Floods and Armadas

[ClaretTony]

To my knowledge, we've only twice played on 18th May and both proved to be very significant games for us.

The first was in 1982 when we faced Chesterfield at home in the final game of the 1981/82 season knowing a win would seal the 3rd division title and a draw would almost ensure it - not bad for a team that had just four points from the first eight games and then lost only twice more.

That afternoon the rain came down, then more and more and more to the level that the pitch was under water. The referee decided to delay kick off, with it no longer raining it was thought it would help dry the pitch, but the game finally went ahead on a pitch hardly fit for purpose.

We fell behind two minutes before half time but Kevin Young equalised three minutes into the second half. I can still see him running through the water celebrating the goal. It ended 1-1 leaving Carlisle on the following night needing to win by a lot to get above us. They won 1-0 and we were champions.

Fourteen years later we were very much underdogs when we travelled to Plymouth for the second leg of the Division Two (same level as the 1982 season) play offs having drawn 0-0 at home. Plymouth were already selling coach seats for Wembley as if it was a Billy Davies style job done and it wasn't looking too good for us when Dwight Marshall gave them the lead after a quarter of an hour.

But cometh the hour, cometh the man and that man was John Francis. Twice in two minutes around the half hour he broke clear to score and that left us with a nervous hour to get through. It was into the last ten minutes when Warren Joyce, who had left Plymouth under a cloud a year earlier, scored our third and left Radio Lancs commentator Guy Havord (a Plymouth fan) with the words: "Jimmy Mullen's Claret and Blue Armada sets sail from Plymouth tonight for Wembley, a week Sunday."

[UpTheBeehole]

9 and a half minutes of the Plymouth game here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JE8lEVG6lHc

[NottsClaret]

That win at Plymouth must be one of our most unlikely. We weren't much better away that season than we are now.

[ClaretTony]

That win at Plymouth must be one of our most unlikely. We weren't much better away that season than we are now.

We were bloody dreadful away from home that season. Not many of us thought we had a chance.

[Shore claret]

I remember the Plymouth fans giving super john Francis racist abuse, he then went on to tear them to pieces.

[claretdom]

Spent the afternoon drinking silly strength cider in Plymouth with some locals who all seemed friendly enough, on leaving the last pub it seemed to be kicking off everywhere and was even worse outside the ground afterwards.

Having things thrown at you certainly sobers you up quickly.

[WestMidsClaret]

One of my favourite nights that Plymouth game! Nobody gave us much of a chance. Some cracking players playing us for us then Inchy, Super John, Eyres, Tinman and Marlon etc. Had that special tape that radio lancs did and I used to play it all the time and was gutted when I lost it! Good times.

[NRC]

Wasn't at the game but it was an amazing radio experience

[duncandisorderly]

The tackling in that game would see a five a side match today. Take your opponent out, shake his hand, smile, get on with it.

[Down_Rover]

The tackling in that game would see a five a side match today. Take your opponent out, shake his hand, smile, get on with it.

Can remember the tin man was kicked off the park in the first half of the first leg. Cannot recall a more brutal game

[ClaretTony]

Can remember the tin man was kicked off the park in the first half of the first leg. Cannot recall a more brutal game

Tin Man could more than look after himself - but Plymouth were a nasty side, they'd kicked us off the park in the first leg.

[JohnDearyMe]

Never knew that the BBC Radio Lancs commentator was a Plymouth fan!

Good on him for doing such a professional job

[Bop]

Should have had waders on for that pitch invasion. Soaked to the skin.

[claret wizard]

I was at both them games. I was on the front page of the Evening Star in the picture showing the on pitch celebrations for Chesterfield.

That Plymouth match is still my favourite away day. Not many of us there that night, but what a season it was.

[todclaret]

"The first was in 1982 when we faced Chesterfield at home in the final game of the 1981/82 season knowing a win would seal the 3rd division title and a draw would almost ensure it - not bad for a team that had just four points from the first eight games and then lost only twice more."

May 18th, 1982. Wasn't that the club's centenary, to the day?

[ClaretTony]

"The first was in 1982 when we faced Chesterfield at home in the final game of the 1981/82 season knowing a win would seal the 3rd division title and a draw would almost ensure it - not bad for a team that had just four points from the first eight games and then lost only twice more."

May 18th, 1982. Wasn't that the club's centenary, to the day?

I hadn't picked up on that todclaret but you are certainly correct - today is our 135th anniversary.

[iluva64]

That deserves its own thread.

Happy 135th Birthday Burnley Football Club

[todclaret]

It's not a difficult one for me to remember.
May 18th is my Mum's birthday.

[Shore claret]

Spent the afternoon drinking silly strength cider in Plymouth with some locals who all seemed friendly enough, on leaving the last pub it seemed to be kicking off everywhere and was even worse outside the ground afterwards.

Having things thrown at you certainly sobers you up quickly.

I remember standing in the away end cheering the players, the Plymouth crowd emptied then five minutes later all sorts of rubbish started landing around us. The police let us on the pitch then we left through the home end, great day out.