31 years ago today

who was there? Lets hear your stories. I was 7 at the time but i'm hard pushed to decided if i'd rather have been at this one of the 76 cup final. TO have been on that terrace that day and run the gauntlet of hate before and after would have been a brilliant experience.

My Dad claims to have been there. I have no idea if he really was or not. Probably one of those ones where people claim to be there when they weren't.

My Dad claims to have been there. I have no idea if he really was or not. Probably one of those ones where people claim to be there when they weren't.

Like the Nirvana gig at the Joiners?

There is so much 'wrong' with that goal which makes it so sweet.

Firstly, a great pick and pass by Frank Worthington with his 'wrong' right foot to David Armstrong.

What the hell he was doing down the right hand side, nobody knows. He was usually only found on the right flank if he was heading off the pitch.

I've spoken to Spike about this and not even he can explain how he was there.

And what a cross by Spike with his 'swinger'. He usually only used his right leg to stand on.

I wasn't there that day. I was playing. And as much as I love watching Saints, nothing was better than playing.

I even missed the 1976 semi-final to play. I had a ticket for the game, but passed it on because we had a game that day.

The League had issued a three-line whip that all fixtures had to be played that day, with dire consequences for those clubs that didn't.

We turned up to find the opposition were not there. They couldn't get a team up as all their players had buggered off to Stamford Bridge.

It was a brilliant day to be a Saints fan, but somehow, because we hadn't played them that often, it didn't seem as big a deal at the time.

In the build up to the game, there was a lot of talk about what they were going to do to us as fans, how we wouldn't get out alive etc, but in reality it wasn't that bad. That might also be because in 1984, going to any away game was a fairly hairy day out.

I was 20 at the time, and went with three mates,and my Dad. He worked down that way, so we parked in Southsea and walked a couple of miles to the ground. Before the game, there was a lot of looking around to see who was who, but I didn't see a punch thrown on the walk there.

In the ground, being part of a 9-10k Saints crowd was great, but although there was coins etc being thrown by both sides, it felt very safe. After the game, we were kept in for 45 mins to an hour, and the local scumbags were throwing stones etc from outside the ground into our section.

Once allowed out, the Police kept a big distance between us and them walking up towards Fratton station, and we ducked out down a side street, and uneventfully walked back to the car. We got back to the car by about 6.15, and drove off past large groups of w*****s hanging about ready to smash up there own town. We got back to Southampton and went for a giant **** up in town, although rumours that they would follow us on the trains didn't seem to come true.

It wasn't the best day ever, Wembley, or even Fratton Park in 76 were better, but watching the clip posted did bring back how good big terraces full of fans were.

3 years before I was born. Throwing away that lead at Fratton in our promotion season was devastating, I'd love to see us win there one day. Could be a very long time before we get another chance.

I was there. Fell down the terracing when we scored and gashed my shin open, still got a decent scar to remind me of the fantastic day.

I was born in May of that year, so I think I missed it.

I cant recall being kept in after the game, as my brother left with a couple of minutes to go and missed the goal!!! What a fantastic experience, still makes the hairs on my neck stand up when i see the goal. Thinking we had to go through it all again at the Dell,and the Pompey singing about Hampshire Ambulances etc but then Steve Moran popped up for the goal.

There was not wholesale carnage surprisingly enough

The poor old saints fans who had seats above the Pompey fans had a torrid time as they were hit with abuse and coins. They were old people and harmless.

There were quite a few of the lads wandering about who had tickets to get in the Fratton End,

My old man was in the Fratton end. No idea how he got out alive!

I was sat in the Pompey season ticket section with my Dad who got us tickets through a friend of a friend on the Pompey Board.

Wasn't the most popular of teenagers when the goal went in and I lept off my seat. Am I right in thinking Alan Biley (sp) had just hit the bar at the other end?

was there with the old man, as a 14 year old from London I knew nothing of the rivalry, my dad was from North Baddesley, but he never mentioned Pompey. We'd never played them since I'd been going (March 79) so to me it was just another cup tie against lower league opposition, though I did notice it was far more passionate an affair than any most I'd gone to. Do remember them throwing stuff at Danny Wallace I think, some old bloke in the Saints end yelling 'kill the copper' as a copper went under a seething mass of pompey fans to our right. Don't recall any trouble leaving or getting home, but do remember the press going on about the fighting etc the next day, but that was par for the course with the british press back then, they ****ing hated football and its fans.

When the goal went in the place went mental, well not the whole place, I'm not sure how 3/4 of the ground reacted because a massive surge carried me a few steps down, and the noise was unreal, a primal ****ing howl from 10000 odd saints fans. Have to say though, not being a local boy the wins against Liverpool were always sweeter for me back then. They were a real team, not some nobody mullet up front bunch I'd never seen play before.

I was in the South Stand, I left straight after the goal. Was picked up close by and had no trouble at all.

I was born in May of that year, so I think I missed it.

ah... so you're one of the new guys ...?

I was there, it was my first ever away game.

Not a bad place to start.

I was born in May of that year, so I think I missed it.

God, I thought you were much older than that!

I wasn't born for another five years - I've always said I was born in the wrong generation.

It's probably no comparison at all but my first game against the few was the Cup game in 2004/05 when Crouch's penalty won it in the last minute. It was quite special to me as a 15 year old, so God knows what it must have been like at their dump!

Was too young for that game but remember the '88 home game well, and my first away there was the Alan Knight's "testimonial" which was a sketchy day out to say the least. Wish i could've been there for that Moran goal, but for me it's up there as one of the most iconic in my time supporting Saints.

I was there but not going to tell any stories about the day incase the PC brigade on here get upset.

no where near as hairy as John Milkins testimonial

Great memories. I lived in P****y at the time and worked about 500 yards from the ground so I knew only too well how much they hated us. Was in the Rutland Arms (which was just off Goldsmith Ave) before the game, and exchanged a couple of glances with other Saints fans I recognised. I was in the stand with my dad, but don't remember any trouble from their lot below. I just remember getting a bruised shin from falling over the seats in front when we scored. Still my favourite moment from over 40 years of watching Saints.

The only hairy moment was several hours later back in the Rutland Arms when a work colleague came in and commented on how quiet the pub was because of the result, and then said "Oh but you're a Saints fan so you must be ecstatic". I think nobody took any notice because they didn't think anyone would be stupid enough to say that out loud if it were true.

God, I thought you were much older than that!

Masonic parking issues are all the rage with the kids these days

that was some miss by the skate just before we scored

I wonder if he was haunted by it

I remember being kept in after the final whistle, and if my memory serves me correct quite a few Pompey fans stayed behind at the Fratton end and set fire to programmes or something. Think Lawrie came out on the pitch to do a TV interview whilst we were still all in there. Hated going into work on the Monday as it was a stones throw from the ground. Got lots of threats but nothing more.

A mate of mine worked for Pompey customs, so we went on the back of his motorbike and parked at the nearby home of one of his colleagues. We queued up to go in only to realise that we were in line for the North stand. Immediately started asking people for spare tickets, in order to get out of the queue. Luckily no-one had any.

Got in and stood behind the goal near where that red & white flag was. Several friends got their tickets down there and ended up in the North Stand asking the police to be let into the away section. They claim to have made a profit after collecting the coins thrown at them whilst they were on the track waiting to get through the gate.

Typical Customs officers!

After the game the two of us were in the crowd being herded towards the station and so we managed to duck down a sidestreet and got back to the house. We were invite in and joined about 30 other "Scummahs" taking refuge.

Back home we ended up in The Concorde where we saw Shilts as usual. However, Steve Moran walked in only to be greeted by one of our lot (not me) kissing his feet at the bar.

Was too young for that game but remember the '88 home game well, and my first away there was the Alan Knight's "testimonial" which was a sketchy day out to say the least. Wish i could've been there for that Moran goal, but for me it's up there as one of the most iconic in my time supporting Saints.

Ha I was there for that "testimonial" too. Great game, not so great getting out Sadly I did not make the game in question though, was a teenager but followed it on the radio from memory

I was there but not going to tell any stories about the day incase the PC brigade on here get upset.

no where near as hairy as John Milkins testimonial

For every one of those there are a dozen people who do want to hear them, so don't hold back mate.

"Ere we go ere we go ere we go"

I'd been to Poly in Skatesmuff and one of my pals had moved to North End for work, so the whole weekend was about going down to see him and his missus, staying over and having a night out in Southsea after the game. We actually took the Bus from his place down to Nott Arf (scarves were tied round our waists under our shirts and certainly not showing any colours.

I remember we were about in line with the Penalty Area to the left of the goal looking at the Pitch and I remember we went absolutely mental when Biley missed then we scored.

Leaving the ground we could see the "carnage" broken radio aerials IF you were lucky through to bricked windscreens on anything with a Bristol Street Motors sticker in the back window. I remember standing in a queue at a Bus-stop with "painted on" glum faces and just occassional grunts and harumphs and farking scummah comments muttered under our breath. Then we were on the bus, sitting upstairs and it was like being at a bloody funeral, just occassional outburts of Caarnts or scummah farkers. We reached North End, got off the bus of gloom which drive off and just let out this huge YEAAAAHHH with fist pumps and that sideways kick in the air people used to do when they were over the moon....

To see the Bus had stopped at a Red Light 50m ahead of us and people pointing and shouting and doors opening and suddenly we were away and running and down alleys between terraced houses, over some fence, through some sandpit and then finally about 30 minutes later banging desperately on my mates front door as he'd lost his keys and we could hear some morons still coming down the next street...

Then we showered and changed and went slag hunting at Nero's or whatever it had become in those days. We'd learnt our lesson and kept things down to repeated requests to play Frankie Valli & Oh What a Night or Kool & the Gang - Celebrate.

Yep a night out in poorsmuff celebrating a last minute Saints win is pretty high up there in the list of "Great Moments".

Went down in one of the vans that left from The Painted Wagon.

39 of us in the back of our particular Transit van.

I had my legs dangling out the back doors all the way down as i was a bit claustrophobic :-)

Most of us had forged tickets for the Pompey end but the Old Bill just rounded us up on the Eastern Road and put us straight in the ground without even checking if we had tkts or not.

Best game I've been to by a million miles.

Pompey singing "Scummers, Scummers here we come" just as we scored!! Oops!!

I was there but not going to tell any stories about the day incase the PC brigade on here get upset.

no where near as hairy as John Milkins testimonial

Ditto - suffice to say I had a dodgy ticket and left from the painted wagon.

I was there, went in the back of a Luton van IIRC, no minibuses to be had anywhere.

Went down in one of the vans that left from The Painted Wagon.

39 of us in the back of our particular Transit van.

I had my legs dangling out the back doors all the way down as i was a bit claustrophobic :-)

Most of us had forged tickets for the Pompey end but the Old Bill just rounded us up on the Eastern Road and put us straight in the ground without even checking if we had tkts or not.

Best game I've been to by a million miles.

Pompey singing "Scummers, Scummers here we come" just as we scored!! Oops!!

Same van J wasn't it?

Ditto - suffice to say I had a dodgy ticket and left from the painted wagon.

I remember that. Somebody printed about 500 counterfeit tickets. No holograms back then!!

Same van J wasn't it?

Yes mate. Great Days!!

Here's our mutuals handy work?

Yes mate. Great Days!!

Here's our mutuals handy work?

Top man! Always good to work at a printers! If only it had all come off. When those vans got turned out it was probably the best bunch of lads I've ever seen for SFC in one place.

Mackerel up at Forest, the Navy Provost steaming in with their long sticks outside Fratton, the "Hello Pompey" giving it the bird banner up at Blackburn, the road if coaches up at Sheffield and carnage at Highbury. That was a cup run and a half for a 16 year old.

that was some miss by the skate just before we scored

 

I wonder if he was haunted by it

He should be haunted by that hair cut....

Mackerel up at Forest, the Navy Provost steaming in with their long sticks outside Fratton, the "Hello Pompey" giving it the bird banner up at Blackburn, the road if coaches up at Sheffield and carnage at Highbury. That was a cup run and a half for a 16 year old.

Forest in their seats. Pompey. Blackburn on my 18th birthday. John Don and his flare at Sheffield. Highbury, Carnage!!

Carlsberg don't do cup runs....

Top man! Always good to work at a printers! If only it had all come off. When those vans got turned out it was probably the best bunch of lads I've ever seen for SFC in one place.

Saw some pictures a while back of the saints end and there are some well known faces in that. What happened with the vans?

Was gutted to miss this one, the build up was electric. I really started going on a regular basis just a month later.

Went to Fratton instead in '87 in the 2-2 game, running battles all the way back to the train station and pretty sure a Saints fan got stabbed.

The one in 84 would have been one to remember though.

Forest in their seats. Pompey. Blackburn on my 18th birthday. John Don and his flare at Sheffield. Highbury, Carnage!!

Carlsberg don't do cup runs....

I was 18 too. The most awesome cup run ever. When I saw Rolfe strolling down the pitch at Highbury it was obvious what was coming next!

Blackburn was a very long way away in 84 on a Friday night.

The Painted Wagon on tour.

I wouldn't change a single moment of it (bar Adrian fu cking Heath).

Was gutted to miss this one, the build up was electric. I really started going on a regular basis just a month later.

 

Went to Fratton instead in '87 in the 2-2 game, running battles all the way back to the train station and pretty sure a Saints fan got stabbed.

 

The one in 84 would have been one to remember though.

Personally I think 87 was worse than 84.

Forest in their seats. Pompey. Blackburn on my 18th birthday. John Don and his flare at Sheffield. Highbury, Carnage!!

Carlsberg don't do cup runs....

Saw John for the first time in years at the JPT semi final, sure he got 3 months in Guys Marsh for that smoke bomb!

Only one regret about that cup run, thinking half Lois jeans/half cords was acceptable up at Sheffield!

I was 18 too. The most awesome cup run ever. When I saw Rolfe strolling down the pitch at Highbury it was obvious what was coming next!

 

Blackburn was a very long way away in 84 on a Friday night.

 

The Painted Wagon on tour.

 

I wouldn't change a single moment of it (bar Adrian fu cking Heath).

Was going to mention a certain taxi driver doing a one man attempt to get the game abandoned!

Was gutted to miss this one, the build up was electric. I really started going on a regular basis just a month later.

 

Went to Fratton instead in '87 in the 2-2 game, running battles all the way back to the train station and pretty sure a Saints fan got stabbed.

 

The one in 84 would have been one to remember though.

Sure it was skate that was knifed down there in 87...84 was a top day all round. Happy days.

Saw some pictures a while back of the saints end and there are some well known faces in that. What happened with the vans?

OB pulled us over - mind you the look on their faces when 30 - 40 fell out of each one was priceless.

Forest in their seats. Pompey. Blackburn on my 18th birthday. John Don and his flare at Sheffield. Highbury, Carnage!!

Carlsberg don't do cup runs.... í*½í¸„

Certainly was entertaining - got nicked before the semi final but made the ground just as the evertonians were getting to the tube - not a pretty sight. If my memory serves wasn't it Blackburn where the coach driver left half of the lads behind at the services on the way home?

Mackerel up at Forest, the Navy Provost steaming in with their long sticks outside Fratton, the "Hello Pompey" giving it the bird banner up at Blackburn, the road if coaches up at Sheffield and carnage at Highbury. That was a cup run and a half for a 16 year old.

Lord Louis before the replay with Sheffield was entertaining.

I reckon I'm the youngest fan on here!!!

Born in 1998- way past my time unfortunately. However look back in those years great to expand my Saints knowledge!!

Went with my wife of 2 years and a bit, and her mum and dad who drove down; all stood to the right of the goal as the TV shot shows quite high up, god we must have gone down 30 plus flights of terraces when Steve scored, absolute mayhem all round. Culmination of the whole days underlying seething vitriol - saw it after the game going back to the car, got sworn at and threatened even with two women, not nice.