Independent Leyton Orient Forum

Tonight 7pm the full match is broadcast on YouTube as we go back 14 years to the day.
Join myself and John Walker in the commentary box at Oxford for an unbelievable climax to the 2005/06 season.
Orient need to win to guarantee promotion, Oxford must win to have a chance of staying in the league, Grimsby meantime have to win, hope Orient slip up and they will be promoted.
A match that had everything and at points during the 90 mins all 3 teams had the desired result in their hands. The last minute of the game can only be described as surreal. The most memorable match I ever commentated on. I still remember my line "unbelievable, absolutely unbelievable, you couldn't have written a script for it".

What happened then?

Didn't Bueno squeak at one point?

Still pissed off I was forced to go to a wedding that day (and the feckers got divorced rather than endure a lifetime of misery to make me think my sacrifice was worth it).

I was working in my curtain shop (rip) on that wonderful afternoon. I was getting regular texts from friends and family. I could hear the phone going mad and as the vital goals went in I was cutting 3 yards of 54" drop net curtain.
I closed early to read the messages and went to the pub.

My misses booked us a trip to Ireland that weekend , she said a divorce would be on the cards if I went to Oxford instead , i foolishly went along to Cork

Great day out.

Was on a stag do In Oxford that weekend which was planned around the game, staying in the hotel next to the ground. Amazing weekend thanks to the result.

what a day
It was so emotional, I had a sore throat and headache at the end, pure theatre
Lee Steele goal was like slow motion, just after the hearing the Grimsby score, what a moment
Remember we at to stay at the end for 30 minutes cos the Oxford fans were not to happy - could have stayed for hours
Have watched this many times, and also the recording of Final score when they are still waiting for our score, still get excited
Brilliant Memories
up the os

Couldn’t get there and I forget why but was following it on ??? Probably Ceefax in those days and then the last 20 mins or so on the Beeb. Was Grandstand still running then. Marvellous

An unbelievble game.

Andy has summed it up in his use of the word - surreal. The final goal did appear to go in slow motion - I think we had three players lined up to convert the final ball.

The only downside was sending Oxford down. Apart from the few usual Oxford morons who invaded the pitch at the end (plus I remember one particular Oxford Chav gesturing in front of our stand wanting to take us all on ) it was pretty sad to see fellow fans in tears. We all know only too well how that feels.

Got to be one of our best ever games. Fair play to Oxford, they were fighting for their lives and made it the memorable game that it was.

How Oxford must have regretted giving us 5,000 tickets. Fantastic atmosphere amongst O's fans. They thought they were safe weeks before hence giving us the whole of that stand.

aylesburyos wrote: ↑Wed May 06, 2020 1:03 pm How Oxford must have regretted giving us 5,000 tickets. Fantastic atmosphere amongst O's fans. They thought they were safe weeks before hence giving us the whole of that stand.

Fantastic atmosphere, almost matched for noise and frivolity by Fulham away in the FA Cup. Was more ratted after those 2 games than any others (and there have been more than a few).

Remember the Oxford fan walking across pitch to take us on

Apart from shi77ing myself for 95 minutes and being pretty wrecked from a nervous pub session, my other overriding memory is on 91/92 minutes when Jabo contrived to miss a similar situation that Lee Steele scored 2-3 minutes later.

My favourite random crowd scene, is just as the we cheer northampton equaliser & Jabo jumps for a header , is the little kid held in parents arms who sticks both arms out & up instinctively that good news has been received .

Oh, what a day. In my 50 or so years watching football there's never been a day like it. Still makes me fill up xx

Just watched rerun on you tube.don't look as excited as I should when I see myself on it

Stamford O wrote: ↑Wed May 06, 2020 9:03 pm Just watched rerun on you tube.don't look as excited as I should when I see myself on it

It must have been nerves - nothing was guaranteed in that game until 90 minutes.

Lee Steele and a transistor radio secured the happiness thereafter.

Contrast this with 6 May 2017

10 seconds before Lee scored
My leg went through 1 of the seats
I was looking down with 1 eye.& up with the other
I could see the goal coming & thought
Well if we score & im not free the legs getting broke as i jump up & fall
We scored i jumped & some how the leg became unstuck

Phew twice in 2 seconds
Cue
Pandemonium

tuffers#1 wrote: ↑Wed May 06, 2020 11:19 pm 10 seconds before Lee scored
My leg went through 1 of the seats
I was looking down with 1 eye.& up with the other
I could see the goal coming & thought
Well if we score & im not free the legs getting broke as i jump up & fall
We scored i jumped & some how the leg became unstuck

Phew twice in 2 seconds
Cue
Pandemonium

On sale at the next home game , only a quid

I'm still trying to get my throat right, fourteen years later.

Crazy how fashion and hair move on. Ling wearing a suit that looks 2 sizes to big for him.

He still wears that suit. Bit tight now.