The summer of 96

[zablade]

All these years later and England still haven't found a creative midfielder to replace Gazza.

 

[JJ Sefton]

Me (right) during that summer

 

[Roygbiv]

Worth noting that despite how that team is looked back upon now , we only actually won 2 games in the entire tournament. We only really played well in two games too.

 

[PeterNdlovu081]

Worth noting that despite how that team is looked back upon now , we only actually won 2 games in the entire tournament. We only really played well in two games too.

Yes but the 4-1 demolition of the Dutch is one of the greatest ever England performances.

 

[JonnyRed(WCFC)]

It was, the team was perfectly balanced in that game against a Dutch side that still had a bit of pomp about it, for me that performance outstrips the 5-1 over Germany.


Back to '96... The nostalgic echoes are still there burning away and not faded yet, the soundtrack to that summer really was this...

 

[JJ Sefton]

Yes but the 4-1 demolition of the Dutch is one of the greatest ever England performances.

Indeed. Walth Snr generally detests the England football team but even he was impressed by them that night.

Walth's top 10 LPs from 1996 (in no particular order)

1 - Odelay by Beck
2 - Expecting to Fly by The Bluetones
3 - Garbage by Garbage
4 - K by Kula Shaker (slightly guilty)
5 - Everything Must Go by Manic Street Preachers
6 - Glow by Reef
7 - Moseley Shoals by Ocean Colour Scene
8 - The It Girl by Sleeper
9 - Coming Up by Suede
10 - Boys For Pele by Tori Amos

 

[JonnyRed(WCFC)]

One other personal lasting legacy from '96 and me leaving school...

Forest were flying under Frank Clarke then and in the days before the away trip to Old Trafford I went round all the muggy Manc glory seekers in my year and was betting them £5ers and £10ers Forest would do em over, think a few Scouse fan twats got on the bandwagon as well thinking it'd be easy money...

So it was about 50-60 bets I had going on here

I did begin to brick it a little bit admittedly that saturday morning but was confident kinda lol.. Began working out how many paper rounds it might take to pay them all off!

Anyway.. Stan the dogger Man and Psycho did the biz so I couldn't wait to get into school the monday morning rubbing my hands with glee at all that money....







20 years on, and all those cunts still owe me!!

 

[Billyblade]

I don't think I could have been born at a more perfect time.
I was 19 in 1990. Music was fantastic - just coming out of the Acid House era into Madchester and getting off my frickin face most of the time. United promoted to the top flight, pigs relegated and one of my favourite bands producing the greatest football song ever for Englands world cup campaign.
Fast forward to 96. Music was brilliant again - Ocean Colour Scene, Oasis, Pulp, Blur, Bluetones, Cast, the list goes on.
Met my Wife.
Long hot summer.
England brilliant in the Euros.
When I look back upon my life, it's always with a sense of "Hell yeah!"

 

[Tyler Durden]

Great year for me, I was 12 and finding out what hard-ons were for.

Although I did have to hide the fact that I actually preferred Blur to Oasis and liked Elastica better than both of them.

 

[JonnyRed(WCFC)]

All these years later and England still haven't found a creative midfielder to replace Gazza.

If we'd had any decent manager worth his salt then Le Tissier wouldve been the one!

 

[Sean Thornton]

Great year for me, I was 12 and finding out what hard-ons were for.

Puppy or bag of sweets?

 

[northsomersetblade]

Pretty well the last time we had an England team to be proud of. The future was bright back then, muahahahahahhahhahahha.

 

[Tyler Durden]

Puppy or bag of sweets?

I worded that terribly didn't I...

 

[Sean Thornton]

If we'd had any decent manager worth his salt then Le Tissier wouldve been the one!

As good as he was he wasn't in Gazzas class. What a player he was.

 

[Maidenhead]

Got my first real sx string, bought it at the five and dime

 

[Finn Keane o' Balmaqueen]

Dyslexic Bryan Adams was going to post, but I had to explain....

 

[Jan Age]

Think the fans deserve a honourable mention, absolutely fantastic. The only time the England team and the fans have connected in such a way. Music (three lions) played a big part in that.

I remember the BBC montage to 'walk away' after England went out. Have to admit , I cried.

 

[Billyblade]

Not a patch on Pesch's goal at 4:27. Paddy to PP, nine touches and in. Simply the best goal/game/atmosphere I've ever witnessed.

I'm quite partial to Piggy Walkers consolation goal