SUFCEssex
President
I just found this on a grounds website. Decent report from an O's fan to start with and a reply to it from someone up north who watched on the telly.
Wednesday 20 February 2013, 7:15pm: Southend United 2-2 Leyton Orient; JPT Southern Area Final; att: 9,421; Entry: £15; programme issued.
I won’t write at length about this game, which will interest few on this message board. I just wanted to say that every now and then along comes a match that gives you faith that excitement can still sometimes be found in the over-sanitised version of football that we watch today.
This match was a throwback in many ways to an older age. Robust tackling, frantic pace, end-to-end, last-gasp winner. But most of all because of its raucous atmosphere. With Orient having sold out their 2,400 ticket allocation, it was always going to be a loud evening. There was a terrace feel, with everybody standing throughout, loud singing and chanting, crowd surges, the sort of goal celebrations in which limbs are broken and possessions lost – it had the lot.
Unfortunately too, this fixture brings out the worst in both sets of fans and the yobs were out in force. Police were kept busy with street fighting, a thrown flare, scuffles with stewards, pitch invasions, etc... But that too helped to give something of a 1980s feel to the whole evening. The wrong result in my view, but an evening to remember. Some people said it was very cold – I didn’t notice.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I watched this on TV in preference to the sanitised Champions League fare from Milan and thoroughly enjoyed it (except for missing the first 15 minutes because I didn't realise it was an afternoon kick off - well ok, 7.15). Would agree that it was "proper" football with a cracking atmosphere and wild celebrations at the 90th minute equalising/winning goal.
Wednesday 20 February 2013, 7:15pm: Southend United 2-2 Leyton Orient; JPT Southern Area Final; att: 9,421; Entry: £15; programme issued.
I won’t write at length about this game, which will interest few on this message board. I just wanted to say that every now and then along comes a match that gives you faith that excitement can still sometimes be found in the over-sanitised version of football that we watch today.
This match was a throwback in many ways to an older age. Robust tackling, frantic pace, end-to-end, last-gasp winner. But most of all because of its raucous atmosphere. With Orient having sold out their 2,400 ticket allocation, it was always going to be a loud evening. There was a terrace feel, with everybody standing throughout, loud singing and chanting, crowd surges, the sort of goal celebrations in which limbs are broken and possessions lost – it had the lot.
Unfortunately too, this fixture brings out the worst in both sets of fans and the yobs were out in force. Police were kept busy with street fighting, a thrown flare, scuffles with stewards, pitch invasions, etc... But that too helped to give something of a 1980s feel to the whole evening. The wrong result in my view, but an evening to remember. Some people said it was very cold – I didn’t notice.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I watched this on TV in preference to the sanitised Champions League fare from Milan and thoroughly enjoyed it (except for missing the first 15 minutes because I didn't realise it was an afternoon kick off - well ok, 7.15). Would agree that it was "proper" football with a cracking atmosphere and wild celebrations at the 90th minute equalising/winning goal.
