Jonathan Liew was the journalist who wrote that, an unusual assignment for him but I did enjoy his report of the day.
Man on the terrace giving the goahead for the party to start being a certain @bluntphil having the benefit of BBC Bristol's commentary of the hit the crossbar contest at the Memorial Ground being piped through to him, if I remember correctly.
Such scenes. I managed to leave the tickets at home, discovering this about half way there. After some choice words from Her Indoors, she rang Torquay who said they’d put two aside for us. So we paid twice to see it. Worth every penny. As was the steak dinner and two bottles of wine that night. We’d decided to stay over following the Bristol loss, thinking a quiet weekend by the sea might ease the pain and instead found ourselves stumbling round town about 10pm hugging anyone wearing blue.
Amazing day. I went with my two lads and we thought this could actually be our very last game in league football. To be honest I was half thinking that if we went down, knowing our financial position, that it would mean the end for WWFC.
The car journey on the way home was amazing, only better by our quarter final win over Leicester City when we drove out of Leicester with the Wanderer blazing out over the cd player.
Those are the days that have made our history so rich and priceless to each of us in different ways.
That roar following the final whistle at the Memorial Stadium really is something else. It’s other worldly. Gives me goosebumps every time. Followed by a smile.
Went to Torquay with my brother to bid farewell to league football (& possibly the club?).
Towards the end of the game found myself standing next to @bluntphil who was in the crowd linked up with a feed to the Rovers game. The roar began as Phil shouted “that’s it, it’s over, they’ve lost”. Cue the bottom corner of the stand hugging Trevor Stroud (who I’ve never met) who was hugging Gaz across the perimeter boards, who was being mobbed by the players. ‘Limbs’ as da youf might have it.
Even found ourselves singing the “since I was young” chant which we had always boycotted as it references some team called ‘Wycombe FC’ that we have no knowledge of.
I have had a lot of time for Torquay since that day. Imagine seeing opposition players and fans celebrating so wildly on your ground when your club is being relegated out of the EFL. They were gracious and dignified towards us despite their own sorrow.
I went with my wife, daughter & son. Set off at 05.30 to be there for breakfast, a proper full english in a cafe. Then the rest of the morning on the beach. Spent 1/2 of it staring at a car park wall with my son lying across me on the back seat asleep as he was feeling unwell and slept. Then off to the game with my lad, whilst the girls went shopping. Like most, I was fully expecting this to be our last game in the EFL & had serious doubts as to wether the club would even exist the next season. After 10 minutes, my son was almost asleep on his feet & a steward could see we were in bother. With that, he picked us out from behind the goal, led us to a gate and said we could sit where we liked! I chose an entire row so that he could lay down with his head on my lap and fall back asleep. The rest as they say is history. The drive home we were on such a high! Even went along the M5 & M4 singing, "let's all wave at Bristol" as we passed. Since then I always look out for the Torquay results and it was a crying shame that they didn't quite manage to get out of the National Conference League a couple of years ago. 😞
That game, Wimbledon away FA Cup replay & Leicester away are without doubt in my top 10 of best days of my life. 🤗
He, Jombati, Pierre, Hayes and Murphy has to be the best summer window we've ever had by a long way.
Took us from near disaster to a seriously competitive team.
Really hope JJ stays on next season, a 10th year, testimonial, and if there was any doubt already, cementing himself well into our all time best players list.
I believe Mawson and Paris also came in at the start of that season at Newport away. So - JJ, Jombati, Paris, Mawson, Pierre, Hayes and Murphy. Although I think Pierre was on loan at the back of the previous season and played alongside the young Danny Rowe.
Pierrepont was definitely on.loan the Torquay season..spent a long period in the Bristol game having his head bandaged after a clash with Matt Harrold. It looked like him and Stewart were going to make a great defensive pairing when he was signed...but I think that was when Tools downed tools until shipped off to Crewe. Is that right?
Like @EwanHoosaami I have rooted for Torquay since that day. Such a shame to see their current predicament looking highly likely to drop into Conference South and with the charming Clark Osborne as owner - he of Eastville and numerous greyhound stadium fame always keen to relocate to new stadia, sell off the old one and then unaccountably forgetting to build the new one. The future there looks very bleak notwithstanding the fact that the local council are so far holding firm in refusing to let him get his mitts on the freehold.
Yes that was a Osbourne gem. Couldn't even be arsed to get some architects to even knock up some pictures of a genuine new stadium I suppose no point if you have no intention of building it.
@NewburyWanderer😀 as I was on my phone waiting in a queue for a tax-dodging coffee, I can only blame predictive text! Though when I ever discussed England's hangmen or National Watersports Centre with anyone I cannot recall.
Comments
Bloody marvellous is what it is!
If I had the money, I would commission all of these ideas and stick them in a corner of the beer tent, known as Gasroom Tussauds.
Jonathan Liew was the journalist who wrote that, an unusual assignment for him but I did enjoy his report of the day.
Man on the terrace giving the goahead for the party to start being a certain @bluntphil having the benefit of BBC Bristol's commentary of the hit the crossbar contest at the Memorial Ground being piped through to him, if I remember correctly.
It wasn't actually Phil at all I was referring to. But instead some absolute random in the thick of the terrace who seemed to give the nod.
I was surprised to see JJ at left back again on Tuesday but he was getting pacey cover from fabulous Forino and one or two others.
I’m sure he has another season in him as a cultured (and surprisingly good header of the ball) left-sided centre back.
I wrote this ages ago and must have forgotten to post it. I think I had a third paragraph in mind but…,…..,
That’s magic. Third and fourth paragraphs have appeared from nowhere.
Could we also have the tele-text advert for a striker and where we found Roy Essandoh on the base of this statue?
With the tag-line being "Making the unthinkable.... a reality"
That guttural roar - 5 mins 30 in. Still gets me a bit teary. What a day (and what an evening afterwards)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MCf0PL3vLKs
Goosebumps even now.
Can't quite make out the leaping Bloomfield fist pump I'd remembered / made up, but still.
Most important game in our history. The sun shone on us that day and the Rovers back story made it all the sweater.
It did happen chasing a long ball into the corner in front of the seated fans. Presumably cut from the video.
It happened, I remember it well.
Such scenes. I managed to leave the tickets at home, discovering this about half way there. After some choice words from Her Indoors, she rang Torquay who said they’d put two aside for us. So we paid twice to see it. Worth every penny. As was the steak dinner and two bottles of wine that night. We’d decided to stay over following the Bristol loss, thinking a quiet weekend by the sea might ease the pain and instead found ourselves stumbling round town about 10pm hugging anyone wearing blue.
Amazing day. I went with my two lads and we thought this could actually be our very last game in league football. To be honest I was half thinking that if we went down, knowing our financial position, that it would mean the end for WWFC.
The car journey on the way home was amazing, only better by our quarter final win over Leicester City when we drove out of Leicester with the Wanderer blazing out over the cd player.
Those are the days that have made our history so rich and priceless to each of us in different ways.
Bettered not better
That roar following the final whistle at the Memorial Stadium really is something else. It’s other worldly. Gives me goosebumps every time. Followed by a smile.
‘I was there’ (for this and when Beanie scored).
Went to Torquay with my brother to bid farewell to league football (& possibly the club?).
Towards the end of the game found myself standing next to @bluntphil who was in the crowd linked up with a feed to the Rovers game. The roar began as Phil shouted “that’s it, it’s over, they’ve lost”. Cue the bottom corner of the stand hugging Trevor Stroud (who I’ve never met) who was hugging Gaz across the perimeter boards, who was being mobbed by the players. ‘Limbs’ as da youf might have it.
Even found ourselves singing the “since I was young” chant which we had always boycotted as it references some team called ‘Wycombe FC’ that we have no knowledge of.
That's how crazy a day it was.
Torquay haven't played a game in the football league since. How different it all could have been.
I have had a lot of time for Torquay since that day. Imagine seeing opposition players and fans celebrating so wildly on your ground when your club is being relegated out of the EFL. They were gracious and dignified towards us despite their own sorrow.
I went with my wife, daughter & son. Set off at 05.30 to be there for breakfast, a proper full english in a cafe. Then the rest of the morning on the beach. Spent 1/2 of it staring at a car park wall with my son lying across me on the back seat asleep as he was feeling unwell and slept. Then off to the game with my lad, whilst the girls went shopping. Like most, I was fully expecting this to be our last game in the EFL & had serious doubts as to wether the club would even exist the next season. After 10 minutes, my son was almost asleep on his feet & a steward could see we were in bother. With that, he picked us out from behind the goal, led us to a gate and said we could sit where we liked! I chose an entire row so that he could lay down with his head on my lap and fall back asleep. The rest as they say is history. The drive home we were on such a high! Even went along the M5 & M4 singing, "let's all wave at Bristol" as we passed. Since then I always look out for the Torquay results and it was a crying shame that they didn't quite manage to get out of the National Conference League a couple of years ago. 😞
That game, Wimbledon away FA Cup replay & Leicester away are without doubt in my top 10 of best days of my life. 🤗
Joe Jacobson and his unexpected anecdotes.
Seriously though. Envious of all of you who were there on the day. A major turning point in the history of a great football club.
Was Joe playing that day ? Probably predates his arrival.
Same for Chesterfield.
Was going to say that's lovely of them, understanding what had happened and giving you replacements.
But you had to pay for the new tickets?
It wasn't a sell out was it? But no doubt re-assured you you could get in once you got there!
JJ came in the season after.
He, Jombati, Pierre, Hayes and Murphy has to be the best summer window we've ever had by a long way.
Took us from near disaster to a seriously competitive team.
Really hope JJ stays on next season, a 10th year, testimonial, and if there was any doubt already, cementing himself well into our all time best players list.
I believe Mawson and Paris also came in at the start of that season at Newport away. So - JJ, Jombati, Paris, Mawson, Pierre, Hayes and Murphy. Although I think Pierre was on loan at the back of the previous season and played alongside the young Danny Rowe.
I could be wrong mind you @Malone
Pierrepont was definitely on.loan the Torquay season..spent a long period in the Bristol game having his head bandaged after a clash with Matt Harrold. It looked like him and Stewart were going to make a great defensive pairing when he was signed...but I think that was when Tools downed tools until shipped off to Crewe. Is that right?
Like @EwanHoosaami I have rooted for Torquay since that day. Such a shame to see their current predicament looking highly likely to drop into Conference South and with the charming Clark Osborne as owner - he of Eastville and numerous greyhound stadium fame always keen to relocate to new stadia, sell off the old one and then unaccountably forgetting to build the new one. The future there looks very bleak notwithstanding the fact that the local council are so far holding firm in refusing to let him get his mitts on the freehold.
@DevC Wasn't there another mad stadium plan down your way a couple of years ago? Or am I thinking of the same one?
edit: I seem to remember they'd nicked the architect's render from someone else and put a club badge on it
With Pierrepont on loan to us, no wonder our League status, and possibly our very existence, was hanging by a thread.
Yes that was a Osbourne gem. Couldn't even be arsed to get some architects to even knock up some pictures of a genuine new stadium I suppose no point if you have no intention of building it.
@NewburyWanderer 😀 as I was on my phone waiting in a queue for a tax-dodging coffee, I can only blame predictive text! Though when I ever discussed England's hangmen or National Watersports Centre with anyone I cannot recall.