My Top 3 - Offis Munkeh

My Top 3 is a series where community members name their Top 3 goal nets of all time. As we are going offline for the festive season, this week's My Top 3 will be the last of 2017 and that honour goes to Martin @ Offis Munkeh.

Here, in his own words, is Offis Munkeh's Top 3.

Argentina 1978

My favourite goal nets, the L-frame goals with the black 'arm-bands.' The way Mario Kempes' first goal in the final (at 1:55 in the video below) comes back off the net in the final is mesmerising; the nets seem to know how far to return the ball without being rude.



Zico loved the goal nets so much he threw himself into them after the Brazil / Sweden match!



When I was a kid, I tried to create these goals with one of my Subbuteo goals and a black marker pen. It didn't end well!

Wembley

The classic curved A-frame, you could put the old Wembley goal nets in any place and situation in the world and you'd immediately know what they were.




All the most memorable FA Cup goals involve this hardware. In fact, the only FA Cup final moment I can remember post-1996 is Alan Pardew dancing, and that's not a good thing.



New Lodge, Billericay Town

A biased choice, I've been admiring the Billericay Town A-frame goals for more than 30 years; in fact I've painted the A-frames and even scored a couple of goals in them!

The A-frame goals lasted until this season when they were changed to box nets as part of the ground redevelopment. An endangered species lost another member.

The football may not always have been pretty but the goal nets certainly were. (Warning: the video below contains choice language and the appearance of a box goal net around the 1:31spot).




Maybe a unique part of the goal nets is how they frame the slope at New Town. With the sloping pitch, even at lo-resolution in the photo below you can see the advertising hoardings slope at one angle, the goal posts slope at a slightly lesser angle but the stand behind the goals slopes at yet another angle!

Thanks for your Top 3 Offis Munkeh - a sensational grouping of goal nets to finish the year.

Wishing all community members a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

See you in 2018

The Big Match - Week 16

Is it ironic that we only celebrate things when they are gone, and not while we have them?

The History of Goal Nets would like to pay tribute to Celtic's unbeaten run of 69 games, ended yesterday by Hearts. So this week's Big Match comes from Tynecastle 1978, on another occasion the maroons triumphed (and Celtic's long standing goalkeeping woes were laid bare - poor Peter Latchford).

Two great goals by Drew Busby, fantastic old stanchions at Tynecastle.

69 games unbeaten, what more to say?

My Top 3 - Yesteryear Footy Pod

This week's Top 3 has been contributed by the guys at the Yesteryear Footy Pod (where they watch games gone past and talk about them.)

The guys had a bit of a rummage and their Top 3 - in their own words, but in no particular order - is as follows:

Late-80's Old Trafford

Airy design, bonus points for when a ball gets stuck in the upper corner.

Malta Empire Stadium

Living in Malta, thought we'd include a bit of Mediterranean flavour (and what's not to love here?) Think this image must be of England's visit in 1971...

Azteca Stadium

Bit of a classic, Azteca from the World Cup 1970.

Honourable mention to Hampden Park (but we saw this already picked in the series, so went for a bit of diversity instead...)

All great choices, Yesteryear Footy Pod - good luck with your excellent series of podcasts.

Would you like to contribute your Top 3? DM Tony on Facebook.

The Big Match - Week 15

Where else this weekend but the Manchester derby?

Forget Mourinho and his fighting-in-the-tunnel look-over-there attempt to divert attention from his unsuccessful defensive tactics at home and revel in the History of Goal Nets at the Manchester derby.

This week's Big Match comes from Old Trafford and Maine Road because, why not? Isn't it Christmas?

1970 - Old Trafford

Check out United's old red stanchions and netting, and the Mike Doyle goal for 1-2 City - straight back out of the hardware!



Maine Road - 1975

1975/76 saw United return to the First Division and was the swansong for City's grand white stanchions, here with nets dropped short and pulled taut.



Maine Road - 1979

A 2-0 win for City featuring a beautifully curled goal by Michael Robinson - "fit to grace any derby match," according to the excited John Motson commentary - and the trendy Continental D supports City installed after the 1976 European Championships. What's not to like?



Old Trafford - 1982

Straight after the Spain World Cup, United went into copycat mode and dropped their nets waaaay short of their white stanchions. Check out the first of Frank Stapleton's brace for the afternoon - great goal - and note the nets' dreadful ball retention, caused by their being pinched in the corners.



Old Trafford 1990

United might have looked cool with their new Continental D's - their last change of goal nets before the box nets of Euro '96 - but it was Ian Brightwell's equaliser for City that stole the show!

My Top 3 - Duncan Spencer

Continuing our series of My Top 3, where members of the History of Goal Nets community nominate their Top 3 goal nets of all time.

This week's contributor is Duncan Spencer and Duncan's Top 3, in his own words, are:

Maine Road 1977

First up is the classic D frame from the 1977 FA Cup semi-final between Everton and Liverpool. Sheer white tight netting. The first goal displays the most magnificent ball retention.



Elland Road 1974

Next up is the old A-frame classic at Elland Road circa 1974, made even slightly quirkier as they had a small pouch of loose netting to catch a well-drilled low shot.




Estadio Santiago Bernabeu 1980

Thirdly, and for sheer European quirkiness, check out the 1980 European Cup final. Outstanding round stanchion.



Picking a Top 3 was very difficult so could I make an honourable mention of Blackpool 1974? I think it was the goal of the season against Newcastle, a mini version of the Stamford Bridge nets.



Wow, that's a top Top 3, Duncan - thanks very much for sharing!

Would you like to contribute your Top 3 to the community? DM Tony on Facebook.

The Big Match Week 14

If you have a weekend match-up at Vicarage Road between Watford and Tottenham Hotspur and a blog dedicated to the lost aesthetics of the game in the 1970's and 1980's, it requires only the alchemy of adding those two simple elements together to make gold.

Yes, your Big Match feature this week is The Glenn Hoddle Goal.


OK, it's 1983 and Watford have taken unique liberties with their oversized Continental D's but let's be honest - you only really see the goal nets once the ball has completed it's laser guided flight over the Watford goalie's head, don't you?

My Top 3 - Daniel McNeill

Starting today, a feature where valued members of the History of Goal Nets community nominate their favourite Top 3 Goal Nets of all time.

First up - Daniel McNeill. In no particular order, Daniel's Top 3 are as follows:

Hampden Park

Daniel is a big fan of the iconic Hampden goals - the big square posts and bar and the Iron Man stanchions.

Celtic

Daniel's a big fan of Celtic and A-frames. He regrets not seeing the A-frames that supported the Parkhead nets until the early 1970's but can't look past the Continental D's that replaced them.

Sporting Lisbon

Daniel's also a big fan of the other club that wears the hoops, Sporting Lisbon, and loves the magnificent A-frames at the old Alvalade.

Great choices Daniel - thanks for sharing!

Would you like to be included in the Top 3 series? DM Tony on Facebook.