15th april 1989

According to Greens on Screen (praise upon it):

15th April 1989
West Bromwich Albion 2 Plymouth Argyle 2
Scorers: Kenny Brown, Sean McCarthy

vividly remember celebrating McCarthys equaliser then hearing the news from hillsborough on the travel club coach radio as we left the Hawthornes. sat in silence as it was confirmed there was loss of life.
can't believe it was 25 years ago.

I'm an Albion fan and remember the game quite well. We were 2-0 up and threw it away, thus ending our play-off hopes. I think you lot scored through McCarthy in the last minute. The thing about t I think Argyle were quite low down in the table, at the time, but safe from relegation. he day was that most people didn't know what had happened until half time; then there were a few cheers when 'crowd trouble' was announced for abandoning the game. A few people were cynical about it. It was after the match when we knew that deaths occurred. In spite of the poor conditions at a lot of grounds and awful policing (I once was crushed at Stoke in 87) no one would dare think a single death might occur let alone 96 at a football match.

The old Leppings Lane End was always packed out for Semi Finals though, and I suppose was an accident waiting to happen.

I remember someone with a small radio clutched to his ear telling us it had been abandoned due to a pitch invasion and hearing more details over the tannoy as we left. was only when on the coach did the enormity of what had happened sink in. The euphoria of a last min goal right in front of us to total silence listening intently on the coach is still with me.

Most fans from those days will have experienced significant problems at grounds the length and breadth of the country as fans were jammed into ancient grounds totally unfit for purpose and policed with ( understandably to an exstent given the violence ) a very heavy hand. The Everton cup game from 87 is a prime example. The Lyndhurst was so full that day that anything could of happened and when we went 1 up the surge from back to front was potentially lethal if anyone had fallen.

Having said that though the atmosphere generated by standing on a heaving terrace was superb and the biggest thing I miss about today's very sanitised football experience.

Really appreciated that clip Greenskin - thank you. I went to that game with my late Dad.

Remember McCarthy's goal as if it was yesterday

Greenskin":2ok53odz said:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aG3DcbOVM5s

Click to expand...

Thanks for that.
I see there are plenty of youtube clips from the old days.
I may allow myself a little nostalgia fest for the weekend :thumbs:

Hate to say it but I was the guest of a West Brom supporting business associate that fateful day and watched everything unfolding on the TV in a corporate box as it happened. Cant' remember b*****r all about the WBA v Argyle game. Puts it all in perspective.