The one Blackpool game you wish you hadn't been at

O

Orient1976

Well-known member
The 0-0 draw at home to Darlington in 84 when Darlo killed the game stone dead by playing the ball back to the keeper at every opportunity. Anyone remember that particular classic?

Strange, because the game I wish I'd been at was the return fixture at Feethams when we clinched promotion
 
Were the Darlington games in the same season? That's another fact slipped through the memory bank and out the other side without troubling the scorer.
Darlington were refused entry to the club after? It didn't help that the ref was garbage too.

It was certainly one of the poorer games of the period.

Sometimes the things that seemed bad got better further on. Like when Bolton won the Northern final at ours, and they all celebrated on the pitch. Again can't remember why, but felt really cheated that night by poor refereeing - did we have one chalked off for no good reason? I used to stand with a very pleasant Scottish gentleman on the South Paddock each week - hello Stuart if you're on here - and neither of us could believe what we'd seen.

At the time it felt like the best chance I'd have of ever seeing us at Wembley had gone. But of course the few years changed all that.
 
Hednesford at home in the Worthington era... lost one nil. Wigan away in the 90s when they beat us 3-0 and we got pisswet through cos there was no roof on the grass bank we were stood on!
 
Orient1976 said:
The 0-0 draw at home to Darlington in 84 when Darlo killed the game stone dead by playing the ball back to the keeper at every opportunity. Anyone remember that particular classic?

Strange, because the game I wish I'd been at was the return fixture at Feethams when we clinched promotion
Click to expand...
I recall they passed it back to the keeper from a corner near the end.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Doc
Orient1976 said:
The 0-0 draw at home to Darlington in 84 when Darlo killed the game stone dead by playing the ball back to the keeper at every opportunity. Anyone remember that particular classic?

Strange, because the game I wish I'd been at was the return fixture at Feethams when we clinched promotion
Click to expand...
John Craggs was the culprit, I remember the game well, and couldn't believe a team could set up like that.
 
Exeter, Littlewoods Cup 89/90, 3-0 down at half time facing a miserable 5hour journey back springs to mind. Unfortunately Nigel Hawkins couldn't grab us a hatrick that night!.
 
Cant remember the year but it was over Christmas away at the Britannia when Stoke were on their way up under Pulis and it was not only dire to watch but outrageously cold.
I remember standing there thinking i should be at home getting leathered in front of the fire with Return of the Jedi on and not freezing my baubles off getting threats from a load of Stokies....
 
I've never physically felt sick after a game of football but the Man United Home game where we threw away a 2 goal lead changed that.
 
Preston match, December 1999, 3-0 defeat at Deepdale, hung over and froze at the match, best mate let me down and didn’t show and I nearly got a beating off ‘pool supporters coming out of the place who thought I was PKE.
Wolves away in the Prem was shite too.
 
Lincoln away in the cup. Went in the back of a ford Luton van...in December if memory serves me right.
It was freezing, it rained all day, and all there was to sit on in the back of the van was an old mattress that fitted about 4 people...I stood all the way there and back.
We broke down on the M55 as well and had to thumb a lift.
We might even have won but what a crappy day out that was.
 
Whitstabletangerine said:
Having taken an early lead we then fell behind to a 7-1 defeat at Birmingham to end the year on a thoroughly dismal note.
Click to expand...
If I remember Dan Bradshaw scored the first two goals - one for either side.

I also remember a winger who ran rings around Sunbed Phil - I think the winger had been inside for armed robbery until recently before the game.
 
Can't remember the year but having to run to the train station after being chased by Bradford City fans. Think it may have been late 60's or early 70's and i think it was a cup tie.
 
How do you start with this thread. Agree with others about the Bradford game it was a punch in the stomach. My wife’s first home game too!

The game I’ve talked about and haunts me most is a 2-1 home defeat to Colchester in 2005. The game was dire, I can’t start to explain how bad it was and how both teams scored I’ll never know. We were 1-0 down when Murphy equalised to make it 1-1. Deep into injury time Halford scored his second to nick it 2-1.

Peterborough away was heart breaking for me. The one we lost 1-5 after being 1-0 up at half time and confirmed relegation. It was a total disgusting capitulation by our players. But it was not the players or relegation that was the worst. It was our fans after the game who stood and applauded the players and manager off down the tunnel. It was the era of Anti Oyston and I had not attended a home game for a few seasons just away games. I didn’t attend another game for a full two years away from home after this.
 
Alfie Conn said:
John Craggs was the culprit, I remember the game well, and couldn't believe a team could set up like that.
Click to expand...
Spot on Alfie. Craggs was at the end of his career & seem to lead the way in passing back at every opportunity. When the law changed for keepers not being allowed to pick the ball up from a back pass it brought memories of that particular game flooding back.
 
FlytoKavala said:
Can't remember the year but having to run to the train station after being chased by Bradford City fans. Think it may have been late 60's or early 70's and i think it was a cup tie.
Click to expand...
I was at that game fly. Very early 70's I think. Remember my dad dragging me into the train station with fists flying everywhere. I remember a band on the pitch pre match & Pool fans running on & kicking off?
 
Torquay at Wembley, losing on penalties an destined for another season in Division 4. I think I must have got home in record time 90 mph all the way on the M1 and M6
 
Old_Laytonian said:
Torquay at Wembley, losing on penalties an destined for another season in Division 4. I think I must have got home in record time 90 mph all the way on the M1 and M6
Click to expand...
I was on a coach from the Newton Arms. Many went because it was Wembley & whilst I felt suicidal it did my head in all the laughing & joking on the way home 😪
 
Huddersfield away on August bank holiday weekend 1980. Made late decision to go on my Suzuki GT125. Broke down on the outskirts of Huddersfield. Left my bike and ran to the ground. When I eventually got in the ground it was already 1-1. Colin Morris scored for us and Colin Greenall was making his debut. 1-1 was the final score.

Walked back to my bike after the game and couldn’t get it going. Rang my elderly uncle who lived in Golcar which is a little village nearby. He turned out in his Vauxhall Viva and towed me back to Golcar.

As it was a bank holiday weekend I had to wait until Tuesday to get it in for repairs. A very long weekend ensued.

Eventually set off for home on the Wednesday!

Always hated Huddersfield ever since!
 
Bradford at home... I wasn't even going due to money issues but mate bought me a ticket. Remember Bradford fans walking past us drinking stella singing "we come here for the piss up"
 
There's plenty of defeats but probably a 3-0 loss at Springfield Park. As I lived in Wigan, having to get the bus home with all the Wiganers (I say 'all the Wiganers' - there weren't that many) prolonged the suffering longer than a.n.other away game as did the fact my neighbour greeted me with 3-0!!! as I got back to our house.. Can't remember the season but Clarke Carlisle was playing and we were particularly awful.

One game recently that stood out was that battering we got at home to Gillingham. By the end, there must have been about 1000 in the ground at most and after all the elation and togetherness of the homecoming it seemed to say "welcome back" in a totally different way. A reminder of how else it can be when it's not chanting and cheering. A ground emptying by the minute on a grey day and a beaten team just lumping it forward with no intent or imagination...

Not sure there are any games I genuinely wish I hadn't gone to though. (Though I'd like to have Bradford expunged from my mind)
 
FlytoKavala said:
Can't remember the year but having to run to the train station after being chased by Bradford City fans. Think it may have been late 60's or early 70's and i think it was a cup tie.
Click to expand...
Yep...me too , January 1973. The only time I've been physically scared , I managed to escape , just , by running into a shop. My companion wasn't as lucky and got a bit of a going over. Happy days!!
 
Whitstabletangerine said:
Having taken an early lead we then fell behind to a 7-1 defeat at Birmingham to end the year on a thoroughly dismal note.
Click to expand...
Perhaps im not remembering it too correctly but didnt Mel Capleton play out of his skin & did well to keep it to 7? seemed to have a thing about not letting his cousin score against him (Ricky Otto)? Now blinkered Tangerine glasses time but recall Brum’s keeper saving 5-6 worldies as well?
On a side note the bricking of the coaches after a 7-1 thrashing seemed unneccessary & abit harsh .......

For a long period I used to hate away games when we took decent followings as it usually was followed by a total damp squib of a performance on the pitch......
 
Chunkylad said:
Cant remember the year but it was over Christmas away at the Britannia when Stoke were on their way up under Pulis and it was not only dire to watch but outrageously cold.
I remember standing there thinking i should be at home getting leathered in front of the fire with Return of the Jedi on and not freezing my baubles off getting threats from a load of Stokies....
Click to expand...
Andy Payton missed a sitter to equalise then Stoke went down the other end to go 2 up. Outside the ground was like an ice rink. My mate, on crutches & me Got a friendly kicking in the car park afterwards ... didnt like Stoke after the coin throwing in 1993 that opinion hasnt changed
 
LimerickTangerine said:
Half Time Watford 0-2 Blackpool
Full Time Watford 7-2 Blackpool

not only that got to the airport after and plane was 3 hours delayed
Click to expand...
Limerick, I lived about a half a mile from Valley Parade. Not only did I go to the game, got held up by motorway works on the journey home but also had a reception committee awaiting me when I arrived home, followed by a couple of years of ribbing.
 
Sorry Limerick stupid old sod that I am, the Watford game was also a stinker. It was the day. Bradford City beat Chelsea in the FA Cup and the train was packed both ways with Bantams fans obviously celebrating their win, whilst I was there with my long face and colours hidden.
 
Blackpool 1 Chester 3. Three down at half time, when Karl Richards (??) refused to come out for the second half. It was a relegation six pointer and we were awful.

In those days you could still get a sleeper back to London after a night game and I remember staying in the Criterion (I think it was) until closing time and then getting the train back to Nob End for the connection. The bloody train stopped everywhere and didn't land back in Euston until about half five. I went straight to work. Not the best of times.
 
Whitstabletangerine said:
Having taken an early lead we then fell behind to a 7-1 defeat at Birmingham to end the year on a thoroughly dismal note.
Click to expand...
Funnily enough, I was driving back to TTL after Xmas in Blackpool. I was on the M6 approaching Birmingham, had a gut feel and decided to keep on driving. A near miss!

West Ham play off final was an awful day. Culminating in the news that we had we had lost a great seasider and friend.
 
York (a) around Xmas time. It lashed it down from start to finish, I think we lost 4-0 and it was just a completely miserable match / day.....
 
Orient1976 said:
The 0-0 draw at home to Darlington in 84 when Darlo killed the game stone dead by playing the ball back to the keeper at every opportunity. Anyone remember that particular classic?

Strange, because the game I wish I'd been at was the return fixture at Feethams when we clinched promotion
Click to expand...

Yep, sadly I remember the home game well. It was awful. Missed the away game as I was doing exams at school that week. Went to Hartlepool on the following weekend May Bank Holiday Monday. Bolton at home in the Freight Rover was a tough one. Never thought I'd ever see us at Wembley. Edit. I didn't spot the Bolton 74 post. Everything else does indeed pale into insignificance.
 
Last edited:
Tangerinemoss said:
August 1974, Bolton.

I just could not believe that you could go to a football match with your mates, and one of your fellow supporters would not be going home. Never knew the lad, I was in the Scratching that day, but it felt personal. RIP
Click to expand...
Was about to post the same, Moss. Awful results on the field pale into insignificance
 
Shootz said:
Chesterfield , New Year’s Day, reckon I am still wet from the drenching that day!
Click to expand...
The one that comes straight to mind for me as well. Had the worst hangover ever and a few bumps and bruises from a fight in a nightclub the night before........ really wish I had stayed in bed 🥲
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top