You know what it's like, when you're lying in bed wide awake and wondering what it is that's keeping you awake?

Last night it happened to me and it was about Town, and couldn't quite put my finger on it, until going into deep thought and BINGO! It was 50 years ago this year we beat Swindon 3-2 at home as well.

Totally different circumstances of course, we were in the automatic relegation places for the dreaded drop into Division Four - somewhere we'd never had the misfortune to play before. We needed to win our last game of the season and for results to help us as well. We did win 3-2, but sadly not sufficient enough to keep us up as it was goal average, not goal difference that determined things then, and we were releagted by eight one thousandths of a goal! 0.008 goals in numerical terms! Mansfield's goal difference was 0.761 whilst ours was 0.754. If Swindon hadn't have scored a late goal we'd have been safe.

Ironically, we'd also have been safe had it been three points for a win back then as well as we'd have accrued 51 points to Mansfield's 49 by virtue of winning two more games.

I remember running nearly all the way home (at 14 years old my body hadn't metamorphosed to it's current state through alcohol) some two and a half miles, to check everything on the BBC results programme, only to be absolutely heartbroken to find out the truth. Relegation has happened so often since then and it's still painful, but you get more resigned to it the older you get.

Town's team that day was

Wainman; Bloomer, Taylor; Worthington, Rathbone, Jobling; Housley, Ross, Wilson, Collins and Martin. Scorers were Wilson, Housley and Collins.

It had been a pretty dire season for Town. We started off well enough with four wins, three draws and three defeats in our first ten gamesbefore embarking on a disastrous run of just three wins in twenty three games leaving us in a seemingly hopeless position. Results did improve, dramatically and we got six wins and three draws out of the last eleven games, but it was just eight thousandths of a goal that cost us dearly.

The following season saw the likes of Clive Wiggington, Stuart Brace, Graham Oates and Mike Hickman come in, who would form a decent nucleus of the 4th Division Championship tem led by Lawrie McMenemy three seasons later. Our manager at the time, Bobby Kennedy, had become the most expensive wing half in British football when transferred from Kilmarnock to Manchester City in 1965.

Town's team that day was

Wainman; Bloomer, Taylor; Worthington, Rathbone, Jobling; Housley, Ross, Wilson, Collins and Martin. Scorers were Wilson, Housley and Collins.

I know our defence is a bit aged but Bloody Hell Collins does well for his age

Thanks for the memories Jock! I remember being at the game and being heartbroken also. Dougie Collins turned out to be quite a player and spent quite a few seasons in the top flight at Burnley.

The only good thing Jock was that Scunny
had already been relegated.

Bloody Hell John you have a better memory than me for the old days,

Apart from Bloomer, Housley and Martin that was not too bad a side and should not have been relegated

I remember the game well. In those days we always wanted to be at the end that Town we're attacking so some of us would climb the wall at the back of the Barratts Stand.

On that day we we're attacking the Pontoon in the first half so coming up to half time we were getting ready to head round when after the players had left the pitch hundreds just climbed over the Pontoon fence and charged across the pitch.

Wouldn't get away with that now. :)

Just seen this - last night's 3-2 result reminded me of that last match 3-2 game as well.

I remember it was Grimsby's last stand that season and the crowd got right behind them.

The only action I can remember is Stuart Housley's 25 yarder to put us 2-1 up at the time  -great win but too late.

I remember being at that one too.... though I wasn't as old as Jock!  ;)

If memory serves me correctly it was also Graham Taylor's last appearance for Town?

I just about remember picking up on the feeling of gloom and doom at the final whistle but didn't quite get it... we had won the game and yet everyone seemed so downbeat.

I clearly had a lot to learn!  ;)