What If?

[Woodsetts_Pie]

Wow, great question
The one that stands out by a country mile is Notts 3 Sheffield Wednesday 3, the Ian Scanlon Hat-trick game. Great game, great times, great team... I was in the Main stand aligning the penalty area line at the Meadow Lane end, so saw all 3 of Scan's goals.

[Woodsetts_Pie]

And a close second is the 5-3 away win at Lincoln in the Farrell - Jones era.

[ncfcog]

Great thread!

Revisit - Notts 2-0 Cambridge 1981, last game of the season on a Tuesday night and a promotion party after winning at Chelsea on the saturday, pitch invasion to top all pitch invasions and celebrations that continued all the way in to town and slab square.

Would have loved to have been at Villa first game of the following season, beating the Champions at their place was just nuts. I would really have loved to go back to any game late 1800's, would be a surreal experience and would be interesting to see just how much the game has changed over the years.

[Stan Marshall]

My revisit would be the victory at Elland Road against Leeds. I’d like a repeat of the match but not the journey back to the station. Have never been so scared at a football match in my life!
The game I really regret missing was our famous victory at Stamford Bridge to gain promotion to the top tier.
Happy days eh!

[upthemaggies]

You mean the 3-1 in April 1990

Had we gone on to snatch automatic promotion after that match, it would have been remembered as one of the greatest nights of all time at Meadow Lane. As it was, it became eclipsed in a matter of a weeks by the Bolton Semi-final (also a night match). We didn't play anything like as well v Bolton as we had v Rovers but getting to Wembley for the first time made that night more special. The atmosphere at both games was as good as I can remember at the old Meadow Lane.

Munto and the best days since have been more of a party atmosphere with many more fans joining in with the singing, but the old pre-Heysel/Hillsboorogh Meadow Lane crowds had that edge, a sense of danger, the real thing. The peak for atmosphere was probably the 1970s.
I'd be prepared for a disappointment with the Lawton era because, despite the numbers, I imagine the crowds to have been less engaged and more passive during that period, but the 1950s was always being compared to the 70s/80s when I was growing up, maybe it wouldn't have been such a civilized time compared to today. The fitness and skill of modern day players is probably at an all time high but the over officiating and the "family friendly" atmosphere is killing it for me.

[lunaspie]

In the past - It would be amazing to see Notts play at Trent Bridge and I'd be fascinated to see how the crowd reacted in those days (were there any chants? what sort of language would they use to direct disapproval at the referee - "I say old chap, put your monocle in!".

Queen Victoria could have scored that.
You're going home in a horse-drawn hansome cab.
Always leave your night soli on the R*d side of the Trent.

[magpie_mania]

Game attended: Notts 2 Everton 0, 1975ish League Cup

Not attended: Play-off final v Tranmere

[nw6pie]

Had we gone on to snatch automatic promotion after that match, it would have been remembered as one of the greatest nights of all time at Meadow Lane. As it was, it became eclipsed in a matter of a weeks by the Bolton Semi-final (also a night match). We didn't play anything like as well v Bolton as we had v Rovers but getting to Wembley for the first time made that night more special. The atmosphere at both games was as good as I can remember at the old Meadow Lane.

Munto and the best days since have been more of a party atmosphere with many more fans joining in with the singing, but the old pre-Heysel/Hillsboorogh Meadow Lane crowds had that edge, a sense of danger, the real thing. The peak for atmosphere was probably the 1970s.
I'd be prepared for a disappointment with the Lawton era because, despite the numbers, I imagine the crowds to have been less engaged and more passive during that period, but the 1950s was always being compared to the 70s/80s when I was growing up, maybe it wouldn't have been such a civilized time compared to today. The fitness and skill of modern day players is probably at an all time high but the over officiating and the "family friendly" atmosphere is killing it for me.

The great thing about the old Meadow Lane is that you didn’t need a big crowd (lucky for us) to create a great atmosphere. I can remember a cracking atmosphere for a League Cup tie against Shrewsbury where we came from 3-0 down (in the first leg) to pull it back to 3-3, with less than 3,000 in the ground. There was always something special about those midweek night matches. Just listen to the frenzy when Stantv “scores” in that clip against Bristol Rovers.

[pingu_pie]

The game I loved the most was an odd one. We beat Bristol Rovers 3-1 at home in a midweek game 1989 At the time it was revenge for going out in the cup to them and it looked at that time like we’d then go on and romp the league we played so well that night.

Notts vs Aston Villa 1981 would love to have seen that game. Back in the top flight and to beat the champions. Or if I had a second choice, any game when we had Lawton and Sewell playing.

Oh man... I am 99% sure that that was my first ever game. I know it was the Gasmen, I remember sitting on what were wooden benches in what would be the top corner of the Pavis stand now nearest the Kop, I remember thinking how amazing this whole football thing was and how my dad must support the best team in the world as we won so easily. I even remember jumping up and shouting when we hit the side netting as I thought we had scored another, and considering how I barely remember anything from my childhood, it shows just how much Notts meant in my life. Of course, it's also one of those games that cannot even begin to prepare you for the misery of being a Notts fan.

It's hard to pick one game; I think the games I have loved the most are the ones which are just plain bat-**** crazy, or the rare occasions when hope without hope paid off. So games like Barnsley on Boxing Day, or even that 3-3 draw at home to Cambridge under Nolan where we came back from 3 down and it really seemed like we could be invincible - the way the Kop exploded when Forte equalised, it's those moments that keep you coming back. The mad occasions, too - that 4-2 loss at Stamford Bridge when we were going bust but the fans outsang Chelsea the whole damn night (and went mental when Tony Barras made it 1-1) Weirdly, I would throw in some absolute shockers too; long bus rides home on the supporters coach singing Button Moon (still don't know why) when we were smashed 4-0 at Hartlepool and were relegated (that day, I think) while the fans did the conga; the insanely long trip back from Plymouth when Stall missed a one on one early and we then got spanked 3-0. Even - yes, really - leaving my work Xmas party to run down the Lane to see us lose 5-0 to Macclesfield, and then going back to the party having been one of the few still sat there when they scored the last (penalty, hat trick to Sam Parkin I think). It's all that stuff that made me proud to be a Notts fan, and enjoy the rare good times. We aren't Man U fans.

But I will pick one; Yeovil Town, top of the league, Notts near the bottom, Tuesday night, absolute torrential rain as soon as we got off the bus 90 minutes before kick off, no cover on the stands, and it never let up. Win 3-1, with that Stefan Oakes goal, and outclassed them all night. Unexpected, a long journey, insane Notts fans ripping their shirts off and dancing topless in the rain, Not being warm or dry for more than 8 hours, with my mate. You just never know when you're gonna get a night like that.

Historically? I wrote this before; I think I was at the Sir Charlie Palmer match... but I have zero memory of it, to the point that I don't even know if I was anymore. So that, just in case. If not that, either playoff final - I wasn't allowed to go to either game, for reasons unknown but that I am yet to forgive my mother for!!!

[BigFatPie]

The great thing about the old Meadow Lane is that you didn’t need a big crowd (lucky for us) to create a great atmosphere. I can remember a cracking atmosphere for a League Cup tie against Shrewsbury where we came from 3-0 down (in the first leg) to pull it back to 3-3, with less than 3,000 in the ground. There was always something special about those midweek night matches. Just listen to the frenzy when Stantv “scores” in that clip against Bristol Rovers.

Jeez I remember that Shrewsbury game, can’t remember what season it was(Warnock? ) first round of the league cup. Pulled it back to 3-3 then they scored in extra time, lost 4-3 on aggregate.

It was a rubbish crowd but cracking atmosphere.