What was better about football in your youth?

[Paul Waine]

Hitching from Accy to the Turf - and back;

Shillings and pence paid for entry (pre-decimals);

Ralph Coates, Brian O'Neil, Les Latcham always getting the better of George Best and so many more.

Burnley 5 - 1 Leeds Utd (and Leeds won the league that year). Absolutely sublime football for a team that could have outclassed both the best of Real Madrid and Barcelona on that one glorious afternoon.

Cricket Field stand (before it was demolished) and Longside for many seasons afterwards.

[Dressinggown]

As a kid in the late 70's playing football on the street or the nearest patch of dog-**** ridden grass was one of the few things you could do for entertainment.

Cheap leather footballs were available for 'casual' use, you could buy them from Peter Noble's on the Market and Malcolm Yardley's on the steep street down towards the Bridge Inn. However, the leather usually split with the first kick and the pink rubber bladder was exposed like a Prolapse. Otherwise, inclement weather would cause the covering to take on board a few kilograms and then disintegrate as it struck some poor sap in the face.

Then you had the choice of plastic balls:

There was one that was manufactured from thick smooth plastic. It it claimed it was a 'Regulation Size & Weight' like a real match football. FFS, try hitting a volley with one in the winter. It might as well have been made of marble.

On the flipside, there were those that you could purchase from the local Post Office or Souvenir Shop. They were always in a net behind the counter because otherwise they would float off. A dog would usually put paid to the game early doors with a swift bite which then provided us with an excuse to use the dog as a ball for the remainder of the match.

The best ball was a 'Frido Wembley' which played incredibly true and didn't smash your metatarsals to smithereens with every kick. It was plastic but had artificial 'panels' which seemed to control the trajectory. It had a valve for inflation but as with all footballs it never worked. They were £2.25 in 1979.

Playing a game 'away' from home down places like Bleak House, Stoops and Rosehill estates was tantamount to suicide. As was being forced to 'fag' the ball after you had hoofed it into the electricity substation.

[box_of_frogs]

You could tackle someone without the theatrics of today.

[Bop]

Having a few wobbly pints stashed under your CFS seat, ready for the 2nd half.

[mybloodisclaret]

Mark Leather - the fastest physio ever!

Going on the Longside with my dad and it costing about 5 quid for both of us! He tried every time to cover my ears from the bad language, embarrassing as hell at the time, but I'd similar with my two lads now.

Just the smell of the games and the noise.

Fell in love with the club back then, never fallen out with it since!

[Clarettintedlense]

As a child of the 80's, the answer is absolutely nothing.

Football was on its arse.

Not even terracing? Atmospheres? Pricing? Players you could relate to? No modern fans?

On a seperate point (not aimed at bd) no bloody forums was a plus in many senses. So many now with a soapbox to criticise the club, the players and even fellow fans. Theres much less 'in it together' for me now than then. The amount of bickering between fans on here and in the stands and on social media is another sad sign of the times for me.

Many benefit of course but the constant bickering is depressing to see. Particularly when in context. What we would have done for a George Boyd in the 80s. Or SD brand of football. Or Mike Garlick at the helm. Or only getting 18k on. Or only getting 8m for danny ings. Or losing in the last minute at arsenal haha.

Utc

[Clarettintedlense]

Buying the new kit... and not having another new one for 3 years!

[Clarettintedlense]

Being able to play for school with all your mates. None of this academy nonsensr where 8 year olds cant play for school.