Nostalgia thread

[WestYorksRoyal]

I still remember one of my favourite weeks in 02/03, I think around February time. On Tuesday, we travelled away to Sheffield United who were third and had an awesome home record, and came back from 1-0 down to win 3-1. I listened at home on the radio as it was a school night, and we leapfrogged them.

Then on Saturday, we hosted Rotherham who were in 6th, and had got there exactly how you imagine Rotherham in the 2nd tier. Tough, physical, organised. And we were exceptional. They couldn't touch us. We were 3-0 up by HT (all quality goals) and had them chasing shadows; we slowed it down in the second half but still should have had a couple more.

That week I really thought the double promotion was on; a proper pinch me moment given I'd initially started following around 2000 and have pants day as one of my earliest memories.

I hope any youngsters who have started going to games in the last 5 years or so get similar highs to make the Dai era worthwhile.

[Mr Angry]

What happened to Mihaylov?

Didn't he become a big-wig (pun intended!) in the Bulgarian FA?

The 3-1 away at Sheff U was brilliant; stopped at services on the M1 which was virtually empty bar a load of Royals fans wandering about still smiling at the game.....

edit: re - Boris; yep, President of the Bulgarian FA.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Borislav_Mihaylov

[stealthpapes]

I still remember one of my favourite weeks in 02/03, I think around February time. On Tuesday, we travelled away to Sheffield United who were third and had an awesome home record, and came back from 1-0 down to win 3-1. I listened at home on the radio as it was a school night, and we leapfrogged them.

Then on Saturday, we hosted Rotherham who were in 6th, and had got there exactly how you imagine Rotherham in the 2nd tier. Tough, physical, organised. And we were exceptional. They couldn't touch us. We were 3-0 up by HT (all quality goals) and had them chasing shadows; we slowed it down in the second half but still should have had a couple more.

That week I really thought the double promotion was on; a proper pinch me moment given I'd initially started following around 2000 and have pants day as one of my earliest memories.

I hope any youngsters who have started going to games in the last 5 years or so get similar highs to make the Dai era worthwhile.

Think these are the highlights: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gvDCSlkODYA

[Sutekh]

28 October 2000 - Reading 4-3 Oxford United

Scorers Reading
Darren Caskey (pen 28)
Jamie Cureton (68)
Tony Rougier (78, 87)

Scorers Oxford
Derek Lilley (40)
Adrian Viveash (og 69)
Jon Richardson (73)

[stealthpapes]

Oxford away in the cup, August 2004*.
Went home about 5 quid richer from the coins thrown at me.

Turns out we played them twice in two seasons. Likely went to both, maybe the first one was the summer I worked nights.

[Mid Sussex Royal]

Another Oxford classic was from the end of the 1982-83 season when the merger thing was in full swing.

They had a decent side and were near the top going for promotion, we were at the other end battling to stay up.

We won 2-1 after going behind, both late goals. The first was a Kerry Dixon penalty, delayed after an Oxford fan ran on to the pitch and booted the ball off the penalty spot in to the home end.

[Sutekh]

Oxford away in the cup, August 2004*.
Went home about 5 quid richer from the coins thrown at me.

Turns out we played them twice in two seasons. Likely went to both, maybe the first one was the summer I worked nights.

League Cup both games:

24 Sep 03 > Oxford 1-3 Reading (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mySgQ0a8Zeg)
- Reading: Hahnemann, Murty, Brown, Williams, Shorey, Murray (Daley 74), Harper, Hughes, Newman, Salako, Forster. Subs not used: Ashdown, Mackie, Savage, Tyson.
25 Aug 04 > Oxford 0-2 Reading
- Reading: Hahnemann, Murty, Shorey, Williams, Ingimarsson, Hughes, Sidwell, Harper, Convey, Forster (Goater 88), Kitson. Subs not used: Young, Brooker, Newman, Sonko.

[Sutekh]

28 October 2000 - Reading 4-3 Oxford United

Scorers Reading
Darren Caskey (pen 28)
Jamie Cureton (68)
Tony Rougier (78, 87)

Scorers Oxford
Derek Lilley (40)
Adrian Viveash (og 69)
Jon Richardson (73)

Highlights

[Mr Angry]

I still remember one of my favourite weeks in 02/03, I think around February time. On Tuesday, we travelled away to Sheffield United who were third and had an awesome home record, and came back from 1-0 down to win 3-1. I listened at home on the radio as it was a school night, and we leapfrogged them.

Then on Saturday, we hosted Rotherham who were in 6th, and had got there exactly how you imagine Rotherham in the 2nd tier. Tough, physical, organised. And we were exceptional. They couldn't touch us. We were 3-0 up by HT (all quality goals) and had them chasing shadows; we slowed it down in the second half but still should have had a couple more.

That week I really thought the double promotion was on; a proper pinch me moment given I'd initially started following around 2000 and have pants day as one of my earliest memories.

I hope any youngsters who have started going to games in the last 5 years or so get similar highs to make the Dai era worthwhile.

Think these are the highlights: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gvDCSlkODYA

How good was Andy Hughes in that game!

[Armadillo Roadkill]

I still remember one of my favourite weeks in 02/03, I think around February time. On Tuesday, we travelled away to Sheffield United who were third and had an awesome home record, and came back from 1-0 down to win 3-1. I listened at home on the radio as it was a school night, and we leapfrogged them.

Then on Saturday, we hosted Rotherham who were in 6th, and had got there exactly how you imagine Rotherham in the 2nd tier. Tough, physical, organised. And we were exceptional. They couldn't touch us. We were 3-0 up by HT (all quality goals) and had them chasing shadows; we slowed it down in the second half but still should have had a couple more.

That week I really thought the double promotion was on; a proper pinch me moment given I'd initially started following around 2000 and have pants day as one of my earliest memories.

I hope any youngsters who have started going to games in the last 5 years or so get similar highs to make the Dai era worthwhile.

Think these are the highlights: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gvDCSlkODYA

How good was Andy Hughes in that game!

Wasn't this the game that is credited with starting Colin's long standing dislike of Reading, for having the impertinence to turn up at Brammall Lane and win?

[WestYorksRoyal]

I still remember one of my favourite weeks in 02/03, I think around February time. On Tuesday, we travelled away to Sheffield United who were third and had an awesome home record, and came back from 1-0 down to win 3-1. I listened at home on the radio as it was a school night, and we leapfrogged them.

Then on Saturday, we hosted Rotherham who were in 6th, and had got there exactly how you imagine Rotherham in the 2nd tier. Tough, physical, organised. And we were exceptional. They couldn't touch us. We were 3-0 up by HT (all quality goals) and had them chasing shadows; we slowed it down in the second half but still should have had a couple more.

That week I really thought the double promotion was on; a proper pinch me moment given I'd initially started following around 2000 and have pants day as one of my earliest memories.

I hope any youngsters who have started going to games in the last 5 years or so get similar highs to make the Dai era worthwhile.

Think these are the highlights: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gvDCSlkODYA

How good was Andy Hughes in that game!

Hughes and Forster both had the seasons of their lives that year, though Harper walked off with POTS. Shows the sign of a good team maximising everyone's talents. Obviously Harper would go on for more, but Forster was never quite as exceptional afterwards and Hughes barely looked like a Championship player after that season.

[stealthpapes]

Forster suffered because you had to reverse engineer the team around him, I recall endless discussions about him being able or unable to play with Cureton.

In 02-03, we went full bore into running him up front iirc (played a 4-5-1 type formation most often, also because no two of Hughes-Harper-Sidwell/Watson was effective as the three of them).

I also remember the run the season or two after where he was effectively dropped and we burnt through cover - Owusu, Ferdinand, Savage, Morgan. Get's a recall and promptly scores. Looking at 04-05 is giving me nightmares. How did we throw that one away?

Anyway, he was quite effective at League One level a few years later, but his best season by a long way was 02-03.

[Jerry St Clair]

Oxford away in the cup, August 2004*.
Went home about 5 quid richer from the coins thrown at me.

Turns out we played them twice in two seasons. Likely went to both, maybe the first one was the summer I worked nights.

Yes, they were both 1st round League Cup games in August I think. The 2003 game was pretty eventful. In their wisdom, TVP had designated the (excellent) Priory pub, normally for home fans, as a Reading fans pub for the night. We were in there before the game and a bunch of Oxford fans turned up to retake it. The police locked us in for our own safety. Coincidently, at around the time the siege was underway, the Reading police escort from the station arrived and the Oxford fans turned their attention to that. I seem to remember the segregation door in the concourse being broken open at half time and a few people being treated for injuries around the edge of the pitch as the second half started.

The 2004 game was far quieter. TVP swamped the ground and the surrounding area and were much better organised.

[stealthpapes]

I seem to remember the segregation door in the concourse being broken open at half time and a few people being treated for injuries around the edge of the pitch as the second half started.

Yes. I went with my Dad to that one, and we were right by the door as it broke. Police barged in and we were swept along in a crowd. Actually quite frightening.

Next year, went with the ex, and the police wouldn't let RFC fans turn out of the stadium back towards Blackbird Leys. We stood around for a bit until everyone got bored.

I also did Oxford vs Villa in the cup around then, I think the year before (02-03, Allback set off a car alarm with a wayward shot), and it was pretty ropey.

[Fox Talbot]

The parachutist ‘Roman-candled’ a bit before hitting the ground (at great speed) at EP

The grey matter fades a bit over the years, but can remember being pissed watching it all and cat-calling (because I at that time could’ve done it better...honest)...

...was it the Donny ‘fancy dress’ game? .....again too pissed back then to correlate or compute....but can remember the dozen or so (and only) Donny fans all dressed up in the Town End and being mightily impressed by their effort and participation.

Anybody attend the charideee game a few weeks later? RFC legends versus the EastEnders cast?

Donny 1986 fancy dress - people in togas on the pitch? The jockey from Hi De Hi welcoming the Donny players on to the pitch with his whip, saying 'this one's a bit poofy' There's a tape of the pre match I've seen a while back which is pretty jaw-dropping!

[WestYorksRoyal]

Forster suffered because you had to reverse engineer the team around him, I recall endless discussions about him being able or unable to play with Cureton.

In 02-03, we went full bore into running him up front iirc (played a 4-5-1 type formation most often, also because no two of Hughes-Harper-Sidwell/Watson was effective as the three of them).

I also remember the run the season or two after where he was effectively dropped and we burnt through cover - Owusu, Ferdinand, Savage, Morgan. Get's a recall and promptly scores. Looking at 04-05 is giving me nightmares. How did we throw that one away?

Anyway, he was quite effective at League One level a few years later, but his best season by a long way was 02-03.

He was very good in the promotion season in 01/02 and was a decent Championship striker for a few years. It's just that 02/03 was clearly his peak; one of the best in the league.

Hughes was also well suited to a free role or almost a 2nd striker and also had an exceptional season.

But ultimately we built a team upon players with a higher ceiling like Sidwell and Kitson who we signed in 2004, that was ultimately vindicated. Hughes and Forster just not at that level.

[KC Royal]

https://royals.org/matdoc/080297.html

Anyone have memories of this game? I must have seen it on Final Score as I vaguely remember Quinn in goal and Morley scoring. Think that was when I first became properly aware of Morley. Having looked into it more there were no Prem games that day because it was an international break, so it would have been the result of the day in England, which explains why it would have been given prominence on Final Score.

[Sutekh]

https://royals.org/matdoc/080297.html

Anyone have memories of this game? I must have seen it on Final Score as I vaguely remember Quinn in goal and Morley scoring. Think that was when I first became properly aware of Morley. Having looked into it more there were no Prem games that day because it was an international break, so it would have been the result of the day in England, which explains why it would have been given prominence on Final Score.

Match highlights

[Snowflake Royal]

https://royals.org/matdoc/080297.html

Anyone have memories of this game? I must have seen it on Final Score as I vaguely remember Quinn in goal and Morley scoring. Think that was when I first became properly aware of Morley. Having looked into it more there were no Prem games that day because it was an international break, so it would have been the result of the day in England, which explains why it would have been given prominence on Final Score.

Remember it well. Quinn did really well in goal, only beaten low to his corners. And felt like some revenge for the PO Final

[Stranded]

https://royals.org/matdoc/080297.html

Anyone have memories of this game? I must have seen it on Final Score as I vaguely remember Quinn in goal and Morley scoring. Think that was when I first became properly aware of Morley. Having looked into it more there were no Prem games that day because it was an international break, so it would have been the result of the day in England, which explains why it would have been given prominence on Final Score.

Match highlights

Got to love the ball getting stuck behind the stantion for Morley's third.