We were more than competitive back then, we were, feared, fancied and fekin awesome. The scenes outside after that game weren’t very good though. Missiled as we were herded inside the ground then attacked as soon as we set foot outside the gates
My favourite season that. Balls to defending, we'll score more than you. Such a shame that Shipperley is a bit of a weirdo these days.
What a team that was. Dyer, Hignett and Shipperley all in the same team. Doubt we could afford one of them these days.
The scariest match I have ever been to. I have fooking hated Vermingham ever since that afternoon. I hope they go bust.
Very scary atmosphere and the scenes at the end were shocking. I wasn't daft, I wore a blue and white rugby shirt....
Used to love watching that team. Was away at Uni down near St Albans but used to drive 170 miles home for nearly every home match (plus made a load of London grounds too.) Struggle to drive 8 miles to watch us now
That afternoon I was playing cricket for Stainborough at home to Houghton Main. Most of the lads on both sides were Reds. We set up radio commentary on the boundary, although we kept getting hassle from the umpires about it. We were fielding, but the Houghton players who weren't batting were all on the boundary listening to the commentary too. As each goal went in, it was pandemonium, with lads from both teams hugging each other on the pitch and on the boundary. The umpires, who weren't football fans, were bemused by it all. Later that evening we met John Kelly, who was on the board at the time, in the Strafford Arms. He loved our story, what a day that was!
Yes was a great team I was only 13/14 back then, it was a time when midweek at school couldnt wait to go oakwell and watch them, great time to be a red.
If only we had kept de zeuuw, we would have walked the league. Website did a question and answer thing with Bassett at the time and my question of why we didn’t keep him was asked. Bassett said there was better value for money available.
Hehehe. I was dipping my toes into internet dating which was pretty new around that time. I'd been speaking to a lass from Brum for a while and arranged to meet her at their club shop outside the ground after the match - obviously I wasn't anticipating the result! I was sh*tting myself walking through them after the game. The taxi she'd got had dropped her off two streets away and wouldn't go to the ground because of the score and when we met I couldn't talk to her other than a whisper until we'd cleared the surrounding area because I didn't want anyone hearing my accent. A valuable lesson was learned that day. Great game though!!
Course it did, we won 4-0! Sadly the football result was the only thing that went well for me that day ...
Yeah great game but having hot coffee poured on people at halftime from the upper stand wasn't much fun. Afterwards was awful.