Right chaps and Beth,thought in this time of woe i'd post a thread on our most memorable awaydays and our favourite grounds,and viceversa.Although i don't get to travel to as many away games as i used to,i still have fond memories of some of the places and grounds i've visited.While i love the atmosphere at our compact ground i used to love going to other stadiums and taking in the aura,or lack of it!My earliest recollection was back in the heady days of the 70's,going up to St James Park and Villa Park.At the time i remember thinking **** me these places are colossal(like some sort of Roman Colosseum),my little team haven't got a chance playing infront of all these people.The noise that eminated from the Geordie faithful was truly frightening and awe-inspiring in equal measure,and although we lost that day the atmosphere was something that stayed with me.Villa Park was enormous in those days(a regular setting for F.A Cup Semi-Finals),and the Holt end was just as intimidating,but compared to trips like Vale Park or Blundell Park,these were the games that made it all worthwhile.Over the years i've been lucky enough to visit Old Trafford,Anfield,Hillsborough,Elland Road,Roker Park and White Hart Lane to name a few,and all of them have been fantastic occasions irrespective of the result.On the flipside there has been the odd nightmare,places such as the Old Den and Ninian Park rate highly as both grim grounds and a grim atmosphere.While at other grounds there was an intimidating air,at these and a few other grounds there was an actual feeling of malice as you entered the ground.I recall a game against Millwall in the late 80's and the feeling i had walking to the ground.There were coppers everywhere,yet as i neared the stadium my mate and i were subjected to a vitriol of hate and bottles being thrown at us,along with the odd traffic cone.The police did nothing but neither occurence were anything out of the ordinary in those days.Once inside the ground the abuse levels of the home fans grew,coins were hurled into the Hoop's section indiscriminately and several of those around me received facial wounds.We lost the game 3-2,but my main concern was getting outa there in one piece.Fortunately i made it out but lost my friend in the melee that ensued outside the ground.I was really worried for his safety,and it was 3 days later that i finally managed to get in contact with him.There weren't many mobile phones in those days,so i had been ringing his home repeatedly with no response.It transpired that he had been chased by around 20 Millwall fans,and in his haste to escape them he had jumped over a wall and fractured his ankle.Fortunately for him he was able to hail a black cab and get to hospital before they caught up with him.We all know about Cardiff and i have deliberately left Stamford Bridge off my lists.I am sure you all have your own tales to tell,so i will wrap mine up there and wait for your responses.Come on u rrrrrrrrrrs.
my best mate and i drove to derbys baseball ground as 17 year olds, in his ford capri, to cheer the lads on in an f.a. cup game in 1980. we parked wrong end of the ground, had to run the gauntlet of making our way to the away end with hairy northerners chucking pies and insults at us, literally. both of us received a boot to the arse at least once but made it through, just like the R's, on penaltys. after a 0-0 draw. loved every minute of it. funny thing is, i just met a county supporter over here who's dad was a 'bit of a lad' up there at the time, and his dads party piece was helping soft southerners find the correct end by way of his hobnails. great memories
Haven't been to a huge amount of away games over the years due to work commitments...but a few stand out. Southampton away in 2006...impressed with their new stadium...nice ground. I think it was 1-2, and my memory might be fooling me, but I think Ray Jones scored the winner. Also had an utterly unmemorable visit to Peterborough...can't even remember the score. The one that sticks out was Cardiff in the Playoff final...drove to Cardiff, sat through around 119 minutes then broke down on the way home and had some swine bag Cardiff fan from the AA come to fix the car...not fun. Also felt the Millennium stadium felt like a giant concrete block...didn't like it. Great memories of Luton away though...FA cup 3-3 with a last minute equaliser from Peacock...which I think is the last FA cup tie we actually won. Depressing.
That day in Cardiff was very grim Dave,but on a brighter note we did beat MK Dons in the cup this year!
Been to a few shyteholes over the years, one in particular that stood out was Brisbane Road, when we played there in 1982, I can't think of it being much more than a cowshed with it's corrugated roof and the bogs made our Ellerslie ones look like the Ritz. Others to 'mention in dispatches' would be the Withdean, good riddance and the ground about 200 yards from my home, Selhurst Park, a total dump!
Last year at Scunthorpe also springs to mind. **** performance, **** ground and then got the pleasure of sitting around in the car park for nearly 2 hours before they finally let us out
No doubt the biggest ****hole in this country both in terms of its football ground and town is Luton. Though I have to say I love **** grounds. I've been to Accrington Stanley, Macclesfield and others not with Rangers and loved them all. Loved The Dell, Highfield Rd, and just about any proper old-fashioned ground. Hate all the generic identikit concert stadia we have now but hold a special loathing of the Ricoh Arena. The only time I've ever felt really threatened at a football match wasn't with QPR. I went to Birmingham with some Watford mates and we got surrounded by a dozen of them at Bordesley station when they picked up on our accents. Asking them to repeat themselves as we couldn't understand their accents only served to antagonise them.
Standing in the North Bank in Feb 84 and trying NOT to scream when Stewart lashed in the 2nd!!!! It was a bit quiet where I was and I had mad a bit too much noise when the first went in. My mates (arsenal fans) were distancing themselves from me for fear of association if it went off. Grinned all the way back to the tube!!! Went to Highbury alot in those days for "HOME" EUFA Cup games. Didn't mind the wide open empty spaces for those couple of adventures. Most recent away day was Villa Park in Feb - much better ground than I remember from the early 90s except the pre game pub was one of the worst I have ever visited. 2 quid to get in, I was prepared to pay to get out!!!
There's no better feeling than seeing us win away, particularly after an arduous journey. Fond memories of a 3 or 4 goal win at St James Park just before the 82 Cup Final. Stainrod imperious. Also a 1-0 win at the Old Den to confirm promotion in 73, didn't celebrate too loudly down there though..... The Emirates is a beautiful fstadium, but with the atmosphere of a crematorium on a slow day.
Liverpool, Milk Cup Semi, won 3-2 on aggregate... Lime Street before the game got chased by a mob with their good friend Stanley whipped out of their pockets! Found a building site threw bricks at them, jumped in a cab got chased around the city Keystone Cops style. Lime Street after the game eight of us caught on a platform by twenty five of them, it got a bit tasty until the old bill turned up and gave us a police escort to...I cannot remember for the life of me! But it was cold and dark. Got home at 8am to mum asking, 'where the hell have you been?!', looking at my big black eye and shirt with all the buttons ripped off. A day of mixed emotions; elation, terror, anger and relief. Just remember feeling so happy we knocked the scousers out of the cup and like the rest of you lot feeling totally devastated when we were hammered by Oxford in the final.
I want to go to the Etihad or whatever it's called now for our last game of the season.I'm hoping the atmosphere will be great as they will already be champions and we will already be safe!Well we can hope,can't we?
I have far too many horror stories as a young lad following QPR away in the eighties, not suitable for posting on here. The one constant that I do remember though from my regular QPR away days was Daphne Briggs. Does anybody remember her? RIP Daphne, your a Rangers legend xxx
the worse ground i have ever been to and i have to a few, the one that springs to mind in ashford town(kent)1995 first round f.a cup, missing down with rain, parked my car in a car park that was a muddy field, no cover behind the goal and it was about 15 feet deep, i jumped in the main stand, about 300 seats in the stand, 50 or so had paper on seats with ffcf fans written on it, still getting wet though, the game was only played cos it was on sky, the ball did not move in the mud, we were one down with ten to go, i had enough walked out, then heard a roar and we were two down, got in the car stopped at the service station phoned club call and we drew 2-2 all two late very dubious pen from micky adams both handball very harsh, i remember like yesterday
When I was living back in old blighty and a regular travelling supporter one of my most enjoyable away days was Loftus Road! A few drinks in the Springbok before, nice easy walk/stagger to the away section and being right on top of the pitch. Although a fairly small ground, it has it good points and one of them being the atmosphere that can be generated on the right day Most hated ground as a regular away haunt - the Dell when it was open terrace & Selhurst Park (Never saw us win at either of these grounds in countless attempts)
loads to tell but not on line,999 remember daph well,and elecott not sure about the spelling on that one
