606 Footie Stories

Suffolk Shrimper In Dorset · Sep 13, 2006

Learned about this from 606 last night:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/fivelive/sport/footballstories.shtml

Worth you putting your entry on it?

Here is mine for what it's worth (posted a similar version on SZ in response to a post on SUFC memories but now is the chance for national fame!):

"Isolated for three years at Uni in Plymouth on a student grant I cannot resist the annual call of the FA Cup. It's November 1981 and my team the mighty Southend United are drawn away at Hereford.

Wake up at 6.30 am. Expectancy fills the air. This will be our year surely. At 7am I start off on my six mile cycle ride to the railway station in the pouring rain, get a puncture, run the bike the mile back to the digs and hitch down to the station. I miss the train but catch the next one and eventually get to Hereford at 2pm.

We lose the match 3-1. Oh well, there's always next year. Gotta get home first though.

Catch the train from Hereford but the network is in complete in chaos, resulting in me having to change at Newport, Bristol Parkway, Bristol Temple Meads, Taunton, Exeter and Newton Abbot before getting to Plymouth at 1 am. It's still pouring with rain and all of the bus drivers are in bed.

No choice but to walk back, mostly up hill. On a wet night in Plymouth the occassional passing driver ignores my futile attempts to hitch a lift.

One mile from the digs I am stopped by the police. "Excuse me sir, but would you mind telling us where you have been." I tell my story and back it up with a soggy programme as evidence. They laugh, inform me that I am not the peeping tom they are looking for, and speed off.

I make it back to the digs at 2.30 pm, 20 hours after my day started. I am not dis-heartened, it has been a day to remember."

southend-united_fc · Sep 13, 2006

gd but i am picky 2:30am not pm

Hong Kong Blue · Sep 14, 2006

I think that has a good chance to be included as the token "remember its not all about the premier$hite, we also take one call a show from a championship fan" entry.

Hooly · Sep 14, 2006

Haven't quite finalised mine yet but here's the gist of it.

<span style='color:blue'>For several years I became unofficial driver for a group of Mighty Shrimpers (note to Chairman Ron, we’re not and never will be the Blues!). Well, I had a company car, free petrol etc and the passengers paid me with bags of pick-n-mix.

On the 23rd November 1999 Southend United were “enjoying” our 2nd season back in the bottom tier, after a double relegation under the careless hands of Ronnie Whelan and that leg end Alvin Martin. Can’t listen to the “competition” with him spouting criticism on the tactics of the likes of Mourinho, Ferguson etc.

Under Chipmunk SUFC had 2 tactics that I remember. When winning (rare) an 8-1-1 formation, losing (usual) became 1-1-8 and I lost interest in games we were drawing, as if the other team was a bad as us the game had to be dire.

Anyway this Tuesday night we’d been to Chester, resulting in a dull 0-0 draw. On the way back Mr “don’t need a map, never get lost” realised I’d messed up when the road signs turned to Welsh. So, 25 minutes later, back past the ground we went.

On the M6, a decent radio station, amongst the Brummie hip-hop, drum and base and rap, escaped me. So I found some relaxing classical music.

Leaving Birmingham, nearing midnight, entering the un-lit section the mist descended a bit. Spooky! Suddenly to my left a figure started into life. My long time pal and passenger Chris “Beer Monster” Callaghan said in a very sheepish voice “Pete, where are we”. I casually replied “M6, just leaving Birmingham”. “Thank **** for that” he said “I thought we’d crashed, had died and were on our way to Heaven”.

The darkness, mist and requiem music playing at the time had frightened the living daylights out of him!</span>

Napster · Sep 14, 2006

[b said:
Quote[/b] (Hooly @ Sep. 14 2006,15:14)]Haven't quite finalised mine yet but here's the gist of it.

<span style='color:blue'>For several years I became unofficial driver for a group of Mighty Shrimpers (note to Chairman Ron, we’re not and never will be the Blues!). Well, I had a company car, free petrol etc and the passengers paid me with bags of pick-n-mix.

On the 23rd November 1999 Southend United were “enjoying” our 2nd season back in the bottom tier, after a double relegation under the careless hands of Ronnie Whelan and that leg end Alvin Martin. Can’t listen to the “competition” with him spouting criticism on the tactics of the likes of Mourinho, Ferguson etc.

Under Chipmunk SUFC had 2 tactics that I remember. When winning (rare) an 8-1-1 formation, losing (usual) became 1-1-8 and I lost interest in games we were drawing, as if the other team was a bad as us the game had to be dire.

Anyway this Tuesday night we’d been to Chester, resulting in a dull 0-0 draw. On the way back Mr “don’t need a map, never get lost” realised I’d messed up when the road signs turned to Welsh. So, 25 minutes later, back past the ground some we went.

On the M6, a decent radio station, amongst the Brummie hip-hop, drum and base and rap, escaped me. So I found some relaxing classical music.

Leaving Birmingham, nearing midnight, entering the un-lit section the mist descended a bit. Spooky! Suddenly to my left a figure started into life. My long time pal and passenger Chris “Beer Monster” Callaghan said in a very sheepish voice “Pete, where are we”. I casually replied “M6, just leaving Birmingham”. “Thank **** for that” he said “I thought we’d crashed, had died and were on our way to Heaven”.

The darkness, mist and requiem music playing at the time had frightened the living daylights out of him!</span>