Your Favourite Town League Game.

Over the years I have been able to watch the team I love beat some of the best sides in the country,

Apart from the  Wembley and cup games what is your favourite game that sticks in your memory,

I have a few the day we destroyed a good Man City team   4-1

Beating Wolves  5-1 then able to go home and watch the highlights again on TV.

Winning 2-0 against Sunderland the season they got to the cup final.

Trevor Wymark scoring when we beat Chelsea 2-0.

We have a great history so while we are all down in the dumps at the moment lets look back at the days you walked home after seeing our team show the big guns how to play good football and win.

There are many more games I could mention and I am sorry the younger fans who have only seen Town play in the last 15 years do not have much to choose from,

BUT

There must be one game you went home happy and proud.

Winning 3-2 at Stamford Bridge after being 2-0 down, the day the IRA bombed Harrods.

At home, beating Exeter 2-1 to clinch promotion to the 2nd tier. Hearts were in mouths when Shaun Taylor thumped the ball against the bar from a corner with just a few minutes left.

Quoted from Les Brechin

Winning 3-2 at Stamford Bridge after being 2-0 down, the day the IRA bombed Harrods.

At home, beating Exeter 2-1 to clinch promotion to the 2nd tier. Hearts were in mouths when Shaun Taylor thumped the ball against the bar from a corner with just a few minutes left.

Mine is also Exeter, but May 1972 when we won 3-0 to clinch the 4th division title.

What a night that was! 24000 in the ground, incredibly; people on the Barratt stand roof, flags and banners being waved like mad and the atmosphere simply unbelievable. The town itself was in the grip of promotion fever, and even two of my aunties went to the game who don't like football.

The noise was incredible; the celebrations afterwards wild, and it is nights like that, that makes it all worthwhile in a way, but this current drought is wearing us all down.

What is also strange about it is that final game was a re arranged game due to the first one being postponed due to fog. I was in hospital at the time having my tonsils out and I looked out of the hospital window and it was bright sunshine, but it seems it was just the BP area that was enveloped in a thick sea mist.

Talk about fate. One day we will return - that 1972 night was after several years of decline so hope springs eternal.

Yes Exeter at home will take some beating for me. Forty of us hired a double-decker bus to take us from The Hainton Inn. On the way to the ground, the driver warned us that if we didn't stop bouncing the bus we'd have to get off and walk. What a day, pure nailbiting celebration. In the words of Clee band Orphan Boy for that day: Cockers knew!

Town 7 Scunthorpe United 1

Green 3 Hill 3 and Sir Matt

Watched it in the Imperial open corner

Best night ever

Grimsby 1 WBA 0 Ivano!

Grimsby 3 Barnsley 2 Good Friday 1982.

Barnsley filled the Osmond-they were going for promotion to the old Division 1 and were in footie heaven when they went 2-0 up inside 20 minutes. No idea what the team talk at half time consisted of but Town were a different side second half. Whymark scored a belter. Waters ran midfield and Town won 3-2..

1972 Exeter game what a great atmosphere

Quoted from barralad

Grimsby 3 Barnsley 2 Good Friday 1982.

Barnsley filled the Osmond-they were going for promotion to the old Division 1 and were in footie heaven when they went 2-0 up inside 20 minutes. No idea what the team talk at half time consisted of but Town were a different side second half. Whymark scored a belter. Waters ran midfield and Town won 3-2..

My first ever game. I often wonder how much happier I'd have been over the past 15 years if Town had finished the second half in the same way they did the first...  

I'll throw in Town v Wrexham in 1990. Purely because Garry Birtles was something to behold that day. A shame you don't get as many top players in the lower leagues these days now that they all earn bi££ion$ before they're 28.

I'll throw in a little remembered Division Four game that always sticks in my mind.............

Town 7-2 Darlington...........16 January 1979

What a night game that was....6-0 up at half-time.

Sheffield United 1980, 4-0 to clinch the OId Division Three title. 38 years on and still our last Championship winning team!

Sheffield Utd 4-0
Wrexham 5-1
Burnley 6-5

All at BP and difficult to split in terms of a favourite...two set on gloriously sunny final days and both with hat trick scorers...the other a chilly Halloween week night under the lights that was just a crazy night of entertainment.

May 1st 1989, Doncaster rovers at Belle Vue.
We won 3-2 and saw one of the most action packed games ever. Andy Tillson scored a cracker, their keeper carried off injured, a bucket of bookings, won by the odd goal in 5!

Quoted from promotion plaice

I'll throw in a little remembered Division Four game that always sticks in my mind.............

Town 7-2 Darlington...........16 January 1979

What a night game that was....6-0 up at half-time.

That was the night when Mark Lester also missed a penalty I think and one Jon Stone played really well ..... for Darlington if memory serves me right.

Quoted from HertsGTFC

That was the night when Mark Lester also missed a penalty I think and one Jon Stone played really well ..... for Darlington if memory serves me right.

Mike Lester....not Mark the actor.....

Town signed John Stone not long afterwards from Darlington.......I think he lived locally.

Quoted from HertsGTFC

That was the night when Mark Lester also missed a penalty I think and one Jon Stone played really well ..... for Darlington if memory serves me right.

He ( Mike ) did score 4 though.

Quoted from promotion plaice

Mike Lester....not Mark the actor.....

Town signed John Stone not long afterwards from Darlington.......I think he lived locally.

Ahhh... that’s righ Mike, also saw him in a game flick the ball on his head balance it and walk between 2 defenders to beat them, talented player at times.

Night games where great back then I seem to remember us putting 5 past Bradford one Tuesday night possibly that season.

Quoted from HertsGTFC

Ahhh... that’s righ Mike, also saw him in a game flick the ball on his head balance it and walk between 2 defenders to beat them, talented player at times.

Night games where great back then I seem to remember us putting 5 past Bradford one Tuesday night possibly that season.

It was 2 consecutive Tuesday night games. We beat Bradford 5-1 and the following Tuesday Darlo 7-2.

Quoted from HertsGTFC

Ahhh... that’s righ Mike, also saw him in a game flick the ball on his head balance it and walk between 2 defenders to beat them, talented player at times.

Night games where great back then I seem to remember us putting 5 past Bradford one Tuesday night possibly that season.

The week before Darlo...We WERE spoilt in those days...

When we beat Man City  4-1 was mine.

Quoted from chrissy

When we beat Man City  4-1 was mine.

Man City fans singing "What The intercourse Is Going On" when we scroed our 4th and Kev Drinkell revealing his 100th goals t-shirt under his shirt.

I have loads but first one to pop into my head was

Town vs Stoke in 90s I think we won 1-0 and they never stopped singing then at the final whistle they went onto the pitch and bust the goal at the away end.  I think one of the gates into the lower findus wasn't shut and they tried to get through.  

Quoted from Meza

I have loads but first one to pop into my head was

Town vs Stoke in 90s I think we won 1-0 and they never stopped singing then at the final whistle they went onto the pitch and bust the goal at the away end.  I think one of the gates into the lower findus wasn't shut and they tried to get through.  

That one was 2-0 Meza. Same game that a copper had his helmet knocked off by a stray ball, if this is the game you're thinking of.

So Many , but one that always sticks in my mind ,was the play-off semi against Kevin Keegan's  Fulham ,one of the best atmosheres after bp went all seating.

Few random  ones that pop into my mind:

Beating Bradford 2-0 at Valley Parade. Both second half goals in front of a packed away end - think Tommy Watson got one.

Beating Bristol City 2-1 at BP. Andy Cole scored for them on loan from Arsenal and Super Clive got a last minute winner from miles out via a massive, looping deflection.

Notts County at BP last season was pretty awesome, especially as it was the first season my 5 year old lad had got into it and it had been non-stop misery for him until those last few games.

Quoted from Les Brechin

That one was 2-0 Meza. Same game that a copper had his helmet knocked off by a stray ball, if this is the game you're thinking of.

I'm not sure it was that one Les.  It's a beautiful day even up to the final whistle.  Anyway it's the one when it all kicked off and Stoke fans never stopped singing all game.

It's definitely that one Meza.

Quoted from Rodley Mariner

Few random  ones that pop into my mind:

Beating Bradford 2-0 at Valley Parade. Both second half goals in front of a packed away end - think Tommy Watson got one.

Beating Bristol City 2-1 at BP. Andy Cole scored for them on loan from Arsenal and Super Clive got a last minute winner from miles out via a massive, looping deflection.

Notts County at BP last season was pretty awesome, especially as it was the first season my 5 year old lad had got into it and it had been non-stop misery for him until those last few games.

"Yorkies, Yorkies what's the score is the chant from the Grimsby fans who are enjoying this thoroughly"

That's the one. Was 10 or 11, pressed up against the fence at the front. Happy days!

Quoted from GrimRob

Grimsby 1 WBA 0 Ivano!

One of my favourites  

Town 1 - WBA 0
For pure emotion, it had everything

Quoted from Cod Cheeks

Town 1 - WBA 0
For pure emotion, it had everything

All the Italian flags, and a West Brom team lead by Buckley and containing a few Town players he’d taken with him (Gilbert and Groves)
A fantastic afternoon  

Quoted from lee65

One of my favourites  

Quoted from lee65

All the Italian flags, and a West Brom team lead by Buckley and containing a few Town players he’d taken with him (Gilbert and Groves)
A fantastic afternoon  

Was that the game where Laws put Gilbert into Row M of the Findus with a tackle?

Quoted from GrimRob

Grimsby 1 WBA 0 Ivano!

Just watched it and wept

Not one of today's squad would have got in that team

In those days we WERE spoilt!

Quoted from Ipswin

Just watched it and wept

Not one of today's squad would have got in that team

In those days we WERE spoilt!

Pretty obvious that not one Division 4 player would get in a Division 2 team though!

Quoted from Les Brechin

Pretty obvious that not one Division 4 player would get in a Division 2 team though!

Why not? Bogle has (not with much success it has to be said)

Quoted from HertsGTFC

That was the night when Mark Lester also missed a penalty I think and one Jon Stone played really well ..... for Darlington if memory serves me right.

He didn’t only play well he scored a worldy easily the best goal of the night. I know stoney fairly well really nice guy with a sharp sense of humour.

Bobby Cumming v Norman Hunter. Can't remember much else about the match but Bobby doing the old duffer over and over again was worth the money on its own.
Remember Tommy Watson trying to do the same to Stuart Pearce at Forest one year and coming off 2nd best

Quoted from Ipswin

Just watched it and wept

Not one of today's squad would have got in that team

In those days we WERE spoilt!

They had spunk and balls back then!

Quoted from Ipswin

Why not? Bogle has (not with much success it has to be said)

Bogles's probably the best example to use as to why not!  

Exeter may 1972 , my first game sat on my dad's shoulders all game nearly crippled him we stood in the constitutional corner well he stood .

Mansfield away 7 of us in an estate car 2 in boot in the front was 2 off the biggest blokes i had ever seen .... think it was the match before sheff u and a 0-0 packed away end all on pitch afterwards as that point got us promoted  on the big match on the sunday  ....saw Tyler(i think) commentator and asking why they wasnt doing our match the following week........ thats how i remember it ......so if some details wrong blame the odd pint or two in between

Beating Sheff U 4-0 in 1980 with a Kev Drinkell hat-trick. I was on a rare weekend in Gy at the time and didn't want to go back!

Quoted from Jackie Lewis

Bobby Cumming v Norman Hunter. Can't remember much else about the match but Bobby doing the old duffer over and over again was worth the money on its own.
Remember Tommy Watson trying to do the same to Stuart Pearce at Forest one year and coming off 2nd best

That'll be against Barnsley. Allan Clarke was playing for them also- think he was player manager.  Hunter finally lost his rag and threw a punch at Bobby, getting sent off. Bobby got up of the grass and winked at us in the crowd, with a big cheesy grin on his face.

As for my favourite game, it's the same as Barralad, when we beat Barnsley 3-2. Whymark, my favourite ever Town player, and Joe Waters scored he goals. Great memories.

Just watched the West Brom game again. The Bonetti goal seemed liked the least of our good play. So much pressure we really deserved that win, but at the game it seemed like it was going to be another one of those days when the opposition sneak a win. Until THAT shot went in. Talk about cathartic experiences. As an experience that goal was up there with Arnold's at Wembley for impact.

Quoted from moosey_club

Thank you so much for posting that Moosey, we were brilliant that day

I love the commentary.. “we are just a different class to them”  

Another game I enjoyed was vs Coventry at home in the rumbleows Cup.  I think we won 1-0 courtesy of a Garry Birtles stunning free kick.  I was stood on the bar in the ponny  and saw Birtles free kick curl into the top corner.  We lost the 2nd leg 3-0.  Drinkell played for them but didn't play in the 1st leg.

5-1 v WBA. I think we'd scored 1 goal (a pen) in the 6 games before then that season, then we were 4-0 up at half time. Lovely stuff.

Also really enjoyed the 3-0 v Gillingham in 2009. An indicator of the good times that were surely incoming under Mike Newell.

Quoted from moosey_club

Thanks for that moosey. Don't often agree with ipswin but that does have the eyes pricking with emotion. God we were good then. That, mr hurst, was when we were spoilt! I still maintain that the period up to Xmas under laws was the best football I've ever seen town play in 45 years of supporting them.
Exeter at home was awesome but for sheer emotion bonetti was best !
I was also at the Chelsea 3-2 win in the pouring rain on that open terrace. Going home to Aylesbury on the train with my CFCs supporting friends was just wonderful! They were very very quiet safe to say.
I will throw a left field one in, which was a sparkling Jewel in the barren desert of non league.
A win away at Cambridge quite late in the season mid week. Frankie artus had the game of his life and we played some absolutely brilliant stuff. Completely played them off the park.
3 other ones are bonetti s debut at charlton where we had this wonderful dawning feeling that we'd just signed a magician
Wba away good friday(?) Luke cornwell scored with about our only chance .total backs to the wall and got a completely undeserved but vital win
And if we are allowing play off games Fulham away in the blazing sunshine at craven cottage

So many games in the 80's where we were exciting powerful and a joy to watch but if i had to choose one, it would be 4-0 against man City in 1980 i think at home.  
Simply the most one sided game ive ever seen and how it wasn't double figures i'll never know.
Would like to see some hightlights from that game again.

Quoted from forza ivano

Thanks for that moosey. Don't often agree with ipswin but that does have the eyes pricking with emotion. God we were good then. That, mr hurst, was when we were spoilt! I still maintain that the period up to Xmas under laws was the best football I've ever seen town play in 45 years of supporting them.

That Laws period was a good one, gets overlooked due to other headline events in his reign but his side played as good as the Buckley 2 98 era IMO, my favourite football would still be the Buckley 1 era though i think.
The evolution of video highlights was very much on the up at that time, Roly and John's commentaries were hilarious and we were flying on the pitch with a great squad of grafters mixed with quality and experience.
Plus you could rub shoulders with the players most weekends as they lived local and were out and about on the Town. Special times

Chelsea 2 Grimsby 3 December '83

For me one of Town's best ever away wins

Quoted from Meza

Another game I enjoyed was vs Coventry at home in the rumbleows Cup.  I think we won 1-0 courtesy of a Garry Birtles stunning free kick.  I was stood on the bar in the ponny  and saw Birtles free kick curl into the top corner.  We lost the 2nd leg 3-0.  Drinkell played for them but didn't play in the 1st leg.

If I recall correctly we beat Coventry 3-1 at home which meant we had a pretty good lead going to their place for the 2nd leg

It all went wrong when Tony Rees was sent off just after the kick off so 10 v 11 for most of the return leg - inevitable that they'd take advantage but what made it worse was Drinks scoring for them on what I think might have been his debut

Can i just say that this is the sort of thread i joined the forum for. So many of the negative threads seem to be made up of repetitive negative bile.....though i'd die in ditch to defend free speech so please don't misinterpret this.
But this sort of thread..well i'd just say every single post is from 'supporters'. I've had my memory jogged by so many of the games mentioned.....particularly as i have remembered being at virtually all of them! Thanks to all who have contributed. Loving it and keep it going.

For all the games I've seen, the emotions I've felt, there was something very special about beating Notts County 2-1 last season, the way it panned put and score with virtually the last touch of the game to save our league status...probably memorable for all the wrong reasons because we should never have been in the state we were, but I'll remember that feeling and that game for a ling time to come...so wish we had the positivity now that we felt after that game...

Like many hard to pick one but a good number go back to my teens and the transformation of our poor late 60’s team, a few memories:

1 v Cambridge in late 1970 and the return of Sir Matt with a return debut goal and 5000 added to the gate

2 v Scunthorpe 4-1 hot day first game of season, Sir Matt hat trick and a great McMenemy season was underway

3 v Norwich league cup October 1971 my first experience of 22000 in BP unbelievable

4 v Exeter last game of that season another 22000, a Chatterley special and fantastic celebration

5 FA Cup 1973 and nearly 20000 fans travel to Coventry, trip from Rasen took 5 hours

6 Final one was Sheffield United 4-0 Drinkell hat trick final game, another great crowd and league winning celebration.

Life at BP used to be a real treat and there are so many more but none too many in last 18 years Spurs win aside.

Another game which is off the general radar which sticks in my mind is a 4-1 away win at Luton in the early 90s. Paul Groves was unplayable that day. I think he scored all Town's goals.

Quoted from barralad

Another game which is off the general radar which sticks in my mind is a 4-1 away win at Luton in the early 90s. Paul Groves was unplayable that day. I think he scored all Town's goals.

If it's the game I'm thinking about, we played in yellow and Grovesy got a hat-trick.

I wonder if in a few years time we'll be saying .......can you remember when Town hammered Morecambe 7-0 when we were shiite and it kick started our season and we got promoted.

Or am I just living in cloud-cuckoo-land ?

Quoted from promotion plaice

I wonder if in a few years time we'll be saying .......can you remember when Town hammered Morecambe 7-0 when we were shiite and it kick started our season and we got promoted.

Or am I just living in cloud-cuckoo-land ?

Quoted from promotion plaice

I wonder if in a few years time we'll be saying .......can you remember when Town hammered Morecambe 7-0 when we were shiite and it kick started our season and we got promoted.

Or am I just living in cloud-cuckoo-land ?

Then you smelt the coffee n woke up!!😂😂

Quoted from Townee82

Exeter may 1972 , my first game sat on my dad's shoulders all game nearly crippled him we stood in the constitutional corner well he stood .

Having been a regular that season I decided not to go into the increasingly claustrophobic Barrett Stand and I too stood in that corner and when Matt Tees rose to head a goal and I think we won 3-1 we went mad, what a game.  

So many great games and memories identified above.  Shame that we have to watch a lot dross as well.

I also remember a run of the mill game against Shrewsbury at home  in 1981 or 1982.  It was played in a snowstorm.  The expectation of a decent game was low.  It even finished 0-0.

However, I remember that the match exceeded all expectations and was enjoyable in the snow.

Quoted from promotion plaice

I wonder if in a few years time we'll be saying .......can you remember when Town hammered Morecambe 7-0 when we were shiite and it kick started our season and we got promoted.

Or am I just living in cloud-cuckoo-land ?

It’s at Blundell Park tomorrow PP not fantasy island.

Given this lots of thought as despite our recent decline there has been lots to choose from but it’s got to be Town 4 Sheff U 0 to win the old 3rd Division. Hat trick for a heroe against a Yorkshire side too..... “ Such a Perfect Day”!

Fulham 0 Town 1.  January 2000

Absolutely bloody freezing, Lester (I think) scored our goal completely against the run of play, and Fulham attacked non-stop, hitting the bar, posts, ball being cleared off the line. It just went on and on and on. I'd never seen such a one sided game and we held on heroically to win it. It was absolutely hilarious. I remember Karl Heinz Riedle in particular getting more and more furious and disbelieving until he was virtually in tears at the unfairness of it all. Nowhere near our best performance ever but certainly one of the most enjoyable games I've ever been to, aside from the frostbite.

Quoted from SpudUDontLike

Fulham 0 Town 1.  January 2000

Absolutely bloody freezing, Lester (I think) scored our goal completely against the run of play, and Fulham attacked non-stop, hitting the bar, posts, ball being cleared off the line. It just went on and on and on. I'd never seen such a one sided game and we held on heroically to win it. It was absolutely hilarious. I remember Karl Heinz Riedle in particular getting more and more furious and disbelieving until he was virtually in tears at the unfairness of it all. Nowhere near our best performance ever but certainly one of the most enjoyable games I've ever been to, aside from the frostbite.

Got bloody soaked through that day. But warmed up in a massive pub on a corner site (vaguely remember Town fans singing) before rolling off to the Eight Bells.

Quoted from barralad

Another game which is off the general radar which sticks in my mind is a 4-1 away win at Luton in the early 90s. Paul Groves was unplayable that day. I think he scored all Town's goals.

We were a class apart that day too. Groves got a hat trick in the first 30 minutes. Not sure who got the fourth - Tony Rees?

Would have been around September 1992. Groves' first season.

There's a video of the game. Unbelievable passing.

Quoted from FishOutOfWater

If I recall correctly we beat Coventry 3-1 at home which meant we had a pretty good lead going to their place for the 2nd leg

It all went wrong when Tony Rees was sent off just after the kick off so 10 v 11 for most of the return leg - inevitable that they'd take advantage but what made it worse was Drinks scoring for them on what I think might have been his debut

My memory these days are awful lol.  but know that you mentioned it I do recall Rees getting sent off and Drinks scoring for them, did Drinks sign for them after the first leg?

Here's a random one that I really enjoyed.

Winning 1-0 away at Bury in 2009 with Tommy Fourpast in goal. I think he might even have saved a penalty that day (though I might be wrong)

We'd started the season with 3 or 4 straight defeats but we played well that day and deserved the win. I wrongly thought it was all going to be alright after that game!!!

In our area we don't have any playgrounds or Play Equipment

Coeventry 0-1 Town
Highfield Road, 2001

We were top of the championship (1st division as it was still called)
for a couple of hours (whoever was playing in the 5:30 kick off won and knocked us off the top spot and sent us into a downward spiral into League 2) and singing “we are top of the league”