9 years ago tomorrow

[Jackson Corner]

Great night fozzie and Butler ran there back four ragged, we had great support that night why don't we have that anymore? Few punch ups in the hospital grounds after until the old bill turned up on horse back and they ran off to there Cowley slums....

[Stooper]

"You're even worse than the last one!"

[Ian Herring]

Great night. What a top memory. Drove in to Oxford at about three and park and rode in and smiling at the police lock-downs outside all the boozers on the way in. We got tucked away in the Three Goats Heads or similar and got on the drinking hoping to meet Morse and Lewis. Obviously no joy. At about five my missus went to Boots to get some headache pills and phoned us. 'Do not come outside' she said with the appropriate quiet menace I loved her for. Oxford were picking off stray Reading in the city centre. Obviously they'd missed our 'top loons' who'd rattled in at eleven that morning on some up-line haulage. Got the bus to Headington and got some chips near the ground. Nasty atmosphere and on your toes but that's what was exciting in those days. Scoffing fried potato and suddenly out of a garden jumps a lone Oxford 'boy' wanting to 'have it' with me and my lot, including the wife! Didn't know whether to laugh or ram my chips in his face. Was still hungry so laughed and just walked past him while he did that arms-straight-down chest-right-out neck-muscle-straining 'come on!' routine. The game - beautiful - the laughter and sheer piss-taking that made some old Reading away-days the best. Relentless, no let-up mirth and vicious humour. The goal-keeper exchange was beyond farce. 'Freak of nature' chanted at Francis. Martin Allen's join-hands belly swoop with the players at the end. The Old Bill's hysteria afterwards as everyone tried to get home the same way they'd come. The Britannia looking, let's say, 'busy'. All in all a good night. Wet, quietening streets. Driving home through the Stokenchurch cutting knowing you didn't have to live in or support Oxford. Laughing. One of those nights you'd pay for, over and over again.

[The Cap]

Don't you just love threads like this one?

Some of the stories being recounted on here are absolutely priceless. The 'old school' sit and read many a thread on this forum and every now and again you get a title that triggers sweet memories and a touch of nostalgia.

I just hope there are a few more stories to attach themselves to the scribings already on here 'cos some of the detail and humour is pure magic, and it has to be said very well crafted. Nice one.

[The whole year inn]

some fans wallow in Oxford's current demise, but I would love to to be able to play them regularly again..

[SHORT AND CURLY]

some fans wallow in Oxford's current demise, but I would love to to be able to play them regularly again..

I think you need to go outside and have a damn good word with yourself.

May they rot in hell.

[Royal With Cheese]

some fans wallow in Oxford's current demise, but I would love to to be able to play them regularly again..

Only in the FA Cup thank you.

Although, they're a good sneaky bet for the Blue Square play off's this season as their form of late has been excellent.

[AthleticoSpizz]

some fans wallow in Oxford's current demise, but I would love to to be able to play them regularly again..

Only in the FA Cup thank you.

Although, they're a good sneaky bet for the Blue Square play off's this season as their form of late has been excellent.

Yes, Chris Wilder (ex Halifax) has really kicked butt there. Should they get their points deduction overturned they will be right up there amongst it

[Mr Optimist]

From a personal point of view I'm hoping they make the play-offs and draw Wrexham. Wrexham being the nearert team to me I would love to go along and "support" my local team back to the league.

I would also like to do this by going without family, drinking heavily, joining in the non-league banter and generally nmaking Oxford's day out in beautiful North Wales as unpleasant as possible

[Royal With Cheese]

From a personal point of view I'm hoping they make the play-offs and draw Wrexham. Wrexham being the nearert team to me I would love to go along and "support" my local team back to the league.

I would also like to do this by going without family, drinking heavily, joining in the non-league banter and generally nmaking Oxford's day out in beautiful North Wales as unpleasant as possible

Part of me wants them to get ot the playoff final and lose terribly. Then I think, naaah. Fvck 'em. They've found their level - let them stay there.

[Maguire]

Definitely my favourite away game ever. Away games under the floodlights stood on a terrace = the way to watch football.

Still make me LOL the abuse that Paul Powell got about his brother's sex offending and how their keeper bottled it completely.

It wasn't the night that it got really lively in the hospital grounds though, that was the game before I think where Readign were tearing up terracing and throwing it town on the Oxford lads in the alley behind. That night really was mayhem.

[Man Friday]

My 40th that day and did "Fan's Verdict" in the EP. Perfect.

[papereyes]

Definitely my favourite away game ever. Away games under the floodlights stood on a terrace = the way to watch football.

Still make me LOL the abuse that Paul Powell got about his brother's sex offending and how their keeper bottled it completely.

It wasn't the night that it got really lively in the hospital grounds though, that was the game before I think where Readign were tearing up terracing and throwing it town on the Oxford lads in the alley behind. That night really was mayhem.

The first game at the Kassam saw the corrugated iron between the two concourses kicked down and a police charge.

Which was nice.

Especially given that exactly the same events had occured the previous season, twice, when Oxford played Charlton and Villa in the League cup.

I'm trying to remember what I did instead but I remember being in Cornmarket watching a three-way running battle between both sets of fans and Thames Valley's finest one night. That was ... interesting.

[Aubery Boyce]

the previous year's game was an all-time low point. I've never felt worse after a Royals game. especially as they tried to hurd us onto a bus, whne we were parked in the totally opposite direction.

However, this game was one of the all-time great away trips. Nights like this will never be seen again. The Cuckoo Lane Terrace was one of the worst "stands" in football.

the scenes in the hospital grounds were a real throwback.


i hope we never play them regularly again but wouldn't say no to getting them or Aldersh*t in the FA Cup at some point

[buckingham royal]

What sweet memories.

As an exiled Royal since 1979, and spending 5 years living in the Oxford area with my teenage mates being Oxford fans, this match was a big pay back having to live with the success of the U's. The night was only surpassed by Fact Boy Maxwell being humbled by messers Smee, Brooks and the royal cavaliers.

On the night in question I was sat bang smack middle of the main stand - oh what joy to celebrate and to watch the U's fans moan and groan.

However, I do miss the derby matches against the U,s ,Swine and the Shots.

[floyd__streete]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9l2Gt3AoKtc

Distressing scenes.

[Royalee]

'Supreme acrobatics from Keith Scott'

We really were awful back then.

[Royal With Cheese]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9l2Gt3AoKtc

Distressing scenes.

Why did I just watch that?

[Jackson Corner]

Was this our first Sky game at the Mad Stad? If I remember James Lambert played for Oxford that day?

[Jerry St Clair]

Was this our first Sky game at the Mad Stad? If I remember James Lambert played for Oxford that day?

It was an absurd 11.30am kick off on a Sunday.

That night at the Manor was just ace. No rumblesticks, clappers or families-of-four in sight. You know things are going to be interesting when you walk onto the terrace and find lads sat on top of the perimeter fence before the game has even started.

Afterwards we got herded left out of Cuckoo Lane onto London Road which was closed to traffic and was just a carpet of glass. There was a line of riot police outside the Britannia keeping the locals penned in as we strolled past. I recall standing on something on the road and nearly falling over - looked down to see it was a pool ball. Most of the lads were on buses back to the station so us, less hardcore types, were left to run the gauntlet. There were a lot of heads being kept down back to our cars.

A great, great night. Is there no footage of the game anywhere?