billc
Youth Player
Posts: 490
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Post by billc on Nov 30, 2015 17:24:31 GMT
My first Stoke game: Stoke City 0- Swansea Town 0 March 28th 1962
I came across a word recently that I had never heard of before- topophilia. It means a strong almost obsessive attachment to place. The word appeared in a Staffordshire University series of essays about Stoke and was used in a context of an article about the Victoria Ground. I could see what the author was driving at as I acquired that state of mind in my early years.
It’s the crowds I recall thronging around the streets around the ground especially Campbell Place at the end of a night game with the glow of the floodlights illuminating the shadows. It was the cold of the terraces as warmth gradually crept in after standing on the freezing terraces. There are other sensations as well the smells of smoke, mints and wintergreen mingled into a distinctive aroma, the chants and banter of the crowd and the boom of the wooden seats in the stands.
I am mistaken I was always led to believe the first game I saw at the Victoria Ground was night match. It wasn’t it was a Saturday afternoon game at the end of March 1962 against a soon to be relegated Swansea. Matthews played which was probably the reason why Dad took me to the game. It was a match that probably saw the widest disparity of ages ever. I doubt whether there was ever a game that saw the 47 year old Matthews on one wing and the 17 year old debutant Bridgwood- a 30 year age gap.
The Stoke team that day was O’Neil. Asprey, Allen, Hewitt, Andrews, Skeels, Matthews, Bridgwood, Mudie, Thompson and Ratcliffe.
The game was not one of note. Although there was a great deal of earnest endeavour there were few direct attempts on goal. It seems that the there was a great deal of rugged tackling and a number of attacks by Stoke that petered out. Allen hit the bar and the Swansea forward Swansea attempted to lob O Brien. Matthews tried to turn the game around particularly as the minutes ran down and was it. It was not as if the conditions were bad no wind and mild conditions. I thought that there was a goal scored and disallowed, but there is no record of this in the match report.
In the outside world there was a debate about allowing non smoking areas on trains, problems with hooligans in youth clubs and Mrs Kennedy met the Queen. In the First Division the top two positions were being contested between Burnley and Ipswich and Liverpool were run away leaders of the Second Division
But as for Stoke City I had been infected with topophilia
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Post by murphy on Nov 30, 2015 18:23:11 GMT
Well Billc, this was also my first game.
Butler Street Stand. I have very few memories of the game apart from being in awe of the noise coming from the Boothen End.
Fifty odd years and hundreds maybe thousands of games on and I am still watching my team from the corner of the new Boothen ,with my fellow season card holders. --my three sons and my grandson.
It is a lifetime commitment . Can't wait for tomorrow's game. COYMP
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Post by WoodbineWright2@ on Nov 30, 2015 18:56:23 GMT
My first game was v Stockport at the Vic 28th September 1991 the crowd was 6,345 which seems smaller than I remember but I suppose it was at the end of that particular rotten era of our history and the beginning of a bright new one under Lou Macari. We drew 2-2 with Bertie Biggins getting both goals, one was a penalty. I was instantly hooked after my mate convinced me to go the game just 3 days after my 18th birthday. I loved it !! I've been addicted to Stoke City ever since and attended god only knows how many hundred matches since - home and away. So I guess my 43rd birthday will also be my 25th anniversary of my marriage to Stoke City fc... She drives me mental at times and she's done the dirty on me on numerous occasions, but I love her as and always will. The highs have been stratospheric whilst the lows were sheer hell. She's been well worth the aggro and thousands of pounds I've spent though.
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Post by Davef on Nov 30, 2015 19:55:32 GMT
My first game was v Stockport at the Vic 28th September 1991 the crowd was 6,345 which seems smaller than I remember but I suppose it was at the end of that particular rotten era of our history and the beginning of a bright new one under Lou Macari. We drew 2-2 with Bertie Biggins getting both goals, one was a penalty. I was instantly hooked after my mate convinced me to go the game just 3 days after my 18th birthday. I loved it !! I've been addicted to Stoke City ever since and attended god only knows how many hundred matches since - home and away. So I guess my 43rd birthday will also be my 25th anniversary of my marriage to Stoke City fc... She drives me mental at times and she's done the dirty on me on numerous occasions, but I love her as and always will. The highs have been stratospheric whilst the lows were sheer hell. She's been well worth the aggro and thousands of pounds I've spent though. No way was the crowd v Stockport in 91/92 that low. |
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Post by Deleted on Nov 30, 2015 19:58:18 GMT
My first game was v Stockport at the Vic 28th September 1991 the crowd was 6,345 which seems smaller than I remember but I suppose it was at the end of that particular rotten era of our history and the beginning of a bright new one under Lou Macari. We drew 2-2 with Bertie Biggins getting both goals, one was a penalty. I was instantly hooked after my mate convinced me to go the game just 3 days after my 18th birthday. I loved it !! I've been addicted to Stoke City ever since and attended god only knows how many hundred matches since - home and away. So I guess my 43rd birthday will also be my 25th anniversary of my marriage to Stoke City fc... She drives me mental at times and she's done the dirty on me on numerous occasions, but I love her as and always will. The highs have been stratospheric whilst the lows were sheer hell. She's been well worth the aggro and thousands of pounds I've spent though. No way was the crowd v Stockport in 91/92 that low. According to this it was 12,954? www.11v11.com/matches/stoke-city-v-stockport-county-28-september-1991-143637/ |
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Post by Sergeant Muttley on Nov 30, 2015 20:00:50 GMT
My first game was v Stockport at the Vic 28th September 1991 the crowd was 6,345 which seems smaller than I remember but I suppose it was at the end of that particular rotten era of our history and the beginning of a bright new one under Lou Macari. We drew 2-2 with Bertie Biggins getting both goals, one was a penalty. I was instantly hooked after my mate convinced me to go the game just 3 days after my 18th birthday. I loved it !! I've been addicted to Stoke City ever since and attended god only knows how many hundred matches since - home and away. So I guess my 43rd birthday will also be my 25th anniversary of my marriage to Stoke City fc... She drives me mental at times and she's done the dirty on me on numerous occasions, but I love her as and always will. The highs have been stratospheric whilst the lows were sheer hell. She's been well worth the aggro and thousands of pounds I've spent though. No way was the crowd v Stockport in 91/92 that low. That attendance was at Preston the week before |
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Post by JoeinOz on Nov 30, 2015 20:01:46 GMT
My first game was v Stockport at the Vic 28th September 1991 the crowd was 6,345 which seems smaller than I remember but I suppose it was at the end of that particular rotten era of our history and the beginning of a bright new one under Lou Macari. We drew 2-2 with Bertie Biggins getting both goals, one was a penalty. I was instantly hooked after my mate convinced me to go the game just 3 days after my 18th birthday. I loved it !! I've been addicted to Stoke City ever since and attended god only knows how many hundred matches since - home and away. So I guess my 43rd birthday will also be my 25th anniversary of my marriage to Stoke City fc... She drives me mental at times and she's done the dirty on me on numerous occasions, but I love her as and always will. The highs have been stratospheric whilst the lows were sheer hell. She's been well worth the aggro and thousands of pounds I've spent though. That was3 days after the era opening 2-2 draw at Anfield. There was a welcome buzz of anticipation before the game. We blew the 2 goal lead but our players were knackered after Anfield. |
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Post by JoeinOz on Nov 30, 2015 20:03:45 GMT
No way was the crowd v Stockport in 91/92 that low. That attendance was at Preston the week before Surprised the crowd was so low at PNE. |
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Post by Sergeant Muttley on Nov 30, 2015 20:04:58 GMT
That attendance was at Preston the week before Surprised the crowd was so low at PNE. I was Joe when I checked it |
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Post by JoeinOz on Nov 30, 2015 20:07:28 GMT
Surprised the crowd was so low at PNE. I was Joe when I checked it Good game that was. Berties double!! |
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Post by Sergeant Muttley on Nov 30, 2015 20:12:15 GMT
I was Joe when I checked it Good game that was. Berties double!! All I remember is that Biggins used to score nearly every game around that time Joe |
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Post by WoodbineWright2@ on Nov 30, 2015 20:44:53 GMT
That attendance was at Preston the week before Surprised the crowd was so low at PNE. Wikipedia has it wrong. It appears their season results list is messed up. It also has us winning 2-0 in the next home game v Bolton but I'm certain that ended 2-2 as well. Anyway, I've checked the 11 v 11 website and they have the attendance v Stockport as 12,950 which sounds more like it. I did say that the attendance I remembered was bigger than one on wiki !! |
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Post by JoeinOz on Nov 30, 2015 20:48:48 GMT
Surprised the crowd was so low at PNE. Wikipedia has it wrong. It appears their season results list is messed up. It also has us winning 2-0 in the next home game v Bolton but I'm certain that ended 2-2 as well. Anyway, I've checked the 11 v 11 website and they have the attendance v Stockport as 12,950 which sounds more like it. I did say that the attendance I remembered was bigger than one on wiki !! We blew a 2 goal lead at home to Fulham. We also blew a 2 goal lead home to Hartlepool but won 3-2 |
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Post by JoeinOz on Nov 30, 2015 20:50:25 GMT
Good game that was. Berties double!! All I remember is that Biggins used to score nearly every game around that time Joe It was about fitness. At a function in the Stanley Matthews suite when Wayne Biggins stated that he didn't understand why the boss worked them so hard. This is despite Biggins personal metamorphosis from a half decent up and downer journeyman plodder to a lean mean goal machine! |
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Post by Davef on Nov 30, 2015 20:53:22 GMT
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Post by JoeinOz on Nov 30, 2015 21:18:47 GMT
I dunno why but I am rather surprised by that. |
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