[Lord Snooty]

December 10:

On this date in 2019, Town travelled down to the Valley to play Charlton Athletic on a rain soaked Wednesday night. We had the Lincoln legends Danny and Nicky Cowley in charge. The Addicks had Leeds thug Lee Bowyer. They were just above us in the league and we were just above the relegation zone as Mrs Cowley's lads had begun the big turn around of the club's fortunes following that disastrous second Prima Donna League season.

Covid 19 was just around the corner but hadn't quite hit the headlines yet and so a crowd of 13,488 turned out, most of them getting angrier as the game went on with mistake after mistake by the home side going unpunished by the Terriers' misfiring front line. Steve Mounié, Karlan Grant, Elias Kachunga and Josh Koroma all going close.

Then with the game fading off to a goal less draw, Lyle Taylor won it for Charlton. Or did he? No. The liner's got his flag up. Who's offside? Certainly not Taylor. It turned out to be a great spot from the referee's assistant as future Town star Naby Sarr was offside in the build up.

To make it worse for the home side, we then went and won it in injury time. Flo Hadergjonaj got away down the left wing and cut the ball back to super sub Matty Daly who had snuck into the box. He expertly tucked it away for his first first team goal.

On this date in 1983, I saw one of the best games in which Town lost. It was up at Sid James' Park in Newcastle against an absolutely fantastic Magpies side.

Me and my pals went up there on the Millbridge Beer Bus and called off in a little town on the outskirts for a great lunchtime session before heading off to the game. I think it was Birtley, but I'm not sure. Absolutely great bit o' crack.

The coach lined up with a load of other Town coaches at the Leazes End. It was a fantastic following in the crowd of 25,747 as our geordie manager Mick Buxton, tried to win against his home(ish) toon team. Like I said, it was a brilliant match to watch. The attacking from both sides was relentless and a ten all draw would've been likely if not for the goalkeepers Martin Thomas and Brian Cox.

They did let seven in between them as Phil Wilson and Paul Jones scored for us. But some real superstars scored for Newcastle. Peter Beardsley, Terry McDermott, Kevin Keegan and Chris Waddle (2) with the goals as we got beat 5-2, which in any other game would be a hammering, but this was just a feast of football.

Were we downhearted? Certainly not. We were still 6th in the Second Division after recently having had to endure five seasons in Division 4. We were having the time of our lives. We were slightly pissed off though when we got back to the coach park to see all the windows had been bricked. By 'eck, that were a cold journey home.