King Kev
Active Member
Okay just a week to go until the big day and that means one thing, (weather permitting) a host of festive fixtures. Personally I believe nothing beats boxing day footy, from being a child and coming to terms with christmas day being over by eating a load of Turkey sandwiches before carting off to the game with a couple of choccy bars from your selection boxes stuffed in your pocket. Then there is being an adult, still eating the turkey sandwiches but instead of choccy its meeting the lads in the pub then on to the game.
Anyway what are your memories of the boxing day fixtures good and bad from down the years? Been loads at Bury good and bad so will list a few.
PNE 0-0 Bury Boxing Day 2012
A great away day ruined by the police who kept us pegged up in a pub where one young lad was serving us before escorting us out of Preston after the game. Coach we were on had families, grandparents etc but the pigs still insisted on being door handles. Game itself was poor as that idiot Graham Westley employed dour tactics that stopped Bury from playing the famous 'Kev' Brand football, we were the better team though and had the one shot on goal..
Bury 3-3 Wigan Boxing Day 1994
Oh my days, second in the league, best defence in the country facing perenial former none league outfit who brought a healthy 600 away fans (was a big following for them) in ludicrous waterlogged conditions. 1-0 after a minute, bad backpass where the ball stops in a puddle leads to a Wigan equaliser, Bury then go 2-1 up with a goal that mirrored Wigan's equalizer, Wigan equalise after a Bury defender slips in a puddle, 2-2 at HT. 3-2 Bury when another back pass goes awry and their GK Farnworth slides in the mud and misses the ball, Wigan equalise after another back pass gets caught in a puddle, ball stops on the line then bobbles over. Watching at the time was awful, looking back it was hilarious. Wigan fans celebrated like they had won the league at FT.
Bury 4-2 Burnley Boxing Day 1999
Stan the Man returns to Gigg Lane with his Burnley team packed full of ex Shakers. Ground totally packed (Burnley obvs made up nearly half the attendence). Bury 1-0 up with an early goal, Burnley went down to ten men and by half time it was 4-0 Bury. Chants of 'Ternent whats the score' rung out across the ground. Poor second half played out with Burnley backing a damage limitation policy and in typical stupid Bury fashion we let them score two late goals to take the gloss off the result.
Wigan 1-1 Bury Boxing Day 2001
Second proper away game this (excluding Old Trafford in the cup and Dale away where I had sat in the home end with my Dale supporting grandparents).
Wigan in transtion under Jewell, Bury battling for their league 1 (division 2 back then) lives. 1500 odd Shakers in the away end. Poor first half sprung to life in the second half when Wigan scored, Bury with their sparse squad mainly made up of yts players and free transfers battled onwards though and a corner in the last ten minutes was floated over perfectly by Chris Billy and Steve Redmond, 35 year old has been, Mr hoof it anywhere himself chested the ball down perfectly and blasted the ball into the top corner from a tight angle. First ever away goal witnessed from an away end and everyone went mad, beautiful goal, beautiful moment.
Wigan put some late pressure on but could not score again and we deserved our point. Left the impressive JJB stadium very happy.
Anyway what are your memories of the boxing day fixtures good and bad from down the years? Been loads at Bury good and bad so will list a few.
PNE 0-0 Bury Boxing Day 2012
A great away day ruined by the police who kept us pegged up in a pub where one young lad was serving us before escorting us out of Preston after the game. Coach we were on had families, grandparents etc but the pigs still insisted on being door handles. Game itself was poor as that idiot Graham Westley employed dour tactics that stopped Bury from playing the famous 'Kev' Brand football, we were the better team though and had the one shot on goal..
Bury 3-3 Wigan Boxing Day 1994
Oh my days, second in the league, best defence in the country facing perenial former none league outfit who brought a healthy 600 away fans (was a big following for them) in ludicrous waterlogged conditions. 1-0 after a minute, bad backpass where the ball stops in a puddle leads to a Wigan equaliser, Bury then go 2-1 up with a goal that mirrored Wigan's equalizer, Wigan equalise after a Bury defender slips in a puddle, 2-2 at HT. 3-2 Bury when another back pass goes awry and their GK Farnworth slides in the mud and misses the ball, Wigan equalise after another back pass gets caught in a puddle, ball stops on the line then bobbles over. Watching at the time was awful, looking back it was hilarious. Wigan fans celebrated like they had won the league at FT.
Bury 4-2 Burnley Boxing Day 1999
Stan the Man returns to Gigg Lane with his Burnley team packed full of ex Shakers. Ground totally packed (Burnley obvs made up nearly half the attendence). Bury 1-0 up with an early goal, Burnley went down to ten men and by half time it was 4-0 Bury. Chants of 'Ternent whats the score' rung out across the ground. Poor second half played out with Burnley backing a damage limitation policy and in typical stupid Bury fashion we let them score two late goals to take the gloss off the result.
Wigan 1-1 Bury Boxing Day 2001
Second proper away game this (excluding Old Trafford in the cup and Dale away where I had sat in the home end with my Dale supporting grandparents).
Wigan in transtion under Jewell, Bury battling for their league 1 (division 2 back then) lives. 1500 odd Shakers in the away end. Poor first half sprung to life in the second half when Wigan scored, Bury with their sparse squad mainly made up of yts players and free transfers battled onwards though and a corner in the last ten minutes was floated over perfectly by Chris Billy and Steve Redmond, 35 year old has been, Mr hoof it anywhere himself chested the ball down perfectly and blasted the ball into the top corner from a tight angle. First ever away goal witnessed from an away end and everyone went mad, beautiful goal, beautiful moment.
Wigan put some late pressure on but could not score again and we deserved our point. Left the impressive JJB stadium very happy.
