My first away game

[Goose]

West ham v arsenal in 81 - I was 8 years old and living in Barking at the time so was a local game. we won and had fish and chips with my dad after to celebrate

[Perryashburtongroves]

Mine was away to Wimbledon at Plough Lane in 1987 and we lost 3-1 after being one-nil up.

[StuartL]

Ipswich away 6th March 1993 and we won 4-2 in FA Cup quarter final.

I was sat in front row of home end proudly wearing my Arsenal coat (i was young) when Jimmy Carter waved at me it made my day (like i said i was young!). I didn't feel so bad when we score the first as noticed a few other gooners in amongst home fans! I remember on the way out of Ipswich loads of cars with red and white scarfs beeping horns, great memories.

I had previously seen an Arsenal XI play at Sudbury Town around 1989/1990 in a friendly and remember David O'Leary, Michael Thomas and even Siggi Jonsson involved.

As a Suffolk Gooner I too have fond memories of that match, sat in the upper tier of the home end.
If you wat h the Ipswich og, which trickles past the keeper Ican see a good mate if mine celebrate among the Ipswich fans in tbe North Bank behind the goal, a couple of rows in front of him is an old team mate of mine (Ipswch fan) with his head in his hands :-) Laugh ?? I thought I'd shat to quote Derek and Clive.

[SteveO 35]

West Brom 2 Arsenal 2

The final game of the 1984/85 season - my dad drove us up there. We came from 2 down to draw. Just googled it up and the attendance that day was just over 13,000 which wasn't uncommon for a number of teams in the 80s.

Meaningless end of season game really but I was hooked as you could immediately tell how different the travelling fans were compared to the majority at home games - great singing and atmosphere even for a nothing game

Sadly, when we came out of the ground we heard the tragic news about the Bradford City stadium fire which happened that same afternoon.

[Eboue-Why?]

@ Ipswich Town, Aug '77.
Pat Jennings debut. Lost 1-0, backpass og? (Rix)?
I celebrated a disallowed equaliser, and was convinced when I left the ground that it ended 1-1. First time I necked a beer too, probably explains it.

Jennings, Rice, Powling, Young, O'Leary, Nelson, Rix, Brady, Ross, Stapleton, Macdonald.

Funny how games stick in your mind. I remember watching this on MOTD and I think I'm right in saying that Young completely missed his kick in the lead up to their goal. I also remember being at the next home game when a couple of blokes were talking in the North Bank and were saying how Ipswich steamed in at the back of the stand.....ahh those were the days!!

My first away? Leicester 1976, lost, well that was the norm in the mid 70s

[littlefire]

I think Roker Park was the first. Jon Sammels scored and Big John Radford was playing.

We drew.

A long time ago when I was quite small and very innocent.

*Sigh*

[Clash]

Spurs away 1985/86 ... long time after my first home game in 1978. My mum wouldnt allow my dad to take me to away games for a few years.

The flashy, delusional scum had decided to change to an all white home kit that season so Arsenal had to wear their blue and yellow (at that time, no part of a kit was allowed to clash so the white shorts forced the change).

Didnt know at the time (obviously) but it emerged years later that Stuart Nethercott (a future Spurs player) was Arsenals mascot that day. Judas!!

Wasnt a good performance from Arsenal and not a good game. We lost 1-0. Great atmosphere though.

But my abiding memory was what an absolute dump WHL really was when you saw it up close. On the TV you really only saw that modern stand but the other 3 sides of the ground were truly appalling compared to Highbury. Crappy wooden seats in the Park Lane end .... that some Arsenal fans took it out on on their way out

[Top Londoner]

@ Ipswich Town, Aug '77.
Pat Jennings debut. Lost 1-0, backpass og? (Rix)?
I celebrated a disallowed equaliser, and was convinced when I left the ground that it ended 1-1. First time I necked a beer too, probably explains it.

Jennings, Rice, Powling, Young, O'Leary, Nelson, Rix, Brady, Ross, Stapleton, Macdonald.

Funny how games stick in your mind. I remember watching this on MOTD and I think I'm right in saying that Young completely missed his kick in the lead up to their goal. I also remember being at the next home game when a couple of blokes were talking in the North Bank and were saying how Ipswich steamed in at the back of the stand.....ahh those were the days!!

My first away? Leicester 1976, lost, well that was the norm in the mid 70s

1976. Really? I had ideas that you and Quartz would have got sepia toned memories of games much earlier than that.

I also recall at the Portman Road match, lads were handing out handfuls of gob-stoppers. A couple of my mates turned to me to see my cheeks bulging and I was unable to shut my gob. How was I to know that they were for throwing at the tractor boys.
I think that their goal happened in slow motion at the other end of the pitch. Muddy goal mouth, and you could see their supporters jumping up and down as the ball was slowly rolling over the line.
I recall at the time they had some good players. Wymark, Beattie, Osborne, Burley, Mills, Gates, Talbot, Mariner, Wark. Probably managed by the great Bobby robson too. R.I.P

[donaldo]

Away to the Spuds in 72.We won 2-1 Storey and Radford scoring.I had seen football violence at games before but nothing like this.Fights breaking out all over the ground.Gooners in every part of the Lane.Loved it thats how football was in those days

[MK Gould]

Arsenal 0 West Ham 2 - FAC Quarter Final - was mine. Rain sodden and lots of fighting all over the North Bank. Didn't even mind that we lost. I was hooked!!

West Brom 2 Arsenal 2

The final game of the 1984/85 season - my dad drove us up there. We came from 2 down to draw. Just googled it up and the attendance that day was just over 13,000 which wasn't uncommon for a number of teams in the 80s.

Meaningless end of season game really but I was hooked as you could immediately tell how different the travelling fans were compared to the majority at home games - great singing and atmosphere even for a nothing game

Sadly, when we came out of the ground we heard the tragic news about the Bradford City stadium fire which happened that same afternoon.

We went for a drink after the game and got back to Euston quite late. Jumped into a taxi and the cabbie told us what had happened....sobered up instantly. As with Hillsborough (when we were playing at home to Newcastle), it made it all the more shocking the fact that we'd been to a game ourselves.

[StuartL]

Arsenal 0 West Ham 2 - FAC Quarter Final - was mine. Rain sodden and lots of fighting all over the North Bank. Didn't even mind that we lost. I was hooked!!

Hate to break it to you MK, but I reckon the evidence points to that being a home game - unless you are a hammer infiltrator

[donaldo]

Ray Kennedy left Arsenal in May 74,Shankly's last signing.Yet he is on the front cover of the programme 10 months later

[g88ner]

My first away (and my first Arsenal game) was away at Middlesbrough (Ayresome Park) back in 1993.

If I remember rightly, it was a midweek game before a cup final (so either Coca-Cola or FA Cup). I was on the terraces, behind the goal, in the Boro end and we lost 1-0 to a Lee Hendrie goal

Edit: just looked it up, and the attendance was only 12,726

[SWLGooner]

Kanu's hat trick at Chelsea in '99, as a kid.

I have heard Arsenal singing a song about that day a few times on away trains, but never people I've known so I've not asked the full words... anyone know 'em? Ends with something about him rounding de Goey. To the tune of Magic Hat.

[Eboue-Why?]

Arsenal 0 West Ham 2 - FAC Quarter Final - was mine. Rain sodden and lots of fighting all over the North Bank. Didn't even mind that we lost. I was hooked!!

West Brom 2 Arsenal 2

The final game of the 1984/85 season - my dad drove us up there. We came from 2 down to draw. Just googled it up and the attendance that day was just over 13,000 which wasn't uncommon for a number of teams in the 80s.

Meaningless end of season game really but I was hooked as you could immediately tell how different the travelling fans were compared to the majority at home games - great singing and atmosphere even for a nothing game

Sadly, when we came out of the ground we heard the tragic news about the Bradford City stadium fire which happened that same afternoon.

We went for a drink after the game and got back to Euston quite late. Jumped into a taxi and the cabbie told us what had happened....sobered up instantly. As with Hillsborough (when we were playing at home to Newcastle), it made it all the more shocking the fact that we'd been to a game ourselves.

And even though it was a Home game and therefore a pointless contribution to this thread, here's a clip from Gouldy's 'away game'......note the perfect Highbury carpet like pitch and like he says 100s of West Ham fans in the North Bank!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=89hKI_Gls7w