Responding to BJD on the "All time disappointing Chelsea XI" thread started me thinking.

Football is not only the beautiful game it can be a brillant social occaision as well. A fantastic day out with all your mates. The banter, the travelling, the beers, the laugh. It's probably the main reason I still go. The football is important but it's often secondary to having a laugh with my friends. So what's your best/worst days out at football ?

I have quite a few but here are three that jump straight into my mind.

England V Sweden. Germany 2006. Probably the only entertaining match we played in the World Cup. The size of the England support in Cologne was staggering. It had to be seen to be believed and of course Joey Cole's wonder goal !! The pre and post match piss up in town was excellent.

Chelsea V Sttugart. Sweden 1998 - ECWC Final. At that time this was the biggest airlift of people to a single destination in Europe since the second world war. Walking round Stockholm it seemed there were 6 Chelsea fans for every Stuggart fan. Getting over there was a five hour delay because so many flights were going out and Stanstead and Heathrow were badly affected by fog that morning. Undettered the Blue Army drank Stanstead duty free dry and then had a game of 200-a-side football inside the airport terminal. I didn't take part as I was busy chatting to Chopper Harris. Once in Sweden the weather was excellent and we ended up in an open air bar happily getting pished and having the crack with the local police who had amongst their number some of the most gorgeous blonde women you will ever see. Now that is a police force ! Afterwards we avoided the coaches back to the airport, (they were held in a massive car-park by the airport for hours), and went back into town. We found a bar, where the owner, yet another gorgeous blonde, gave us drinks on the house. Ended up asleep on the airport floor and finally went home on the last flight out.

28/4/84 ? Chelsea 5 Leeds United 0

"Promotion from the old 2nd division is confirmed in emphatic style as the old enemy are humiliated amidst wild scenes of celebration at the Bridge. Mickey Thomas slams home the first and Kerry Dixon scores a magnificent hat-trick, before substitute Paul Canoville seals the win. The match ends with the Leeds players encouraging the referee to blow early as there are thousands of Chelsea supporters lining the side of the pitch. The visiting fans take it out on the scoreboard".

This was without doubt one of my greatest day out at football. Chelsea were back were they belonged. Every second of the day was superb. We had graduated to the old North Stand by this time and of course the "banter" with the Leed's faithful was intense The game itself was a romp with King Kerry doing the business. The attacking quality of our football during this season was brilliantly entertaining. At the final whistle the pitch invasion was huge, the scenes of joy, both players and fans, were amazing. The pubs around around the Bridge and the Kings Road were packed long into the night with celebrating Blues fans. I have never been so pished.

1. The FMC Win against City in 1986

OK it was a mickey mouse tournament but I was still a lad then and a trip to Wembley for a cup final was always going to be a grand day out. And lets face it we weren't exactly overflowing with silverware in those days!

Fabulous day out and a real classic game to watch!

2. (a slightly less obvious one) 19 March 1989 - Chelsea 3 Man City 2

The day we realised we were back! Getting back into the top flight meant the world to me - when we dropped down you always have fears that this could spark a gradual decline of your club and you wonder when you may see top flight football again. Beating City that day is, for me, still one of the best days in the club's history and winning promotion one of the most important moments in our history.

3. 5 April 2000 - Chelsea 3 Barcelona 1

That was a stunning game to be at. The atmosphere was electric, we put in a first class performance, especially in the first half - and that 9 minute spell when the goals flew in felt like 9 minutes when I didn't actually breath!!

It all started off with a surprise, Gus left on the bench - heads were scratched however it proved an inspired decision as Wise and Deschamps drove the team forward all night. Ed made some crucial saves, Marcel was a man mountain, and then the magic man and his magic beanpole delivered the goods up front.

But just to cap it all we conceded that Figo goal and you left the ground delighted but there was always a scratching fear in the back of your head that me may live to regret that 'consolation goal' - the rest, as they say, is history!

And I would add the 2-0 FA Cup Final win against Boro as well.

I was living in Nottingham at the time and took a day trip on the train to get to Wembley. Got sauced up on the early morning train down before meeting my brother in law in the pub for a few hours further boozing up. To be honest I was surprised I was allowed into the game. When Robbie scored so early on I was still climbing down from where I had been standing on my seat to salute the start of the game - he scored and I then tried to jump up to celebrate whilst my body was still moving down the way - this resulted in me sprawling forwards and taking about 10 people out with me! Fortunately the fact that we had just scored meant everyone was in a good and forgiving mood!

The post match celebrations went on long and hard and I finally got the last train back to Nottingham. ON my stagger home I went past the pub I was working part time in (well after closing time) and noticed there was a lock in going on (one of the locals birthdays) - I banged on the window and got in to carry on my celebrations till about 5am. (Basically I annoyed the cr*p out of everyone by singing D-I MATTEO to the tune of - D-I-S-C-O over and over and over again.

Next afternoon I woke up to discover I had totally lost my voice. As my full time job involved me being on the phone nearly all day it meant I was off work - I didn't get my voice back for 4 full days - 4 days spent nursing my throat with Carling Premier - seemed a sensible idea at the time.

Best: When we beat you lot at SB in the League 85 (Because it was the first time I saw United live)

Worst: When we got beaten by IFK Gothenburg in the CL and I had to travel 70 miles together with 54 IFK supporters in a bus

England V Sweden. Germany 2006. Probably the only entertaining match we played in the World Cup. The size of the England support in Cologne was staggering. It had to be seen to be believed and of course Joey Cole's wonder goal !! The pre and post match piss up in town was excellent.

Got to agree there just. I was in Cologne and couldn't believe how many England fans there were. Got there at about 10 in the morning and bevied it up all day. Didn't have a ticket, but neither did the other 50 odd thousand England fans that were watching the big screens. Made me proud to be English.

Arsenal 1 Chelsea 2 (You know the one i mean) Well then!! Beers, mates, Bridge goal and a Chelsea win. Need i say more.

Chelsea 4 Barca 2. Possibly the best game and atmosphere inside SB ever. Evening kick off so there was lots of drinking to be done. Everyone knew it would be a special night and f**k me, was it! Had a smile on my face for a week.

Arsenal 1 Chelsea 2 (You know the one i mean) Well then!! Beers, mates, Bridge goal and a Chelsea win. Need i say more.

Chelsea 4 Barca 2. Possibly the best game and atmosphere inside SB ever. Evening kick off so there was lots of drinking to be done. Everyone knew it would be a special night and f**k me, was it! Had a smile on my face for a week.

With you on both those - ive still got a smile on my face though

Best

Chelsea V Stuttgart. Stockholm 1998 - ECWC Final 1997 - obvious reasons

Chelsea V Middlesboro, Wembley - FA Cup Final - ditto. i doubt i will ever feel like i did again after 43 seconds of that match

Arsenal V Chelsea, Highbury - Div 1 1984 - the day it all started for me

Liverpool V Crystal Palace - Villa Park FA Cup Semi Final 1990 - i was lucky to be there that day (my dad is a Palace fan) what a game. what a f**king game.

Worst

Oxford V Chelsea, Manor Ground 1988, Div 1 - i was there. we knew we were in big trouble that day. and so it proved.

Chelsea V Man Utd, Wembley 1994, FA Cup Final - The only time tears have trickled down my face at a match. how long had we waited ? Cheers Ellerray. I still maintain if that shot had gone it...

Also for the record can i just say i completley agree with this statment from just...

Football is not only the beautiful game it can be a brillant social occaision as well. A fantastic day out with all your mates. The banter, the travelling, the beers, the laugh. It's probably the main reason I still go. The football is important but it's often secondary to having a laugh with my friends.

I get asked so many times 'what are you going to do when roman leaves and leaves you in the sh*t?' . and i do the same thing every time - shrug my shoulders and say 'nothing'. You see these people are missing the point of going to football. I will still be at Chelsea whatever happens. Whether its in the Ryman League it doesnt matter to me. As long as i meet my cousin at marylebone and then drink our way to fulham broadway or whether i meet some of you lot in the Peli, i will still be there. As long as i still get that magic pre match pub feeling and as long as i still get that shiver when i first enter the ground and look around i dont care who we play or where we are, i will still be there.

its not all bout the football you know. and its certainly not ll about the result - though that sometimes depends on how the rest of the night goes!

Best:

1. Chelsea vs Liverpool, FA Cup 1997 (4-2)

2. Cheslea vs Stuttgart CWC final 1998 (1-0)

3. Man Utd vs Chelsea 1995 (1-2)

4. Chelsea vs Spurs 1993 (3-2)

5. Chelsea vs Bruges 1993/4 (best atmosphere of all time, STILL!)

Worst

1. Marseille vs Chelsea (teargas time)

Arsenal away first game of the season was a special game, not so much a special day. Grimsby away to clinch the league was a a great game and a great day, for several reasons.(the people I travelled with and what we got up to, the people I met throughout the day, the mass away support almost taking the roof of the train station with the volume of support).

Bolton at home, the famous come back, Liverpool at home 4-2 in the cup.

worst game has to be away at Millwall and losing, it was the hottest day for about 600 years and the Millwal supporters were in somewhat of a bad mood. After about 15 minutes of pure bedlom I asked a policeman standing beside me on the terracing where the saffest place to stand would be. His reply................ "at home"

and at half time I took his advice.