First match attended

That was the week after we had played at Old Trafford in the 4th round* of the F A Cup. Lost 5-1, but I think 8,500 or 9,000 went from Walsall, something like that.

*Note to younger fans, cup competitions used to have a fourth round, and I have heard rumours that they still do, although I’m not sure I believe it.

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Found the match here @Shrewsbury-Saddler

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14 November 1964 FA Cup Rd 1: Walsall 0 Bristol Rovers 2.

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Ditto, but was my older brother who took me.

March 11th 1972, Walsall 3 Bradford City 0.
Bobby Shinton 2, Chris Jones 1. I think Shinton got his two goals in the first 6 or 8 minutes.

My first away game would have been a friendly with WBA in December of 1972. I think it was a 1-1 draw, and Chris Jones scored ours.

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Aldershot at home in 1973-74 season - can’t remember that much about it except that Georgie Andrews scored. Leaning on the low wall at the front of the Cowshed. Loved the banter and the humour.

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Also 1973/74 but the League Cup tie versus Manchester City. 0-0 and my Dad took me to the replay, also 0-0. The City side was packed with famous names. Couldn’t make the third game when we lost at Old Trafford.

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Walsall v dirty Leeds, Nick attheys testimonial in 1975. My signed program with dirty Leeds reads like a deathlist now

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4-0 at Old Trafford! Some great names in that city team

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I’ve looked it up and we won 3-2, goals from George, as you say, and Buckley, and John Saunders. I think, and maybe someone can back me up, or correct me if needs be, that Saunders scored with a cross from the right that just eluded everyone, went over the flapping keeper and into the net. Anyone remember? Am I right, or perhaps thinking of another game/goal/incident?

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21st November 1959, my brother took me to FP and introduced me to a rampant Walsall with Colin Taylor in full flow v. Southport. Won 8-0. What an introduction! Since then we’ve never looked back (cough!).

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I should have put 1980. It was 79/80 season.

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The promotion season.

Man City at home in Feb 2002 for me… fair to say both clubs have gone in different directions since then

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Hereford at home in 1974 just before my third birthday. I have a vague memory of there being a marching band with majorettes and all that but apart from that no memory at all and even that memory might be faulty.

My memories of the mid 70’s were of a hero worship of Buckley, some solid citizens like Kearns, Harrison, Birch and Serrella with the odd maverick like Alun Evans thrown in. I spent a lot of time watching the street end from my spot on the wall on the popular side and trying to make out what the visiting fans were singing just to my left.

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It was although at the time I knew nothing about Walsall. I didn’t even know what league they were in. I went purely because my Wolves supporting cousins said I should support Wolves as I was born in Wolverhampton. What they didn’t realise was that I was born in Walsall so I decided to find the ground and support them. I caught the bus from Willenhall, walked down the Pleck Road, found the ground and the rest is history.

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Wow some of you lot on here have been going for absolutely ages 50s/60’s/70’s stuff fair play by the way and I’m more than curious to what year was your first year on up the saddlers or whatever this was called before this if indeed it was called something else??

Scarborough (remember them?) at Bescot under Kenny Hibbitt. Two penalties, both converted by O’Connor, Scotty Houghton and (I think) Marshy with the goals in a 4-1 win. I thought we were going to tonk the opposition every week.

Promoted at the end of the season, consolidated for the next 3 years, then went up again. I thought the promotions would be in similar proximity forever more.

I often wonder what could have kept today’s 20-somethings coming since their teens.

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The only game v. Oxford at Fellows Park in 1968 was on 29.3.68 where we lost 0-1. That was the season where we led the table from October to February and started to fade finishing the season in 7th place.

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Can’t remember the exact date or opposition but it would have been a Fellows Park game during the 1984-85 season. Shrewsbury and Port Vale were regular away games on the train.

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