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Man City = Maine Road very intimidating when I went there as a 16 year old in 1981 1st Div Season in middle of Moss Side and we lost 4-0. Liverpool = Just after Shankly died and Tosh wore a Liverpool shirt under his Swans tracksuit. Game was 2=2 but like the Wild West outside after the game. West Ham = FA Cup Rd 5 1981 thought we'd claimed a replay before David Cross scored winner .. stabbed by WHU fans with knitting needles and pelted with golf balls. Burnley = What's the time Taff? Oh what joy it was to follow the Swans then.....we used to get a bus from Burry Port which stopped at the Uplands and then Skewen with Huw & Gordon to take us on our travels.....oh what happy days............
Cracking thread!! Used to travel on the bus the OP mentioned. Started off probably 1977/78? Got on the bus in Skewen with lots of old friends, many of whom are no longer with us; Nigel & Ron, Alan Morris, Big Kelvin. Fantastic trips with my Father who also is no longer here. Can anyone can remember the epic weekender to Bolton staying in The Tickled Trout? Won 4-1 if memory not too shot!! Later on we hired a mini bus for the old First Division games. Even did Stafford Rangers in Wesh Cup! Shrewsbury Christmas79(?) was a hoot with my Father giving a less than festive version of "Oh Come All Ye Faithfull" on the Bus microphone!! Notts County away was the windiest day I ever saw the Swans, shocking 0-0. Some fantastic days away over the years, topped very recently by our win in Valencia.
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Best and Worst Days at the 'Famous Old Grounds' on 09:32 - Feb 16 with 2318 views
Foscfa trip to Blackpool after losing at Deepdale in 86 another memorable day. Arrived home with a 6 foot tall cuddly elephant called Ivor in tow(won on pleasure beach), which I had to carry in front on me on my Yamaha yb100 as I drove home at 5 o clock in the morning. Happiest days.
[Post edited 16 Feb 2014 9:33]
“The stupidest thing she knew was for people to act like they knew all about the things they knew absolutely nothing about.â€
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Best and Worst Days at the 'Famous Old Grounds' on 09:42 - Feb 16 with 2302 views
Best and Worst Days at the 'Famous Old Grounds' on 09:32 - Feb 16 by Jackanapes
Foscfa trip to Blackpool after losing at Deepdale in 86 another memorable day. Arrived home with a 6 foot tall cuddly elephant called Ivor in tow(won on pleasure beach), which I had to carry in front on me on my Yamaha yb100 as I drove home at 5 o clock in the morning. Happiest days.
[Post edited 16 Feb 2014 9:33]
Ah the Yamaha YB100. I used to have one of them with a peashooter exhaust. Happy days lol
Each time I go to Bedd - au........................
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Best and Worst Days at the 'Famous Old Grounds' on 10:24 - Feb 16 with 2278 views
Best and Worst Days at the 'Famous Old Grounds' on 11:07 - Feb 15 by Swanzay
This was my most surreal away game, fire extinguishers spraying, fans climbing the floodlight.
Thankfully football has changed.
Stayed in Reading that night too. Went to a deserted pub called the Fox and Hounds and the Irish landlord took a shine to the four of us, so much in fact he sent a minder with us to the nightclub
Each time I go to Bedd - au........................
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Best and Worst Days at the 'Famous Old Grounds' on 10:32 - Feb 16 with 2275 views
Best and Worst Days at the 'Famous Old Grounds' on 11:15 - Feb 15 by monmouth
Lot of time for Liverpool as a club - at least then when they were a real club; I think their writing off of the transfer fees in the mid 80s was a genuine attempt to help us in a desperate hour. Unfortunately that day soured me forever towards their "wonderful fans".
But they had a hell of a bad reputation back then, which has probably got a lot to do with why they were stitched up at hillsborough. Switch to now and you struggle to find a better set of fans in the main. Last time I was up there was for the league cup match last season. Taxis were few and far between so I got talking to one of theirs and we ended up sharing a cab. He took me to the home pub by the ground, bought me a beer and we had a good chinwag about the season and old times. Not a bit of trouble. All the time I was trying to keep my colours hidden and was expecting a lynching. Lol.
After we got applauded off in Brendan's first season, that was another time when we spent ages in the pub afterwards with Liverpool fans and they were great value.
Stoke and West Ham worse clubs for me.
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Best and Worst Days at the 'Famous Old Grounds' on 10:34 - Feb 16 with 2272 views
Best and Worst Days at the 'Famous Old Grounds' on 18:49 - Feb 15 by Daggyjack
Think it was Steve Lovell who scored, I was it the home end as my mate's brother was playing for Northampton! It was Pascoe who scored at Aldershot.
[Post edited 15 Feb 2014 18:50]
Didn't Lovell play for us only briefly in 1986? I'm sure Ian Love scored bit got injured later on in the season and never really recovered? Those were halcyon away days for me, always on the pop and crisps (supporters club not foscfa ) bus as it always went from the Dunvant. Tiny , Mullet, Lynne and quite a few others including my brother and his mates went away almost every game. I have fond memories of the team and Yorath too, I'll never forget being one of the famous 300 (Spartans!) at Plainmoor when we drew with Torquay 3-3 to win 5-4 on aggregate after beating Rotherham in the p/o semi final . Yorath came out with his suit on in the p*ssing rain after the game to applaud us as we were being kept in for an hour on an open bank. If I was any drier I'd have drowned. I think we can claim the mantle of being the first league club to be promoted via the play offs
Each time I go to Bedd - au........................
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Best and Worst Days at the 'Famous Old Grounds' on 21:10 - Feb 20 with 1601 views
Best and Worst Days at the 'Famous Old Grounds' on 10:54 - Feb 15 by monmouth
Liverpool and west ham were the worst of those 1981 away trips imo. The walk back to the coach from scallyfield through the park was unreal. Stanley Park...stanley knife more like....cowardly scummy scouse cabbages.
Yeah the Liverpool game, we made an uneventful walk through Stanley park. Whn we got to our bus we found out several coaches had been bricked. Two Scousers tried to brick our windscreen but as they did a group from the bus in front came and grabbed them, some old heads on our bus got off and gave them a good kicking. All very entertaing to a naive 14 year old me.
Aston Villa in 82 (I think) I got butted by a police horse on the way out, the bugger left his teeth marks on my head and I had a banging headache for days, that's the only match I ever got hurt at, apart from the times I fell over drunk!
Best and Worst Days at the 'Famous Old Grounds' on 20:00 - Feb 15 by angryjack
it was steve lovell i remember because he is my cousin made his debut against burnley on a friday night at the vetch when that little guy scored with a run from his own half taking the whole swansea team on
Hoskings , hell of a goal fair doos.
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Best and Worst Days at the 'Famous Old Grounds' on 22:49 - Feb 20 with 1539 views
Been to most of the "events" talked about on the thread over the years and loved every minute of it....most of the time from the moment we left Swansea...especially in the eighties...it was seat of your pants stuff. Not phased by much now because of it tbh...
Funniest day was Shrewsbury away one year in a bus full of skinheads from Llanelli way. Had to wait by the cop shop so a few could "sign out" for the day as they were on probation....hit a country pub in the middle of nowhere on thd way up. Barmaid..on seeing us lot scrabbling at the bar for a drink...shouts for assistance. "Sally"..."Sally" we all started singing "Pride of our alley" on mass instantly. Surreal and very funny.. As we approached Shrewbury the bus stopped so we could all have a slash....on the start of a bridge. My mate jumped off the bus and on to the wall of the said bridge. Someone decides to push him off...ends up crumpled up 30ft below. We left a mate with him and headed off to the match. At half time...we could see this figure.. on crutches... gingerly heading towards the away end...on the touchline. He got a raptuous ovation from the Jacks...funny as f#ck. Those days are a distant past sadly...
Best and Worst Days at the 'Famous Old Grounds' on 10:25 - Feb 15 by ymaohyd
I was at the Man City game at Main Road as well. I must be the same age as you I'm 48 now. Standing there with sharpened coins being thrown and the City crowd snarling at us throughout the game, unbelievable.
I remember this stunning girl about 16/17 in amongst this City mob (classy!) as ever I thought I was in love!
Arsenal away in the middle of the clock end with Arsenal fans either side, we won 2-0. I swear there was a Swansea fan, a woman, very dexterous, carrying her baby, in the middle of the away bank, with a pram and sticking the old Harvey Smiths to the Arsenal fans.
Stoke away when we went top. It was after the Liverpool away game so after the disasters of train travel for that game very few arrived by train. A huge police presence with only about 80 of us on this football special. I've never been in trouble in my life and always considered myself a lover not a fighter. Equally though when I've been in some scary situations following the Swans it's never bothered me.
That day though in Stoke! They're a horrible crowd
I've never condoned football violence, but I was delighted when following my second love Liverpool in the old Victoria ground in the 3rd round of the cup (the year of the Hillsborough disaster) and Liverpool ran them ragged. They must have taken about 300 out of the home end. Sadly that day it was a precursor to Hillsborough, Liverpool had all of one stand running the length of the pitch and the congestion was frightening.
Had some interesting days over the years
Some of the worst
Rotherham
Palace at scum
Man City at Maine road yep during the game, after the game keeping an eye out in case anyone came running down an alley. Looked just like the set off coronation street.
Liverpool - Wild West doesn’t get close to what happened after the game.
Merthyr in the Welsh cup, newport in a pre-season friendly with 3 sets of supporters in the ground.
West Ham, missed the delights of the cup game but in a league remember us scoring and looking around to see who was standing around me before reacting.
Millwall when there was the pitch invasion. Nuff said about that day.
Arsenal with both sides of the clock end wanting to say hello after the game
Spurs - being walked through the estate behind the ground after the league cup loss. The police escort was sh!tting it and they weren’t on their own
Burnley and stoke - just horrible places and people.
Wolves - went into a pub and was talking to a lad who said he had only been to Wales once - usk. Didn’t stay long there.
Leeds - fecking freezing on a Tuesday night and the locals definitely weren’t friendly
Darlington and gillingham - both sets of fans on same bank led to differences of opinion in the ground
Scum or the wurzels if we lost.
Some of the Best memories
Preston win - downside it kept scum up
Wembley wins
Promotion wins
Torquay- I had a denim jacket and no waterproofs so that was the wettest I’ve ever been
scum when we won or didn’t lose - apart from the game of Buchanan’s goal
Sunderland- watching a group of kids running down a side alley to brick the 3rd coach in the convey. Finding out there were only 2 coaches and the look on their faces when they realised they were going to brick a police van
Portsmouth when we got relegated and got hammered by mark hateley - great support all game
Bournemouth on a Tuesday night - our first away win for over 2 seasons
Going to Hartlepool and not getting hanged
Aldershot and thinking wtf
Getting on buses for overnight trips to the north east and east anglia and for New Year’s Day games, waking up and thinking wtf am I doing here.
Going to a pub in Norwich, the police wanting us out and the landlord wanting us to stay.
Going to friendly places like bury and orient
The best thing was even through bad times on the pitch, good company and having a laugh off it.
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Best and Worst Days at the 'Famous Old Grounds' on 00:28 - Feb 21 with 1475 views
Best and Worst Days at the 'Famous Old Grounds' on 12:18 - Feb 15 by ymaohyd
Another bizzare away day experience was Lincoln 8/9 years ago. Under Kenny Jackett. It was at the time of my wedding anniversary around April 10th. Made a weekend of it. Left work at about 3.30 (Swansea) Friday, got to Lincoln, dropped the wife and daughter off at the hotel reception while I parked. Wife came back to the car and accused me of planning everything as the Swans were staying at the hotel.
Had a few pints with Doug Sharpe on the Friday night in the hotel. On the Saturday walked around the Cathedral area with my Swans fleece on, had know idea Lincoln had a bit of a rep. Could hear all kind of commotion from the city centre, police sirens etc. Didn't think it would be anything to do with the game. Apparently Swans fans had thrown a smoke bomb into a pub!
At the game horrible atmosphere, we lost when a Swans defender went to clear it and the ball caught the top of his boot and looped over Willie.
Afterwards!!! Was with the main Swans mob being taken back to the station 50 yards by 50 yards as Lincoln fans were kept at bay! All the time trying to plan my get away back to my hotel not being noticed by Lincoln fans.
Those of you who went away to all those types of games back in the day I'm sure it was the norm, but for me, a bit of culture, Lincoln Cathedral, cobbled streets, nice hotel. Really caught me by surprise, had no idea Lincoln would be like that.
To top it off, had a drink with Nasty Nick, think was his name from one of the first Big Brother's who was also staying in the hotel.
A surreal weekend.
Never thought anything of Lincoln until after I went there.
Pretty sure we played them on New Year’s Day. Everyone had had a skinful before we went up and we were drinking in their clubhouse before the game. Most of us went in no trouble but some of the lads ion the bus stayed there until the last possible minute.
As they were staggering to the ground they bumped into the LTE. By this point in time they could barely stand. Apparently the LTE couldn’t bring themselves to give them a kicking because of the state they were in and just wished them a happy new year.
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Best and Worst Days at the 'Famous Old Grounds' on 00:41 - Feb 21 with 1472 views
Best and Worst Days at the 'Famous Old Grounds' on 10:25 - Feb 15 by ymaohyd
I was at the Man City game at Main Road as well. I must be the same age as you I'm 48 now. Standing there with sharpened coins being thrown and the City crowd snarling at us throughout the game, unbelievable.
I remember this stunning girl about 16/17 in amongst this City mob (classy!) as ever I thought I was in love!
Arsenal away in the middle of the clock end with Arsenal fans either side, we won 2-0. I swear there was a Swansea fan, a woman, very dexterous, carrying her baby, in the middle of the away bank, with a pram and sticking the old Harvey Smiths to the Arsenal fans.
Stoke away when we went top. It was after the Liverpool away game so after the disasters of train travel for that game very few arrived by train. A huge police presence with only about 80 of us on this football special. I've never been in trouble in my life and always considered myself a lover not a fighter. Equally though when I've been in some scary situations following the Swans it's never bothered me.
That day though in Stoke! They're a horrible crowd
I've never condoned football violence, but I was delighted when following my second love Liverpool in the old Victoria ground in the 3rd round of the cup (the year of the Hillsborough disaster) and Liverpool ran them ragged. They must have taken about 300 out of the home end. Sadly that day it was a precursor to Hillsborough, Liverpool had all of one stand running the length of the pitch and the congestion was frightening.
I feel the congestion part, been there a few times.
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Best and Worst Days at the 'Famous Old Grounds' on 08:03 - Feb 21 with 1392 views
Worst( but great looking back) last game of season 1976 i think , my first ever away game. Cambridge away. I think they had already won the league and we had to beat them to stand any chance of going up. 2k jacks.They invaded the pitch , skin heads everywhere . Off course we did beat them 3-2 (typical swans). I was only 15, first time i had seen fighting in a game really . Remember Buller jumping on pitch and about 20 circled him . But he didnt budge and they backed off. A legend was made!
Best .. The Michu Arsenal game. Had money on him to score . Up on train , lots to drink in baker street. The perfect away day
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Best and Worst Days at the 'Famous Old Grounds' on 08:46 - Feb 21 with 1372 views
Best and Worst Days at the 'Famous Old Grounds' on 08:03 - Feb 21 by globus10
Worst( but great looking back) last game of season 1976 i think , my first ever away game. Cambridge away. I think they had already won the league and we had to beat them to stand any chance of going up. 2k jacks.They invaded the pitch , skin heads everywhere . Off course we did beat them 3-2 (typical swans). I was only 15, first time i had seen fighting in a game really . Remember Buller jumping on pitch and about 20 circled him . But he didnt budge and they backed off. A legend was made!
Best .. The Michu Arsenal game. Had money on him to score . Up on train , lots to drink in baker street. The perfect away day
Boro’s old ground was an eye opener late 80’s early 90’s time, as was stokes.
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Best and Worst Days at the 'Famous Old Grounds' on 09:36 - Feb 21 with 1344 views
A couple of 'famous old grounds' and a couple of 'not'
Arsenal, 2-0 at Highbury - Ray Kennedy goal!! Portsmouth in the FA Cup - great day out & result
Oldham - lost 2-1 but you could see it was the start of something really good Kidderminster - day of the tsunami - Gurney sent off, 4-0 win Stoke - 2-1 win, Gary Stanley winner to go top of the old Div 1
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Best and Worst Days at the 'Famous Old Grounds' on 10:51 - Feb 21 with 1305 views
My first away game was the 4-0 loss to Rushden in 02, scariest i've ever found an away game was sheff utd when there was some fighting by the busses and me and my old man had walk back through sheffield united lot, nothing close to what you guys encountered back in the day fair dos, sounds mental.
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Best and Worst Days at the 'Famous Old Grounds' on 11:56 - Feb 21 with 1274 views
The 3-0 loss at Newcastle in the cup ( Frankie Burrows as boss) was hell of a day. Arrived at a pub in Consett at 8am, great craic with the Geordie heavies in there....took to us fir travelling overnight to see our team. But total opposite after the game with hell of a brawl near the bus.
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Best and Worst Days at the 'Famous Old Grounds' on 12:02 - Feb 21 with 1271 views
Best and Worst Days at the 'Famous Old Grounds' on 10:51 - Feb 21 by 34dfgdf54
Love reading these threads.
My first away game was the 4-0 loss to Rushden in 02, scariest i've ever found an away game was sheff utd when there was some fighting by the busses and me and my old man had walk back through sheffield united lot, nothing close to what you guys encountered back in the day fair dos, sounds mental.
Good thread. Brings back quite a few memories as I was at a large number of the games mentioned. Things were much different 'back in the day' As an exile and travelling by car the days in the lower divisions were interesting to say the least. Pre segregation it was eyes open inside the ground. With segregation and being kept in after games it was fairly obvious being an away fan leaving the ground. Didn't help when fans turned right to the away buses and needing to go left to the car I've seen worse back in the lower divisions where the police had no idea. We played Oxford City away in the cup twice. Oxford Utd fans in a non segregated ground and non stop fighting until police reinforcements were called.
Hard to pick a worst/best day.
Maybe Lincoln away where I first met Darran.
I'll leave you decide if it was worst or best
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Best and Worst Days at the 'Famous Old Grounds' on 12:08 - Feb 21 with 1262 views
Best and Worst Days at the 'Famous Old Grounds' on 12:02 - Feb 21 by 3swan
Good thread. Brings back quite a few memories as I was at a large number of the games mentioned. Things were much different 'back in the day' As an exile and travelling by car the days in the lower divisions were interesting to say the least. Pre segregation it was eyes open inside the ground. With segregation and being kept in after games it was fairly obvious being an away fan leaving the ground. Didn't help when fans turned right to the away buses and needing to go left to the car I've seen worse back in the lower divisions where the police had no idea. We played Oxford City away in the cup twice. Oxford Utd fans in a non segregated ground and non stop fighting until police reinforcements were called.
Hard to pick a worst/best day.
Maybe Lincoln away where I first met Darran.
I'll leave you decide if it was worst or best
Hayes away in the FA cup was tasty as well 86/87 ish
Loads of Chelsea there.
Boro away in the FA cup at Ayresome Park ..... Never leave a minibus with SW van hire logo parked on the street in Boro likely to return to see it with no windows.
Ah memories.
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Best and Worst Days at the 'Famous Old Grounds' on 12:11 - Feb 21 with 1256 views
Best and Worst Days at the 'Famous Old Grounds' on 10:47 - Feb 15 by Al_Bundy
Best -
Preston Away 1981 - Promotion Party
Bristol Rovers Away 1980 - Midweek mayhem at Eastville and on the trains
Cambridge Away 1983/4 ?? Ending our winless away streak with Steve Mardenborough scoring two
The win at ninian park with Hughes the jock scoring
Peterborough Away new years day maybe late eighties .. everybody having hangovers then 0-2 down at half time the Alsop , Thomas and Cusack scored second half and our terrace went mental behind the goal.
Derby County away - winning 0-1 at the baseball ground on a hot bank holiday Monday when we celebrated by all jumping down from the seated stand on to the terrace below to celebrate the goal
Drawing at Carlisle in L1 on a tuesday night driving from Bournemouth - Carlisle - Bournemouth in one hit.
The Seals midweek trip to Hull in L2 - being invaded by the Hull hoolies in our section
Promotion/Cup wins at Bury , Sheff Utd , Gillingham , Liverpool and West Ham
Worst -
Millwall away first game in 1983 - the worst match ever for trouble and constant violence the whole day not helped by the 100 jacks to tried to take the home end
Wigan away - 0-0 with 20 mins to go standing on a mud bank which started snowing then a storm then we concede 5 then we get attacked outside the ground by the Wigan hoolies
Darlo away - 7-0 thrashing long trip and attacked.
Fulham away in the FA CUP - the only match i've ever left early through utter disbelief
Darlo away at feethams when we drew 2-2 and my car was trashed by home fans
Cardiff away in the infamous match when the stand got ripped up
Lincoln City around 1985 when we played away on a Sunday when around 10 of us were in a pub when the LTE turned up and turned us and the pub over when i actually questioned following the Swans away.
We broke our winless away run at Bournemouth 3 weeks before we beat Cambridge.
Its just a ride.
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Best and Worst Days at the 'Famous Old Grounds' on 12:17 - Feb 21 with 1245 views
Best and Worst Days at the 'Famous Old Grounds' on 12:37 - Feb 15 by Jackanapes
We ended our winless away streak against Bournemouth three weeks before the Cambridge game. But it had been over a season without an away win. The whole D2 season.
What he said...
Its just a ride.
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Best and Worst Days at the 'Famous Old Grounds' on 12:19 - Feb 21 with 1243 views
Best and Worst Days at the 'Famous Old Grounds' on 12:11 - Feb 21 by Captain_Sham
We broke our winless away run at Bournemouth 3 weeks before we beat Cambridge.
On the way back from Cambridge one year we saw a load of Bristol City coaches at Heston services that had been bricked big time coming out from the Den.
That was the season Swans went on the Millwall bank and Millwall rioted at Luton.
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