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

This is a very good question - I think. I mean: it gets at the possibility that we don't really remember things we think we do. Do I really 'remember' Clive Allen's goal against Newcastle in August or September 1986? I'm not sure I do; though I was there when it happened.

My first TV memory (1981) is the same as Mark C's. Unlike him, though, I didn't, or don't, much like that Italy team.

Rats is a super call.

Rush didn't score a hat-trick in that final: I believe Craig Johnston hit the other.

Actually, a goal I just about remember: Clive Allen's volley past Bobby Mimms, out of nowhere, October 1986.

(If that doesn't bring Mike to thread, nothing will.)

I think the first goal I remember clearly is Roger Osborne's goal for Ipswich in the 1978 FA Cup final vs Arsenal. (I think I remember cos the police came round at half time to question my dad for allowing his Alsatian to savage a neighbour's dog!)

2. hopkin vs shef utd at wembley, 92nd min from 30 yrds out to put us in the premiership. lombardo vs leeds, run from halfway line and tucked it away, for a 2 nil win (back in the days of the brolin and lombardo comedy act)

actually i have an answer to this:

at my second school, when i wz abt 10, and playing compulsory afternoon football (LaYMoR's league), a guy called N!ch0las Hy4ms kicked off, and the ball went all the way to the goal, and into it, and all the way down a very steep hill into a wood. The goalkeeper wz a famously comical fellow called Anth0ny G!ll, who remembled Beeker from the Muppets, and cared abt nothing in the world, and was at the time swinging on the crossbar, facing away from the game — the ball bounced slowly along the ground right beneath his feet...)

The referee wz a science teachger called Pike or Pyke. He had horsey teeth, and sent AG back for an early shower and detention.

Pinefox i bow down to your superior knowledge you are indeed right - it was two and johnston scored the other, maybe because rush played for leeds i have over fond memories of his ability

mark s i once got sent off for not taking a free kick fast enough. I mean come on its a yellow at the most and i still stand by the claim that no one was moving in to a good position for me

mark you've jostled it loose, i do remember one: the one i let through when i played "goalie" for my American Youth Soccer Organization team, i was probably about 10 (the other only possible ages for childhood memories being 7 and 3)

it was a decisive goal and cost us the game and any chances for advancement, and i remember other guys on the team actually crying. i remember how they looked at me, they were confused about whether to hate me or pity me.

i gave up the position a couple of years later, mainly because i wanted to score.

Despite not being an England fan, I remember Platt's goal against Belgium in the 1990 World Cup. 119th minute, wasn't it?

As for overall... I doubt I can clearly remember 100 goals to be honest, ones I remember from the time, at least. As said upthread, remembering Ronnie Radford for me doesn't count, because it was at least ten years before I was born.

I know 0 abt foopball, but i do remember seeing a bit ov thiz match, i think it was en-ger-land v somebody or other. Paul Gasgoine (sp?) was running up to the goal, and someone from thee other team was in his way. He kicked thee ball over this fellow's head, quickly ran around him so that he wd be in thee right place when the ball landed, whereupon he kicked the ball into the net. This all happened v quickly. I must admit, even to a non-fb fan, it was very impressive.

That would have been against Scotland then. Grudgingly, I have to admit it was quite impressive too.

I remember quite a few of the goals I've seen, but I can't remember what the first one was. Most people remember the spectacular or silly ones (e.g. Nayim against Seaman, Ronaldhino against Seaman, Collymore against Flowers) so I guess ones like that don't count. John Hartson's against Liverpool will stay with me a while though.

I clearly remember Paul Walsh's goal against Liverpool for Spurs in about 1989. Before that every goal seems a blur, oh maybe it's Gary Mabbutts (sp) OG in the '87 cup final. Most goals merge into one after a while.

I think it's Best's goal in the European Cup Final in 1968, but it's hard to tell because obviously the goals from these giant games get replayed all the time. The first clear live memory isn't a goal, it's Bristol Rovers missing a penalty in a 4-1 win over Scunthorpe in, probably, the 68-9 season. I can still see it in my mind, though I can't recall the penalty taker. Obviously this moment has not been replayed a great deal on television.

I remember the penalty shootout against Roma like it is spooled in my head, mainly for the bendy legs.

I remember a slew of goals by Ernie Moss for Chesterfield in the early eighties, and a few from Phil Bonnyman too.

Earliest TV memory of a goal was 1980 cup final, but more vivid was Allen being hacked down by Willie Young.

I also remember my dad letting me listen to Arsenal getting beaten on penalties in a uefa cup final, possibly against Malaga, maybe Anderlecht, I think Graham Rix missed one.

Robsons goal in the 1982 world cup against France too, from Coppell's throw in.

Definitely the Ricky Villa goal.

That awful goal in 1989 *sobs*

The goal that Paul Holland scored (I think against Peterborough) scored for Chesterfield sometime in the mid-90s that was the best goal I've ever seen in real life.

I remember Ricky Villa's goal in the '81 cup final. The odd thing is I was only four and it had no relevance to me at the time. Now of course it harks back to a golden age of Spurs etc etc god I wish I didn't like football....

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.