Fine, Iconic Latics Victories You Weren't At

[Frankly Mr Shankly]

We've all done it. For whatever reason that you might not be able to fathom, you missed it. That great Latics win. The one that's long been remembered, that you see everyone banging on about on the messageboards forever and a day. That you kick yourself for deciding to go shopping for a new pair of trainers instead of. The ones when we're on a real bad run and you yearn for that kind of win to get your spirits up, and you :censored:ing well missed it.

 

Here's mine:

 

2004 Celebration Sunday - Grimsby (h) W 6-0

Woke up on the Sunday at my then home in Stockport with a grizzly bear of a hangover, with a mouth like a witches armpit. Without time for a revitalising shower and freshen up I leave the house for the 3 buses and 3 hour journey which will take me to my spiritual home. I get to Stevenson Square ready to board the 181 two hours before kick off before a call to my mate who advises me not to bother as the ground is virtually full as it is. I go home, flump into bed, flick on GMR (it's midway through the second half) to find we're 4-0 and looking like bagging :censored:loads more. Meh.

 

2007 Millwall (a) - W 3-2

Booked the megabus months before for a quid. Only thing is it is a 6.30am departure, but hey, makes for plenty more London drinking time. I have a couple of cold beers the night before with an old female schoolfriend, which quickly turn into two or three more, a bottle of soave and a cheap unfulfilled shag at about 3.30am. I then wake up about 30 minutes to kick off and kind of half hope it's a miserable 0-2 defeat or something to make it not something I regret. It's nearly that as we go 1-2 down, but Lee Hughes turns in the performance of his whole time with us to turn the already hate-filled couldren of The New Den into overdrive. Aww god I'd have proper loved to have been there. I sorta half-made up for it by going to our 3-2 win there the season after, with Chris Taylor's last minute strike but I'd have gladly swapped that for the other.

 

2005 Man Citeh (h) - W 1-0

After the routine 4-0 dicking of Orient in the 2nd round, the 3rd round draw had me on tenterhooks seeing who we'd pull out. Woudl I be bitterly disappointed? No way! CITEH! :censored:ING CITEH AT HOME! YESYESYES!!. Ticked secured! Then, a week later I hit a major health scare and was hospitalised for a month, culminating on being discharged about the time Verndog was being propelled to Latics hero. It's a weird feeling; going absolutely mental, then feeling a huge pang of regrent that you're not there to experience it. To sum things up, I make my long-awaited return; an away trip to Bournemouth where we get happy slapped 0-4.

 

2004 Plymouth (h) - W 4-1

I was still living in Stockport about this point, but a new girlfriend had slightly turned my head. Looking at the prospect of a pasting by the rampant Argyle, freewheeling at the top of the charts I unwisely choose to get taters deep with my Liverpudlian ex. Oh, how I regret thee.

 

2000 Wigan (a) - W 1-0

Gah, working shifts has it's major pitfalls. Usually I could quite easily sidestep a scheduled shift with a canny swap and a 8 pack of Heineken tempter with a colleague. Not this time as a manflu plague of epic proportions manefests itself round the 3663 workforce ensuring I'm operating the forklift at the same time Shez, Dux and the rest of those brave, brave souls are putting the skids over those fake nouveux riche pie-eating bastards. I did manage to pull off a slight coup by feigning a toilet visit with 15 minutes to go, making the five minute drive home to watch the final moments on Sky but it's a very hollow victory. I just wasn't there.

[Zorrro]

Ha! The only one of those I wasn't at was Wigan

 

I'll have a good think about this and post again. Just had to get my smugness in quick.

[rudemedic]

In order of annoyance-

Man Utd 1-0 (h)

Arsenal 3-1 (h) LC

West Ham 6-0 (h) LC

Liverpool 3-2 (h)

Southampton 2-0 (h) LC

Scarbrough 7-0 (h)

 

All for the same reason- it was a school night and there was no way my parents were letting me go out to watch the football.

 

An honourable mention to

Aston Villa 0-1 (a) as I wasn't there for that one either but since that won United their first title in god knows how long I'm not so sure it deserves being mentioned in the same breath as the others.

 

I assume this only counts those games where you were attending regularly at other times otherwise I'm going to be missing lots of games that those over 27 will have seen.

[oafcmetty]

Ipswich away for promotion, and the 3-3 at Villa Park against the red scum.

[rudemedic]

Ipswich away for promotion, and the 3-3 at Villa Park against the red scum.

 

1.) That's not a victory

2.) If you had been at Villa Park that day you would have seen Crystal Palace beat Liverpool 4-3 aet, our game was at Maine Road. Are you Zorrro in disguise?

[oafcprozac]

We've all done it. For whatever reason that you might not be able to fathom, you missed it. That great Latics win. The one that's long been remembered, that you see everyone banging on about on the messageboards forever and a day. That you kick yourself for deciding to go shopping for a new pair of trainers instead of. The ones when we're on a real bad run and you yearn for that kind of win to get your spirits up, and you :censored:ing well missed it.

 

Here's mine:

 

2004 Celebration Sunday - Grimsby (h) W 6-0

Woke up on the Sunday at my then home in Stockport with a grizzly bear of a hangover, with a mouth like a witches armpit. Without time for a revitalising shower and freshen up I leave the house for the 3 buses and 3 hour journey which will take me to my spiritual home. I get to Stevenson Square ready to board the 181 two hours before kick off before a call to my mate who advises me not to bother as the ground is virtually full as it is. I go home, flump into bed, flick on GMR (it's midway through the second half) to find we're 4-0 and looking like bagging :censored:loads more. Meh.

 

2007 Millwall (a) - W 3-2

Booked the megabus months before for a quid. Only thing is it is a 6.30am departure, but hey, makes for plenty more London drinking time. I have a couple of cold beers the night before with an old female schoolfriend, which quickly turn into two or three more, a bottle of soave and a cheap unfulfilled shag at about 3.30am. I then wake up about 30 minutes to kick off and kind of half hope it's a miserable 0-2 defeat or something to make it not something I regret. It's nearly that as we go 1-2 down, but Lee Hughes turns in the performance of his whole time with us to turn the already hate-filled couldren of The New Den into overdrive. Aww god I'd have proper loved to have been there. I sorta half-made up for it by going to our 3-2 win there the season after, with Chris Taylor's last minute strike but I'd have gladly swapped that for the other.

 

2005 Man Citeh (h) - W 1-0

After the routine 4-0 dicking of Orient in the 2nd round, the 3rd round draw had me on tenterhooks seeing who we'd pull out. Woudl I be bitterly disappointed? No way! CITEH! :censored:ING CITEH AT HOME! YESYESYES!!. Ticked secured! Then, a week later I hit a major health scare and was hospitalised for a month, culminating on being discharged about the time Verndog was being propelled to Latics hero. It's a weird feeling; going absolutely mental, then feeling a huge pang of regrent that you're not there to experience it. To sum things up, I make my long-awaited return; an away trip to Bournemouth where we get happy slapped 0-4.

 

2004 Plymouth (h) - W 4-1

I was still living in Stockport about this point, but a new girlfriend had slightly turned my head. Looking at the prospect of a pasting by the rampant Argyle, freewheeling at the top of the charts I unwisely choose to get taters deep with my Liverpudlian ex. Oh, how I regret thee.

 

2000 Wigan (a) - W 1-0

Gah, working shifts has it's major pitfalls. Usually I could quite easily sidestep a scheduled shift with a canny swap and a 8 pack of Heineken tempter with a colleague. Not this time as a manflu plague of epic proportions manefests itself round the 3663 workforce ensuring I'm operating the forklift at the same time Shez, Dux and the rest of those brave, brave souls are putting the skids over those fake nouveux riche pie-eating bastards. I did manage to pull off a slight coup by feigning a toilet visit with 15 minutes to go, making the five minute drive home to watch the final moments on Sky but it's a very hollow victory. I just wasn't there.

 

Despite attending nearly 800 competitive first team matches, I've missed a fair few of the big 'uns - particularly between the ages of 9-14…

 

v Sheff Wed 11/5/91 W3-2 I had decided the title had gone after going to Notts County with my dad, it was a promotion party at Meadow Lane but the players played like they were still pissed. So I had a choice, Middlesbrough or Sheff Wed. I chose Middlesbrough, great night, carnival atmosphere and feckin gutted when we managed to nick the title!!! I had to make do with Stuart Pyke's hysterical commentary on Piccadilly! At least I saw us lift the REAL trophy, two days later before Roger Palmer's Testimonial, but it still rankles today. I made the same mistake 18 months later when I chose the Crystal Palace game over the Forest game. I saw a drab 1-1 draw, every bugger else saw a 5-3 thriller! Since then i've barely missed a home game in the last 19 years!

 

Sheff Utd W5-0 2/1/88 Dad was skint so we went to my Uncle's for a New Year's Party, at his pools' win funded, barn of a place on Tandle Hill Road. The adults are enjoying festive cheer, we're playing out and one of cousins had a little transistor radio. We couldn't believe it when every time the commentator shouted "it's a goal…' it was the blues bagging again at Bramall Lane. Needless to say every time we ran in with the score update we were threatened with varying levels of violence for 'taking the piss'!!!! Our elders felt a reet bunch of wallies when Final Score came on!

 

Most of 89/90 Big nights

Scarborough

Arsenal

Southampton

West Ham

Aston Villa

 

 

I did manage the 2-2 with Everton, The Semi-Final and Wembley but only regularly started going EVERY week the year as I only saw my dad once a fortnight so was at the mercy of the fixtures until I got my paper-round in the summer of 1990.

 

 

Man City 21/12/96 I was working for a well known carpet retailer at the time. I managed to take my lunch hour at 3 o'clock, that way I could listen to the first-half. I had seen us beat City at Maine Road a few times but never seen us beat City at BP (until the Cup game) at Half-Time we were 1 down and I was resigned to a defeat. Went back in the brew room at gone 5, and couldn't believe we had won. The win meant the world to me as the last few weeks had been a very difficult period in my life. That win, helped to get me back on track. I think I smiled that afternoon for the first time in weeks. I couldn't be at BP that day but the win meant a lot to me.

 

Can't think of any more because I've pretty much done them all since missing the Championship decider

 

Oh I did miss this one:

 

Leeds (H) W2-0 8/2/92 Earlier that week I'd been a naughty boy, and gained a lift home by Her Majesty's Constabulary, after a suitable arse kicking off my mum, my prized ticket was shredded in front of my eyes. I was a good lad after that. I was gutted. The day of the game was my 15th birthday…

Edited November 23, 2011 by oafcprozac

[pukka]

Home games are since I've been going - My first game was Bunn's 6 v Scarborough

Away games are since 1998 (the year I was allowed to go to away games on my own with my mates)

 

City 1 Latics 2 (1999)

 

I was 15 and was asked by a girl from school if I wanted to go to Blackpool pleasure beach for the day. I was keen, I assumed we would get a slap by city who were unbeaten at home. I got a call from my dad on my brick of a mobile saying we had no strikers and Paul Reid was up top. Got a call saying we were 1 up, then 2. Realising what I'd done we had an argument queing up for the avalanche when I had a go at her. Why didn't she say a sunday?! I had asked her to go on the sunday, but no. I'm currently single - she is now married. I am still going to latics. Everyones a winner..... maybe?

 

Mansfield 0 Latics 1 (2003)

 

19 years old I was going, but was ill. Not man flu either. Ended up losing a stone in a week due to not being able to keep anything down. Got phone calls updating me, and remember cheering the goal. Gutted I missed it. That was the game that I realised we would defintely be in the play offs

 

Latics 3 Arsenal 1 (1989)

 

I was 5. Even though I'd been to night matches before I wasn't allowed to go. I cried, I even said I wanted us to lose.

 

West Ham 0 Latics 1 (2002)

 

I had just finished college and it was my first week in a job. I tried, oh how I tried to get a day off (on my second day). I debated phoning in sick for the first 3 days, but my mum talked me out of it. Probably, maybe, or maybe not for the best. I wish I'd have been there. Gutted to miss that one.

 

Latics 1 Huddersfiled 0 (2010)

 

I was in Northumberland at a friend's wedding. It was in a country house and in fairness it was free booze all weekend and a great day. The wedding was at 1, and a meal at 3. At half 4 we filed into a room with SSN on. I had a few texts from my dad saying it was a great game. I can't say that I wish I was there, cos I don't - I just wish it was a different weekend.

 

-- To follow on. I can't go to the Sheffield Wednesday game. I booked a ticket and train tickets to london that weekend to see Ocean Colour Scene in Brixton. I thought we had Charlton away (which is the week after). So, expect another Great latics win that I've missed.

Edited November 23, 2011 by pukka

[LaticsPete]

Latics 11 Southport 2

 

Boxing Day, 1962.

 

Down in deepest Essex for Christmas at Aunt & Uncle's.

 

Well before score updates etc - when result came through at the end of Grandstand nobody could believe it at first.

[ceskylatic]

The only games where I have deep regret having missed them were the game where Carlo Corrazin scored four and missed a penalty at home to Wrexham,think we won 5-0 but not sure.The mrs somehow had me by the short and curlies so I ended up shopping that afternoon.The other game was the Scunny away game where Gary Mac scored that late late goal against nine men.Can't remember if it was the winner or an equalizer but I was proper gutted to have missed that game with all the drama.Again I was with the mrs but searching the length and breadth of Kaunas,Lithuania to find a bar with Soccer Saturday on,but to no avail.

[oafcprozac]

The only games where I have deep regret having missed them were the game where Carlo Corrazin scored four and missed a penalty at home to Wrexham,think we won 5-0 but not sure.The mrs somehow had me by the short and curlies so I ended up shopping that afternoon.The other game was the Scunny away game where Gary Mac scored that late late goal against nine men.Can't remember if it was the winner or an equalizer but I was proper gutted to have missed that game with all the drama.Again I was with the mrs but searching the length and breadth of Kaunas,Lithuania to find a bar with Soccer Saturday on,but to no avail.

 

5-1 mate, all five (and the missed pen) like last Saturday scored before the hour mark!

[Diego_Sideburns]

... when result came through at the end of Grandstand nobody could believe it at first.

 

Oldham Athletic 11 (ELEVEN)...

[jimsleftfoot]

93 - Oldham 4 V 3 Southampton.

 

Had a season ticket in the chaddy with my Dad as a twelve year old. Unfortunatley I was made to go to my cousins first communion instead of this game. My mum couldn't see what the problem was and was even told me off in the car for shouting after we scored goals 2 and 3. My mothers lack of understanding towards me in regards to football has never improved much.

 

 

96/97? Newcastle League Cup

 

Not so much missed match but missed first 20 mins of the match even though we arrived on the club run coach in decent time at the services near Newcastle. What seemed like 2 hours later and many many unprovoked threats from the local PC plods, we arrived at the Sports Direct Arena 20 mins late, struggled to find a seat, and the local plods threatening us again for the problems they caused.

 

Edit - Not a win obviously and not a whole match but felt worth mentioning nonetheless.

 

Games between 01-03 - Missed loads especially during the 02-03 season due to having to work saturdays.

Celebration Sunday

 

Like many, my usual turn up when attitude came unstuck when we were locked out early on.

 

05 - Oldham 1 V 0 City

 

Of course knowing that my usual attitude would not work here..... I didn't get a ticket in time anyway.

 

07 - Oldham 1 - 0 Chesterfield.

 

Perhaps not the most iconic of games really but we did secure the playoffs. About 1 min after booking a flight to Austria, it dawned on me that it would mean me missing the last game of the season. At least I got to got to the two Blackpool legs..... maybe not.

Edited November 23, 2011 by jimsleftfoot

[Roger Ritchie]

Ha! The only one of those I wasn't at was Wigan

 

I'll have a good think about this and post again. Just had to get my smugness in quick.

 

Same here.

 

Really fond memories of all those games. I watched the Wigan game on Sky at my next door neighbours if I remember rightly.

[Break The Silence]

Couldn't get in the Celebration Sunday 6 v 0 game despite having a season ticket and getting to BP a good hour before kick off. No room at the inn due to all the free loaders already in the ground, f**king shambles

 

I wouldn't mind quite as much but none of the barstewards ever came back once they had to actually pay to get in...

[LaticsChris]

We've all done it. For whatever reason that you might not be able to fathom, you missed it. That great Latics win. The one that's long been remembered, that you see everyone banging on about on the messageboards forever and a day. That you kick yourself for deciding to go shopping for a new pair of trainers instead of. The ones when we're on a real bad run and you yearn for that kind of win to get your spirits up, and you :censored:ing well missed it.

 

Here's mine:

 

2004 Celebration Sunday - Grimsby (h) W 6-0

Woke up on the Sunday at my then home in Stockport with a grizzly bear of a hangover, with a mouth like a witches armpit. Without time for a revitalising shower and freshen up I leave the house for the 3 buses and 3 hour journey which will take me to my spiritual home. I get to Stevenson Square ready to board the 181 two hours before kick off before a call to my mate who advises me not to bother as the ground is virtually full as it is. I go home, flump into bed, flick on GMR (it's midway through the second half) to find we're 4-0 and looking like bagging :censored:loads more. Meh.

 

2007 Millwall (a) - W 3-2

Booked the megabus months before for a quid. Only thing is it is a 6.30am departure, but hey, makes for plenty more London drinking time. I have a couple of cold beers the night before with an old female schoolfriend, which quickly turn into two or three more, a bottle of soave and a cheap unfulfilled shag at about 3.30am. I then wake up about 30 minutes to kick off and kind of half hope it's a miserable 0-2 defeat or something to make it not something I regret. It's nearly that as we go 1-2 down, but Lee Hughes turns in the performance of his whole time with us to turn the already hate-filled couldren of The New Den into overdrive. Aww god I'd have proper loved to have been there. I sorta half-made up for it by going to our 3-2 win there the season after, with Chris Taylor's last minute strike but I'd have gladly swapped that for the other.

 

2005 Man Citeh (h) - W 1-0

After the routine 4-0 dicking of Orient in the 2nd round, the 3rd round draw had me on tenterhooks seeing who we'd pull out. Woudl I be bitterly disappointed? No way! CITEH! :censored:ING CITEH AT HOME! YESYESYES!!. Ticked secured! Then, a week later I hit a major health scare and was hospitalised for a month, culminating on being discharged about the time Verndog was being propelled to Latics hero. It's a weird feeling; going absolutely mental, then feeling a huge pang of regrent that you're not there to experience it. To sum things up, I make my long-awaited return; an away trip to Bournemouth where we get happy slapped 0-4.

 

2004 Plymouth (h) - W 4-1

I was still living in Stockport about this point, but a new girlfriend had slightly turned my head. Looking at the prospect of a pasting by the rampant Argyle, freewheeling at the top of the charts I unwisely choose to get taters deep with my Liverpudlian ex. Oh, how I regret thee.

 

2000 Wigan (a) - W 1-0

Gah, working shifts has it's major pitfalls. Usually I could quite easily sidestep a scheduled shift with a canny swap and a 8 pack of Heineken tempter with a colleague. Not this time as a manflu plague of epic proportions manefests itself round the 3663 workforce ensuring I'm operating the forklift at the same time Shez, Dux and the rest of those brave, brave souls are putting the skids over those fake nouveux riche pie-eating bastards. I did manage to pull off a slight coup by feigning a toilet visit with 15 minutes to go, making the five minute drive home to watch the final moments on Sky but it's a very hollow victory. I just wasn't there.

 

I see two major themes developing here...

[oafcprozac]

I see two major themes developing here...

 

Yeah one of 'em is when Shankly gets 'Taters-deep' we win…..over to you Jamie, we could do with a win at Bournemouth…….

[RayG]

Latics 11 Southport 2

 

Boxing Day, 1962.

 

Down in deepest Essex for Christmas at Aunt & Uncle's.

 

Well before score updates etc - when result came through at the end of Grandstand nobody could believe it at first.

 

Not like you to get it wrong Pete, but it was 11-0 against Southport (I was there). The 11-2 victory was against Chester which was a bit before my time.

Cheers, Ray.

[Snookmeister]

Most recently, Everton away in the FA cup. I missed GMac spanking in the winner because I was going to India with a mate and leaving the Mrs & kids at home the very next day. Her generosity didn't extend to going to Goodison as well just before being away for 10 days..........

 

The 1-0 defat of the dirty red bastards at home when they were top of the league was another - along with the majority of our Premier league days, as I'd landed a job working in Hong Kong for four years. Saw the opening home victory against Chelsea, then that was pretty much it. So all I've ever seen in 30-odd years is the lower leagues.............<grumble>...........

[Stevie_J]

Latics 11 Southport 2

 

Boxing Day, 1962.

 

Down in deepest Essex for Christmas at Aunt & Uncle's.

 

Well before score updates etc - when result came through at the end of Grandstand nobody could believe it at first.

It was 11-0. My dad's first game!

[oafcprozac]

It was 11-0. My dad's first game!

 

My dad's too, talk about downhill all the way…..

[Tommy_Fent]

the 2-0 victory over Reading which meant we stayed up and the 2-0 victory away to Nottingham Forest

[oafcprozac]

In order of annoyance-

Man Utd 1-0 (h)

Arsenal 3-1 (h) LC

West Ham 6-0 (h) LC

Liverpool 3-2 (h)

Southampton 2-0 (h) LC

Scarbrough 7-0 (h)

 

All for the same reason- it was a school night and there was no way my parents were letting me go out to watch the football.

 

An honourable mention to

Aston Villa 0-1 (a) as I wasn't there for that one either but since that won United their first title in god knows how long I'm not so sure it deserves being mentioned in the same breath as the others.

I assume this only counts those games where you were attending regularly at other times otherwise I'm going to be missing lots of games that those over 27 will have seen.

 

Second away game on my own (well with my mate), first was Anfield a few weeks before when I went and stood on the Kop due to the ridiculous £13 they wanted in the away end. Got in The Kop for a fiver.

 

For the Villa game again they wanted summat stupid like £14 to sit in the away end so paid a fiver again and stood on the Holte End, what an experience, never been so terrified, nervous and delighted all at the same time.

Edited November 23, 2011 by oafcprozac

[pukka]

the 2-0 victory over Reading which meant we stayed up and the 2-0 victory away to Nottingham Forest

 

We missed the first 15 minutes of that after being stuck on the motorway

[BucksBlue]

Living overseas for many years there are too many to mention, but the West Ham game stands out because it was the only Oldham game I saw screened live in Hong Kong ... I got up in the middle of the night and couldn't believe it as the goals kept going in ... still couldn't believe it after I got some sleep before work! Long before internet days, I had to buy the morning paper to see if I'd dreamt it !

[Haribo_man]

'Second away game on my own (well with my mate), first was Anfield a few weeks before when I went and stood on the Kop due to the ridiculous £13 they wanted in the away end. Got in The Kop for a fiver.For the Villa game again they wanted summat stupid like £14 to sit in the away end so paid a fiver again and stood on the Holte End, what an experience, never been so terrified, nervous and delighted all at the same time'.

 

So you didn't miss it then, not really the point of this thread