Yes folks, it’s yet another international break so this time round MFW thought we’d ask our readers which has been your favourite Norwich City match and, as ever, why.
Of course, your favourite match may not even involve City at all as I’ll delve into later. Anyway, to give plenty of scope to all of us, here’s my starter for three.
Bayern Munich away [it could easily have been at home but I’m going for the away version]. Why? I was there, we shocked them, and I had a fantastic time and all on company expenses apart from an internal flight. And there was that insignificant little strike from Jerry Goss of course. Then partying afterwards with shell-shocked City fans who could not believe what we had achieved. I don’t think I could ever top that experience and doubt I ever will.
Sunderland in the 1985 Milk Cup Final. Sure the atmosphere was terrific but retrospectively the game itself was cr@p. But we won the trophy, our first [and so far only] meaningful one in the days when the competition was still respected without a second-string selection in place in any round. Others are fully entitled to select a certain semi-final second leg of course, but I said I’d offer just three and I’ll stick to it. I was sorely tempted though.
Middlesbrough in the Play-Off Final. As soon as Cameron Jerome did his stuff, we all knew we were going to win. Didn’t we? And so much was at stake. That match passed in pretty much of a blur to me and seeing so many people there I knew before and after the game made it even better. I couldn’t say what time a certain well-known Broadland pub shut its doors that Sunday night – I got home at a reasonable time in deference to Mrs P and what was at the time our only dog. I think they were both as excited as I was, although Geezer the Patterdale might just have been pleased to see me.
So, please let us know your choices – you’re free to agree with mine or even better select a few of your own.
I hinted earlier that some of our more memorable personal matches might not even involve Norwich City at all and here’s why.
My first ever match was City versus Plymouth in 1967. I was nine, stood on what I think was the River End, saw very little and can only remember that we played in yellow and green, Argyle sported green and white and we won 2-0. No change kits in those days unless it was essential as there were no sponsors names on the shirts. Oh how the times have changed.
Everyone claims they vividly remember their first game, but I barely can. However, I’ll never forget my second.
Dad was good mates with a very successful butcher called Johnny Downes who I think supplied Spurs with meat for their Chantecler club and often got buckshee tickets for White Hart Lane. His son Robert was into space rockets and stuff so when he had three freebies, he took me and Dad with him. Posh seats in the nine bobs behind the North Bank. Dad said I could come as I’d proved myself at Carrow Road.
Spurs scored and there was a nasty stabbing incident on the North Bank right in front of us.
As a serving [if off-duty] police officer, Dad jumped in to help deal with it and I didn’t see him again until just before bedtime that night. Statements and all that. Johnny looked after me and brought me home. Still just nine, I was a very worried little boy until Dad eventually got home courtesy of a lift from the Met.
Johnny and I did see the entire game, which Spurs won 1-0, hoping Dad would get back in time to go home with us. He simply couldn’t. I’ve still got the match ticket. Dunno why but I have.
However, what goes around comes around.
I was only Sports Editor of the Harlow and Bishops Stortford Gazettes for about three years – at most.
First time around, Harlow Town had the most incredible FA Cup Run in 1980. They drew at Southend 0-0 and beat them 1-0 in the replay. Then Leicester [not the power they are now but still a solid second division side] 1-1 away and they won the replay at the Harlow Sportscentre, possibly the grottiest ground I’ve ever been to, 1-0.
Onto Watford away, covered by Match of the Day. I had the great pleasure of talking with John Motson who kindly introduced me to Graham Taylor. He was every inch the gentleman and presuming I supported Harlow commiserated on a hard-fought 4-3 defeat. I explained I was, in fact, the local journo and he then became even more expansive and gave me some great quotes. Elton wasn’t there that day, but I still got a free beer in their Directors’ lounge, courtesy of Graham. Frigging marvellous.
The very next season Bishop’s Stortford got to the FA Trophy final and that meant I was in the Press Box at the old Wembley, you know, the one with the Twin Towers. An experience I will never forget. I’ve still got the press pass somewhere.
Stortford beat Sutton United 1-0 with a last-minute goal from one Terry Sullivan. I wasn’t allowed in the dressing room but did get a few brief interviews pitchside and deliberately overstepped the mark [I wasn’t the only one] so I can honestly say I have been on the pitch at the “proper” Wembley.
It also gave me the opportunity to use the headline “Terry’s All Gold”.
Stortford’s captain that day was one Dave Blackman who flatly refused to give interviews. I was moaning about it in the pub when landlord Bobby’s father, Bob Nethercott senior, said: “******** to that I’ve known his dad all my life.” Three days later old Bob, Dave, my girlfriend of the time Jane and I enjoyed two full hours in the Arras Club in Tottenham and I got the interview of a lifetime, some of which was even suitable for publication.
So all that from two-and-a-bit years on a local rag. Dad always said I was “ar$ehole lucky”.
Now it’s over to you MFW folks – I’m sure your memories can top mine and we’d absolutely love to hear them.
My 1st game was at home to Swindon, the year we went up to the 1st division the 1st time. Big Dunc scored in the 1-0 win. I only went as I found out my dad was taking my two elder brothers. I was about 7 and all I can remember is peering through the railings in the South stand. It was terracing then I believe.
My favourite game is boxing day 1982. I had joined the Royal Navy that year and was on my first ever leave. In those days we used to get beat my that lot from Suffolk all the time (that’s what it felt like and it always felt like 4 or 5). Anyway, off to poormans Road we went to watch a 3-2 win with Martin O’Neil scoring with a free kick in the 90th right in front of the away fans. We used to go behind the goals in those days.
Favorite memory not involving City is going to Wembley with little Macclesfield Town. I live just outside of Macc now, so I have adopted them as my 2nd team. The 1st 5 or 6 years of watching them were long relegation fights at the bottom of league 2. Eventually they dropped and then 5 seasons of midtable non-league mediocrity. Then one year an FA Trophy run that ended at Wembley with a defeat to York City in front of 7000!
A surreal experience only 2 years after bring there with City in that play off final and 80,000!
Hi Gary
One of my old bosses used to live in Tytherington near Macclesfield and I went round his a couple of times.
He was a great jazz pianist [not my kind of music] was our Barry and he had a kind of undercroft in the house which made him sound even better.
I remember dragging my first missus out of Airigi Bianchi before she’d had a chance to spend anything. Frightening really.
I used to work in Cheadle Hulme occasionally and one of our secretaries knew the Macc Lads – as in Betty Swollocks and No Sheep till Buxton – so I went to see them too. I thought they were $hite but that’s by the by. Never went to the Moss Rose myself I’m afraid.
Given your RN service it’s as well your surname is Wenn and not Wren – that could have led to some banter!
Nice one – thank you.
That O’Neill goal is one of my best memories
Marty, I’m afraid my brain only remembers selective bits and pieces, it’s over full of 76 years of living. I can remember the joy and controversy when England won the World Cup, I watched the game on Tele but I can’t recall much of the action, but it was a fantastic experience, that much I do remember. City’s best game for me and the one I remember the most is our recent win over Man City, so this season hasn’t been a total failure. To balance that the worse game I remember is the 1-7 lose to Colchester, which led to our double promotion period. A funny ole game football.
Hiya Cutty
Yes the 1966 Final was something none of us who witnessed will ever forget – depending on our recollective powers of course. I think I cried when Wolfgang Weber made it 2-2. My old boy probably slapped me whilst crying himself. Not really, I never saw him cry.
I was there for the Colchester 1-7 too. The eejits who slung their season tickets at Gunny missed out on some great times but who would have known that then? Not me.
As for selective memory issues just remember to head for Anglia Square on Saturday but to take a swift left into the Ribs long before you get there.
See you then.
I’m with you for your memorable games. I didn’t go to either of the Bayern games as I was getting married that year and money and time were tight. I would have had the 1985 SF 2nd leg ahead of the final.
One of the games that stands out for the wrong reasons is an midweek FA Cup game against Bradford in 1976. It must have been a replay or the original game had been postponed and I guess it must have been half term as I was 11 and with my dad visiting family in Glasgow. I nagged and nagged to leave a day or two early to go to the game. My dad relented and we raced home just in time to see Bradford beat us 2-1 at Carrow Road. It was the first time I had seen a cup upset first hand…but not the last1
Bradford was a bizarre match and it could have changed football history. We should have played them a few days before but they had a sickness epidemic. If it was a League match they would have played but the FA were happy to cancel the match. Arguably we would have beaten them on the original day and with more lower league opposition to come it would not have been a surprise to see us back at Wembley. That is not the main footballing impact but late on in the season we beat QPR and they missed out on the title by 1 point. It would not need much imagination that safe from relegation and with a Cup Final on the horizon we might have been easy pickings for QPR. In that case THEY would have won the League not Liverpool, who would then NOT have won the European Cup in 1977, Keegan would have stayed, Dalglish would not have joined and the whole 1980s would have been very different
Hi John
I really enjoyed reading your theorising on the Bradford game and the knock-on effects thereof.
The best bit is… you could be right:-)
Hi Don.
I couldn’t get to Inter away because I couldn’t get the time off work. End of really.
As for picking the 1985 semi over the final I so very nearly did myself as I said in the article.
Regarding your Bradford experience I was supposed to finish at 1400 in Manchester. Unfortunately that day I was minding/chauferring two of our directors who on a whim decided to go to a factory in Blackley [that they later bought] and I was left with four hours to get back to the Carra to see us against Man City.
I made it at around 1955 only to witness the most boring game I have ever seen – Rob Newman hit the bar in the last minute of stoppage time and that was the only highlight.
Are we dedicated or are we mad? Probably a combination of both.
Cheers.
Dedicated or mad? Feels more like enslaved at the moment.
Ha!
Yeah I feel a bit like that too sometimes.
Enslaved by our own dedication/madness enforcedly following two people who we almost certainly wouldn’t in our lives outside football.
As much as they’d appreciate it if we did. I’m not on the paid-for bus.
Complete Control.
I did Middlesbrough, what a day that was!
And I managed the home game against Bayern, seem to remember a lot of fog that night?
But my favourite personal memory was an FA Cup 3rd Round match away at Exeter. Can’t remember the year but we we went down as one of the “big boys” of the Competition. Terrible pitch, pretty terrible game and they took the lead quite late on. The giant killing of the round was on. Until Robert Fleck popped up with a late equaliser and ran into the crowd. And I was right in the middle of the huddle!!
I’d always wanted something like that or to be a face in the crowd of a “programme”. And we won the replay comfortably!
Hi Derek
Strangely I do remember that Exeter match – it’s a ground I’ve never been to tbh but [I think] it’s St James Park as in Newcastle?
The only time I’ve ever been caught in such a huddle was when Olly Johnson scored his second against Southend to give us a 2-1 win in the very last minute. For some strange reason I was in the lower River End that day, got caught up in the surge and I believe it was either Elliot Bennett or Crofty bashing my knee as hard as I must have bashed theirs.
I think I got a cuddle from Tiny Ward but he might have been trying to wring my neck.
Thank you – good one.
Yes, St. James Park.
Hi Martin
During my 2 years at RAF Stanmore we got loads of freebies for Wembley and one of the best was a Home International N Ireland v England and the honors went to N I and they still hold the trophy but what a game Chivers trying his best to out do Super Pat Jennings
As for my city game it was the promotion winner at Watford for Ron Saunders I was sat in the director’s box with the Watford Directors our PE instructor was invited with a friend as they trained in the Stanmore Sport Centre which was all indoors. Then it was of to the Abercorn in Bushey for a couple of beers.
Great Days and many great memories since my first game in 1959 in the old south stand no matter the weather you never felt the cold with everyone standing but now all seaters you never feel warm or is it just old age coming on.
Onwards and upwards
OTBC
Hi Alex
It’s such a small world. I dunno when you were stationed at Stanmore but I worked in Wembley Park c. 1987-89 and one of our secretaries and her husband lived in Stanmore itself.
One evening I went to some posh pub with them at Harrow-on-the Hill [can’t remember the name now] but it was stacked with RAF personnel – all ranks. I thoroughly enjoyed myself tbh.
Believe it or not Martin Chivers had an interest in a general store/sweetshop very near my school in Chigwell. I spoke with him a couple of times but the phrase “miserable $od” seems apposite to this day. Never impolite, just gruff.
I never feel cold in the ground [although seated] but I do find the walk down the 3,000 flights of Barclay stairs enough to bring on the odd tinge of hypothermia. It’s like a wind tunnel sometimes. Nothing to do with us being in our 60s – the younger folks feel the chill too.
Cheers mate.
Hi Martin
Lots of good watering holes in that area there was a Pub called 3-1/2 men or 7 Balls and during a good evening Roger Moore and Tony Curtis joined a bunch of us and they stood their round.
I enjoyed it there and got to all the London Grounds great memories
Here’s a left-field one for you. Blackburn 7 Norwich 1. Back in the days when City only took about 200 away from home (no need for membership schemes then), we did a conga round the terrace at 5 or 6-1 in the rain. Cr@p result, great atmosphere in the Yellow Army.
Hi BB
No that’s not really leftfield at all. [OK I wasn’t there].
I think we actually almost survived that season!
Y’Army are brilliant away – always have been and always will be.
I lived in Coltishall for many years and this guy had a Range Rover with the number plate Y4RMY.
He’d always hoot us up as we came out of the Red Lion but none of us ever discovered who he was!
Thank you.
I think the Blackburn 7-1 was in our glorious 92-93 season wasn’t it?
Yes Dan it certainly was – quite early on in the season too from what I can remember. It probably goes a long way to explain us getting into Europe with a negative goal difference!
First game was November 1992 Sheffield Utd at home. We won 2-1 and if memory serves went eight points clear at the top of the Prem. Seems a very long time ago now!
As for favourite game that’s a tough one.
Many contenders and winning at Wembley probably tops the lot, what a day that was and a very un-Norwich like comfortable win!
For a left-field choice an away day at Rotherham in 04 is up there.
Finished 4-4 with Damien Francis scoring last gasp leveller, I was thrown all over the shop in the away terrace!
Hi Segura
My leftfield one would be the FAC QF replay match against Southampton where they deservedly ended with nine men having put Flecky in hospital.
I went to the first fixture at The Dell and the stewards were less than helpful [he said diplomatically] so adding everything together it was a wonderful feeling when Chris Sutton headed in from Jerry Goss’s miscued shot.
Rotherham’s a ground I’ve never been to but I remember that game really well. I can’t recall if it was Chris Goreham or Roy Waller doing the commentary that day [probably Roy] but whichever of them it was sounded almost as excited as you guys in the away terrace!
Thank you.
The Boro play-off game was a Monday, not Sunday. That pub certainly must’ve been open a long time if doors closed on the Sunday night. 🙂 🙂
Ha!
Yes of course – the Monday it was. All the trains stopped at Stratford instead of Liverpool Street that day so I lazily assumed it must have been a Sunday and didn’t bother to check.
As for the pub the guv’nor has never been over-fond of keeping strict hours but even Brian wouldn’t have pushed it as far as I inadvertently suggested.
Thank you.
Two really stand out for me in 44 years Middlesbrough at Wembley we turned Wembley yellow and filled it with a part of Norfolk and saw one of the great wembley goals in Redmonds.
The other was Forest boxing day last year! 3 nil down 15 to go and some how managed to grab a point summed up our season in 15 mins plus added Farke time unbelievable drama loved every minute!
Hi Thomo.
Yes that Forest game was a bit special – it kind of reminded the Boro match about 15 years ago when we came back from the dead to daw 4-4.
Adam Drury [of all people] got the late, late equaliser.
Thank you.