The Big Match Revisited

[stanistheman]

Brian Moore was a great commentator and a gentleman, unfortunately, at present I am listening to that utter #### Carraghar commenting on Spurs v West Ham, he who spat at a 12 year girl.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yAo6SNt4lLg

Yes, football was far better back then for many reasons.

Today’s commentators don’t commentate on the football, but have a conversation with their co-commentator. It is so irritating.

[loftbalcony]

Cracking thread, been similar before but I love threads like this, I used to get in early and stand at front of the "balcony" area in front of the tea hut (hence my username) loved it there from the, age of about 13, was there for a much postponed game v arsenal at night, arsenal gathered behind the goal at the loft end and the loft Boys were at the top to my right with the tea bar to their left, I can still feel the terrace steps vibrating as the fans ran at each other, the sound of doc martens on concrete terracing was frightening but exciting at the same time, 3 years later I was doing the same in loft v Charlton!!
As for the big match, loved it, Brian. Moore had a book out before everybody started doing it, great read, he loved cricket funnily enough.

[Abseits]

I never went near the seats - I viewed the concept of sitting down at footy as unmanly.

[stanistheman]

Drinking alcohol in the stands was allowed as was smoking.

[wormholt]

I can't remember, and I was too young to drink, but could you ever take a pint of ale onto the loft? I can vaguely remember booze being banned from anywhere you could view the pitch from but I can't actually remember the stands/terraces being a sea of pints before that ban????

yes, terracing and seats.

[Abseits]

I can't remember, and I was too young to drink, but could you ever take a pint of ale onto the loft? I can vaguely remember booze being banned from anywhere you could view the pitch from but I can't actually remember the stands/terraces being a sea of pints before that ban????

[stanistheman]

I have been watching the Big Match Revisited for over a year now and love watching the game as it was ; a contact sport played within the rules (boundary at times) , with fun and on those wonderful muddy pitches and sometimes on snow. It wasn't all about money and it was overall a very enjoyable game. A pity the game will never go back to that.

[72bus]

If u bought a hot drink and stood in the loft and we scored you'd have to throw it in the air , the drinks were so hot you'd burn your hands if u tried to hold on to them . Used to sit on top of the cafe when I was about 11/12 if a copper asked us to get down we'd pretend we couldn't hear him

[QPRDave]

Spot on Dave

[cross it Dave]

Brian Moore was a great commentator and a gentleman, unfortunately, at present I am listening to that utter #### Carraghar commenting on Spurs v West Ham, he who spat at a 12 year girl.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yAo6SNt4lLg

Yes, football was far better back then for many reasons.

[QPRDave]

Restored your faith in people and Rs in particular bhujio I should imagine.

[bhujio]

Yeah I'm glad you never let the racists drive you away.
Must've been very intimidating

On a better note,
a few years later,(sorry terrible with dates) away at Reading and 2 of our own fans started the racist abuse.
Unbelievably as some of our fans began to recognise us they stepped in and actually threw the two morons out.
At half time the drinks were on me.
ended up paying around £ 400.00 but worth every penny

[SheepRanger]

The Big Match was how I got into QPR from rural West Wales. Watching this eventually got me to the point where I refused to go to the chapel for Sunday School as well !!!

[QPRDave]

I also remember getting serious racist abuse from Leeds fans at ours, ( no segregation ).
They had won the first division title.
Went home half time as could not take it anymore and wetting my pants.
I'm glad i did not give up.

Yeah I'm glad you never let the racists drive you away.
Must've been very intimidating

[wormholt]

I also remember getting serious racist abuse from Leeds fans at ours, ( no segregation ).
They had won the first division title.
Went home half time as could not take it anymore and wetting my pants.
I'm glad i did not give up.

that game was pretty hairy mate, especially when the final whistle went and a few qpr ran on the pitch towards the halfway line, leeds came on in their thousands, and a reluctant retreat by the loftboys and back on to the loft terrace.....comical really, but it was their day.
sorry to hear about the abuse mate.