@DevC I think the 800 quoted for the conference game in ‘88 may well have been an estimate... I remember our turnout being good, without being amazing. Plenty of room in our part of the terrace that day (on the open side). If there was any context at all, it was the final day of an excellent revival in the 2nd half of that season after the disaster of the Suddaby era, and of course interest in whether we could be party poopers on the day, given our upturn in form. Brian Lee had temporarily steadied the ship as caretaker before Kelman took over, and we ended comfortably safe. This provided the springboard for our first ‘serious’ season as challengers at the top of the Conference the following season.
Lincoln my wife was heavily pregnant with our daughter. When Emblen scored I remember having to stand right behind her as she was leaning against a rail, to protect her from the inevitable “limbs”.
Torquay away, we went down as a family. My son and I to watch our very last football league game whilst wife and daughter went shopping ?! What a fantastic return journey we had. We all sang “let’s all wave at Bristol “ on our way past.
@Wendoverman said:
Rovers game was seriously deflating and I did not go to Torquay as I rarely travel...but I listened to it on the wireless...with hope in my heart! (That was the season I returned as an ST holder and I had decided whatever the outcome I would renew as they would definitely need my cash again the following season!)
I watched only a handful of games that season. Hadn’t had a ST for about 5 years but decided before the Torquay game that if we survived as a club I owed the club my financial support while I could afford it and have had a ST since.
I suddenly realised what we so nearly lost meant to me
@LX1 said:
From Finch & Peart's history of WWFC about the 88 game....'the atmosphere at Sincil Bank was as tense as it could be, intimidating for the 800 Wycombe supporters. The ground was packed and the attendance of 9,432 is still a record in the Conference. Fans even stood on the railway embankment alongside the ground and we're shocked when a Lincoln official came along with a collection tin!
Funny how experiences differ. I remember getting into Lincoln by train early. Getting into a few pubs and chatting to optimistic happy Lincoln fans. Can’t recall feeing intimidated in the ground or going back to the station after
@LX1 said:
This is bad..but does anyone else just want to smack Beeks in his smug awful face?
I remember being on the terrace away to Fulham one year, we got a win / draw and as the players and management were applauded off Berks threw his hat into the Wycombe fans. Pissed myself when the lucky winner of the hat threw it straight back ?
@Malone said:
I don't blame anyone not undertaking the long trek to Torquay.
The feeling coming out of the Rovers game was dreadful, and talk was about what non league grounds we'd be visiting the next year.
I did go to Torquay, but it was in more of a go to the last league game for possibly a long while, sort of thought process rather than any real belief!
Until the day obviously, as hope springs eternal!
Was at both
Lincoln, huge away following, remember it being all calm and nice before the game but very nasty after with scrotes throwing stuff at the away fans after.
Torquay. Bought my ticket before the game and lost it on the terrace although some kind soul found it and handed it in. Not that I was that fussed anyway, was pretty brassed off with the team after the Bristol Rovers game, the team let us down badly for the most part that year. Headed down to Torquay with little hope, even if we won (which I wasn't that confident in) we had to rely on Mansfield winning a nothing game for them.
But we did it, and the rest is history. We got lucky, Ainsworth would have been sacked had we any money that year. No doubt a new man would have kept us up but we'd probably be still pottering around in League 2 now, occasional playoff push and changing manager every couple of years.
Comments
@DevC I think the 800 quoted for the conference game in ‘88 may well have been an estimate... I remember our turnout being good, without being amazing. Plenty of room in our part of the terrace that day (on the open side). If there was any context at all, it was the final day of an excellent revival in the 2nd half of that season after the disaster of the Suddaby era, and of course interest in whether we could be party poopers on the day, given our upturn in form. Brian Lee had temporarily steadied the ship as caretaker before Kelman took over, and we ended comfortably safe. This provided the springboard for our first ‘serious’ season as challengers at the top of the Conference the following season.
Lincoln my wife was heavily pregnant with our daughter. When Emblen scored I remember having to stand right behind her as she was leaning against a rail, to protect her from the inevitable “limbs”.
Torquay away, we went down as a family. My son and I to watch our very last football league game whilst wife and daughter went shopping ?! What a fantastic return journey we had. We all sang “let’s all wave at Bristol “ on our way past.
I watched only a handful of games that season. Hadn’t had a ST for about 5 years but decided before the Torquay game that if we survived as a club I owed the club my financial support while I could afford it and have had a ST since.
I suddenly realised what we so nearly lost meant to me
Cracking post @bookertease (and @Wendoverman). Never forget how close we came. Thank you WW Trust too!
Funny how experiences differ. I remember getting into Lincoln by train early. Getting into a few pubs and chatting to optimistic happy Lincoln fans. Can’t recall feeing intimidated in the ground or going back to the station after
Few things about that:
Hutch's commentary has clearly been retro-fitted and just sounds weird
Sanchez's suit/shirt/tie combo
EmbleN was a very good player
Never noticed how offside Davie Carroll was for the winning goal
The Lincoln fans were really up for a scrap weren't they?
That kit was exceptional
The weird ‘summary to live’ commentary at Maine Road on the same video is peak Hutch. I wouldn’t change a thing.
This is bad..but does anyone else just want to smack Beeks in his smug awful face?
I remember being on the terrace away to Fulham one year, we got a win / draw and as the players and management were applauded off Berks threw his hat into the Wycombe fans. Pissed myself when the lucky winner of the hat threw it straight back ?
Was at both
Lincoln, huge away following, remember it being all calm and nice before the game but very nasty after with scrotes throwing stuff at the away fans after.
Torquay. Bought my ticket before the game and lost it on the terrace although some kind soul found it and handed it in. Not that I was that fussed anyway, was pretty brassed off with the team after the Bristol Rovers game, the team let us down badly for the most part that year. Headed down to Torquay with little hope, even if we won (which I wasn't that confident in) we had to rely on Mansfield winning a nothing game for them.
But we did it, and the rest is history. We got lucky, Ainsworth would have been sacked had we any money that year. No doubt a new man would have kept us up but we'd probably be still pottering around in League 2 now, occasional playoff push and changing manager every couple of years.