And your memory of this great day is?

-- Anonymous, November 09, 2000

Answers

Being stuck on the wrong side of the chunnel due to a fire - not such a great day!

-- Anonymous, November 09, 2000

If we are talking about Tino's remarkable Penalty, goal, booking for excessive goal-celebration with the corner flag and injury, then I was in hospital in Kent at the time.

I was in for an exploratory op due to some internal bleeding and had had the procedure put back until the next morning. Having gone straight to casualty from work I had nothing to wear so I was attempting to maintain dignity with one of those horrible gown things. I was far more worried about missing the match than I was baout my health, but was assured by the Sister that I could have the match on after supper.

It was all pensioners on the ward except for a yound bloke with piles who fortunately agreed to watch the match despite being an Arsenal fan. Anyway, there we were, huddled in front of the telly, *.00 o'clock, and the bloody lights went out. Thanks to being in the oldies' ward we were supposed to go to bed early. I pleaded with the staff and they agreed to let us watch it so long as we had the sound off and stayed silent.

There followed an extraordinary 2 hours in total silence as I bit the back of my hand to keep quiet but couldn't help doing a lap of honour around the ward with my arse hanging out of the surgical gown in sheer delight. The Arsenal fan was crying with silent laughter and joined in with the spirit of the occasion (although he spared everyone a sight of his piles, fortunately).

A very weird way to spend the evening, but distinctly memorable :-)

-- Anonymous, November 09, 2000

Brilliant, story, Softie! I was in Barcelona for it. I ws reminded of the occasion by a little photo of Tino and the flagpole in this month's MOTD (tiny photo). They classify it as No 55 in the 100 Top Moments of Football Madness. Kets is in there, too.

-- Anonymous, November 09, 2000

I remember it as a freezing night, enjoyable game although their pacy forward (Saha?) caused trouble but couldn't finnish. After the match went to Planet Earth for Carwash, pulled a cracking bird (trainee dentist). Also my mate who'd come up from London for a few days(Spurz fan)admitted for the first time in 20 years of knowing him that SJP was better than White Hart Lane & we were "quite a bit better" than Spurz, this was quite an admission. Unfortunatly he may remember the night for the different reasons, he pulled an equally attractive Finnish girl who took such a shine to hime that she visited London the following week where she found my mate's flat. He was out but his now ex-fiance was definately in, she had even had photos of the night which he no doubt would be pleased to show the lads but fiances never seem to understand.

-- Anonymous, November 09, 2000

Aye it was freezing alright. Not that I felt it as I was legless having been on the beer all day including a great song contest with some Metz fans in Tillys. Someone put Hey Jude on the jukey and the Nananana Geordies were deafening. The game took ages to get going but Tino's second was magic, one of those lightning bursts of pace and a sublime finish. Shame about the killjoy ref booking him for the celebrations and getting the lad a suspension.

I've got a great scar on my right shin where I fell over the seat in front in drunken celebration as the ball hit the back of the net. A lifelong physical reminder of the glory that was Tino.

The first leg was an experience as well. I hitched from Calais in a snowstorm with some nutters. Ended up cramped like a sardine in a car driven by a lad called Billy from Hexham. God knows how he managed to keep up a steady 60mph and stay on the road.

-- Anonymous, November 10, 2000