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Town Topic: It Was 20 Years Ago Today
Town Topic: It Was 20 Years Ago Today
Wednesday, 25th Apr 2012 09:42

On this day 20 years ago John Lyall’s Town secured the 1991/92 Second Division title and promotion to the new-fangled Premier League via a 1-1 draw at Oxford United’s Manor Ground.

What are your memories of that afternoon and of that season in general? Add them to the comments section below.

Photo: Action Images

Photo: Action Images



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ozzydog added 09:49 - Apr 25
Dancing on the dugouts,they were not quite level afterwards!

Phil Whelan nicked our champagne, mini bus full of the pitch, got buzzed by a chopper, total garnage, then back to Ipswich to party at Bladders

Jason and the rest a top bunch of lads, just wanted to party with the fans and did we party!
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Langdon_Blue added 09:52 - Apr 25
I was there...but in the Oxford end as the away end was sold out. I don't remember much of the match, more the celebrating on the pitch after (it was more acceptable to do that in those days) I also remember JL talking the the fans over the tannoy system, up in the stadium, thanking everyone for their support. TWTD! :-)
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ITFC_Forever added 10:08 - Apr 25
That's probably my favourite ever season following ITFC. TWTD.
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Legend added 10:12 - Apr 25
I was there! Amazing day, amazing players, amazing fans and a truely amazing manager!! RIP Mr Lyall.
Current manager, owner and players take a long hard look.
Proper football club back then!
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dud5ers added 10:13 - Apr 25
Went to Bristol City to "See us get three points" but some kids called Cole and Rosenior had other ideas. Then I had to work instead of going to Oxford. Never mind.
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BornBlue added 10:15 - Apr 25
I was at the season ending home game. I was a 13 year old lad at the time, and remember one of the players pulling a moonie to celebrate. Seemed pretty wild to me at the time!
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Pendejo added 10:16 - Apr 25
Season... was playing Saturday local league football, then driving down to catch last half hour or so of home games... almost crashed twice when listening to commentary of away games (last minute goals from Whitton @ Watford & Thommo @ Sarfend).. the atmosphere V Blackburn in our biggest crowd for years 19,000!!! Dozzy with the winner... 3-2 v Newcastle

THE 3RD COMING OF OUR LORD JOHNNY WARK!!!!!!!

Oxford away - singing the Rainbow theme and protecting some kids at the end when everyone surging forward to get on the pitch.. being on the pitch at an away ground... and the Pink Panther like cars going every direction with town fans hanging out of windows after game.. oh and the pleasantries' exchanged with Leicester fans at South Mimms. (Magilton scored against us)

Finally that Brighton kit on that last home game.
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blueblood66 added 10:17 - Apr 25
I was there!
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Steve_M added 10:25 - Apr 25
Good football, success despite limited expectations and expenditure and, most of all, enjoyment. TWTD.
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BrightBlue added 10:36 - Apr 25
The best footballing day of my life!!

Celebrating in The Blackadder with the team and friends is a night I will never forget.... very good times!
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sirbenofmorlingshire added 10:43 - Apr 25
I was there that day... was a 10 year old lad who remebers running onto the pitch with my dad and sister, police helicopter was circling about and all PA system saying 'get off the pitch'. Great days, great players, feel the game was more honest back then. Look at the team of 1991, loyal, commited, and they knew each others game. Thats what we need now, a comitted long standing team with a goal and desire to achieve. Back then the honour was getting to the top flight, players now I feel just see it as a pay packed and shop window for themselves (the Premier leauge gravy train lets call it).
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brazil1982 added 10:55 - Apr 25
I was there too, in the squashed away end. Great memories of that team and season starting with giving away a 3 goal lead at Bristol Rovers (playing at Bath Rugby), and the likes of Southend away, Newcastle at home etc. If you watch some of the action on youtube it's immediate what a passionate, hard working team we had. Oh for the likes of Stockwell again...
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Surco72 added 10:57 - Apr 25
What a great day from what i can remember ,I had to stand in the Oxford section too Langdon along the side of the pitch so we were some of the first on after grabbing Dozzell .
I bought a video months after called "race for the premiership " which featured me dancing like a loon on the pitch while Neil Thompson is getting interviwed alongside me ,had no recollection of it at all at the time !!!
What about the cup games with Liverpool that year ?
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horsenotfitforwork added 11:30 - Apr 25
I was in with the Oxford fans too, standing around the halfway line. I can remember some serious looking types stood just behind us, and being worried they'd kick our heads in if we uttered so much as a Suffolk-flavoured peep.

The whistle went to start the game and the biggest one roared "Come on Town!", it was a fantastic day from then on.

Remember dancing around on the pitch, oh and Thommo's goal at Southend is etched deep on the memory too.

Maybe I'm getting old, but I remember really feeling part of that team in a way I haven't since.
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whymarksmyhero added 11:33 - Apr 25
Wasn't at that game, but was at the previous game at home to Grimsby, where we could have clinched promotion, but didn't.

The place was heaving, and everyone was running about like headless chickens trying to get in as one stand after another closed.

We tried to get in with the away fans, but when the turnstile operator asked my mate for his address in Grimsby, and he replied with "Haddock Street" !!, we were promptly turfed out !

Finally got in and sat right behind away dugout,where Alan Buckley kept running about, spoiling our view. When someone banged on his (large perspex), dugout roof, I nearly got thrown out by a police chief inspector !!

Had a go at the stewards on the way out for their totally inept performance, and nearly got arrested again !!

What memories, and what a time to be watching Town !!
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Big_Foot_Blue added 11:46 - Apr 25
I was born 35 days after this happened but sure wouldn't mind a memory of my own like this one day, preferably not too far away...
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Godmanchester_blue added 12:05 - Apr 25
Wow twenty years ago....it somehow seems much longer!

Fantastic day......only occasion I have ever been on the pitch after a game....joy unreserved......the culmination of a fabulous season....TWTD
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Marcus added 12:17 - Apr 25
Almost too young to remember. *ahem*

Ok. I was 17. My father banned my siblings and I from attending until we were 16 and it was my first full season. Two things I remember were how the players were much less distant, you could say hi, talk about games etc around the ground (which was left open on non-match days) and the amazing crowd surges on Churchmans, which wasn't such a bad place, much noisier than the north stand is now.

It was also the first time I was in a pitch invasion. With only tokenistic attempts to stop it there was an 'understanding' that everyone (who wanted to) would run on to the pitch. It was all totally crazy. There was a routine. First try and snag a player, then surge to the visiting fans and applaud them. Then just act like maniacs calling for players and the manager. It was a party day for sure.
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Strikes added 12:20 - Apr 25
Having not missed a home match for three and a half years between 1988 and 1991, of course this would be the season when I started university in Portsmouth.

Still managed to get to plenty of games, memorably Millwall (the Old Den, scary), Watford, Southend and Oxford away. I remember climbing the massive fence at the old Manor Ground to get on the pitch, seconds before they opened the gate. Happy days...

The pick for me was Southend - Whelan scoring on his debut and Thompson's late winner with his right foot - magic.
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Help added 12:33 - Apr 25
I was there to with a few friends from school. God knows how we got tickets. Down on the coach, tucked away in the top right hand side of the away fans stand. Cannot remember seeing the goal to be honest. Just remember the final whistle, eventually running onto the pitch and being rather loony with everyone else. Oh happy days.

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StowTractorBoy added 12:37 - Apr 25
I was at Bristol City and we lost and at Oxford where we just about stumbled over the line. I too went onto the pitch in wild celebration and stayed on until the players came out to their coach and got some pictures with Paul Goddard and Chris Kiwomya. Watched Lyalls interview with the media in the stand - happy days.
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Tractorboy24 added 12:51 - Apr 25
One of my earliest memories was standing with my family on top of blockbusters for the civic reception that year. Thought this was what happened every year, still happy times.
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Notts_tractor added 13:12 - Apr 25
Couldn't get a ticket for Oxford, but went to the final game v Brighton at home. This was the last game ever at which you were able to stand at Portman Road. I remember that it was quite a climb from Churchman's onto the pitch and I made a right arse of myself trying to haul myself over. Got on the pitch in the end, though. The reception at the Town Hall the next day was fantastic.
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muhrensleftfoot added 13:26 - Apr 25
A carload of us went. Fabulous day, Gavin Johnson goal (if memory serves me). What a run down old ground. We were in the open, but there was a rickety old stand more like a garden shed, which also had Town fans. After the game we drove back to Ipswich and celebrated in the Black Adder - Alan Brazil's bar, and late on John Wark and David Linnighan turned up and were drinking and chatting with us all. Great memories.
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gypo added 13:40 - Apr 25
Wow what a season think I missed 3 games and they were away that season. Had a great time traveling everywhere with a great bunch of boys bristol away was a bit hairy got back to car and it had no windows left in it and all tyres flat and that's were the police told us to park !!! Oxford away was a unbelievably day went in mates parents escort estate don't know how we got there but I think there must 9 of us in that car and another 7 in someone's xr2
Thanks for those memorys John Lyall R.I.P,the players and all the boys
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