Another trip down memory lane: 38 years ago!

I only realised today that it is exactly 38 years ago this weekend that I saw my first ever match at Home Park.

And it was against..Southend!

February 2nd 1974, 3 days after we had been knocked out of the League Cup by Man City at Maine Road, we drew 1-1 with the Shrimpers.

I can remember so much of it - as many of us can remember our first game - it was a crisp, clear day. I remember leaning against the railings of the Mayflower terrace, down toward the Devonport End, a spot which would be my regular space for the next 20 years (although as I got older of course, I moved back from the railings toward the Mayflower Stand).

Mariner scored down at the Barn Park end and then Chris Guthrie equalised.

And Colin Sullivan missed a last minute penalty.

The crowd was 6,995 (thanks to the excellent Complete Record of Argyle book).

The team (which I can still remember)

Furnell, Randell, Sullivan, Hore and Saxton, Reed, Machin, Hague and Burrows (Harry) and then Davey and Mariner up front. Alan Rogers on the bench.

Some great players in that team. And the following season, with 3-4 additions, it was promotion!

It's also the little things I remember, I loved the white numbers on the green and black striped shirts. For some reason, the old 8 and 7 shape looked especially good. And I became a fan of Steve Davey and Hughie Reed almost as a result. And the embroidered white PAFC badge, remains my favourite.

I wonder if any other old-timers were at that game, or can remember being. It started me off on a lifelong love affair, one that I have forced on both my sons, even though they were born and we still live in SW London, where Fulham, Chelsea and QPR are the 'local' teams..(I wonder if they'll sue me one day for 'child cruelty)..

Anyway, they were happy days. Here's hoping to a win to celebrate my 38th year!

About 10 years before my time. My biggest regret is never having seen Mariner play for us.

To the tune of Tipperary.........
It's a long way to Plymouth Argyle,
It's a long way, to go.
It's a long way down to Home Park,
To watch Argyle steal the show !

Furnell, Hore and Burrows, Saxton, Delve and Green, Randall, Johnson and Macauley[sp?], Mariner and Rafferty is our team !

I remember well, the night we beat Blackburn 2 -1 to go top of the 3rd tier, in front of nearly 30,000 at Home Park. 'Mariner Sails In !'
Sleeping Giant or what ?

As was pointed out the game v Sarfend was watched by less than 7k only a year or so before.

Greenjock wrote:

About 10 years before my time. My biggest regret is never having seen Mariner play for us.

You missed a rare pleasure. I remember well travelling to places like Watford, to watch Argyle for a few short seasons and 'knew' we would win !

A class act.

That was probably the best Argyle period for me. I still remember a goal scored by Mariner. Set up by Rafferty from a kick out of defence onto the head of Billy on the half-way line who nodded it straight into the path of Mariner who went on to score with nobody able to get near him - easy and magnificent!

GreenMill wrote:

I only realised today that it is exactly 38 years ago this weekend that I saw my first ever match at Home Park.

And it was against..Southend!

February 2nd 1974, 3 days after we had been knocked out of the League Cup by Man City at Maine Road, we drew 1-1 with the Shrimpers.

I can remember so much of it - as many of us can remember our first game - it was a crisp, clear day. I remember leaning against the railings of the Mayflower terrace, down toward the Devonport End, a spot which would be my regular space for the next 20 years (although as I got older of course, I moved back from the railings toward the Mayflower Stand).

Mariner scored down at the Barn Park end and then Chris Guthrie equalised.

And Colin Sullivan missed a last minute penalty.

The crowd was 6,995 (thanks to the excellent Complete Record of Argyle book).

The team (which I can still remember)

Furnell, Randell, Sullivan, Hore and Saxton, Reed, Machin, Hague and Burrows (Harry) and then Davey and Mariner up front. Alan Rogers on the bench.

Some great players in that team. And the following season, with 3-4 additions, it was promotion!

It's also the little things I remember, I loved the white numbers on the green and black striped shirts. For some reason, the old 8 and 7 shape looked especially good. And I became a fan of Steve Davey and Hughie Reed almost as a result. And the embroidered white PAFC badge, remains my favourite.

I wonder if any other old-timers were at that game, or can remember being. It started me off on a lifelong love affair, one that I have forced on both my sons, even though they were born and we still live in SW London, where Fulham, Chelsea and QPR are the 'local' teams..(I wonder if they'll sue me one day for 'child cruelty)..

Anyway, they were happy days. Here's hoping to a win to celebrate my 38th year!

I must have been there,can't remember that particular game though.Indeed it was promotion the season after,Tony Waiters sold Sullivan and Machin and used the money to make some very shrewd signings such as Rafferty,Green ,Phil Burrows,McCauley and Delve.What happened after promotion was,i think,the most sickening let down in Argyle's history-i was convinced,and remain convinced,that Waiters would have taken us to the first division if he had received proper backing from the board,who paid their usual lip service to getting to the top but who were found sadly lacking when it came to crunch time.
Just to make it even more poignant for us oldies and to give the young 'uns some idea of why we bang on about Mariner,here's his first goal for Ipswich;

[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

Wow ! Look at this video.

[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

Greenskin wrote:

GreenMill wrote:

I only realised today that it is exactly 38 years ago this weekend that I saw my first ever match at Home Park.

And it was against..Southend!

February 2nd 1974, 3 days after we had been knocked out of the League Cup by Man City at Maine Road, we drew 1-1 with the Shrimpers.

I can remember so much of it - as many of us can remember our first game - it was a crisp, clear day. I remember leaning against the railings of the Mayflower terrace, down toward the Devonport End, a spot which would be my regular space for the next 20 years (although as I got older of course, I moved back from the railings toward the Mayflower Stand).

Mariner scored down at the Barn Park end and then Chris Guthrie equalised.

And Colin Sullivan missed a last minute penalty.

The crowd was 6,995 (thanks to the excellent Complete Record of Argyle book).

The team (which I can still remember)

Furnell, Randell, Sullivan, Hore and Saxton, Reed, Machin, Hague and Burrows (Harry) and then Davey and Mariner up front. Alan Rogers on the bench.

Some great players in that team. And the following season, with 3-4 additions, it was promotion!

It's also the little things I remember, I loved the white numbers on the green and black striped shirts. For some reason, the old 8 and 7 shape looked especially good. And I became a fan of Steve Davey and Hughie Reed almost as a result. And the embroidered white PAFC badge, remains my favourite.

I wonder if any other old-timers were at that game, or can remember being. It started me off on a lifelong love affair, one that I have forced on both my sons, even though they were born and we still live in SW London, where Fulham, Chelsea and QPR are the 'local' teams..(I wonder if they'll sue me one day for 'child cruelty)..

Anyway, they were happy days. Here's hoping to a win to celebrate my 38th year!

I must have been there,can't remember that particular game though.Indeed it was promotion the season after,Tony Waiters sold Sullivan and Machin and used the money to make some very shrewd signings such as Rafferty,Green ,Phil Burrows,McCauley and Delve.What happened after promotion was,i think,the most sickening let down in Argyle's history-i was convinced,and remain convinced,that Waiters would have taken us to the first division if he had received proper backing from the board,who paid their usual lip service to getting to the top but who were found sadly lacking when it came to crunch time.
Just to make it even more poignant for us oldies and to give the young 'uns some idea of why we bang on about Mariner,here's his first goal for Ipswich;

[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

Not too shabby for your first goal!

Tringreen wrote:

Wow ! Look at this video.

[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

Brings a tear to the eye.I checked out the MK Dons V Argyle video on the sidebar-three cracking goals and an interesting comment that Argyle were only 3 points off the play offs at that point,just shows how different things could have been under Reid in ordinary circumstances.

My favourite.

Happy Days

Tringreen wrote:

To the tune of Tipperary.........
It's a long way to Plymouth Argyle,
It's a long way, to go.
It's a long way down to Home Park,
To watch Argyle steal the show !

Furnell, Hore and Burrows, Saxton, Delve and Green, Randall, Johnson and Macauley[sp?], Mariner and Rafferty is our team !

I remember well, the night we beat Blackburn 2 -1 to go top of the 3rd tier, in front of nearly 30,000 at Home Park. 'Mariner Sails In !'
Sleeping Giant or what ?

As was pointed out the game v Sarfend was watched by less than 7k only a year or so before.

The Blackburn game was a great result. But some things don't change. The club organisation was hopeless on that night. They clearly did not expect such a huge crowd (even though we were 2nd against top and if we had won - which we did - we would have gone top). They didn't open all the turnstiles and as a result, hundreds, possibly thousands, of us were stuck outside. My brother and I got separated from my dad and I would have been crushed near lifeless if some good folk hadn't hauled me out over their heads. We didn't get in til half time and Dad spent most of the game back and forth from wherever dads who lost their kids went in the ground. We found each other at the end of the match. Still, despite all that, it was a fantastic night - and the roar when we went 1-0 and then 2-0 up was amazing. I really thought we were an enormous club, up there with the Man Utds and Liverpools....ah, the innocence of youth...