[Archived] Worst Away Day?

[Ivorsemion]

Boundary Park in the late 80's, wind chill factor made it about -50, went to get a hot pie to be told they only sell them cold.

Boothferry Park on a Tuesday night in torrential rain trying to shelter under the guttering of the supermarket that backed onto the ground.

[mhead]

And forgotten one that was a real 'howler'....

Luton(Away)3RD Round FA Cup in cold snowy January about 1975.

600 of us on a train that could not get to Luton til nearly 4pm(3pm kick off)

-so we started running to the ground with Police on every corner

-got into Ground and its 0-0

-Jimmy Mullen hits bar right in front of us immediately;rebound starts Luton attack 0-1

-Rovers kick-off, Luton gain possession and attack again 0-2

-blink of an eye we kick-off again and very quickly Ref blows whistle...end of effing game!!

Now traipse back to Station for Train.

0700hrs Saturday to 0100hrs Sunday for 10 minutes.

ANYONE ELSE WENT ON THIS TRIP? And still Palace was worse!

[tomphil]

Boundary Park in the late 80's, wind chill factor made it about -50, went to get a hot pie to be told they only sell them cold.

Boothferry Park on a Tuesday night in torrential rain trying to shelter under the guttering of the supermarket that backed onto the ground.

Think i remember that one at Oldham, scoreboard had a temp thing on it that read something like -2 and the announcer said ''hello and welcome to a pleasant evening at Boundary Park to the visiting Rovers fans'

Joker ! Open end and one of the highest in England above sea level and right on the edge of the moors. I think only the old BBE terrace with that cantilever roof and open sides could touch it at times for being the coldest gaff in the country.

[1arC]

Worst one I went to was Portsmouth away, first game of the season, can't remember which season.

Setting off at 5.30am and not returning home til midnight, sat in an uncovered stand (full of fag ends from pre season friendlies and thistles and nettles sprouting out of the conctrete) whilst the weather went through every cycle known to man, lost 3-0, Neill and Todd sent off (which was later rightfully rescinded for Toddy) and thinking we'd bought a right dud in Benni McCarthy.

I was at that game too and took the wife, who is not that big a footy fan, let alone Rovers. I sneakily suggested a holiday on the South coast, with the last couple of days in Bournemouth. We checked out of the hotel in Bournemouth and made the short Drive to Pompey. If the score line wasn't bad enough, the post holiday feeling driving home, wet through made it feel worse. Serves me right I guess for taking the wife.

[ABBEY]

And forgotten one that was a real 'howler'....

Luton(Away)3RD Round FA Cup in cold snowy January about 1975.

600 of us on a train that could not get to Luton til nearly 4pm(3pm kick off)

-so we started running to the ground with Police on every corner

-got into Ground and its 0-0

-Jimmy Mullen hits bar right in front of us immediately;rebound starts Luton attack 0-1

-Rovers kick-off, Luton gain possession and attack again 0-2

-blink of an eye we kick-off again and very quickly Ref blows whistle...end of effing game!!

Now traipse back to Station for Train.

0700hrs Saturday to 0100hrs Sunday for 10 minutes.

ANYONE ELSE WENT ON THIS TRIP? And still Palace was worse!

We had a similar one when we went to elm park..late setting off and got there 2-0 down and nearly got arrested for having a rant at saxton as we got frogmarched around the pitch

[MCMC1875]

Leeds Road, Huddersfield, mid 80's, stood on the open end facing west into the teeth of a blizzard blowing horizontally off the Pennines. Large icicles were dropping off the floodlight pylons. Rovers fans chanted 'let us in, let us in, let us in' (to the main stand) to no avail!

[perthblue02]

Always hated going to Swindon, those bloody stupid roundabouts and the Police always seemed to be looking for a fight.

Worst for me and three mates was Cambridge away 91/92 season?

Night match , Ice and fog all the way down , got lost, after 7 hours finally arrived at ground at half time to be greeted by Cambridge supporters walking out (we thought we must be about 5 up ) only to find out game had been called off (was it David May who broke his leg?)

Straight turn around and the drive back was worse , couldnt see more than 5 foot in front with the fog,hit heavy snow later on, arrived home about 4am in morning

Happy days

[MCMC1875]

Manchester City, Maine Road, 80's, Rovers fans baton charged by Greater Manchester Police from the top of The Kippax. Nice!

[rigger]

And forgotten one that was a real 'howler'....

Luton(Away)3RD Round FA Cup in cold snowy January about 1975.

600 of us on a train that could not get to Luton til nearly 4pm(3pm kick off)

-so we started running to the ground with Police on every corner

-got into Ground and its 0-0

-Jimmy Mullen hits bar right in front of us immediately;rebound starts Luton attack 0-1

-Rovers kick-off, Luton gain possession and attack again 0-2

-blink of an eye we kick-off again and very quickly Ref blows whistle...end of effing game!!

Now traipse back to Station for Train.

0700hrs Saturday to 0100hrs Sunday for 10 minutes.

ANYONE ELSE WENT ON THIS TRIP? And still Palace was worse!

I was on it

[MCMC1875]

Palace away. Flat battery when I got back to my car. I have never been so deflated and disappointed following our club.

A 4-0 at Plymouth, a 5-2 on plastic at Oldham, Wimbledon away under Kenny when we were really pushing, semi against Chelsea and an earlier play-off 2nd leg away at Chelsea all bring back dark thoughts.

Eagles...Eagles...Courtney....we never turned up. No game worse than that.

Off topic but

The play-off 1st leg home to Chelsea - every Rovers ball going forward went to Micky Droy's head.

[Hanks]

Leeds Road, Huddersfield, mid 80's, stood on the open end facing west into the teeth of a blizzard blowing horizontally off the Pennines. Large icicles were dropping off the floodlight pylons. Rovers fans chanted 'let us in, let us in, let us in' (to the main stand) to no avail!

I was in the main stand and was chanting "let them in" There were several rovers fans who were just wearing shirts.

[1arC]

Grimsby away in the eighties was a bad one for me. The Brother of one of my best mates drove, he was a few years older than us, I was about 16. It was long before Sat Nav and Internet was properly available, so we had the AA Route planner to rely on. Got lost and ended up getting to the Ground with about 20 minutes of the game left. The game ended 0-0 so happy with the point but sick about missing 70 minutes. The game featured on MOTD later that night too back in the days when it wasn't top flight only.

The drivers excuse was I didn't know the played in Cleethorpes!

[rigger]

My worst journey was coming back from Southampton in the early/mid seventies on a ribblesdale coach. The coach was bricked in Southampton, so we had to wait for a replacement. the replacement coach broke down twice on the way back, the last time being outside the Petre arms, I cannot remember why we went that way. We finally arrived back in Blackburn about 8 o'clock Sunday morning.

[J*B]

My worst journey was coming back from Southampton in the early/mid seventies on a ribblesdale coach. The coach was bricked in Southampton, so we had to wait for a replacement. the replacement coach broke down twice on the way back, the last time being outside the Petre arms, I cannot remember why we went that way. We finally arrived back in Blackburn about 8 o'clock Sunday morning.

How in gods name do you go from Southampton to Blackburn via the Petre Arms? Sounds like a terrible driver.

[MCMC1875]

How in gods name do you go from Southampton to Blackburn via the Petre Arms? Sounds like a terrible driver.

Valley Blues once had a driver who set off for the wrong Newcastle!

[darrenrover]

Quite pertinent with North End coming up: what about Bristol Rovers away?

Another great away day was the midweeker at Gigg Lane: swaying stand, floodlights and having to park on the hard shoulder of the M66. What happened to Andy Crawford?

Despite what others may say, it was not the same then as now: We'd no expectations then and we were all Rovers together.

[MCMC1875]

Quite pertinent with North End coming up: what about Bristol Rovers away?

Another great away day was the midweeker at Gigg Lane: swaying stand, floodlights and having to park on the hard shoulder of the M66. What happened to Andy Crawford?

Despite what others may say, it was not the same then as now: We'd no expectations then and we were all Rovers together.

Eastville 1981. Salt rubbed in wounds by Swansea fans going to and from Preston. Immortalised in song.

[ABBEY]

Quite pertinent with North End coming up: what about Bristol Rovers away?

Another great away day was the midweeker at Gigg Lane: swaying stand, floodlights and having to park on the hard shoulder of the M66. What happened to Andy Crawford?

Despite what others may say, it was not the same then as now: We'd no expectations then and we were all Rovers together.

I once went to watch Bristol Rovers at home (long story) ... 24 hours after the game had been played

[darrenrover]

Eastville 1981. Salt rubbed in wounds by Swansea fans going to and from Preston. Immortalised in song.

Hard to believe that was 35 years ago, seems like yesterday. ...'they said we'd win promotion, they said we'd win the cup and on that famous Saturday when Preston f***ked it up'!

[McClarky]

Leeds Road, Huddersfield, mid 80's, stood on the open end facing west into the teeth of a blizzard blowing horizontally off the Pennines. Large icicles were dropping off the floodlight pylons. Rovers fans chanted 'let us in, let us in, let us in' (to the main stand) to no avail!

Conga warmed us up.

[OJRovers]

The Wigan game earlier this season is up there with the worst. Feeney and Duffy were shocking.

Notable mentions to Coventry 5-0 in the snow and the Allardyce game at City where he had clearly lost the dressing room. Think something was up with Samba.

[speeeeeeedie]

There are some really good stories here.

I'm not old enough to belong to the era that travelled 30+ years ago, but it reads like a different world. I'm genuinely surprised that there weren't regular deaths.

When I lived at home I rarely went to an away game midweek, I'd never dream of going to one in Arctic weather.

I too easily forget that Google maps and sat nav are recent inventions.

[USABlue]

The Dell, mid seventies, lost, coach bricked brick hits me. Couple hours in the emergency at Southampton. Stopped for beer had two of the worst pints I ever had which I then promptly threw up when back in the coach. Got home sometime early Sunday.

[rigger]

There are some really good stories here.

I'm not old enough to belong to the era that travelled 30+ years ago, but it reads like a different world. I'm genuinely surprised that there weren't regular deaths.

When I lived at home I rarely went to an away game midweek, I'd never dream of going to one in Arctic weather.

I too easily forget that Google maps and sat nav are recent inventions.

The thing is though, it was probably, as a bloke, the best day out of your life.I think the pub stop was some where in Oxfordshire

[USABlue]

I once went to watch Bristol Rovers at home (long story) ... 24 hours after the game had been played

Classic that, like going to a home game when we were away.