As there seems to be quite a lot of doom and gloom around the place, I thought I would try and lighten it up a lot little with some good football nostalgia.
I got thinking about this when my son got in from playing football yesterday, and I was cooking Sunday roast and he tossed his dirty stuff in a pile and boots in the back yard. Still there now.
I always remember playing Sunday league football, then getting in to the smell of Sunday roast throughout the house. Watching the big match on a Sunday (the one full live game of the week), watching bullseye then having a bath. The whole day used to revolve around the main part, playing and watching football.
Between the ages of 11 and about 17/18, I used to get up early on matchdays, but not to drink, but just the excitement of a match day. The whole build up, meeting up with mates, perhaps a kick about before getting to the ground, watching the players arrive and the turnstiles to open. 13:15 and in place with your mates on the terraces, just messing about and singing. Teams would come out and you could bearly get your hands out from your sides, to get them about your head to clap the teams out. Score and be suspended on a barrier.
Then bus home, for fish and chips with the family!
Amazing times.
I wanted this to be a thread about sharing memories, (I have loads more) and pictures of the good old days, the GOOD memories that make you warm and fuzzy about football.
Used to love these as well. The start of every season, updating them every week. Also used to use them for my own FA Cup draw when I played dice football.
When I was 14-15 me, my dad and his mate used to go to away games together, and our usual mode of transport was their works van, a 2 seater escort van I think, which meant I had to get in the back with all the tools. It was cramped, cold and uncomfortable but totally worth it, especially when they used to sneak me a beer or 2 when we got to the pub. Good times
When I moved away from Southampton to live in Guildford for the first time in 1996, I used to travel back to Guildford via Reading with a good mate of mine.
We used to get to Southampton around 12 and go to pot black in the centre of town. Play a few frames of snooker, have a few beers and a basket of chicken and chips, then head off to The Dell. I kept my membership for 3 years after moving away, just to meet up or travel down together, so we could play snooker! Sometimes we would go to,Teds Chippy before the game and grab an Ugly Inside from the Bedford.
I used to play Sunday league - New Forest Div 2 - afternoons for Testbourne Fc
Position - right back, none of those current wing back fancy pants positions. Honest, but agricultural was my approach.
We were mostly shit, but had a great time.
Game I most remember was playing down the Shore Road playing field in Hythe against a local team, cant remember their name but my cousin was on their side along with a few mates.
They were expecting a walkover but I don’t know what they put in our beer, but from the whistle we were all over them, they couldn’t touch us. Our "striker knocked in two and then the team took it in turns to score…even our goalie.
It finished 11:0 to us and only one of our side didn’t score.
This reminds me of when I played up front for Bassett Rovers, and it was freezing, hail storm the lot. I think we lost 11-0 and I just stood on my own up front and never saw the ball, I asked to be substituted, but I doubt they would have noticed, if I fucked off home.
My favourite footballing moments were playing for the Black Cat around 94/95 against my old team Test Valley and I scored the winner in the last minute. Test Valley were one of the best Sunday league teams at the time.
My other one was a hatrick I scored on my debut for Bishopstoke, who my house mate was the manager of. I think I played a couple more games, then got dropped and then I left the club, to move to Guildford.
I used to drink one or 2 pints before every game I played back then.
Good read this is, from one of my many Southampton books. I would let you all know what it is, but have packed it in a box and silled it, so you will have to wait until I unpack on 11th February.
I used to do a paperound for a Newsagents on Bedford Place and managed to obtain 2 whole boxes of panini stickers. I still did not manage to complete the book and had to send off for the missing ones. Used to be all about the foil badges and team photos.
I collected these for about 5/6 years every season, but only every completed 1, the one I spent less only on. Used to love the smell of them. Used to stick the duplicates around the flats near the cricket on said paper round…, oh the fun!
No replica kits, no league football on TV… in fact noTV for several years.
I was brought up in “Austerity Britain” of the 1950s. There was lots my parents couldn’t afford on £10 a week to raise 3 kids but 9 pence for entrance to watch my Division 3 South heroes wasn’t one of them.
My dad took me to the Dell from about the age of 6 years. He worked on Saturdays so my mates dad took us to most games in his luxurious Ford Prefect (JFS 238).
Was looking through the match programme and on the player sponsor page alongside James Beattie’s sponsor - Test Valley Carpets (wtf?!) was a short article on Neil Moss’ sponsor Internet Saints Supporters Club
Does anyone remember that, or even sign up for it? I have a vision of Pap running it on his old 286
Silk scarfs one on each wrist walking up from the Hythe ferry to the Dell late 70’s had to be done, and a black leather bomber jacket over the saints shirt.
The purpose of a scarf is to keep you warm. It is kind of like the scarf that a woman wears, which is just for show, and assessory. I had one for this very cup final, and tied it around my wrist, well cool 16 year old ha ha.
