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Great stuff Red, love it!

I'm about to write my January article for 63/64, I hope it strikes a chord for you, I'd value your opinion.

We've both seen a lot in 50 years haven't we...the 3-3 at Upton Park will live forever in the memory.

Congratulations Red! A real badge of honour! You've done well to come through all the ups and downs. That's the great thing about clubs like Swindon - capable of hitting the occasional height and plenty of depths....you get to see it all.

If you could pick just one of those five decades to watch, which would it be? The mid/late 80s were exciting times, but then I didn't experience anything before that...

Thanks George.

I didn't see all the 60s, started in 64. But the 10 years from then were the best decade. Until 69, I lived in Chipp., had a paper round & could get a train to most home games. Saving enough to get to away games was a problem apart from the gas, but I managed a few. Even when we went down to the 3rd in 65, we played exciting football at home. Then of course the cup final & promotion in 69. By that time I had gone to uni in Bradford, so couldn't get to many home games. I wasn't a driver until 76, when our fortunes slumped, though I travelled around a lot then to all sorts of games, most of them dire! Then went to work in E Africa until 86, but coming back to live in Leicester, where I still am. Hoddle's side in the early 90s was good, but it didn't last a decade.

So, I think it has to be the late 60s early 70s. I think that if you support a club for 50 years, the initial years makes a foundation for the rest.

I do think back, that, living in Chipp, I could have gone to the gas first! My God, what a thought - 50 years of that!

I'd echo that Red, the 60s (from 63 on for me) stand out from the rest and 68/69 as the season of all time when we were pretty much unbeatable. I went to Uni in 69 so up to that point I saw just about every home game and quite a few away too. That aside the Ardiles era stands out for the quality of the football played, closely followed by the Hoddle era. Credit too to Lou Macari...the football wasn't the best to watch but the winning and points record are memorable.

I consider myself lucky to have seen what I have. I wouldn't swap the experience for supporting any other team, Premiership included.

I'm glad you didn't go to the Gas!!!

Please no Red! Not Rovers!!!

It's a shame I came along too late for the 60s. Good footy, good music, and Diana Rigg in tha Avengers. What more could a man ask for?

in the 60s we played for hours in the park next to where I lived. In all weathers and light. Games were adaptable, anyone could join in. No kit, but we all knew who was on your side. Could end up being 20 a side. No goalposts, just jumpers put down. Strangely enough, in all those guys, the majority supported either the Town or the gas. I remember one kid who went to s++ton gate, but he was useless anyway.
No ref, we just decided between ourselves. But we all managed to keep track of the score, even tho' it could get up into the twenties after a 3 hour game. Guys might have to leave to get their dinner halfway through, but then come back to find that they had been replaced & have to play for the other side!

It was all very friendly, but most of us played sunday football where we had proper kit when things were more serious, but all forgotten when back in the park the next day.

I lived in Wroughton, the Weir Field is the local park and I lived about 30 seconds walk away. There was always a game going on, just like yours Red. I expect that was replicated everywhere. We literally lived football and would play until it was dark. There was great rejoicing when the clocks changed and we got the extra hour! I played for Wroughton under 16s. I wasn't good enough for the first team who played in the Wiltshire League so when I got older I played for NALGO, Sunday league which we formed at work . That way I could see the Town on a Saturday.

Great times.

Don,
I could write a book on this! Great to remember those times. But the ball was a problem. We used to play with plastic ones which were few & far between. The guy with a new ball was automatically in the side of his choice. Inevitably it would get punctured & I remember games carrying on into the darkness, 20 a side, playing with a punctured ball. Try heading one of those!
My sunday league side in Chipp was rubbish, so was I. Got work in Leeds & played in the Wharfedale & district league for my company. As a fullback, I had never scored after 10 years sunday football. I came on as a sub in one game & hit one in from 30 yards. We won & my feat was reported on radio Leeds! Such was my success that I was selected to start for the next game & ran down the wing, beating the fullback & slid it into the net in the first couple of minutes. We lost 8-1 & I was replaced!

Red...plastic footballs had about the same life expectancy as a junior officer on the Somme in 1916. One of our mates had a real football. We didn't really like him much but we used to call for him just to get to play with it. If his mum came to the door to say he wasn't coming out we just used to ask 'well, is his ball coming out then?'

I seem to remember that plastic balls were called 'Fridos'. I had one for my birthday once and it got punctured the next day.

Don,
The better plastic footballs went solid in the winter. They were too heavy to play with. I wouldn't have liked to take a penalty with one of those. Mind you, it wouldn't have gone over the non-existent bar! The lighter ones punctured easily. The real ones were a no go. No-one wanted to blow them up or dubbin them just for a park game. In those days they absorbed water. In fact, I would have preferred to head a punctured plastic one.
But, on a Sunday, we had to play with these. I think back to then when most injuries occurred from the ball not the man. I recall getting a sprained ankle just from taking a free kick.
Pat Terry never found it a problem. I think that he would have kicked off with his head, given the chance!