What was your first Town Match

1-1 against Newcastle September 1983 in the Main Stand. I’ve always remembered it as a night match but looking back at the date appears it was a Saturday afternoon!

I was 8, my brother 6, and it was the Keegan effect that convinced my dad to take us for the first time. Was followed up in the next couple years with cup games against Norwich (League cup 1/4 final) and Watford ( before it became a regular Saturday trip.

Just grateful for the first 15 years of supporting Town (minus Lyons, Roberts and a couple of others!) because the last 20 years have really tested my love! Utm

Quoted from cardiffmariner

1-1 against Newcastle September 1983 in the Main Stand. I’ve always remembered it as a night match but looking back at the date appears it was a Saturday afternoon!

I was 8, my brother 6, and it was the Keegan effect that convinced my dad to take us for the first time. Was followed up in the next couple years with cup games against Norwich (League cup 1/4 final) and Watford ( before it became a regular Saturday trip.

Just grateful for the first 15 years of supporting Town (minus Lyons, Roberts and a couple of others!) because the last 20 years have really tested my love! Utm

A Newcastle side that included Keegan, Beardsley and Waddle which demonstrates how good we were at that time in our history. I was at that game but the Newcastle game I really remember is on Boxing Day around 1979 as don’t think I have seen so many away fans at BP, electric atmosphere, Mick Harford’s debut following his signing from Lincoln, but Drinkell looked a better prospect in a pretty boring 0-0 draw.

My first game was the 4-0 Sheff United game to win the title in 1980.

No wonder I was hooked from that day forward!!

UTMM

Quoted from Posh Harry

My first game was the 4-0 Sheff United game to win the title in 1980.

No wonder I was hooked from that day forward!!

UTMM

Must be the best first game on record Harry.

Town 1 Stockport 2 sometime in 1970 I recall. Watched from the Directors Box with my grandad as he was a friend of Paddy Hamilton the then chairman.

I remember naively sitting there wondering why there was no commentary!!

First game of the season August 1957 v Leyton Orient - won 7-2.
That was me done for the next 63 years to date, & still counting.
Memory plays tricks on me these days but methinks the line up included Clarie Williams, Don Donovan? Duncan Welbourne? Keith Jobling, Johnny Scott, Mike Cullen, Ron Rafferty, & Jimmy Fell.
Could have told you exactly - but went to sea in the mid sixties & my dear mum had a clear out & binned my program collection - which would have been worth a few bob these days. C'est la vie.
,

21st. April 1951.
Home to West Ham in the 2nd. division, ( championship ).
Lost 1-0.
Relegated to Div 3 North.
I remember it very well, because the boy's pen was virtually empty. Only 3 or 4 of us. 3d. admission.
I think Bill Shankly became manager the following season.
I've not heard a Town manager sing to the crowd before kick off  over the PA since Bill Shankly.
Grimsby for fish, Grimsby for football, all to the Pompey chimes.

Quoted from grimsby pete

Must be the best first game on record Harry.

I can’t remember all of it to be honest Pete as I was only 11, but I do remember sabella and his flowing hair, the distinct smell of beer and cigarettes and the complete mayhem when the goals went in.

Obviously confined me to a lifetime of misery and heartache (mixed with some glorious highs), and you know what, I wouldn’t want it any other way. There are so many plastics in the world and they will never know how good it is to see Wayne Burnett score with the outside of his ankle and Nathan walk the ball into an empty net when the ball should have been going towards the corner flag 10 seconds earlier.

Who would want to win all the time. You need to experience the lows to make the highs so, so much better.

UTMM

My first match watching the Mariners was the first home game when league fixtures resumed following the end of the war..Their first game was away to Man U at Maine Road, [ Old Trafford was bomb damaged during the war ], where the Mariners lost 2-1 in a hard fought match. I lived in Scunthorpe and don`t remember how I got to Grimsby for their opening home game played on a Tuesday evening against Wolverhampton Wanderers. I remember that the gates were closed on the popular side so I dashed round to the main stand area and just managed to squeeze in to stand in front of the main stand near the players race.It was a dour game resulting in a 0-0 draw with the last part of the match played in semi-darkness. I don`t remember the whole team but Tweedy,Vincent,Hodgson,Hall, Betmead and Buck formed the defense.  Most unusual was the captain,  `Ginger` Hall,who was a carpenter and not a full time player.The other thing of note,the playing group mentioned above all grew old together and were not replaced until  it was too late,resulting in the club being relegated the following season
Of course this was not my first game involving the Mariners.I`m not sure why but in 1941 Grimsby played their home matches at Scunthorpe, [ Scunthorpe did not have a club in that time ], so I started my love affair with the club in 1941 and have followed them through thick and thin since those days. Long may it continue.      

February 1978. Town 3 York 2

I grew up in Barcroft Street and could see the floodlights from my bedroom window. I nagged my mum and dad for what seemed forever to let me go to a match.

Mum was always a bit worried about the 'trouble' at football matches. I had a Town shirt- the classic white sleeves of the time. On a match days I would occasionally give a bit of lip to away supporters down our street before peddling off a full speed on my Raleigh Chopper!! Remember one time a couple of Wednesday fans chased me right down Harrington Street.

My dad was a trawlerman originally from Fleetwood and he was a Blackpool fan. So he wasnt that bothered about Town really. Every summer was spent with family in Fleetwood and I had actually been to Fleetwood &  Blackpool games a couple of times before i wore my dad down to talk mum round so he could take me to Blundell Park.

I remember York's claret Y kit. It was a dreary grey day I think and my dad and I stood in the Imperial Corner. It was a pretty good game and I loved it! I couldnt wait to go back. We didnt miss a home game for several seasons after that. After a couple of games we found 'our' spot at the back of the pontoon right behind the goal. Even my dad became a fan and I think he loved it as much as me (except maybe when Town beat Blackpool 4-3 in 1979 ! )

Town just missed out on promotion that season but finished the season quite strongly. I remember we beat the promoted teams Swansea (managed by John Toshack) Southend and Brentford and were unlucky to only to draw against Graham Taylors runaway champions Watford.

Some legends in that Town team Wainman ,Kev Moore, Mike Brolly, Fordy, Drinkell, Terry Donovan, Bobby Cumming , Malcolm Partridge, Geoff Barker...........amongst others.

My favourite player was and still is Joe Waters. He never seemed to have a bad game. And he played for the Republic of Ireland which I dreamt of doing as a kid.

It was a fantastic time to become a Town fan in the late 70's early 80's.