Match of the Day - Week 8 Special

The Monday night Liverpool v Manchester United match permits a second MOTD for the week and the Big Match series will follow Tuesday.

Previewing tonight's clash by looking back at two 3-3 classics and the wonderful ball retention at Anfield across two different methods of supporting the red goal nets.

April 1988 - the old red A-frames were still in place as late as 1988, with the nets hanging short, off the hardware. There are a couple of great goals among the six, particularly Steve McMahon's for 3-1 which goes straight in the corner - and stays there!



January 1994 - six years later, another six goal thriller. The Anfield goal nets were the supported by Continental D's but they had the same ball retention properties as the old stanchions. Check out Denis Irwin's free-kick for 0-3, its goes straight in the top corner - and stays there!

Match of the Day - Week 8

This week's Match of the Day previews this weekend's Manchester City v Everton clash at the Etihad by looking back at three previous fixtures and the History of Goal Nets at Manchester City's old home, Maine Road.

In April 1971 City beat Everton between big A-frames with blue nets dropped just behind the goal line and pulled taut, similar to West Ham at the old Boleyn Ground with similar ball retention properties.




Fast forward to March 1982. City are still hanging taut blue nets but this time they are suspended by the Continental D's installed just after Euro 76.



By the mid-1990's City have replaced the taut blue nets with saggy white software that responds beautifully to the four goals (the pick of which may be Paul Walsh's for 3-0).

Match of the Day - International Special

This week's Match of the Day is a World Cup qualifying special.

It previews this weekend's England v Malta match by looking back at the teams' previous game at the old Wembley Stadium, in May 1971.

It was back in the day when England could be expected to run riot against opposition such as Malta and they (particularly Martin Chivers) did, winning 5-0.

Much has changed since then, not least the Wembley goal nets.

Life was simpler then...




In retaining the ball behind the goalkeeper, the Wembley nets of 1971 keep things simple and, as such, are perfectly in keeping with a routine win for England over Malta.

At least three of the goals scored in 1971 would rebound round the goal like a pinball or out to the penalty spot if scored into the Wembley nets of today.

I read this week online that such rebounds add a "spectacular" element to the goal scored.

If true - it's not, but if true -  this would change the optics of the five goals scored in 1971 from the mundane to the spectacular and would distort the nature of the England victory over a then lowly Malta.

Simple can be beautiful too.

101 Great Goals - John Metgod

You probably thought it was done, but there's still life in the old 101 Great Goals series.

Three wonderful things about John Metgod's legendary free kick for Nottingham Forest immediately spring to mind;

The 100 metres run-up (which gave the hint something special was about to be unleashed;

The Exocet trajectory of the shot;

John Metgod's celebration.

As our focus is the goal nets, I'd like to add a fourth wonderful thing - the simple physics of a traditionally hung and supported goal net killing the shot and retaining the ball.



The West Ham goalkeeper Phil Parkes is beaten - humiliated - and when he finally gets up, he still has the walk of shame to retrieve the ball from the net.

Compare John Metgod's cannonball with the recent Serge Gnabry rocket, a great goal, completely ruined by the ball bouncing straight back out to him.

If the ball had bounced back after John Metgod's free kick, it'd probably still be traveling today.

The Big Match - Week 7

This week's Big Match comes from Stamford Bridge on the corresponding weekend in 1978 and features the West Brom side of Regis, Cunningham and Batson (and Godden, Robson, Wile, Statham and the two Browns!) simply overwhelm a poor Chelsea side.

It's also a showcase for the Stamford Bridge hardware which remained fantastic, despite the downturn in Chelsea's fortunes.

Match of the Day - Week 7

Match of the Day previews a fixture from the forthcoming weekend by showing a previous meeting between the chosen sides, and the History of Goal Nets on display in the clip.

This week - two clips of Tottenham Hotspur v Manchester City, nearly 20 years apart.

The first clip is a 2-3 City victory from 1973 and there are two things to note.

First,  the regular, sturdy, totally unmistakeable White Hart Lane stanchions, then in white.





Secondly,  the nets-within-nets that were in vogue at the time. The photo below is of Colchester v Leeds at Layer Road in 1971 and clearly shows the net-within-nets phenomena in all its glory.

The second clip is from 1990. Spurs with Lineker and Gazza in their post-Italia 90 pomp, ran out 3-1 winners between White Hart Lane stanchions now painted blue.

A-list A-frames - Torquay United

Shame to read of the problems at Torquay United in the new WSC.

Four years after the club lost its their Football League status, it must be hard for Gulls fans to remember better days.

But who could forget the late-80's League Cup tussle versus Tottenham and the totally brilliant Plainmoor A-frames?



Or the Play-Off penalty shoot-out at Wembley in 1991?

Three things to note -

1 - Torquay's 2nd penalty (about 4:00) gets jammed behind the Wembley stanchion; fantastic!

2 - Blackpool's fifth penalty (about 7:30) is maybe the worst penalty you'll ever see.

3 - The old Wembley stanchions. Still beautiful after all these years...

The Big Match - Week 6

The Big Match series reviews the History of Goal Nets at a fixture played on the corresponding weekend in years past.

This week's Big Match comes from Highbury in September 1974 and features one of Luton Town's most famous goals (at 10:30 in the clip below).

It's a 4-goal thriller Arsenal v Luton but the real star of the show is the old Highbury stanchions.


Still wonderful after all these years.

Match of the Day - Week 6

Match of the Day previews a fixture of the forthcoming weekend. It shows a previous meeting between the sides featured, and highlights the History of Goal Nets on display in the clip.

This week - Swansea City v Manchester City from 1984.


Two great goals right into the goalkeeper's left hand corner and both shots killed by the superb A-frames at Vetch Field, meaning the ball stays behind the beaten goalkeeper.

A great start to the weekend.

A-list A-frames - Aston Villa

Aston Villa would likely be most associated with the Continental D's at Villa Park during the glory days of the late 1970's, early 80's.


However, further back in their History of Goal Nets, Villa had an excellent set of A-frames.

The Big Match - Week 5

This week's Big Match is the 20/9/80 West Ham v Watford clash from the Boleyn Ground.

Five goals and a last minute diving header from Trevor Brooking!

Plus - the much loved stanchions at the old ground. Who at the soulless London Stadium wouldn't like to see the return of these?

Match of the Day - Week 5

Match of the Day previews a fixture this weekend through 30-year eyes...

It's West Brom v West Ham from the Hawthorns in 1986.

A 5-goal thriller and classic Continental D's.

Enjoy.

The Big Match - Week 4

This week's Big Match beams in from Selhurst Park, 35 years ago.

It's the League Division Two match between Crystal Palace and Charlton Athletic on 12 September 1981.

Look out for the classic A-frames in the clip, and a 20-yard opening goal which would still be on the rebound if scored into the box nets of today.

Match of the Day - Week 4

This week's Match of the Day is the Manchester derby, United v City, from April 1974.


Tear yourself away from Denis Law's face of regret.

 See how the Old Trafford nets just kill his backheel.

 An irrefutable note of finality to United's plight.

World Cup Final 1970

It may not be a coincidence that what may be the most famous game ever played, may also be one of the most photographed.

As everyone knows there were five goals - two of great quality, two of more dubious quality and a rocket shot that would still be travelling were it not for the marvellous Azteca goalnets.

With close-ups of those wonderful nets, here are each of the goals.

Pele 1-0 (18 minutes)

Boninsegna 1-1 (37 minutes)

Gerson 2-1 (66 minutes)

Jairzinho 3-1 (71 minutes)

Carlos Alberto 4-1 (86 minutes)

The Big Match - Week 3

As Brian might say...

This week's Big Match comes from week 3 of the 1976/77 season and features the League Division Two match between Millwall and Chelsea.

Look out for two great goals, a howler from the Chelsea goalkeeper and the magnificent A-frames at The Den.

Match of the Day - Week 3

Match of the Day will preview a fixture from the coming weekend by looking back at that same fixture in a previous year.

This week's Match of the Day is Watford v Arsenal from September 1984, played out between the old out-sized Continental D's at Vicarage Road.



Pick of the goals for me is Charlie Nicholas' opener (at 2:30 in the clip). Just love the way the net kills the ball, leaving a long walk for Steve Sherwood, the Watford goalkeeper, to retrieve.

Which is your favourite goal, and why?

A-list A-frames - Olympiastadion München

A curiosity from 1972 - A-frames in Munich!

(Gerd Muller's hat-trick goal can be seen at 1.23.20)



Sadly, the rhyme or reason for their installation would appear to be lost to time.

They weren't installed when Bayern Munich won the Bundesliga on the last day of the 1971-72 season, and the standard Olympiastadion box nets were back for the Olympics later that summer.

Ajax were in the middle of their European Cup three-in-a-row at that time so perhaps we see the influence of Dutch football in the shape of the stanchions - check out PSV Eindhoven, for example.

They're awesome A-frames.

Just, what were they doing there?

The Big Match - Week 2

The Big Match for Week 2 is Tottenham Hotspur v Chelsea in August 1978.


Tottenham's recent World Cup winning Argentine imports Osvaldo Ardiles and Ricardo Villa attracted most of the attention at the time.

Connoisseurs of the goal nets will instead revel in the instantly recognisable White Hart Lane hardware and marvel at the software's ball retention properties.

Gerry Armstrong's rocket shot for 2-1 would rebound to the halfway line today, while Kenny Swain's header for 2-2 would pinball round box nets pulled taut and made of trampoline.

Check out the behind the goals replay for that equaliser, you just don't see nets this good any more.

The Big Match - Week 1

New season, new series...

Each week I'll post highlights of a game from the corresponding week of fixtures from a previous season, and openly marvel at the goalnets on display.

This week, starting with perhaps the most famous opening day fixture ever, QPR v Liverpool in 1975/76, featuring Gerry Francis' goal of the season. 

The goal of the season award was totally justified as the goal is totally awesome.

So too, is the Loftus Road hardware. OK, not the best for ball retention but compared to the high tech but homogenous square boxnets on display today, they feel like an old pair of Puma trainers you once chucked away, but would dearly love back. 

Or maybe that's just me...