Sporting High's — Forum Archive

17 Nov 2003, 08:07

Watching the telly last night, yours truly has come up with the ultimate sporting thread:D Over the years, many of you must have been at a few sporting events that you were at, that will forever live in the memory. Can you list a Top 10? If not a Top 5 will do.... Remember you must have been there;)

1, League Championship Clincher. Celtic 2 St Johnstone 0 May 1998 This was the game that stopped the Forces of Ultimate and Complete Darkness winning 10 in a row and overtaking our record. A full house of nearly 62,000 people watched as Henrik Larsson set the ball rolling in the 3rd minute, Harald Brattbakk finished the game in the 70th minute and the league was won. The sight of the Celtic supporters singing You'll Never Walk Alone before the game with thousands of Green and White scarves raised is one of those moments I will never forget.

2, Scottish Cup Final 1988 Celtic 2 Dundee Utd 1 It was Celtic's centenery year, we had already won the league, even though Rangers under Graeme Souness had spent £6 million on players that season. To complete the double in the Centenery season was just magic. Kevin Gallagher scored a cracker for Utd. But Celtic never gave up, and two late Frank McAvennie goals brought the trophy to Paradise. 74.000 people were listed as being at the game, but there were many more, because there were countless people jumping over the turnstiles. The loudest noise I have ever heard at a game, and one of the most memorable, because Margaret Thatcher was at it to present the trophy to the winning captain. In every programme there was a red card to wave at Maggie, and the chants from both sets of supporters of "You can stick the fuckin poll tax up yer arse"

3, Scottish Cup Final 1985 Celtic 2 Dundee Utd 1 This was the 100th Scottish Cup Final, and a game I will never forget, as my boyhood hero Davie Provan scored a corker. Utd scored just before half time, and the pressure was on. But Provan scored from a 20 yard free kick which sailed into the top right hand corner, not much later Frank McGarvey dived full length to score a magical diving header from a Danny McGrain cross. My wee brother Daniel was born only a few months later, and was christened Daniel Joseph McGrain Sludden! I was only 10 at the time, and the envy of loads of my mates down here.

4, League Championship 1998 Celtic 5 Rangers 1 Probably the best Old Firm game I have had the pleasure of being at. Celtic absolutely tore Rangers to pieces, it really could have been 12 or 13 that day. Lubo Moravcik made his debut for Celtic that day and scored two crackers, as did Henrik, and Mark Burchill rounded things off. We were 3-0 up after 30 minutes, and I've never known an atmosphere quite like it, the ground was jumping, and I mean this literally as well, the North Stand is built on springs, mainly because you have 27,000 people in it going mental when we score against rangers :lol:

5, Champions League Qualifier 2001 Ajax 1 Celtic 3 What a night! My mate told me there might be a spare ticket going for the game, so I turned up at the locals CSC at 6 in the morning in hope of a ticket (at the very least I would have got to Amsterdam to watch the game in a pub) luckily enough someone never turned up, and the rest is history! Coach / Ferry and we were in Dam square, smoking Bob Marley's and getting tanked up on Bacardi Breezers! It was too much of a nightmare queing for pints! It's safe to say most of us were a bit wrecked at the game, we even managed to miss Bobby Petta's goal as the policing outside the ground was horrific! Did manage to see everything else, and Chris Sutton's goal to put us 3-1 up was brilliant.

6, Champions League Group Stage 2003 Celtic 2 Lyon 0 The first half wasnae much to shout about, the french totally outplayed us. St Martin must have had a strong word at Half Time, because Celtic came out and played a great game of passing and controlled football. Young Liam Miller was immense, and Larsson set up both the goals for Miller and Sutton. Just before the game the Celtic supporters were awarded the UEFA Fair Play trophy, the first time a clubs supporters have won the award. This award was given in recognition of up to 100,000 people descending on Seville for the UEFA final, and the way the supporters conducted themselves, not one arrest was made.

7, Ryan Giggs Testimonial 2001 Manchester Utd 3 Celtic 4 "Giggs will tear you apart again" Not on this night I'm afraid;) 20,000 Celts invaded Manchester for Giggsy's testimonial, and the fans were given the whole end behind the goal, plus there were many spread throughout the Utd fans, it's always a great atmosphere when we play Utd. ndss, an absolutely cracking day out. Celtic were 2-0 up after only 3 minutes! Great memories and Lubo's free kick beating Scmeichel was a beauty! Another highlight was Eric Cantona pulling on a Utd jersey for the first time after his retirement. He received a tremendous ovation from both sets of fans.

8, League Championship 1994 Rangers 0 Celtic 2 Death Star is a place you don't want to visit too often, espescially with the horrible hourdes constantly groaning and threatening you. This was the game when John Collins scored a Roberto Carlos special! Clearly 30 yards out Collins bent the ball around the Rangers wall and into the bottom left hand corner past Andy Goram. Paul McStay scored the second in off the post, but the whole display was Celtic at their best, and this would be the last time Celtic won at Death Star for 6 years!!!

9 Mark Hughes Testimonial 1994 Manchester United 1 Celtic 3 Sparky's testimonial was great as well, this was in the dark days of the 90's when Celtic won fook all. So for us to come down to the Theatre of dreams and beat the Mancs was a bit of light relief.

10 USA Tour 2003 Celtic 0 Manchester Utd 4 We were robbed:D This has to be here, just for the fact that it was part of a holiday of a lifetime, shared with that cool Manc Don! :smoking: 67,000 sell out near enough, but Celtic didnae play half as bad as the scoreline would suggest. Utd are just clinical bastards in front of goal! 6000 miles to see Celtic and they couldn't even give us a goal! That's what it's like being a Tim!

17 Nov 2003, 08:23

Fook me, you've been to see Celtic ten times ? Videos don't count matey :evil4:

17 Nov 2003, 09:39

How about a top three? I'm sure we've sealed the title on a few occasions whilst I was there but with my shocking memory and as that wasn't such an unusual occurrence 15 years ago, I don't remember which ones I was at. I do recall being at Chelsea in 1986 in the double year, when Kenny scored and that is the number one memory I have of actually being at a match. Number two is the 1989 cup final after what happened at number 3 it was special and it was my first. I don't know if I've mentioned it before but after a night on the lash in London, we caught the last train home and that just happens to be the mail train which takes about 7 hours to get to Liverpool, after dropping mail off all over the place. I spent about 5 hours of the trip in with the mail unconscious and under arrest for being drunk and incapable. Luckily I was released at Lime St. without bing formally charged. Number 3 the 1989 semi was sadly memorable for all the wrong reasons. R.I.P. the Hillsborugh 96. A heart warming story has recently emerged. A young goalkeeper now on the books at Anfield lost his father at Hillsborough. He recently made the sqaud for the game in Bucharest.

17 Nov 2003, 10:22

Surely the biggest moment for Celtic in recent history has to be that last game of the season where you did someone away 4-0 and Hearts fluffed up at home after leading the table for the entire season?!

You're not too young for that one, surely, Shug? Late 80's, wasn't it?

17 Nov 2003, 11:13

I might be one of these so called "Plastic" Jocks, but I am most certainly not a Plastic Tim! First game was 1979 versus St.Mirren at Love Street according to my dad, but for obvious reasons I have no recollection of this at all. My dad wouldn't let us go to Rangers games till we were old enough to look after ourselves, so most of the games I attended during the 80's were against the "New Firm" of Aberdeen & Dundee Utd.

Plus a few against Hibs and Hearts, in the good ole days the games were close and maybe only 1 goal would be between the teams. I started collecting programmes from all the games I attended around 1991, I have about 60 I think, the best period of getting to loads of games was when my dad and Uncles ran their own Celtic Supporters Club "Corby Emerald CSC" we used to take in an average of at least 8 games a season. Unfortunately we lost our season tickets 3 or 4 years back, but still get up to at least a couple of games a year.

I think my first Rangers game was not long after my 18th birthday, and I can fully understand why my dad wouldn't take us when we were wee;) We also get to most of the testimonials down here, I'm guessing I've been to about 80 odd games, maybe more, maybe a wee bit less. Take into account it's a 700 mile round trip to Paradise and the 6000 miles to the US, that's a lot of travelling. But as the song says "Over and Over we will follow you, Over and Over faithful through and through"

Wee note to Brian, Allan & Jeff - I have completed the Celtic compilation cassette and written out liner notes for the cassette to help you out with the history of the songs - I hope ye's enjoy it and spread the Celtic word, they will be posted this weekend (along with the Saville CD Brian) Hail Hail from the Shugster :beer:

17 Nov 2003, 11:35

Jarvo, you are talking about the last game of the season 1985/86. Hearts were about 12 points clear at one stage, and remember this was when it was only 2 points for a victory. Hearts were on course for a double that year. Celtic won their last 9 games before the last day of the season, we had to win by 3 clear goals and hope that Hearts could slip up, we went on to win 5-0 away to St Mirren at Love Street, I think the goals came from Paul McStay, Brian McClair 2 and Judas 2 in a truly remarkable game (John Motsonesque) Just for good measure Hearts lost 2-0 to Dundee with Albert Kidd scoring two late goals, and just for the record he was a Celtic supporter :lol: To make matters worse for the Jambo's, Aberdeen beat them 1-0 in the final of the Scottish Cup a week later! Yeah this is one of the highlight of modern times, but it doesnae beat the St Johnstone 10 in a row decider, or any of the games I have already mentioned;)

Apologies to Geri and Zico who visit the site, I know this is still painful for ye's.

17 Nov 2003, 14:12

Manchester United v Celtic, November 1990. Bryan Robson's testimonial match. United lost 3-1, but it was my first visit to Old Trafford, so will remain one of my favourite memories. Not forgetting the Celtic fans, 15'000+ who turned up on a freezing night for a friendly and really got into the spirit of things. Still have a nice pic somewhere of their red & green flag which read "Hail, Hail The Celts Are Here, And We Salute You Bryan". Got one of the biggest cheers of the night when it was unfurled.
Manchester United v Spurs, May 1992. Went to this game feeling a bit deflated having seen Leeds crowned champions a week before. United won 3-1 with Gary Lineker, on his last appearance in English football, scoring Spurs' consolation, leading to the surreal sight of ALL of Old Trafford celebrating the goal. The reception United got at the end when they paraded the League Cup & European Super Cup brought a tear to my eye.
Manchester United v Sheffield Wednesday, April 1993. The season was drawing to a close with United & Villa neck and neck at the top. Wednesday went ahead from a penalty to have people thinking "Here we go again" but United won with 2 goals from Steve Bruce, the second so deep in injury time, he almost had to interrupt his Sunday lunch to head it. If memory serves, Villa drew 0-0 that afternoon, putting United top.
Manchester United v Ipswich, March 1995. One of those tight, tense encounters with United winning 9-0. Andy Cole scored 5. After the 5th, I remember looking at the scoreboard with more & more disbelief as each of the rest went in. At 9, United were chanting "We want 10". The Ipswich fans responded "We want 1". A bit of history that day, as it's a Premiership record which still stands. (The Ipswich keeper, Craig Forrest, was back at Old Trafford a few years later with West Ham. United won 7-1. Time to take a hint? )
Manchester United v Arsenal, February 2001. A bit before the end of the season but a vital game, which I wasn't particularly optimistic about. Had a real feeling Arsenal were gonna head home with 3 points. Shows what I know, United won 6-1, with Dwight Yorke scoring 3. Half time it was 5-1, and most Gooners had had enough, and were heading home. The 2nd half was basically a piss-take from the stands. At the time, the pitch was in a bad state, so Ray Parlour's resemblance to Charlie Dimmock prompted a chorus of "Can you do owt with our pitch?" from the Stretford End as he was being subbed.

17 Nov 2003, 14:54

Botham twats the aussies at Headingley
Beating Bouremouth to gain promotion to First Division
Seeing Zidanes goal in the CL final 2001
Sir Geoff's hundred hundred, also at Headingley
Viduka'a four goals against the scousers
Foggy at Brands Hatch
Benn v Eubank II
Tony Hawks doing a 940 degree spin (wasn't technically there for this one, but i was watching it live at the time)
Darren Dixon winng the world side-car championship at Donnington (and then met him in a hosiptality suite after the trophy presentation and got wankered on pints of Black Velvet with him)
Rock of Gibralters debut race at Chester

17 Nov 2003, 17:06

the first time i went to a stadium. was on 82 i guess and went to see my mother´s club, Independiente vs Vélez Sarsfield. it was a great moment.
the time i i became a Ferrocarril Oeste supporter. i remember my dad wanted to make me a River Plate fan. so he took me to their stadium to see, a priori an accessible match against a small team. the thing is that Ferro won 2-0 and i just fell in love with that small team and not River. again, 1982. my father STILL can´t believe his luck!
U-20 world cup in Argentina, 2001. i took my girlfriend for the first time to a stadium. she loves football but nobody likes it in her family. so she never could go to a stadium. so i took her. she enjoyed it so much! i was really happy for her! ah, and we won China 2-1 :D

17 Nov 2003, 17:43

In no particular order:

Currie Cup rugby final 1982, Newlands, Cape Town - Western Province beats Northern Transvaal against all expectations for their first Currie Cup since I started following rugby - atmosphere inside the ground was indescribable (started queing 7am, gates opened 11am, game started 3.30pm - long day sitting on narrow cement benches)
Early 80's - Newlands, Cape Town - SA scores 636/6 against Sri Lanka and Graeme Pollock hits 4 sixes in a row
1980 - Newlands - SA beat British Lions with a Divan Serfontein try in the last few minutes. Great start to the game when the BL flanker popped his head out of the first ruck of the game, swung across the ruck and belted the SA captain Morne du Plessis with a full blooded fist in the face, blood everywhere - good old fashioned amateur rugby at its best.
1981 - Newlands - captained u/13 rugby team in curtain raiser for WP v N Tvl game, won 22-0 - just to be playing on that ground where I'd seen all my heroes was amazing, being in the same dressing room with my favourite players and seeing all the behind the scenes stuff I'd always dreamt of.
2000 - MCG Melbourne - Cameroon winning the Olympic soccer semi-finals (went on to win gold)

17 Nov 2003, 19:27

I scarcely see how this subject should constitute a permanent thread. Or is the very fact that Shug gets near a computer long enough (minus time out for internet porn) to post something on this forum reason enough?

17 Nov 2003, 19:48

Originally posted by ShugZV©

The loudest noise I have ever heard at a game, and one of the most memorable, because Margaret Thatcher was at it to present the trophy to the winning captain. In every programme there was a red card to wave at Maggie, and the chants from both sets of supporters of "You can stick the fuckin poll tax up yer arse"

b]

Worth the post, and the price of admission, don't you think, Your Holiness?

17 Nov 2003, 22:01

Originally posted by bLuE oRdEr > Originally posted by ShugZV© The loudest noise I have ever heard at a game, and one of the most memorable, because Margaret Thatcher was at it to present the trophy to the winning captain. In every programme there was a red card to wave at Maggie, and the chants from both sets of supporters of "You can stick the fuckin poll tax up yer arse" b]

Worth the post, and the price of admission, don't you think, Your Holiness? Decent enough, I guess. No one likes a poll tax.

18 Nov 2003, 03:01

Only a couple for me, seeing Brighton win the Third Division Championship fair and square against Chesterfield, after the latter had spent the entire season trying to cheat their way to the title. No-one got the chance to "see" us clinch the Second Division the following season, as it was decided by the fact that Reading needed to beat Tranmere (which they didn't), and we didn't have a game that day.

Second one would be Jacques Villeneuve's maiden GP win at Silverstone. Shame he never fulfilled the potential...

18 Nov 2003, 06:15

Originally posted by ShugZV© I might be one of these so called "Plastic" Jocks

:clap: This alone justifies the sticky thread. Spotnick, can you enforce this as Shug's signature on all mails please ?

18 Nov 2003, 07:34

Originally posted by ShugZV© I might be one of these so called "Plastic" Jocks,

Might? :skeptic:

18 Nov 2003, 20:27

Though I didn't personally attend it, the US's victory over Portugal in the last World Cup was quite a thrill for me, getting up at 2 am to watch the thing (okay, I would've gotten up at 4 am anyway that day). Helluva way to start the day now I've got a few requests from people who couldn't be bothered to get up that early or set their VCR's for a copy of the tape :lol:

19 Nov 2003, 00:18

England win the Rugby World Cup 2003 beating Australia. Amazing scenes, I watched this from the Members stand surrounded by wallabies supporters, many eardrums were damaged by an unrelenting pomE, 90dB human foghorn.:D
Arsenal win the FA Cup Final Wembley 1979 beating Manchester United 3-2. Alan Sunderlands last minute far post winner.
Arsenal win the 88/89 English League Championship beating Liverpool 2-0 at Anfield, Michael Thomas`s injury time title clincher.:D:D

21 Nov 2003, 07:50

top two that i have personally attended

england winning the rugby world cup sevens in 93 in scotland, beating the aussies in the final.

bristol doing the double over bath in the league for the 1st time ever in the rugby, watching all the fairweather bath fans leaving their ground early when they had been sooo cocky before hand as if it was their right to win the game made it extra sweet.

21 Nov 2003, 15:23

Nov. 21, 2003 - Cleveland, Ohio awarded franchise by Major League Soccer, significantly expanding opportunity for wee little girly men to play professional sports too. :laugh:

21 Nov 2003, 15:31

Originally posted by Gnu Odor Nov. 21, 2003 - Cleveland, Ohio awarded franchise by Major League Soccer, significantly expanding opportunity for wee little girly men to play professional sports too.

Too F***ing Funny! :D

24 Nov 2003, 21:20

Top sporting moment for me was May 25th 1998 when Charlton beat Sunderland at Wembley in the Play Off Final to gain a place in the Premiership for the first time...it wasn't just the outcome but also the fact that after taking the lead we'd then had to come back from a goal down 3 times to get a 4-4 scoreline after extra time and finally win the match 7-6 in a penalty shoot out. All this after the club nearly being wound up countless times in the previous decade or so and being without a ground a mere 6 years previous. We may have been relegated as expected the following season (tho' it did go to the last game) but after bouncing straight back, at the time of writing we're currently 4th in the Premiership with only the Arse, ManUre and Chelski above us...and it all hinged on that one match.

A close second is the play off replay against Leeds in '87, coming back from a goal down thanks to two Peter Shirtliff goals (a hefty proportion of the total number he scored for us!) to retain our (old) Division 1 status and probably keep the club in business as at the time we had no ground and were being forced to share Crystal Palarse's Sellout Park...

25 Nov 2003, 02:35

:clap: Stand up, if you hate Palace. Stand up, if you hate Palace... :clap:

25 Nov 2003, 04:25

Originally posted by Old Blue Stand up, if you hate Palace. Stand up, if you hate Palace...

I'm not too fond of Palace myself. They've knocked us out of the cup a few times, including last season and their fanbase seems to resemble an I.T. convention.

25 Nov 2003, 05:33

Originally posted by Philip Collins Top sporting moment for me was May 25th 1998 when Charlton beat Sunderland at Wembley in the Play Off Final to gain a place in the Premiership for the first time...it wasn't just the outcome but also the fact that after taking the lead we'd then had to come back from a goal down 3 times to get a 4-4 scoreline after extra time and finally win the match 7-6 in a penalty shoot out.

It wasn't quite such a pleasurable experience from the tunnel end of the ground...... :thumbdown:

25 Nov 2003, 05:33

Originally posted by Philip Collins Top sporting moment for me was May 25th 1998 when Charlton beat Sunderland at Wembley in the Play Off Final to gain a place in the Premiership for the first time...it wasn't just the outcome but also the fact that after taking the lead we'd then had to come back from a goal down 3 times to get a 4-4 scoreline after extra time and finally win the match 7-6 in a penalty shoot out.

It wasn't quite such a pleasurable experience from the tunnel end of the ground...... :thumbdown:

25 Nov 2003, 08:18

Originally posted by Reg Bumswizle > Originally posted by Philip Collins> Top sporting moment for me was May 25th 1998 when Charlton beat Sunderland at Wembley in the Play Off Final to gain a place in the Premiership for the first time...it wasn't just the outcome but also the fact that after taking the lead we'd then had to come back from a goal down 3 times to get a 4-4 scoreline after extra time and finally win the match 7-6 in a penalty shoot out.

It wasn't quite such a pleasurable experience from the tunnel end of the ground...... :thumbdown:

I can imagine...I'd have been utterly gutted if we'd lost that match and there's no way that we'd have stormed away with the First Division title the following year like Sunderland did.

Nice to see an anti-Palarse faction present on this board!

29 Nov 2003, 00:51

No one sings you'll never walk alone like the Kop at Liverpool.

29 Nov 2003, 05:56

Originally posted by Mike Garrity No one sings you'll never walk alone like the Kop at Liverpool.

It was a pitiful rendition on Thursday.