Gary Willard

[red flagged]

When it comes to bearing grudges you'll be surprised to learn that the pecking order goes Red Flagged, your average elephant, then Mrs Red Flagged.!!

I can't ever see March out without remembering the game that saw us lose three critical players to red cards on the day and suspension thereafter - and therefore for me, see us relegated.

We were in the Ponte End, couldn't believe what we were seeing from the ref. Phil Babb whispering in his ear the whole game, hardman Ince bottling it against Shezza.

Who was there ? And what do you remember ?

[animallittle3]

I remember the most toxic atmosphere inside Oakwell that I'd ever experienced .

I also remember dropping on a ****age Liverpool fan at the bottom of Regent's Street after the game absolutely shyting himself and separated from his mates and taking him under my wing whilst the mayhem died down , the kid was in serious trouble and hardly his fault the afternoons events had transpired as they did , the lad stuck out as only away fans can do if you can read the body language .

I remember thinking the game was up and we were going down despite our upturn in form and as good as anybody in the bottom 6 .

Something wasn't right about that game and it bugs me to this day , first time I realised things aren't possibly as they seem at that level and certain clubs weren't wanted .

[pass_and_move]

We went down cos we weren't quite good enough. Simple as that. That liverpool game was a turning point though no doubt about it. No conspiracy theory from me, just a ref that completely lost the plot. He gave us a penalty for nowt which folk forget about

[Redstew]

I remember at one point, Willard picked up the ball and started heading for the tunnel. Both managers looked at each other with puzzled looks and both arms out, as if to say,.......wtf is he doing. Happy days eh.

[animallittle3]

We went down cos we weren't quite good enough. Simple as that. That liverpool game was a turning point though no doubt about it. No conspiracy theory from me, just a ref that completely lost the plot. He gave us a penalty for nowt which folk forget about

It just planted a seed in my mind pass , some of the top players around that era such as Shearer and Ince seemed to get away with blue murder whilst Adie Moses and Shezza were far easier to red card .


There was also some questionable betting patterns around that time too coming from asia , it had me wondering about big money and the game .

That day certainly killed our pig and took the wind out of our sails because we looked capable of avoiding the drop up until that day .

[red flagged]

I remember at one point, Willard picked up the ball and started heading for the tunnel. Both managers looked at each other with puzzled looks and both arms out, as if to say,.......wtf is he doing. Happy days eh.

Ye I remember that, not a word to either manager he just took his ball home for a bit,he'd obviously lost the plot by that time and needed to give himself some breathing space. We've seen some poor, biased refereeing at Oakwell but none more so than that day.

Now I've definitely never subscribed to the point of view expressed by many tarn fans that there was some sort of anti BFC conspiracy going on as we weren't wanted at that level. I remember reading at the time that we were everyone's second team, the Rocky Balboa of Premier League football. I know wherever I went wearing tarn colours folk wanted to wish us well.But - the bloke definitely seemed to have an agenda.

When Hristov scored the equaliser I really thought that we may hang on, gutted when Babb scored the winner.

Can't remember who the Liverpool manager was that day ?

[animallittle3]

Ye I remember that, not a word to either manager he just took his ball home for a bit,he'd obviously lost the plot by that time and needed to give himself some breathing space. We've seen some poor, biased refereeing at Oakwell but none more so than that day.

Now I've definitely never subscribed to the point of view expressed by many tarn fans that there was some sort of anti BFC conspiracy going on as we weren't wanted at that level. I remember reading at the time that we were everyone's second team, the Rocky Balboa of Premier League football. I know wherever I went wearing tarn colours folk wanted to wish us well.But - the bloke definitely seemed to have an agenda.

When Hristov scored the equaliser I really thought that we may hang on, gutted when Babb scored the winner.

Can't remember who the Liverpool manager was that day ?

Roy Evans I think .

[pass_and_move]

Roy Evans I think .

Correct Animal Roy Evans. It was Mcmanaman who scored winner and Redders who equalized from the spot after hristov dove for the pen.

Tha reight abart likes o shearer and the like. However, on the flip side the refs sent off the likes of Roy Keane and big Duncan Ferguson regular. I just think we were an easy target as tha sez. One that got me was the Mike riley non penalty when gary Neville chopped darn liddle knee high at old Trafford- scandalous decision.

[red flagged]

Correct Animal Roy Evans. It was Mcmanaman who scored winner and Redders who equalized from the spot after hristov dove for the pen.

Tha reight abart likes o shearer and the like. However, on the flip side the refs sent off the likes of Roy Keane and big Duncan Ferguson regular. I just think we were an easy target as tha sez. One that got me was the Mike riley non penalty when gary Neville chopped darn liddle knee high at old Trafford- scandalous decision.

I'd been treated to a day at Old Trafford by a supplier for that game Pass, I got my first warning to stay sitting down after leaping up when Hendrie scored. But that was a blatant penalty and I couldn't contain myself from leaping up and shouting penalty ! at the top of my voice when Liddle was brought down right in front of where I was sitting.
Both the ref and liner couldn't have missed it, but who was going to hand little Barnsley a penalty at Old Trafford and risk the wrath of Sir Alex ??!!
He could control time back in the day after all.

[animallittle3]

I'd been treated to a day at Old Trafford by a supplier for that game Pass, I got my first warning to stay sitting down after leaping up when Hendrie scored. But that was a blatant penalty and I couldn't contain myself from leaping up and shouting penalty ! at the top of my voice when Liddle was brought down right in front of where I was sitting.
Both the ref and liner couldn't have missed it, but who was going to hand little Barnsley a penalty at Old Trafford and risk the wrath of Sir Alex ??!!
He could control time back in the day after all.

He gave a goal in the replay instead flagged when Hendrie was clearly a couple of yards offside before he smashed it home for our first goal .