Teams watched when NOT playing Argyle

[Bernie Bernbaum]

Saw games at Stamford Bridge, White Hart Lane and Highbury in the early 70's. Man Utd v Leeds in 79, v Aston Villa in 88. Liverpool v Southampton in 92. Leicester v Chelsea in 73, v Wimbledon in 99. Also took in a RL game in 93, Hull v Wigan.

 

[Lousy Pint]

Spurs, Aldershot, HSV, Kingstonian, Inter and England - seen them all many times.

 

[Ponty]

There were some really bad battles between Chelsea and Wednesday hooligan elements back then. But who can forget the infamous Chelsea hooligans incident at Argyle in 76 I think, when they completely took over the Devonport end with barely any resistance. I used to stand on the Devonport back then, but can’t think why but me and some navy mates stood on the Mayflower terrace that day.

I’ve never forgotten, about ten to three the Devonport Enders were singing Chelsea where are you (or maybe they were Chelsea fans already in place on that end). Almost immediately, the exit doors burst open and there were at least a couple of hundred Chelsea hooligans on the Devonport End. Loads of Argyle fans ended up on the pitch. We could see a mate of ours stood on the Devonport, looking around himself, but he failed to see a massive haymaker coming his way and ended up on the deck.

This was the Butch Wilkins era Chelsea and they pasted us on the pitch too that day enroute to promotion back to the top flight. The violence afterwards in Central Park was terrible too and I remember some pretty graphic photos in the Independent the following day. I’ve seen worse football violence, but I think that was the worst I ever saw at Home Park.

I was a 15 year old in the Devonport End that day. Got hammered by grown men. Lost a shoe and my bus fare home. Walked to Ernesettle with one shoe then had a bollockin off my mum for losing a shoe.

 

[Devongreenowl]

There were some really bad battles between Chelsea and Wednesday hooligan elements back then. But who can forget the infamous Chelsea hooligans incident at Argyle in 76 I think, when they completely took over the Devonport end with barely any resistance. I used to stand on the Devonport back then, but can’t think why but me and some navy mates stood on the Mayflower terrace that day.

I’ve never forgotten, about ten to three the Devonport Enders were singing Chelsea where are you (or maybe they were Chelsea fans already in place on that end). Almost immediately, the exit doors burst open and there were at least a couple of hundred Chelsea hooligans on the Devonport End. Loads of Argyle fans ended up on the pitch. We could see a mate of ours stood on the Devonport, looking around himself, but he failed to see a massive haymaker coming his way and ended up on the deck.

This was the Butch Wilkins era Chelsea and they pasted us on the pitch too that day enroute to promotion back to the top flight. The violence afterwards in Central Park was terrible too and I remember some pretty graphic photos in the Independent the following day. I’ve seen worse football violence, but I think that was the worst I ever saw at Home Park.

I was a 15 year old in the Devonport End that day. Got hammered by grown men. Lost a shoe and my bus fare home. Walked to Ernesettle with one shoe then had a bollockin off my mum for losing a shoe.

That must have been scary at that age Ponty. Complete mayhem!

 

[Brussels Bureaucrat]

Having lived in a few different countries I’ve been lucky to go to a lot of games as a neutral. I saw a lot of Barcelona games the year they won the treble (14-15) - one game against Levante stands out because all three of the MSN scored including a Messi hat trick. They way they controlled the ball was extraordinary.

I think the best game I’ve ever seen as a neutral was the second leg of the playoff semi final between Derby and Southampton in 2007 - it finished 2-3 and Derby won on penalties, and were eventually promoted for that disastrous Premier League season.

 

[pafcprogs]

So many.....

My father took me to my first games of a nomadic childhood at Oxford ( v QPR and AN other) and then Torquay ( Robin Stubbs era) before we moved to Cornwall and finally went to HP where his passion was passed on to me.

After graduation moved to London and after a pre season friendly at Clapton FC where my mate and I managed to roundly abuse the hapless linesman who later was part of the training team when I qualified as a ref, one Lockie Bramzell as I recall, I was a regular on the North Bank at Upton Park in one of their then infrequent dalliances with the Second Division.

Before that a group of us would take advantage on the fixture arrangements and when Argyle were away would take in Exeter ( and cheer the away team) and then nip down to Torquay for the 7.30 kick off and support them...

We then also took advantage of the £4 Saturday Saver on British Rail to visit far flung grounds or Division One matches a couple of times. My favourite was watching a then little known player on loan score a penalty for Crewe in their final game of the season. Many moons later he spent time with us but he did play a few other notable games.....can you name him? nearly got lynched when watching Bristol City v Man City when Argyle were at Chelsea.....and we pulled back the 2-0 deficit to draw which was announced as we were leaving the City end...managed to get away with claiming I just hated Chelsea....hence the celebration....

Later in life location allowed me to ground hop London and the South East until married ...work then got me a few England Games courtesy of Electronic Arts/FIFA where I once had to explain the basics of the game to the NHL European general manager and his wife....including explaining how Stuart Pearce was going to take a fee kick and score against Poland which he duly did, gaining me great kudos from our American friends. Sadly I never got to the World Cup proper with them ( wimped out of a trip to Marseilles after the Beckham Simeone fiasco), but I did get to see Brazil v Ghana in the 2006 WC in Germany courtesy of our German parent company. My then boss also had a table at Palace so I saw a couple of games at Selhurst also.

Finally the owner of our trade mag was a Chelsea fan but it was cheaper for him to get a box at QPR for networking and saw a couple of games there including Argyle once....he's now a Director at Stevenage, his home town and I can only applaud their initiatives at present.

My wife is always saying how I would stop and watch any kick about in the street/local pitches etc, and as I scribbled this I have recalled some weird and wonderful non League visits courtesy of my dad.....


Now did anyone get the Crewe player......

 

[Pogleswoody]

If it wasn't Ray Lugg, which it wasn't, then I don't know!!

 

[Bovey Green lady]

Watched Reading while I was a student there. Bournemouth, while living there---until I married a man who didn't like football.(No wonder that marriage did not last!
The most unlikely one? Malta v Georgia.

 

[pafcprogs]

If it wasn't Ray Lugg, which it wasn't, then I don't know!!

It wasn't Ray Lugg

he also won their player of the year despite being a loanee....

 

[Pogleswoody]

If it wasn't Ray Lugg, which it wasn't, then I don't know!!

It wasn't Ray Lugg

he also won their player of the year despite being a loanee....

Ah, thanks for the clue pafc, I think I've got it now!! :think:
Counter intuitive as they say!! Bit left field (no, he didn't play left field!!)
Shan't say what I think, I'll let others have a go!!

 

[mde203]

Quite a few Exeter games due to their being at home when we’re away and me being a 20 minute train ride away. I saw West Ham beat Norwich 2-0 earlier this season as I happened to be in the area. Also saw Wolves v Brighton last season in the Brighton end as Wolves’ tickets were sold out and I needed something to do in Wolverhampton on a Saturday afternoon. It was the worst 0-0 draw I’ve ever seen.

 

[pafcprogs]

Since there have been no further guesses it was old wobbly legs himself Bruce Grobbelaar.

He had spent the season on loan ( might have been from Vancouver Whitecaps...but en route to Liverpool and European glory)


Even then he was a cult figure and when they got their pen, it was a nothing game at the ned of the season, the crowd went mad until he went up and scored.

I once stood with a Brentford fan in the open end at Griffin Park when we played them and after the toss we had to change ends...the mate said "wait till he gets down here...we always give away goalies serious stick. When he got to the edge of the penalty area I started to clap and virtually everyone around us joined in. he was that kind of character....the kind that every fan would want to watch....

 

[Alan Turing]

My youngest son and I go to Torquay a couple of times each season and have a meal in the Number 10 Restaurant beforehand - £10 for two courses!

 

[Pettgreen]

Been to a fair few Saffend games with my mate who is a big fan. Not been this season said to him I'd have more fun doing the drains at home than watch that drivel! hahaha
Last game I went to was Chelsea v Lille in the CL last November I think. Bought the tickets for a chef who worked for me as a thank you. He had never been to see his beloved Chelsea live. Turned round to me afterwards and said he'd prefer to watch in the pub as you can see the replays! So for saying that I took him to Stevenage v Argyle a few months ago to see real football. Still the same opinion. Youngsters these days.... :sigh:

 

[Princerock]

When I was a teenager and living in Bromley I used to watch the "Lilywhites" down Hayes Lane 1950's/60's when amateur football was still around...they were one of the elite clubs in those days.

1958...Arsenal...4-5...Man U...the last league game before Munich....the shock of that air disaster left me with a soft spot for United for ever....team was....Gregg, Byrne, Foulkes, Jones, Colman, Edwards, Morgans, Scanlon, Charlton, Taylor & Viollet.

1968...Fulham...0-4...Man U....the last chance I had of taking my dad to a game.....remember being in the crush outside the ground and up close to Tommy Trinder in his camel haired overcoat trying to get from his car......the disappointment of reading the programme and seeing that Charlton and Law weren't in the starting eleven....and then the announcement of team changes and they were both in....Law had been out injured for a few weeks.....and when his name was announced the roar of United fans singing "the king is back"..."the king is back"..."the king is back"

I used to regularly take my son when he was 9/10 and his mate to the old Valley ground to watch Charlton....if they found the game boring they used to amuse themselves by running up and down that enormous open banking, that they reckon you could get 40,000 on....I wondered who ever counted them....My son and later my grandson became season ticket holders and still are....and sometimes take me down there...of course the ground has changed a tad since those early days.

Other clubs I have watched around London... C Palace, Millwall, QPR, Chelsea Spurs....mostly years back.....I still live in NW Kent.