Dave Syrett had also scored a hat trick against Spurs in the 77-78 season when they earned a 3-3 draw. The game was on Star Soccer I think. Only time I can remember Mansfield being in Div 2, and same for Spurs.
I didn’t even realise Mansfield had ever been in the second tier.
Another big scoring FA Cup game - who can forget the 8-4 in the replay against Torquay?
Just that one season I think. They were very impressive when they played us near the end of their 76-77 promotion winning season. Came straight down though.
I was grounded…
It was freezing, and the first half was really, really boring. And anyway, it was on the Tele. Alan Hansen couldn’t draw white circles and arrows fast enough to show the viewers just how terrible the defending had been. 
Great night though. What had you done to be grounded?
What a class act Lightbourne was, 2 goals 2 assists from the bench. Goals from all over the pitch too, those were the days. I’m sure Chris Nicholl would have had a few things to say about the defending from corners mind !
2 Likes
Didn’t King Chris look young in that interview.
Mountfield had gone off in the first half I think which explained some of the organised chaos at the back.
Apart from the obvious promotion seasons, and the great cup runs of 74-75 and 83-84, I think 95-96 was the season I have enjoyed most. We played some great attacking football when it all came together. I loved watching the inspiring MOC, and the intelligence of Kev, and the excitement of Scotty, and the underrated Marshy, and most of all one of my favourite ever saddlers, Kyle Lightbourne.
2 Likes
I think he even said,
" Not enough white circles in the building. "
Edit. Just watched that clip to the end. That is exactly what he said. Memory not as bad as I thought.
1 Like
OHHHH THERE IT ISSSS, OHHHHH THERE IT ISSS 
Agree that was a great team. MOC was two divisions better than any other midfielder in the division that year. He was like the big kid in the playground - he just ran up to people and took the ball off them.
As for Marsh: who do you think did more stepovers a game: Marsh or Wes? Whenever Marsh did it, he got a cheer from the crowd.
Don’t forget the 77-78 season, FAC 5th round and 6th in the league under the Mackay/Anderson combo.
1 Like
Loved the Marsh stepovers.
There were some really good midfielders in the division round about that time, Marsdon and Bennett at Stockport, Brammer at Wrexham, Murphy and Lennon at Crewe, Evans at Shrewsbury.
Of course, MOC was the best of all of them. 
And in the team of the year, I think.
He was, in midfield alongside Neil Lennon and Mickey Mellon. He’d been in the previous years team as well. A couple of players with Saddlers connections were chosen, Chris Wilder (Notts County) at right back, and Marcus Stewart (The Gas) up front.
Didn’t we play Swansea in the 3rd Round in the late 80s / early 90s and it was just about the only game on in the country because of snow? Only about 5 of our fans managed to get there?
December 8th 1990. I think there was something like ten or so of our lot, and I have been told that all of them were exiles from South Wales area, Bristol etc. because nobody could get through from the West Mids. I think our electric was off for 24 hours that weekend, maybe longer, and I remember having to dig my car out so I could get to work. My reward was to have someone lose control on the ice/packed snow and skid into the back of me on my return journey from work 
I think there was Tele coverage of the match but I didn’t see it because of the electric.
Slightly more than that. Think it got quoted as 20-something by Hibbitt at the time, but always thought that he was only talking about those in the seats behind the dugouts (some of whom I believe travelled on the team coach) as they were the only ones he applauded after the whistle - there were about a dozen on the terraces as well who he didn’t appear to acknowledge.
Me and my Saddlers supporting girlfriend of the time were 2 of them - only had a Yugo 511 but being front wheel drive it managed to get me through to pick her up and make it to join the M5 at West Brom (only at walking pace for most of it, and passing loads of abandoned cars and buses on the way).The M5 itself was pretty dicey (only 1 lane useable - and that had deep icy ruts) until we got out of West Midlands and into Worcestershire where the county council had done a better job of clearing the carriageways and it was fully open (although it was still snowing). By the time we got to Ross-on-Wye the snow had turned to rain, and in Swansea there was no sign of snow or rain at all, but it was bitterly cold with a cutting wind.
Spoke to a few of the other diehards who had made - an indeed most had only come from Cardiff/Newport so were unaffected by the snow, but one small group had made it in a 4x4 when they found out their coach (think there were a few arranged) had been cancelled early on the Saturday morning.
Big coat, scarf, thick socks and gloves - buts still absolutely frozen stiff by the time we got back to the car. The journey back was much easier and all the roads were fully clear by the time we got back to the Black Country.
2 Likes
Jesus! 30 years ago yesterday - doesn’t time fly. 
1 Like