Millwallawayveteran1988
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Always easy to look back with rose tinted glasses.
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Bernard Halford
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Millwallawayveteran1988
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That game was the tightest packed I can remember on the kippax.I was in the Maine Stand, hundreds without a seat, sat and stood on the steps...how did that happen ?
Did Maine Road even have 35,000 seats at that stage?
The Wigan play off round immediately before had an attendance of 31,305 at Maine Road including the pie eaters.
It is a fundamental principle that for finals should have an even split of tickets. You can’t pick and choose which matches it should apply for.
Our first match in division two against Blackpool ( I was there ) was apparently sold out and the attendance was 32,134. By the time we were due to leave Maine Road our capacity was just over 35,000 I believe. This might have been down to the addition of the Gene Kelly stand.
I understand the reasoning the football league gave with the ticket allocations, they didn't want us vastly outnumbering the Gillingham fans and giving us an unfair advantage. Fair enough but I don't think they could have complained if they got 36,000 given that was 6 times their average attendance. They would still have had great backing and our larger fanbase could have been accommodated. Tickets for that final were like gold dust, I know as I was told no chance when I asked usually good sources if they had any spares. We could have sold Wembley out on our own that day.
Over 11 hours for me.Ha, yes great memories. After the 7 hour queue outside I remember the queue snaking into the stadium and there was some very dark humoured graffiti written on the walls by frustrated fans. One was along the likes of ‘Another Bernard Halford promotions/organised event’ and another, with a political twist of the day ‘7 more hours to the Kosovan border’.
Millwallawayveteran1988
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Think I got in the stand about 45 mins before kick off and their end was full. No late entry for them. Our end on the other hand was about 30% full at that time with most fans either in the pub, on the concourse drinking or queuing to get in.Our first match in division two against Blackpool ( I was there ) was apparently sold out and the attendance was 32,134. By the time we were due to leave Maine Road our capacity was just over 35,000 I believe. This might have been down to the addition of the Gene Kelly stand.
I understand the reasoning the football league gave with the ticket allocations, they didn't want us vastly outnumbering the Gillingham fans and giving us an unfair advantage. Fair enough but I don't think they could have complained if they got 36,000 given that was 6 times their average attendance. They would still have had great backing and our larger fanbase could have been accommodated. Tickets for that final were like gold dust, I know as I was told no chance when I asked usually good sources if they had any spares. We could have sold Wembley out on our own that day.
The pubs around Wembley were just full of City everywhere.
It was just a great day. Shit performance but alls well that ends well!
Was never an Oldham fan. He worked for them, but City were his club. I played football with and knew his son.Never get the fuss about him. He was a long serving employee, and that’s it. Always seemed like something of a Swales lapdog. How he became a supposed City legend is beyond me; ticket office was worse than it is now when he was responsible for it. Actually thought he started out as an Oldham fan too? (Nothing wrong with that but not the basis of City legend)
franksinatra
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Over 11 hours for me.
Pretty sure I did 11/12 but I reckon I got to queue inside the ground after about 7.
Definitely NOT an Oldham fan. 100% CityHe always denied that emphatically. Said it was cos he was from Failsworth some accused him of being a Biffo.
Pub we used to see him in every week (The Horseshoe, Droylsden Rd, Newton Heath) had a rag owner then, (and another one now, lol) and many rag customers. To be fair he stood his ground against them when they tried being snide about City.
Always easy to look back with rose tinted glasses.
Very true. On that final, I'd heard we'd got some extra tickets and they were going on sale. I'd no idea if it was true but I tried to ring the club to find out. As usual I got the engaged tone so got down there as fast as I could. When I arrived a fair few fans had heard the same rumour but nobody at the ticket office could confirm or deny it. Good old Bernard turned up and our hopes were raised as he had a briefcase with him. He totally ignored us and disappeared inside. After a few minutes they pulled the shutters down on the windows. After we banged on them and kicked off they opened the door ajar and told us there was no extra tickets. The cunts could have told us that from the off.
Think I got in the stand about 45 mins before kick off and their end was full. No late entry for them. Our end on the other hand was about 30% full at that time with most fans either in the pub, on the concourse drinking or queuing to get in.
The pubs around Wembley were just full of City everywhere.
It was just a great day. Shit performance but alls well that ends well!
Yes awful scrappy performance. I remember when that Taylor goal went in with something like four minutes to go we were all in stunned silence and disbelief. I couldn't fucking believe we'd done all the hard work then blew it against fucking Gillingham. A truly horrible feeling. The rest is history.