ossieram

That one belongs to Martin who lives in and flies over from Ireland. Expect to see it at the Euro's in France.

Martin is the bloke tying up his Welsh Rams flag and he's a cracking bloke as is his son Steve who I believe is flying over from Ireland this weekend for the game.

I know...it's probably been done to death but...oh it was special...
How apt: the very final game at the famous old Baseball Ground was against the Arsenal. I am minded of a game some years earlier against the same opposition, for it was an occasion that really brought home to me just how special the place was; a true theatre of football:
The date: 8th September 1979. A sultry sunny September Saturday of an Indian summer. Sweat, cig-smoke and the smell of alcohol-breath fused with hot-dog onions filled the Pop Side air. Arsenal were in town, a side replete with silky, star-studded names that dripped from the tongue like golden syrup: Pat Jennings, Liam Brady, Sammy Nelson-the bum-show-er, O’Leary, Hollins, Rix, Talbot, Stapleton and Alan Sunderland, all perm and moustachioed; the latter two had, in May, ripped the FA Cup from Man Utd in the final of the century. For Derby there was no longer a Gemmill, a Hector, a McFarland or Todd, or even a Charles George. In rapt contra-distinction we had a ring of Irish: Aiden McCafferey, Vic Morland, David Langan, Andy Crawford, and a liquorice-assortment of stalwarts like David Webb, Steve Powell and Steve Buckley, all honest triers but in truth it was thoroughbreds v also-rans, giant oak trees against mere saplings.  We did though have John Duncan, Scottish International all handsome and broad, and neat, and the winger called Gordon Hill, who had killed Rams at Hillsborough in the FA Cup semi just 3 years before. The Baseball Ground was synonymous with trench mud but even that was no more. But there wasn’t a blade of grass either. Instead the surface was 35 tonnes of hard golden sand; had the ref entered the arena carrying a beach-ball nobody would have batted an eye lid. In the pre-match kick-in, wisps of disturbed sand danced on the air. The first half was a foregone conclusion long before 45 mins was up with Arsenal commanding a 2-0 lead.
Then during the break, something strange began to occur. As sun and heat and alcohol combined, the Pop Side found its voice and songs of deep Derby irony began to fill the air...”You need SAND to hold a lit-tul bay-bee, you need SAND to wipe away a tear...” and “Mr SAND-Man,  bring me a dream (bung, bung, bung bung...”). At first, it was a mere ironic acceptance of the Derby team’s fate, but as the 2nd half kicked-off, with Rams attacking the Ossie End, what started to unfurl was a truly remarkable 45 mins. If only we could get one back. Suddenly, Buckley, with lump-hammer left peg, drove the ball at Jennings from 30 yards. The ball, zipped, and dipped, and hit the ground, leather travelling and bouncing on sand, and, smacked the back of the net with Jennings flapping on the floor; 1-2, Pop Side all erupting in Vesuvian delight, a deafening Derbyshire din of high decibel noise. The sound became a continuous stream; the sun, sand and black and white, wall-to-wall volume, a crescendo-ing cacophony of a collective consciousness was stirring the Rams to gargantuan efforts. Arsenal began to cower and fear took hold. I don’t remember Vic Moreland’s equaliser, but I do remember the rocket-propelled roar and the terrace surge as pure pandemonium broke out in the Pop Side. Now, with clock ticking down, 43 minutes had flashed by, we sung to kingdom come. Last minute, Langan...to Carter...Carter in the corner, crosses to Duncan and bullet-header...Jennings’s dustbin-lid sized hand parries...on to the post... and out for a corner....Ohhhhhhh! How we re-coiled....
But wait...Carter’s corner, inch perfect...Duncan again...bullet forehead, ball bulges onion-bag...Goallllllllllllll, the roar again...3-2...mayhem....Final Whistle....Oh fffffff...foot-balll!
As I walked from the ground, outside an Arsenal fan exclaimed, “Liam Brady walks on water, but he can’t run on sand!”. I’d been to the Baseball Ground many times before, but now as a 14 year old, I properly realised how the combination of the architecture – tight, compact stands that trapped the sound, sending it ping-ponging around the entire ground, the proximity of the pitch, and how the fanatical Rams fans, touched by the memory of magic, Real Madrid floodlit nights, - could all combine to fuel an energy that transmitted from the terraces to the men in white just yards away.
Outside, I watched as the Gooners’ team coach drove away...Pat Jennings saw me stare from his front window seat and tipped me a wink. Monday’s Daily Mail match report described how Arsenal bemoaned that Derby had transmitted the sound of the 16,429 fans through the PA system, in amplification. As if... It was just a special place; and I was there.
What's yourn?

If they're the small ones they're welcome to them!!

r

New flag for the new season flying high in my garden.

New flag for the new season flying high in my garden.

New flag for the new season flying high in my garden.

New flag for the new season flying high in my garden.

New flag for the new season flying high in my garden.

He would have been able to pick his cassette up of the road straight after he had picked himself up.

My car, my music. Anybody traveling in my car has 2 choices, listen to my music or find another way to get to your destination.

My car, my music. Anybody traveling in my car has 2 choices, listen to my music or find another way to get to your destination.

He would have been able to pick his cassette up of the road straight after he had picked himself up.

My car, my music. Anybody traveling in my car has 2 choices, listen to my music or find another way to get to your destination.

People who have obviously never been shopping before, who act with complete surprise when the checkout worker asks them to insert their card, wasting valuable seconds while they root around in their handbag for a purse, then shuffle through 10 cards to find the correct one.
 
No, we don't accept Blockbuster video cards, madam, seeing as they went bust a decade ago.
Neither do we accept Tesco club card vouchers either, seeing as you're in Sainsbury's, you tight fisted ****.
I'd honestly allow each hand held laser scanner to be loaded with a round of live ammunition, to be fired into the forehead of the 1st ******** each day to feign suprise at being asked to pay for their goods, for the good of society as a whole.

He would have been able to pick his cassette up of the road straight after he had picked himself up.

Many years ago, I gave a lift home to a lad of about 18. He'd been out with one of my daughters, on a first date. When they got back, I offered him a lift back to his place.  
He got into the car, and without saying a word, ejected the cassette from the player (it was a long time ago!), and replaced it with one from his jacket pocket. Then pressed play. 
There wasn't a second date. 

My car, my music. Anybody traveling in my car has 2 choices, listen to my music or find another way to get to your destination.

I refuse to deal in metric ,if I go in a D.IY. store I insist they talk to me in  feet and inches .Don't they realise we won the war.

That one belongs to Martin who lives in and flies over from Ireland. Expect to see it at the Euro's in France.

After reading through this thread I realise how lucky I am not to have suffered what is obviously a very real and distressing condition.
But I also think it's brilliant how people are willing to help others by posting about their own experiences of what must have been some of the most difficult parts of their lives.
Good on you and I honestly hope that this thread helps the people that need it.

After reading through this thread I realise how lucky I am not to have suffered what is obviously a very real and distressing condition.
But I also think it's brilliant how people are willing to help others by posting about their own experiences of what must have been some of the most difficult parts of their lives.
Good on you and I honestly hope that this thread helps the people that need it.