Matches What was the greatest game at the Manor?

[DanC]

25 years since leaving, Matt and I have an attempt at ranking the greatest games at the Manor...

It's really hard, and we almost certainly got it wrong.

Tell us your thoughts below.

 

[holdsteady]

The 5 all comeback against Pompey will always stand out for me, still the maddest game of football I have seen anywhere given how dead and buried we were with not long left. It’s at the very least worthy of a mention.

 

[Peterdev]

Oxford 5-2 Leeds

 

[Wallop]

Oxford 5-2 Leeds

That and the game against Ipswich where we came back from 3-0 down to win 4-3.

 

[DanC]

The 5 all comeback against Pompey will always stand out for me, still the maddest game of football I have seen anywhere given how dead and buried we were with not long left. It’s at the very least worthy of a mention.

Yeah, funnily enough it was in our show notes to be mentioned but somehow we forgot. I've got it in VHS somewhere and watched it lots of times in full... the weird thing is, despite the 10 goals, it's not an exciting game. Pompey are all over us for all but the last 30 seconds. It's the biggest steal in history.

 

[DanC]

That and the game against Ipswich where we came back from 3-0 down to win 4-3.

Have a watch of the pod...all the goals are there, it features highly.

 

[DanC]

Oxford 5-2 Leeds

It gets a mention. Maybe it derserved more but it's hard choosing!

 

[SteMerritt]

Good work guys, you got most of the big games mentioned. I did think about the 5-5 v Pompey, but as you said earlier in the thread it was a shocker of an Oxford performance - first half in particular. Memorable undoubtably. Especially when you consider the fact that Jim Smith was in charge of them, and at the end of the season they missed out on promotion by a point - if only they hadn't have imploded in stoppage time...

The only other game that I can think of which could have been included was Boxing Day 1980. Oxford 1 Charlton 0. Oxford had just changed manager, with Ian Greaves coming in to a club that was sleepwalking to relegation, and facing a Charlton side that were top of the league, and unbeaten in around 15 games. This game was the first sign of things to come in the 1980s. We only lost 3 games in the rest of the season, ending the campaign 13 games unbeaten with a staggering 9 of them draws! The foundations were set.

 

[Coffin Dodger]

Oxford 4 Ipswich 3 - 1985
Second half comeback from 3 down.
Aldridge hatrick

 

[Bitter]

Good work guys, you got most of the big games mentioned. I did think about the 5-5 v Pompey, but as you said earlier in the thread it was a shocker of an Oxford performance - first half in particular. Memorable undoubtably. Especially when you consider the fact that Jim Smith was in charge of them, and at the end of the season they missed out on promotion by a point - if only they hadn't have imploded in stoppage time...

The only other game that I can think of which could have been included was Boxing Day 1980. Oxford 1 Charlton 0. Oxford had just changed manager, with Ian Greaves coming in to a club that was sleepwalking to relegation, and facing a Charlton side that were top of the league, and unbeaten in around 15 games. This game was the first sign of things to come in the 1980s. We only lost 3 games in the rest of the season, ending the campaign 13 games unbeaten with a staggering 9 of them draws! The foundations were set.

Good shout.

 

[Bitter]

The Newcastle cup game in 83 sticks out for me. The first half display was probably the best ever from an Oxford side, the Geordies could hardly get the ball out of their penalty box, let alone their half. how Oxford were not 5 or 6 up by half time i'll never know, if my memory serves me correct, we kicked towards the London Road in the first half and the London road atmosphere was electric, almost sucking the ball towards the Newcastle goal.

 

[Pgyellow]

Keegan 'got' Briggs sent off too.

 

[SamLongSlidingTackle]

Oxford 2 - 1 reading. My first game at the Manor. Evening kickoff. Some guy let me in front of him so I could see ( London road terrace)
Walking back to the car I remember an elderly man fell off his bike.

 

[dickwalton1964]

Really difficult to pick just one - the Leeds game always springs to mind as does the Ipswich comeback game, the Les Phillips goal to send us to Wembley, putting five past Swindon, beating Peterborough 4-0 to seal promotion, some great mid 80’s cup nights but I’m going for two drawn games - 5-5 v Portsmouth was just mental and the Bobby Charlton thunderbolt in the last minutes in the 2-2 v Man United in about 1972.

 

[Sarge]

not (yet) watched the podcast- hard to pick out one individual game from 40 years or so of watching games I saw at the Manor

managed a shortlist that includes 20 games that I particularly enjoyed at the Manor

Home win V Blackburn in the FA cup (3-1) 1964

record home league win at home V Barrow 7-0 1964 ( I think) - it was a night game, I was going to games with my Dad in those days when Oxford scored we'd both have a fruit pastel to celebrate, getting home after that night game I was probably bouncing off the walls due to the sugar rush of 7 fruit pastels

as mentioned already above in this thread- the comeback v Ipswich to win 4-3, the 5-2 v Leeds* game, the unbelievable comeback to 5-5 draw v Pompey
* also the cup game V Leeds 4-1 win under lights in 1983


2 games v Newcastle, both in 1992 albeit different seasons, 5-2 and 4-2


that home win in the league cup 2nd replay at home v big Ron's Man U 2-1 1983

Fergie's first game in charge of Man U , 1986 2-0 win


First home game in the top flight, old div 1 v Spurs1-1 draw 1985

First home win in the top flight v Leicester , 5-0 win 1986



Last game of the season when we were home V Champions Barnsley -Brazil, its like watching Brazil sang the Bansley fans, Rosehill, it like watching Rosehill responded the London road as Oxford walloped that seasons champions 5-1 cant remember the exact year? 1996 or 1997?

a number of home wins V Sw*nd*n also have stuck in the memory- it is always, always good to beat the inbreds

League Cup 1969 , ( they were the holders!) winning 1-0

1982 a 5-0 spanking of them

1992 - the 5-3 win (if memory serves it was the return home of Joey, who marked his home coming with a brace and taunted the away support after scoring?)

1996 3-0

1997 2-0

1998 2-1

1999 2-0


after trawling the fading memory banks for the above 20 games, Ive realised I not included any games at the Manor from the 70s
no particular reason - there were more than a few memorable games at the Manor in the 70s Im sure, the 70s was the decade when I started going to many, in some seasons most away games too, so my 70s section of me memory banks has all those included too

 

[dickwalton1964]

not (yet) watched the podcast- hard to pick out one individual game from 40 years or so of watching games I saw at the Manor

managed a shortlist that includes 20 games that I particularly enjoyed at the Manor

Home win V Blackburn in the FA cup (3-1) 1964

record home league win at home V Barrow 7-0 1964 ( I think) - it was a night game, I was going to games with my Dad in those days when Oxford scored we'd both have a fruit pastel to celebrate, getting home after that night game I was probably bouncing off the walls due to the sugar rush of 7 fruit pastels

as mentioned already above in this thread- the comeback v Ipswich to win 4-3, the 5-2 v Leeds* game, the unbelievable comeback to 5-5 draw v Pompey
* also the cup game V Leeds 4-1 win under lights in 1983


2 games v Newcastle, both in 1992 albeit different seasons, 5-2 and 4-2


that home win in the league cup 2nd replay at home v big Ron's Man U 2-1 1983

Fergie's first game in charge of Man U , 1986 2-0 win


First home game in the top flight, old div 1 v Spurs1-1 draw 1985

First home win in the top flight v Leicester , 5-0 win 1986



Last game of the season when we were home V Champions Bansley -Brazil, its like watching Brazil sang the Bansley fans, Rosehill, it like watching Rosehill responded the London road as Oxford walloped that seasons champions 5-1 cant remember the exact year? 1996 or 1997?

a number of home wins V Sw*nd*n also have stuck in the memory- it is always, always good to beat the inbreds

League Cup 1969 , ( they were the holders!) winning 1-0

1982 a 5-0 spanking of them

1992 - the 5-3 win (if memory serves it was the return home of Joey, who marked his home coming with a brace and taunted the away support after scoring?)

1996 3-0

1997 2-0

1998 2-1

1999 2-0


after trawling the fading memory banks for the above 20 games, Ive realised I not included any games at the Manor from the 70s
no particular reason - there were more than a few memorable games at the Manor in the 70s Im sure, the 70s was the decade when I started going to may, in some seasons most away games too, so my 70s section of me memory banks has all those included too

I, too, was going to mention that Leicester 5-0. That game goes a bit under the radar but that was a fantastic result and we played some great stuff that day. Don’t think you’d see that too often nowadays, a promoted club to the PL ditching caution and just carrying on how they finished the previous season with all out attack ! Great days !

 

[holdsteady]

The Blackpool game in 96 with Joey hitting an all time great Oxford goal as the winner, promotion battle game to be won in such a dramatic fashion is worthy of a shout.

Like the Pompey game the above might not have been a great game for 90 minutes but very few games are, football is not that type of sport but for me its the big moments that decide whether its a great game.

 

[Jimmy P]

For our noise, atmosphere and for what it meant it has to be semi final vs Villa
I was 10 years old and was in the London Road - never heard noise like it before

 

[DanC]

Lovely to see all these games mentioned - we knew that there were going to be lots of more obscure games that we'd miss.

Annoyed we missed the Man Utd game from 72. Because it's not on YouTube I just failed to remember it I guess.

If you've never watched our podcast, we do our best to dig out as much archive as possible, so why not give yourself a lunchbreak treat and have a watch. The nostaglia kicks in a 13 mins 47 seconds in...this link with take you straight there.

 

[Pompeyyellows]

Perhaps not the best game, but certainly one of the most bizarre would be the Wimbledon game in the fog. Could only see what happened at the London Road end.

 

[Pgyellow]

The Everton 1 - 0 when Les Phillips scored a late winner at the end of the season has got to be up there.

 

[Yellowmike]

3-0 versus Arsenal to stay up in the 1st Division

 

[Wicko]

A whole catalogue of memories, making me feel very nostalgic. Not sure if it will qualify as the greatest but perhaps my most memorable was the 2-1 cup win over Man U. I wrote my Ford Escort off near the A40 flyover on the way there. Me and 4 mates managed to bounce it on to the verge. Thankfully no one was injured, we just about ran to ground in time. I then lost a shoe in the celebrations when Biggins headed the winner.

 

[Beech Road Bokelberg]

My memory is familiar mostly of the 90s games at the Manor, some great victories vs Swindon, Newcastle and Leeds as already stated.

Has just sprung to mind and don't think it's been mentioned, 2 great wins at the Manor vs Wolves?

One was 1997 - 3 great goals (Bobby Ford n Joey 2). The other game was couple of yrs before and thrashed them also.

*Beating Leeds 3-2 in 1989 was the game I remember.

 

[ArrowsNumber9]

At first I thought the Leeds game and Ipswich come back but someone else has mentioned the Newcastle cup match, that would have to be my choice. I remember for ages after thinking that’s the best Oxford performance I had ever seen.

 

[Jumpers4Goalposts]

not (yet) watched the podcast- hard to pick out one individual game from 40 years or so of watching games I saw at the Manor

managed a shortlist that includes 20 games that I particularly enjoyed at the Manor

Home win V Blackburn in the FA cup (3-1) 1964

record home league win at home V Barrow 7-0 1964 ( I think) - it was a night game, I was going to games with my Dad in those days when Oxford scored we'd both have a fruit pastel to celebrate, getting home after that night game I was probably bouncing off the walls due to the sugar rush of 7 fruit pastels

as mentioned already above in this thread- the comeback v Ipswich to win 4-3, the 5-2 v Leeds* game, the unbelievable comeback to 5-5 draw v Pompey
* also the cup game V Leeds 4-1 win under lights in 1983


2 games v Newcastle, both in 1992 albeit different seasons, 5-2 and 4-2


that home win in the league cup 2nd replay at home v big Ron's Man U 2-1 1983

Fergie's first game in charge of Man U , 1986 2-0 win


First home game in the top flight, old div 1 v Spurs1-1 draw 1985

First home win in the top flight v Leicester , 5-0 win 1986



Last game of the season when we were home V Champions Barnsley -Brazil, its like watching Brazil sang the Bansley fans, Rosehill, it like watching Rosehill responded the London road as Oxford walloped that seasons champions 5-1 cant remember the exact year? 1996 or 1997?

a number of home wins V Sw*nd*n also have stuck in the memory- it is always, always good to beat the inbreds

League Cup 1969 , ( they were the holders!) winning 1-0

1982 a 5-0 spanking of them

1992 - the 5-3 win (if memory serves it was the return home of Joey, who marked his home coming with a brace and taunted the away support after scoring?)

1996 3-0

1997 2-0

1998 2-1

1999 2-0


after trawling the fading memory banks for the above 20 games, Ive realised I not included any games at the Manor from the 70s
no particular reason - there were more than a few memorable games at the Manor in the 70s Im sure, the 70s was the decade when I started going to may, in some seasons most away games too, so my 70s section of me memory banks has all those included too

I think the memory is sharpened by watching goals again on TV in the 80’s on Central News every Monday evening. Before that we were rarely on TV.

I started my journey in 1978 I think and stopped 20 odd years later with other commitments. But your list of games especially the 4-3 v Ipswich and 2-1 cup 2nd replay v Man United always stand out for me. The 5-2 v Leeds when Aldridge got Lorimer sent off for absolutely nothing was classic.

I was gutted to miss the 3-0 v Swindon. I promised a friend I would go to see Forest at home to Bayern Munich the same night as his wife had bought him tickets for his birthday. Think Forest lost 5-1 and I was desperately trying to get the result of our game.

I also recall the 6-0 game where we scored all 6 with headers when we were on a massive push for promotion from the same level we start next season.

 

[Beech Road Bokelberg]

I think the memory is sharpened by watching goals again on TV in the 80’s on Central News every Monday evening. Before that we were rarely on TV.

I started my journey in 1978 I think and stopped 20 odd years later with other commitments. But your list of games especially the 4-3 v Ipswich and 2-1 cup 2nd replay v Man United always stand out for me. The 5-2 v Leeds when Aldridge got Lorimer sent off for absolutely nothing was classic.

I was gutted to miss the 3-0 v Swindon. I promised a friend I would go to see Forest at home to Bayern Munich the same night as his wife had bought him tickets for his birthday. Think Forest lost 5-1 and I was desperately trying to get the result of our game.

I also recall the 6-0 game where we scored all 6 with headers when we were on a massive push for promotion from the same level we start next season.

I'd completely forgot about the 6-0 all headers game! Shrewsbury I think!

 

[Scotchegg]

Oxford - Newcastle 83, not only a great game for all the reasons mentioned on here but also my first ever game.

I remember being rammed in against the wall of the Beech Road stand before kick off. My dad lifted me over the wall then walked me around the pitch to the corner of the Osler Road stand, next to the Newcastle supporters where there was more space. I remember getting called over to the fence by Newcastle fans before being spat on! Different times in the 80's.

But I loved it. The sound, the lights, the smells. Everything about live football meant that I wanted to go back over and over again. We could only do cup games that season as my dad worked Saturdays, but that Newcastle game, followed by Leeds, Man Utd twice and Everton was a pretty decent run for anyone's first 5 games.

 

[windmill]

Blackburn, February 1964. Its all there on utube. Unbelievable afternoon. No crowd limits in those days.......just keep packing them in.

 

[Steve Gilbert]

Birmingham last game of the season, we lost the game but Birmingham had an aging, very over weight Steve Bruce still pulling the strings in midfield. Highlight of the game was some Birmingham fan climbing the flood light.