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Football Focus


S.A.C Martin
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4 hours ago, TheSignalEngineer said:

Worst experience I had was Villa playing at Plymouth around 1971. There were only a few of us there, no motorway south of the M50 in those days so a 5am start to get there on the club coach. There were about 50 of us behind one goal where the police had guided us to stand. They warned us we were about to be attacked and gave us some instructions. About 100 Plymouth fans ran across the pitch and on the instructions of the Inspector in charge we made a rapid move stage left as they came over the wall. Behind us were a couple of dozen baton waving Devonport constables and two dogs. In retaliation they ambushed and bricked our coach as we left the ground.

 

Thank goodness those days are behind us. I know we still have problems now but in the main football is a much nicer, accessible, welcoming place now. There is work to do but it has improved markedly from the dark days when Maggie labelled all football fans as hooligans. I wasn't around to watch football in the lowest points in the 1970s and '80s, but from the tales me dad tells of watching Darlo at Feethams, it obviously spread to to the smallest and most friendly of clubs. Never mind some of the carry-on he tells me of occurring at St James Park, Roker Park and Ayresome Park. Sadly it was all just accepted as part of the 'experience' of watching football back then. 

 

I didn't bother with the Europa League final last night. To be honest I couldn't face it! I was disappointed with the result, as I would have preferred Arsenal to win, but conversely, happy for Sarri given the level of abuse and criticism he has been subject to this season, most of which has come from the Chelsea fans. As a neutral, I really think that both Sarri and Emery have done well this season, faced with the huge job of turning a club around. That's particularly true for Emery after over 20 years of Wenger ruling the roost. I know they fell away somewhat at the end of the campaign, but I hope he gets the time and investment needed to improve things - it will definitely take a few transfer windows to refresh the team.

 

It seems the Chelsea fans want Sarri out regardless of the successful season. I just wonder what some fans want and expect, it sometimes just feels so unrealistic at the top........ To be honest, if he did get the chance of the Juventus job, then I think he should jump at the chance. Bigger club, more successful and he may stand a chance of the fans taking to him and giving him some credit. I would certainly go if I was in that situation!

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I went to Cardiff (once) and I think there was a competition between the police and the home fans as to who could be the most obnoxious.

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12 minutes ago, BoD said:

I went to Cardiff (once) and I think there was a competition between the police and the home fans as to who could be the most obnoxious.

try visiting Bramhall Lane or Hillsborough  syp do not have a false reputation you would think we  are still in the mid eighties they way they treat visiting supporters 

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4 hours ago, peanuts said:

try visiting Bramhall Lane or Hillsborough  syp do not have a false reputation you would think we  are still in the mid eighties they way they treat visiting supporters 

 

Not pedantry but pride.

It's Bramall Lane.

 

Mike.

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20 hours ago, peanuts said:

try visiting Bramhall Lane or Hillsborough  syp do not have a false reputation you would think we  are still in the mid eighties they way they treat visiting supporters 

And Barnsley, of course! I can remember going there (the one where the lights went out at half-time and Roger Palmer scored the winner in the gloom), as I recall, the police were deployed in depth at the away end. I think that was one of the occasions dad was driving and it seemed to take forever to get there.

 

But yes, South Yorks Police were good at crowd control.......especially after 1984

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On 30/05/2019 at 15:28, peanuts said:

syp do not have a false reputation you would think we  are still in the mid eighties they way they treat visiting supporters 

 

7 hours ago, 62613 said:

But yes, South Yorks Police were good at crowd control.......especially after 1984

 

The less said about that lot the better, whether in relation to the strike or football. 

 

Well on a more positive note, it looks like there is hope for my own club and we might be back from the brink. Remains to be seen what league we will be playing in, with a final decision having to be made by a week tomorrow at the latest, but hopefully the deal is tied up and we will still have a club to support! Thank goodness it appears we have got rid of those rogues.

 

https://www.gateshead-fc.com/club-statement-ownership-update-4/

 

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7 hours ago, 62613 said:

And Barnsley, of course! I can remember going there (the one where the lights went out at half-time and Roger Palmer scored the winner in the gloom), as I recall, the police were deployed in depth at the away end. I think that was one of the occasions dad was driving and it seemed to take forever to get there.

 

But yes, South Yorks Police were good at crowd control.......especially after 1984

and you dont remember our trip by train to Barnsley  the one where lack of syp at the station after the game cost me several teeth 

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1 hour ago, south_tyne said:

 

 

The less said about that lot the better, whether in relation to the strike or football. 

 

Well on a more positive note, it looks like there is hope for my own club and we might be back from the brink. Remains to be seen what league we will be playing in, with a final decision having to be made by a week tomorrow at the latest, but hopefully the deal is tied up and we will still have a club to support! Thank goodness it appears we have got rid of those rogues.

 

https://www.gateshead-fc.com/club-statement-ownership-update-4/

 

 

Fingers crossed then.

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Peanuts your name reminded me of going to Spurs in the early 70's.  I went to NSTS Gravesend and each fortnightly intake was subjected to being called "peanuts" for the first 2 weeks.  The call out from older boys was either "peanuts" or "peanuts you aint ever going home."  Each time you got shouted at it automatically made you look round.

Stood on the terraces at Spurs and the peanut seller used to wander around up and down the terrace shouting "peanuts".  It took me a while to ignore it.

 

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2 minutes ago, lightengine said:

Peanuts your name reminded me of going to Spurs in the early 70's.  I went to NSTS Gravesend and each fortnightly intake was subjected to being called "peanuts" for the first 2 weeks.  The call out from older boys was either "peanuts" or "peanuts you aint ever going home."  Each time you got shouted at it automatically made you look round.

Stood on the terraces at Spurs and the peanut seller used to wander around up and down the terrace shouting "peanuts".  It took me a while to ignore it.

 

 

Good grief that has stirred memories.

 

I remember Roker Park back then. No seats at the ends and so packed you had to take turns to breath.  The peanut seller couldn’t venture into the crowd so would wander along between the pitch and the crowd.  Someone would through him a tanner, or whatever, and he would throw the bag of peanuts in the rough direction from which the tanner came.  Amazingly the bag always found its way back to the buyer.

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2 hours ago, south_tyne said:

 

 

The less said about that lot the better, whether in relation to the strike or football. 

 

Well on a more positive note, it looks like there is hope for my own club and we might be back from the brink. Remains to be seen what league we will be playing in, with a final decision having to be made by a week tomorrow at the latest, but hopefully the deal is tied up and we will still have a club to support! Thank goodness it appears we have got rid of those rogues.

 

https://www.gateshead-fc.com/club-statement-ownership-update-4/

 

I know exactly what Gateshead fans are going through! Good luck and I hope you keep your current league status! We were thrown to step 9 as I'm sure you know, certainly was interesting playing in the Northern league for a season!!!

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40 minutes ago, 43110andyb said:

I know exactly what Gateshead fans are going through! Good luck and I hope you keep your current league status! We were thrown to step 9 as I'm sure you know, certainly was interesting playing in the Northern league for a season!!!

 

Yes I feel your pain very personally and have a track record..... Me dad was a Darlington supporter and went religiously from the late 1960s onwards. I too grew up following Darlo and hardly missed a home game at Feethams from the late '90s through to the club leaving for the Arena. Wonderful times and undoubtedly my happiest football-watching days. We were very bitter about that decision to leave our home and felt that out club had been snatched away and ruined by Mr Reynolds; the subsequent upheaval was heartbreaking. The biggest mistake the club ever made was leaving Feethams.... that man has so much to answer for. As you will well be aware, now a posh housing estate sits on top of all those memories :cray_mini2:  Blackwell Meadows does a job but unfortunately it isn't the best environment for watching football and, strictly in my humble opinion, has never felt like a proper home. Although at least The Tin Shed was saved! 

 

Once Darlo reformed in the Northern League we got to see them play all over the North East... great times and it was a real boost to the league with fantastic attendances and intense local rivalry. Just need to make that final push back to the National League and eventually the Football League. Hopefully next season will be better than the one just gone and there is room for optimism with with new manager and fresh start. The NLN is such a tough division though, full of massive teams.

 

So back to Gateshead, when the supporters club were in talks about forming a new club a few weeks ago it was anticipated that entry would be in NL1, same as The Quakers started out at again. Hopefully the indications are that it won't be necessary now but, given the last few weeks, it wouldn't surprise me if there are further twists in the tale. 

 

Who would be a football fan!?! :sorry_mini:

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1 hour ago, south_tyne said:

 

Yes I feel your pain very personally and have a track record..... Me dad was a Darlington supporter and went religiously from the late 1960s onwards. I too grew up following Darlo and hardly missed a home game at Feethams from the late '90s through to the club leaving for the Arena. Wonderful times and undoubtedly my happiest football-watching days. We were very bitter about that decision to leave our home and felt that out club had been snatched away and ruined by Mr Reynolds; the subsequent upheaval was heartbreaking. The biggest mistake the club ever made was leaving Feethams.... that man has so much to answer for. As you will well be aware, now a posh housing estate sits on top of all those memories :cray_mini2:  Blackwell Meadows does a job but unfortunately it isn't the best environment for watching football and, strictly in my humble opinion, has never felt like a proper home. Although at least The Tin Shed was saved! 

 

Once Darlo reformed in the Northern League we got to see them play all over the North East... great times and it was a real boost to the league with fantastic attendances and intense local rivalry. Just need to make that final push back to the National League and eventually the Football League. Hopefully next season will be better than the one just gone and there is room for optimism with with new manager and fresh start. The NLN is such a tough division though, full of massive teams.

 

So back to Gateshead, when the supporters club were in talks about forming a new club a few weeks ago it was anticipated that entry would be in NL1, same as The Quakers started out at again. Hopefully the indications are that it won't be necessary now but, given the last few weeks, it wouldn't surprise me if there are further twists in the tale. 

 

Who would be a football fan!?! :sorry_mini:

We must have been at the same games many times as I have only missed a handful of games since 1992 when I started to  attend games! 

   I never thought I would see let alone stand in the tin shed again after that last game at Feethams!

 

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7 minutes ago, 43110andyb said:

We must have been at the same games many times as I have only missed a handful of games since 1992 when I started raptors attend games! 

   I never thought I would see let alone stand in the tin shed again after that last game at Feethams!

 

 

Love it! Definitely, I was a regular from about 1995 and hardly missed a game from 1998 until the end. Me dad always waxes lyrical about the Conference promotion season as being his highlight.... before my time! Mind, whilst still looking back on it with nostalgia, he also talks of watching some absolute dross over the years too, particularly in the 1970s, with 1971 being the low point evidently!

 

Yes happy memories... the epic derbys against the Poolies, great matches against York and Carlisle too. Then the two play-off finals at Wembley, sadly both of which ended in defeat. Bittersweet occasions, especially that wet Friday night against Peterborough. In that last season a great game against Hull stands out - we thumped them, with Barry Conlon scorer a fantastic 'in off the underside of the bar' goal to seal a fantastic victory. How times have changed in those 15 years... shows how the fortunes of two clubs can diverge so drastically. We saw some cracking games and Feethams was a wonderful place for watching football. I'm conflicted about ideas to return to the Arena, it is not a site of happy memories, but The Quakers really need to be back in a purpose built football venue (even if the location out on Neasham Rd isn't the most central).  

 

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I know it's a massive game tonight but I think the media outlets are maybe dragging it out a little.... over 12 hours of pre-match coverage on 5 Live is even more chat than I can take about one game! :pardon_mini: I must admit I have flicked over to the cricket to listen to the New Zealand game instead just for a bit of a break!

 

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What a shame football doesn't have a playoff like the rugby union premiership.  Spurs might have been Premier League champions if the top 4 played off.  27 points behind?  Nothing!

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40 minutes ago, lightengine said:

What a shame football doesn't have a playoff like the rugby union premiership.  Spurs might have been Premier League champions if the top 4 played off.  27 points behind?  Nothing!

 

Playoffs are boring ;-) 

 

 

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19 hours ago, BoD said:

 

Good grief that has stirred memories.

 

I remember Roker Park back then. No seats at the ends and so packed you had to take turns to breath.  The peanut seller couldn’t venture into the crowd so would wander along between the pitch and the crowd.  Someone would through him a tanner, or whatever, and he would throw the bag of peanuts in the rough direction from which the tanner came.  Amazingly the bag always found its way back to the buyer.

Aye, "Peanuts, tanner a bag" was part of the experience at Roker Park and almost as familiar a cry as ''Monty for England''. Somehow that ground, with a majority of spectators standing all round the pitch, seemed to have an atmosphere that doesn't seem to have fully transferred to the Stadium of Light.

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Female Spurs fan interviewed on R5Live this morning.  She said she had married a Gooner, when asked what team her 4 kids supported, she replied she wouldn't have given birth to a Gooner.

Made me chuckle.

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NOT !

 

A poor final.

Liverpool, pretty awful for most of the match. Lucky start with the penalty.

Spurs, has most of the possession, but didn't dominate. Completely toothless upfront.

 

Nobody deserved to win.

 

 

 

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I suppose it was somewhat inevitable after all that hype and build-up but that was a very poor game of football and a disappointing climax to what has been a fantastic European Cup competition and wonderful season in general. Both for the players and spectators I am just pleased it didn't go to extra time and penalties. Pleased for Klopp but extremely disappointed for Poch as I would have loved him to break that trophy duck. 

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