Your First Goal

[wakey]

Probably not my first in a 'proper' game, but one sticks out from primary school. I used to play at the back but always went up for corners so used to get the odd goal here and there.

Can't remember anything else about it bar scoring from just outside the box. I thought it must have been a worldie to score from so far out.

Went back to the pitch a good few years later as an adult, and was disappointed to realise the edge of the box was about 8 yards out.

Still, it's all relative, so I'm still having it was a worldie. 

[little whitt]

Never played Football as a kid 

was in to Other things 

only goal i ever scored 

was a International one 

England 11  V  Maldeves Waiters 11 

on the Sand 

stright in to the Sea to celebrate 

[Wanderlust]

On 16/09/2024 at 11:38, BeeversLeftPeg said:

 

Playing on full size pitches at 8 years old is a far cry from kids football these days.

This nostalgia thread has brought back a few memories TBH. There were no Size 4 balls either - just wet leather that got heavier and heavier depending on conditions, felt like heading a brick and stung like fuck when blocking a shot with your thighs or bollocks. And always played with older lads - whoever fancied a game - and after a while got to call them by their nicknames, slag them off when they fucked up and they'd look out for me on the street which was great for a kid. Always been obsessed with footie and played non-stop as a kid and am still playing 6 to 10 a side with 18 to 35 year olds although I'm 70 and slow as a carthorse these days. One memory I'd almost forgotten was that when I was 10 I used to train with a local league team who played on the pitch behind our house (think it's been built over nowadays) and one day they had a match (I wasn't playing for the school so they must have been Sunday League) and the ref didn't show up so they asked me to ref it. Ended up a draw and the lot I trained with were a bit miffed when I did it totally impartially and sent off their/our captain for fighting. But fair play to them - they collected subs at the end and paid me for refereeing - about 2 bob which was a fortune for me at that age. I fucking love football despite everything BWFC has done to me

[burnden]

For the school team straight off a corner on willows park 1977ish .  That pitch on willows was savage.

[Didledee]

Was a tap in for Brandwood School on the playing fields on the side of Park Cakes, a minute or so from Willows Park, I left in year 6 and went to the Moss school(different name now), I remember after playing in the playground on my first day, the lads were asking Mr.Bowden(headmaster, football 'manager') to let me play for school, the next day they were playing in a competition on Crompton Fold field (like 6 a side), I went to watch but I never got a game.

I did play on Leverhulme in a proper game for them, didn't score on my debut, but scored twice in my next, first goal was a scruffy goal inside box following a cross, 2nd was a shot from edge of box that went like middle high and past keeper, back then at a young age even lifting the ball with enough power was quite and achievement lol, we must have only have played 5 or so times since then before leaving for secondary.

First goal for Smithills was a header back post in friendly on the terrible waterlogged grass v Sharples I believe,  also I do remember scoring about 5 in like 5 games in year 7 inter form football, they stopped doing that after year 8, no idea why as it was class, it wasn't played on grass it was on the playgrounds with like small goals (cones) but there was like 6 forms in each year(12 total) in each band(P and R, pride and respect) I was in P2, we lost the final on penalties, did score mine and did a cringe finger wagging celebration, did have a goal ruled out by Mr.Bowman in final though that would have sealed victory, apparently the ball went above head height, the other p.e teacher Mr.Nash said he didn't think that was the right call but wasn't the ref, just an observer for that game.

 

 

[Wanderlust]

I remember when I was about 14 playing as a "guest" for a team on a crap pitch at Breightmet which had a clough behind one of the goals and one of the lads had a shot like a cannon but couldn't hit a cow's arse with a banjo and the game was stopped when we ran out of balls and we all had to go down the clough to find them.  Anyone else played there?

[Didledee]

15 minutes ago, Wanderlust said:

I remember when I was about 14 playing as a "guest" for a team on a crap pitch at Breightmet which had a clough behind one of the goals and one of the lads had a shot like a cannon but couldn't hit a cow's arse with a banjo and the game was stopped when we ran out of balls and we all had to go down the clough to find them.  Anyone else played there?

Not sure if I'm remembering this correctly with the naming, but these scenarios meant a lot of the time if someone kicked the ball past the net and far away, they would have to go and 'fag it' (go get it basically) like on Premmy Fives(Power League) for example if you hit it over the netting and into the trees/down the hill near water and bushes), you'd go and fag it, even playing on playing fields with no spectators just having a kick about, if you shot at goal and it went past the keeper or wide, you probably burnt a lot of energy just going fetching it all time lol, the playing field I mentioned near Park Cakes was like this because there was a top pitch and then a steep slope which led to another pitch and if you kicked it down there it was a chore getting it back, also the field were surrounded but thorns and bushes in parts so it was basically good for shooting practice, 'cos you really didn't want it going in there and getting stuck/lost etc.

[Wanderlust]

3 minutes ago, Didledee said:

Not sure if I'm remembering this correctly with the naming, but these scenarios meant a lot of the time if someone kicked the ball past the net and far away, they would have to go and 'fag it' (go get it basically) like on Premmy Fives(Power League) for example if you hit it over the netting and into the trees/down the hill near water and bushes), you'd go and fag it, even playing on playing fields with no spectators just having a kick about, if you shot at goal and it went past the keeper or wide, you probably burnt a lot of energy just going fetching it all time lol, the playing field I mentioned near Park Cakes was like this because there was a top pitch and then a steep slope which led to another pitch and if you kicked it down there it was a chore getting it back, also the field were surrounded but thorns and bushes in parts so it was basically good for shooting practice, 'cos you really didn't want it going in there and getting stuck/lost etc.

Getting it yourself still happens - but I play the "old" card and one of the young 'uns usually gets it for me on the rare occasion I get forward enough to have a dig - on account of the fact they can do it in half the time.  I never ask and nothing is said - it's an unspoken agreement - but they just do it and I know why God bless 'em. Which is why I let them take the piss a bit when the banter is flying around.

[wakey]

37 minutes ago, Didledee said:

Not sure if I'm remembering this correctly with the naming, but these scenarios meant a lot of the time if someone kicked the ball past the net and far away, they would have to go and 'fag it' (go get it basically) like on Premmy Fives(Power League) for example if you hit it over the netting and into the trees/down the hill near water and bushes), you'd go and fag it, even playing on playing fields with no spectators just having a kick about, if you shot at goal and it went past the keeper or wide, you probably burnt a lot of energy just going fetching it all time lol, the playing field I mentioned near Park Cakes was like this because there was a top pitch and then a steep slope which led to another pitch and if you kicked it down there it was a chore getting it back, also the field were surrounded but thorns and bushes in parts so it was basically good for shooting practice, 'cos you really didn't want it going in there and getting stuck/lost etc.

kickers muggers ...

[Casino]

3 hours ago, burnden said:

For the school team straight off a corner on willows park 1977ish .  That pitch on willows was savage.

wanderers, mainly reserves i think, played a game on a gravel pitch there, same night as heysel was unfolding