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General Category => Altrincham FC First Team => Topic started by: Jacko on March 17, 2008, 12:28:30 AM
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Why you love Alty fc in this thread? i'd just like to read how everyone got into the robins and there story
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I got into the Robins due to my brother (Joe). Used to go along with him and just loved it from there on in. I was a massive fan for a couple of years before we got relegated to the Unibond last, then stopped coming (I was broke/student). Then last boxing day (The 10 man 3-0 against green slime match) I came again and have been regular again ever since. f**king stressful though! I honestly wonder what it's like to support a promotion chasing team sometimes. Not as much fun I bet ;)
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i started watching in the late sixties when my baby brother keith was mascot my biggest match was when we played wolves in the f.a cup i then stopped watching untill three seasons ago when my 2 sons asked to go to a match they enjoyed it and we have become regular fans since
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In the blood,My father has been watching Alty and sadly United since he was 10, 74 years ago(and still gets to the odd Alty game). i started watching Alty 44 years ago(and City of course).Grandfather,Uncle x2my brother all Alty fans.My grandfather on my fathers side was sadly an ex Vics player.But i never knew him.
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Been watching Alty since my Dad took me to my first match in 1981 aged 6 and have been hooked ever since. I used to go every game home and away but although i still attend every home match my away travel has been cut down due to having a young family although i still manage to get to about half the away games. My son's now 5 and started coming to home games with me on a Saturday. Hopefully he'll stick at it like i did!
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On my 9th Birthday, Monday 4th April 1988 My mum and dad bought me a big tropical fish tank and took me to Alty v Enfield (5-1, still have the programme) .. I stuck with my interest in Alty, wish I knew more about Tetra's and angel fish but I have to stick by my decisions...
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My dad has been watching them since he was a kid, and he started taking me when I was about 6/7 - 1982 ish.
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Went to see them bring back the FA Trophy on my Grifter (I'm on the video!) at Moss Lane in 1986. Then my school (Stamford Park) got some free tickets after a tour of the dressing rooms. I can still remember running down the tunnel and being amazed.
Went with the tickets in 86-87, then went and paid from 87-88 onwards. About 1989 they were looking for people to help tidy the ground, I went down and ended up spending my whole six weeks hols there doing painting and stuff. I had more on me than on the pillars. The club gave me a season ticket and I was hooked. Went Northwich away for a couple of seasons, then my first proper away game to Wycombe on the train in 1990.
From Slough away in 1991 to Harrogate away 2004 I never missed a game home or away in any competition. I am very proud of that. Then family came along and priorites had to change (not without a fight but thats another story). Now attend 99% of home games and as many aways as money, family and work will alllow.
In between that I helped setup the supporters association, been a director, commercial manager, pa announcer, gateman, steward (once), coach organiser, forked the pitch, painted the ground five times, and been supporters team manager.
Never let it be said that the kids tickets and schools stuff are not important.
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Ecky you forget, and you've been 'ear clipper' at Hyde ?!
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I got brought by my dad when i was 7 because i couldnt sit still and man u would have been a nightmare (he was a stretford end regular).
A 0-0 draw with barrow in the trophy or cup. think it must have been 88-89 ish. despite a poor game i loved it. waited a few weeks for my 1st alty goal in a 2-1 defeat to chorley.
I started going on my own regularly with the free messenger tickets. So Ecky's right they do work. I know a few lads who got hooked that way and still go now.
Who knows why I love them. At the moment I feel more of a burden than love!
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1st game wss Marine at home in the cup in 94, a couple of mates from school had been trying to get me to go for ages, ended up being worlds oldest ballboy for that game!, and been hooked ever since!
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My dad brought me when i was about 5 years old, erm back in 1975.
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Got taken as a 6 yr old in '73 I think....first memory was the SC**thorpe away match before the Everton match with those massive proper football league floodlights which made me dizzy looking up at them.
Obviously the pride of following Alty through the real glory years bult up a deep love...a relationship based on trust...I would always be there and Alty would always win for me.....then like most relationships the sex started to suffer a bit..it has been difficult getting aroused in later years.....a bit of effort on Alty's part (let's face it, she'd let herself go) in the face of severe old age problems a few years ago persuaded me to give the relationship another go and for a few years it was worth it with some of the old fizz coming back and the relationship was rekindled.....once again Alty became a trophy team to take down the pub and show off about......at the moment we are having severe problems once again...I can barely stand to look at the old tart.....but I stick by her in the vain hope i can change her...that she will once again take an interest in her appearance and become sexy once more...but at the moment I just can't trust the bitch. I'm trying though coz divorce is such an admission of failure.
As the sad chav tarts say on Jeremy Kyle about their promising yet alchoholic cheating boyfriends........burraluvim.
I think that's as clear and concise and explanation as I can give...it sort of makes sense to me.
At least I'm not seeing anyone else.
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My Dad has been going for 40 years + and would always go on about Alty, the giant killing in the FA Cup and the "Glory Days". He finally took me when I was 7 - in 1985 to Alty vs Barnet - We won 2 - 0 and from there on I was hooked.
I moved out of the area for a while so missed some of the baron days when in the Unibond, but now travel regularly to watch home games.
I'd pick Alty over Man U, City etc everday of the week - There's more passion, conviction, distinction and at present there's that "under dog" type feeling that builds the anticipation in you for days before a match...
Alty have been my No 1 club since I was a nipper and will be for many more years to come!
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What I like about this thread and well done to Jacko for starting is that we have a lot of people with red&white blood who will continue to support this club. Who remember the good and bad but are still here. I'm a fairly 'new fan' but will love it when I can be saying "been watching Alty for 40yrs+) knowing that there will be people who will have just started watching Alty who will get hooked as well.
I also have never known so many replica top wearing people in the Town, or indeed younger fans at the games. Its great to see and long may it continue, imagine what we'd get if we were a top half side !.. The potential is there, especially with more and more people getting fed up with top flight football.
Altrincham FC is so much more than just watching a football match for 90mins.
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Threads like this are a good indicator of why we do what we do and they remind you that you are not alone in your madness.
I should point out that from 1987 to about 2000 we won exactly nothing, that makes people dedication all the more remarkable.
I love Jezza's comments comparing Alty to a woman.
On Saturday night I packed her stuff and put it in the garden. I've brought it back in now but its still in the hall, in the bin bags, and she is sleeping in the back bedroom. We are giving it another go.
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I first came with my Dad in about 1988 when we played Lincoln City in the FA Cup. I started going regularly in 1990/91 when it was free for kids to get in and never looked back.
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To take up on Gaz, I have been watching Alty over 40 years (43 actually).
I've told my tale about how I became hooked before so I won't bore you all with it again but suffice to say as a young teeneager (up to 13/14) I used to go to Maine Road and then look for games which were local when City were away as I had a grocers deliver round to do saturday mornings to pay for my hobby.
Even at that early stage, going to Old Trafford never came into the equation (Although I was there vs Everton in 1975).
It's impossible to put my finger on the one thing which makes Alty magic for me - there are so many.
In the early years of supporting them when I had a job, no wife, lived at home, game my mun a few quid a week and had (comparatively) a bit of disposable income, I used to travel all over - mostly on the coach - and had some gret trips out to bizarre places. Ashington, Frickley, Sandbach, Kirkby Town, Ellesmere Port Town, Great Harwood (Even Prestwich Heys to watch the reserves one week in the Manchester League as there was no other game and it was only 3 miles away).
In the old NPL, I never really expected us to win anything - although the ciup runs were fabulous - and it was well over a decade wasn't it between our last CL championship and the APL title.
I was never really worried about relegation - it just couldn't happen no matter how bad we were but the last decade has really put me straight on that score and made me appreciate what success we have had even more.
I'd be truly gutted if we went down this year especially as, it seems to me, that we are just on the cusp (financially and team-wise) of getting a team which can compete and stay in this division comfortably at last.
If we go down, we won't be back for a good few years I don't think and I'd hate to think I'd never see them up here and having a chance for L2 football at some time in my life.
Being an Alty fan - or any football fan - however is about being philosophical, cheering for the team, supporting them through thick and thin, not having a go, appreciating that for the most part, the players and staff want success as much as we do and are doing what they can in the best way they can to achieve it.
Most clubs are like this but at Alty there seem, fortunately, to be fewer of those who don't share that philosophy and thinking about it that's a great reason in iteself to be an Alty fan.
They've given me some irrepraceable cherished memories over the years;
Winning league titles (perhaps the first APL being the pick)
Winning cups too (Although the Leatherhead game was a dream, the CSC final second leg vs Witton where we overcme a 1-0 first leg deficit to win 3-2 on aggregate in from of, I think, over 8000 at Moss Lane was me favourite)
Going to Wembley 3 times
Whupping lots of League clubs (Sheff Utd me favourite closely followed by the 2 Blackpool games)
but my best moment was Macc 1, Alty 6 and then watching them recieve the CL trophy in front of an almost empty Moss Rose. How could that be topped? That was F**king superb!
Finally, to misquote the late Great Bill Shankly, Supporting Alty isn't the best thing, it's the only thing.
It's not a matter of life and death ... it's much more important than that!
Come on you Supers!
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First Match would have been Dover in 1999 when I moved to Hale - The Kevin Ellison era
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1st game of the 71-72 season, aged 9, home against Ellesmere Port Town. We won 4-2 and some old boy gave me a chocolate biscuit (dodgy geezer!)
My old man took me, I'd been having a kick about with a mate who suddenly went home because he was going to City with his dad. Feeling aggrieved I went home and asked my dad to take me. Being a red, my old man refused so took me to Alty instead. The rest is history but a close call eh?
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"but my best moment was Macc 1, Alty 6 and then watching them recieve the CL trophy in front of an almost empty Moss Rose. How could that be topped? That was F**king superb!"
I reckon I could have lived off that for about 10 years!
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"but my best moment was Macc 1, Alty 6 and then watching them recieve the CL trophy in front of an almost empty Moss Rose. How could that be topped? That was F**king superb!"
I reckon I could have lived off that for about 10 years!
Make it about 39 years, Ecky, and that's what I have been doing! :D
PS: The tight b*****ds didn't even produce a programme that night but I've still got the teamsheet from the game!
PPS: Thinking a little more about it, I'm not sure that they produced a souvenir programme for the title success and I wouldn't buy it! My memory's playing tricks after all those years. Still got the teamsheet though!
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i used 2 watch alty in the late 80's when i was in junior school, we had really good gates and top of the leage team we were flying, loved it, cant remember why i stopped going. a fair few years later i started lookin at alty's results in the paper and when they played eastbourne at stoke i decided to go down, ( bit ashamed, thought i was being a bit of a glory hunter) and loved it. i play football myself on a saturday so the last 3 years ive bin going to as many games as i can, but its gettin to the point where im duckin out most weeks to watch alty anyway, i was down in exeter, an ive just booked my hotel for weymouth, next year i will be watching every game whether it be premier or north, as i am to slow play the game my self
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Free tickets from school as well, took a break for a few seasons when I was at uni. Attended the most games when we were in the unibond and conf north. Most home games now only a few away due to family. However really recall the moment I was told that we hadnt gone out of business, and I have read a lot on here recently about ow we should be doing better, I'm just glad that we have a club to follow.
On the odd occasion been to watch Bradford, Huddersfield, Bury, Rochdale and Stoke. Just not the same, hopefully a moot point but if we were ever to go bust who would you watch?
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My dad starting taking me down to games as a kid...I'm still not speaking to him for that. :D
My mum took me down to a game once when I was about 2 or 3 years old in 1981 as dad was away driving a Shearings coach. Possibly if you don't know what I'm like this won't mak eyou laugh but my mum mentioned this at mum and dads anniversary party a while back. She was absolutely f**king startled that I could tell her we beat Trowbridge Town 4-0, that Leo Skeete scored and that we sat on the grass bank!!
I think that's correct, it's what I remember anyway.
My da took me to first Vics ALty game in 1983 with his mate Pete who is a Vics fan from Sale. We won 2-1 Davison pen and Graham Bennett who was my first hero. Just about caught all the good 1986 stuff. SHouldn't every father take his son to Wembley to watch his local team once in their life?
Became a ballboy when Ray Armstrong was going around asking for ballboys (there's a man who has put service into our club). Did it for years after that, spent most tuesday nights in the late 80's getting cup of tea from Keith Daveys snack bar for Jeff Wealands while he did sit ups in the rain whilst we attacked down the other (Golf Road) end. Had a close up view of some great goals, really remember how the ground used to smell, vimto, those sort of Candy bars from the snack bar, those weird balls with little blue umbro patterns on them, the fact that we always seemd to play 'Sweet Little Lies' by Fleetwood Mac on the tannoy.
Just got so many memories, the 1991 title winning season seale dit for most people. Virtually all my mates now, Ecky, Joe, Hughesy etc I've met through ALty but we've done so much following them that I can't remember not knowing them.
Had an awesome season in 94-95 when we hired a minibus and driver to every away game, real bond with those players, Andy Reid, Bomber HArris and co.
Like Ecky, done my share of painting and one thing I'll always remember is climbing into teh ground one night, I think we were going bust the next day, think it was me Exky, Pete and Lem, we just sat in an empty ground talking about everything we'd seen. Sad really I guess, but I always think of that and smile ruefully when some tool goes "yeh, but who do you really support?
Sorry lads, if you know, you know. If you don't, you don't matter.
Sorry for waffling on, the point I was going to make before I got carried away was the women/relationship thing. With lasses a relationship doesn't just come about, you don't automatically make each other happy. There has to be an 'us' element about it, shared ideals, hopes, dreams, investing together, making your home your own, sacrificing yourself to love so that in time you become one. It takes years of shared experiences and commitment and sacrifice ot make each other happy and even then it's no guarantee....
....Then there is Alty, forget all the above, if our collection of wankers can get that ball into the net once, just once more than some tossbag village outfit that your missus has never heard of that's it. That's it, I'm as high as a kite for about 4 days . No wonder women hate it, or at least my ex did, when they see it and how hyper you are. Don't want to go all luvvie on people but go and watch Fever Pitch, it's uncanny.
Anyway, point being that this is the best club in the entire f**king world by about a million miles. ANd although we're all weirdoes, and lets face it we're all absolutely barmy, I wouldn't swop it for the world. AS some of us said the other week. Let's not kid ourselves that we'll grow up or grow out of it and start doing something more constructive with our lives etc.
:-*
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Ballers,
Alty 4 Trowbridge Town 0: Saturday, 5th November 1983.
Oh, and Flynny's a weirdo....but I'm not!
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Its my home town club, simple as that. I love the ground, the team, the fans, the history, the atmosphere.
Of all the things I miss from home, going to Moss Lane is the biggest of them all.
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My Uncle took me in 1968 so I suppose I have an anniversary upcoming soon.
After that I sort of got hooked. My mates dad took us to Old Trafford once, he loved it and went back, I hated it and didn't!
Strangely never did the ballboy thing but started working as a steward when I was actually only just 17 but hey, it was a way of getting in to the little tea room/bar type thing under the stand that Ernie Fryers brother ran after the match.
I've made loads and loads of friends over the years including amongst the players. I really couldn't see any Premiership players interacting with the fans the same way as the 1986 players did at the Ashley can you.
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Ballers,
Alty 4 Trowbridge Town 0: Saturday, 5th November 1983.
Oh, and Flynny's a weirdo....but I'm not!
You are, you're as mental as the next one. You'll eb like David birch in twenty years wittering on about how good Tunnaclife was.
What we'd give for a run of gaols like Tunna provided us with around this time of the season in 1993 eh?
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I got into following Alty rather by default really. I'm from Stretford and as a kid I wanted to be a journalist, so I went to a game with the intention of writing a report for the Messenger. Unfortunately it was a crap 0-0 v Barnet and so, not surprisingly my report didn't get published! The added misfortune of that day was the fact that I became hooked to Alty! Talk about a double whammy! Why did I go back after such a dire game? I don't know. Today, I'm proud to tell people that I follow Alty. For one thing, it's different. Also, with a small club there is a greater sense of belonging - it's great to see the same faces week in week out. There's also the fact that as a club, we live in hope rather than expectation, and hope is just more interesting than expectation. Maybe these are some of the reasons why I went back - I try not to think about it!
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I got into following Alty rather by default really. I'm from Stretford and as a kid I wanted to be a journalist, so I went to a game with the intention of writing a report for the Messenger. Unfortunately it was a crap 0-0 v Barnet and so, not surprisingly my report didn't get published! The added misfortune of that day was the fact that I became hooked to Alty! Talk about a double whammy! Why did I go back after such a dire game? I don't know. Today, I'm proud to tell people that I follow Alty. For one thing, it's different. Also, with a small club there is a greater sense of belonging - it's great to see the same faces week in week out. There's also the fact that as a club, we live in hope rather than expectation, and hope is just more interesting than expectation. Maybe these are some of the reasons why I went back - I try not to think about it!
Hear hear
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My Dad used to drag me down in the 60's when I was knee high - can't remember much about those days apart from rolling down the grass bank at the chequers end. We moved away, first to Scotland and then back down to Cheadle. During the late 70's I followed Liverpool (mainly to annoy my Utd supporting Brother). My dad took me to see a Alty vs Liverpool XI freindly (78/79?), Then a few months later, the seeds being sowed, I caught the 371 bus on my own to watch Alty Vs Bangor City. I was amazed at the football and the characters - Kingy, JR, JJ, Barry Howard - but more importantly felt that I mattered to the club, rather than being a speck in a 40,000 crowd. Alty gave me an identity as a teenager, I was the Alty fan in my school.
But what a time to start my official career as an Alty fan. Months later we were playing Spurs in the cup, then into the Aliance Prem and more cup runs and two championships. When I look back at those days I can't belive we actually lost a few games. I couldn't get to many away games but was so hooked that I would save up by dinner money and on occasion walked from Cheadle to Alty and back.
Its not all been down hill since then. There is a lot to be proud about today- staying in the BSP and doing it in the right way (off the field), there is something special about Alty, not just the history, look at the amount of former players who still come back to watch - once Alty is in your blood, you're hooked for life
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I love threads like this.
Me and Gary Stuart were the Alty fans at Green Lane...up until our last year of school in 1991. Then the whole year turned into Alty fans for about six months....and me and Gaz were cult heroes.
I know exactly what Flagger M means when he says Alty gave him his identity as a teenager. Alty got me through many a teen crisis, whatever else came and went, Alty were there. Often awful..but never boring.
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I have no idea how I ended up an Alty fan really. We'd moved away before I went to my first game aged 7 (Alty3-2Weymouth 79-80). Dad had always followed Alty but we'd didn't go often because we were so far away. We did the big games - Wembley and cup matches but little else.
Moved to Wycombe in 85 and watched the Alty games there. 91 was a nightmare - upper 6th, Alty fan in Wycombe school. Still don't know how we lost that trophy semi final first leg. All I would say at the time was "we don't care, you can have the trophy we've done that twice but we'll win the league". Oh how I regretted that!
Only really got seriously into Alty with the advent of Altrinchamfc.com - with just teletext scores you don't really feel part of anything, just a casual how did we get on but with daily news of players, photos etc I got more interested. Started dragging Dad to southern games and we've got hooked (him for a second time obviously).
Despite only knowing two Alty fans (Dad and his brother) and only having been to Moss Lane a handful of times I find myself a lifetime member of STAR, abandoning my young family for trips to Exeter on my own to watch my beloved Alty. How the hell did that happen? Still, I'll be on here every Saturday we are out of travelling range, hunting around for biased local radio commentries. It's a strange thing and rather sad, but you just don't have a choice do you? Once Alty's got you, it's all over and your stuck with it for life.
Bath City would be a much more sensible option but I just can't do it - I only want them to do well so I can watch Alty play at Twerton Park......
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Graet thread
Starting watching 77/78 aged 11 used to get the bus from Helsby road to Alty (115 i think) Remember joining other fans climbing on one of floodlights when they brought the trophy home in 78 watched them till end season 81/82 going to Anfield to see the Liverpool match was the last big match i attended before joining the army in 82-91 didn't get to many games in those years.
Starting coming back regular in 1992 and was on the terrances till 1994 after the Wigan fa cup i became a steward and been doing the job since. Some one said to me resently at a match you can't be any Alty fan your a steward, I told them you don't think i doing it for the money :)
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a lifelong red, came to 1st alty game aged 43 august bank holiday 1998 with my son then aged6 against colwyn bay. 1-1 was the score from memory .got promoted to conference that year and won 2 other trophies. been mainly downhill since then ,but still attend home games with my son now aged 16 and his brother aged 8. There have been times when i have had chances to see Man u ,but go to see alty in preference . Watching alty is not just football, but a way of life : every corner of the ground is full of characters and you don't get a sense of that at old trafford or other big clubs.
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Grew up just over the golf course in Timperley and my first game was right at the end of 87/88, when we beat the Daggers 6-0 (I think) I would have been 7. I went quite a bit in the 2 seasons after that with my parents, sat in the Main stand but graduated to the terraces for the never to be forgotten 90/91 season. After that I saw pretty much all the home matches for the next 10 years with a fair smattering of aways. My old man had grown up a United fan but gradually as he took me he got more into the Alty and while he'll watch United on the box now he rarely misses a home game at Moss Lane. I left home to go to Uni in 2000 and this coincided with a few years in the Unibond wilderness and I didn't get down as often as I should, graduated and returned back with great timing for the Conference North Play off season culminating in that fantastic day at Stoke. Moved to London for work at the end of that season and now a fully paid up member of 'London Alty', hoping we manage to do it otherwise it'll be a lot trickier when every game is a few hundred mile round trip for us exiles next year.
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Even now the thing about supporting Alty ie a non mainstream club arouses interest. My work colleagues in Kingston-upon Thames, Palace, Spurs, Chelsea, Kingstonian, Man Utd(always one), Brentford fans, all now look out for Alty scores and I'm usually the first asked come Monday about the weekend game. They all know already before I turn up how we got on. A couple of them have attended SE games. Would I go to theirs, doubt it!
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I love reading the first matches that people went to or remember. i remember beating Dagenham 6-0 (I think Gary Stewart got a couple). Their keeper that day was Lloyd Scott a guy who had Leukeamia, last I heard he was the bloke who walked the London marathon in a divers suit in about 3 days the other year for charity.
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when i was a kid i wasnt wildly interested in football despite my dad taking me to old trafford in the late 60s, mainly because i was rubbish at playing it. i dont think it ever occured to me that you could go and watch games and enjoy it. somewhere along the line there were a group of kids in my year at alty grammar who used to go to alty every week, including some of my friends, so i went along and experienced a revelation. this was 1976.
i suppose i had it really easy compared to some of you because this coincided with the start of the succesful era. looking back i got into it really quick, going away a lot (it was reatively cheap on the coach then) i went to rotherham seeing us hammered 5-0 and went to all the trophy games including the quarter final at weymouth and the semi at scarborough. the years that followed were genius and i hardly missed a game for 3/4 years.
although i was at all the great games its not really them that i remember, more the silly away days at goole and worksop, at netherfield and great harwood. night games at vics where we would go in front of their main stand and carry out a 90 minute argument with the old blokes who stood there. going to weymouth midweek and arriving back in the middle of the night then going to school.
i hesitate to say it really, but i was quite a solitary child and alty allowed me to belong to something. i took (and take) great pride in the fans and their humour. i loved going to games and having a laugh with like minded people. i loved shouting daft things at the opposition, making up chants at school and trying them out on the saturday.in fact i really loved singing songs full stop. there is something liberating about bellowing at the top of your voice and not caring.
at one point we became the grass bank skins (grown their hair) and supported a journeyman centre half called graham tobin through thick and thin.
in 1982 i moved to london to go to college and although the early years were alright as i was living with another alty fan and at that time there were loads of local games and visits home, after my dad died i had no connection with alty any more and slowly i faded away to a game every now and then.
in many ways this message board has revived my interest because it keeps you in touch with what is going on
the other thing i would say is that i count myself incredibly lucky to have been around then. my twin obsessions are football and music and to be 15 in 1977, and then 17 in 1979 when manchester was the centre of the music universe, and your football team was kicking the crap out of allcomers.
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Absolutely brilliant and eloquent post Jim, very emotional too. Just what all this stuff is about.
Whatever happens over the next few weeks we will all remain and continue supporting Alty.
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Ballers,
Alty 4 Trowbridge Town 0: Saturday, 5th November 1983.
Oh, and Flynny's a weirdo....but I'm not!
Wibble!!! :-*
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Grew up just over the golf course in Timperley and my first game was right at the end of 87/88, when we beat the Daggers 6-0 (I think) I would have been 7.
I remember that 6-0 drubbing of Dagenham at Moss Lane in May 1988.
I have a feeling that game featured the debut goal for Alty of a certain Nicky Daws.
Flynny, help me out!
Dagenham had endured a wretched campaign and possibly our fourth goal was the hundredth league goal that they had conceded that season.
Its arrival was marked by a certain Scotsman in the main stand shouting "One Hundredddd!" in his best Tony Green from Bullseye voice.
(Why can I recall bizarre events like this from two decades ago and yet struggle to remember what I did yesterday? That's what watching Alty does to you.....).
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fantastic jimmy,
i can still, picture you alll moving from the left side to the grass bank, can you imagine that kids we had two/ three gangs of singers .
are lot thought your "Joe mercer said to joe harvey, have you heard of the north bank highbury? oh no said joe i dont Think so but i've heard of the grass bank aggro was FANTASTIC , tobin tobin tobin probably as loud as the lads that sing are now , but for the big games we all got together.
Having lived abroad for ten years i can also confirm that this board and the main sight really kept my passion going and i am currently probably at the most fervent i have been for 15 years or more.
could rattle on abut memories for ever Alty have been such an important part of my life
Jimmy, we have to do a drink and a match soon just to catch up cant do the 12th april as i am being best man for Crash Helmutt (Phil Hall)
recently got pissed with bertie volkswaggon , adolf blitzcrieg, and herr cut
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well here goes.. i started off as a liverpool fan mainly becuase ian rush was amazing and remember crying my eyes out when micheal thomas stopped them from winning the league, then i went to watch alty train with my mate in 1990 as i was bored and that was it, some nights they'd let us on the pitch to have a knock around in the goal mouth so we kept coming back, one night trianing was called off so we climbed in and played in the dark!!! i remember making string and paper banners up at scool to cheer the players up like
C-H-A-R-L-I-E!!! for charlie bradshaw, ricky harris used to give us a lift home too when it was cold too which says a lot, i admit i am immature and do get fanatical thats why i understand when i see even the most mature people acting like kids at moss lane but perhaps thats what makes the club great.
never forget the clive freeman belter thats my favourite goal of all time to this day.....it was just a straight rocket into the underside of the crossbar, none of this dipping that todays footballs do,man i'll tell you that ball would have still been goin! anyway we looked class that night with paladino stopping everything chester had to give,
in recent years i also love to watch real madrid and am lucky to have seen zidane(the best player of my generation by a country mile) play in the bernebeu 3 times which was worth every penny, but i would swap it with promotion for alty to the football league undoutably!
i too have had a word or two with myself over alty...especially after a 1-0 unibond home defeat to guiseley in particular but i just cant shake moss lane off to this day!!!!
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Grew up just over the golf course in Timperley and my first game was right at the end of 87/88, when we beat the Daggers 6-0 (I think) I would have been 7.
I remember that 6-0 drubbing of Dagenham at Moss Lane in May 1988.
I have a feeling that game featured the debut goal for Alty of a certain Nicky Daws.
Flynny, help me out!
Dagenham had endured a wretched campaign and possibly our fourth goal was the hundredth league goal that they had conceded that season.
Its arrival was marked by a certain Scotsman in the main stand shouting "One Hundredddd!" in his best Tony Green from Bullseye voice.
(Why can I recall bizarre events like this from two decades ago and yet struggle to remember what I did yesterday? That's what watching Alty does to you.....).
I think that you are right that Nicky Daws scored his first Alty goal in that game, however I can't be 100% certain.
V. of D's "One Hundred!!!!!!" was indeed the memorable archive moment from that game!As long as he is heckling someone he is happy!!! ;)
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My Dad was evacuated from Trafford Park to his mothers family in Byrom Street during the war, he stopped watching Man U and started going to Alty with his Uncle Albert (who lived in Brown Street) who had followed Alty from a boy. When I was 4, he started taking me (Cheshire League champions), although I still remember with foot stamping annoyance him not letting me go to a home match against Wigan the saturday before Christmas 1968 (we lost 3-0) or the FA Cup match against Crewe. I went to live in New Zealand for 3 years in 1969, and came back to discover Jackie Swindells was gone!! We arrived back at the end of the 71-72 season and I saw one match - a 5-2 home victory against Lancaster City - and my endearing memory of that game is a slim skillful boy in the Alty midfield who would frequently get booted up in the air. And every time this happened, the popular side grumbled "Bloody Hell Heathcote". I saw my first away match at the beginning of the 72-3 season, a midweek trek to Ellesmere Port: a 2-2 draw. I saw 29 matches that season and a similar number in 73-4. And shamefully only a handful of matches in 74-5 (all the FA Cup matches though!) and only one in 75-6. I came back into the fold in 76-7 for the 1-0 FA Cup win over Grantham, went to Rotherham and was hooked despite the 0-5 drubbing. I saw every match after that with the exception of a couple at the end of the season where there was no coach. Over the next few years you couldn't keep me away, missing about 6 matches over the next three seasons (a 5-1 defeat at Gateshaead and a 6-1 win at Barrow stick in the memory as games missed). Left school early to go to White Hart Lane and couldn't believe it when Jeff equalised.
Went to University in London in 1980 but still saw 44 matches in ithe 80-81 season. In 81-82, I slept under a railway bridge after hitching to Worcester from London for a Friday night game (we lost 3-4) and then hitching down to Trowbridge for the Saturday match (won 2-0).
Continued in a similar vein until 86-87 season when I got engaged, and bought a house in Kent. Domestication took over and the nearest I got to a game was almost going to Maidstone for JJ's last match in charge - the 2-7 defeat. Moved to Paris in 1990 - our last game before I left was the 1-2 in the FA Cup at Huddersfield. Came back for the weekend of the home defeat to Wycombe: so whilst I remained out of the country Alty were undefeated - it's all my fault!
Moved back to the UK in 92, and got back on the bandwagon in 1994 with a trip to Slough for a 2-0 win as Kingy took over - and I've seen us every season since, including 15 matches in both the last NPL season and in the Conference North, I was working in Nottingham and it was only a 160 mile round trip for a midweek game! I've changed jobs since and therefore find it more difficult - my ony game this season (so far!) was at home to Burton Albion.
I've started taking my kids whenever I can - and I guess if they were asked which team they support they'd say Alty - and my elder son continues the Bath Alty theme by being the only Alty fan at John Hampden Grammar School in Wycombe!
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For someone with such a bad memory i can recall the 6 0 drubbing of Dagenham and can confirm that a very young Nicky Daws,perm and all did score his first Alty goal that day. Also remember Ian Johnson scoring for some reason!
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Went to see them bring back the FA Trophy on my Grifter (I'm on the video!) at Moss Lane in 1986. Then my school (Stamford Park) got some free tickets after a tour of the dressing rooms. I can still remember running down the tunnel and being amazed.
Went with the tickets in 86-87, then went and paid from 87-88 onwards. About 1989 they were looking for people to help tidy the ground, I went down and ended up spending my whole six weeks hols there doing painting and stuff. I had more on me than on the pillars. The club gave me a season ticket and I was hooked. Went Northwich away for a couple of seasons, then my first proper away game to Wycombe on the train in 1990.
From Slough away in 1991 to Harrogate away 2004 I never missed a game home or away in any competition. I am very proud of that. Then family came along and priorites had to change (not without a fight but thats another story). Now attend 99% of home games and as many aways as money, family and work will alllow.
In between that I helped setup the supporters association, been a director, commercial manager, pa announcer, gateman, steward (once), coach organiser, forked the pitch, painted the ground five times, and been supporters team manager.
Never let it be said that the kids tickets and schools stuff are not important.
is that all?
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I've just read this whole thread and it's certainly been a good read, very interesting.
As an outsider whose path has crossed with you only for a few seasons now in the league I think you have something really good going on at Altrincham. You make people feel welcome, both home and away fans, you don't have any idiots to spoil peoples' enjoyment of the game, you've got a decent ground where you can actually see what's happening on the pitch, you charge sensible money to get in, you've got a good matchday programme, you've got approachable directors and club officials who care about the club and will happily stand and chat to people and listen to their views, and all in all it's the best away day in my opinion in the Conference.
I suppose to a lot of you, you have stopped even noticing all of those things because it's your club and it becomes the norm. But as a visiting supporter I cannot fail to be impressed with your club and, for a change this season, you've done the business against us on the pitch too.
I think I speak for a lot of people at other clubs in the Conference when I say that I hope to be visiting Moss Lane again next year and welcoming your supporters here in York for another noisy, boozy and boisterous evening!
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I got into watching the Alty round about the early 90's through my grandad. He used to follow Alty as he was born and lived on Byrom Street and used to cycle from Ashley to every home game in the 60's.
He used to take me to as many games at home as possible and I remember seeing Martin O'Neils (I think) Wycombe at Alty. I continued to come to Moss Lane until A-Level and uni studies forced me to get a part time job. I missed a lot of the promotion season due to ill health and got my first season ticket the following season. Since then I get to the majority of home games and as many away games as health etc wil let me get to.
One for the people on here who have better memories then I have, one of the first games that I remember was a pre-season friendly against Stirling (Albion?). Can anyone remember what year that was?
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I got into watching the Alty round about the early 90's through my grandad. He used to follow Alty as he was born and lived on Byrom Street and used to cycle from Ashley to every home game in the 60's.
He used to take me to as many games at home as possible and I remember seeing Martin O'Neils (I think) Wycombe at Alty. I continued to come to Moss Lane until A-Level and uni studies forced me to get a part time job. I missed a lot of the promotion season due to ill health and got my first season ticket the following season. Since then I get to the majority of home games and as many away games as health etc wil let me get to.
One for the people on here who have better memories then I have, one of the first games that I remember was a pre-season friendly against Stirling (Albion?). Can anyone remember what year that was?
August 1991....the 3rd I think.
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I wasn't there but that was a rather momentous friendly was it not?
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My first game was last home game of 93-94 season. Was only 7 at the time, so me dad took me to see if I could last 2 hours at a football match not causing havoc. So a 0-0 draw against Halifax was perfect way of testing it!!!
It was only during the Unibond title season that I attended regulary,and started going away in about 2000.
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to see if I could last 2 hours at a football match not causing havoc. So a 0-0 draw against Halifax was perfect way of testing it!!!
If that is the Halifax game I am thinking of then you causing havoc would've been the last thing on stewards minds or anyone else's.
Sheesh! :o
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I wasn't there but that was a rather momentous friendly was it not?
Andy Armour & Ecky leading the sit down protest at John King's resignation.I was on holiday in Looe in Cornwall reading the Sunday paper on the beach when I read the following sentence tucked away in an article on the general happenings the day before in the lower leagues.
"John King, who almost led Altrincham into the Football League in May,resigned before yesterday's pre-season friendly with Stirling Albion".
I know how Roy Scheider felt in Jaws now!!! :o
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letsbyavenue my first game was also colwyn bay in 99, but didnt really watch a game again until maybe 2001 in the unibond. Don't know why but i kept coming and still do. ( I chucked in a season ticket at man united to watch alty and havent once regretted it)
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I wasn't there but that was a rather momentous friendly was it not?
Andy Armour & Ecky leading the sit down protest at John King's resignation.I was on holiday in Looe in Cornwall reading the Sunday paper on the beach when I read the following sentence tucked away in an article on the general happenings the day before in the lower leagues.
"John King, who almost led Altrincham into the Football League in May,resigned before yesterday's pre-season friendly with Stirling Albion".
I know how Roy Scheider felt in Jaws now!!! :o
Ah, that infamous friendly against Stirling Albion!
A friend arrived at the game just after half-time and nonchalantly asked me: "Has anything happened then?"
He was rather startled when I replied: "Yes, we are 3-0 up; Kingy has resigned and there's been a sit-down protest on the pitch during half-time."
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i'm actually quite proud of this thread, i reckon everyones story is good on here :)
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I moved from London to Altrincham in October 83 and watched Alty a few times in 1984 if I had nothing better to do. In 1985 I started going more often but my weekend was never ruined if they lost.Then in 1986 my wife talked me into going to Birmingham for the FA Cup 3rd round tie ( I wasn't too bothered about going as I thought they would get thrashed.) Well that was it. I went to York in the 4th round and I was completely hooked, and have been ever since.
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My Grandad took me to my first game in about 1971/2 aged 3 and that was that. Not sure of my earliest memory as they all tend to fade into each other, but it's probably the FA Trophy semi at Runcorn in 1978.
Helped found SAFE in 1995, moved to London in 1996 just in time for our relegation season, moved back to WA15 in 2003 and got back into owning a season ticket.
Founded London Alty with JTH and Rocky during a trip to Gainsborough in 1997/98 and our local away games were Frickley, Worksop and Gainsborough. Not like the glory days that today's London Alty enjoy with trips to the likes of Grays and Crawley!
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My Dad used to take me to Alty every now and again throughout my early teenage years, think my first game was Northwich around 93? Also remember watching us at home to Dover around the same time and they literally had a man and his dog on the away terrace!
Basically then stopped going when I went to uni and I started to play on a Saturday every week, lost touch a little bit with what was going on for a few years, although I always used to look for the score in the paper. Anyway due to having a bad back I stopped playing Saturday football this season and that has resulted in me going down to watch Alty, alot of the time on my own! However my mate who I started bringing along has now started to come more regularly and has stopped going to watch United as he has fallen in love with the Robins!
One quite nostalgic / sad memory is when me and a friend were stood behind the away goal against Northwich when we were about 13 and being mouthy little teenagers my mate threw a snowball at Dean Greygoose (I think it was). Anyway the steward came over and threatened to kick my firend out etc, he is now sadly no longer with us, but for some reason it's one of the abiding memories I have of him.
I absolutely love following Altrincham and feel a genuine affinity to the players and fellow fans. I would rather stand in the pop side on a freezing cold Tuesday night than sit in some soul - less 80,000 all seater stadium watching millionares round around diving any day of the week!
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I wasn't there but that was a rather momentous friendly was it not?
Andy Armour & Ecky leading the sit down protest at John King's resignation.I was on holiday in Looe in Cornwall reading the Sunday paper on the beach when I read the following sentence tucked away in an article on the general happenings the day before in the lower leagues.
"John King, who almost led Altrincham into the Football League in May,resigned before yesterday's pre-season friendly with Stirling Albion".
I know how Roy Scheider felt in Jaws now!!! :o
Cheers Flynny I remember the sit down protest, but being only 10 at the time, I didnt know what it was about though!!
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I moved from London to Altrincham in October 83 and watched Alty a few times in 1984 if I had nothing better to do. In 1985 I started going more often but my weekend was never ruined if they lost.Then in 1986 my wife talked me into going to Birmingham for the FA Cup 3rd round tie ( I wasn't too bothered about going as I thought they would get thrashed.) Well that was it. I went to York in the 4th round and I was completely hooked, and have been ever since.
Please let me have your wife's number as I need a word!!! ;)
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I moved from London to Altrincham in October 83 and watched Alty a few times in 1984 if I had nothing better to do. In 1985 I started going more often but my weekend was never ruined if they lost.Then in 1986 my wife talked me into going to Birmingham for the FA Cup 3rd round tie ( I wasn't too bothered about going as I thought they would get thrashed.) Well that was it. I went to York in the 4th round and I was completely hooked, and have been ever since.
Please let me have your wife's number as I need a word!!! ;)
VATICAN 2136547 (ask for Sister W.)
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I moved from London to Altrincham in October 83 and watched Alty a few times in 1984 if I had nothing better to do. In 1985 I started going more often but my weekend was never ruined if they lost.Then in 1986 my wife talked me into going to Birmingham for the FA Cup 3rd round tie ( I wasn't too bothered about going as I thought they would get thrashed.) Well that was it. I went to York in the 4th round and I was completely hooked, and have been ever since.
Please let me have your wife's number as I need a word!!! ;)
VATICAN 2136547 (ask for Sister W.)
A good place to repent for previous ungodly acts!!!
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Paddy Pheonix, Ernie Taylor were some of the players I remember early 60's , my brother use to take me to watch Alty on a saturday and the White and Swales on a sunday (i think in the manchester amateur ) and if I remember correctly they wore the same kit/?
Being from Rigby Street we were a cock stride away and many a saturday afternoon spent watching Alty win draw lose whatever! And then all of a sudden we were the best non league team in the country beating everyone we had players like Albert Quixall coming down and then the likes of Johnny Worth, Neil Dewar, Jimmy Brown,Clive Colbridge and the great real and only real Alty legend Jack Swindells (and we still don't have anything named after him I think that guy did as much for Altrincham football club as White & Swales?).
I think the game that clinched me as a regular was our 3-2 FA Cup replay against Bangor at Alty before we got floodlights it was as most replays were a midweek early kick off. I think Felix Reilly was skipper and scorer? (historians help).
Following year it was Home and away on Altrincham coachways (my schoolmate got us free tickets) Witton, Macc, Wrexham, Wigan, Stockport, Northwich, Runcorn (good team) Buxton, Sankey and so on.
Good Thread!
Reading all these posts just re-iterates that we really need to stay in this league -it is where I believe we belong! but we need to deserve it, it is not a devine right.
Do we need another White & Swales? What did they do that made it happen ?
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I moved from London to Altrincham in October 83 and watched Alty a few times in 1984 if I had nothing better to do. In 1985 I started going more often but my weekend was never ruined if they lost.Then in 1986 my wife talked me into going to Birmingham for the FA Cup 3rd round tie ( I wasn't too bothered about going as I thought they would get thrashed.) Well that was it. I went to York in the 4th round and I was completely hooked, and have been ever since.
Please let me have your wife's number as I need a word!!! ;)
Brian,
Be fair, if you were VofD's wife, wouldn't you try to talk him into going to Birmingham at every opportunity?!
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Grew up as a child in the area behind the Hare & Hounds - spent my youth in the Hare & Hounds/Moss Hotel !!!.
First went to Moss Lane when I was 6 in 1963 with 2 of my mates Tony Cooper and Richard Barker who were a bit older than me, for a 3-3 draw with Mossley. Johnny Mitten was our star striker in those days and the Moss Lane pitch looked like Southport Beach. Then my Dad took me to Alty matches to get us away from the house so my Mam could sleep as she was a nursing sister on nights at Wythenshawe Hospital. The Golf Road was uncovered in those days and we had a great Goalkeeper called Mick Smyth before he went back to Dublin and went on to play for the Republic of Ireland. I remember lots of banners in those days - and supported on poles. The Jackie Swindells era was our most romantic. First away match was during the Jackie Swindells era - a 4-1 thrashing of Vics after we were 1-0 down at half time. The 70's and early 80's were our most successful with annual love affairs with the FA Cup. The day after we lost 6-1 at Burnley I went to live in South Africa and stayed there for 23 years keeping in touch with Alty via the Pink/Exiles newsletter before the advent of the internet. Once travelled from Joburg to watch us beat Blackpool in the FA Cup. Spent a short time in London during our great FA Cup run in 1986 and went to Blackpool again, Birmingham and York. Came back to live in Redhill 3 years ago and have been to most Alty games in the South over the last 3 years and now bring my 5 year old son with me who I am already brainwashing into supporting Alty. Just hope we stay up and have games to take Robbie to next season. No matter where I have lived am still Alty through and through.
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Paddy Pheonix, Ernie Taylor were some of the players I remember early 60's , my brother use to take me to watch Alty on a saturday and the White and Swales on a sunday (i think in the manchester amateur ) and if I remember correctly they wore the same kit/?
Being from Rigby Street we were a cock stride away and many a saturday afternoon spent watching Alty win draw lose whatever! And then all of a sudden we were the best non league team in the country beating everyone we had players like Albert Quixall coming down and then the likes of Johnny Worth, Neil Dewar, Jimmy Brown,Clive Colbridge and the great real and only real Alty legend Jack Swindells (and we still don't have anything named after him I think that guy did as much for Altrincham football club as White & Swales?).
I think the game that clinched me as a regular was our 3-2 FA Cup replay against Bangor at Alty before we got floodlights it was as most replays were a midweek early kick off. I think Felix Reilly was skipper and scorer? (historians help).Following year it was Home and away on Altrincham coachways (my schoolmate got us free tickets) Witton, Macc, Wrexham, Wigan, Stockport, Northwich, Runcorn (good team) Buxton, Sankey and so on.
Good Thread!
Reading all these posts just re-iterates that we really need to stay in this league -it is where I believe we belong! but we need to deserve it, it is not a devine right.
Do we need another White & Swales? What did they do that made it happen ?
From the programme in my archives:
Wednesday, 20th October 1965
FA Cup 4th Qualifying Round Replay
Kick-off: 3.00pm
Altrincham 3
Pat Connolly; Felix Reilly (2)
Bangor City 2
Tony Coleman (2) (I presume that this is the winger who went on to play for Manchester City?)
After Extra Time (Full Time: 2-2)
Attendance: 4,800.
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Think it was Charlie Mitten (ex Man U) as i remember him being player-manager in the early 60's. Not sure when I started watching Alty but guess it was about 1961. My Grandad, whom I never knew, did work for the club as I have a clock on the fireplace which they presented him for service from 1930 to 1948 (maybe some of the older fans can tell me what he did as I can't ever recall my dad telling me!!). My dad lived at the white house opposite the ground which is now the nursery and I remember him taking me to games before the W&S years. I remember us getting stuffed 7-1 at Macc and all the Alty fans giving Paddy Fagan grief......I think he may have been player-manager at the time.
Remember many of the names already mentioned but I always recall Don Cooke who was going to be a massive local star but I think he got injured and never really made it and I always have this memory of a Scottish centre forward called Harvey McCreadie, if my memory serves me well, who was awesome in the air!!
Loved the Swindells era whilst at school and got plenty of my mates from school to come and watch at the time, however, in autumn 67 one of my mates returned the favour and took me along to the Kippax and I was hooked on watching City from then on. What a year to start watching them as I was up at Newcastle on the last day of the season to see them win the league.
Came back to watching Alty in the early 70's but went back to City in 79 and ended up missing the League Championship wins!! Returned again in 94 I think when my wife suggested I go and watch City with my niece's husband but I saw that Alty were playing Kiddy who were champions but hadn't been allowed promotion. I've been coming ever since and have been a season ticket holder for about 10 years and my oldest daughter became thr fourth generation Alty fan in the Read family when she started watching about 8 or 9 years ago!!
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just a thought but i think it would be nice if someone could put skippers story on here