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leyton orient 1978


battlingbob
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I agreed with you Bob, these youngsters dont know nothing. The argument was over what year and game the wall came down at Brisbane Road.

 

Thanks for reminding me, was about 15 yards in and 5 yards to the left of it, reminds me of how that was the first time I ever drove through Central London on the way home!

 

Ah bless, a pointless thread has proved useful

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I was right at the front. The pressure got so much that I was forced out of the crowd and found myself standing next to a WPC. The next second the wall collapsed. Very scary and thank goodness no one was badly hurt. I ended up walking off the pitch with the players only to hear my name shouted by a workmate who supports Orient on the other side of the pitch...I guess he was wondering what the hell I was doing!

 

Happy days.

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I was right at the front. The pressure got so much that I was forced out of the crowd and found myself standing next to a WPC. The next second the wall collapsed. Very scary and thank goodness no one was badly hurt. I ended up walking off the pitch with the players only to hear my name shouted by a workmate who supports Orient on the other side of the pitch...I guess he was wondering what the hell I was doing!

 

Happy days.

 

A work mate of mine broke his arm or leg (so long I can't remember) when the wall went down. God it was packed that night nearly everyone I knew who was a Saints fan was there.

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A work mate of mine broke his arm or leg (so long I can't remember) when the wall went down. God it was packed that night nearly everyone I knew who was a Saints fan was there.

 

It was a miracle no one was crushed to death. Someone grabbed hold of the collar of my leather coat to try and stay standing and ripped it. It was very scary.

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I was right at the front. The pressure got so much that I was forced out of the crowd and found myself standing next to a WPC. The next second the wall collapsed. Very scary and thank goodness no one was badly hurt. I ended up walking off the pitch with the players only to hear my name shouted by a workmate who supports Orient on the other side of the pitch...I guess he was wondering what the hell I was doing!

 

Happy days.

 

 

Whatever the capacity was of that stand that night didn't really matter 'cos they just kept packing 'em in. That's why nobody could put a figure on how many were there, it generally ranges from 12,000 to 15,000.

 

Madness in hindsight but no doubt they didn't want too many Saints fans in other parts of the ground (particularly as predicted some Spurs hoolis turned up (very briefly!) at the end to our left).

 

You couldn't move on that terrace and a number of us climbed up at the back, hanging on for dear life for 90 minutes from the roof. This gave us an incredible view of the mass of Saints fans going beserk below when Tony Funnell equalised - and also of the wall giving way (towards the other end from where we were) and fans spilling out.

 

But what a night...as you say 'appy days.

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My dad took me up there even though it was a school night.

I remember the noise under that tin roof and we were all down the one side.

Next day at school I felt pretty bloody pleased with life!

Also went to the 2-0 cup win there with my dad totally oblivious to any of the hooligan stuff that was going on.

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Didn't we win at Luton the previous game - to set up the chance of promotion if we drew against Orient? I seem to remember a space hopper and a blow-up woman being passed around the crowd. I quite fancied the latter but couldn't keep hold of her. I remember getting hit in the eye by a sugar cube on the coach, and also pointing out a little old lady to my mucker - she was standing on the pavement next to the coach. "She looks just like my Nan" I said (she has passed away a few days before). As he looked round to see who I meant, another fan hawked up a huge greeny and gobbed it out of the window at her - square in the face....nice :-(

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Didn't we win at Luton the previous game - to set up the chance of promotion if we drew against Orient? I seem to remember a space hopper and a blow-up woman being passed around the crowd. I quite fancied the latter but couldn't keep hold of her. I remember getting hit in the eye by a sugar cube on the coach, and also pointing out a little old lady to my mucker - she was standing on the pavement next to the coach. "She looks just like my Nan" I said (she has passed away a few days before). As he looked round to see who I meant, another fan hawked up a huge greeny and gobbed it out of the window at her - square in the face....nice :-(

 

Yes 2-1 penalty last couple of minutes wasn't it Peach. Remember a few lads on the pitch & an old guy (seem to remember he had a top hat on) trying to stop them swinging on the bar.

The thing I remember about Luton that day, is we saw loads of Luton Coaches going the other way, think they were going supporting a local team at Wembley hardly any Luton in Kenilworth road.

 

Orient was a great night out 2 had to get a late train as on day release at Southampton College bunked off to get the last possible connection. Remember walking up from the tube station & seeing into that side terrace & all the Saints fans great memory's.

Edited by Under Weststand
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Didn't we win at Luton the previous game - to set up the chance of promotion if we drew against Orient? I seem to remember a space hopper and a blow-up woman being passed around the crowd. I quite fancied the latter but couldn't keep hold of her. I remember getting hit in the eye by a sugar cube on the coach, and also pointing out a little old lady to my mucker - she was standing on the pavement next to the coach. "She looks just like my Nan" I said (she has passed away a few days before). As he looked round to see who I meant, another fan hawked up a huge greeny and gobbed it out of the window at her - square in the face....nice :-(

 

Yes 2-1 penalty last couple of minutes wasn't it Peach. Remember a few lads on the pitch & an old guy (seem to remember he had a top hat on) trying to stop them swinging on the bar.

The thing I remember about Luton that day, is we saw loads of Luton Coaches going the other way, think they were going supporting a local team at Wembley hardly any Luton in Kenilworth road.

 

Orient was a great night out 2 had to get a late train as on day release at Southampton College bunked off to get the last possible connection. Remember walking up from the tube station & seeing into that side terrace & all the Saints fans great memory's.

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A fantastic few weeks, Fulham, Luton and Orient.

We arrived in Leyton at 1pm drank until closing time, footie in the park and kip in the afternoon , back in pub at 5.30pm( opening time in London) in the ground 5 minutes before kick off , never been so crushed in an away section, would never be allowed now.

Back to the Hole in Wall after game to celebrate, not sure how i got from Central Station to Townhill but i know i woke the neighbours up singing

 

"the SAints are going up and now your goin to believe us" as i went up to our front door

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Yes 2-1 penalty last couple of minutes wasn't it Peach. Remember a few lads on the pitch & an old guy (seem to remember he had a top hat on) trying to stop them swinging on the bar.

The thing I remember about Luton that day, is we saw loads of Luton Coaches going the other way, think they were going supporting a local team at Wembley hardly any Luton in Kenilworth road.

 

Orient was a great night out 2 had to get a late train as on day release at Southampton College bunked off to get the last possible connection. Remember walking up from the tube station & seeing into that side terrace & all the Saints fans great memory's.

 

God was that, that match, I remember being there, what a poo hole that ground was.

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God was that, that match, I remember being there, what a poo hole that ground was.

 

Cant disagree with that, coaches parked all along side a railway line. Walking along a line of houses & came across a mass of people seemed to be going in the back garden only to find the turnstiles may be wrong but that's how it seemed to me :rolleyes:

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Yes 2-1 penalty last couple of minutes wasn't it Peach. Remember a few lads on the pitch & an old guy (seem to remember he had a top hat on) trying to stop them swinging on the bar.

The thing I remember about Luton that day, is we saw loads of Luton Coaches going the other way, think they were going supporting a local team at Wembley hardly any Luton in Kenilworth road.

 

Orient was a great night out 2 had to get a late train as on day release at Southampton College bunked off to get the last possible connection. Remember walking up from the tube station & seeing into that side terrace & all the Saints fans great memory's.

 

It was Blue Star something I think, they all went to Wembley and left Kenilworth Rd to Saints once again.

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Cant disagree with that, coaches parked all along side a railway line. Walking along a line of houses & came across a mass of people seemed to be going in the back garden only to find the turnstiles may be wrong but that's how it seemed to me :rolleyes:

 

Cant remember what year it was but I can recall having trouble and having to leg it through someone's front door, through the living room out the back door and over the back fence, the look on their faces as 3 lads legged it through their house was a classic.

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We needed 1 point to guarantee promotion and we got it with a 1-1 draw, whatever happened to Tony Funnell the goal scorer that night.

 

I remember the crush and then struggling to stay on my feet as the crowd surged forward when the wall gave way.

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We needed 1 point to guarantee promotion and we got it with a 1-1 draw, whatever happened to Tony Funnell the goal scorer that night.

 

I remember the crush and then struggling to stay on my feet as the crowd surged forward when the wall gave way.

 

I don't think that's quite right as we needed at least a point against Spurs (as did they) on the last day to guarantee it. Brighton fans still believe to this day a 0-0 at the Dell was manufactured as they missed out.

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What a night my mum took 5 of us from school to Eastleigh to get the 4;20 slow train.We all bought red & white checked flags (still got mine). It turned out to be the last game i went to with Nigel Booth as he sadly died that summer so for a number of reasons a night to remember.

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Cant disagree with that, coaches parked all along side a railway line. Walking along a line of houses & came across a mass of people seemed to be going in the back garden only to find the turnstiles may be wrong but that's how it seemed to me :rolleyes:

Was that the season we were pelted with stones, bottles and what have you that the nice friendly folks of Luton lobbed over the metal cage at us? Nice place, Luton, not.

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I don't think that's quite right as we needed at least a point against Spurs (as did they) on the last day to guarantee it. Brighton fans still believe to this day a 0-0 at the Dell was manufactured as they missed out.
I think we were guaranteed promotion after drawing with orient, and we could clinch the title if we beat spurs. Spurs had to get at least a point to go up. The 0-0 meant Bolton clinched the championship. It was a bit of a nothing game, and I remember thinking it was fixed - especially when funnell hit the post with an open goal beckoning. Edited by kpturner
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Not so. We were guaranteed promotion after drawing with orient, and we could clinch the title if we beat spurs. Spurs had to get at least a point to go up. The 0-0 meant Bolton clinched the championship. It was a bit of a nothing game, and I remember thinking it was fixed - especially when funnell hit the post with an open goal beckoning.

 

Are you implying that Funnell hit the post on purpose? :)

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I don't think that's quite right as we needed at least a point against Spurs (as did they) on the last day to guarantee it. Brighton fans still believe to this day a 0-0 at the Dell was manufactured as they missed out.

After the Orient game we were 3 points in front of Brighton with a goal difference 12 better than Brighton. The draw made it all but mathematical bar the almost impossible 12 goal swing.

Agree with Kpturner about the Spurs game I've always been convinced that it was a fixed game. That Tony Funnel miss was hilarious when he shot the look of shock on his face when he thought he'd scored replaced by relief when it came back of the post. Dont think there was another shot on goal all game after that.

Also very funny that pathetic fence they put up at the archers end that the Spurs faithful ripped to shreads in about 10-mins

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After the Orient game we were 3 points in front of Brighton with a goal difference 12 better than Brighton. The draw made it all but mathematical bar the almost impossible 12 goal swing.

Agree with Kpturner about the Spurs game I've always been convinced that it was a fixed game. That Tony Funnel miss was hilarious when he shot the look of shock on his face when he thought he'd scored replaced by relief when it came back of the post. Dont think there was another shot on goal all game after that.

Also very funny that pathetic fence they put up at the archers end that the Spurs faithful ripped to shreads in about 10-mins

 

Indeed, I remember it well. Probably the most boring Saints game of all time ! You're right, apart from that one shot absolutely nothing happened, at least on the pitch. Still we were promoted so boring was Ok though I would have loved it if we had stuffed Spuds!

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