Grimsby 1 - 5 West Ham (1981) - did anyone go?

That season was phenomenal. We carried on our unbeaten record from the old 3rd division and ended up with an unbeaten run of about 21 games, before we lost away at Leyton Orient.

By mid November we were flirting with relegation again, and when we lost 2-1 at the previously mentioned away game at Upton Park think we may have dropped into the bottom 3 - but it was always a false position. Trevor Whymark was signed shortly afterwards and we went on an amazing run that shot us up the table faster than a ferret up a drainpipe. We suffered only another 2 defeats in the next 20 odd games before going away to QPR in 3rd place and automatic promotion a real possibility, but unfortunately lost 1-0 (did Gerry Francis get the goal?) There were about 2,500 to 3,000 Town fans at Loftus Road that day, and it was a massive disappointment from which we never recovered, only winning one out of our last 7 games.

The West Ham game was memorable for the fact that we were still in it at 2-1 with about 15 minutes to go. Huge West Ham following on the day, and a fair few "tasty" incidents down the Prom beforehand. I remember walking from my house round the corner to Isaac's Hill to get the bus down to BP and seeing a huge mob of West Ham giving it large down the hill with everybody (sensibly) giving them a very wide berth. Can't remember whether it was the game against West Ham or Chelsea that season when one of the mobs hijacked a milk float near Isaac's Hill and started throwing the milk bottles at all and sundry. Hard as nails, eh?

i was in pontoon,  wet spam were a different class  this was an amazing season on top of the previous two promotions  very good times to be a marriner i cant wait till the good times start to roll again  

It's amazing now to think of those days - regular crowds into 5 figures, superb away days with the travelling Town fans often in excess of 1,000 (as they were in 1971-2, now THAT was a season) and mixing it with the big boys on an equal basis. I think I'm right in saying that with 7 seasons in the 2nd flight we had a longer unbroken run than any other club? An established nearly top flight club, and we could easily have gone up from the play offs in the 1983-4 season when we finished 5th (including another great unbeaten run of 16 games, only to fall away at the last again) That season we defeated the likes of Leeds, Derby, Chelsea (away) Sheffield Wednesday and Newcastle. We were a f*cking great team then, fearing nobody.

It was a great season. The side was exceptional. Most of the spadework was done by Tom Casey's faith in youth John Newman's nous. When George Kerr took over he had the sense to leave well alone and just tinkered a bit. Wymark was a great addition and Dave Booth signing Chris Nicholl was a bit of underrated genius. It was a pity that the only way some great Town players in this side got to play in the top league was by leaving the club.

Quoted from jock dock tower

That season was phenomenal. We carried on our unbeaten record from the old 3rd division and ended up with an unbeaten run of about 21 games, before we lost away at Leyton Orient.

By mid November we were flirting with relegation again, and when we lost 2-1 at the previously mentioned away game at Upton Park think we may have dropped into the bottom 3 - but it was always a false position. Trevor Whymark was signed shortly afterwards and we went on an amazing run that shot us up the table faster than a ferret up a drainpipe. We suffered only another 2 defeats in the next 20 odd games before going away to QPR in 3rd place and automatic promotion a real possibility, but unfortunately lost 1-0 (did Gerry Francis get the goal?) There were about 2,500 to 3,000 Town fans at Loftus Road that day, and it was a massive disappointment from which we never recovered, only winning one out of our last 7 games.

The West Ham game was memorable for the fact that we were still in it at 2-1 with about 15 minutes to go. Huge West Ham following on the day, and a fair few "tasty" incidents down the Prom beforehand. I remember walking from my house round the corner to Isaac's Hill to get the bus down to BP and seeing a huge mob of West Ham giving it large down the hill with everybody (sensibly) giving them a very wide berth. Can't remember whether it was the game against West Ham or Chelsea that season when one of the mobs hijacked a milk float near Isaac's Hill and started throwing the milk bottles at all and sundry. Hard as nails, eh?

I remember going to this, it took forever to get home, someone jumped out the emergency door at theback of a coach and smashed a car up with a hammer and the police had us all parked in a layby for ages

Quoted from jock dock tower

That season was phenomenal. We carried on our unbeaten record from the old 3rd division and ended up with an unbeaten run of about 21 games, before we lost away at Leyton Orient.

By mid November we were flirting with relegation again, and when we lost 2-1 at the previously mentioned away game at Upton Park think we may have dropped into the bottom 3 - but it was always a false position. Trevor Whymark was signed shortly afterwards and we went on an amazing run that shot us up the table faster than a ferret up a drainpipe. We suffered only another 2 defeats in the next 20 odd games before going away to QPR in 3rd place and automatic promotion a real possibility, but unfortunately lost 1-0 (did Gerry Francis get the goal?) There were about 2,500 to 3,000 Town fans at Loftus Road that day, and it was a massive disappointment from which we never recovered, only winning one out of our last 7 games.

The West Ham game was memorable for the fact that we were still in it at 2-1 with about 15 minutes to go. Huge West Ham following on the day, and a fair few "tasty" incidents down the Prom beforehand. I remember walking from my house round the corner to Isaac's Hill to get the bus down to BP and seeing a huge mob of West Ham giving it large down the hill with everybody (sensibly) giving them a very wide berth. Can't remember whether it was the game against West Ham or Chelsea that season when one of the mobs hijacked a milk float near Isaac's Hill and started throwing the milk bottles at all and sundry. Hard as nails, eh?

I remember going to this, it took forever to get home, someone jumped out the emergency door at the back of a coach and smashed a car up with a hammer and the police had us all parked in a layby for ages

Quoted from pizzzza

A young Frank Lampard played for them as well it seems.

Frank Lampard senior may be?

Quoted from Teestogreen

Frank Lampard senior may be?

You've caught one Pizzzza.  

Went home and away with my brother. Was shocked at aggression of West Ham fans after we had lost and put me off going there again for a long while

Quoted from Les Brechin

That was a great season for Town (until that game). We didn't start the season that well put from November/December time we went on a great run and at one time we could have been the first team to go from Division 4 to Division 1 in consecutive seasons, a feat which has still never been achieved and more than likely never will. We weren't overly high scorers but we had a hell of a defence.

We dropped away after the West Ham game and only won 1 of our last 7 games. Still, I think we finished 6th or 7th and only missed out on the top three by 4 or 5 points I think. There were no play-offs back then so it was always the top 3 who were promoted.

Didn't Northampton go from Division 4 to the top flight and then back again in consecutive seasons?

I am not certain of it but in my mind I see a blond centre forward (was it Frank Large) scoring all the goals. At least he did on the Anglian TV highlights!