Got a hand to the ball a couple of times (noticeably when @Curb_It threw it back to SCP at Chelsea away in the cup and he threw it back to us to waste time).
But never a leaping like a salmon 'AFKA's UP' off the nut.
In my dreams I'm sitting on the end of the row, don't let the situation phase and panic me, and instead of heading it back, I casually side cushion off my chest into the clear gangway and then accurately volley it back to the arms of the referee to determine as lawmaker how to correctly restart the proceedings
I caught the ball during a match against Arsenal at the Valley once. Robert Pires looked to cross the ball from the right, attacking the Covered End. Richard Rufus blocked the cross and it flew for a corner, bouncing once before landing in my lap in the front row, on the furthest seat towards the East Stand.
Pires ran up to me and gestured for me to chuck it to him. I held it, while checking first that Rufus had picked himself up and taken position for the corner and that Deano had arranged the rest of the defence. He gave me the thumbs up and I threw the ball to Pires.
We won, 1-0, with Kiely saving a penalty. Although I assume most of the post-match talk was about my invaluable contribution.
Weirdly ever since I first got my dad to take me to watch us at shithurst park as a kid I wanted to a) catch the ball in the crowd b) a game in the snow with the orange ball and c) see a goalie score (thanks Brad). Now I'm sure I've written this before and if it was on here apologies but maybe it was on Glynnes list forever ago but anyway, some years ago my wife at the times stepdad scored some free tickets for a veterans indoor 6-a-side tournament that was, from memory staged over in docklands somewhere (this is in early 2000's) so I went with him to watch. It wasn't great, we didn't win it (it wasn't the famous soccer6 win) but I did find it funny that John Barnes turned out for us, think maybe Billy Bonds did too. The tournament was being screened live by sky and during one game someone hoofed it too hard, way over the Perspex and it was coming my way. The world around me slowed, I put my hands out, then realised I could probably head it, lowered my hands and rose out of my seat and headed it back over the Perspex to one of the players and received the tiniest ripple of applause from those very nearby. I was properly over the moon, went home, asked some mates who'd watched it if I'd made it onto the tellybox assuming it was such class that it would have been replayed constantly and constantly but no, nothing, nothing at all...I've still not gotten over it and still not caught the ball although to be fair I don't obsess about it anymore, it rarely bothers me......promise
I've never touched the ball. But at Pompey away about 15 years ago, in the front row, I did make the mistake of looking around at the Charlton fans behind me during a break in play, as our rather rotund physio treated an injury to one of our players directly in front of us, while we all sang 'who ate all the pies' at him.
As I turned back to face the pitch, I was met full in the face by the pie he had thrown from his treatment bag, getting a reasonable amount of meat gravy over my face in the process.
That's gold, have had visions of doing similar things... Years ago at the gills I recall catching a ball behind the goal, in my enthusiasm to throw it back in I smacked my mate behind in the nose with the ball...
I remember in the pre season friendly against Brentford a few seasons back, the ball came into the stand behind the goal where Charlton were warming up and my mate, @Capitano decided it would be a good idea to try and play the ball back to John Sullivan first time. He played it back first time and it narrowly missed the back of an elderly ladies head! Sullivan screwed his face up as if to say you're a lucky boy, that was bloody close" but saw the funny side too!
My wife did the same albeit unintentionally at Brighton a few seasons back.....for some reason Ben Hamer decided he would take a turn at shooting with the rest of the squad and hey presto, he managed to smack my Mrs straight on the nose. Made it worse he didnt even apologise.
The only time I got to touch the ball was at a reserves game away at Chelsea. It was a weekday afternoon in winter and there were 3 of us watching - myself and 2 Chelsea supporters. I sat further back from them and, being terrible at throwing, was horrified to see that the ball had been kicked out and I was nearest to it. Rather than throwing it back I took a long walk down the stand to hand it back personally to Mark Stewart. Later in the game we went a goal down and the Chelsea fans turned and sung 'you're not singing anymore'. Happy days.
You did well! Me, not so well. At Selhurst. Ball came straight towards me. I went for a sort of volleyball style dig shot. The ball went miles. Unfortunately, I'd left my thumb sticking out (would never have made a boxer) and it was this that hit the ball, jarring my thumb back. Absolute agony, ballooned up to gigantic size, arm, seized up completely, couldn't drive home, thumb unmovable for months. Even now, it still plays up very now and again.
Tuesday 15.02.11 Hartlepool 2 Charlton1 sitting in the away end freezing about to drink a nice cup of tea during the warm up. Charlton players shooting at the goalkeeper. Thought I was safe sitting well away from the goals. Hit the full cup of tea out if my hands straight into my face. Should have stood in the goals to drink it.
Can we not adopt a similar theme throughout this season when the ball gets hoofed into the Valley masses? My aim will be to catch a ball, move to an aisle and then try to launch it out of the stadium or at the director's box.
Quality moment indeed, took one full in the kisser at close range on the east in the seventies, after bawling my dear old dad gave me hell and blamed me for the embarrassment.
Away to Barnsley. Bob Bolder was in goal so that's how long ago. A Barnsley shot sailed over the bar and bounced close to me at the back of, what was then, a big open terrace. I grabbed the ball and with a superb overarm throw that would have got me into the Kent cricket team, hurled it to our keeper. The ball sailed towards him, cleared the perimeter fence and right in front of Bob, it hit the raised edge of the turf and bounced back over the fence! Cue some ribald chants in my direction.
Away to Barnsley. Bob Bolder was in goal so that's how long ago. A Barnsley shot sailed over the bar and bounced close to me at the back of, what was then, a big open terrace. I grabbed the ball and with a superb overarm throw that would have got me into the Kent cricket team, hurled it to our keeper. The ball sailed towards him, cleared the perimeter fence and right in front of Bob, it hit the raised edge of the turf and bounced back over the fence! Cue some ribald chants in my direction.
The only time I have ever held the match ball in the stands was in my very first season. I think I was 4 or 5 years old. Don't remember much about that game or even that season. I went along with my friend and his dad. My only real memory is that the ball flew towards us in the west stand by the tunnel, no idea who kicked it or even who was playing. My friends dad caught it and shouted for us. We both got a hold of the ball before he threw it back.
Wasn't much but like I said my only memory from that season so must have had some impact on me.
away to Southampton a few years back. ball comes to me on the stairway. I completely miss kick it and it trickles down the steps. this inevitably activated much piss taking, instigated by some of the players. bastards.
In the late 60's as a nipper, I was stood on the east terrace leaning on the little red railing right down the front when a crunching 50-50 tackle happened right in front of me. The ball cannoned out from in between the two players like a bullet, heading straight for my face. In a split second I ducked and immediately heard a commotion behind. I turned to see a kiddy spark out on his back with blood pouring from his nose! They used proper heavy balls in those days lol
Comments
But never a leaping like a salmon 'AFKA's UP' off the nut.
In my dreams I'm sitting on the end of the row, don't let the situation phase and panic me, and instead of heading it back, I casually side cushion off my chest into the clear gangway and then accurately volley it back to the arms of the referee to determine as lawmaker how to correctly restart the proceedings
Pires ran up to me and gestured for me to chuck it to him. I held it, while checking first that Rufus had picked himself up and taken position for the corner and that Deano had arranged the rest of the defence. He gave me the thumbs up and I threw the ball to Pires.
We won, 1-0, with Kiely saving a penalty. Although I assume most of the post-match talk was about my invaluable contribution.
a) catch the ball in the crowd
b) a game in the snow with the orange ball and
c) see a goalie score (thanks Brad).
Now I'm sure I've written this before and if it was on here apologies but maybe it was on Glynnes list forever ago but anyway, some years ago my wife at the times stepdad scored some free tickets for a veterans indoor 6-a-side tournament that was, from memory staged over in docklands somewhere (this is in early 2000's) so I went with him to watch. It wasn't great, we didn't win it (it wasn't the famous soccer6 win) but I did find it funny that John Barnes turned out for us, think maybe Billy Bonds did too.
The tournament was being screened live by sky and during one game someone hoofed it too hard, way over the Perspex and it was coming my way.
The world around me slowed, I put my hands out, then realised I could probably head it, lowered my hands and rose out of my seat and headed it back over the Perspex to one of the players and received the tiniest ripple of applause from those very nearby.
I was properly over the moon, went home, asked some mates who'd watched it if I'd made it onto the tellybox assuming it was such class that it would have been replayed constantly and constantly but no, nothing, nothing at all...I've still not gotten over it and still not caught the ball although to be fair I don't obsess about it anymore, it rarely bothers me......promise
As I turned back to face the pitch, I was met full in the face by the pie he had thrown from his treatment bag, getting a reasonable amount of meat gravy over my face in the process.
It sort of qualifies as a header.
Selfish bastard .. you could at least have let your daughter head the ball back and claim the glory.
Great post though
Can we not adopt a similar theme throughout this season when the ball gets hoofed into the Valley masses? My aim will be to catch a ball, move to an aisle and then try to launch it out of the stadium or at the director's box.
Be inventive.
Gutted I didn't make the CAFC official 'highlights' clip ;-)
Well played Stu. Wish I'd been there to see it.
Cue the outrage.
Wasn't much but like I said my only memory from that season so must have had some impact on me.
Never even got close since.