As a twelve year old I remember visiting Oakwell for a bonfire night extravaganza when top of the league Middlesbrough came to town in the old division two.
Choice was either to go and watch the firework display in beer garden of the Kendray Hotel or go to the match. Hmm, no brainer so I set off on mi tod walking to Oakwell via a strange route when I think back. It was down Neville Ave then over the railway lines at Stairfoot and onto the black path as i knew it back then. It's now part of the trans pennine trail. Almost pitch black it was at times with only the beam of the Oakwell floodlights casting any kind of light between the trees to guide me. The boom of the fireworks also in the night sky made that walk quite eerie. Feck knows why I went that way, youthful naivety at its worst!
As I drew closer to the end of the black path on Oakwell Lane, and back to civilisation, the ground became more prominent and you could see the mist rising from the pitch above the old brewery stand roof and the away fans chanting and my anticipation grew. I'd been to Oakwell a few times but this time, being on my own, it felt different.
We had a decentish side back then although our start under Mel Machin that season had been bad. The summer had seen the departure from the club of some influential players. The likes of Steve Agnew, Carl Tiler and Clive Baker had left Oakwell and bedding in our new signings had proven difficult and we found ourselves in the bottom 3 on that bonfire night. However, we'd brought in some good players like Redders and Steve Davis as well as my boyhood hero David Currie returning to the club, so I kind of knew that we were likely to get out of trouble as the season wore on. Still, as we were facing a Boro side that night who were challenging for promotion, I wasn't expecting too much result wise that night as I entered the old brewery stand.
The crowd must've been 6 or 7 thousand and Boro had brought their usual ample following. In the Boro side were some household names, Stuart Ripley, Tony Mowbray, Bernie Slaven, Wilko and Hendrie spring to mind. Of course, we'd see the latter two in the Red of Barnsley a few seasons later.
We won the game that night going 2 nil up via a very neat finish from Andy Rammell and a set piece with big Gerry Taggart steaming in at the near post. Buzzing. Aif time and the stench of the pyss behind the Brewery stand
I chose that view incidentally because tha'd get a close up of whichever way the Reds were kicking switching ends to suit. First aif we were kicking towards the co-op ground so I took my place stood up near the away fans and the Boro supporters weren't best too pleased being 2 nowt darn. Nasty barstewards. Quite intimidating to witness being 12 years old.
Second aif they came on strong as tha'd expect and got a goal back but we managed to see it through. I wo chuffed to bits. A walked ooam via a more sensible route, went to bed and the day after at school, i told my Liverpool, Everton and Man United supporting mates what a great night I'd experienced. They didn't seem all that interested. In fact, they ridiculed me turning their noses up at the likes of Barnsley but I didn't care, I was growing into a proper fan.
That were the thing back then, the big hitters would come calling and we seemed to turn em ova. Oakwell was never an easy place to come to back then, especially on a cold night. As I say, we took some good scalps back then and it seemed so sweet.
Today, I look back to 32 years ago with a glint in my eye and a smile on my face. My memories of my beloved football club. They were the nights that made me fall in love with the club. As I watch my kids enjoying the fireworks tonight, I'm so glad I chose to go it alone to Oakwell that night in 1991
Reply With QuoteOriginally Posted by pass_and_move
As a twelve year old I remember visiting Oakwell for a bonfire night extravaganza when top of the league Middlesbrough came to town in the old division two.
