Memory Lane Just out of interest, who here went to the earlist match...

[THE SEVENTIES NORTH BANK]

Presumably that's the Brentford game (the tie where we had to play off at a neutral ground - Millwall) ?

Well they really pulled out the stops on the programme for the next round:

http://i.ebayimg.com/00/s/MTYwMFgxMDQ5/z/SlYAAOxyAc1SOYTL/$(KGrHqRHJC!FIclYyezRBSOYTKwHK!~~60_12.JPG

That looks like one of those old 'Spot The Ball' photo's, Lol.

 

[LCBB72]

Would that be the white programme with the drawing of a player heading a ball on the front ?

The only white programmes that I remember that were white were the 1975-76 season , they were five pence and they were so bad that the club should of paid you five pence for buying it

 

[Billy Bests boot laces]

The only white programmes that I remember that were white were the 1975-76 season , they were five pence and they were so bad that the club should of paid you five pence for buying it

They were the ones the club produced themselves for the season. For the next few seasons i worked at the Printers who printed them (used to print the Friday night games, on the Thursday afternoon/ evening, and delivered them on the Friday lunchtime). We printed the FA cup 3rd RD v Liverpool ones, and i earned a fortune in O/T as for normal league games the quantity usually varied between 2,500 - 3,500, and for the cup game they wanted 20,000!.
Remember one game in the mid 80's when we had a machine break down, and for a Tuesday night game, we did'nt get the programmes there till 5pm!.
We also used to print the match day tickets and season ticket books. Also remember delivering the Liverpool ones on the day they went on sale, and having to drive through the queues already formed in the car park!.

 

[LCBB72]

They were the ones the club produced themselves for the season. For the next few seasons i worked at the Printers who printed them (used to print the Friday night games, on the Thursday afternoon/ evening, and delivered them on the Friday lunchtime). We printed the FA cup 3rd RD v Liverpool ones, and i earned a fortune in O/T as for normal league games the quantity usually varied between 2,500 - 3,500, and for the cup game they wanted 20,000!.
Remember one game in the mid 80's when we had a machine break down, and for a Tuesday night game, we did'nt get the programmes there till 5pm!.
We also used to print the match day tickets and season ticket books. Also remember delivering the Liverpool ones on the day they went on sale, and having to drive through the queues already formed in the car park!.

But you have not said how bad the 75-76 programmes were . :winking:

 

[Billy Bests boot laces]

:smile:

The pre-match and half-time entertainment certainly used to take a different form, especially the opening game of the 75-76 season at home to Sheffield Wednesday!:winking:

They had just been relegated from the old 2nd Division, and brought a massive mob of over 1,000 down here. Took everyone by surprise, had most pubs in town, but could'nt prise us out of the Sutton Arms!.
They half filled the North Bank, went one up, but we came back and won 2-1. As you say, a few fans wanted to exercise their legs on the pitch at half time!.

 

[Billy Bests boot laces]

But you have not said how bad the 75-76 programmes were . :winking:

As a skilled Printer for 22 years (before leaving the industry), i would have been ashamed to have been associated with those ones. They used to produce them on photocopiers, which since then, have improved 1000%.

 

[LCBB72]

As a skilled Printer for 22 years (before leaving the industry), i would have been ashamed to have been associated with those ones. They used to produce them on photocopiers, which since then, have improved 1000%.

I always thought they had been printed with a John Bull printing kit .

 

[Billy Bests boot laces]

Ist game was v Aldershot in 1967. 1-1 draw, my grandfather took me, and sat in the East Stand with a 3d cushion!.

 

[AndyT]

I was attacked by some Lincoln on the South Bank, I defended myself from getting a definite kicking and they backed off. I looked behind me and another large Southend lad was doing the same, he was back to back with me, when he turned around, it was Carl Connors, Lol.

My hazy memory was of a group of Southend meeting in the Sutton Arms and marching down to the ground to take on a group of Lincoln when they arrived at the South Bank.

There was a few incidents in the first match up there, as well and the history of 1969 as well, meaning a bit of rivalry between the two clubs.

We ended up in the North Bank, but the South Bank seemed to have a breakout of trouble almost throughout the game.

 

[ozzie]

They had just been relegated from the old 2nd Division, and brought a massive mob of over 1,000 down here. Took everyone by surprise, had most pubs in town, but could'nt prise us out of the Sutton Arms!.
They half filled the North Bank, went one up, but we came back and won 2-1. As you say, a few fans wanted to exercise their legs on the pitch at half time!.

yes.i was also in the "sutton" then,we then got a bus to Roots Hall where wednesday were on the top deck,we got on, and it all started on the stairs..unfortunately i was the "meat" in the middle of the sandwich where everyone met on the stairs..being pushed up by my mates &being kicked _kept down by the wednesday fans..the pitch invasion,i help instigate.Getting onto the pitch,the after about 10 yards looking back,seeing not many lads doing the same & 2 policeman heading towards me,i turned left and got into the westbank,the policeman then stayed on the pitch...does anybody remember the photo in the echo ,monday, with Chris "faceache" in cuffs being taken away..and they never nicked him...lucky lad

 

[Firestorm]

Ist game was v Aldershot in 1967. 1-1 draw, my grandfather took me, and sat in the East Stand with a 3d cushion!.

As we have commented before, this was my first game too....

 

[Billy Bests boot laces]

As we have commented before, this was my first game too....

Yes, i recalled a 'regular' on here shared the same fact, but could'nt remember who!.

 

[Billy Bests boot laces]

yes.i was also in the "sutton" then,we then got a bus to Roots Hall where wednesday were on the top deck,we got on, and it all started on the stairs..unfortunately i was the "meat" in the middle of the sandwich where everyone met on the stairs..being pushed up by my mates &being kicked _kept down by the wednesday fans..the pitch invasion,i help instigate.Getting onto the pitch,the after about 10 yards looking back,seeing not many lads doing the same & 2 policeman heading towards me,i turned left and got into the westbank,the policeman then stayed on the pitch...does anybody remember the photo in the echo ,monday, with Chris "faceache" in cuffs being taken away..and they never nicked him...lucky lad

Remember afterwards in Vic Avenue there was a 'confrontation' and one of ours who was topless, had a collection of Dr. Marten 'scuffs' on his torso!.