For you older folk

[Sir Alec of good Stock]

Ealing Broadway Station with my grandfather on a Saturday evening waiting for the Evening News and Evening Standard Classifieds to arrive.
Half time scores on boards around Craven Cottage to be followed by the high tech electronic scoreboard at the Hammersmith End.

I was at Hanwell back then Sir, was that paper not coloured pink? 

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Hmm, that's challenging my memory, particularly as I see everything in black and white!

[Sir Alec of good Stock]

Aah replays, loved em.  I'm sure someone knows the truth of this question: Did we hold the record at one time, for the most amount of minutes played to reach a final - or even a semi final. If it's true, it will never be broken now.

I'm pretty sure that that's true.
3 games v Hull Replay at Boothferry Park followed by one at Filbert Street (neutral grounds, remember them)
4 games v Forest 1 Replay at CC and 2 at the City Ground
1 game v Everton
1 game v Carlisle
2 games v Birmingham Replay at Maine Road
1 game v West Ham
11 games to get to Wembley including 6 replays.
Hopefully I've got that right.

[SG]

Aah replays, loved em.  I'm sure someone knows the truth of this question: Did we hold the record at one time, for the most amount of minutes played to reach a final - or even a semi final. If it's true, it will never be broken now.

I'm pretty sure that that's true.
3 games v Hull Replay at Boothferry Park followed by one at Filbert Street (neutral grounds, remember them)
4 games v Forest 1 Replay at CC and 2 at the City Ground
1 game v Everton
1 game v Carlisle
2 games v Birmingham Replay at Maine Road
1 game v West Ham
11 games to get to Wembley including 6 replays.
Hopefully I've got that right.

It is spot on and can now never be beaten

[bobby01]

Thanks Steve for a great original post, I turned 68 a couple of weeks ago and have been going since I was a nipper. Loved reading responses here, stand out memory for me is in moments of excitement when I was little, the crowd surged 4/5 steps down the terraces and there was always a nearby stranger to grab you by the back off your coat and pull you back as everyone returned. More often though they would all good heartedly pass all the little ones to the front.

[hovewhite]

Yep those were great days alright.

[St Eve]

WOW so many things I forgot, the scoreboard, monkey nuts, fish and chips in newspaper, waiting for my Dad outside the Colton Arms with a coke and smiths crisps, rattles. Such memories. The funny thing is that we all know each other in a strange way

[LittleErn]

Ah memories! The only thing I remember that hasn't been mentioned is the way we were able to walk from one end to the other during half-time: passing the opposition supporters going the other way!

[Barrett487]

Legging it to the other end at half-time and the banter as we passed the other team's fans doing the same.

[Stoneleigh Loyalist]

The idea of a preseason game was the Probables against the Possibles and Reserve games were played on a Saturday with the first team score being announced at half and full time.
I know I can be beaten but I am 79 and have been attending since 1948.

[Southcoastffc]

I really did used to enjoy the fun of heavy pitches, rain-sodden and waterlogged, with slide tackles that really meant sliding and shots/passes going only a couple of yards in big puddles of water. 

[_Putney_]

https://www.ozy.com/flashback/when-nostalgia-was-considered-a-debilitating-disease/89816/

[Motspur Park]

Nostalgic things for me....
Anglo Scottish cup, Match of the Day and The Big Match rather than saturation of football on tv, the marching bands before games with Chelsea, Man Utd et al, the Anglo Italian cup and the pre season games with our local rivals ( was it the West London cup?)

[Sir Alec of good Stock]

SE Counties League, Football Combination League, Football League Review Magazine.

[MJG]

I simply miss the Enclosure and ablity to go from end to end

[Peabody]

The ref always wore black,and was likely a bit tubby and slow, holding down a full-time job, and  just reffing to be involved in the game.

There certainly wasn't the controversy about decisions there is now, with every call endlessly replayed for tv. Players used to accept the ref's decision, and didn't go down all the time  feigning  they'd been fouled and rolling about holding their head - this would have been frowned upon by teammates, as well as fans.

Percy Dalton's Roasted Peanuts was  the snack bought before the games from vendors outside the ground, and the terraces were littered with empty peanut shells, while  most smoked constantly, the smell  hanging in the air, along with  that of wet  overcoats from the rain.

The game was comparatively very cheap compared to today - cost was seldom a factor as to whether you went to a game or not, as it is now for many  folk.

An old timer from then wouldn't recognise the game today, but then  society  generally would seem completely alien to them.

Or the one armed ref from Fulham, who looked after our pre season 1st team v Reserves games. He name was Alf Bond.

[Stoneleigh Loyalist]

Alf Bond lived locally and I was at school with his son.

[bill taylors apprentice]

Putting the bins in the road (Kingwood) to save a parking space for my dad coming home from work before going to the game.

[Seano]

Talk about rose tinted glasses, I started going in 1974 and had to run (literally sometimes) the gauntlet back to Putney Bridge. And more often than not, there was some kind of trouble happening until 1985 (I think Heysel shocked some sense into most people). The crowds had dropped off so much at one point that it wasnt even a small minority of people involved, and even if the away team didnt have many fans there, other London hooligans could turn up. The world seemed to have gone crazy, and some people were properly evil. Actually, maybe I do miss the adrenaline of those days. It was certainly more 'exciting' to go to football in those days. Never in a good way though.     

[ffcne]

Talk about rose tinted glasses, I started going in 1974 and had to run (literally sometimes) the gauntlet back to Putney Bridge. And more often than not, there was some kind of trouble happening until 1985 (I think Heysel shocked some sense into most people). The crowds had dropped off so much at one point that it wasnt even a small minority of people involved, and even if the away team didnt have many fans there, other London hooligans could turn up. The world seemed to have gone crazy, and some people were properly evil. Actually, maybe I do miss the adrenaline of those days. It was certainly more 'exciting' to go to football in those days. Never in a good way though.     

Remember 74/75 Forest at home walking back to Putney Bridge and they were coming from all directions .
Cars getting kicked , motorbikes kicked over,
Always had to be on your guard.
In the 70 s always away mobs in the Hammersmith End .
Bristol Rovers were a nasty mob., 

[ealex40]

Transistor radios, teleprinters?

We used to rush home to hear the football results on Sports Report at 5 pm, the music at the beginning of the programme was called 'Out of the Blue' and I remember sitting down with the fixtures from the morning newspaper, to write in the day's scores. On a Saturday afternoon, BBC would bring you a broadcast of the second half of one of the days matches. This was never pre-advertised as to what the game would be........just knew it wouldn't be us! This was in the 1950's and our excitement each week....well mine anyway.