12 hours ago, R0verb0y said:

With added misery as we passed their coaches on the south-bound carriageway as we were on our miserable way home.

Speaking from memory, wasn't that the last season when only two teams got promoted?

No - 3 up by then. West Ham making 2023 Burnley look average in comparison! At 3 points for a win and 46 games would give WH 103 pts. Particularly when draws were more valuable back then in comparison - I suspect with 3 points for a win they might have looked to convert some of those away draws into wins.

15 minutes ago, only2garners said:

It would be easy for me to say The Full members Cup Final, winning the Premier League at Anfield and the League Cup in Cardiff but I'll add both the Play-off Final and particularly the first leg of the semi-final at Ewood when Rovers came from 2-0 behind to win 4-2. The latter is still the only game I have ever been to when the singing continued right through the half-time break.

'The first leg of the semi-final at Ewood when Rovers came from 2-0 behind to win 4-2.' Amazing game - the  Mike Newell thunderbolt is possibly the most memorable moment in my Rovers-watching history.

1, Difficult choice this one but I think Wembley Play-off final. That feeling of knowing we were going to play in the top flight after 17 years of supporting Rovers was just incredible - particularly after the Palace defeat. Honourable mentions to Gigg Lane 80, FMC 87, and Cardiff 2002

2. Anfield 95. Disappointment of not being there was softened by going to work in Swinton the following day with my Rovers shirt on. Lots of grief from the plastic Man U fans (those who never went!) but congratulations from (most of) the real Man U fans who knew how long I'd followed us. Their view was 'you got more points than us - that's what winning a league is!'

35 minutes ago, Wheelton Blue said:

My Dad took me to Deepdale to watch the PNE/Swansea game on the day we lost at Bristol, but I was fairly young at the time so it didn't really affect me that much.

It has to be that Palace game for me. The stuff of nightmares that one.

Dad and me did same - although I was old enough for it to affect!

Palace - enough said

2 minutes ago, 1864roverite said:

Bristol Rovers away was by far and away the worst feeling ever!

Never felt quite the same for me as Palace. Maybe because I wasn't there (was at Preston hoping they'd do us a favour). Also wasn't in our own hands - we did all we could on the day. Well except win by about 9 goals!!

3 minutes ago, Gav said:

By a country mile the worst day I've ever had watching Rovers Asia, absolutely devastated and its a bloody long way home from Croydon after that. 

Same for me. At the time thinking we might never get another chance of getting to the top flight. Then got back to the car and had a parking ticket!! I disliked Sarf London before then - hated it even more ever since!

59 minutes ago, tomphil said:

Across to the M6 and straight down you'll struggle to find much high land it's one of the most straight forward fixtures to ever get to in this league.

Traffic permitting of course which is an issue anywhere.

Having lived in the area it is surprising how much snow Stoke gets. It sits on a plateau and often has snow when the lower surrounding areas don't.

11 minutes ago, roverandout said:

We came so close in 2007 against Chelsea.  If only mgp had put that header away

I still replay that miss in my head whenever FA Cup semi-finals are talked about.

1 hour ago, Tyrone Shoelaces said:

You didn’t have 21 players in the penalty box then so the chances of getting a free header from a corner was greater.

We were one of the early pioneers of flicking on near post corners - so effective for a while

18 minutes ago, Gordon Ottershaw said:

I was there as a 14 year old and went on the train with my snot nosed mates! Great season, great memories.

Same age, Remember that game as one of those where we scored first and the defence was so good we had supreme confidence in another 1-0 win! Fantastic days out that season. The days of scarves streaming out of car windows!

14 hours ago, Darrenbot said:

Just seen this on Twitter,some people on here must have been to it.It's a cold enough place on any day but Oldham on Boxing Day must have been freezing.

Went to this game with an Oldham-supporting friend of my dad's. Free tickets sat in the front of the stand (Ford Stand?) opposite the main stand. Luckily surrounded by forgiving Latics fans!! Just realised that was the 5-0 in 1979, Was on the away end for the Boxing Day match.

Until Trav's renaissance I'd have said Speight for the extra bite.

But has to be Garner for the obvious reason.

1 hour ago, Penwortham Blue said:

Thought the goal was never coming and the final 10 minutes felt like forever.

What a tense night that was eh? QPR had 9 English players plus 1 Welsh and 1 NI in the starting 11. We had 8 English, 1 Scot, 1 ROI and 1 rogue Norwegian. How times have changed in the Prem!

On 16/01/2023 at 09:21, Devon Rover said:

Good post, Tom. I've been reflecting on this recently, too.

I still love Rovers but, for me, the hope of things getting better is fading every month/transfer window/season and the genuine pain I'm feeling about aspects of what the club has become is, all at once, making me feel a bit numb and constantly worried about what will come next.

Before I say this, I'd like to make clear that I obviously have no intention of trivialising something that may well trigger for someone, so no offence, or upset, is meant here; but it currently feels to me like I'm in an abusive relationship. Something that I can't stop loving is hurting me and I'm not sure when/how it will stop. Can I "just walk away", as some people ask of that kind of situation? No, I don't think I can. I have too much invested, emotionally. But this relationship isn't doing me any good, at all.

The equivalent for me of your ST situations, Tom, is that, for the first time in years I'm not making the relatively short journey to Bristol next weekend to watch the away game at City. I just don't need to feel bad on what is my daughter's birthday. I can do better than that, for her, than to potentially or probably let my club upset me.

I probably take the whole thing far too seriously, of course, but, well, you know....

Here's to a potentially positive boost to this relationship if some sensible decisions are made in what is left of this transfer window. But my expectations are getting lower.

Similar for me over in Pembrokeshire. Enjoyed Swansea earlier in season, couldn't make Cardiff and had Bristol in my plans. Weather forecast good and going for a walk with my better half now feels like the right option. Started watching in the mid-70's so it's not the fact we're in the Championship and struggling - it's the feeling that the people at the club don't care. In the mid-70's to late 80's even if some of the decisions made weren't great you always knew (or at least believed) that people cared and were trying there best for the club. Same when John Williams was running things. That's the difference now. Not sure I'll even be able to bring myself to do the 10-hour round trip for the Burnley game - and that would be the first home game against them I'll miss since I started watching in 74.

On 02/12/2022 at 16:45, islander200 said:

Sky sports Rovers.Few games a season we used be on now it seems we are on every week

Probably because Sky don't like draws!

7 minutes ago, Tyrone Shoelaces said:

But, look in the record books. Leeds have never won the Premier League. To pretend otherwise is really re-writing history.

Fair enough Tyrone - I take your point 🙂 

At least no-one is suggesting Hornets winning the Challenge Cup in 22 didn't happen 😉

Maybe I didn't express it in the way I meant - I was trying to say how the name of a competition doesn't make it any more or less valid, at least until the nature of that competition starts to change significantly. Between 91/92 and 92/93 only the name of the competition had changed in any meaningful way as far as I can remember. Once clubs could start spending the money we can see the effect in the numbers a few posts back.

The way the money is distributed at the top levels now, does mean that the Premiership is harder for a non-establishment (i.e. not rich!!) club to break through - only Leicester have managed it since we did. And, as the stats above show, the financial aspect of our achievement has been somewhat overstated to suit other people's narrative (agendas?). Jason Wilcox, Mark Atkins, Tony Gale, Ian Pearce, Robbie Slater, etc. - hardly millionaire players. What Kenny did was target the key areas needed to supply Shearer - and bloody hell did it work!!

Having started watching League football in the mid-70's, of the Lancs town teams Burnley were undoubtedly top dogs, with Blackpool and Bolton still doing ok (indeed Bolton were on the rise for a brief period) with Rovers just starting to recover and Nob End in a similar state. All had regular top division football in recent memory.

I was brought up to support Rovers but not to 'hate' the rival clubs. When we played them of course I wanted to beat them but could respect and enjoy watching the other teams when not playing them. One of the best games I've ever seen live was Bolton v Newcastle 3-3 cup-tie in 76 when I wanted Bolton to win as they were 2nd division at the time (and the 2nd replay at Elland Road was fairly memorable as well when it was pay on the gate and we just got in having abandoned the car 3 miles away from the ground!!)

OK I'd have a laugh at the expense of my Burnley supporting schoolmates (I was vastly outnumbered by them in Rossendale then so had to be a bit careful!!) Maybe supporting a non-league team at the time, and mixing with supporters of several league clubs in the process, gave a different sense of perspective?

As to who won what and when - you can only beat what's in front of you - any trophy at any time deserves respect. Burnley won the league a year before a great Spurs side won the double - seems like a fair achievement to me. We won 5 of our 6 FA Cups at a time when there wasn't much competition but I was furious to hear that there were moves to remove them from the record because 'it wasn't really a valid competition at the time'

For example, I despise many things about Leeds United - but the fact they have 'never won the Premier League' as though it is a stick to beat them with - when they won the same competition the year before, with (mainly) the same teams and before the SKY money had any real effect - is rewriting history in a way that Stalin or Chairman Mao would be proud of!!

Anybody mentioned Joe Craig yet?

Seem to remember going to a Lancashire / Isle of Man / Anglo-Scottish Cup (who knows!) match at Blackpool. Happened to coincide with Glasgow Holidays. Blackpool must have been amazed at the higher than normal attendance!

18 hours ago, DeeCee said:

It was a weekly event.

I still occasionally shout it when I see a particularly classic example. I get some strange looks at Hakin United and Haverfordwest County!!

5 hours ago, K-Hod said:

26% out of a possible 100% is definitely barely playing at all.

It’s still really sad you are so keen to write him off so quickly, after 2 serious injuries as you mentioned.  Loyalty works both ways , just a shame you can only see one of those.

Agree we shouldn't be writing Dack off and that he would offer something different - particularly in games when we go behind and need to prise open a deep-lying defence.

However- tbf to Chaddy - I don't agree with you that playing 26% of the time is 'barely playing'. That works out at 23 mins per game. That's nearly as much as Griezemann is playing at Athletico 😉 (and, yes, I do know the reasons for that 🙂)

3 minutes ago, West Yorks Rover said:

Ooooh Andy Wharton !!!!

Definitely not Andy!! Unless the ex-Dingle has returned!!!

5 hours ago, longsiders1882 said:

😂😂😂

Glad to see you take the joke Longsiders 😀 Especially considering the irony that I'm Rossendale born and bred and been subject to the odd jibe or two over the years!!

Bobby Svarc - came with Jim Smith from Colchester

Just now, oneandycrawford said:

All Rovers v Orient games end 0-0

 

Showing my age that I can remember playing them 😬