next to us and they shouted fuck off back Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
madras Posted April 17 Share Posted April 17 (edited) 8 minutes ago, Earp said: Spurs away FA Cup was frightening. Abiding memory was fans shout to the police to open the pens next to us and they shouted fuck off back I was in the seats. People were getting pulled up from the terrace. Another crush was outside Oakwell 1981. My feet were off the ground for about 5mins. It was a pivotal game in my growing up and school life. Edited April 17 by madras Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
deejeck Posted April 17 Share Posted April 17 What a great thread. As a kid I'd never really been into football, my Dad wasn't interested, but my brother was but there was a canny age gap between us and he never really pushed it on to me, apart from the time I bought a Liverpool tracksuit from P&P Sports in Wallsend and he practically strung me up by the bollocks. Anyway, I was round a friend's house one Sunday afternoon (1987?) and Newcastle v Liverpool was on the telly and I just became instantly hooked. Think we lost 4-1 but the whole local pride thing just took over, and from then on I was just totally smitten with NUFC. Eventually managed to persuade my Mam and Dad to let me to to a game and my first match was Newcastle v Oxford United on 30th April 1988. We won 3-1 and I can still remember the buzz to this day and rarely missed a game after that. Shame really, because the following season was fucking abysmal. The thing that sticks in my mind about the following season was when the fences came down, pretty sure the first game without perimeter fencing was v Luton...terrible match, think it finished 0-0. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Earp Posted April 17 Share Posted April 17 I remember going to Hillsborough back in the 80’s and coming down the steps after the game there was a surge and I was pushed into a copper. He grabbed me and punched me in the face, splitting my lip open. Tried to get his number but was later told the police swapped numbers on match days to avoid identification. West Yorkshire’s finest. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Geordie Posted April 17 Share Posted April 17 57 minutes ago, deejeck said: What a great thread. As a kid I'd never really been into football, my Dad wasn't interested, but my brother was but there was a canny age gap between us and he never really pushed it on to me, apart from the time I bought a Liverpool tracksuit from P&P Sports in Wallsend and he practically strung me up by the bollocks. Anyway, I was round a friend's house one Sunday afternoon (1987?) and Newcastle v Liverpool was on the telly and I just became instantly hooked. Think we lost 4-1 but the whole local pride thing just took over, and from then on I was just totally smitten with NUFC. Eventually managed to persuade my Mam and Dad to let me to to a game and my first match was Newcastle v Oxford United on 30th April 1988. We won 3-1 and I can still remember the buzz to this day and rarely missed a game after that. Shame really, because the following season was fucking abysmal. The thing that sticks in my mind about the following season was when the fences came down, pretty sure the first game without perimeter fencing was v Luton...terrible match, think it finished 0-0. Was our first home game after the Hillsborough disaster and I remember saying to my mate, how weird it felt to be watching football without a fence in front. I'd never known anything else before. Game was awful too. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
madras Posted April 17 Share Posted April 17 59 minutes ago, Earp said: I remember going to Hillsborough back in the 80’s and coming down the steps after the game there was a surge and I was pushed into a copper. He grabbed me and punched me in the face, splitting my lip open. Tried to get his number but was later told the police swapped numbers on match days to avoid identification. West Yorkshire’s finest. South Yorks Police were notorious well before the Hillsborough disaster. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Earp Posted April 17 Share Posted April 17 24 minutes ago, madras said: South Yorks Police were notorious well before the Hillsborough disaster. Sorry yes it was South Yorkshire Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
deejeck Posted April 17 Share Posted April 17 2 hours ago, Earp said: I remember going to Hillsborough back in the 80’s and coming down the steps after the game there was a surge and I was pushed into a copper. He grabbed me and punched me in the face, splitting my lip open. Tried to get his number but was later told the police swapped numbers on match days to avoid identification. West Yorkshire’s finest. Seriously think that they got some sort of perverse enjoyment out of clobbering football fans at any given opportunity, wouldn't surprise me if the altering numbers thing was true. Remember going to Sheff Utd during the 89/90 season on one of the Armstrong Galley supporters club buses. Coppers pulled the bus over just before we got to Sheffield, then they got on a searched it. One of them stood at the front of the bus and said "there are two football clubs in Sheffield - Sheffield Wednesday, and Sheffield Wednesday Reserves. Have a great day lads, I hope you turn them over!". Always sticks in my mind because it was one of the only times that I can ever remember having a pleasant interaction with a Yorkshire copper on a match day . Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
deejeck Posted April 17 Share Posted April 17 (edited) 1 hour ago, Big Geordie said: Was our first home game after the Hillsborough disaster and I remember saying to my mate, how weird it felt to be watching football without a fence in front. I'd never known anything else before. Game was awful too. Yeah, used to usually stand about half way up in front of the scoreboard but remember on that day standing right at the front behind the goal for the sheer novelty factor of it all. Game was so bad that half of the highlights was the laying of the flowers before kick off. Edited April 17 by deejeck Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
madras Posted April 17 Share Posted April 17 (edited) 9 minutes ago, deejeck said: Seriously think that they got some sort of perverse enjoyment out of clobbering football fans at any given opportunity, wouldn't surprise me if the altering numbers thing was true. Remember going to Sheff Utd during the 89/90 season on one of the Armstrong Galley supporters club buses. Coppers pulled the bus over just before we got to Sheffield, then they got on a searched it. One of them stood at the front of the bus and said "there are two football clubs in Sheffield - Sheffield Wednesday, and Sheffield Wednesday Reserves. Have a great day lads, I hope you turn them over!". Always sticks in my mind because it was one of the only times that I can ever remember having a pleasant interaction with a Yorkshire copper on a match day . At Rotherham, early 82, (South Yorks Police again) their numbers had been removed. Rumours were it was the South Yorks version of the SPG. (Not the Young Ones Hamster) Re the Coppers on the bus. We went to Cardiff, Beardsleys first goal for us, we were in the seats and there was a running battle between the Cardiff fans, trying to get at us and the stewards. The stewards seemed to really enjoy battering them as they told us they were all Swansea fans who done it for tglhe fun of it. Edited April 17 by madras Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jemo96 Posted April 17 Share Posted April 17 1 hour ago, madras said: South Yorks Police were notorious well before the Hillsborough disaster. On two occasions the coach was stopped just as we came into South Yorkshire. They searched us all and confiscated all the alcohol on board, which was a lot. Bastards Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Fountain Posted April 17 Share Posted April 17 6 hours ago, ramirez said: My first game was feb 89 v Liverpool, think I went to a few more the following season in division 2, including the beamback for the Boro game, probably wasn't too much of a difference from the 80's after italia 90 until maybe 92-3 when the premier league started and our ground was full every week and started to attract more kids etc. 2-2 draw Mirandinha and Pingel in the pissing rain. A good game in a miserable season. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Fountain Posted April 17 Share Posted April 17 5 hours ago, Big Geordie said: Am sure Northampton was a midweek game - possibly due to the weather? No, Saturday sure of it. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ramirez Posted April 17 Share Posted April 17 3 minutes ago, The Fountain said: 2-2 draw Mirandinha and Pingel in the pissing rain. A good game in a miserable season. police dog show at ht was my highlight! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
LionOfGosforth Posted April 17 Share Posted April 17 10 minutes ago, The Fountain said: No, Saturday sure of it. Midweek night game for definite, recall it well. Preston was a Saturday game. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Novocastrian Posted April 17 Share Posted April 17 First game a 3-2 defeat by Spurs at SJP in 1985, stood in ‘the Scoreboard’. Beardsley scored our two goals, both pens. The away fans serenaded Waddle throughout and he’d join them at the end of the season. Just found out it was Gazza’s debut, coming on as a sub for McCreery, my favourite player at the time. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
madras Posted April 17 Share Posted April 17 18 minutes ago, The Fountain said: No, Saturday sure of it. It was midweek but wasn't a replay so Im guessing weather. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
LionOfGosforth Posted April 17 Share Posted April 17 4 minutes ago, Novocastrian said: First game a 3-2 defeat by Spurs at SJP in 1985, stood in ‘the Scoreboard’. Beardsley scored our two goals, both pens. The away fans serenaded Waddle throughout and he’d join them at the end of the season. Just found out it was Gazza’s debut, coming on as a sub for McCreery, my favourite player at the time. Hoddle scored a worldy in that game, remember it being boiling hot as well Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Earp Posted April 17 Share Posted April 17 Anyone go to the game away at Leicester when we scored late and stayed up under Keegan and their fans came on the pitch at the end and tried to get at the away end? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
deejeck Posted April 17 Share Posted April 17 7 hours ago, jemo96 said: Some of my memories are.. Going to Zoots to see the strippers before the match. Getting tanked up on Broon & Exhibition The West Ham petrol bomb incident The Farmers Rest incident Beardsleys hatrick NYD against the mackems King Kevs testimonial game against Liverpool Beardsleys chip over Joe Corrigan Chris Waddle skinning Des Walker and firing in a screamer. The utter dross of Tony Cunningham & George Reilly Directors box invaded at the Den Millwall, scary day that was getting out of London. The 1987 FA cup match at Spurs and nearly getting crushed to death, was not long after Hillsborough. Listening to the news about Hillsborough on the coach coming back from Arsenal I think it was. The war cry of Indian Joe from the east stand every home game (who was he? 😆) We were Gallowgate corner lads often scoffing a shit burger from the little stand up top. Getting pissed on by beer monsters. loads I’ve probably forgotten also. What was the Farmers Rest incident? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Fountain Posted April 17 Share Posted April 17 14 minutes ago, madras said: It was midweek but wasn't a replay so Im guessing weather. I stand corrected, Wednesday 21st January. Must have been rearranged. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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