I wasn't there but we played Grimsby I think it was 1997, around February on a bad run, and legend has it there were 42 there. We had 2 men sent off and lost 2-0. If you had told anyone that 18 months later they'd be going to Highbury for a league match they would have had you certified.
I used to work with a Port Vale fan who reckoned he drove to Exeter for a new years day game and the away section consisted of him, his Dad and Uncle, 3 Police Horses and about 20 OB, this was after the PV suporters coach conked out on the way.
the funny thing is there are certain games you would expect to be really poor turn outs at but although not fantastic were actually not as bad as one would have thought .
Cambridge and Brighton in the full members/zenith/simod cup spring to mind
the Brighton one was about a week before christmas 1990 and there was a snow storm on that open terrace .
Cambridge I remember having to jump on a mail train back as it went to penaltys
[cite]Posted By: buckshee[/cite]the funny thing is there are certain games you would expect to be really poor turn outs at but although not fantastic were actually not as bad as one would have thought .
Cambridge and Brighton in the full members/zenith/simod cup spring to mind
the Brighton one was about a week before christmas 1990 and there was a snow storm on that open terrace .
Cambridge I remember having to jump on a mail train back as it went to penaltys
Middlesborough away in 1987 - Early December, about -40 degrees with the wind chill off the north sea. The covered away end behind the goal at Ayresome Park was condemed and about 70 of us were stuck in the corner. It was so cold the Teeside Old Bill felt sorry for us and let us into the condemed stand for some protection. We made enough noise for about 500 and went on to win 3-1. If I remember rightly, Teeside Old Bill wrote to the Club praising us for our attitude and behaviour.
I'm sure a few more will spring to mind.[/quote]
I remember the Boro game (was at Uni in Sheffield). At half time the only place to get a hot drink was a police transit van. They had a board accross the drivers seat and were making a healthy sale of warm bovril. Someone behind me asked if they were selling pies; another bloke in the queue said that he should try the ambulance parked nearby.
Its funny but when you have a small turnout you feel like you really mean something to the team- evryone knew each other as it was always the same old faces on the coaches. I was at a lot of the games above (Tranmere, Grimsby, Boro) and despite the poor results they were good days out.
The smallest away following must surely have been in the days when Luton didn't let in away fans but I heard stories that Charlton fans had managed to sneak in- anybody on here ever manage it? It would have been between 1985 and 1988 I think.
[quote] The smallest away following must surely have been in the days when Luton didn't let in away fans but I heard stories that Charlton fans had managed to sneak in- anybody on here ever manage it? It would have been between 1985 and 1988 I think.[/quote]
I worked with a Gooner who had a mate who lived in Luton - he got a members card, and with that you could get 4 guest tickets as well as entry yourself. As a matter of principle he'd lend it to any other fans they met who wanted to use it (apart from spurs!). He sorted tickets for me and my mates one year, and there were plenty of familiar faces inside the ground, but with their plastic pitch it was an almost certain defeat, away support or not. Still, there was a certain satisfaction in beating the ban, it was noticeable that none of the card readers were working which seemed to be normal.
The next time I tried to get in there, we drove to Luton the saturday before the match, and found the gooner had given me the previous years card by mistake - net result I was told to get lost by their ticket office, bogus accent and all. Mind you it was the 5-2 beating so maybe he did me a favour.
Of the aforementioned I was at Tranmere, Sheff Utd, Bury and Notts County, I was nearly at Burnley - got all the way to Turf Moor for the called off game, and couldn't make it to the rearranged game.
Hereford away in the league cup after we had won 3-1 at "home" in the first leg was a bit sparse as I recall, as was a replay at Bradford in the FA cup later that season.
Also recall a night game in the p***ing rain at the Hawthornes where we lost 2-0 that was a bit roomy.
Oh yeah, and the away game at Oldham that ended our record 10 game losing streak in 1990.
Was at a few of these that have already been listed.
Grimsby away - Rufus & Kinsella sent off. I remember it was at a time when they used to print away followings in the programme. Don't remember the aforementioned 42, do no it was less than 100 though. Went back there on a Friday night and got there at half-time - won 5-2. Don't think we have ever taken more than 200 to Blundell Park.
Bury away league cup - horrible place.
Burnley away - league cup I actually thought it was nearer to 20!!.
Remember a game at Stoke (Victoria Ground) on a Tuesday night, think we lost 2-0. Our driver that night got done for speeding by the Essex police. Made a real howler when they stopped us on the M11 at just after 11.30pm. they asked where we had been, he says "Stoke"....copper raises his eyebrows and says "nothing wrong with our speed camera then" Average over 3 miles was 99.6mph!!!.
Everton in the full members cup QF - what a night that was. My claim to fame is that I went to every game in that cup run!.
Finally - went to Lincoln in the league cup with the Junior Reds. Can't have been more than 50 there that night.
[cite]Posted By: Clem_Snide[/cite]Everton in the full members cup QF - what a night that was. My claim to fame is that I went to every game in that cup run!.
One not quite full Bill Treadgold coach and a few privateers, Won on penalties. The coach got stopped by the OB on the way back because someone was. allegedly, making abusive gestures to Evertonians from the back window
My brother and I were in the Luton end the night we were banned and lost 5-2. There were a lot of familiar faces. The game was a disaster but the journey was an adventure. I knew a Millwall fan who managed to get a members ticket for Kenilworth that season. We got in via him. I remember as we got of the train at Luton, I was pulled aside by the OB as were others on the platform periodically and was asked who Luton's goalkeeper was. Bit of a trick question as it was Les Sealey but by then it was Alec Chamberlain - piece of piss.
Was at the Burnden Park Bolton game too.
I think there was no more than a 100 at Blundell Park when we beat Grimsby 1-0 in 1994/95. Robson scored. Think there was only 3,000 in the ground. And we got chased down the road by loads of fisherman nutters!
Comments
I used to work with a Port Vale fan who reckoned he drove to Exeter for a new years day game and the away section consisted of him, his Dad and Uncle, 3 Police Horses and about 20 OB, this was after the PV suporters coach conked out on the way.
Cambridge and Brighton in the full members/zenith/simod cup spring to mind
the Brighton one was about a week before christmas 1990 and there was a snow storm on that open terrace .
Cambridge I remember having to jump on a mail train back as it went to penaltys
yep agree went to both of them
Middlesborough away in 1987 - Early December, about -40 degrees with the wind chill off the north sea. The covered away end behind the goal at Ayresome Park was condemed and about 70 of us were stuck in the corner. It was so cold the Teeside Old Bill felt sorry for us and let us into the condemed stand for some protection. We made enough noise for about 500 and went on to win 3-1. If I remember rightly, Teeside Old Bill wrote to the Club praising us for our attitude and behaviour.
I'm sure a few more will spring to mind.[/quote]
I remember the Boro game (was at Uni in Sheffield). At half time the only place to get a hot drink was a police transit van. They had a board accross the drivers seat and were making a healthy sale of warm bovril. Someone behind me asked if they were selling pies; another bloke in the queue said that he should try the ambulance parked nearby.
200 seats or so in what was an area normally reserved for disabled supporters.
Its funny reading this thread, loads of games I went to when we had a far worse squad than we do now, but was enjoyable.
I cant even muster the enthusiasm to go to QPR next week.
The smallest away following must surely have been in the days when Luton didn't let in away fans but I heard stories that Charlton fans had managed to sneak in- anybody on here ever manage it? It would have been between 1985 and 1988 I think.
I went along with about 10 others most of them working for the woolwich post office.
When we scored I would say there was at least 100 charlton in little groups all over the nearly empty terrace.
If you listen to the end of the season video when we score is sounds louder then the Luton fans!!
The smallest away following must surely have been in the days when Luton didn't let in away fans but I heard stories that Charlton fans had managed to sneak in- anybody on here ever manage it? It would have been between 1985 and 1988 I think.[/quote]
I worked with a Gooner who had a mate who lived in Luton - he got a members card, and with that you could get 4 guest tickets as well as entry yourself. As a matter of principle he'd lend it to any other fans they met who wanted to use it (apart from spurs!). He sorted tickets for me and my mates one year, and there were plenty of familiar faces inside the ground, but with their plastic pitch it was an almost certain defeat, away support or not. Still, there was a certain satisfaction in beating the ban, it was noticeable that none of the card readers were working which seemed to be normal.
The next time I tried to get in there, we drove to Luton the saturday before the match, and found the gooner had given me the previous years card by mistake - net result I was told to get lost by their ticket office, bogus accent and all. Mind you it was the 5-2 beating so maybe he did me a favour.
The first game was called off a few mintues before kickoff due to the fog.
No more than 40-50 CAFC at the game to watch us play in Oldhams away kit.
Archdeacon the final minute. 1-1.
Hereford away in the league cup after we had won 3-1 at "home" in the first leg was a bit sparse as I recall, as was a replay at Bradford in the FA cup later that season.
Also recall a night game in the p***ing rain at the Hawthornes where we lost 2-0 that was a bit roomy.
Oh yeah, and the away game at Oldham that ended our record 10 game losing streak in 1990.
Grimsby away - Rufus & Kinsella sent off. I remember it was at a time when they used to print away followings in the programme. Don't remember the aforementioned 42, do no it was less than 100 though. Went back there on a Friday night and got there at half-time - won 5-2. Don't think we have ever taken more than 200 to Blundell Park.
Bury away league cup - horrible place.
Burnley away - league cup I actually thought it was nearer to 20!!.
Remember a game at Stoke (Victoria Ground) on a Tuesday night, think we lost 2-0. Our driver that night got done for speeding by the Essex police. Made a real howler when they stopped us on the M11 at just after 11.30pm. they asked where we had been, he says "Stoke"....copper raises his eyebrows and says "nothing wrong with our speed camera then" Average over 3 miles was 99.6mph!!!.
Everton in the full members cup QF - what a night that was. My claim to fame is that I went to every game in that cup run!.
Finally - went to Lincoln in the league cup with the Junior Reds. Can't have been more than 50 there that night.
One not quite full Bill Treadgold coach and a few privateers, Won on penalties. The coach got stopped by the OB on the way back because someone was. allegedly, making abusive gestures to Evertonians from the back window
The first game was called off a few mintues before kickoff due to the fog.
No more than 40-50 CAFC at the game to watch us play in Oldhams away kit.
Archdeacon the final minute. 1-1.[/quote]
I was at the original game that got called off we stopped to watch Preston Play in the Paint Pot cup instead.
Was at the Burnden Park Bolton game too.
I think there was no more than a 100 at Blundell Park when we beat Grimsby 1-0 in 1994/95. Robson scored. Think there was only 3,000 in the ground. And we got chased down the road by loads of fisherman nutters!