ceredigion Posted 9 February 2016 Posted 9 February 2016 If, like me, you grew up supporting LCFC in the 1970s, 80s and 90s, you will think of London as a barren wasteland, a place utterly devoid of comfort, fond memories and, most importantly, league points. A bewildering and threatening metropolis, visits to which were almost always accompanied by feelings of abject despair and unhappiness as you drove back up the M1, having witnessed yet another pathetic defensive display or, what was sometimes even worse, a last-minute home winner which snatched away that miracle of miracles, a draw and a point in the capital city. With a crucial visit to Arsenal looming this weekend, I thought I'd revisit our Div 1/PL record at London grounds during my lifetime to see if it really was as bad as I thought, or whether memory was playing tricks on me. To my surprise, our record in London was even worse than I had imagined. Read on and weep. Season and Div 1/PL games in London: 1971/72 - P5 W0 D2 L3 1972/73 - P5 W1 D2 L2 1973/74 - P5 W1 D2 L2 1974/75 - P5 W1 D2 L2 1975/76 - P4 W0 D3 L1 1976/77 - P4 W0 D1 L3 1977/78 - P3 W0 D1 L2 1980/81 - P3 W1 D0 L2 1983/84 - P4 W0 D0 L4 1984/85 - P5 W0 D1 L4 1985/86 - P5 W1 D1 L3 1986/87 - P7 W1 D0 L6 1994/95 - P7 W0 D1 L6 1996/97 - P5 W2 D0 L3 1997/98 - P6 W1 D1 L4 1998/99 - P6 W2 D2 L2 1999/00 - P5 W1 D1 L3 2000/01 - P5 W2 D0 L3 2001/02 - P6 W0 D1 L5 2003/04 - P5 W0 D2 L3 2014/15 - P6 W0 D0 L6 Grand Total P106 W14 D23 L69. Under the 3 points per win format, that's 65 points from a possible 318. Reduced to a 38 game season, it equates to about 7 points. Truly abysmal. But things are looking up. So far this season we've played two league matches in the Great Wen and won them both. Claudio Ranieri has a chance to become the 1st LCFC manager to win 3 top-flight games in London in one season since at least the 1960s and possibly since the dawn of time as well as recording a positive record. Even a draw against Arsenal, Crystal Palace or Chelsea will ensure him an equal record in London, which we only achieved once in all those seasons above. I'm sure many supporters on here will have recollections of London matches which left you cursing, kicking the cat and swearing never to go back to the place again. But maybe not this season.
whetstonefox Posted 9 February 2016 Posted 9 February 2016 One of the worst experiences in London was not a top flight game but FA Cup match at Millwall during the Pleat era, 1991 I think, 1-0 up after 90 minutes and lose 2-1, a horrible day during a horrible period.
st albans fox Posted 9 February 2016 Posted 9 February 2016 Remember vividly youngy doing his knee on the plastic at QPR. Was never the same player again.
Gary Eatfood Posted 9 February 2016 Posted 9 February 2016 One of the worst experiences in London was not a top flight game but FA Cup match at Millwall during the Pleat era, 1991 I think, 1-0 up after 90 minutes and lose 2-1, a horrible day during a horrible period. That was truly awful. We played them away in the league very close to that game and lost that too. Millwall wasn't a happy hunting ground for Leicester back then.
1972 Fox Posted 9 February 2016 Posted 9 February 2016 Yes we normally came away without any points. And you were also lucky if you got away from most of the London grounds without a kicking in the 70's & 80's.
Gary Eatfood Posted 9 February 2016 Posted 9 February 2016 Remember vividly youngy doing his knee on the plastic at QPR. Was never the same player again. I remember Heskey making his first appearance at QPR in the 94/95 campaign. We lost that game too.
Mayofox Posted 9 February 2016 Posted 9 February 2016 Went to a night match at Millwall in 1979 (I lived in London at the time). The atmosphere was really menacing, we lost of course, and I left 5 mins before the end to slink off into the shadows, watching my back. Mind you, I was there at Fulham when Ian Wilson got "that" goal in 1983,
steveherbe Posted 9 February 2016 Posted 9 February 2016 Yes we normally came away without any points. And you were also lucky if you got away from most of the London grounds without a kicking in the 70's & 80's. I never got a kicking in Landon - then again, I was a fookin quick runner as a lad!
trabuch Posted 9 February 2016 Posted 9 February 2016 What about the play off semi-final v Wimbledon at Selhurst Park - that led to some pretty good times?
ceredigion Posted 9 February 2016 Author Posted 9 February 2016 Not top flight games, but my own worst moments came in the 1993/94 season. Went to the Charlton and Crystal Palace away games and we lost them both to last minute winners. It's a while ago now but I'm pretty sure I was physically sick outside one of the grounds on the way out. Back then, experiences like that didn't just ruin your weekend, they left an aftertaste which it took months, sometimes years, to erase.
BoyJones Posted 9 February 2016 Posted 9 February 2016 What about the 5-0 win in Charlton, will always stick in my mind. 1-0 at Fulham, 2-0 at QPR. Obviously had some dire results, but always looked forward to playing in the smoke. We won some really important games down there.
Fox42 Posted 9 February 2016 Posted 9 February 2016 How we managed to lose to QPR last season will forever baffle me...
kushiro Posted 9 February 2016 Posted 9 February 2016 Chalton away in 1992 - remember that, at Upton Park? 10,000 plus city fans completely took over two sides of the ground. We lost of course (when a win would have sealed automatic promotion, right?)
PAULCFC Posted 9 February 2016 Posted 9 February 2016 Millwall new years day under Sven took some beating......but then FA CUP at Charlton So we are due one.other way round of course!
drofmor56 Posted 10 February 2016 Posted 10 February 2016 I remember the 5-0 at Charlton...got there about 10-15 mins late...said to the guy on the turnstile whats the score he replied 3-0 to Leicester... really pleased we were winning..gutted that i had missed the goals
Kitchandro Posted 10 February 2016 Posted 10 February 2016 What about the play off semi-final v Wimbledon at Selhurst Park - that led to some pretty good times? League cup.
ceredigion Posted 10 February 2016 Author Posted 10 February 2016 Chalton away in 1992 - remember that, at Upton Park? 10,000 plus city fans completely took over two sides of the ground. We lost of course (when a win would have sealed automatic promotion, right?) Yes I was at that one too. I think that day we needed 4 points from our last 2 games to go up, so we couldn't have gone up that day whatever happened. But we lost the game and then lost the next weekend 1-2 against Newcastle when Steve Walsh scored at both ends in stoppage time and that was that. Cambridge then Blackburn in the play-offs followed.
Dan Posted 10 February 2016 Posted 10 February 2016 We do have an absolutely criminal London record, but it's 100% in the league so far this season.
act smiley Posted 10 February 2016 Posted 10 February 2016 Remember vividly youngy doing his knee on the plastic at QPR. Was never the same player again. On a similar note, Tunchev at Crystal Palace in the Cup.
dayday Posted 10 February 2016 Posted 10 February 2016 One of the worst experiences in London was not a top flight game but FA Cup match at Millwall during the Pleat era, 1991 I think, 1-0 up after 90 minutes and lose 2-1, a horrible day during a horrible period. Yes awful day not helped by a shit ref, who sent Walsh and Ramsey off if I can recall. Mate had a big gash above his eye from a coin thrown from a Millwall fan.
The Year Of The Fox Posted 10 February 2016 Posted 10 February 2016 The title of this thread got me thinking it was a tribute to The Flying Scotsman
HighPeakFox Posted 10 February 2016 Posted 10 February 2016 One of the worst experiences in London was not a top flight game but FA Cup match at Millwall during the Pleat era, 1991 I think, 1-0 up after 90 minutes and lose 2-1, a horrible day during a horrible period. God yes, and 2 sending offs to boot.........hideous experience.
Fox92 Posted 10 February 2016 Posted 10 February 2016 I've seen some dire performances in London ... But some great ones too. Most successful place I've been to in London is probably Loftus Road. Never seen us win at Millwall or Palace. Very excited for Sunday, first trip to the Emirates and would definitely take a point. We never seem to do anything away at Arsenal though results wise. Remember when Dickov scored at Highbury I thought we were going to upset their unbeaten season.
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