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Was my first season going regularly so remember it well. Most games we were in the paddock down towards the away end and occasionally sat in SAR. It really was in those days a feeling going to games of how much we would win by rather than whether we would win. The following season in division one I became a Loft regular, paying 18 quid for my first season ticket.
I recall looking on at various miserable bunches of away fans facing long fruitless journeys home. First game I went to that year was v Burnley and we went 0-2 down before coming back to win 3-2. Their small band of hardy fans were first jubilant, then angry and depressed. Pretty sure a young Trevor Steven who went on to play for England and win the title with Everton was instrumental in putting them 2-0 up.
The Fulham game was a good one obviously and it was a bit tasty outside afterwards with their fans trying to get out of the police escort to the station that was standard in those days and a few running fights going on.
Another memory is losing 1-2 v Chelsea on boxing day despite the fact they were battling relegation and we were a far superior side, very annoying! We were sat with some Chelsea we knew for that one and also near the away end so not the most enjoyable day. Atmosphere was very good though, it was the days before Cheslea fans had ever heard of a prawn sandwich of selfie stick. I think we only lost one other home game all season.
Tony Sealy was the main goalscorer, largely considered rubbish before that season. I remember early in the season us laughing at a photo on the programme with the caption "nothing stops Tony Sealy" only for him to play a big part in firing us to promotion. Just looked him up and apparently he later played for Sporting Lisbon, never knew that! John Gregory also scored a lot of goals from midfield that season.
It got worse for Fulham. In one of the great chokes they blew an almost certain promotion (at one point they were 12 points ahead of 4th place) with a late season collapse and Leicester pipped them by a point - no playoffs then either. This was capped by them losing at Derby, who needed a point to avoid relegation, in their last match. The Derby fans were all on the pitch around the touchline ready to celebrate before the 90 minutes was up. At one point one of them kicked a Fulham player. The game ended early when ref blew for a free kick and there was a huge pitch invasion thinking it was the final whistle. Fulham tried to protest and have the game replayed but to no avail.
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Any memories of 1983 promotion? on 07:59 - Sep 29 with 1806 views
Was a long time ago now and most of what i can remember has already been mentioned.
I do remember that Burnley game and Trevor Steven putting them 2-0 up. I think that coming back to win 3-2 made us think that something was happening here.
The first game of the season was up at Newcastle and Keegan made his debut for them, scored and they won 1-0 - that was pretty much a case of playing the wrong game at the wrong time.
The other game that i particularly remember was that Leicester game near the end of the season. Yes Leicester had Lineker but he was also partnered by Alan Smith in what must have been one of the greatest second division partnerships ever. I think that Lineker scored a couple up the away end and was just too good that day - 2-2 was a decent result for us. As a sidenote, I think that Lineker and Smith had one booking between them in their entire careers.
But we were worthy champions and El Tel ended up at Barcelona, as did Lineker eventually. It'll be a very long time before we regularly see such good players in this division, I fear.
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Any memories of 1983 promotion? on 14:04 - Sep 29 with 1726 views
Any memories of 1983 promotion? on 07:59 - Sep 29 by ElHoop
Was a long time ago now and most of what i can remember has already been mentioned.
I do remember that Burnley game and Trevor Steven putting them 2-0 up. I think that coming back to win 3-2 made us think that something was happening here.
The first game of the season was up at Newcastle and Keegan made his debut for them, scored and they won 1-0 - that was pretty much a case of playing the wrong game at the wrong time.
The other game that i particularly remember was that Leicester game near the end of the season. Yes Leicester had Lineker but he was also partnered by Alan Smith in what must have been one of the greatest second division partnerships ever. I think that Lineker scored a couple up the away end and was just too good that day - 2-2 was a decent result for us. As a sidenote, I think that Lineker and Smith had one booking between them in their entire careers.
But we were worthy champions and El Tel ended up at Barcelona, as did Lineker eventually. It'll be a very long time before we regularly see such good players in this division, I fear.
Was that the game where we were 2-0 up and they scored two late goals?
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Any memories of 1983 promotion? on 14:50 - Sep 29 with 1714 views
Any memories of 1983 promotion? on 14:04 - Sep 29 by francisbowles
Was that the game where we were 2-0 up and they scored two late goals?
I don't know. For some reason I remember their goals being down the other end but I'm not sure.
I tried to find a clip of the game and this one seems to think that it is, but is that actually Lineker scoring? Doesn't look like him. If it is then you are right.
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Any memories of 1983 promotion? on 15:18 - Jan 7 with 995 views
Remember it well, we were great home and away. First year aged 19 that I bought a season ticket. Loftus Road really buzzed in that era. Terry Venables along with Allan Harris really developed a great team who could cope with the plastic pitch and could go away from home and get results. The following season we did brilliantly in the 1st division, finishing 5th and qualifying for the UEFA cup.
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Any memories of 1983 promotion? on 15:29 - Jan 7 with 968 views
Any memories of 1983 promotion? on 08:42 - Sep 28 by CroydonCaptJack
I remember that season well. I was 18-19 years old. Were Wolves involved in that promotion battle as well?
I too was 19 in our promotion year. Such a great feeling to 'know' you were going to win every week. Now, for many, there is a sense of dread approaching each fixture. We may be a long way from recapturing that kind of form, but we should try to recapture the delight of being an R's fan. It has been the biggest constant in my life and despite all the crap, don't regret any of it.
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Any memories of 1983 promotion? on 15:52 - Jan 7 with 921 views
Any memories of 1983 promotion? on 07:59 - Sep 29 by ElHoop
Was a long time ago now and most of what i can remember has already been mentioned.
I do remember that Burnley game and Trevor Steven putting them 2-0 up. I think that coming back to win 3-2 made us think that something was happening here.
The first game of the season was up at Newcastle and Keegan made his debut for them, scored and they won 1-0 - that was pretty much a case of playing the wrong game at the wrong time.
The other game that i particularly remember was that Leicester game near the end of the season. Yes Leicester had Lineker but he was also partnered by Alan Smith in what must have been one of the greatest second division partnerships ever. I think that Lineker scored a couple up the away end and was just too good that day - 2-2 was a decent result for us. As a sidenote, I think that Lineker and Smith had one booking between them in their entire careers.
But we were worthy champions and El Tel ended up at Barcelona, as did Lineker eventually. It'll be a very long time before we regularly see such good players in this division, I fear.
Wasn't it Leicester that pipped Fulham at the end, not Wolves? I think that 2-2 delayed our promotion. Did we get stuffed 4-0 at Wolves that year, then won by the same score the next year as they began their straight slump to the 4th division?
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Any memories of 1983 promotion? on 21:03 - Jan 7 with 825 views
The Fulham game was just one big celebration there were no nerves we knew we were going up.The main thing i remember about that game was that everyone was at least a bit drunk on the cheap Guinness that was sold in the ground at a pound a pint i think.Great days i was young,in love and drunk on the Rangers going up.It doesnt get better than that.
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Any memories of 1983 promotion? on 21:15 - Jan 7 with 814 views
Any memories of 1983 promotion? on 10:52 - Sep 28 by smegma
The two games against Wolves spring to mind. We got thumped 4-0 at Molineux in the freezing cold at Christmas.We got thumped outside as well in that underpass by the corner flag. Wolves went top but by the time they came to Loftus Rd in May we were champions. They took the lead at ours with Sian Masseys favourite pundit scoring.We won 2-1. Before the game some people walked around the pitch throwing hundreds of bags of popcorn into the crowd. At the end , as we were presented the trophy and were on a lap of honour, the Wolves fans decided to lob the popcorn en masse at Bob Hazell. He in turn gave them the 'up yours' sign pumping his fist into his elbow. He was then joined by 'C Mob' . Police horses came onto the omniturf to try and calm things down.It didn't work. Fights were going on all over the pitch and by both corner flags at the school end. It carried on for about 15 minutes and onto the streets outside.
We finished 10 points above Wolves in second, equivalent to 15 points today.
The season finished with a celebratory punch up on the beach at Cleethorpes.
[Post edited 28 Sep 2017 11:09]
Was going to say the same, it’s one of my few memories from that season.
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Any memories of 1983 promotion? on 21:16 - Jan 7 with 810 views
It was my first season going (15-16 years old) and my Dad, brother and I went to 10 home games (no aways) and we win 9 and drew one (Blackburn).
First game was a freezing cold October at home to Burnley. We were 2-0 down at halftime and my Dad said “we ain’t fking coming here again”. We won 3-2 and the rest is history.
In the run-in I remember being on the tube going to the Leeds game and just before we pulled into the station a Leeds fan dropped what looked like an iron bar out of the window.
The Fulham game was rammed and we were comfortable winners against not only local rivals but a team vying for promotion too.
The Wolves game seemed equally comfortable against my dads team but he was happy as both were promoted.
Next season I did all the home games and all the London aways. We finished 5th (would have been 3rd has we won our last game at home to WBA rather than drawing)
Those two seasons were brilliant and i just thought it would always be like that.
Then Barcelona knocked on the door and it’s been a rollercoaster since.
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Any memories of 1983 promotion? on 21:22 - Jan 7 with 800 views
That was my first season going regularly. Remember asking my mum if me and my mate John could go to the Chelsea away game.
My mum knowing less than nothing about football said it was fine, but then my mates mum put a spanner in the works by mentioning she'd heard Chelsea fans had a bad reputation, so we were swiftly banned from going.
So me and John came up with the cunning plan of asking if we could get a red bus rover and go up to the west end. This they agreed to, so we red bussed rovered to stamford Bridge to see us win 2-0
Any memories of 1983 promotion? on 13:40 - Sep 28 by CheshireR
Robbed by Derby indeed. Not only were their fans encroaching onto the Baseball Ground pitch - I think they were obstructing the Fulham players with the occasional tackle. The referee bottled it and blew for full time without playing any additional time for the delays. Fulham were a very good side that season and had to wait many years with Al Fahed's cash to reach similar heights. A Leicester side with a young Gary Linaker pipped them for promotion in the final weeks of the season. I was 19 in 82-83 and it was a great time to be an R.
[Post edited 28 Sep 2017 19:33]
Edit edit edit...must read whole thread before posting!
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