England's WC history had been indifferent to say the least and if memory serves we didn't even make it to the Euros in '64. England had lost their global dominance to the Hungarians in the early 50s. The WC stadia received some attention but really not much more than a makeover (Wembley had recently been rebuilt but mainly to instal an all-round roof. The venues were not all sold out. In domestic football attendances were still declining, and it was before any British club had gained the prestige of winning the European Cup. The Final appears to be such a milestone but that is partly from hindsight because of the serial disappointments ever since and the cumulative effect of all those frustrated expectations. There was a pattern that many host nations had overachieved - home advantage was very significant. In a way that also diminished the victory a little, because we were expected to win. (How much sweeter it is to win away.) The Final itself has a special significance simply because of the opponents. The media coverage was infinitely less than nowadays, and far less sensational. The 4 pounds 10 shillings I spent on a 10-match season ticket (6 London group games, quarter final, semi final, 3rd/4th place final and the Final itself (standing ticket 10 shillings)) I think can be considered good value for money. But they were different times. As I said before, the '98 POF for me was better, and that itself for sheer atmosphere was at least equalled by the home SF against Ipswich. Winning the WC - and all the twists and turns along the way - was a fabulous achievement and I'm so proud to be able to say I was there. (Nearly first into the stadium - there when doors opened at 1230 for a 1530 kick off, just to get a good spot on a barrier just above the players' tunnel.) But sport moves on and there is always hope that the next occasion will be a great one, just like last night turned out to be.
Watched the '66 WC on TV and yes, it was a great achievement & the players involved were heroes for many years, deserving the plaudits they received.
Since then, international football became something I can take or leave - possibly because of the disappointments I've experienced over time. It's definitely Club football for me . Not even sure I'd go to an England match if I was offered a free ticket.
Like other posters, I have been an athletics' fan for many years & as you will know, after several summers of attending meets at Crystal Palace and the Alexandra Stadium, was fortunate to attend the LA Games in '84. Following that fantastic experience, we then made the trips to Stuttgart in '86 ( European Champs) and Rome in '87 ( World Champs) All great sporting events with some fantastic GB athletes - Coe, Ovett, Cram, Daley, Backley to name but a few. And yes, loads of superb athletes from other countries on view whose performances I admired but I was primarily there to support Team GB .
Family commitments, finances & perhaps a decline in GB fortunes and personalities ( with the greats retiring from the scene) meant attendances at meets were few & far between plus we returned to the Charlton "family" after a few years' absence which meant even less cash to spare for other things.
However, the Olympics and watching as much as possible every 4 years from the comfort of my sofa was always high on my agenda- remember taking leave from work , sleeping in the day and staying up all night to watch the Seoul Games for example - with more than just track & field becoming important to me. And the heroes began to emerge from other sports : Steve Redgrave , Chris Boardman, to name but two.The Games are SO much more than football ( in an international sense) SO many disciplines. SO many varied sports -some with individuals competing, others with teams. SO much diversity . SO many differing skills required in order to be the best and hence, so many opportunities for young people to gravitate towards. This epitomises sport for the masses. And for me, is the pinnacle of the sporting world.
Saturday , 4th August 2012 . The day that honest, dedicated, hard working Olympians from Great Great Britain proved to the world that this nation is a true force to be reckoned with, in not just one sport , with countless thousands of their supporters at so many venues truly being " the twelfth man" . How could this be compared with the performance of eleven men in this country's primary sport ?
Kind of different I suppose. Football is adversarial in a way athletics isn't.You beat an identified single opponent in football, it's not really the same in athletics (although there are exceptions). Last night the fans were booing when Koreans stepped up to take their penalties, which helped underline why football isn't an Olympic sport.
In short, both were great (I'd imagine) but different.
So boxing isn't an Olympic sport either? I was at the boxing on Friday night and there was lots of booing going on.
agree with NLA, I care more about Charlton but when the nation comes together to celebrate its always a great occasion. In my lifetime, Saturday nights events top the Rugby World Cup win of 2003. The reaction, the newspapers this morning, was all so full of joy. Just for a week or two, we are forgetting all our troubles and whats bad and have come together to celebrate some fantastic events and some fantastic individual stories. For me, this is the proudest I have ever seen Britain.
If the FA had the same PR resources in 1966 as LOCOG or LOGOC or IngSoc (or whatever they are called) have now, Geoff Hurst would be PM , Bobby Moore would have his statue in Trafalgar Square and Bobby Charlton would be the Pope.
Please don't compare national sports like Football, Rugby and Cricket that excite passion all over the world with minority sports for posh people subsidised by the poor sods in your Tesco Local buying scratch cards.
All credit to élite athletes who succeed at the highest level but this is not team sport and rowing is not football.
It was good, but its not even close to a Saturday at The Valley or The World Cup. The Olympics pish all over The Ashes. Why do people get a hard on about the Ashes, please? Oh good a two team tournament, which includes one team who should win because they have a bigger country and I guess spend more money on Cricket! Paint drying middle class game that is played by people who arent very good at sport IMHO. ;o)
One thing that is pretty evident is the sporting spirit. I just wonder if you could get thrown out of football for not trying , would Lloyd Sam have been working in Tesco's before his 21st birthday?
It was good, but its not even close to a Saturday at The Valley or The World Cup. The Olympics pish all over The Ashes. Why do people get a hard on about the Ashes, please? Oh good a two team tournament, which includes one team who should win because they have a bigger country and I guess spend more money on Cricket! Paint drying middle class game that is played by people who arent very good at sport IMHO. ;o)
Not very good at sport like Stuart Leary and Micky Stewart just to name two.....
It was good, but its not even close to a Saturday at The Valley or The World Cup. The Olympics pish all over The Ashes. Why do people get a hard on about the Ashes, please? Oh good a two team tournament, which includes one team who should win because they have a bigger country and I guess spend more money on Cricket! Paint drying middle class game that is played by people who arent very good at sport IMHO. ;o)
It was good, but its not even close to a Saturday at The Valley or The World Cup. The Olympics pish all over The Ashes. Why do people get a hard on about the Ashes, please? Oh good a two team tournament, which includes one team who should win because they have a bigger country and I guess spend more money on Cricket! Paint drying middle class game that is played by people who arent very good at sport IMHO. ;o)
Comments
England's WC history had been indifferent to say the least and if memory serves we didn't even make it to the Euros in '64. England had lost their global dominance to the Hungarians in the early 50s.
The WC stadia received some attention but really not much more than a makeover (Wembley had recently been rebuilt but mainly to instal an all-round roof. The venues were not all sold out. In domestic football attendances were still declining, and it was before any British club had gained the prestige of winning the European Cup.
The Final appears to be such a milestone but that is partly from hindsight because of the serial disappointments ever since and the cumulative effect of all those frustrated expectations.
There was a pattern that many host nations had overachieved - home advantage was very significant. In a way that also diminished the victory a little, because we were expected to win. (How much sweeter it is to win away.) The Final itself has a special significance simply because of the opponents.
The media coverage was infinitely less than nowadays, and far less sensational.
The 4 pounds 10 shillings I spent on a 10-match season ticket (6 London group games, quarter final, semi final, 3rd/4th place final and the Final itself (standing ticket 10 shillings)) I think can be considered good value for money. But they were different times.
As I said before, the '98 POF for me was better, and that itself for sheer atmosphere was at least equalled by the home SF against Ipswich.
Winning the WC - and all the twists and turns along the way - was a fabulous achievement and I'm so proud to be able to say I was there. (Nearly first into the stadium - there when doors opened at 1230 for a 1530 kick off, just to get a good spot on a barrier just above the players' tunnel.) But sport moves on and there is always hope that the next occasion will be a great one, just like last night turned out to be.
Since then, international football became something I can take or leave - possibly because of the disappointments I've experienced over time. It's definitely Club football for me . Not even sure I'd go to an England match if I was offered a free ticket.
Like other posters, I have been an athletics' fan for many years & as you will know, after several summers of attending meets at Crystal Palace and the Alexandra Stadium, was fortunate to attend the LA Games in '84. Following that fantastic experience, we then made the trips to Stuttgart in '86 ( European Champs) and Rome in '87 ( World Champs) All great sporting events with some fantastic GB athletes - Coe, Ovett, Cram, Daley, Backley to name but a few. And yes, loads of superb athletes from other countries on view whose performances I admired but I was primarily there to support Team GB .
Family commitments, finances & perhaps a decline in GB fortunes and personalities ( with the greats retiring from the scene) meant attendances at meets were few & far between plus we returned to the Charlton "family" after a few years' absence which meant even less cash to spare for other things.
However, the Olympics and watching as much as possible every 4 years from the comfort of my sofa was always high on my agenda- remember taking leave from work , sleeping in the day and staying up all night to watch the Seoul Games for example - with more than just track & field becoming important to me. And the heroes began to emerge from other sports : Steve Redgrave , Chris Boardman, to name but two.The Games are SO much more than football ( in an international sense) SO many disciplines. SO many varied sports -some with individuals competing, others with teams. SO much diversity . SO many differing skills required in order to be the best and hence, so many opportunities for young people to gravitate towards. This epitomises sport for the masses. And for me, is the pinnacle of the sporting world.
Saturday , 4th August 2012 . The day that honest, dedicated, hard working Olympians from Great Great Britain proved to the world that this nation is a true force to be reckoned with, in not just one sport , with countless thousands of their supporters at so many venues truly being " the twelfth man" . How could this be compared with the performance of eleven men in this country's primary sport ?
For me, there is no contest.
Second bit shows that this is one of the reasons ("helps underline...") that football isn't really and Olympic sport.
But Carlisle beat that last night for me personally but that is football not the Olympics
In my life I have never witnessed a greater sporting achievement to which I had no personal objective
It's
England
Charlton
Team GB
For me in sport and only a fag paper between them
England and Charlton football teams are an obbsession in my life
Team GB in the Olympics are a 4 yearly passion
Please don't compare national sports like Football, Rugby and Cricket that excite passion all over the world with minority sports for posh people subsidised by the poor sods in your Tesco Local buying scratch cards.
All credit to élite athletes who succeed at the highest level but this is not team sport and rowing is not football.