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Wanderers Ways. Neil Thompson 1961-2021

The Swindon 6


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Wanting to compile a piece for the White Love fanzine about our 6 epic league cup ties with Swindon in 1989 and 1995. What does everyone remember about…

1989
D3-3 at County Ground
D1-1 at Burnden Park (AET)
D1-1 at Burnden Park (AET)
L2-1 at County Ground

1995
L2-1 at County Ground
PP at Burnden Park
W3-1 at Burnden Park

I was definitely on the lash for the postponed game in 1995. Got called off pretty late if memory serves me right. Sure folk will remember us having a makeshift team in 1989 and Barry Cowdrill’s chicken run celebration after his disallowed long range goal!

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6 minutes ago, Zico said:

I remember getting as far as the General Havelock for the postponed game, and there being a coachload of Swindon fans who decided to stay on the lash

Think they came unstuck at the trotters...

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Wasn't the 2nd home game in 1989 the first time in donkeys years there had been enough of an interest to warrant opening the whole of the Burnden Terrace for our fans?

Swindon had a good team back then - Digby, Boden, Simpson, Shearer amongst others

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In all seriousness though that 95 game I was 13? So my whole world revolved around BWFC. 
 

maybe nostalgia is clouding my judgement but I can’t remember a better atmosphere at Burnden than that? (Maybe only matched by wolves in the play off game) 

going in to a heaving cattle market before the game (you always knew it was a big game when that place was heaving and bouncing) walk across the iron bridge and manny road was cackling in anticipation. Being rammed in to my usual spot in the MRN. My heart felt like it had been ripped out when we went 1 down. Then hope when we equalised, absolute confidence we were going to go on and win it when it went 2-1 then absolute pandemonium when SJM bagged. To know my team had got to Wembley in a major final was everything 

got goosebumps now just thinking back  

 

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Main thing I remember about the postponed game was driving up from Th'East Midlands in the worst rain I've ever driven any distance in. I, and many other cars, had to stop under a bridge at one point on the M1 as you literally couldn't see . Coming across the hills it calmed a bit but then just by Halifax the news came on R5 it was off. Then my fan belt almost completely gave up the ghost and I had a miserable journey back with the car squealing like a banshee that had wandered onto the set of Deliverance. Needless to say Th'East Midlands Whites drank unusually heavily once back.

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For the 1989 game, I remember thinking it felt like the first "big game" atmosphere we'd had for many years, at least since relegation to the 3rd division in 83.  There were real proper queues outside, snaking around the Lever End, probably helped by everyone paying cash on the gate, nobody bought advance tickets in them days.

And standing on the Burnden Paddock and looking towards Lever End and Manny Road it looked packed.  Of course it wasn't, I think about 13k, but it was twice the usual crowd and it was buzzing.

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1 hour ago, barrycowdrill said:

In all seriousness though that 95 game I was 13? So my whole world revolved around BWFC. 
 

maybe nostalgia is clouding my judgement but I can’t remember a better atmosphere at Burnden than that? (Maybe only matched by wolves in the play off game) 

going in to a heaving cattle market before the game (you always knew it was a big game when that place was heaving and bouncing) walk across the iron bridge and manny road was cackling in anticipation. Being rammed in to my usual spot in the MRN. My heart felt like it had been ripped out when we went 1 down. Then hope when we equalised, absolute confidence we were going to go on and win it when it went 2-1 then absolute pandemonium when SJM bagged. To know my team had got to Wembley in a major final was everything 

got goosebumps now just thinking back  

 

Exaclty the same. Apart from I was in the paddock. Remember getting to the King Bill and queue to even get in was massive. Ray on the door fast tracked us in.

Often feel it doesnt get enough coverage that night, suppose its a bit eclipsed with the Wolves game and Preston.

What a time to be a kid that was fuck me. 

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Not got a clue what order or which game but   mark came played up front at Swindon  and one of the games at burnden we ended up watching from the embankment in the Swindon end as we had sold out and one of the lads was working down there so got tickets for there end at burnden 

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The first game at Swindon I went on the travel club.  The journey took forever via an endless A road and a succession of roundabouts. We'd knocked out Watford the round before and were hoping for a plum tie and got Swindon away.

Main memories of the game; a rare start and goal for Gary Henshaw to open the scoring.  Tony Philliskirk with a wonder strike for the 2nd and then the linesman flagging for a penalty when Paul Comstive was pulled down, only for the referee to wave it away.  They then scored 2 quick goals and we were heading out.

The final minute and Came was pushed up top, I'm sure he didnt start the game there, and we were throwing everything at them. It was a really good following of travelling Wanderers, for a midweek, long distance game.  This was the first season in 10 years where we weren't going to finish lower than the previous one and that long decline made games like this so welcome.

A bit of a scramble at the edge of their box, in front of our bank of fans and Browny miscued a shot, towards Came stood on the 6 yard box with his back to goal.  A simple flick with the inside of his foot and it wrong footed the keeper and rolled into the net.  Cue absolute bedlam on the terrace.  Limbs before the phrase was invented! 

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I remember hanging out my arse for that semi-final in 1995, Sunday afternoon I think.

Night before we were in a club in Caversham near Reading and a few of the Bolton lads came in.  By closing Tommo and McAteer were a bit worse for wear and needed help getting over the bridge back to the hotel.  A few were a bit more sensible ....

How they played the following day, I've no idea.  Think Stubbs scored early on and there were a couple of hundred Bolton lads in the seats behind the goal who went up when it went in.  Went downhill after that.

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1 hour ago, radcliffe white said:

Still to this day don’t remember a postponement and that’s not like me

missed the boat couldn’t get tickets for the first leg think it was a reduced allocation for some reason 

We had the open end behind the goal and a 3rd of stand at the side, think we missed out on first lot but got lucky with the second lot. There were loads sat on the steps as it was oversubscribed.

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I was at uni for the first lot of games. Listening on the radio and remember going a bit bonkers as the goals went in.

I don't remember a postponement, but did both the next lot.

Like others have said, at 3-1 down I felt deflated, but we had some fight, and the atmosphere was great. Became raucous as we fought back. Special night.

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Just watched the 3-1 game on you tube.

Dave Higson says 'all action' about 50 times 

Remember to this day how I felt when they scored 

The pitch was a joke. 
Over time Mixus goal had got about 20 yards further out than it really was. 

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3 minutes ago, Ani said:

Just watched the 3-1 game on you tube.

Dave Higson says 'all action' about 50 times 

Remember to this day how I felt when they scored 

The pitch was a joke. 
Over time Mixus goal had got about 20 yards further out than it really was. 

Yep, but that goal will always be one that I can still clearly see when I close my eyes.

Belter.

Edited by Steejay
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I remember my deflation when Fjortoft but them ahead with only 30 mins left 

But knew if we got one we'd get more 

In my mind the Wolves game had the better overall atmosphere from start to finish but when those goals went in I can only think of Wolves, Preston and Charlton that matched it

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