The Big Match - Week 27

This week's Big Match is the League Cup final between Manchester City and Newcastle United played the last weekend of February 1976.

The mid-70's Wembley goals were history of goal nets gold;

Beautifully curved stanchions (which had an almost magnetic draw for the ball, as per Dennis Tueart's overhead kick) ;

And slightly saggy goal nets which maximised ball retention while bulging beautifully when a low shot was swept in (as per Alan Gowling's equaliser for Newcastle).

Match of the Day - Week 27

Match of the Day for this weekend is the Championship derby, Wolverhampton Wanderers v Birmingham City.

Until the recent box net era, Wolves had always supported the Molineux goal nets with Continental D's. As such, highlights of the 1996 match below are a Steve Bull late show, two crazy penalties and the classic Continental D's.

The Big Match - Week 26

This week's Big Match is the FA Cup 5th Round tie between Luton Town and Leicester City on 16 February 1974.

While a star-studded line-up for Leicester (including Peter Shilton and Frank Worthington) won through to the quarter finals, the winners on the day were the remarkable Continental D-A-frames holding up the goal nets at either end of Kenilworth Road.

Has anyone seen their like before - or since?

Match of the Day - Week 26

This week's Match of the Day is the Championship clash between Ipswich Town and Leeds United.

In season 1973/74, Leeds were the mighty Leeds and were on their way to becoming league Champions in Don Revie's last season

At the same time, Ipswich were four years into what would become known as the Bobby Robson era and matches at Portman Road were played out between marvellous A-frames that would see Town through their platinum, late 1970's peak.




Nearly 20 years later, Leeds were again league Champions and Ipswich had jkust been promoted to the new Premier League. Matches at Portman Road were now played between Continental D' and blue nets.



Of course, for nets aficionados, no feature of Ipswich Town would be complete without reference to the bizarre and unnecessary (yet still unique) low net supports installed later that 1992/93 season.

Match of the Day - Week 24

Southampton v West Ham is this week's Match of the Day.

Two great clips below featuring these sides and the History of Goal Nets at the old Dell.

1971

Despite being 0-3 down to a superb West Ham, the Saints with Mick Channon pulled back to 3-3. Check out the old black nets and (what I think are) Continental D's.

1988

By the time Southampton were beating the Hammers 4-0 in 1988, the tight white nets and the narrow, claustrophobic stanchions we love to love had been installed at the Dell.