Popular Post Holmowl Posted March 28 Popular Post Share Posted March 28 Friday 29th March - Kick-Off 3pm THE RUN-IN STARTS HERE – THE LAST 8 GAMES The weather forecast for Friday afternoon is a near tropical 12 degrees. And yet, when the lovely Mrs H and I take our seats in the South Stand, Mrs H will sit on a blanket, have her legs covered by a second blanket, be wearing two pairs of trousers, five layers on top, gloves, a scarf and a woolly hat. As it’s basically a heatwave she might leave the handwarmers and heated shoe insoles at home for once. I’d love to know what she’d have worn for the match v Swansea on 14th January 1984. You remember that scene from the Scott of the Antarctic film? The scene where they are huddled together in a tent, sheltering from the blizzard and the -40° temperature, and the frost-bitten Titus Oates says, “I’m going outside; I may be some time”. (they cut the end of that scene, where Oates comes back into the tent and announces, “I’d leave it 10 minutes fellas”). Well, that blizzard scene was filmed on the Kop on Saturday 14th Jan 1984. Never in my long life have I been anywhere near as cold at a match as that afternoon. I’ve no idea how the match was played. It was an absolute blizzard. I was stood on a very sparse and roofless Kop, with the snow driving relentlessly into my face. I watched the game though the gaps between my gloved fingers. Otherwise, the wind and massive snowflakes meant I couldn’t open my eyes. Does anyone have a photo from that game? Please post if you do. I’d love to see it again. I searched and searched but the only pic I have found is this one of Gary Megson about to take a free-kick: Only 13,787 of us foolish souls braved the weather. To be honest, at many stages of the match I was on the verge of leaving. I couldn’t cope with the cold or snow, but Sod’s Law…..our players just kept flippin’ scoring, so how could I leave? There are two reasons why us oldfarts recall that unforgettable day: the weather and the scoreline…..6-1. Yes, SIX bloody one! It was our Wilko promotion season from the then 2nd Division. We went into the game top, just ahead of Chelsea, Man City and Newcastle. Whatever became of those clubs? We ended the season in second place, level on points with Chelsea. Goals from Pat Heard, Mick Lyons, Gary Megson, John Pearson, Imre Varadi, topped off by a Swansea OG. Imagine the Swansea player who scored the OG, arriving home in Swansea about midnight, after the coach got stuck on the M1 in a snowdrift, having lost 6-1, bottom of the league, having frozen his nads off in a thin pair of Umbro nylon shorts (gloves, hats, skins and leggings were not an option for us 80s hard-men, and we’d never even heard of a snood), to be greeted by his loving wife, “Had a nice day dear?” His reply would be priceless. And onto 2024…. Against all odds, thanks to Danny, the patient still has a pulse: 17. Blackburn 42 18. Plymouth 41 19. Stoke 41 20. QPR 40 21. Birmingham 39 ---------- 22. Huddersfield 39 23. Wednesday 38 And if that isn’t exciting enough for you, just take a look at this weekend’s fixtures: Huddersfield v Coventry Hull v Stoke Norwich v Plymouth QPR v Birmingham Blackburn v Ipswich Every rival is playing a team fighting for promotion or survival. This relegation battle is amazing. If we are still in this division at 2:30pm on 4th May, we’ll be talking about this season and the Great Escape for decades. I for one am not carrying any wounds from Leeds or Ipswich. The way I look at it, we’ve taken 15 points from our last 8 games, we beat everyone we had a hope of beating, and we lost to the teams in 1st, 2nd and 3rd. I would have ripped your arm off at the socket if you’d offered me that as I was trudging gloomily home from the Huddersfield game. It is a magnificent run for a relegation zone side. I hate International breaks, but this one could not have come at a better time for us. Danny will have used the 13 days brilliantly. The physical and mental scars of Portman Rd will have been banished. We have a super manager. The bookies find it hard to call this game: Owls 6/4 Swans 15/8 I think it’s spot on that we are ever-so-slight favourites. Swansea’s form is very tidy, securely mid-table over any time-frame from 8 to 20 games. But, in each time-frame there is a team two or three places above them…us. On top of that, we are at home, where our form under Danny is excellent. There’s an enormous positive from the Ipswich game - Danny is never again this season likely to use that awful formation. Surely we will see the return to the back 5 which has served us so well. If Danny had to experiment, then I’m glad he did it in a match we’d have lost anyway, and not one of these absolutely vital can-win games, like Swansea. Do your best to enjoy the match. I can’t wait. Oh and by the way, our beloved leader has kindly installed new seating at Hillsborough, specially designed to make our viewing of the run-in games more enjoyable. Here’s a sneak preview: Strap yourself in, watch through the gaps between your fingers, or from behind the settee…..our knuckles are about to turn snowy white. COYO Danny, Danny Röhl ️ 35 18 12 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Basement Jack Posted March 28 Share Posted March 28 Brilliant I was at the 1984 game too cant believe it’s 40 years ago Massive end to the season starting with tomorrow Staying up or relegation? Danny stays Danny leaves? These last few games could define what happens for years to come. 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Holmowl Posted March 28 Author Share Posted March 28 40 years. Christ on a bike! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doghouse Daz Posted March 28 Share Posted March 28 Damn good read as always. Those were the days. By the look of it, a bumper crowd to spur us on to a win. Oh mi lads You should have seen us coming There we were in blue and white All the reds were running All the lads and lasses All the smiling faces Running down the Penistone Road To see Danny Rohls Aces 5 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
REDOWL Posted March 28 Share Posted March 28 Write a book mate,top class thanks. WAWAW 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Suffolk.Owl Posted March 28 Share Posted March 28 Great Matchday thread, Love the picture of Joanna Whalley, one of my early crushes....well still is WAWAW 3 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lombardo Posted March 28 Share Posted March 28 Another great post… I can’t work out if I need a big coat or just a puffer jacket…I will bring both 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Holmowl Posted March 28 Author Share Posted March 28 3 minutes ago, Suffolk.Owl said: Great Matchday thread, Love the picture of Joanna Whalley, one of my early crushes....well still is WAWAW I thought that pic might warm a few mature hearts. 3 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
New Zealand Owls Posted March 29 Share Posted March 29 Great read holmowl. I need an owls win to give me a much needed boost after a punishing 30 hour trip back from blighty with 2 young uns. Nagging feeling the game might be decided on the availability of bannan and/or Poveda. Screw it: 2-1 win after going behind. Channeling the spirit of QPR earlier this season. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marconi Posted March 29 Share Posted March 29 Yep, remember the 1984 game, was sat on the beach at Marbella and the World Service sports reporter mentioned the snow blowing horizontally towards the Kop. 40 bloody years, where did all the time go? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scilly owl Posted March 29 Share Posted March 29 “Swansea’s form is very tidy” has to be read in a broad Welsh accent otherwise it doesn’t mean anything….. quickly followed up with “ there’s lovely isn’t it” 1 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geörge Whitebread Posted March 29 Share Posted March 29 Predicted starting XI... Beadle Iorfa Ihiekwe Bernard Johnson Valentin Vaulks Bannan / Hendrick / Palmer Musaba Ugbo Cadamarteri The "formation" is always up for debate because the way Danny sets up is arguably more dynamic and phase-dependent than previous managers. It isn't always symmetrical either. Big victory incoming! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Orlando_Trustful Posted March 29 Share Posted March 29 Got to win today. Swansea are pretty much safe and should be on the beach already. They will get enough points in the remaining games to stay up so let’s hope today they roll over and let us tickle their testies. 2v1 Bannan (5) Them (11) Ugbo (34) 29,999 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Belgradeowl Posted March 29 Share Posted March 29 Another beauty of a thread! Who’s your photographic editor? What photos - especially the reminder of that brilliant series, The Singing Detective and the wonderful Michael Gambon. A win today for the boys; I’ve got my ifollow ticket- no scarf, hat and gloves needed in Belgrade, it’s going to be 22 degrees at KO. UTO 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Howmanyowls Posted March 29 Share Posted March 29 Getting 1 of the 4 wins today that should see us safe would be a brilliant result. Can't change the past. Let's get 3 points and hopefully we'll not be second bottom at the end of the day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SwellOwl Posted March 29 Share Posted March 29 What a feeling it would be if we could climb out of the bottom 3! Hopefully a happy Good Friday for the Owls! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lukeyswfc Posted March 29 Share Posted March 29 Swansea safe if they beat us. They won’t be on the beach just yet. A point minimum please. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A47Owl Posted March 29 Share Posted March 29 Got to give you credit @Holmowl your memory is eggcellent (it's Easter). Did you keep a diary? Great read as usual. Hoping for another 6-1 today. Hope Mrs H doesnt catch cold. The atmosphere will be so hot she wont need all the layers. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Holmowl Posted March 29 Author Share Posted March 29 12 minutes ago, lukeyswfc said: Swansea safe if they beat us. They won’t be on the beach just yet. A point minimum please. 7 teams need to go past Swansea who’ve already got 46 points and a pretty kind set of fixtures. Their players aren’t human if they don’t think they are safe. Even in his press conference this week their manager was pretty much accepting the rest of the season is about making the fans happy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Holmowl Posted March 29 Author Share Posted March 29 6 minutes ago, A47Owl said: Got to give you credit @Holmowl your memory is eggcellent (it's Easter). Did you keep a diary? Great read as usual. Hoping for another 6-1 today. Hope Mrs H doesnt catch cold. The atmosphere will be so hot she wont need all the layers. I’m going to tell my wife and kids that someone complemented my memory. That’s a first. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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