Thetownend.com

It has to be 1979 when swindon drew at Highbury in front of 8000 Town fans massed behing the goal at the clock end. Who can forget the moment when Billy Tucker headed home the equaliser after 84 minutes sending the masses dressed in donkey jackets & Dr Martins wild. Then after the final whistle trying to find our coach amongst the 90+ we counted which came from all over wilshire A week later things got even better as we won the replay against Pat Jennings, Liam Brady, Frank Stapleton and more 4-3 aet
Brilliant!!!!

Onuora's first game in charge at Doncaster in 2005. We lost 1-0 but there was something about that night that felt awesome.

Not forgeting the following week and the 8-0 mauling we dished out to Bury with a young Danny Wilson playing for Bury.
Brady was brilliant in the replay at Swindon,he must have wondered how the hell they lost...i was at Highbury...missed Arsenals early goal due to getting in late.
I also remember a young Paul Rideout having a good goal wiped out in the snow at Luton in a cup game we lost 2-1....a 4-1 bashing at Forest in front of a packed City Ground.
Also Everton away in the cup when the noise levels were the loudest i have ever heard(outside of Wembley)
Norwich when Bambi shocked the Canaries and Fulham away when we were 3-1 up and drew 3-3....hammered them at home.
Two away matches at West Ham i remember as cracking away days also
Liverpool away in the Prem was a great day and Man Utd and Leeds away where we were pipped in both were memorable.
In recent times Leeds in the league was outstanding also.

There were many, many more....and i hope there are many more to come.

Stoke away was pretty good earlier in the season

This thread has made me realise that my time supporting STFC has been pretty shit.

Agreed Sonic,that was a horribly brilliant night-couldnt have been worse on the pitch with Ifil being sent off and Cureton and Thorpe(I think) up front but there was a solidarity about the few that were there and Iffy got a tremendous reception.

But i have been at Dagenham and beat up by West Ham fans after a loss to non league Dags and also saw us dumped out away at non league Tooting.

I saw us thump Kettering away 8-0 and i honestly believe they have never recovered from that!

Seing Ketterings plight is sad...they used to be a real top non league outfit.

I saw us get thumped at Newcastle 5-0 when Gazza made his full debut.

Not all been brilliant Sonic. :cry:

Charlton away.

I'd totally lost hope at half time, and I don't think i'll ever forget Mr Ward slotting in the equaliser or that winning pen.

Just remembering others.

Palace away in the playoffs was as bad as was good the Gillingham playoff games.

Onoura's debut was pretty good, away at QPR, Digby got sent off, Macdonald (RIP) went in goal. Onoura scored the winner. 2-1. Good fun.

I think going to away games in the late 70's and early 80's was someing special especially when we took a large following as there would be a convoy of Rimes & Ellisons coaches as well as a special train which always made the home fans take note

The Special!!.........Wrexham away.

The Cup shocks against Sunderland and Sheff Wed in '85 to Wigan in 2012.

Clinching promotion against Chester in '86, and beating the Pikeys at Selhurst in '87.

The play-offs in '90 and '93. The two games against Tranmere were classics, including the first five minutes at the CG.

And a special mention to the Pox for getting relegated to the Conference...and getting beat on pens in the play-offs the following season.

Forgot about the Sunderland match.
Can still see clearly Coyne scoring the winner to beat Wednesday......i ran onto the pitch after and tried to talk to Andy Blair who was playing for them.....he told me very loudly to Fuck Off as he ran away from the Town masses.

would that be the special town fan wrecked at wrexham

Indeed.....it was the one and only time i have ever been scared in amongst Town fans that night.

It was mental.

A fantastic day that.

Singing I I Iffy Iffy I. Superb atmosphere in the cramped lower tier away end that day. Never a sending off for Diggers either.

I heard stories about the train and didn't a school take some punishment as well

I think this could just shade it for me ad well and I love the reference to the DM's and Donkey Jackets.

The day started off by bunking off school early and catching the train to Paddington from Didcot. The tubes were jammed with Swindon fans and Highbury was not expecting the numbers.

One nil down to an Alan Sunderland penalty but "Windy" Miller was giving Sammy Nelson a torrid time on the wing. Corner in the clock end 85th minute and big Billy Tucker rose above a static defence to power home a header.

All went suddenly black as I was piled amongst many bodies with my 8 hole brown DM's intact.😄

Never will forget that moment for sure and can still see it.

To me that was a special moment but Andy Andy Rowland scored that special goal in extra time to put us into the semi final.

I used to love the games against Gilliscum in those days.
Catching the train was always lively as you can imagine. The 3-1 Gills came 100 Swindon skins came running at us near the old bus station shouting .... I thought we were dead but then they were shouting at us to help them turn a mini bus over on its side.....as it went over we carried on to the station unscathed.
Those days were rather different.

Chris Kamara's debut and early goal in the bank vs Pompey the team he signed from.

For days he was receiving death threats and when he scored he ran the length of the pitch to celebrate in front of the TE.

Then Pompey started a riot. We won 3-1 and was another memorable moment.

Dagenham away mentioned in this thread but Boreham Wood late 70's or early 80's FACup 1st round. 0-0 was one of the most frightening games I ever went to even worse than the trips to the old Den.

Been to Pompey many times....a night match under the lights was always an amazing footy experience....bell and all.

Ipswich away in 85 was a great experience and although we were hammered 6-1 we outsang them and were very lively after the final whistle

Got to mention the Peterboro game where Danny Invincible scored a last minute winner that kept us up, when Wovers got beat a few days later.

When that goal went in a shiver went down my spine, for the only time at a game.

September 1977 .  . Seems like yesterday.
Burgervan,plastic fork,police dog .
Apparentley the in house fighting on the train was sparked off when the Gorse hill mafia got beat by the Tin town boys in a friendly game of 3 card.

Simlarly the 9000 Town fans at Old Trafford in '96, who outsung the Man U plastics.

Fab atmosphere that night.

Favourites for me are the obvious ones, Charlton away in the play-offs, Tranmere away in 1993 in the play-offs and Wembley 1990 and 1993.  The other one was  Birmingham away in 1993 when we were 4-1 down and ended up winning 6-4.

The days before the sat nav and a twat of a brother reading the map. We got stuck in the middle of Woburn Abbey and had to make a U turn.

Happy Days.

I remember wearing a Davey Crocket hat that night.

The cops said we were the loudest fans they could remember at Portman Road.
We never stopped singing.

That Wrexham special was something alright.

There was fighting on the train when it was still stood in Swindon station before leaving!

Me and my mates had our carry outs stacked on the table when someone thumped me on the back of me head - turned round to have a go meself and after the kerfuffle some bastard had nicked all our booze.

The trained stopped - at Hereford I think - to take on more police and we got to the Racecourse just before half-time.

After the game it was mental in the extreme.

Youthful exuberance

So many great memories being posted.

2-2 Everton and Strouds rocket.
The most packed TE I have ever been in.

Got crushed and spent most of game on the side with my Green Parka.

Specials to Burnley and Carlisle later.

Forgetting Newport.

its amazing after all those years it still gets a mention especially as there was no rivalry between the two clubs and to take a special that far was something that would never happen now

The best has to be beating the Scummers with the smoke bomb goal and waiting on the Magic for the inevitable hordes charging down Shrivvy Road and despite being outnumbered really giving it to them fuckers - stick that up your yellow arse Eric.  
Followed by drawing with the Slave Traders to stop them getting in the play offs.
Beating Wolves 2-1 and dreaming of Wembley. Arsenal away. Liverpool away in the Prem. Drawing 2-2 at Stoke and dicking them in the replay Both wembley wins. Tranmere and Blackburn away in the play offs. Mansfield away to seal the Div 4 title under Macari.
It hasn;t all been bad.

Speicals also to Aldershot, Blackpool, Exeter, Torquay, Wimbledon

 
went bottom of the league that day, was very surreal - found this photo the other day from it!

I presume that's your "Whits on Tour" flag then?

it was, no idea where it is now though!

I remember fuck all other than us all singing Iffy's name for 90 minutes, not sure any manager has ever had a better reception in his first match!

You can see my head in that photo. Fame!

I was on that Carlisle Special - we were stationary at Crewe station, I think, when there was an almightly explosion and some windows went in. Apparently a passing train had a door open and smashed into ours.

If that had been today the first thought would of been - Taliban!!

In Macari's season the best would be Mansfield and Cobblers away. Those Notts police, fresh from battling the miners, tried to take out their frustrations on the Town fans - real twats that day.

Always liked Macari's comment about the Cobblers game that it was 'worse than a Rangers/Celtic game'

Not so much because of the game itself, but going to Bramall Lane for our first ever game in the top flight was pretty special and something I'll always remember.

Charlton away in the playoffs was probably the most pure, unadulterated joy I've ever felt at a football ground when that final penalty went in.

Very surprising nobody has mentioned the Leicester play-off final.

Maybe the PL isn't the promised land we like to think it is

I was at all those games too leef :) but the Kettering was only 7-0 ;) I say only! some of the worst football violance I have ever seen at a game that day, along with the Hammers/Daggers fans away and at home in the cup.

The 8-0 against Bury was a great game but yes for me too the Arsenal game in the cup is the all time fave for me as I have said many times :)

So many great memories of Swindon over the years and hopefully so many more to come.

The old football specials in the 70's and 80's bring back happy memories too, Burnley, Palace, Carlisle, Liverpool and Wrexham on the train.....ace.

I was sat in the seats next to the ones where the window went in at the start of the day but moved a coach back when my mates found us for better seats...very lucky and it was extremely lucky that nobody was badly hurt that day.

Mind you they did used to give us the oldest carriages possible for those specials most were straight out of the condemned line.

I've had a couple of trips to Wembley that weren't bad!

They're obvious I know, but I'm suprised that we've gone 3 pages without mentioning them.

Summer of 69 mentioned the play-offs in 90 and 93 on page 1. I assumed the finals were probably included in both of those play-off instances.

Charlton, Stoke, Donny away and strangely Forest away when we got thumped.

Majority of the best footie memories are away from home, just seems to mean more if you get a result

Beating city away 4-0. Beating Oxford away 1-0.
Drawing 2-2 with Man Utd.
Leicester at Wembley.

1991-1992 5-3 at home to Sunderland.

First time we played them after they took our rightful place in the top division.

If I had to boil it down to just one game I was at, and I'm excluding the play off finals, then it's the home game against Notts County in the 92/93 promotion season.

It was in the autumn. We'd had a reasonable start to the season, and were just starting to put a run together with new players were bedding in, including Moncy who'd come in at the end of the previous season but been in and out with injuries.

But this was the first proper thrashing we'd handed out to a side at home. Added to that we'd been very reliant on Maskell, Mitchell and Taylor for out goals, and were getting little from the midfield. This game, Moncur, Ling and Summerbee all got goals along with Beadle.

Even better the skinny kid filling in for Bodin at left back that we'd signed for free from West Ham, took a swing at one from wide on the edge of the box, sliced it a bit, and it flew into the top corner. Welcome to the County Ground Kevin Horlock.

I was at this game in the Town End and saw Horlock's goal from boot to stantion. It was literally aimed right at where I was standing. A beauty!

Recently Coventry at The Ricoh had a special feeling as we started to fight back and then took the game.

Second leg of the play off semis at The Vally. The equaliser and Derby's pen.

Away at Loftus Road in our Prem Season- The Wake with everyonewearing black. "We are Endsleigh league say we are Endsleigh league!" :D Rounded off with "Phoned me Mum, me Mum, to put the champagne on ice, cos we beat the Rangers twice, beat the Rangers twice!"  :pint: We were on our way down but fuck it, we were going to enjoy ourselves.

Really rattling ManUre at the County Ground- dirty fucker Cantona stamping on Moncs. Was that the game where Sparky got thumped by a Town fan as he rattled off the hoardings adjacent to Shrivvy Road/ Intel?

I'm not mis-remembering it am I? In my minds eye he hit it with his right and it kind of sliced off the top of his foot and absolutely flew in.

Forgot to mention the game against the Cambridge lump kickers in '92-93, with Hoddle taking the piss out of their players, as we beat them 4-1.

When their fans sang "we want football" at their manager :)

That was sooooo sweet. That John Beck side had been a bit of a bogey team for a while. They did the double over os the previous season. Finally totally trouncing them seemd to be a real justification of proper football

Bet Cambridge United fans would kill for a bit of John Beck Championship level football nowadays...!

Dion Dublin upfront instead of the aptly named Michael Gash

And football league expert Steve Claridge? One from my 2nd season - probably the first thumping I saw.

Sunderland Play Off Final.  Quite simply the best performance I have ever seen from Swindon.  We had over 20 clear cut opportunities that day, White hit both posts from a yard out, Shearer had a shot that looked like it actually went through the net, we had a passing move in the commentary that looked and sounded like pure sex and yet somehow we scored only one goal via Bennett's backside.

when rhys evans took it around dean windass. other than that, nothing else.

Bristol Rovers away,played at Ashton gate,not sure of the date,late 80's i think.2-0 down and won 4-3.More recently Plymouth away last season. Scored late and after the game the players dragged PDC to the away fans. Only afterwards did we find out that his Father had passed away.Pure magic.

Drawing with Man U in the Prem. Some pride in our failed season in the sun. Got a good spot on the Bank, girlfriend passed out got lead to the med room. They asked her if it was the though of Ryan Giggs legs, she said Ryan who? Should have known then to ditch her and save me a year or two misery.

Winning the league under McMuck. Yes it ended badly, but watching OST lift the cup in the Arkells while we celebrated was magical.

Leeds 0 Swindon 3 - "We're going to West Ham, You're going to Dagenham" sung 6 year old Alex Batch as we walked down Elland Road.

Charlton play off semi win. Waited so long after missing the Leicester final to get back to Wembley to watch us play. To be honest, could have carried on the wait. But that moment when Darby sunk the winning penalty. Pure elation.

The PDC years, the mad bastard may be gone but he went with a league title, a Wembley visit, several higher league scalps.
--------------------------
But success doesn't have to be the only type of good memory. For various reasons:

- Losing to Leeds on pens after battering them for a fair portion of the game. Then that cunt Robinson scored.

- Forest 7 Town 1. Just a great laugh, great sing song and gallows humour. Plus Benjamin scored and I was there.

- Grimsby 1 Town 0, I got a medal for going. Literally.

- Barnsley 1 Town 0 (Fallon). A massive release a week or so after my wifes mother passed away. It isn't a good memory, far from, just that I needed to be at football to shout and moan and let it out.

- Losing 2-1 to Man U in the cup. Scholes scored the winner. Talia was good. Had a puncture on the way home. But by god the stream of cars along the A419 from the Air Balloon towards Swindon at 12:30 am made me proud.

My favourite football moments aren't always football related. Well some of them are, but they've been mentioned.

I do however fondly remember the time I was in the townend with sussex and birdy (I think) and accidentally set my self on fire.

Good times.

Think it was our league 2 promotion last game of the season. Under Sturrock. Probably.

Oh and the time I managed to do three media interviews in one night, all whilst a lot of you were standing behind and taking the piss. That was fun.

I think that I've always liked the people and the antics more than the matches.

Rory Fallon's goal against Bristol City I remember quite well.

Was that the game where the dozy steward took ages to realise sommat was wrong? If so, I took my shirt off for your bird :toocool:

Which I missed as I was having a slash. depressingly that sort of thing is a common occurence with me over the years. Think my faves were the last 2 PO games against Gillingham in 87, and the 2 games against Wolves in 80.  More recently the 2-2 away at Huddersfield and the 1-0 win at Carlisle stand out. And yes of course the beer features heavily in the last 2.

1977 was a memorable when we played Everton at home in the FA Cup as I can remember scousers handing over their tickets over the back of the stratton bank to fans in the county ground extension. Also who can forget about Kenny Strouds wonder goal

Playing Spurs in the FA Cup in 1980 when they set the hotdog stand on fire in the statton bank & some of their fans were walking on top of the old shrivenham road stand

Playing Aston Villa at home in the last game of the season in 1988 as they needed a point for for promotion to the old league 1 but were only given around 3000 tickets and there must have been a few thousand outside during the game and all you coul hear was the gates at the shrivenham road constanly being charged at with the police struggling to hold them back. I think at the final whistle with promotion secured the police let them in onto the pitch to stop any further trouble

Just out of interest, when did Barnes start dointg the coaches?  I've been going since the late 80's and always remember them being the coach of choice. Used to also get a few Silver Knights before they went bust

Is that the game where a photo of 100 odd town fans singing their hearts out made the adver?  I'm in that.  Don't remember it being too cold mind, thnk it was september time?  

Reading through thread in order and just seen someone posted that photo.  Quality.

God yes. That 20 seconds is indellibly marked in my mind.

Just out of interest, when did Barnes start dointg the coaches?  I've been going since the late 80's and always remember them being the coach of choice. Used to also get a few Silver Knights before they went bust

I remember when we played Arsenal away in the FA Cup in the 79/80 season we counted over 95 coaches of Town Fans parked near the old Highbury and Im pretty sure that Barnes were amongst them

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=GXy2VRfYa7o

A video of the game, cracking game at Trashton Gate that day in 87 I remember Rovers were short of players and got in 2 or 3 loans for that game was a lovely sunny day in April well before they put the roof on the away stand and turned it into the home end.

Wasn't that the game Vs Burnley in the FA Cup game? I was on the first train coach where the door hit the windows smashin them out or did that happen for the Carlisle game too? Had just left school and was my first away game.....

My first game ever!!! The game that got me hooked as a STFC fan 4 eva

I was on both those specials and I think it was the Carlisle game that it happened on but there was an incident coming back from Burnley in the FA Cup that the footy special was bricked leaving the outskirts of Burnley and the train was hit smashing a window.

Anybody remember playing Blackburn in the FA Cup in 1984 when we got beat 2-1 with Jimmy Quinn scoring for the visitors as it got really lively after the game!!

Remember it well...we were 1 up............Rovers had a lot of National Front nutjobs with them.

yeah thats true but I can rember swindon having a really big mob that day and went crazy after the game and even turned over a rovers transit van in county road

the Christmas New Year period we beat Tranny, Pompey and Carlisle 5,5 & 4 zilch

Yep, remember it well. Rovers were on the receiving end of some pretty heavy Swindon hospitality. They came looking for it and got more than they bargained for.

yes I agree swindon were up for it that day and after the game they went looking for it and completely surprised Rovers and I bet they wish they hadn't parked one of their Transit vans down county road next to the old newsagents. It also reminds me when swindon went crazy after midweek games in the mid 80's against Bristol Rovers & southampon as trying to get back to the bus station was pretty scary

I missed the game to go walking on the Dorset Coast Path with my future ex wife. Missing a game for a bird, isn't something undertaken lightly, and should only be used sparingly...but the prospect of a bit of fly camping in January, was too good to turn down.

HTV not even bothering to show our first goal.

Oh yes. One of my best memories as well. At one point we were 3-1 up and the whole of the ground.... Yep even the Arkells singing Wembley 69, Wembley, Wembley 69 !!!! ..... The old Shrivvy Road stand was rocking.... Was stood in Townend and literally it was moving about. I wouldn't have wanted to be sat up the top anyway. I Got some recollection that was one of the last games people ever sat up there.

 :pint:

Thinking about it now ,every away game with the world famous STFC has always and continue to be the best way to spend a day....away games a way of life :pint: