That Robin Friday goal/match/night

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floyd__streete
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Re: That Robin Friday goal/match/night

by floyd__streete » 03 Nov 2015 12:38

I was there and I was minus 3 and a half years old at the time.

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Re: That Robin Friday goal/match/night

by Barney » 03 Nov 2015 13:15

Was a few terrace steps up in the Tilehurst End. Only honest recollection is thinking at the time that the play was miles away from the goal, and suddenly the ball was in the net. And then the eerie split second silence before everyone realised what had just happened.
Ray Hiron hit the post twice that night. We should have had 7.

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Re: That Robin Friday goal/match/night

by Schards#2 » 03 Nov 2015 13:28

I was there, epic scenes, the only time I ever heard the seated area singing (Reading, clap, clap)

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Re: That Robin Friday goal/match/night

by Ian Royal » 03 Nov 2015 13:30

Saw it on the radio. You're all wrong, it was nothing special.

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Re: That Robin Friday goal/match/night

by Forbury Lion » 03 Nov 2015 13:48

Hampshire Royal
Forbury Lion I heard he celebrated by knocking one off over a policemans helmet whilst taking a dump in Lawrence Mcmenemys kit bag and he scored the goal from at least 200 yards out after dribbing the ball down to Ye Boars Head for a quick pint (referees were a bit more lenient with the ball going out of play in those days).


I'm sorry,that just proves that you weren't there. He had two pints in the Spreadeagle (one was never enough for Robin), cheered on by an ecstatic crowd who were screaming for him to eat some Pork Scratchings!!

The Boars Head? That's just crazy talk!!

Busted, I left the ground early to get a good spot in the Tardis for the journey back to the future.


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Re: That Robin Friday goal/match/night

by SWLR » 03 Nov 2015 19:40

I think I'm in one of the pictures at the Town End......so I must have been there.

Three recollections:
1. Tranmere were at the top with us, so it was big game - I don't think the phrase "4-pointer" had been invented.
2. The split-second silence when the goal went in
3. The goal was scored at the Town End I was in.....Oh! I get so old and confused

I can't claim to have been old enough to have joined Friday in the Spread Eagle/ Boars Head while he fingered a young lady in Smelly Alley.

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Re: That Robin Friday goal/match/night

by sputnik » 03 Nov 2015 21:27

Sutekh Didn't Georgie also play FOR Reading in a friendly v New Zealand back in around 1983?



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Re: That Robin Friday goal/match/night

by Man Friday » 05 Nov 2015 22:39

There's a couple of new Robin Friday documentaries on YouTube I see...

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Re: That Robin Friday goal/match/night

by Norfolk Royal » 06 Nov 2015 09:34

I was there sitting on the wall at the top of the Tilehurst End which was daring in itself considering the drop at the other side.

Memories I have of the goal were similar to some people above. That split second of silence that often greets amazing incidents then the incredulous roar of approval.

Remember seeing Clive Thomas fall to his knees and thought he was injured or summat.

There were around 13,000 there that day which was a pretty big crowd for us but were challenging for promotion.

Distinctly remember the whole crowd on all sides joining in with chants, of the clappy type admittedly.

Seem to recall it was a lovely day as well, warm for the time of year and light. There was another amazing game that followed the Tranmere one where we had around 15,000 but can't remember who that was against.


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Re: That Robin Friday goal/match/night

by LUX » 06 Nov 2015 10:08

Lincoln?

1-1.

They were runaway leaders, managed by Graham Taylor.

@Franchise, yep I was with you and the Coley Parkers (no names) that evening. Perfect view of the goal.

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Re: That Robin Friday goal/match/night

by trebornam » 06 Nov 2015 10:12

I was there just to the left of the centre stand. Robin was just in his own half with his back to their goal as the ball came over his head, he controlled it with one foot and hit the ball with the other one. The rest is history. It was the best goal I have ever seen. Nice picture in the Post the next day, showing Clive Thomas with his hands on his head in amazement. I was privileged to see most of Robin's games and met him before the game away at Doncaster.

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Re: That Robin Friday goal/match/night

by Man Friday » 06 Nov 2015 11:21

trebornam I was there just to the left of the centre stand. Robin was just in his own half with his back to their goal as the ball came over his head, he controlled it with one foot and hit the ball with the other one. The rest is history. It was the best goal I have ever seen. Nice picture in the Post the next day, showing Clive Thomas with his hands on his head in amazement. I was privileged to see most of Robin's games and met him before the game away at Doncaster.

Ditto, except the meeting him aspect. I did meet him (and had a brief conversation with him) but it was after a match when I was waiting outside the ground for his autograph - which he obviously provided. Can't remember what match it was, will need to check my programmes.

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Re: That Robin Friday goal/match/night

by Norfolk Royal » 06 Nov 2015 15:33

LUX Lincoln?

1-1.

They were runaway leaders, managed by Graham Taylor.

@Franchise, yep I was with you and the Coley Parkers (no names) that evening. Perfect view of the goal.


Yes that's it Lux.


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Re: That Robin Friday goal/match/night

by RoyallyFcuked » 07 Nov 2015 17:03

Didn't he celebrate the goal later that night in the Sindlesham Mill by doing a dance he invented called 'the elephant' before being thrown out by his third leg?

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Re: That Robin Friday goal/match/night

by SWLR » 11 Nov 2015 18:19

RoyallyFcuked ...... Sindlesham Mill .........

Like that existed then, keep it plausible at least

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Re: That Robin Friday goal/match/night

by Forbury Lion » 12 Nov 2015 10:53

Worth mentioning on this thread for any younger fans that there is an excellent book (a story printed on paper, very popular in the old days) on Robin Friday written by Paul McGuigan, also known as Guigsy, the bassist from and a founder member of a 90's Manchester Britpop band called Oasis (they were quite big at the time)

The Greatest Footballer You Never Saw: The Robin Friday Story, If you can't track down the printed copy then Amazon have the Kindle electronic copy listed at £4.99.

Worth a read, even if your not a Reading fan.

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Re: That Robin Friday goal/match/night

by East Grinstead Royal » 13 Nov 2015 13:55

I was there... in D Stand, row Q, seat 33. I had my first ever season ticket that season, stayed in the same seat for 5 years until work took me out of the area. After that, I always stood on the South Bank. I still have my season ticket for 1976/77 (the season that Friday moved to Cardiff, Hurley got sacked and we got relegated).

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Re: That Robin Friday goal/match/night

by Norfolk Royal » 13 Nov 2015 15:57

SWLR
RoyallyFcuked ...... Sindlesham Mill .........

Like that existed then, keep it plausible at least


It was certainly there in the late 70s as had a mate who worked there so quite plausible it was there before that.

Indeed, as it is a mill, it may have been there hundreds of years.

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Re: That Robin Friday goal/match/night

by RoyalBlue » 13 Nov 2015 17:04

Norfolk Royal I was there sitting on the wall at the top of the Tilehurst End which was daring in itself considering the drop at the other side.

Memories I have of the goal were similar to some people above. That split second of silence that often greets amazing incidents then the incredulous roar of approval.

Remember seeing Clive Thomas fall to his knees and thought he was injured or summat.



I was there and am almost certain that Clive Thomas didn't fall to his knees. IIRC he held both hands to his head in disbelief and that was captured by a stills camera man. If Thomas did fall to his knees, it's strange that the same camera man didn't get pictures of that.

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Re: That Robin Friday goal/match/night

by The Cap » 14 Nov 2015 11:33

May have been mentioned elsewhere, however there's also a clip on utube, entitled 'Robin Friday news item on BBC TV', that sums his life and career up really well . And to think he was millimetres from dying when he slipped off a roof.

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