Coventry (H) - 10 May 1998

[tommytowne]

Going to the game convinced we were heading for the Championship (or whatever it was called then).

The atmosphere at the ground being flat when I got in.

The Youth Team and Ladies Team parading their trophies before the game lifted our spirits.

Gareth Farrelly - thank you.

Everyone sweating and worrying.

Mick Madar going down injured and our players screaming at him to get up.

Mad cheers from groups of fans with radios all around the ground when Chelsea scored.

PENALTY!

Barmby missed!

Dublin's header - it's ok, it's going straight at Myhre .... OH NOOOOO!

Some players losing their cool completely - knowing that if Coventry had a shot on target it would be a goal.

Even madder cheers when Chelsea got their second.

"Three minutes additional time"

Final whistle goas.

The stewards try to prevent a pitch invasion - at least 100 fans get on the pitch within 30 seconds. The stewards give up.

"WE ARE PREMIER LEAGUE" changing magically to "WE WANT JOHNSON OUT" by the multitudes on the pitch.

Total strangers hugging.

People kissing the pitch.

Scallies walking away with Goodison Park Turf wigs on their heads.

Getting congratulated by Coventry fans at Lime Street station.

Mad relief all round.

Going to the game convinced we were heading for the Championship (or whatever it was called then).

The atmosphere at the ground being flat when I got in.

The Youth Team and Ladies Team parading their trophies before the game lifted our spirits.

Gareth Farrelly - thank you.

Everyone sweating and worrying.

Mick Madar going down injured and our players screaming at him to get up.

Mad cheers from groups of fans with radios all around the ground when Chelsea scored.

PENALTY!

Barmby missed!

Dublin's header - it's ok, it's going straight at Myhre .... OH NOOOOO!

Some players losing their cool completely - knowing that if Coventry had a shot on target it would be a goal.

Even madder cheers when Chelsea got their second.

"Three minutes additional time"

Final whistle goas.

The stewards try to prevent a pitch invasion - at least 100 fans get on the pitch within 30 seconds. The stewards give up.

"WE ARE PREMIER LEAGUE" changing magically to "WE WANT JOHNSON OUT" by the multitudes on the pitch.

Total strangers hugging.

People kissing the pitch.

Scallies walking away with Goodison Park Turf wigs on their heads.

Getting congratulated by Coventry fans at Lime Street station.

Mad relief all round.

Ha ha.
That bit about the presentation of the trophies to the youngsters and the ladies.
Supposedly one of our supporters commented, bloody hell, women and children first, we're definitely going down.

 

[wiggie]

Exactly 20 years on, what are your memories of that horrible, frenetic day?

Chelsea result

 

[Onwards Evertonians]

I remember the Coventry fans celebrating as if Bolton had scored and thinking, if we go down they're getting webbed everywhere.

 

[adi dassler]

Remember getting out the St End at the end and onto the pitch wearing my Rockports with trackies tucked into Burlington socks and a stripey Paul and Shark jumper (top scal fashions at the time!)

Then seeing myself on Sky One's Dream Team years after as they used that pitch invasion scene whenever Harchester United won anything!

 

[Eggs]

..the picture of Brian Labone walking along a deserted Goodison Road with 5mins to play because he couldn’t stand the tension any more. I’ve never seen that picture on this site, but it epitomised the game and what Everton meant to a great player.

 

[dublinbluenose]

Watching on ceefax

 

[Wat Tyler]

Exactly 20 years on, what are your memories of that horrible, frenetic day?

Hairs on the back of my neck watching that, so scary that season.

 

[Ballymoney1]

Bad times back then. I remember the week before we got torn apart by Arsenal at Highbury as they won the title. Watching that I thought we were definitely for the drop. It's a measure of how bad things had got that the Walter Smith era that followed this season saw a slight improvement.

 

[chrismpw]

Exactly 20 years on, what are your memories of that horrible, frenetic day?

Gotta say that watching that match just now has given me more goosebumps than anything this season.

 

[brigadier]

That was our most awful side ever, 2-3 good players at most.

 

[irishtony1878]

Remember running on the pitch at the end and suddenly realising that I am 40 years old not 15.
I skulked back to the paddock and asked a steward if I could get past and get back to my seat please.
If I remember correctly Bolton had a good goal disallowed against us and it ultimately cost them their place in the premier league.
If goal line technology was in place, we would have been relegated.

 

[Borderblue]

Walking back to town with my bag of turf and half a snapped seat up my shirt. Ending up at the Jacaranda with many pubs inbetween. A great evening was had. The game? A 6hour long heart attack of [Poor language removed].

 

[dublinbluenose]

Exactly 20 years on, what are your memories of that horrible, frenetic day?

Agent Barmby ffs

 

[Ring master]

Remembered thinking that god we got the lead early in the game,then when Barmby missed that pen very late on,to then conceed mins later with us having to hold on,i was sweating knowing that if we conceeded we were down,with chelsea getting the 2nd in the other match

 

[4737carlin]

My main recollction, the first thing I always think of, is Gianluca Vialli. After there game when asked about the significance he said it was important to him that they won becuase it wouldn't of been fair on Everton if they rolled over, always respected him for that