Gate 13

If I close my eyes I can take myself back to that very warm, sunny Saturday afternoon when it all came right; Gate 13 was rammed and in good voice. We were emerging from the wilderness years and things looked good. There have been ups and downs since - but that day was a belter, and stuffing Leeds 5-0 an absolute pleasure. Up the Blues!

If anyone is going to be at Leeds on Wednesday night could they please check if Eddie Gray is still limping - he should be!

Anyone know if Johnny B is still driving a taxi in SE London? Might this photo be after him scoring in the 1-0 win over dirty Leeds in 89ish? Pre match me and a few of the mob were in the Black Bull, when the Leeds coach came down Fulham Road we swarmed onto the pavement to dish out serious abuse, those who could not get a space on the pavement climbed onto the window sills of the BB and started dishing it out; they had to hang onto each other to stop falling off. Happy days. “We all ****ing hate Leeds and Leeds and …”

Ossie looks a tad unimpressed ?

And what a night it was; I often wonder if the bloke who chased Walker across the pitch (John Leftley?) is on here?

In fact Burley gets the wooden spoon following his appalling performance in the Cup semi final at Villa Park against Manure in 96. He regularly bad mouths CFC on the radio.

Top three agreed, distinguished runners up John Spencer and Joe McLaughlin, and candidates for bottom two Burley & Fleck?

Yes, it was during WHL rebuilding and capacity was reduced. Our lot split up so as not attract attention.

I may have it wrong but in the third photo, with Dave Sexton with his hand under his chin, does it look as though the bloke in the centre background, facing away from the camera, is having a slash up against the fence …? If so, he would have thought twice about slashing on Uncle Ken’s electric job!

Boyne - It looks like a Royal Artillery capbadge. Looking at the photo it is clear that NHS dentistry wasn’t up to much then - nothing changes.

That should be our next away strip.

The article is titled “I had a pint glass …”

The Telegraph website is today carrying an interview by Jim White with David Speedie; Speedo has a biography about to hit the bookstores which may be worth a read. I wonder if Paul Canoville gets a mention? David Speedie interview: I had a pint glass smashed in my face at team bonding

Great squad who died for the shirt - and what a shirt! Great games and great memories. Someone please find me a Tardis I want to back then, now - and stay!.

There’s a thought: Kung Fu - Fashanu v Eddie McCreadie, victim impact statement from Billy Bremner!

From past captions I think it is the late Stan Bowles of QPR being chopped on this occasion.

Here’s the aftermath in the Wimbledon penalty area …

And from memory right hooked Fashanu (when we about to take a corner) and put him on the floor, and was promptly sent off. We lost 0-4.

The tackle (if you can call it that) on Viv Anderson at Highbury on that hot, sunny day in 84 lives long in the memory; Anderson ended up in the spectators - Chopper would have approved.

Now that was a day out … at various time I watched from three sides of the Goldstone ground !!

What a load of bo**ocks … well 6 out of 8 anyway!

Great photo of Chopper with the Cup - but the boots he is wearing obviously are not the ones he wore in the Cup Final replay. The boots he is wearing have complete sets of studs, whereas we all know three of the studs ended up embedded in the back of Eddie Gray’s knee ….

I remember setting off early for Upton Park on New Years Day 1985, I got as far as Victoria only to learn the match was postponed due to the pitch, or more accurately half of it, being frozen. Bates told the media he thought Wet Spam deliberately left the pitch uncovered to get the match postponed. Cue to head to the pub for New Year’s refreshments.

Happy days at Upton Park in days gone by. Anyone around for the smack up in the corner where the South Bank met the Chicken Run - can’t remember which year that was?

Some great photos in there, I am guessing that the Bolton away photo was of ‘that’ match in 83?