Memory Lane FA Cup First Round Memories

[rigsby]

Excerpt from my book re my one and only visit to Edgar Street on the 92 trail which covers a Round One game in the early '80's (another defeat tho):

"EDGAR STREET, Hereford United 3 Southend United 1, FA Cup Round One, Saturday 21 November 1981

In 2006, BBC 5 Live’s 606 programme invited listeners to submit a brief story ‘about the passion, drama, agony or ecstasy of the beautiful game’. A 1981 trip to Edgar Street was my entry. There was a 300 words limit and my offering was as follows:

‘A Southend fan washed up in Plymouth in 1981, our ball had come out of the hat after Hereford’s. So off I went to Edgar Street, once host to a glorious 70’s FA Cup parka pitch invasion, for a nice relaxing day trip and the start of our annual forlorn assault on Wembley.

I left my digs at 6.30 am for the seven mile cycle ride to the train station. One mile in I had a puncture, ran back home to dump the bike, and then hitched a lift to Plymouth centre. Train caught just in time, three changes and five hours later I was in Hereford. We lost 3-1.

About turn for the train ride back, but British Rail was in meltdown. Changes this time had to be made at Newport, Bristol Parkway, Bristol Temple Meads, Taunton, Exeter St David’s and Newton Abbot, arriving back in Plymouth around 1.00 am. It was peeing down (I mean, really peeing down, Plymouth style), the last bus had gone, no stranger wanted to give a drenched inadequately clothed young adult a lift, and so I walked.

An hour or so later, about one mile away from the end, a cop car pulled up and asked where I had been. I told them my story and submitted a soggy programme as Exhibit A. They took the ****, told me that they were on the look-out for a peeping tom but believed my unique alibi and desire just to get home rather than peep at Tom or anyone, declined to give me a lift up the steep hill before me, suggested I support a better team, and sped off laughing. I eventually got back some 20 hours after leaving. Never mind, there’s always next year I thought.’"

So, I went to Aylesbury, I went to Hereford, and I'm going to Millwall on Friday. I suggest you all give it a miss.:smile:

I went to that game. What didn't help was our keeper Jhon Keely lost his contact lenses in a 50/50 early in the match.

At the final whistle I remember their lot invading the pitch and trying to get in our end. They were allegedly boosted by a group of Villa fans who had turned up.

Just a few weeks ago when I was collecting my tickets at Rochdale, I got talking to one of their backroom staff. Don't know his name but he played for Hereford at RH when they beat us 1-0 in FAC round 1 in 1980...The season we went unbeaten in the league. At the time, if I remember right, we were top and they were bottom.

He said they played without a recognised forward and when the team sheet went up the players all thought their manager was mad. Yet they stole a goal with their only attack all day. It was of course in the days of passing back to the keeper and time wasting. If my memory serves me well I believe they passed all the way back from a corner, which bought time wasting to a new low.

 

[Hong Kong Shrimper]

May have been the 2nd Round (just checked, it was - 5/12/1986) but there was an absolutely cracking 4-4 draw with Northampton Town in the 1980s when we were 1st and 2nd in Division 4. Under lights on a Friday night. We lost the replay 3-2 at Northampton when they still used to play on a part of the outfield of Northamptonshire CCC.

I'll always remember that Northampton side who played super-open, attacking football. Even when they conceded a corner they kept 3 up front right on the half-way line, one on the centre spot, and one on each touchline. We had to keep about 5 back in defence to counteract their approach.

I think we were both still top at Xmas and lost a Boxing Day game to them 4-0 when one of their players scored such a screamer from about 35 yards out that the whole of Roots Hall applauded in admiration at the wonder strike.

Must be up there with Wolves at home 1/0, Bury away 1/1, Swansea away 2/2, Col U nonsense cup home semi-final with Drewe's goal, Charlton at home on Boxing Day 4/2 when Pardew got his marching orders for giving the linesman an "act of self-gratification" sign right in from of the East that barely anyone saw, Derby away 3/1 as one of the most enjoyable games I have ever seen.
(Unlike the 8-1 defeat at Gillingham on Boxing Day where we scored first and the usual Jingle Bells song was sung, briefly)

 

[Kevin Hogg]

Sadly, the defeat at Aylesbury in 1989 is a scar that has never healed. I remember being in the pub before the game and it was packed with Shrimpers on a sunny Winter's day. Many drinks consumed in the transit en route and then with many "faces" in that pub. Life was good.
The prequel to a "horror show".

Contrast that day to being the 9 year old boy standing in the North Bank to see the famous Aston Villa. I watched and listened to the chanting from The Pak with a crowd of 16,929 for a FIRST ROUND game. I saw the pitch invasion and the atmosphere was electric ... then THE KING scored!!! Roots Hall literally erupted.
I remember reading whatever Sunday paper my mum bought and can still remember the line "when Billy Best scored, the roar could be heard at the end of the longest pier in the world".

I "thumbed it" to the Hereford United defeat in 1981 : ((

 

[B.B.The Legend Lives On.]

I seemed to remember us getting done by Doncaster rovers at roots hall when they were non league.

**** poor game and it chucked down all game.

The only goal of the game was scored by our former assistant manager Dave Penney.

 

[Bobby dazzler]

AYLESBURY OMG
If you watch the goal I am clearly shown on the right of the post with the look of shock and horror on my face as I turned to one of my mates. We were dire but couldn't see the defeat coming. The pub before was amazing.

Sadly, the defeat at Aylesbury in 1989 is a scar that has never healed. I remember being in the pub before the game and it was packed with Shrimpers on a sunny Winter's day. Many drinks consumed in the transit en route and then with many "faces" in that pub. Life was good.
The prequel to a "horror show".

Contrast that day to being the 9 year old boy standing in the North Bank to see the famous Aston Villa. I watched and listened to the chanting from The Pak with a crowd of 16,929 for a FIRST ROUND game. I saw the pitch invasion and the atmosphere was electric ... then THE KING scored!!! Roots Hall literally erupted.
I remember reading whatever Sunday paper my mum bought and can still remember the line "when Billy Best scored, the roar could be heard at the end of the longest pier in the world".

I "thumbed it" to the Hereford United defeat in 1981 : ((

 

[Firestorm]

1961/62 lost 2-0 at home to Watford in front of 12,460 - my first first round cup tie.

We also lost 2-0 at home to Watford in the second round in 1962/63 - crowd 16,892

We always seemed to draw Watford as we were drawn against them again at home in the second round in 1965/66. Two goals from Eddie Firmani made it third time lucky -only 10583 there for that one though.



1966/67 it was back to normal though with a 1-0 defeat at Watford in the first round.

I've never liked Watford !

Andy Polycarpou did !!

 

[enfieldblue]

another haunting memory - scarborough - lucky to get a draw at home - then the away fixture:sad: I'm sorry, I can't go on:sad:

 

[RobM]

another haunting memory - scarborough - lucky to get a draw at home - then the away fixture:sad: I'm sorry, I can't go on:sad:

A true test of supporter-ism. It got so cold on the way up I bought a fleece in the services. At half-time I bought an air pasty (all pastry, sod-all filling), the tea was barely warm and tasted like rancid hippo bile.
At full time the Tannoy bloke repeated many times "Well done, Scarrrbrah!". Got home 03:30 and was at work 06:00 same morning.
"Did you go?" Shuddup.

 

[RobM]

The only goal of the game was scored by our former assistant manager Dave Penney.

...and Adrian Clarke spooned an easy chance at the South Bank Clock with just minutes to go...

 

[BILLERICAY BLUE]

deleted...

 

[BILLERICAY BLUE]

A true test of supporter-ism. It got so cold on the way up I bought a fleece in the services. At half-time I bought an air pasty (all pastry, sod-all filling), the tea was barely warm and tasted like rancid hippo bile.
At full time the Tannoy bloke repeated many times "Well done, Scarrrbrah!". Got home 03:30 and was at work 06:00 same morning.
"Did you go?" Shuddup.

That was a 3rd Round tie.

Drewe missed a sitter (no change there then) in the last few minutes of the 1st game, and the draw for the 4th round paired the winners at home to Chelsea.

Club put on a flight to the game with the players. Flight went from Stansted at about 12.00 (IIRC), flew to Teeside, then had about an hours coach journey to Scarborough.

It was freezing cold, game was rubbish, and they scored about 10 mins from the end. Can't remember us even having a chance.

I came out of the ground, and really wished I was anywhere apart from ****ing Scarborough

Flight back was delayed, and we were told that we weren't allowed to speak to the players on the way back. Probably best...

I finally got home at about 4 in the morning

 

[RobM]

That was second round mate. We beat Wealdstone away in round 1.

Well, that's a major relief!

 

[Zeuss]

I was standing behind Harry's goal when Ron Saunders went in hard and kicked Harry in the back when he was on the ground. Effectively ended Harry's career. I can't remember who went in goal either.

Yes,even though I was only 9 at the time,it's a game I won't forget.ARTHUR WILLIAMSoN went in goal.They were still non-league of course when we again lost 1-0 there 5 years later.A truly remarkable thing in those days-the match was live on national radio!

 

[AndyT]

These are the main ones I attended prior to us getting into The Championship in 1991-92 :-

1975/6 - Swansea (H) 2-0
1976/7 - Exeter - (H) 2-1 at home in the replay on the Monday.
1980/1 - Hereford United (H) 0-1
1981/2 - Hereford United (A) 1-3
1982/3 - Bournemouth (A) 2-0
1990/1 - Orient (A) 2-3

I councur with a lot of people who have already commented on most of the games, but want to add the Bournemouth away tie in 1982-83.

Mainly because there were two coachloads of us who stopped on the way back in a pub in East London for a few beers. Took the pub completely by surprise, as they had one member of staff, a couple of punters and a DJ setting up for the evening.

We took over the place, got the DJ to crank up the sounds and a couple of us hopped over the bar and started helping serve the pints.

Remember the whole place rocking to the likes of Eddy Grant, Spandau Ballet and other great hits of the time. Especially 'Chant No. 1', singing "I don't need this pressure on!" at the top of our voices!

Happy Days!

 

[Mick]

1990/1 - Orient (A) 2-3

Remember it well. Disgracefully refereed by the only official to be named after both of the Everly brothers !

 

[AndyT]

That, of course, was the season we swept all before us in the league, yet managed to lose that match and 8-0 to Palace in the League Cup!

I think, by Christmas, we'd lost more cup games than league games!

 

[ozzie]

On a more positive note...

The 1970's were great in the FA Cup. Most of these were at home.

1970/1 - Weymouth 7-0 (missed that one)
1971/2 - Aston Villa - 1-0 - saw that and another team we have a 100% record over
1972/3 - Aldershot 0-2 (can't remember but let's ignore that one shall we...)
1973/4 - Boreham Wood 3-0
1974/5 - AP Leamington 2-1 (away)
1975/6 - Swansea 2-0
1976/7 - Exeter - 1-1 away on the Saturday, won 2-1 at home in the replay on the Monday. Those were the days!
1977/8 - Torquay 2-1
1978/9 - Peterborough 3-2
1979/80 - Wealdstone 1-0 (away)

Only went out once in the first round across the whole decade.

Was at every one of those games,other than the last one.
The 2 worst experiences i ever had(and i had many) watching the Blues play was..
Exeter(away 76)..getting attacked at Paddington station
Boreham Wood(73)..the 1st time i ever saw other fans "take" the North Bank

 

[Suffolk Shrimper In Dorset]

Excerpt from my book re my one and only visit to Edgar Street on the 92 trail which covers a Round One game in the early '80's (another defeat tho):

"EDGAR STREET, Hereford United 3 Southend United 1, FA Cup Round One, Saturday 21 November 1981

In 2006, BBC 5 Live’s 606 programme invited listeners to submit a brief story ‘about the passion, drama, agony or ecstasy of the beautiful game’. A 1981 trip to Edgar Street was my entry. There was a 300 words limit and my offering was as follows:

‘A Southend fan washed up in Plymouth in 1981, our ball had come out of the hat after Hereford’s. So off I went to Edgar Street, once host to a glorious 70’s FA Cup parka pitch invasion, for a nice relaxing day trip and the start of our annual forlorn assault on Wembley.

I left my digs at 6.30 am for the seven mile cycle ride to the train station. One mile in I had a puncture, ran back home to dump the bike, and then hitched a lift to Plymouth centre. Train caught just in time, three changes and five hours later I was in Hereford. We lost 3-1.

About turn for the train ride back, but British Rail was in meltdown. Changes this time had to be made at Newport, Bristol Parkway, Bristol Temple Meads, Taunton, Exeter St David’s and Newton Abbot, arriving back in Plymouth around 1.00 am. It was peeing down (I mean, really peeing down, Plymouth style), the last bus had gone, no stranger wanted to give a drenched inadequately clothed young adult a lift, and so I walked.

An hour or so later, about one mile away from the end, a cop car pulled up and asked where I had been. I told them my story and submitted a soggy programme as Exhibit A. They took the ****, told me that they were on the look-out for a peeping tom but believed my unique alibi and desire just to get home rather than peep at Tom or anyone, declined to give me a lift up the steep hill before me, suggested I support a better team, and sped off laughing. I eventually got back some 20 hours after leaving. Never mind, there’s always next year I thought.’"

So, I went to Aylesbury, I went to Hereford, and I'm going to Millwall on Friday. I suggest you all give it a miss.:smile:

Another memory of that Hereford game was on the train up at a change at either Bristol or Newport I got in to a carriage (one of those old 'six seat room' ones with a corridor along side) and in there were three Southend fans who passed the time singing rock n roll songs - great fun and I tagged along with them to a pre match pub. I wonder if they could be Shrimper-zoners.

 

[Chris Powell's mate]

Been to most that have been listed - amazing, now I come to think of it.
Rather than repeat - was there anyone else at Yeovil v Southend, Nov 16, 1963? I couldn't believe we would get beat by a non-league side.
In fact, if you look at the results for the day, we and Darlington were the only ones to do so, even if Millwall went out at home to Kettering in a replay.
So, went to Layer Road for round two and enjoyed QPR beating the yokels. On the Monday following it was The Beatles at the Odeon in Southend. Not all bad...

 

[Billy Bests boot laces]

Boreham Wood(73)..the 1st time i ever saw other fans "take" the North Bank

They were all Arsenal, who were playing at West Ham that day. At the last minute they decided to have an 'easier' day, and come down here.