One SUFC game/day you could erase from memory happily.

[Cambridge Blue]

My worst game - 31 Jan, 1969

The Blues were having a decent year with good crowds and beat King's Lynn in the 1st round of the Cup 9-0, with nearly 10,000 people in the Hall. There were 13,000 to see us beat Brentwood 10-1 in the 2nd round and then 18,000 at Swindon (who were a good side) where we won 2-0. The 4th round was away at Mansfield.

Loads of coaches went up to be met with a fantatsic greeting from fans of Forest who just wanted to come and see a match - and have a bit of trouble in the non-segregated crowds. There were 16,000 crammed into the ground. I can hardly describe how much we were on top and how far offside their first goal was. But Billy Best kept us in it for them to score another flukey goal and win 2-1. Worse than the injustice was the fatc that Mansfield went on to play then then very fragile West Ham and beat them 3-0. We would have had that draw, and won, and gone into the 6th round.

I often feel sorry for teams that get relegated (such as Cambridge - ho ho) and even felt a tiny bit of pleasure when Col U beat norwidh - BUT I STILL HATE MANSFIELD. It's absurd but I can't erase the memory of that game - even though I've seen all sorts of bad defeats: Blackpool, Wrexham (worse), a 2-0 home defeat to Watford in the Cup (16,000 in the Hall) in 1964, 8-0 at Palace, losing at home to Brentford in 1991 letting Cambridge win the league and not us etc. etc.

 

[Rob Noxious]

The Blues were having a decent year with good crowds and beat King's Lynn in the 1st round of the Cup 9-0, with nearly 10,000 people in the Hall. There were 13,000 to see us beat Brentwood 10-1 in the 2nd round and then 18,000 at Swindon (who were a good side) where we won 2-0. The 4th round was away at Mansfield.

Loads of coaches went up to be met with a fantatsic greeting from fans of Forest who just wanted to come and see a match - and have a bit of trouble in the non-segregated crowds. There were 16,000 crammed into the ground. I can hardly describe how much we were on top and how far offside their first goal was. But Billy Best kept us in it for them to score another flukey goal and win 2-1. Worse than the injustice was the fatc that Mansfield went on to play then then very fragile West Ham and beat them 3-0. We would have had that draw, and won, and gone into the 6th round.

I often feel sorry for teams that get relegated (such as Cambridge - ho ho) and even felt a tiny bit of pleasure when Col U beat norwidh - BUT I STILL HATE MANSFIELD. It's absurd but I can't erase the memory of that game - even though I've seen all sorts of bad defeats: Blackpool, Wrexham (worse), a 2-0 home defeat to Watford in the Cup (16,000 in the Hall) in 1964, 8-0 at Palace, losing at home to Brentford in 1991 letting Cambridge win the league and not us etc. etc.

I was going to say the 7-0 defeat to Sunderland on a midweek November night at Roker Park in late '87 (until I saw this post) but at least that was leavened by a few beers and a curry in the 'Sunderland Tandoori' before getting on the overnight to King's Cross and going straight into work the next morning. No, the worst one I went to was Mansfield in the pouring rain (on a good old open terrace) in early '89. Our away kit clashed with their home kit and we had the ignominy of having to wear their red away kit. We got tonked 4-0 and went down that season. The journey back to London was a nightmare - a long bus journey to Mansfield & Alfreton Parkway station and an even longer wait for the train - and I didn't get back till after the pubs had shut. But in one way, I can at least gain a glimmer of consolation from that game with the benefit of hindsight as I believe it marked the first appearance of a left-sided midfield player in a 'Southend' shirt...Tilly came on as sub IIRC.

 

[Uncle Leo]

But in one way, I can at least gain a glimmer of consolation from that game with the benefit of hindsight as I believe it marked the first appearance of a left-sided midfield player in a 'Southend' shirt...Tilly came on as sub IIRC.

Just checked the history books and I think you are spot on there sir!

 

[canveyshrimper]

The Blues were having a decent year with good crowds and beat King's Lynn in the 1st round of the Cup 9-0, with nearly 10,000 people in the Hall. There were 13,000 to see us beat Brentwood 10-1 in the 2nd round and then 18,000 at Swindon (who were a good side) where we won 2-0. The 4th round was away at Mansfield.

Loads of coaches went up to be met with a fantatsic greeting from fans of Forest who just wanted to come and see a match - and have a bit of trouble in the non-segregated crowds. There were 16,000 crammed into the ground. I can hardly describe how much we were on top and how far offside their first goal was. But Billy Best kept us in it for them to score another flukey goal and win 2-1. Worse than the injustice was the fatc that Mansfield went on to play then then very fragile West Ham and beat them 3-0. We would have had that draw, and won, and gone into the 6th round.

I often feel sorry for teams that get relegated (such as Cambridge - ho ho) and even felt a tiny bit of pleasure when Col U beat norwidh - BUT I STILL HATE MANSFIELD. It's absurd but I can't erase the memory of that game - even though I've seen all sorts of bad defeats: Blackpool, Wrexham (worse), a 2-0 home defeat to Watford in the Cup (16,000 in the Hall) in 1964, 8-0 at Palace, losing at home to Brentford in 1991 letting Cambridge win the league and not us etc. etc.

I remember it well. When a horde of Forest fans appeared we thought we were in for a severe kicking, luckily they were more intent on creating mayhem amongst their Nottinghamshire neighbours.

One thing you forgot was Gary Moore smashing a shot against the crossbar a few minutes from the end, I swear the bar was still vibrating from the impact when the ref blew for full time. As you rightly say they slaughtered Wet Spam in the next round. :(

 

[SUFC Forever]

The play off 2nd leg v Donny Rovers.

Need I say more?

 

[BrettieAngell]

Hull away in the Championship.

 

[Winkle]

Like D.T.S. and a few others, it has to be that Boston game. I have never walked home so desolate, devoid of any emotion other than sheer desperation and willing the season to end at that very moment. Trying to explain to my sibling that "Graeme Jones" was not very good and for him to score against us only exasoperated my feelings of utter dejection. I needed counselling after that game....

 

[TheSouthendUnitedRunner]

Like D.T.S. and a few others, it has to be that Boston game. I have never walked home so desolate, devoid of any emotion other than sheer desperation and willing the season to end at that very moment. Trying to explain to my sibling that "Graeme Jones" was not very good and for him to score against us only exasoperated my feelings of utter dejection. I needed counselling after that game....

I have to agree with this one.

The whole game was an embarrasment. Our "performance" was the most gutless performance I have ever witnessed. The attendance was poor, the football was poor, the weather was poor.

The only positive to come out of that game was Wignall getting sacked.

Another game to throw into the mix was Oxford at home in the Cup a couple of years back (We won 3-0 IIRC, Dean Morgan and Charlie Mac up top). I had an absolute rocket at work about my poor performance that day that meant I left work late, which meant I was home late and completely put me out of my stride.

Driving from SWF to the Rettedon turn pike (I think thats the name of the roundabouts) some **** of a motor cyclist moved into my side of the road to overtake a car and took off my wing mirror. I got caught speeding on the way up there, because I was late and didn't have enough time to spend in the pub so missed out on a pint.

Luckly the football saved it from being a complete write-off of a day though.

 

[A Century United]

Sunderland away in our Championship season. Left at 04:00. at 04:30 found that a pipe had come off the fuel filter and I had lost over half a tank of Deisel. Managed to fix it, and made it to the game on time. Sadly our players never showed up, and the imposters wearing our kit were 3-0 down by half time. Only bright spot was the laugh and cheer we got from the home fans for our chant of "4-3, we're gonna win 4-3..." nearly back home, at 3:00 in the morning, a deer throws itself in front of the car and I get over £1200 worth of damage to my front end. I should have stayed in bed.

 

[BigKahunaBurger]

Southend 0 Barnsley 3

I took my mate who supported Liverpool to watch us play Barnsley at home in 1993 and we lost 3 0 shipping all 3 goals in the last 5 minutes after the most insufferably dull game I have ever witnessed.

 

[BILLERICAY BLUE]

My worst 2 have both already been mentioned.

The Cup game at Scarborough. I got out of the ground and just wished I was at home, finally got in at about 4.30 in the morning after the flight back had been delayed.

Donny at home in the Cup (1998 Matt :)), I flew to Australia for 6 months that evening, and had the hump all the way there. Couldn't believe that Chipmunk was still in charge when I arrived in Darwin on the Monday morning.

 

[Thorpe Groyney]

Loads but none of them spring to mind.

 

[SUFC_Al]

Don't know if it's been mentioned but one that instantly springs to mind is the 0-4 defeat at Hull in our CCC season.

We were truly shocking that day, one of the worst displays i've seen. A win would have taken us a point above Hull with six games to go but we capitulated late on with Windass getting a hattrick to rub more salt in to the wounds. Also the Hull fans upset myself, my brothers and our dad with their abuse of JCR and Sodje. My brother, whilst making a complaint to a police woman, got told to **** off which made us all go nuts really, we were all fuming and my brother spent some time on the phone to the Chief Constable of Yorkshire Police registering his displeasure at one of its officers (which later turned out to be an Essex police woman, we saw her at Plymouth and we couldn't believe it.)

I've never felt such negative tension as we felt that day, it wasn't a pleasurable journey home.

 

[Sean 2]

Don't know if it's been mentioned but one that instantly springs to mind is the 0-4 defeat at Hull in our CCC season.

We were truly shocking that day, one of the worst displays i've seen. A win would have taken us a point above Hull with six games to go but we capitulated late on with Windass getting a hattrick to rub more salt in to the wounds. Also the Hull fans upset myself, my brothers and our dad with their abuse of JCR and Sodje. My brother, whilst making a complaint to a police woman, got told to **** off which made us all go nuts really, we were all fuming and my brother spent some time on the phone to the Chief Constable of Yorkshire Police registering his displeasure at one of its officers (which later turned out to be an Essex police woman, we saw her at Plymouth and we couldn't believe it.)

I've never felt such negative tension as we felt that day, it wasn't a pleasurable journey home.

There must be stats on the game somewhere, but i don't think we actually had a shot on goal of any kind.

 

[returningshrimper]

Col U at home 0-3, took loads of flack for that one!!

 

[BaileytheQuitter]

Grimsby away 04-05, horrid- place and result.

 

[BrettieAngell]

Don't know if it's been mentioned but one that instantly springs to mind is the 0-4 defeat at Hull in our CCC season.

We were truly shocking that day, one of the worst displays i've seen. A win would have taken us a point above Hull with six games to go but we capitulated late on with Windass getting a hattrick to rub more salt in to the wounds. Also the Hull fans upset myself, my brothers and our dad with their abuse of JCR and Sodje. My brother, whilst making a complaint to a police woman, got told to **** off which made us all go nuts really, we were all fuming and my brother spent some time on the phone to the Chief Constable of Yorkshire Police registering his displeasure at one of its officers (which later turned out to be an Essex police woman, we saw her at Plymouth and we couldn't believe it.)

I've never felt such negative tension as we felt that day, it wasn't a pleasurable journey home.

see the top of this page!

 

[Suffolk Shrimper In Dorset]

Cannot top King Shrimp's post, that was truely woeful. Congrats.

Game wise, like two others on this thread I'll vote for Aylesbury away, there are so many (I think I listed 20 or so in a similar wrist splitting thread a few months back), but to be hounded out of the ground to the PA nutter warbling 'When the Ducks go steaming in' does it for me in the SUFC embarrasment stakes.

 

[Kris]

Grimsby was a horrible, horrible day. Strangely enough it actually started in entertaining fashion as on the train I got chatting to this bonkers nurse who originated, I think, from Uganda. She was a fantastic character and told me all about her recent divorce, the settlement of which allowed her to claim her ex's season ticket at Arsenal. We shared a can of beer together, which made me quite giddy as I was always useless at drinking on an empty stomach, and the whole experience actually relaxed me a lot. I genuinely regret not getting her number, actually, as she was hilarious fun.

However, from the moment I changed at Doncaster and left bonkers nurse behind, it was all downhill. Despite being the first week of May, it was very chilly thanks to the howling wind from the north-east coast, and my gut feeling straight away was that we'd blow it (no pun intended). The conditions would make it a farcical game in which playing decent football would be a real struggle and we'd have to dig in to get a result.

I was more or less right. We were pretty inept all over the pitch and were largely outbattled by a mid-table bunch with nothing to play for. The final whistle was a gut-wrenching moment.

As I was starving, I decided not to take the easy option of getting back on the train at Cleethorpes and walked towards the town centre instead to find a place to sit and eat. I found this surprisingly difficult and at that moment the heavens opened. I probably looked like I should be in a Hamlet cigar advert, or something.

Eventually I found a place, scoffed down some food and headed for the main Grimsby station. On the train back it all started to sink in and, as I spoke to my dad, a fellow Shrimper, on the phone, I really struggled to keep back the tears. Even worse, I realised that we'd have to play Northampton in the play-off semis. Having grown up there, three of my best mates were Cobblers fans and, with us having done the double over them, I pictured said friends having the last laugh. To top it all, when I finally got home I clicked on the Rivals messageboard and was immediately confronted by the infamous "A message of sympathy" thread in which an Orient fan decided to laugh at our misfortunes with a tediously provocative post.

On it's own, the Grimsby game would undoubtedly be my nomination for this thread. However, bearing in mind it inadvertently led to my best ever day as a Shrimper, and the fact we hilariously gained the opportunity to rub sdwlofc's nose well and truly in the ****, it has to settle for second place behind...

... yep, that Boston game. What a truly dire and horrifying evening that was. I wasn't a STH then and, working in London at the time, I wondered whether I should just get the train back to my digs in Watford and curl up in front of the Champions League away from the bitter cold. I didn't, of course.

It's easy to forget that just a few years ago our attendances were pitiful and I think there were under 3,000 present in a soulless Roots Hall that evening. The game was one of the worst I'd ever seen - not just down to us being totally inept but from an objective view as well.

If I remember correctly, Drewe Broughton headed over from about two yards but that was it. Otherwise the only time we managed to string two passes together was during half-time when the subs were warming up - and even they struggled.

The only smile I raised came courtesy of an old guy in front of me in the South Upper. Having slated Drewe all night, he watched him trudge off to be replaced by Tes Bramble. "Right," he said in broad Essex, rubbing his hands. "Your turn, Braaaamble!"

Before the game, I was still confident it we'd turn the corner soon enough. On the train home, however, I was convinced we were heading for the Conference. It was a truly shameful performance I'd just witnessed and was undoubtedly rock bottom in my life as a Blues fan. Luckily, Ron did the decent thing...

 

[Hawkwell Blue]

So many for me most of which have been covered here but Blackburn away in our first season in Division One (Now the Championship) when we were leading 2-0 and David Speedie equalised for the home side with virtually the last kick if the game.

It was a Tuesday night and we were staying in a hotel in Blackburn so from looking like being a great night of celebration it was a couple of consoling pints.

7-0 at Sunderland though we left at 5-0!

And the 2-2 draw at Borient the season before last when I had gone to the loo as the game was all but over and heard a roar that sounded to me like we had made it 3-1 but it turned out to be their equaliser. Not a good journey home but at least a short one.

And I know all about Cambridge Blue and Mansfield because he cannot get it out of his system all these years on!

Col U 3-0 in the CCC was awful.

I could go on and normally do............