My first away game

[SW12 to S12 to S18]

One of the topics raised the other day was about how many ground have you visited. Got me thinking about such stuff and was remembering my very first away game.
It was Derby County on 28/10/72. We lost 2-1 with T.C. Scoring for us.
For any young ones reading this, in those days there was no segregation, you just turned up and paid at the turnstiles and took pot luck with where you were in the ground until you got to know your way around a bit.
I remember going on the coach from Pond Street on the S.U.T. and just being dumped near the ground and ended up standing on what they called the Pop Side along with what seemed like a couple of thousand other Blades. I seem to remember quite a lot of punch ups going on with very little policeing.
I was still at school at the time so had to save my paper round money to fund away trips so had to wait until the end of the season before my next away game at Ipswich, 1-1 draw.
What memories do you all have of your first away games?

 

[Silent Blade]

One of the topics raised the other day was about how many ground have you visited. Got me thinking about such stuff and was remembering my very first away game.
It was Derby County on 28/10/72. We lost 2-1 with T.C. Scoring for us.
For any young ones reading this, in those days there was no segregation, you just turned up and paid at the turnstiles and took pot luck with where you were in the ground until you got to know your way around a bit.
I remember going on the coach from Pond Street on the S.U.T. and just being dumped near the ground and ended up standing on what they called the Pop Side along with what seemed like a couple of thousand other Blades. I seem to remember quite a lot of punch ups going on with very little policeing.
I was still at school at the time so had to save my paper round money to fund away trips so had to wait until the end of the season before my next away game at Ipswich, 1-1 draw.
What memories do you all have of your first away games?

 

[Tyler Durden]

Port Fail, March 2000.

Marcus Bent scored in a 3-2 win (might even have been a brace). We were chanting "Thank you for Marcus Bent" at the Vale fans, also heard the longest "Oh when the blaaaaaades go marching iiiiiiiinnnn" in history, seemed to last the entire 2nd half.

Also recall thinking that Burslem wasn't so much a place as merely depression in solid form. It's the greyest most soul-destroying doghole I've ever been to.
Anyway, went season too. Nowts changed, except now there's more smackheads.

 

[Silent Blade]

March 21st 1970. Lost 2-1 at Leicester. Len Glover opened the scoring, Gil Reece equalised just before half time. Rodney Fern got the winner. Woody had a good goal disallowed near the end. After the match Woody made all the players in the team coach sign my programme. Top man! Wish I still had the programme

 

[JPBrods]

Manchester United last season. Wembley 2014 if that counts.

Dad never liked football so fat chance of getting him to take me to an away game as a kid, let alone the lane. We've been in the tinpot league the entire time I've been of age to travel away on my own or with a mate (only one who is ever really up for it, rest are W*dnesday fans) and never really fancied it because few big away days. Been to Millwall and Charlton this season.

Plastic, I know, but it's the truth.

 

[SW12 to S12 to S18]

Thanks Silent, totally forgotten about the penalty saves.

 

[Kabba Kabba Doo]

Norwich City in 06, lost 2-1 despite Chris Armstrong giving us the lead early on, think that prick Earnshaw scored one of them

 

[ShorehamRevolution]

Never been one for remembering results and goalscorers but my first away trip was Birmingham and I'm not too sure of the year either mid 90's I know that much, all i remember is being told to tuck my blades shirt in as these "Zulu" people would have us if not. I wasn't best pleased about having to tuck my shirt in to be honest but I spent the next few years wondering who these zulu's of Birmingham were. I was given loads of sweets and crisps for the journey there and back and also still have the programme somewhere, I was under supervision for this game but my first game unsupervised was Rushden and Diamonds when we won them in an FA cup replay, me and 3 mates went, I was wanting to see a proper shithole of a ground but I remember being quite impressed at how nice it was actually. At half time some local kids were paraded around after finishing runners up in some junior cup and the blades faitfull were singing your shit and you know you are !

 

[JordoBlade]

Norwich City in 06, lost 2-1 despite Chris Armstrong giving us the lead early on, think that prick Earnshaw scored one of them

I was at that game. Earshaw definitely scored 1 he may have even scored both their goals I think.

 

[dublin 10 blade]

First away trip for me was with my da , in the F.A cup to an up and coming Aston Villa side , they were very good although a league below us I think they got promoted that season .
They spanked us 4-1 , remember the Holt end was fucking massive , the old away end was quite big as well .
First away match on my own was Forest away lost that one 6-1 , got National coach from Pond Street , coach number 12 , the pigs gave a few a bit of a hiding , a lot of aggro at the game in Nottingham as well for a young teenager it was fucking scary
but I knew a few who used to get stuck in from around where I used to live who were well up for it .
Forest tried taking the kop in the reverse fixture and got smashed all over the place .

 

[Rusty view]

Reading lost 1 nil. Shaka Hislop played in their goal. Coach crashed on way back, got lift back on team coach. Welcome to away games.

 

[Small Mendonca]

An absolute thriller during the 2002-2003 season:

Stoke 0-0 Blades.

Special mention to Kabba for missing from 2 yards out.

 

[dublin 10 blade]

Oh and i saw the pervert gym teacher from school at the Forest game , looking for underpants and a shower inspection , i mean come on what the fucks that all about .in school not at the game smatypants .

 

[HodgysBrokenThumb]

February 1957, drew 2-2 at Notts County, Jim Iley missed 2 penalties, gave away a 2-0 lead, it snowed most of the match, had to walk 3 miles home from the Midland station. A good preparation for life! A County fan mocked us when the half-time scores went up and Wednesday were losing - he said 'Your other team are losing.' Even aged 9, I thought 'He just doesn't get football'. I remember Bristol Rovers fans doing the same.

 

[Roygbiv]

Think it was actually the play off final defeat to Palace in 97. First proper one would have been Bolton a couple of years after. Gareth Taylor last minute equaliser

 

[Balham]

Man City away at Maine Road in 2001; finished 0-0. I remember Asaba getting booked for being elbowed in the face, someone from City getting sent off and Nick Montgomery doing a phenomental man-marking job on Ali Benarbia.

 

[Jehovah]

Good question, I've absolutely no idea. Must have been a cracker.

 

[1danewhitehouse]

21st April 1993. The Sty. Deano scored for us in a 1-1 draw. Or at least that's the earliest one I can remember. I was 8 years old at the time. It was just after the Semi-Final. It was a few days after they lost in the league cup final to arsenal with blades changing "where's your coca cola cup?" or something to that effect.

 

[HeCanDoMagic]

Nottingham Forest v Sheffield United, 01 April 1991 - cant find anything else about the game other than we lost 2-0.

 

[Revolution]

Competitive game: 1-0 win at Huddersfield, 3rd round of the Cup,January 1989. Tony Agana scored that spectacular winner.

Friendly: saw a United XI lose 3-1 at Stafford Rangers in our 1987-8 pre season.

 

[Blade for Sale]

Barnsley, must have been 1986 ish. Lost 2-1 having led 1-0. I'm sure Burridge saved a penalty as well? I'm sure Silent and his acolytes will remember!

 

[Blade for Sale]

Nottingham Forest v Sheffield United, 01 April 1991 - cant find anything else about the game other than we lost 2-0.

That match marked the end of our remarkable climb from relegation certs to relative safety. 10 wins from 13 I think. A sequence which began with a 3-2 win against Forest oddly enough!

 

[Wapping Blade]

27 Apr 1982 for that last minute equaliser away at Bury.

My mate's dad started taking us in his car and we went to Bury, Crewe and Darlo but it was all a bit civilised and we were always in the stands.

I can't even remember the Crewe result (we won 3-2 apparently), my only memory is that the stand was very narrow, you couldn't see the corners and if one person leaned forward to see, it blocked everyone else's view.

 

[BushBlade]

Boston away I think, in the FA Cup. My mate's dad fancied a day out so took us. 1-1. We were shite. I have few memories of the game other than Boston had an unlikely number of skinheads in their ranks and seemed to have a bigger 'firm' than you'd imagine for a non-league club. And singing 'Martin Tyler is a wanker'.

Then again, it could have been Chestefield away, lost 3-1. We were shite. DW scored for them.

 

[DaveBassettsgoneonholiday]

I have a vague idea mine could be Notts County although for certain I remember the 4-3 win at Mansfield in September '79.
The Notts match could have been an Anglo Scottish Cup game in '77 or the League game in '79. Definitely a night match and I remember it being really cold. We were sat on wooden benches in the stand (Dad always preferred to sit whenever possible) and to the left were our supporters.
I remember them starting a fire in the middle of the terrace, because it was bloody freezing, then the coppers moved them all away & stood round it themselves,keeping warm, until it died down.

 

[Kabba Kabba Doo]

I was at that game. Earshaw definitely scored 1 he may have even scored both their goals I think.

Might be wrong but seem to remember Leon Mckenzie got the other

 

[BanbridgeBlade]

First away game i remember (ish) was Stoke March 1990.
My dad took me for my 10th birthday, won 1-0. Deane or Agana got the goal.

First I went to on my own was the Port Vale game where Whitehouse got smashed by scumbag Ainsworth (97 or 98 i think).
Seem to remember a little stumpy copper coming out with a video recorder & filming us all going nuts after the "challenge"

 

[Bayingblade]

My memory of my first away game? Bob Atkins!

 

[JJ Sefton]

A 5-0 midweek spanking at Upton Park in 1989-1990. Dismal isn't the word.

 

[I should coco]

Boston away I think, in the FA Cup. My mate's dad fancied a day out so took us. 1-1. We were shite. I have few memories of the game other than Boston had an unlikely number of skinheads in their ranks and seemed to have a bigger 'firm' than you'd imagine for a non-league club. And singing 'Martin Tyler is a wanker'.

I was a student at Nottingham and took a car full of exiled Blades. Parking in the 'wrong' end we were a bit dismayed that every Lincolnshire scroat that could still drag their knuckles, had turned out and seemed to have clocked us. I think the fact we only had five fingers on each hand was a dead giveaway.

We were okay in the end, but I did wonder howI'd ever like down a good kicking at Boston, having been to Leeds, West Ham, Stoke and plenty of other more obvious troublespots.