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As a teenager in the 1980s, I used to go on lovely surfing holidays on the Gower Peninsula in South Wales with my dad, and one time my best pal Tom (a fellow R) came along too. Which is how we ended up standing on a packed North Bank terrace at the Vetch Field watching Swansea thrash Leeds 5-1 on 29th August 1981, a match that has now taken on legendary status. It was the Swans' first-ever game in the old First Division, having been promoted in successive seasons from the Fourth, under John Toshak. Oddly, given that I have no attachment to either club, it's one of the most memorable games I have ever attended, and Tom says the same - the noise and emotion were unforgettable.
Which reminds me... Pat, a close friend of my (now-departed) Mum, is originally from New Jersey, though she has lived in London since the mid- 1960s. She recently told me that she was given a ticket for a game at Wembley soon after arriving in London, which is the only match she has ever been to. She had and still has no interest in football whatsoever. It was the World Cup Final in 1966.
[Post edited 1 Nov 2017 21:07]
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Memorable Matches You Have Been to NOT Involving QPR on 19:36 - Nov 2 with 3060 views
When Wembley was being refurbished, I went to the first Charity Shield game in Cardiff. Liverpool v Man United. I was in with my scouse mates by a corner flag. One of the best games I've ever seen. As you can imagine, this was no preseason friendly. Liverpool won 2-1 and Van Nistelrooy scored his first ever goal for United. I remember saying 'I'd love to see Rangers or England play here'. Done both now and seen England win twice there.
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Memorable Matches You Have Been to NOT Involving QPR on 19:57 - Nov 2 with 3044 views
Back in the 1980's, I used to go to some Fulham games with my Fulham supporting mate. They played Liverpool in the League Cup in 1983. It was a brilliant end to end match that finished 1-1. They drew the replay at Anfield and Fulham won the toss for the second replay. It was another pulsating game which Liverpool won 1-0 after extra time.
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Memorable Matches You Have Been to NOT Involving QPR on 20:21 - Nov 2 with 3021 views
Naively got dragged along to Chelsea West Ham one boxing day, 1985? by an icf mate back then. It was memorable for all the wrong reasons, but for the first time I saw a large chink of daylight through the myth of the scum. West Ham splattered them all over west London lol. The football I barely remember.
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Memorable Matches You Have Been to NOT Involving QPR on 21:14 - Nov 2 with 2989 views
My uncle, my old mans cousin, used to do commentary at Carrow Road for local hospitals and so when we visited Norfolk he got us in to matches there free. My first ever top flight game [ old 1st Div ] was Norwich v Chelsea in 1973. Norwich were facing relegation, Chelsea still had plenty of their old guard, Osgood, Harris, Bonetti, Webb etc. They were dirty, especially that little lump Harris. Norwich won 1-0, I think Graham Paddon scored, can't quite remember now. Things got tasty after the game outside the ground, with some Chelsea mob tossing a Mini car into the river nearby. Rumour quickly spread there was someone still it at the time. Another Carrow Road game came 2 or 3 years later With Norwich beating Aston Villa 5-3. Pulsating game throughout and a cracking atmosphere. One of the best if not the best non QPR game I have witnessed.
There aint half been some clever bastards.
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Memorable Matches You Have Been to NOT Involving QPR on 21:48 - Nov 2 with 2966 views
My sister’s boyfriend was a Hammer and took me to matches. I used to think him and his mates looked odd in their braces and boots.It was just after the World Cup victory and West Ham had Hurst,Peters and of course Bobby Moore. My second ever game was a 5-5 draw at Chelsea and I will never forget that match, or my third match, the 1967 League Cup Final. Hooked from then. Also remember almost being forced to go to the European Cup Finsl at Wembley to see Ajax v Panathanaikos, then being blown away by Ajax and a certain Johan Cruyff.
RIP: Sniffer, Doug and Pat
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Memorable Matches You Have Been to NOT Involving QPR on 22:08 - Nov 2 with 2947 views
Stevenage v Newcastle 2011. Boro paid them back with interest for the 1998 result. Fantastic quick passing football, played them off the pitch and amazing atmosphere under the lights, especially with the red flare on the east terrace at the start. Bizarrely, the only Newcastle player who had a good game was Joey Barton, scored a really good goal but stevenage scored their third almost straight from the kick off. Only time I saw Barton live before he signed for us.
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League Cup Final Replay 81 on 22:17 - Nov 2 with 2939 views
As a yoot i lived up north and a school friend said that the west ham team wer in a hotel nearby so we went and in the lobby was John Lyall,Trevor Brooking ,Alan Devonshire David Cross but playing the Space Invader machine was Paul Allen and Paul Goddard,so as Paul was playing i mentioned the goal he scored in the last minute at the school end ,in the rain against Swansea to make it 3-2 to Rangers and how me and my brother sung his praises all the way home with him sliding in the mud to score and he said "hold on a minute" and he went up to his room and came back with two tickets for West Ham v Liverpool league Cup Final replay @ Villa Park and Paul went on to score in that game aswell but so did Dalgish ,but as a kid these are the things that you never forget so i just like to thank Paul Goddard for making me love football..
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Memorable Matches You Have Been to NOT Involving QPR on 22:33 - Nov 2 with 2927 views
Memorable Matches You Have Been to NOT Involving QPR on 11:01 - Nov 2 by paulparker
Sunderland 4 Charlton 4 play off final 1997 went with a mackem mate in the Sunderland end
Leicester 3 - Swindon 4 play off final 1993 , had a job stewarding at Wembley, saw the whole match did naff all work
England 2 - Argentina 2 world cup 1998 , my ex girlfriends step sister worked for Fifa , got 2 tickets , surrounded by argies
I was at St.Etienne as well PP. At the end of the game there was an Argie a row in front of us that wanted to swap scarves. We wanted to swap something else.
Other memorable England games were the 0-0 in Rome that got us qualified and when we beat Spain in Euro 96 and THAT penalty.
Leaguewise there are two from my home town club Crawley (insert Boo here), firstly when we beat Northampton in the 2nd round of the FACup in front of a capacity 4,200 and then the next game 3rd round pwopa away at The Goldstone ot our local rivals with a crowd of more than 18,000. Two great occasiones although we lost the last one 5-0!
Memorable Matches You Have Been to NOT Involving QPR on 22:33 - Nov 2 by FredManRave
I was at St.Etienne as well PP. At the end of the game there was an Argie a row in front of us that wanted to swap scarves. We wanted to swap something else.
Other memorable England games were the 0-0 in Rome that got us qualified and when we beat Spain in Euro 96 and THAT penalty.
Leaguewise there are two from my home town club Crawley (insert Boo here), firstly when we beat Northampton in the 2nd round of the FACup in front of a capacity 4,200 and then the next game 3rd round pwopa away at The Goldstone ot our local rivals with a crowd of more than 18,000. Two great occasiones although we lost the last one 5-0!
Looking back Fred at that game in St Etienne It still ranks as one of the weirdest football experiences ive experienced , I arrived the morning of the game and thought it would be full of English , there was hardly a English fan insight even in the stadium there was no one there not even a pre match roar or anything , the stadium was weird it was like being at a slightly bigger HQ but surrounded by argentines ,
can I also put in Fulham 0 HAYES 2 FA CUP 1991 , game was played on a Friday night and me and about 6 mates chipped off 6th form at lunch time , there must have been every lunatic this side of west London in the Hayes end , they were the millwall of non league , it kicked off when we got off the train , it kicked off on the terraces with the police , coins flying everywhere , it kicked off with Hayes fans against each other , it was also a proper FAcup game and Hayes scored a belting 30 yard free kick which I still remember the celebration crush we ended up in the Grapes that night on the uxbridge road and got totally p1ssed up I threw up outside my window that night and it ended up on my old mums sun roof on her ford fiesta , oh how she laughed the next round we played crawley at the old Hayes ground and again it was like a scene out of apocalypse now , it kicked off again and this time it was all over the ground and outside even the crawley bus got bricked , I was gutted that Hayes got beat preventing us from a day out against Brighton , which for a 17 year old would have been the pinnacle
And Bowles is onside, Swinburne has come rushing out of his goal , what can Bowles do here , onto the left foot no, on to the right foot
That’s there that’s two, and that’s Bowles
Brian Moore
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Memorable Matches You Have Been to NOT Involving QPR on 09:59 - Nov 3 with 2843 views
Memorable Matches You Have Been to NOT Involving QPR on 20:21 - Nov 2 by Brightonhoop
Naively got dragged along to Chelsea West Ham one boxing day, 1985? by an icf mate back then. It was memorable for all the wrong reasons, but for the first time I saw a large chink of daylight through the myth of the scum. West Ham splattered them all over west London lol. The football I barely remember.
You're older than you think. They never played on Boxing Day in that period. In 1977 they played on 27th December . Early kick off for obvious reasons and as the gates opened about 150 ICF were the first ones in the Shed. I took great pleasure also in seeing them getting smashed all over the Shed for about an hour before kick off until the start of the game. That season there were games on 26th and 27th December. And before anyone asks, we were away on the 27th.
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Memorable Matches You Have Been to NOT Involving QPR on 11:19 - Nov 3 with 2815 views
August Bank Holiday Monday 1983 (I think!), back then I was a junior member at Essex CCC.
Essex had posted about 270, not great, Goochie did not get many, Fletcher may have got a ton.
The opposition Surrey came out to bat and made a very bad start. At 8-3 I think we considered the day done and a fast train back to east London. But then something very strange happened, Surrey lost 5 wickets for no runs and I remember looking at the scoreboard which read 8-8. Sylvester Clarke batting at 10, hit a four back over the bowler's head but by this stage the 14 year old me was beside myself.
It did not last much longer. Surrey 14 all out at Chelmsford.
Surrey following on the next day saved the game with some ease apparently.
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Memorable Matches You Have Been to NOT Involving QPR on 14:48 - Nov 3 with 2760 views
Memorable Matches You Have Been to NOT Involving QPR on 08:53 - Nov 3 by paulparker
Looking back Fred at that game in St Etienne It still ranks as one of the weirdest football experiences ive experienced , I arrived the morning of the game and thought it would be full of English , there was hardly a English fan insight even in the stadium there was no one there not even a pre match roar or anything , the stadium was weird it was like being at a slightly bigger HQ but surrounded by argentines ,
can I also put in Fulham 0 HAYES 2 FA CUP 1991 , game was played on a Friday night and me and about 6 mates chipped off 6th form at lunch time , there must have been every lunatic this side of west London in the Hayes end , they were the millwall of non league , it kicked off when we got off the train , it kicked off on the terraces with the police , coins flying everywhere , it kicked off with Hayes fans against each other , it was also a proper FAcup game and Hayes scored a belting 30 yard free kick which I still remember the celebration crush we ended up in the Grapes that night on the uxbridge road and got totally p1ssed up I threw up outside my window that night and it ended up on my old mums sun roof on her ford fiesta , oh how she laughed the next round we played crawley at the old Hayes ground and again it was like a scene out of apocalypse now , it kicked off again and this time it was all over the ground and outside even the crawley bus got bricked , I was gutted that Hayes got beat preventing us from a day out against Brighton , which for a 17 year old would have been the pinnacle
Yeah we got lucky in St.Etienne because we took a wrong turning on the walk to the ground and found ourselves in some didgy back streets. A group of guys clocked us and fortunately did nothing other than verbally abuse us, "I fcúk your sister" that knid of the thing but fortunately nothing else. A lucky escape.
And I was at the Hayes Crawley game as well. Pleased to get out of their alive as well as St.Etienne!
Going back to my previosuly mentioned Rome trip to the 0-0 England game in Rome, there was a slight QPR involvement and any excuse to show it as it's great;
Went to this one with an Arsenal mate I used to work with. Away end was mental and they had to open the gates at the end to avoid a Hillsbrough type situaiton developing. Great game where Spurs led for most of it beofre Arsenal turned it around with two late goals.
Also this one with a Spurs mate some years later, Gazza at his best:
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Memorable Matches You Have Been to NOT Involving QPR on 07:00 - Nov 4 with 2651 views
Back in 1987 was on a weeks training course based in Watford which required staying in a hotel for the week along with other delegates. On the one night we didn't get wasted Watford were playing Darlington in the second round of the League Cup. Dave Bassett was the new manager of Watford after the departure of Graham Taylor and was already in the process of getting them relegated. So whilst most of the crowd were singing Bassett out, there was a dozen of us standing in the Vicarge Road end singing "there's only one Harry Bassett". Watford won the match either 8-0 or 8-1, and every goal was greeted by further pro-Bassett chants.
Also with my brother, courtesy of my Dad getting a couple of tickets from QPR! went to the 1980 League Cup final between Forest and Wolves. Standing in the Forest end, Wolves won 1-0 with Andy Gray scoring. Totally shît game that was.
Just a personal thing but every club match I've ever attended that doesn't involve QPR, always feel a sense of self conscious guilt that I really shouldn't be there.
So no memorable matches but Thierry Henry hatrick in what I think was a 4-2 defeat of Liverpool in the season they may well have gone the whole season undefeated stays in the mind.
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Memorable Matches You Have Been to NOT Involving QPR on 12:42 - Nov 4 with 2567 views
Random one for me was the 1988 Simon cup final between Reading and Luton, living in Bracknell Reading was your small local side you’d go to if QPR didn’t have a game that weekend, seriously only went to give Les Sealy abuse, Reading won 4-1.
favourite cheese mature Cheddar. FFS there is no such thing as the EPL
Remember going to the Arsenal v Liverpool game in the 67-68 season, the late Tony Hately, father of our mate Mark, scored with a bullet like header from a corner, only problem it was from an Arsenal corner and Tony had scored an horrific own goal
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Memorable Matches You Have Been to NOT Involving QPR on 13:29 - Nov 4 with 2556 views
Slough Town 1 Millwall 0, Nov 82. Ooof. If you were there you will know, if you were not, lucky you..
I had a Saturday job at Bejam's, was just returning to the shop in The Queensmere Shopping centre with a trolley, a bunch of Millwall fans knocked me over, took the trolley and lobbed it through the window..
Went inside the store, took my wages, gave em back the overall, binned the job and decided to join my mates a few miles away at the ground. Some well known Hoolies from all over at that game I heard much later. Mental day.., was aggro all day long, but when Slough scored with, I think 2 mins left, it just exploded.. Scary stuff.
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Memorable Matches You Have Been to NOT Involving QPR on 06:57 - Nov 6 with 2421 views
La Paz, Bolivia sometime in September 2002. A state final between Bolivar and the Strongest (seriously, a team is called that). I'm sat with QPR mate to my left and to my right, a local who upon learning I was English, decided to spend the first half uttering Los Holligans, Los Holligans at me!
It's an incredible stadium, the second highest above sea level and with mountains around it and sky so blue at this elevation, the stadium was packed out and as these teams hate each other apparently, there was a real fiery atmos inside the ground.
First half, nothing special. One-all and then a Bolivar striker got a penalty when in actual fact, he should have got an Oscar for best dive. He gets up off his death bed, converts the pen and Bolivar take the lead. Just as the Strongest are about to resume, their keeper, who had been going nuts about the injustice could contain himself no more and so, he didn't; running to the half way line and promptly and justifiably I may add, chinning the striker that had caused his ire.
Next thing, it's going off all over the pitch for several minutes until the officials, managers/trainers (subs were all involved) and coppers managed to broker a peace deal that would allow the game to continue. Or, so we thought.
The ref about to inhale for a second time to restart the game, was powerless to prevent the keeper - who I think only got booked - from going after his man. Well whatever the first skirmish was like, it was handbags compared to what followed. Where once there were officials seeking to clam things down, they were now at it. All 22 players, subs, and anyone on the bench were trading. Not sure the linos weren't get a few in as well.
The police came, promptly gave up and called for reinforcements...in the form of the army! Now with the local constabulary bolstered by a small battalion of Bolivia's finest, they systematically went about breaking up the many fracas taking place. The sight of men with guns seem to quell things and eventually, the keeper was red carded and marched off by several members of the local defence forces.
Body parts checked, people returned to benches, a few laughs and then numbers counted arriving at 21 on the pitch the ref inhaled and play finally resumed. Whereupon I turned to the man to my right and simply uttered with the smugest smile imaginable 'Los Hooligans'.
We did eventually get to the 90 minute mark, despite a good 10 minutes of fight time. And when we did, the officials, and probably quite wisely, decided two minutes was enough injury time.
Thing is, a few years later, another QPR mate attended the same state final, featuring the same teams and recanted, virtually word for word, that which you've just read above!
'Always In Motion' by John Honney available on amazon.co.uk
Memorable Matches You Have Been to NOT Involving QPR on 00:34 - Nov 4 by SydneyRs
Went to this one with an Arsenal mate I used to work with. Away end was mental and they had to open the gates at the end to avoid a Hillsbrough type situaiton developing. Great game where Spurs led for most of it beofre Arsenal turned it around with two late goals.
Also this one with a Spurs mate some years later, Gazza at his best:
I was at the first one of them, Sydney, and I think the second as well.
My brother deserted the R's as a young 'in and ended up eventually supporting Arsenal so if Rangers didn't have a game in the late 80's I'd sometimes go with him.
That first game was shocking, but riveting drama. I remember the crush. We took it for granted. Seemed to happen every time Rangers went there, too.
I think we got in to the second game through a dodgy turnstile operator. We lived locally and we often used to get in for a bit of cash. The problem was that his turnstile led to the posh seats so you'd spend the game dodging stewards and explaining that you'd lost your ticket.
Both games had some fine players performing at the top of their game combined with some rank-average journeymen who wouldn't cut it today, and both games featured fine goalkeepers making horrendous errors.
"The opposite of love, after all, is not hate, but indifference."
Memorable Matches You Have Been to NOT Involving QPR on 10:12 - Nov 4 by stevec
Just a personal thing but every club match I've ever attended that doesn't involve QPR, always feel a sense of self conscious guilt that I really shouldn't be there.
So no memorable matches but Thierry Henry hatrick in what I think was a 4-2 defeat of Liverpool in the season they may well have gone the whole season undefeated stays in the mind.
Me, too! I feel dirty!
"The opposite of love, after all, is not hate, but indifference."
Spent a year abroad in Italy as part of my studies so was fortunate to see a couple of Serie A games in the San Siro, Stadio Olimpico, and quite few at Vicenza as they were the closest top division team to where I was living. Will always remember seeing the likes of Baggio and the original Ronaldo score.
Milan v Juve at the San Siro was pretty special, although given the talent on display the two goals scored were fairly Sunday League...Massimo Taibi at his finest!
The local side were Padova who were in Serie B, absolute garbage that season and ended up relegated (not dissimilar to the QPR team of that era!!). Only bright light was a young Vincenzo Iaquinta they managed to get in on loan.
Although the SPL isn't really football, Celtic 6-2 Rangers (the hun ones) in 2000 was a cracker. Played at about 100 miles an hour throughout to backdrop of sheer agg, just as a derby should be. Henrik Larsson was one classy striker.
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Memorable Matches You Have Been to NOT Involving QPR on 23:18 - Nov 6 with 2225 views
Memorable Matches You Have Been to NOT Involving QPR on 08:27 - Nov 6 by BrianMcCarthy
I was at the first one of them, Sydney, and I think the second as well.
My brother deserted the R's as a young 'in and ended up eventually supporting Arsenal so if Rangers didn't have a game in the late 80's I'd sometimes go with him.
That first game was shocking, but riveting drama. I remember the crush. We took it for granted. Seemed to happen every time Rangers went there, too.
I think we got in to the second game through a dodgy turnstile operator. We lived locally and we often used to get in for a bit of cash. The problem was that his turnstile led to the posh seats so you'd spend the game dodging stewards and explaining that you'd lost your ticket.
Both games had some fine players performing at the top of their game combined with some rank-average journeymen who wouldn't cut it today, and both games featured fine goalkeepers making horrendous errors.
Yes the first game was more about the atmosphere, excitement and the late turnaround than the quality of football. The Arsenal end was certainly the place to be in that respect.I had been to WHL many times with QPR and with a Spurs mate to other games when we were away. I'd never seen the Spurs crowd so fired up as they were for this one agains their biggest rivals. You don't really get that type of atmosphere any more.
Ah the old slip the turnstile guy a few quid trick. My Dad got into a few twickenham 5 nations England v Ireland games using that one.
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Memorable Matches You Have Been to NOT Involving QPR on 00:09 - Nov 7 with 2210 views
Memorable Matches You Have Been to NOT Involving QPR on 20:15 - Nov 6 by GroveR
Although the SPL isn't really football, Celtic 6-2 Rangers (the hun ones) in 2000 was a cracker. Played at about 100 miles an hour throughout to backdrop of sheer agg, just as a derby should be. Henrik Larsson was one classy striker.
Cracking game in Martin O'Neill's first derby. Celtic were just emerging from a long period of Rangers dominance and this thrashing was extremely satisfying and long overdue.
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