After hearing so many brilliant tales and stories from people who followed us in the 80’s I wanted to posted a thread about memories.

Although it all ended bad it seemed to be one hell of a ride. What’s your main memories? My brother says the Newport Cardiff rivalry which meant there were mini riots almost every other Saturday. It just seemed to dominate that era

Jimmy Exile wrote:After hearing so many brilliant tales and stories from people who followed us in the 80’s I wanted to posted a thread about memories.

Although it all ended bad it seemed to be one hell of a ride. What’s your main memories? My brother says the Newport Cardiff rivalry which meant there were mini riots almost every other Saturday. It just seemed to dominate that era

The Man from Del Monte ....... he says YES !!!

Some of my memories are :
* Covering my school exercise book with County team photos
* Travelling 'all that way' to watch County at home
* Passing quite close to Rodney Parade on the bus and thinking how crap it looked
* Never quite deciding which part of Somerton Park I prefer
* Stopping for chips after the game near a bus stop on Cromwell Road (I think)
* Standing by the little wall, right next to the main stand, and wondering if I'd ever be rich enough to sit in there
* Making my own County pin badges
* An away game at Bolton Wanderers' Burnden Park with my late brother, seeing Glyn Millett score.
* A home game against Oxford United, which is when I believe I became properly hooked on County.
* Tarki Micallef

Just my opinion but I think the era of the early 80's are unlikely ever to be repeated at a club like ours. Some of the players we had just have to go up there are the best that have ever played for the County. Oakes, Lowndes, Vaughan, Moore, Aldridge, Tynan would probably get into any 'greatest ever' team. What memories.

I remember standing on the terrace beside the grandstand (just above the smelly bogs) listening to the abuse given to John Aldridge when he first arrived. It was awful to hear. Didn't last long though and he soon won them over. Cannon and Ball were the top Tv show at the time and their favourite catchphrase was used consistently for my favourite ever player - Rock on Tommy. Great times.

As others have said late 70s to mid 80s the best time ever to watch the County that team will probably never be bettered ( though hope I am wrong ). Mark Kendall Richard Walden Keith Oakes Steve Lowndes Nigel Vaughn Neil Bailey Kevin Moore John Aldridge Tommy Tynan Dave Gwyther Howard Goddard what a team.
Great memories beating West Ham in the cup promotion and welsh cup double season the European adventure beating Cardiff City to go top of division 3 in front of 16,000 at Easter in 82/83 just some of the highlights.

pembsexile wrote:Just my opinion but I think the era of the early 80's are unlikely ever to be repeated at a club like ours. Some of the players we had just have to go up there are the best that have ever played for the County. Oakes, Lowndes, Vaughan, Moore, Aldridge, Tynan would probably get into any 'greatest ever' team. What memories.

I remember standing on the terrace beside the grandstand (just above the smelly bogs) listening to the abuse given to John Aldridge when he first arrived. It was awful to hear. Didn't last long though and he soon won them over. Cannon and Ball were the top Tv show at the time and their favourite catchphrase was used consistently for my favourite ever player - Rock on Tommy. Great times.

Hi Mike,
Are you sure about Aldridge getting stick? I remember his debut coming on as a sub v Lincoln and his play was superb and his reception rapturous.

In fairness I was in my second year at Poly so saw far more away games that season so you might be right. Certainly there was a group in that part of the stadium who were always unhappy. I recall Hooper, White and Lowndes all getting a earful.

Stan A. Einstein wrote:

pembsexile wrote:Just my opinion but I think the era of the early 80's are unlikely ever to be repeated at a club like ours. Some of the players we had just have to go up there are the best that have ever played for the County. Oakes, Lowndes, Vaughan, Moore, Aldridge, Tynan would probably get into any 'greatest ever' team. What memories.

I remember standing on the terrace beside the grandstand (just above the smelly bogs) listening to the abuse given to John Aldridge when he first arrived. It was awful to hear. Didn't last long though and he soon won them over. Cannon and Ball were the top Tv show at the time and their favourite catchphrase was used consistently for my favourite ever player - Rock on Tommy. Great times.

Hi Mike,
Are you sure about Aldridge getting stick? I remember his debut coming on as a sub v Lincoln and his play was superb and his reception rapturous.

In fairness I was in my second year at Poly so saw far more away games that season so you might be right. Certainly there was a group in that part of the stadium who were always unhappy. I recall Hooper, White and Lowndes all getting a earful.

Hi Brendan,
I might have said this before I know, but I have distinct memories of a fan next to me once shouting out 'go back to South Liverpool you useless f***ing scouser'. He had pace from the start but his first touch wasn't brilliant.

We just seemed to have had a team that gelled. All these great players came on the scene at relatively the same time. I think only Lowndes and Vaughan were local boys.

It may have been a few years earlier (memory fading) but I also remember a Match of the Day competition for crowd singing. The Cromwell End choir, all 20 of them were featured. Brilliant.

Definitely correct about Aldridge getting abuse from some sections of the crowd .Was even dropped for a few games if I remember rightly to 'get him out of the firing line' Of course scoring goals as usual silenced the boo-boys

May have been the following season because I think he was a little unsettled and was looking to go back north,Burnley were interested IIRC.

AmberCelt wrote:May have been the following season because I think he was a little unsettled and was looking to go back north,Burnley were interested IIRC.

Sure that's right. Record shows only played 27 league games in second season with 7 goals. May have been injuries of course.

He says ....... YEEESSSSSS !!!

pembsexile wrote:

Stan A. Einstein wrote:

pembsexile wrote:Just my opinion but I think the era of the early 80's are unlikely ever to be repeated at a club like ours. Some of the players we had just have to go up there are the best that have ever played for the County. Oakes, Lowndes, Vaughan, Moore, Aldridge, Tynan would probably get into any 'greatest ever' team. What memories.

I remember standing on the terrace beside the grandstand (just above the smelly bogs) listening to the abuse given to John Aldridge when he first arrived. It was awful to hear. Didn't last long though and he soon won them over. Cannon and Ball were the top Tv show at the time and their favourite catchphrase was used consistently for my favourite ever player - Rock on Tommy. Great times.

Hi Mike,
Are you sure about Aldridge getting stick? I remember his debut coming on as a sub v Lincoln and his play was superb and his reception rapturous.

In fairness I was in my second year at Poly so saw far more away games that season so you might be right. Certainly there was a group in that part of the stadium who were always unhappy. I recall Hooper, White and Lowndes all getting a earful.

Hi Brendan,
I might have said this before I know, but I have distinct memories of a fan next to me once shouting out 'go back to South Liverpool you useless f***ing scouser'. He had pace from the start but his first touch wasn't brilliant.

We just seemed to have had a team that gelled. All these great players came on the scene at relatively the same time. I think only Lowndes and Vaughan were local boys.

It may have been a few years earlier (memory fading) but I also remember a Match of the Day competition for crowd singing. The Cromwell End choir, all 20 of them were featured. Brilliant.

The singing competition was about 1970 I recall.

I maybe wrong but didn't someone like Rotherham win the choir competition . Liverpool were in it !

Kevin Moore beating his man on the wing.

Changing ends at half time because we could.

Stuffing Wrexham on match of the day.

The scoreboard at Oxford not stopping.

Wally Downes scoring every free kick he had.

Should have beaten Everton.

Carl Zeiss Jena.

Home fans legging it just before full time to give the away fans a shoe-ing on Cromwell Road.

Toilets with no lights.

The era in question had , for me, everything. great side, big crowds, same division as other "bigger" Welsh teams. Somerton Park was a dump, but as a former player keeps saying to me, "but it was our dump". Many of the players loved playing there.It also had snack bars that mostly didn't open, the ability to walk around the ground to the end we were attacking. and the iconic kit.
I can remember more players from that era, ours , and the opponents than from any other time since 1964 upto the current day.