How does your 'football memory' work?

[cher1]

Inspired by something UTM said on another thread, I'm fascinated by how people remember football matches.

Can you remember all the games you've ever been to? Just which games? Or more details such as the scores, who played, who played well (or badly)? Have you got a picture in your head of the play leading up to each goal - and the goal itself?

I can't remember much about the details of games, sometimes not even the score (not sure if that's good or bad, probably good!) but I do remember odd moments almost like snapshots, and, often, how I felt. So weird moments like chatting to Cheltenham supporters in the pub and them taking us to the ground because we didn't know where it was, where we went for a drink afterwards, I remember we won and feeling chuffed, but no idea what the score was.

I remember going to the loo at an away game and being berated by a woman from the supporters club because apparently it was my fault Billy Dearden had been sacked (!).

Man Utd supporters climbing the floodlights, throwing fencing.

Being chased out of the ground at Millwall. They commemorated some supporters (4 iirc? who had died in a car accident) at that game too.

Going to Palace and sitting in the home end, my dad jumped up every time we scored.

But did I go to a particular game 23 years ago, and if so, the score and scorers, no idea really.

Is there a difference between how the male and female memory works, or is it just a completely individual phenomenon?

[Elite_Pie]

Inspired by something UTM said on another thread, I'm fascinated by how people remember football matches.

Can you remember all the games you've ever been to? Just which games? Or more details such as the scores, who played, who played well (or badly)? Have you got a picture in your head of the play leading up to each goal - and the goal itself?

Most games I've forgotten, but I still have vivid memories of certain goals going back 40 odd years. Goals like Les Bradd's 89th minute winner at the City ground where most of us were leaping in celebration almost before he made contact. We knew Big Les didn't miss those! I remember going mental at Elland Road when Ian Scanlon scored, and the shock and delight when Brian Stubbs powered in a header to equalise against Palace at Selhurst Park on our first match back in Division 2 (now the Championship).

[slack_pie]

Interesting question! Like you, I just remember moments rather than whole games or specific results. They are just snapshots that became etched in my mind, for whatever reason. Here are a few that spring to mind now.

My dad lifting me onto the terrace in what is now the Family Stand and then us having to leave early because it was a Tuesday night and I had school the next day. I think it was against Wimbledon in the early 90s, and I think we drew 1-1.

Sitting behind the goal and looking out over a building site on what now must be the Pavis, and someone behind me saying 'At this rate, we'll have the best ground in the Third Division.'

The penalty shootout against Southend in the Anglo Italian semi-final - and the resulting pitch invasion.

Darren Ward pulling off a miraculous save away at Lincoln. I think we won 0-1.

Alex Dyer scoring a goal and running the length of the wing in celebration - the season he won Player of the Year.

Newquay away in a pre-season friendly. Asking Danny Allsopp how many he scored after the game and him not knowing. Then having a pint with Billy Deardon in the clubhouse afterwards.

Chelsea away when we were on the brink of going under and being asked by a kid after the game why we don't have any money and are so rubbish. And how proud I felt right then to be a Notts fan.

Weird how some memories stay forever despite not seeming that important or memorable. Lord knows how any of that stuff works.

[countygump]

Most games I've forgotten, but I still have vivid memories of certain goals going back 40 odd years. Goals like Les Bradd's 89th minute winner at the City ground where most of us were leaping in celebration almost before he made contact. We knew Big Les didn't miss those! I remember going mental at Elland Road when Ian Scanlon scored, and the shock and delight when Brian Stubbs powered in a header to equalise against Palace at Selhurst Park on our first match back in Division 2 (now the Championship).

I'm the same. The games I do vividly remember are those from when I was a kid/young man. The 21,000+ at ML when Hateley returned and we beat Northampton 1-0. Our first match when we returned to the top flight Villa 0-1 Notts and of course the Bradd winner at the City ground.

[SwalePie]

I remember bits and bobs and unusual moments...

Having a pre-match snowball fight at Saltergate with a goalkeeper (Cherry? Leonard? Mimms?). Standing on a scruffy terrace at Feethams with a friend talking inexplicably about llamas. Being locked in after a game at Molyneux waiting to be allowed out of the ground. A memorable sinking feeling on the supporters bus back from Bootham Crescent. Rachid Harkouk hitting a free kick through a gap in the wall after our player jumped out of the way (no idea who against!). Watching Notts take Brighton apart in an away cup game and being stuck in a corner almost unable to see the game. Notts having to change and wear Huddersfield's away kit (IIRC) at Leeds Road. Harding's goal against Boro to take us to Wembley. Some referee disallowing goals and robbing us of a clear victory over Spurs. Sitting on my godfather's shoulders when he took me to my first match, against Tranmere in 1973. Being evacuated from the Main Stand when it started smoking, not long after the Bradford fire I think. These and many, many more.

I can remember lots of the games I attended more for the fact that I 'know' I was there than for the actual details of the game much of the time.

[i961pie]

I remember being hit in the face and getting knocked out by a wayward shot against Bath City.
Viv Anderson putting through his own goal at the City ground.
A mistake by Dave Needham gifting Charlie George a goal against Derby.
Terry Blys penalty that bobbled 3 times before going wide.
And Scanlons goal against Leeds.

[ncfcog]

I remember games when I'm reminded of them. otherwise it is more to do with experiences I've had following Notts. Being a young man in the late 70s and through the 80s means I attended most games a bit worse for wear. however, I remember having a bet with a mate away at Rotherham in one of the Warnock promotion seasons (3-1 win?) that I could get the Notts fans to sing You'll never Walk Alone. I know, don't ask me why. We had a big following that day and can confirm everyone joined in.

[durhampie]

Ian Scanlon scoring from a Steve Carter cross against Leeds United in the 1975 3rd round of the League cup at Elland Road...

[cher1]

Ian Scanlon scoring from a Steve Carter cross against Leeds United in the 1975 3rd round of the League cup at Elland Road...

Can you see that in your head Durham? Like a replay? Wish I had that sort of memory.

Slack - your story about Danny Allsop made me laugh. We were at that game too, and congratulated him as he came off for scoring however many goals I thought it was (maybe I said 5?). He was dead indignant and said no that wasn't right, he'd scored one more than whatever I'd said. Maybe he'd had a beer by the time he told you he didn't know how many he'd scored!

Don't half miss the pre season tours, they don't seem to be a thing any more.

[upthemaggies]

I had a job briefly working in a place where they played a radio station over the PA all hours and the highlight of everybody's day was the "guess the year" game when they'd play three songs from one particular year. I completely ruined it because I got it right every single time without fail including years before I was born, very rarely needing to hear more than the first few bars of the first song. They must have been mighty relieved when I quit.

There was a time when I could have rattled off the result of every Notts game I attended in the correct order (I could probably still do that for the first two or three seasons), but from around 1995 I haven't retained much information about anything, largely as a result of two or three years of very heavy substance abuse.

I would almost always make the association between something odd happening and the fixture and result, for example an opposition player desperately clambering into an empty upper section of the old main stand in the dying minutes of the game to retrieve the ball and then taking the throw himself only for the player he threw it at to miss-kick it straight back to where he'd fetched it from - Birmingham City home 1993/94 season won 2-1.... or the old guy who stood behind us absolutely raging like his life depended on it at the linesman to change the orange ball to a white one in the fog - Bristol City home 1986/87 season won 2-0.