1998

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Ahhhhhh 98! Loved and hated by myself in equal measures...

94 wasn't as bad, although still a mad blue was only 12 then so didn't realise the enormity of the situation (Although going down the slide in the indoor fair in New Brighton while me ma was at the bottom with her portable radio to her ear dancing and shouting up to me... "ITS 3-2 ITS 3-2!!!" Will always stick in me head! :D)

Around 98 though was probably my most hardcore as a fan, it was my uninterrupted season ticket years and being 16/17 then could appreciate the enormity of it all. Really vivid week for me that, I was listening to the Verve a lot and thinking "If we go down I will always associate Bitter Sweet Symphony with our relegation!" - Still sticks in my head that - On to the day of the match, was with my 2 match going mates in another mates flat, drinking Wild & White (Classy!) before the game to calm our nerves, on to the match, remember little in all honesty, obviously Farrelly's goal and then Barmbys pen... Then followed the most roller coaster journey in 2 mins of my life, well roller coaster in football terms!

As we all know Barmby's missed pen quickly followed by a Dublin equaliser, was still ok though, Bolton were getting beat by Chelsea... Or were they?? Some fella pipes up a few rows behind us, again, radio pressed to ear... "Bolton have just equalised...." head in hands, single tear down my face... How could it all go wrong in 2 minutes?!?!? Fella pipes up again... "Sorry no... It's Chelsea that have scored..." Then the absolute PRESSURE of those last few mins, thinking if we just hang on we are safe, God knows how them players felt, I'm bad at the best of times if we are hanging on in a league game at the end with nothing to play for!

Then the final whistle, run onto the pitch hugging complete strangers and sliding on me knees on the centre circle looking up at the sky with the rain falling, fists clenched and me eyes closed thinking "Thank the lord that's over!" - The closest I will ever get to feeling like a footballer I think haha! Got the obligatory piece of grass as well :D

Hopefully never again, but, perversely, it was ultimately one of my happiest times as a blue, sad indictment of the last 20 or so years really but true.
 

I had been working darn sarf for a couple of years by that stage, but came back for the weekend for the game. Ended up with a spare ticket, so a Uni mate who lived in Chester came - a neutral, and a Geordie, so was giving me the pep talk about how it wouldn't be the end of the world if we went down. (It didn't work, I couldn't relate to that point of view, and still can't to this day when Everton fans suggest it from time to time).

Anyway, we got a few ales down us, not a good idea for me in what was a very tense match. But at the end of it, party time. My arl fella was at the match with my kid brother, and they ended up in The Clock. Some scallies came in selling bags with bits of the pitch in them for a quid, and my half-cut brother bought one. The clod of earth had a dandelion growing out of it - some poor sod had had their front lawn dug up.
 
Groucho said:
I seem to remember someone fouled Nev there and then too, so it wouldn't have been a fair goal.

Swings and roundabouts and all that.


Stay on topic please.
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Correct.

I thought it was a handball but it was a foul on Neville.

The goal was righteously disallowed albeit for the wrong reason.

It was the same when the rat thought he had won the Derby a few years ago.

He was never offside which was why the goal was chalked off.....but that Coates bloke was holding Jags down, preventing him making a clearing header.

Goal chalked off correctly....but for the wrong reason.
 
I remember the fella next to be crying. I was 6 at the time, but i remember it as vividly as ever.

What an occasion, but not a good one. Grown men crying everywhere, Chelsea fans singing 'Come On Bolton', and then not even cheering when they scored. Sickener, but we done it, we stayed up.

I do wonder though, had we gone down, what would have happened to us.
 
l4toffee said:
Leicester away is in my top 5 best games following Everton . 90th minute Gary speed pen to win our first away game in 12 months a few games before Christmas

Big dunc hat trick v Bolton was great as well.

The cadamarteri derby

The comeback at home v a flying arsenal ball and Danny boy again

I've never felt so low coming away from a game than after arsenal away as well .

Coventry away in the league cup was utterly grim as well. One of the lowest away supports I've ever been in. Few hundred tops were there. Though we sold out the league game 3 days later

Ian Rush haunting us for the Geordies as well.
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My second ever away game. I've seen 90th minute goals at Anfield, and wins at Old Trafford, and maybe it's just cause i was so young that it felt so much better, but they were the best 'Scenes', i've ever seen for a goal, ever.

All them moment I still remember like mad. 4-1 to Coventry, in the Coca Cola Cup, my christ, i remember nagging my dad to go, wise i guess that we didnt :lol:

As much of a bad season that was, some of the memories were superb. When Cadamarteri scored that goal against arsenal, and everyone piled on him, is a memory that stuck with me until the same thing happened when Carsley scored against the RS.

Horrible season, i never want to live through again, but it was a rollercoaster, where the highs, were really good, as they were at a premium.
 

barneygumble said:
I remember the fella next to be crying. I was 6 at the time, but i remember it as vividly as ever.

What an occasion, but not a good one. Grown men crying everywhere, Chelsea fans singing 'Come On Bolton', and then not even cheering when they scored. Sickener, but we done it, we stayed up.

I do wonder though, had we gone down, what would have happened to us.
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Thankfully a question which went unanswered, Barney ;)
 
mythbuster said:
Horrible. We could have won that last game and still got relegated if I recall correctly.
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Yeah, because had Bolton won, we'd have gone regardless. We had a superior GD, but that was only relevant had we got a draw, and they lost, thankfully, it counted.
 
barneygumble said:
I remember the fella next to be crying. I was 6 at the time, but i remember it as vividly as ever.

What an occasion, but not a good one. Grown men crying everywhere, Chelsea fans singing 'Come On Bolton', and then not even cheering when they scored. Sickener, but we done it, we stayed up.

I do wonder though, had we gone down, what would have happened to us.
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Playing Championship football i reckon
 

98 was worse as it was a straight fight between us and Bolton so if we won and they won we were gone. In 94 we had 3 chances if we won we as there was 3 other teams who could go down so I was confident if we won we'd definitely stay up as it was unlikely all 4 teams in the battle would win. I remember Chelsea resting a few players for final in 98 but in the end they did a professional job and ignored there fans who were being pricks.
 
Yorkie said:
Will bookmark this thread to come back to and visit when disappointed with results.
Puts it all into perspective.

I've got a friend who is a Sunderland fan and we're watching their game tonight, I hope they get something tonight so it doesn't go to the last day.
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His face and body language when they drew and are now staying up = beautiful. Really glad for Sunderland tonight.
 

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