Favourite Pre-Season Memories

HetzkeBlaster

HetzkeBlaster

Well-known member
Yes pre-season games can be dull as dishwater. For me, the season can't start quickly enough and we can eventually get to see what Appleton's first 11 and formation looks like. Pre-season games lack the hard press, the passion and spark we get to see in a league game, but some of them over the years have surely have left a at least one or two memories that have stayed with us.

For me, the one I always recall was the first time I saw Trevor Sinclair play away at Wigan in the 1989 pre-season game at the old Springfield Park. OMG, his pace was electric and tore a shred off them. Every time he was on the ball he went on these mazy runs with the ball stuck to his feet and he completely ran the show. The conversation on the way home was all about Tricky Trev and what a star he could become - and he was.

Any others, or are they completely not your thing?
 
My first ever away game August 1980 beating PNE 1-0 in the Anglo Scottish Cup, we took loads. Sat on a ledge at the back of the Town End age 10.

Pre Season tour of Northern Ireland in 2004 was alright as well. Please sort out a European jaunt for next season. Balls to playing small teams like Fylde Southport and Rangers !!
 
I think the most excited I've been during a pre-season was the 95/96 season..We were splashing the cash and had already got Ellis, Morrison, Mellon etc so we were tipped to be up there. My dad had allowed me to start going to the games with my mates so I was loving life. Stood in the South Paddock and Andy Preece had scored an absolute class overhead kick against Wigan in the Marsden Cup final in the last minute.Everyone was buzzing for the new season by then..UTMP 🍊
 
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I wouldn't be a fan of pre-season games but I'd say the one where we beat Everton at home midweek and Charlie came on as a sub just after we've signed him would be among the better ones.

Beating Man U reserves - start of 93/94 season ? or 92/93 - in the final of the Lancs Cup was not too bad, some of their players went on to have OK careers.
 
Potts Must Go said:
My first ever away game August 1980 beating PNE 1-0 in the Anglo Scottish Cup, we took loads. Sat on a ledge at the back of the Town End age 10.

Pre Season tour of Northern Ireland in 2004 was alright as well. Please sort out a European jaunt for next season. Balls to playing small teams like Fylde Southport and Rangers !!
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David Hockaday last minute if my memory is right
 
We had just won the World Cup and the country was buzzing with the new season just around the corner and we had Preston NE in a freindly at Bloomfield road soon after, we beat them and again the following week,
I also remember pre season friendlies between the first team and our Central League reserve team, Tanegerines v Whites.

Could add the trip to Rome 72' Anglo-Italian and summer of 63 in Malaga when we played Real Madrid and Monaco.
 
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Potts Must Go said:
My first ever away game August 1980 beating PNE 1-0 in the Anglo Scottish Cup, we took loads. Sat on a ledge at the back of the Town End age 10.

Pre Season tour of Northern Ireland in 2004 was alright as well. Please sort out a European jaunt for next season. Balls to playing small teams like Fylde Southport and Rangers !!
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🤣🤣 Rangers small team😂 world wide institution🇬🇧
 
I thought you might nibble on that one !!

By the way, I bet there's not too many on here who did Dungannon Swifts away lad 👍, or in my case Ballymena and Newry Town as well. I just had to look up the last one on the map as I couldn't for the life of me remember who we played !!
 
Steve Hetzke at Deepdale. Think in those days was it still the Lancashire Cup? A kind of competitive pre-season game.

We took loads, as usual. We were defending the Town End, SH went up for a header with their forward, they both came down in a crash. SH jumped and squared straight into theirs. Crowd flowed down the terrace yelling encouragement.

Steve stopped in his tracks, turned and gave us all the biggest grin ever.
 
Potts Must Go said:
I thought you might nibble on that one !!

By the way, I bet there's not too many on here who did Dungannon Swifts away lad 👍, or in my case Ballymena and Newry Town as well. I just had to look up the last one on the map as I couldn't for the life of me remember who we played !!
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Defo not me, are they on sat nav 🤣🤣
 
CGP1 said:
Steve Hetzke at Deepdale. Think in those days was it still the Lancashire Cup? A kind of competitive pre-season game.

We took loads, as usual. We were defending the Town End, SH went up for a header with their forward, they both came down in a crash. SH jumped and squared straight into theirs. Crowd flowed down the terrace yelling encouragement.

Steve stopped in his tracks, turned and gave us all the biggest grin ever.
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What year was that, one I’m sorry to say I missed at Knobberland 😔
 
Cleveleys boy said:
I think the most excited I've been during a pre-season was the 95/96 season..We were splashing the cash and had already got Ellis, Morrison, Mellon etc so we were tipped to be up there. My dad had allowed me to start going to the games with my mates so I was loving life. Stood in the South Paddock and Andy Preece had scored an absolute class overhead kick against Wigan in the Marsden Cup final in the last minute.Everyone was buzzing for the new season by then..UTMP 🍊
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Wow mate you’ve brought back a fond memory there!

Preece overhead kick in front of the south if I’m correct?I was only about 9 or 10 then sat in the south stand.I went mental my dad was laughing his head off at my reaction.
 
SEASIDE2020 said:
I wouldn't be a fan of pre-season games but I'd say the one where we beat Everton at home midweek and Charlie came on as a sub just after we've signed him would be among the better ones.

Beating Man U reserves - start of 93/94 season ? or 92/93 - in the final of the Lancs Cup was not too bad, some of their players went on to have OK careers.
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That game against United.I seem to remember a lengthy stoppage in play something happened with the goalposts or netting at the North goal?
 
Hamilton Academicals away in the late 80’s, not so much for the football but a particularly passionate Accies fan who never stopped shouting/rambling/whinging for the whole game?! Think it was Shaun Elliot’s first appearance?
 
Wizaard said:
Paul.Scholes was stretchered off after a hefty Mike Davies challenge
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I should know better than to doubt your good self and my memory is not what it used to be


BUT


are you sure it wasn't Nicky Butt that broke his jaw in the match ?

I'm fairly sure Ferguson was at the game and went to the Vic after the game to see him ?
 
ainscow73 said:
I was there and asked a trialist at the FC Riga game what his name was to which he replied Shaun Barker. We won 3.0 with a worldy from Hoolahan.
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Just realised I went on the 1st tour of Latvia where Hoolihan played but we didn't go to Ventspils. You must mean a later tour
 
Blackburn away a couple of times mid to late 70’s . Would it have been Anglo Scottish? About 30 of us taking the Mickey through out the match and then getting bricked at Mill Hill station and still laughing at them.
 
The pre season tournament at Newcastle Town - maybe 2 seasons on the trot in the mid 90’s. Allardice was manager and he chatted about Gary Rowett that he thought he’d be worth a lot of money one day.
But the highlight was the great Sir Stanley Matthews being there, chatting to Sir Stan and my daughter getting an autograph.
 
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