worth_the_wait Posted 30 January 2020 Share Posted 30 January 2020 I reckon we dodged a bullet on Tuesday night. I'll explain why in a moment, but first let me digress ... In 1985 we drew Millwall away in the FA Cup 5th round. They were a 3rd Division club at the time, and it was their biggest game since they had lost at home to Ipswich Town in the Quarter Finals 7 years earlier. Anyway Millwall fans had a bit of a reputation. Millwall's F-Troop, Harry the Dog, and all that rubbish courtesy of a BBC Panorama 1977. We'd played them in the 2nd Division 1978-79 and nothing much happened. And besides it was the likes of West Ham and Chelsea you had to look out for in those days. So we decided Millwall's reputation was over-hyped and nothing much to worry about. Me and a few mates had it all planned ... cans on the train, hit the Old Kent Road, pub crawl all the way to the ground. Nice. Unfortunately the original Saturday game got called off, so our happy day drinking in Bermondsey/Deptford/Lewisham was curtailed. In the end, we had to catch the football special to New Cross Gate on the Tuesday night. There, we were met by what seemed like a couple of hundred police, dogs and horses. And they took us to the ground, past lots of dodgy pubs with some seriously unfriendly-looking characters all outside. No kids, just proper hooligans in their 40's and 50's. Mean flats in the background, sirens wailing, intimidation filled the air, you wondered if we would even get to the ground in one piece. And we had been planning to waltz down here on the Saturday and merrily drink our way to the ground! The only place we would've ended up in, was the local hospital. It still makes my blood run cold just thinking about it. We "dodged a bullet" that day, and I've never forgotten it. Fast forward 35 years ... I reckon we dodged another bullet on Tuesday night. Nothing to do with getting our heads kicked in, mind. Something much worse. And something that would have made us an laughing stock for years to come. When Villa scored their winning goal, most of our support decided that was it and left. I must say, I can't really blame anyone for leaving. It felt like the last kick of the game, the Villa fans were going absolutely berserk, the noise was deafening, and you knew in a few seconds they would be on the pitch taunting us. But it wasn't the last kick. We went up the other end of the pitch, and won a free kick in a dangerous position. Maddison territory. Last chance gone, then it really was all over. Imagine if that free kick had gone it. The few remaining City fans left in the ground would have gone mad. Then imagine if the 50/50 toss of the coin had decided the penalties were to be taken at our end of the ground. And on TV, the penalties would have been taken in front of a 2/3 empty stand, that had been pretty much full a few minutes earlier. That image recorded for poterity would've been of the worst, most spineless disloyal fans in the world, who deserted their team in a local derby semi final when they were only a goal down. It would've been played a million times around the world - with everyone pissing themselves laughing. We might think our away support is not very good at the moment, but at least the whole world doesn't know it! People still laugh about the Man City fans who left early in 2012 when they needed 2 goals to win the league. But that's not obvious from seeing the action on the TV. We dodged a bullet on Tuesday night. Rejoice! btw - If you're interested in that 1977 Millwall Panorama documentary: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wko197t1zEc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TiffToff88 Posted 30 January 2020 Share Posted 30 January 2020 What a load of nonsnse. Are you really suggesting that we were lucky that we didn't push them to penalties because there was a 50/50 chance that those penalties might be taken infront of a few empty seats? 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
syston_fox Posted 30 January 2020 Share Posted 30 January 2020 4 minutes ago, worth_the_wait said: That image recorded for poterity would've been of the worst, most spineless disloyal fans in the world, who deserted their team in a local derby semi final when they were only a goal down. It would've been played a million times around the world - with everyone pissing themselves laughing. We might think our away support is not very good at the moment, but at least the whole world doesn't know it! People still laugh about the Man City fans who left early in 2012 when they needed 2 goals to win the league. But that's not obvious from seeing the action on the TV. I'd rather have had a day out at Wembley than care what a few kids on twitter think thanks! 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dooflip Posted 30 January 2020 Share Posted 30 January 2020 Still makes me sick to see fans leaving early week in week out. Often when we are winning too or a goal behind or level. I understand it a bit more if we are getting thumped and giving no effort ala Liverpool. Not real fans. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Footballwipe Posted 30 January 2020 Share Posted 30 January 2020 Bunch of rambling nonsense. Has @fuchsntf been advising on on how to write posts and waste everyone's time? 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crisp packet Posted 30 January 2020 Share Posted 30 January 2020 Tvs on the concourse, If we had scored that stand would Filled up quicker than a var review Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mazarron fox Posted 30 January 2020 Share Posted 30 January 2020 I think we may have dodged a bullet for a different reason. Yes had we won we would have had a final to look forward to but that might disrupt our league form along with if we took a 3 or 4 goal beating at Wembley the confidence could have been shot. Our focus needs to be in cementing a champions league spot and then we can give the later stages of the FA cup a real go and as the later stages are towards the season end it wouldn’t be a distraction Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Oxlong Posted 30 January 2020 Share Posted 30 January 2020 12 minutes ago, worth_the_wait said: I reckon we dodged a bullet on Tuesday night. I'll explain why in a moment, but first let me digress ... In 1985 we drew Millwall away in the FA Cup 5th round. They were a 3rd Division club at the time, and it was their biggest game since they had lost at home to Ipswich Town in the Quarter Finals 7 years earlier. Anyway Millwall fans had a bit of a reputation. Millwall's F-Troop, Harry the Dog, and all that rubbish courtesy of a BBC Panorama 1977. We'd played them in the 2nd Division 1978-79 and nothing much happened. And besides it was the likes of West Ham and Chelsea you had to look out for in those days. So we decided Millwall's reputation was over-hyped and nothing much to worry about. Me and a few mates had it all planned ... cans on the train, hit the Old Kent Road, pub crawl all the way to the ground. Nice. Unfortunately the original Saturday game got called off, so our happy day drinking in Bermondsey/Deptford/Lewisham was curtailed. In the end, we had to catch the football special to New Cross Gate on the Tuesday night. There, we were met by what seemed like a couple of hundred police, dogs and horses. And they took us to the ground, past lots of dodgy pubs with some seriously unfriendly-looking characters all outside. No kids, just proper hooligans in their 40's and 50's. Mean flats in the background, sirens wailing, intimidation filled the air, you wondered if we would even get to the ground in one piece. And we had been planning to waltz down here on the Saturday and merrily drink our way to the ground! The only place we would've ended up in, was the local hospital. It still makes my blood run cold just thinking about it. We "dodged a bullet" that day, and I've never forgotten it. Fast forward 35 years ... I reckon we dodged another bullet on Tuesday night. Nothing to do with getting our heads kicked in, mind. Something much worse. And something that would have made us an laughing stock for years to come. When Villa scored their winning goal, most of our support decided that was it and left. I must say, I can't really blame anyone for leaving. It felt like the last kick of the game, the Villa fans were going absolutely berserk, the noise was deafening, and you knew in a few seconds they would be on the pitch taunting us. But it wasn't the last kick. We went up the other end of the pitch, and won a free kick in a dangerous position. Maddison territory. Last chance gone, then it really was all over. Imagine if that free kick had gone it. The few remaining City fans left in the ground would have gone mad. Then imagine if the 50/50 toss of the coin had decided the penalties were to be taken at our end of the ground. And on TV, the penalties would have been taken in front of a 2/3 empty stand, that had been pretty much full a few minutes earlier. That image recorded for poterity would've been of the worst, most spineless disloyal fans in the world, who deserted their team in a local derby semi final when they were only a goal down. It would've been played a million times around the world - with everyone pissing themselves laughing. We might think our away support is not very good at the moment, but at least the whole world doesn't know it! People still laugh about the Man City fans who left early in 2012 when they needed 2 goals to win the league. But that's not obvious from seeing the action on the TV. We dodged a bullet on Tuesday night. Rejoice! btw - If you're interested in that 1977 Millwall Panorama documentary: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wko197t1zEc Not worth the wait Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Munshi Posted 30 January 2020 Share Posted 30 January 2020 (edited) What the **** have I just read? Anyone leaving early deserves to miss an equaliser if there was one. Edited 30 January 2020 by Munshi Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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