I'm sure that during the late 70's, before the Big Match theme music kicked in, they showed the first goal from this clip of the 76/77 Cup Final.

That bit of Brian Moore commentary ... "through by Greenhoff, Jones is after it, Pearson shot ... GOAL !" I must have heard that a hundred times. In fact, having just found it on YouTube, I could almost remember it word-for-word.

It must have been used for a couple of seasons at least.

I see the old advertising placards for Vera Lynns, dont see that anymore

I hope this works, with luck it should be the even better older Big Match theme

Hey, whaddya know... me and modern technology... I reckon I'm almost ready to get myself a Trimphone like they used on the Golden Shot.

That just took me back. For a moment then I felt back in 1982! The Big Match, Saint & Greavsie, Match Weekly magazine...

I had forgotten how awful the pitches used to get by March. They showed Wolves-Shrewsbury in the 6th round of the cup. The pitch looked like a ploughed field.

They were awful compared to today's bowling green surfaces,many games would be called off today for the players safety!

And they used to play with frost covered pitches too. Anybody remember the home game v Norwich in New Year '80 or '81, when the game was played with blue lines and and an orange ball?

Was at the Norwich game which was New Years day 1980. Very frosty day. Was in the Whitehorse top tier next to the Norwich fans that day, game ended 0-0. Justin Fashanu was on fire at the time but remember him being like bambi on ice that day. Also went to Norwich away that Easter where we were beat 2-1 after Gerry Francis scored a screamer of a volley from outside the area for us to go 1 up. Remember seeing him lash the ball but because of the cage we were in behind the goal (we had about 1/3 of the end I think) could not see the ball hit the net!!!!

Was also in the Whitehorse that day. If my memory serves it was an awful game, the only excitement being when Ian Walsh rounded their keeper right in front of us......and then shot wide of the empty net.

I was there too. 0-0 no bloody wonder on that pitch!

Only saw the last 15 minutes this week (78-79 season) but a lady fan of Alan Whittle had written in and they showed his goal against Man Ure in the 5-0 win and his goal in the famous FA Cup game against Sunderland.

The great Brian Moore made me laugh when reading out the viewers letters (remember them) by stating their full address including the post code.

The closing highlights showed the goals in West Ham's 5-0 win over Newcastle which had been on earlier. Seems unbelievable that West Ham didn't get promotion given their team. I noticed Brooking, Devonshire, 'Pop' Robson, Lampard, Brush. Seems equally unbelievable that as we were going up that year Chelsea were heading the other way.

Remember the previous season when it was so cold for a midweek FA Cup match against Bristol City that they shut the Homesdale because it was too icy. It was considered unsafe for supporters to stand around watching but the poor players were expected to take their chances, diving and sliding about on the rock-hard, frozen pitch.

It was a great night though. I never saw the Whitehorse Lane terrace so packed. Over 21,000 people crammed into the other 3 sides of the ground and a 3-0 win against a City side who were in the 1st Division when we were still in the 2nd.

It must have been like playing on concrete. No way would it be allowed to happen today. Mind you, I remember playing school football and rugby matches on virtual permafrost; it would f-ing hurt if you fell over. Too much rain and it would be cancelled it so it was pretty clear that they were more worried about damage to the pitch than to any of the players. I suspect they're probably a bit more careful in these Health & Safety conscious times.

My mate had is steel toecap Doc Martens taken off him by the police before the game and had to watch the whole game in his socks :eek:

Call me mad but...

I am CONVINCED that the grass in this intro is SELHURST PARK? :eek:

I used to get to the ground ridiculously early when I was a kid and remember, around this time TV cameras filming pre match. There was a big old pole swooping down and gliding across the turf. I think it was for this Big Match intro.

Guess there's no way of confirming this. Unless some lunatic remembers this as well?

Were Massive Attack there?

That symbolises the end of an era for me. Not only was it plain wrong to have The Big Match on a saturday night, but it meant Palace were shit every week and lost just about every time we were featured on it, with Jim hook nose Rosenthal **** sneering at our demise each week.

This reminds me of "school in the morning"



The theme tune is pants, not far off It's a Knockout theme I reckon.

Spot the 'Bring a Pal to The Palace' sign. :D

How many Palace must've been there?

Exactly. But this is a theme music that reminds me of spending the evening desperately trying to avoid hearing the final scores on the radio or TV. Of watching the match in your pyjamas because your parents only allowed you to stay up to watch under the strict condition that it was "straight to bed afterwards".