Season 1984-85

[whittle blue]

I went to this one on the special train along with 6 pints of home brew.

I remember they sold beer in the ground too & you could go back to your seat with it.

Unusual to have seats behind the goals back then.

Also went to a night match in 1973 and stood on that East terrace. The thing I remember was it was huge. Everything seemed like it was twice normal size. Even the bogs were massive.That was in the old 3rd Division when we were really crap. We lost 4-3.

[Ozz]

Next match-The Notorious home game against Portsmouth. Pompey were one of the several teams still in the hunt for promotion to the top flight-Oxford I think were up by now, as were Birmingham City too. Realistically third spot was up for grabs between Man City, Portsmouth, Rovers, Brighton and Leeds.

Portsmouth had a very tough side back then, some say dirty. I include myself in the latter group. The match was a crucial one, the winners giving them selves an excellent chance of third spot, with only two games left after this.

I'm sure Bob Fleming won't mind, below is his recollection of events that afternoon, from a preview Bob wrote many moons ago...

Who can forget the classic Match of The Day in 1985 when Rovers vs Pompey was one of the featured games / fights? Well I can't anyway as I still have it on video. It never fails to get a laugh. This is despite the fact that we lost that day 1-0 which more or less ended any chances we had for promotion that season. We dropped to 5th on 67 points, PFC jumped above us to 4th on 68. Both teams having played 40 games. Obviously at the time there was nothing funny about the result whatsoever but nigh on 20 years later I think it's worth recalling what happened that day.

We lined up: Terry Gennoe, Jim Branagan, Derek Fazackerley, Glenn Keeley, Mick Rathbone, Ian Miller, Colin Randall, Simon Barker, Noel Brotherston, Jimmy Quinn and Simon Garner. So nothing much unusual about that team then. Pompey had a line up of assorted thugs (such as Tait, Dillon, Kennedy, O'Callaghan plus a certain Paul Wood) and Neil Webb. Older viewers will recall that many of the games between the two back then were always a bit "fiery" and full of needle to say the least - well what do you expect when "little" Alan Ball was their manager?

The first half went by without incident except for a couple of easy chances wasted at either end. The first incident of note involved Jim Branagan when he committed a ridiculous challenge on Pompey's Mick Kennedy, it was more like an assault rather than a challenge. Branagan gets up, hold's his arms out and does a fantastic impression of Mr McKay from Porridge whilst proclaiming his innocence. He is booked. Shortly afterwards Pompey take the lead through chief wind up merchant Tait from a corner.

Soon enough there's another scuffle involving Branagan and O'Callaghan at which point John Motson proclaims excitedly "It's all getting rather nasteeeeee!" Jim emerges from the scuffle with his shorts now resembling a skirt. O'Callaghan blasts another chance for Portsmouth over the bar and "Beamo! Beamo! Beamo!" can clearly be heard from the BBE.

Then the real fun and games begin. "Killer" Keeley and Paul Wood have a scuffle in front of the home dug out. Both dug outs empty and everyone runs on the pitch to stop the fight. If this happened now the FA would probably spontaneously combust and shut down. The referee had no hesitation or option and promptly booked them both. Yep - only a booking in those days for fighting.

A few minutes more pass and Keeley has picked his moment for revenge, he goes straight over the top of the ball and kicks / stamps Paul Wood in the testicular nether region. Wood goes down in a crumpled mess (well you would wouldn't you?) - Keeley is sent off. Wood eventually gets up and is also sent off, presumably for attacking Keeley's studs with his old man (no, not his Dad). Wood walks off down the tunnel (Motson is now hysterical, "Wood is in tears!") and he is baited by the screaming hoardes gathered in the Nuttall Street Enclosure (well, it looked more like a couple of blokes having a bit of a grumble to be honest).

Faz has developed a cut under his eye by this stage of the game - but strangely this isn't commented on by the BBC. Anyway, we lose 1-0 and some of the players sprint down the tunnel at the end for a "quick chat".

Back to the studio and Jimmy Hill is off in a world of his own.... "Portsmouth were the better side and deserved their win, but sadly nearing the end of a season for better entertainment and civilised conduct on the field the copy book was well and truly blotted in a match that Solomon would have had difficulty adjudicating." Aye, alright Jimmy. The BBC then show "Randall's cynical rabbit punch that deserved a sending off rather than a booking" He didn't even hit him hard.

And then the best bit...word for word from Jimmy Hill: "Finally in a week when we're celebrating 40 years of peace in Europe, Glenn Keeley risked starting another War with his calculated and unforgivable assault on Wood" Ha Ha Ha!!!! Classic. He had it coming!! As I said Portsmouth could give it out big style back then - Hill just decided it was all our fault.

The clown.

There was plenty of off field activity that day too, the malevolence was all over the top tier of the Riverside stand, and the Nuttall Street enclosures too. To this day the atmosphere has rarely been matched at Ewood.

Defeat left us in poor shape as Bob says, with two games left-Sheff Utd away and Wolves at home.

[wellesbourne]

Next match-The Notorious home game against Portsmouth. Pompey were one of the several teams still in the hunt for promotion to the top flight-Oxford I think were up by now, as were Birmingham City too. Realistically third spot was up for grabs between Man City, Portsmouth, Rovers, Brighton and Leeds.

Portsmouth had a very tough side back then, some say dirty. I include myself in the latter group. The match was a crucial one, the winners giving them selves an excellent chance of third spot, with only two games left after this.

I'm sure Bob Fleming won't mind, below is his recollection of events that afternoon, from a preview Bob wrote many moons ago...

There was plenty of off field activity that day too, the malevolence was all over the top tier of the Riverside stand, and the Nuttall Street enclosures too. To this day the atmosphere has rarely been matched at Ewood.

Defeat left us in poor shape as Bob says, with two games left-Sheff Utd away and Wolves at home.

Just found the programme from the game as wanted to clarify if my memory served me well. Was in the 100 club that day and remember there still been some needle in there too. Went around and got all the players autographs and remember Paul Wood inserted 1-0 within his autograph - little s**t he was.........Garner was in fine form after the game in there - fag and bitter in hand - remember some of the Pompey officials ushering some of their players out for fear it might get a bit tasty in there.....Happy Days - when you could get up close to the players...............can't quite imagine some of our multimillionaires doing the same in the 100 club after the game.

Edited September 23, 2009 by wellesbourne

[AndyNeil]

two years and three months, the longest running thread in the history of brfcs?

[Ozz]

[JC4LAB]

Favorite Events of The past..0-2 down against Plymouth and winning 5-2 halting their record unbeaten run of about 28 games or so..The Debuts of David better long range passer than Beckham Wagstaff and Gordon PFA Talyor at West Brom away..Think it was 2-2 ...Intro of Kenny Beamish and his famous Beamo shooting.Lets just say Pigeon numbers on the Darwen end roof fell dramatically that year .

[wellesbourne]

Favorite Events of The past..0-2 down against Plymouth and winning 5-2 halting their record unbeaten run of about 28 games or so..The Debuts of David better long range passer than Beckham Wagstaff and Gordon PFA Talyor at West Brom away..Think it was 2-2 ...Intro of Kenny Beamish and his famous Beamo shooting.Lets just say Pigeon numbers on the Darwen end roof fell dramatically that year .

Altogether now..........

BEAMO

BEAMO

BEAMO

[Ozz]

Well only two more games left everyone. The three consecutive defeats meant we had gone from third and in the promotion spots to fifth, and out of contention. We now had to win both games and hope a couple of results would go our way elsewhere, involving Man City and Portsmouth, not to mention Brighton who were pursuing below.

An away trip to Sheffield United was our penultimate game this season, and I used British Rail once more. Weather was decent, shirt sleeve kind of day, another spartan packed lunch wrapped up in cling film and arrived in Sheffield promptly.

A short walk to the ground and onto the terrace below the home fans in a tight low horrible away pen.

As the report below shows, a post war low crowd at Bramhall Lane of 7,697 saw a first half on the pitch that eclipse most of the rubbish seen played by Rovers since Christmas. The only bright spots were the three goals scored by Notts County against promotion rivals Man City at The County Ground (more of that game later).

In the second half Sheff scored and we all assumed that would be that. But from nowhere, good old Jimmy Quinn bizarrely conjured up a three goal burst in 20 odd minutes to completely turn the game, and possibly the season around for us.

City had lost, we had won and it was game on again with just one match left.

The Notts County Man City game was frazzled with crowd issues. As City went 3-0 down, a large section of the travelling 10,000 fans decided to start a near riot and the game was held up for 30 minutes.

Link below to a more detailed description of the events there that day.

Notts County v Man City 1985

So for the last match at home to Wolves, Rovers had to win and hope City (home to Charlton) and Portsmouth (away at Huddersfield IIRC) both lost.

One more installment to arrive soon....ish!

[Ozz]

The Lancashire Evening Post on the Friday ran this report, pre match about Rovers chances of promotion. It details how, in order to get promotion to the First Division, we had to win, and hope that both Man City and Portsmouth did not. City were playing Charlton at home, while Portsmouth were at Huddersfield.

In charge of Wolves at the time was Tommy Docherty, and we had stuffed them 3-0 at their place earlier in the season. They were all ready relegated and had little to play for. As I recall there was a crowd of around 10,000 odd on, which about summed up the chances of us going up-nearly twenty years outside the top flight and we could have gone up that day, yet the ground was half empty. The fans had mostly given up.

I have no report from the game to rely on now, but I remember an early goal for Rovers took us 1-0 up, which remained the case till half time. Two second half goals sealed the win we needed, and provided much material to sing to Tommy Doc-"Who's Up Mary Brown, who's up Mary Brown, Tommy Tommy Docherty, Tommy Tommy Docherty" we sang, and he just stood on the side of the pitch, waving his arms, mock conducting the Blackburn End.

We all knew what was happening at Maine Road-a goal fest for Man City meaning our game was irrelevant now. They ended up winning 5-1. Portsmouth won 2-0 as well, so the Ewood stay-a-ways were probably right in the end.

At the end of the game, there was a massive pitch invasion at Ewood, and for the third time that season I found myself on the turf. The fans went towards the tunnel, to get to the players and staff, not sure whether it was to lynch them or celebrate the win. In the end it turned out to be a good natured intrusion, loads of singing and no real malice involved. I saw a coppers helmet get knocked off in the crush, and it landed at my side, so I picked it up and legged it back towards the BBE and out of the ground, Bobbies Helmet and all.

We had missed out on promotion by just one point in the end. A point that could easily have been picked up in the last 10 games or so, when the players, to be honest, bottled it. The two defeats against Man City (League) and Man Utd (FA Cup) seemed to knock all the confidence from the side, and we never looked likely after those games.

Our regular fight against promotion had begun, and it took another seven years and Uncle Jacks involvement to finally get back to where Rovers really belong.

[1864roverite]

FANTASTIC oZZ

I had set sail for the shores of the Caribbean on the Friday before the Wolves game and as we messed around of the coast of Portugal I nearly died and went to heaven as Rovers were winning 1-0 at half time. After a fire exercise I returned to the radio on bfbs to find that City had won, pompy had also won as well as Rovers.

With the city and popy fans onboard I was absolutely gutted to lose out and miss a promotion chance. I took soe serious stick but beleive e my Rovers sirts went everywhere with me and I have a fantastic picture of a blue and white halved shirt in the centre of Nassau market with me and a fellow Rovers supporter from that beautiful place.

[mattym]

Bloody scanners....

OK-Saturday 8th December 1984, 3 PM Ewood Park-Blackburn Rovers V Sheffield United.

This was a game I clearly remember, at a time when legendary marksman Simon Garner was going through a lean spell, and his form was a little patchy. Legend that he is, Saxton was obviously reluctant to drop him as as he could counjor (sp?) up a goal out of nothing and save a point when all seemed lost, and three when all seemed drawn.

Big money summer signing (£32,000!) from Swindon Town Jimmy Quinn was chomping at the bit on the bench, and had already shown signs of unrest at his role in the dugout most weeks. But, as the headline below indicates his time was now, and his short appearance against the Blades was most effective.

Without getting all dewy eyed over the <i>good old days</i>, excitement like I felt at winning this match doesn't seem to come along much any more, and despite Thenodrogs valid views on the state of the English game back then, one cannot help feel a strong sense of nostalgia and a yearning for a return whilst looking back and reading the reports from over 20 years ago.

The points were not enough to keep us op however, as Oxford won 5-0 at home to Charlton to move past us on goal difference.

Last point, this match was the biggest crowd of the season so far, just over 9,000!

<img src="http://www.brfcs.co.uk/mb/uploads/1195734960/gallery_1768_26_16334.jpg" border="0" class="linked-image" />

Ah Happy days this was my first ever game sat in the old riverside, I got a season ticket for the 85/86 season and had it ever since.

[Ozz]

I found a couple more cuttings in my scrapbook yesterday here are the photos.

Garner after scoring the winner in the Lancs Cup final V Burnley.