Memory Lane FA Cup First Round Memories

[Billy Bests boot laces]

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.

)

That cup game down here was a truly fantastic match for excitement. It was raining all game, and the scoring sequence was like a yo-yo.
I believe it went 0-1, 1-1, 2-1, 2-2, 2-3, 3-3, 4-3, 4-4.
Their main striker was Richard Hall(?), who scored loads for them that season, and they had the league sown up, long before the end.
Took me 2 days to get my voice back (wife was happy!). Went to the Boxing Day game with same expectations, but was the complete anti climax. Did'nt help by a poor refereeing performance by Alf Busch (never rated him).

 

[Suffolk Shrimper In Dorset]

The replay win v Exeter in 1976 was wonderful - I've just posted up a couple of action pics from it on https://www.facebook.com/RootsToThe92/?ref=bookmarks

Here are the covers of the progs from the three home games in our Wembley assault that season. The replay v Exeter was only two days after the first match - can't imagine the 'stars of today' putting up with that. The replay prog at 5p was a 'one sheet four page special'

 

[USAShrimper]

No, he went a few seasons before that. I think Billy Best scored.

Remember the game well, Bill Garner was our "go to man" then, Billy Best bundled it in from Bill Garner's knock down.
As a young kid standing in the paddocks, couldn't believe the fans pitch invasion before the game, Villa had a lot of fans there. Chico Hamilton played for Villa that game and got a good reception from us.
Hope we can get by Millwall, as I'll be over for Dec 3rd, so hope to see us in the next round. Was at Chesterfield away a couple of years ago, cracking game.

 

[Billy Bests boot laces]

The replay win v Exeter in 1976 was wonderful - I've just posted up a couple of action pics from it on https://www.facebook.com/RootsToThe92/?ref=bookmarks


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14 of us went to the game at Exeter in a mini bus, which left The Elms on the Friday night at 11 pm, pre M25 days!. Put a comprehensive report on here about that, several years ago. Great weekend!.

 

[Chris Powell's mate]

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

At the time was teaching in the same school as Phil Don. Gave him grief on Monday.

 

[AndyT]

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.

Changed at Newport, I think.

I was on that train, so could well have been us, as there weren't many of us that journeyed by train.

The replay win v Exeter in 1976 was wonderful - I've just posted up a couple of action pics from it on https://www.facebook.com/RootsToThe92/?ref=bookmarks .

That night was one of the coldest nights I ever spent on the South Bank.

Remember myself and my mate almost hoping we didn't equalize and go into extra time.

That said, I was, of course, glad we did!

 

[Suffolk Shrimper In Dorset]

Changed at Newport, I think.

I was on that train, so could well have been us, as there weren't many of us that journeyed by train.

Oh wow, it may well have been then! I think you were, like me back then, all around late teens (ish) in age. A belated thank you for taking pity on the sole member of the 1981 Plymouth Branch of The Shrimpers and letting me join your merry throng. I trust you had a quicker journey back than me that night

 

[AndyT]

Yep, that would have been us. I was 19 at the time.

I remember you well, now. The Plymouth Branch, of course.

 

[LCBB72]

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

Who was that , Don Phillips or Phil Donald .

 

[LCBB72]

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

Sorry did not see early post .:blush:

 

[Hong Kong Shrimper]

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!

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I flew back a day early from a holiday in Turkey (admittedly a 6 week backpacking trip whilst at Uni, at time of 1st Gulf War so I was pretty much the only person in what is now no-go SE Turkey near the Syrian border, so arguably an additional day in Istanbul was not that much of a loss).

But I felt like a right fool when we got smashed 8-0 by a mediocre Div 1 side when we were flying in the league. Hard to know whether that or the 8-1 loss at the Priestfield on Boxing Day is my worst SUFC memory....

 

[ESG]

The Aylesbury debacle in 1989. Last minute (1pm) decision to take it on after a couple of beers.....massive schoolboy error:blush:

 

[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!

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I flew back a day early from a holiday in Turkey (admittedly a 6 week backpacking trip whilst at Uni, at time of 1st Gulf War so I was pretty much the only person in what is now no-go SE Turkey near the Syrian border, so arguably an additional day in Istanbul was not that much of a loss).

But I felt like a right fool when we got smashed 8-0 by a mediocre Div 1 side when we were flying in the league. Hard to know whether that or the 8-1 loss at the Priestfield on Boxing Day is my worst SUFC memory....

Yep, was a bizarre match, as our league record was something like Played 9 Won 8 at the time.

They did have Wright & Bright on top form that night, though.

 

[ESG]

Yep, was a bizarre match, as out league record was something like Played 9 Won 8 at the time.

They did have Wright & Bright on top form that night, though.

Didn't Stanley Victor come on as a sub for Palace?

 

[Ex-Member1]

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!

Thanks for the memories, Yeovil were a curse in those days. COYBB

 

[Ex-Member1]

Lovely memories in this thread, thoroughly enjoyed reading them. Some great games and goals in there. COYBB

 

[Lord Football]

What's yours?

Sadly, the first one for me that always comes to mind is a haunting one.

Top of the league, our beloved Shrimpers go on a winter **** up in the sun the week before and arrive in Aylesbury on 18 Nov 1989 arrogant and hung over.

It was woeful, I don't think we had a shot all game - I stand on that terrace behind the goal with a 1,000 fellow Shrimpers to see the non-leaguer's steal it at the death.

The home fans start singing 'Oh when the Ducks go steaming in' and the man on the tannoy at the final whistle announces "All over the land tonight they'll be going quack, quack, quack".

I left deeply traumatised and have never quite got over it.:stunned:


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I am in that picture, at the back. When the goal went in, you could see me, clear as day, hands clasping head.....

I got reminded of it in the next round, and every round, all the way to the Final itself when MotD used the goal in its opening credits. The worst FA Cup competition in history? Indeed.

 

[Mick]

Didn't Stanley Victor come on as a sub for Palace?

Doubt it, that match was two months before they signed him !

 

[Csboy]

I went to Aylesbury the performance was a disgrace and we got what we deserved. We were top of the 4th Division at the time and in good form. Webb got the tactics totally wrong and we seemed happy to play for a 0-0 draw and even when they scored we did nothing to get an equalizer. David Webb might have been one of our greatest managers but his track record on the FA Cup was appalling. The only games I can remember us winning under him in the FA Cup was both Canvey games.

 

[Norwichshrimper]

A lot of grim memories there, and loads of people with bad memories too as many of those mentioned are Round 2 or 3 ties.

A good one was 2 or 3 years back when we went away to Morecambe who we have never been able to beat, before or after, but cruised to a 3-0 with Straker scoring a couple.