football-related question: how many of the goals you've seen do you still remember?

The first goal I can remember was the first English Premiership match I've ever seen. Being from America, I never had a chance to see, um, good football until I went abroad and was in a hostel in Budapest. It was maybe October/November 2000 and it was Arsenal vs. Manchester United. I had no idea who either club was, but everyone seemed to be supporting Manchester, so I went for Arsenal. Henry [or is it Henri?] scored the most fantastic goal I've ever seen - like someone passed the ball to him and he bounced it off the side of his foot and kicked it and wow. So since then, Arsenal has been my favorite team and Henry my favorite footballer... Not that I'm a huge football fan though.

The first goal I remember being blown away by was Archie Gemmell's solo effort against Holland during the World Cup finals in 1978. And my first memory of football ever, and I was a very small nipper, was the astonishing acrobatic feats of one Jan TOMASZEWSKI, the Polish goalkeeper, during the world cup in 1974 (I think)

Phil. it is Henry, Thierry Henry, pronounced in the French way. I know exactly the goal you mean, and it was an absolute beauty. Henry has just been named as the players' player of the year.

The 1989 awful goal Chris refers to is the earliest I can remember.

It was probably the first Liverpool match I watched, I didn't really get it I don't think.

My favourite goal in terms of actual elation is probably Owen's second in the Cup Final against Arsenal, bearing in mind I've had a pretty lean 13 years or so as a Liverpool fan.

the first football thing i remember is packie bonner saving that penalty in world cup 90 (i was about eight and didn't really follow football)
i can remember loads of goals though,from dalian atkinson running halfway through the pitch for villa,houghton against italy,yeboah's few great goals,that sort of thing

Archie Gemmil '78 vs Holland? I do remember it, I'm sure I do, but I used to get this small format magazine which had drawings of great goals in it (as in diagrams) so that could possibly cloud my judgement over other goals.

I remember Tommy Hutchinson's (?) own goal (in off his back?) for/against Coventry in the 'proper' final which led to Ricky Villa's replay Memento Goalie ('remember that you must score').

I remember one of my own own goals as well, a screaming 30 yard aerial bender which had even me nonplussed.

Wasn't Aerial Bender in Mott the Hoople?

Indeed he was. Clearly he was a star footballer as well, and I failed to notice.

Yes, he was. Some of the older boys in my home village were rockers, and the name stuck as an alternative to 'banana shot'. I only found out the Mott the Hoople connection years later. Formative.

first goals hmm. dimly remember an incredible les ferdinand hat-trick for qpr v everton in 199...3?

sir les fucking ruled

interesting. i know i first got into football aged 4 when the '86 world cup was on. i also remember asking my dad during that cup if ireland had a team, and him saying "yeah but they suck shit" or words to that effect. i know i watched plenty of english league games, but the first goal i can actually remember seeing is ray houghton's header against england in euro 88. :-)

in terms of greatest elation, well, there are a few.

richie parsons equalising for bray wanderers against sligo (2-2 from 2-0 down: bray were the team most lacking in creativity in the history of football that season, so this isn't as unremarkable as it sounds!)

robbie keane, ireland v germany in the summer.
eric cantona, v liverpool in the FA cup final, 1995 i think.

I never want to remember any goals scored by Middlesboro.