[Archived] Fifty Years Ago On Boxing Day.

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

First Division leaders Blackburn Rovers went to West Ham and destroyed the ' Hammers ' 8-2. That must be our best ever away performance.

[Proudtobeblue&white]

Those were the days, played back to back games often home/away over Christmas - strangely it was a question on last nights QOS, the missing question was Dingles beating Manure 6-2 if memory serves on the same day, apparently more goals scored than ever in a day.

Pickering 3, Douglas, McEvoy 3, Fergusson, we lost two days later, 3-1 to WHU at home in front of just under 29,000.....I wasn't there! Finished 7th that season.

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

Missed the away game obviously ( whisper it but me and my mates went to the Turf to see the Red Rats get dicked 6-1 ). I went to the return at Ewood, we never turned up and lost 3-1.

[mattjansen]

Thoughts on my first ever Boxing day game, Anfield and 1-1 after Riise put the scousers ahead and Cole made it cherry in the 78 min in 2002. Flyin over tomorrow for Sheffield and Birmingham over the next five days which will be awesome but cant help to go back in time and remember all those greats that worn our shirt.

[Waggy76]

20yrs ago maine road manchester..Graeme le saux scored a free kick ..won 3 nil I think , those were days ! Whatever these appalling owners and media do ..they will never take away the memories ....Shearer, Sutton, Le saux, Hendry , Berg seems like yesterday ...Thanks Jack !

Too much drink try 19yrs aho lol

[Baz]

20yrs ago maine road manchester..Graeme le saux scored a free kick ..won 3 nil I think , those were days ! Whatever these appalling owners and media do ..they will never take away the memories ....Shearer, Sutton, Le saux, Hendry , Berg seems like yesterday ...Thanks Jack !Too much drink try 19yrs aho lol

I was there that day too, a family friend (city fan) got me a ticket in the main stand. I was sat next to Andy Dibbles wife, and a couple of young scrotes were sat just behind me, they came on the pitch at half time and introduced as Oasis.

Battered City too!

[thenodrog]

Those were the days, played back to back games often home/away over Christmas - strangely it was a question on last nights QOS, the missing question was Dingles beating Manure 6-2 if memory serves on the same day, apparently more goals scored than ever in a day.

Pickering 3, Douglas, McEvoy 3, Fergusson, we lost two days later, 3-1 to WHU at home in front of just under 29,000.....I wasn't there! Finished 7th that season.

I bloody well was!

66 goals in the top division that day.

Check out the scores that Boxing Day and some of the incredible reversals 2 days later! Most notable BRFC v WHU, Burnley v Man Utd, Fulham v Ipswich and Sheff Wed v Bolton.

http://www.espn.co.uk/football/sport/match/index.html?event=3;page=3;season=1963%2F64

We'd hade some memorable results through Nov and Dec and those were the days when the 1st Division was as dog eat dog as the Championship is today and before the ending of the maximum wage, the Champions League and SkyTV between them destroyed the magic. 9 different teams were Champions in 11 years through the 60's and as many different ones won the FA Cup and agents were some people that you booked your holidays with.

[thenodrog]

20yrs ago maine road manchester..Graeme le saux scored a free kick ..won 3 nil I think , those were days ! Whatever these appalling owners and media do ..they will never take away the memories ....Shearer, Sutton, Le saux, Hendry , Berg seems like yesterday ...Thanks Jack !

I seem to rem that was the night when we were all issued with pakamaks. Am I right?

[tomphil]

There was a column in one of the red top rags sports pages the other day about a christmas day game in 1965 Blackpool v Rovers. The article claimed it was the last ever game played on christmas day ? Anyone remember it or go to the match ? Or does anyone know why it was the only game that day ?

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

I don't remember that at all, it probably got lost in the news blackout that was Xmas day in the old days. To be honest that was a terrible season so you looked for Rovers results with a sense of trepidation ! The record book says we lost 2-4. George Jones and Mike England were our scorers.

The team was -

Else

Newton

Wilson

Sharples

Mulvaney

Clayton

Darling

Jones

England

Ferguson

Harrison

John Byrom was an unused substitute.

[tomphil]

Yes it said 4-2 to Blackpool. I was just amazed it's never popped up as a trivia question if indeed it was the last ever top flight fixture played on christmas day. Most of the article was about Blackpool and Alan Ball, can't remember which paper i read it in now but i think it was the Sun on Monday.

[m1st]

First Division leaders Blackburn Rovers went to West Ham and destroyed the ' Hammers ' 8-2. That must be our best ever away performance.

Possibly ever; but surely in what people of our generation would call "the modern era", Tyrone.

. . . we lost two days later, 3-1 to WHU at home in front of just under 29,000.....I wasn't there!

I was! I'd made my usual journey over from Blackpool, even more full of optimism than usual because of what had happened two days previously and buoyed by the cartoon on the back page of my parents' "Daily Mail" that Saturday morning. It showed the programme sellers outside Ewood selling Scorecards!!

My journey home was miserable.

[Salgado Is A Hero]

Was it Boxing Day in about 2006 when we beat Liverpool 1-0?

When Tugay mugged off Gerrard, played it to Pedersen who squared it for McCarthy?

[Al]

I used to love Christmas Day football. Always played in an atmosphere of bonhomie, cigar smoke and coffee with rum. Unfortunately this is impossible these days for a number of reasons but it was good while it lasted.

[tomphil]

Was it Boxing Day in about 2006 when we beat Liverpool 1-0?

When Tugay mugged off Gerrard, played it to Pedersen who squared it for McCarthy?

Indeed it was. Crowd was about 29k that day as well. Not that long ago but even that seems like a bygone era now like the other games in this thread.

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

Possibly ever; but surely in what people of our generation would call "the modern era", Tyrone.

I was! I'd made my usual journey over from Blackpool, even more full of optimism than usual because of what had happened two days previously and buoyed by the cartoon on the back page of my parents' "Daily Mail" that Saturday morning. It showed the programme sellers outside Ewood selling Scorecards!!

My journey home was miserable.

I was a paperboy at the time. I remember delivering that paper.

[SIMON GARNERS 194]

Indeed it was. Crowd was about 29k that day as well. Not that long ago but even that seems like a bygone era now like the other games in this thread.

We'll always have our memories but it's still rather sad.

[Proudtobeblue&white]

Yes it said 4-2 to Blackpool. I was just amazed it's never popped up as a trivia question if indeed it was the last ever top flight fixture played on christmas day. Most of the article was about Blackpool and Alan Ball, can't remember which paper i read it in now but i think it was the Sun on Monday.

Our official history states it was Xmas Day, 20,851 the crowd, we finished bottom of the league with 8 wins from 42 games, not to return till Jack.

[jim mk2]

Blimey, Christmas 1963. What a fantastic Rovers team, top of the league yet 3 short years later we were relegated. I'll never forget those two West Ham games, but that's always been Rovers - get a good crowd in Ewood full of expectation only to let them down with a poor performance.

The atmosphere of the Christmas game was always fantastic - if only we could turn the clock back.

[Proudtobeblue&white]

Blimey, Christmas 1963. What a fantastic Rovers team, top of the league yet 3 short years later we were relegated. I'll never forget those two West Ham games, but that's always been Rovers - get a good crowd in Ewood full of expectation only to let them down with a poor performance.

The atmosphere of the Christmas game was always fantastic - if only we could turn the clock back.

Goes with trophy owners, don't understand the passion of football, so watch from afar.......Jack lived & breathed Rovers

[Amo]

It was also 153 years ago since the first inter-club association match, between Hallam F.C. and Sheffield F.C.