HomerJSimpson
Hall of Famer
Thanks for sharing. Having done 80+ grounds I've my own fair share but like you one of the biggest bits was meeting up with fans from other clubs on their way to their respective matches at various London terminus and then seeing the stragglers coming back as you finally got in from the likes of Sunderland, Scunthorpe or Carlisle at a stupid time and had that roulette of being in time for the last tube, in my case the Northern line back to Morden or missing it and having to scrabble around for a night bus with the jeopardy of not having enough cash left for thatI used to love going to away matches...even in a period when Newcastle were utter dross (pre-Keegan). Used to love the train into London (I lived in the East End in them days) crossing over London to whatver train station I needed, a few beers in the station bar before catching the train to onward destination.
The crack in the bars on a Saturday lunchtime was excellent, loads of proper football fans on their way to watch their team, loads of banter, rarely any trouble....the joy of Saturday 3pm kickoffs....something perhaps not experienced much these days by most Premier League fans.
Favourite away grounds in them days were Upton Park...not a long journey for me but always a great place under floodlights...and Leicester's Filbert Street....great old stadium with wooden floorboards....could make an absolute racket.
I used to think that you couldnt get a worse ground than Plough Lane but then a couple of mates and myself went to Prague for a weeks cultural visit and we went to watch Viktoria Zhizkov one Sunday morning.
Oxfords Manor Ground was nearly at the same level and if it had been a proper league ground then I'd also include Bath Citys Twerton Park ( when Bristol Rovers shared it) as a place not to visit again.
Random memories, some good, some not so....
Having a 90+ yo woman, scrubbing her doorstep like the ladies of old used to do, turning to look at me in my Toon shirt, spitting in my general direction and telling me to <infraction> off you Geordie <infraction>
The joy of baiting a particularly fat Bristol City fan in the main stand who stood out due to his bright lemon yellow tee shirt barely stretched over his belly for the entirety of the 2nd half (it was an utterly dire match won by a solitary goal by Junior Bent). Equally the joy of seeing dozens of mounted police and dogs charge into the City fans as they attempted to attack us from out of the local park and watching said lemon shirted fatty carted away.
Nearly getting arrested as Mickey Quinn buried a third goal at Brightons Goldstone Ground....they were top of the league with a Won 6, Drawn 0 Lost 0 home record with a goal difference of about 15-2. I was on my way for a wee when the attack mounted, paused on the stairwell and when the ball hit the net grabbed the nearest person to me hugged them and planted a kiss on their cheek....unfortunately the person I'd grabbed was a WPC who was about to try to get me off the stairwell. Luckily she and her colleagues (on a rare occasion) saw the funny side.
Boring police (humourless gits) breaking up a conga at Swindon (same day Australia beat England 12-11 in the Rugby World Cup final) which stretched from the main stand, around the corner to the end and behind the goal.
A Chelsea fan trying to pick a fight with me on the tube home from a midweek League Cup match....he had one leg in plaster and was struggling around on crutches but still wanted to fight!!
Finally, getting off the train at Leicester one Saturday afternoon...only two other Newcastl fans got off the same train, the police looked at us and said....only the three of you on this train....wait here. Two minutes later we were sat in the back of a Black Mariah being given a lift to the game!!!
Just a few memories, as I'm sure all of you who have regularly travelled to matches will have of your own.