Plymouth.

[2015]

51 minutes ago, Bris Red said:

Indeed. Rovers, Cardiff and possibly can throw Swansea in the mix nowadays as our direct rivals. Never ever consider Southampton as a rival though, don’t know any City fan that does to be honest.

Swansea are not a bigger rival than Swindon imo. Maybe because atm they're in the same league but for me it's always Rovers, Cardiff, Swindon for us as rivals go.

Swansea and Plymouth are clubs we just don't particularly like. I feel we have forced a rivalry a bit with Cardiff and Swansea but that's just my own personal opinion.

[Eddie Hitler]

1 hour ago, Bris Red said:

I’m confused, when have we ever wanted to be Southampton’s rivals? 
 

 

Maybe not but I was thinking back to the days when their Academy was stealing all the good prospects from under our noses and we wanted to have an Academy that would rival theirs and not see all the good young players heading there.

Which we have IMHO achieved.

I agree that I have conflated two different issues there.

[cidercity1987]

I would say the fans have a rivalry and want a rivalry more so with the likes of Stoke and Palace than Southampton

[pillred]

21 hours ago, fanjita said:

Plenty on here would have been there no doubt

You never forget your first visit to Wembley, the fact the weather was great and we won 3-0 made it a day that will live forever for those that were lucky enough to be there.

[pillred]

1 hour ago, cidercity1987 said:

Agreed, we might wonder why we aren't on their level but I don't see them any differently to any other middling Prem Club

Middling? they wish.

[Kid in the Riot]

I hadn't realised that yesterday was Plymouth's first EVER cup final. Along with having never played in the top flight, that feels like a history of underachievement for a decent sized club, with plenty of potential. 

Not that we're ones to talk, but at least we've been to what 4 cup finals and played a few seasons in the first division. 

[Silvio Dante]

5 hours ago, pillred said:

You never forget your first visit to Wembley, the fact the weather was great and we won 3-0 made it a day that will live forever for those that were lucky enough to be there.

True. You never forget your first visit.

 

[stephenkibby.]

9 minutes ago, Kid in the Riot said:

I hadn't realised that yesterday was Plymouth's first EVER cup final. Along with having never played in the top flight, that feels like a history of underachievement for a decent sized club, with plenty of potential. 

Not that we're ones to talk, but at least we've been to what 4 cup finals and played a few seasons in the first division. 

Their potential is similar to us.

The catchment area is huge like ours.

When we were going for promotion in 2004 alongside Plymouth and QPR, the crowds for us and Plymouth were on a par.

Not made any finals but did make the FA Cup Semis losing to Watford at Villa Park as a third tier side.

[glynriley]

24 minutes ago, Kid in the Riot said:

I hadn't realised that yesterday was Plymouth's first EVER cup final. Along with having never played in the top flight, that feels like a history of underachievement for a decent sized club, with plenty of potential. 

Not that we're ones to talk, but at least we've been to what 4 cup finals and played a few seasons in the first division. 

6 finals. 1 FA Cup, 5 EFL Trophy. 

[Port Said Red]

8 hours ago, glynriley said:

6 finals. 1 FA Cup, 5 EFL Trophy. 

The Gasheads count the Southern Area Final of the EFL Trophy, so you could probably double that again using #gaslogic

[Bas's perfect hattrick]

9 hours ago, Silvio Dante said:

True. You never forget your first visit.

 

3.50 a pint

[SecretSam]

Sunday didn't go so well for Plymuff, but well done Bolton - I've always had a soft spot for them, since our days battling them in Div 3 in the '80s. And of course, that final...

[Port Said Red]

16 hours ago, 2015 said:

Swansea are not a bigger rival than Swindon imo. Maybe because atm they're in the same league but for me it's always Rovers, Cardiff, Swindon for us as rivals go.

Swansea and Plymouth are clubs we just don't particularly like. I feel we have forced a rivalry a bit with Cardiff and Swansea but that's just my own personal opinion.

I have always felt that Swindon wanted to create a bigger rivalry with us, but I don't think we were that interested until those games in that season.

[2015]

11 minutes ago, Port Said Red said:

I have always felt that Swindon wanted to create a bigger rivalry with us, but I don't think we were that interested until those games in that season.

They're up there with the Gas, for me. Can't stand them, hated them even before that season. If they were a Championship regular with us every season like Cardiff and Swansea i'm sure there would be a rivalry. 

[pillred]

20 hours ago, stephenkibby. said:

Their potential is similar to us.

The catchment area is huge like ours.

When we were going for promotion in 2004 alongside Plymouth and QPR, the crowds for us and Plymouth were on a par.

Not made any finals but did make the FA Cup Semis losing to Watford at Villa Park as a third tier side.

I think we have slightly more potential than them since Bristol is quite a lot bigger than Plymouth and our surrounding population is much higher but they like us have failed to realise their true potential for far too long.

Edited April 4, 2023 by pillred

[RedRock]

Rovers, Cardiff, Millwall in that order.

Probably an age/‘familiarity’ type - thing.  

Brum, Swansea and then Plymouth … would follow.

Swindon were never on my radar really after we took over their place - I think - in the early 70’s (with Millwall present). 

[Ska Junkie]

On 03/04/2023 at 16:14, Eddie Hitler said:

 

Maybe not but I was thinking back to the days when their Academy was stealing all the good prospects from under our noses and we wanted to have an Academy that would rival theirs and not see all the good young players heading there.

Which we have IMHO achieved.

I agree that I have conflated two different issues there.

Saints have just one bitter rival and it's very deep routed, going back generations, skates v scum IIRC.

Beyond football.

Edited April 4, 2023 by Ska Junkie

[TV Tom]

21 minutes ago, RedRock said:

Rovers, Cardiff, Millwall in that order.

Probably an age/‘familiarity’ type - thing.  

Brum, Swansea and then Plymouth … would follow.

Swindon were never on my radar really after we took over their place - I think - in the early 70’s (with Millwall present). 

My first ever away game, at the time I couldn’t understand what Millwall were doing there 

[RedRock]

1 hour ago, harrys said:

My first ever away game, at the time I couldn’t understand what Millwall were doing there 

Done Rovers a few times preceding, including the 5-0 ‘Tulips Derby’. May have also been to Cardiff.

Swindon though, was the  first of the football away days train ‘specials’ for me. 

 Millwall, I think, were on the East End the previous week and joined in with the chant ‘If you’re all going to Swindon..’ and cold blow me, they flippin went!! 

Edited April 4, 2023 by RedRock

[stephenkibby.]

2 hours ago, pillred said:

I think we have slightly more potential than them since Bristol is quite a lot bigger than Plymouth and our surrounding population is much higher but they like us have failed to realise their true potential for far too long.

Yeah your probably right, although they have the all of Cornwall  and North Devon to call on.

There's no doubt that either of us would fill a 30,000 ground in the top league.

[BobbyC]

1 hour ago, harrys said:

My first ever away game, at the time I couldn’t understand what Millwall were doing there 

Was that the one where we kicked the gates in and filled there end about an hour before the game.The old bill then arrived with the dogs.I remember seeing Beaney (RIP) with a big alsation hanging from his coat.It was a bit lively that day with Millwall & Swindle on the premises but no contest.

[TV Tom]

24 minutes ago, BobbyC said:

Was that the one where we kicked the gates in and filled there end about an hour before the game.The old bill then arrived with the dogs.I remember seeing Beaney (RIP) with a big alsation hanging from his coat.It was a bit lively that day with Millwall & Swindle on the premises but no contest.

I was nine so my recollection isn’t great!!!!  I think we drew 3-3 with Millwall the week before in the first game of the season

[RedRock]

32 minutes ago, BobbyC said:

Was that the one where we kicked the gates in and filled there end about an hour before the game.The old bill then arrived with the dogs.I remember seeing Beaney (RIP) with a big alsation hanging from his coat.It was a bit lively that day with Millwall & Swindle on the premises but no contest.

Yep. Despite have an arm in a sling at the time thought the gates looked a bit flimsy, one lean and they burst open. Can remember a load of ours then being chased back by plod and dogs back across the long side terrace. While we were on the first train special, think it was the second special that ‘took’ Woolworths en-route to the ground.

[Ian M]

23 hours ago, glynriley said:

6 finals. 1 FA Cup, 5 EFL Trophy. 

Should probably throw in our Play-Off finals too, even though that will massively dilute our record in finals 

[ralphindevon]

11 minutes ago, Ian M said:

Should probably throw in our Play-Off finals too, even though that will massively dilute our record in finals 

Yeah, we played 3 finals in one week against Walsall

[CiderJar]

Trouble at Swindon in 1981

 

 

On the subject of Plymouth.... POP!!!!

[cidered abroad]

16 hours ago, pillred said:

I think we have slightly more potential than them since Bristol is quite a lot bigger than Plymouth and our surrounding population is much higher but they like us have failed to realise their true potential for far too long.

The size of a city or town had only a minor relationship with the standard of football from the club before Prem arrived. So today's football is dominated by the big city clubs who have accumulated mega millionaires to buy their glory.

As for the rest of us, it's how the football club is run that determines the success. Clearly the south west of England is lacking in determiniion to succeed. Clubs from Southampton, Brighton, Bournemouth, Norwich, Ipswich, Nottingham, Sunderland, Birmingham, Stoke, Sheffield, Portsmouth and others have all been much more successful than City, Rovers and Plymouth.

I leave the best example till last. Burnley is smaller than Weston Super Mare yet they have spent more time in the top tier than a helluva lot of other bigger towns/cities. Admittedly there is a lot less to do in a total dump like Burnley than Weston, Bristol and Plymouth!

Edited April 5, 2023 by cidered abroad

[southside]

12 hours ago, BobbyC said:

Was that the one where we kicked the gates in and filled there end about an hour before the game.The old bill then arrived with the dogs.I remember seeing Beaney (RIP) with a big alsation hanging from his coat.It was a bit lively that day with Millwall & Swindle on the premises but no contest.

1972, it had been lively at Swindon since '69, my first one was '70, seven shillings on the train, great days

[southside]

12 hours ago, RedRock said:

Yep. Despite have an arm in a sling at the time thought the gates looked a bit flimsy, one lean and they burst open. Can remember a load of ours then being chased back by plod and dogs back across the long side terrace. While we were on the first train special, think it was the second special that ‘took’ Woolworths en-route to the ground.

Singing "We shall not be moved" on the Town End, then they sent the police dogs in , got back in later, and stayed

Edited April 5, 2023 by southside

[candygram for mongo]

12 hours ago, BobbyC said:

Was that the one where we kicked the gates in and filled there end about an hour before the game.The old bill then arrived with the dogs.I remember seeing Beaney (RIP) with a big alsation hanging from his coat.It was a bit lively that day with Millwall & Swindle on the premises but no contest.

That was my first away game, I was about 12 years old and went on the train with some mates.

I seem to remember it was early on in the season and we were still on school holidays, we were discussing on the way back if we would have to write about “what we did in the holidays”

The stories of that day would of surprised the teachers.