36 years ago today...

[Ark Royal]

...saw the greatest comeback in the club's history.

Reading (0) 4
Horrix (65 pen.), Senior (79, 80), Bremner (83)
Plymouth Argyle (2) 3
Hodges (10), S. Cooper (44 pen.), Clayton (48)

Reading: Westwood, Peters, Bailie, Beavon, Hicks, Wood, Rogers, Horrix, Senior, Bremner, Gilkes (Burvill, 51)
Plymouth: Crudgington, Nisbet, L. Cooper, Goodyear, McElhinney, Summerfield, Hodges, Coughlin, S. Cooper, Clayton, Nelson

Att: 8,512

Can still remember more than one Reading fan leaving the Tilehurst in disgust at 0-3. We were awful until Branfoot subbed Gilkes and took the leash off Mad Max. I have never seen a single player influence the outcome of a game as much as Kevin Bremner did that day. Totally unplayable.

[From Despair To Where?]

I was there but the game Is kind of a blur now. Cant really remember much of the actual football but do remember the distinct change in atmosphere after Deano scored, there was a strange certainly that we were going to win, and then the general pandemonium every time we scored.

My most vivid memory of the actual game itself is the Plymouth defender charging after Trevor and scything him down from behind as he took the ball towards the corner.

[Ark Royal]

I was there but the game Is kind of a blur now. Cant really remember much of of game but do remember the distinct change in atmosphere after Deano scored the penalty and the general pandemonium every time we scored.

My most vivid memory of the actual game itself is the Plymouth defender getting sent off for scything down Trevor as he time wasted near the corner.

That was Gordon Nisbet who got sent off after more than one attempt to lump Andy Rogers into the South Bank.

[From Despair To Where?]

Might have been Rogers but I could have sworn it happened in front of the Tilehurst End.

[Franchise FC]

I was there but the game Is kind of a blur now. Cant really remember much of of game but do remember the distinct change in atmosphere after Deano scored the penalty and the general pandemonium every time we scored.

My most vivid memory of the actual game itself is the Plymouth defender getting sent off for scything down Trevor as he time wasted near the corner.

That was Gordon Nisbet who got sent off after more than one attempt to lump Andy Rogers into the South Bank.

At 3-0 up, it was almost unbelievable that Plymouth panicked so much after the first. It was almost as if they knew they'd lose.
And +1 to the Max was unplayable (although he went down somewhat easily for the penalty)

[Ark Royal]

Might have been Rogers but I could have sworn it happened in front if the Tilehurst End.

Yes, it was right by the corner flag in front of the South Bank.

[From Despair To Where?]

Mind is definitely playing tricks with me but so much of that season is a blur now, I may be mixing up games.

[Barney]

Following the Plymouth game, we then went to Bournemouth on Boxing day (and won) then away to Bristol Rovers two days later (and won).
So the top the table at the end of the year was...

Reading 62 points
Derby 43 points
Plymouth 41 points
Blackpool 40 points

Strangely though, after beating the Gas on the 28th Dec we didn't win another league game till 22nd Feb !!

[Mid Sussex Royal]

Following the Plymouth game, we then went to Bournemouth on Boxing day (and won) then away to Bristol Rovers two days later (and won).
So the top the table at the end of the year was...

Reading 62 points
Derby 43 points
Plymouth 41 points
Blackpool 40 points

Strangely though, after beating the Gas on the 28th Dec we didn't win another league game till 22nd Feb !!

That was after 24 games so record was 20-2-2, if we 'd kept that going we were on for 122 points.

I was in the southbank near the back but ended up near the front, can remember coming out feeling dazed.

Remember the pen and one of Senior's goals, a tap in, all up the Tilehurst End.

I thought the sending off Peters was fouled? Its so long ago though so I'm prob wrong...was def south bank side towards Tilehurst End

[Zip]

Following the Plymouth game, we then went to Bournemouth on Boxing day (and won) then away to Bristol Rovers two days later (and won).
So the top the table at the end of the year was...

Reading 62 points
Derby 43 points
Plymouth 41 points
Blackpool 40 points

Strangely though, after beating the Gas on the 28th Dec we didn't win another league game till 22nd Feb !!

Yep we really fell away. I know Royal Blue was also at Fellowes Park massacre at the start of Feb 86. It was biting cold. We got absolutely pasted and lost 6-0. Not a great away day.

Didn’t go to the Plymouth game but I remember watching the Grandstand vidi printer in disbelief showing we had gone 4-3 up. The last score I had known was that we were 3 down.

[South Coast Royal]

Drove up for the game but had a dreadful migraine and stayed at my mum's in Tilehurst while my mate took my son to the game, one he has never forgotten and I will remind him about on Christmas Day.

[Zip]

Following the Plymouth game, we then went to Bournemouth on Boxing day (and won) then away to Bristol Rovers two days later (and won).
So the top the table at the end of the year was...

Reading 62 points
Derby 43 points
Plymouth 41 points
Blackpool 40 points

Strangely though, after beating the Gas on the 28th Dec we didn't win another league game till 22nd Feb !!

Yep we really fell away. I know Royal Blue was also at Fellowes Park massacre at the start of Feb 86. It was biting cold. We got absolutely pasted and lost 6-0. Not a great away day.

Didn’t go to the Plymouth game but I remember watching the Grandstand vidi printer in disbelief showing we had gone 4-3 up. The last score I had known was that we were 3 down.

….and just my bloddy luck, wasn’t at the Argyle game (as I wasn’t for many of that season), came home on leave from ‘killing paddies’ went to Walsall it was sub-cold, it was 0-6, my half-time pasty was frozen in the middle and it was Walsall……had better times

Haha. Glad you were at the Walsall game too. We went clubbing in Birmingham that night. I think one of the clubs was Pagoda Park?

[AthleticoSpizz]

We went clubbing in Brummidge….somebody else had to drive my car home….got totally rat-arsed

[Zip]

We went clubbing in Brummidge….somebody else had to drive my car home….got totally rat-arsed

We did The Dome too. Jeez...nearly 36 years ago.

[AthleticoSpizz]

Yeah…maybe we ‘celebrated’ together?

When we were young and stupid enough to celebrate a 6-0 defeat

[Fox Talbot]

Greatest 15 minutes football ever. Absolutely wild by the end. People injured jumping up and down the terraces. Knew a fella who left at 0-3 and missed the football experience of a life time.

20-2-2 62 pts before New Year, virtual relegation form after new year! I remember Walsall too. Went into a packed pub before the game. The only woman in the place was behind the bar. Old times.

[From Despair To Where?]

Went to Barnsley, the game where Kebe got sent off and met up with a Barnsley supporting mate. He took me to a working men's club before the match and pretty much the same thing. The only woman in the place was behind the bar and I was the youngest person there by about 20 years. I was 37 at the time.

[Crowbar6753]

Remember the Argyle fans giving it large and totally out singing us!! Oh how that changed in the last 20 mins my most memorable Reading game of all time, followed by the Wolves game where Archie scored two stoppage time goals to win 2-1. Very similar in many ways, just a few less goals...

[Franchise FC]

Remember the Argyle fans giving it large and totally out singing us!! Oh how that changed in the last 20 mins my most memorable Reading game of all time, followed by the Wolves game where Archie scored two stoppage time goals to win 2-1. Very similar in many ways, just a few less goals...

3 down at Sheff Utd and back to get a draw is up there as well
Not as dramatic as Plymouth, obviously

Those were the days…when no deficit was insurmountable.

The last few years one’s been enough

[Zip]

Remember the Argyle fans giving it large and totally out singing us!! Oh how that changed in the last 20 mins my most memorable Reading game of all time, followed by the Wolves game where Archie scored two stoppage time goals to win 2-1. Very similar in many ways, just a few less goals...

At least I was at that Wolves game and it was a rare outing by Mrs Zip to a Reading game.
A real shame there is no footage of the Plymouth game