Early Leavers

[LythamWolf]

A friend of mine (sadly no longer with us) was once so mad that he left Molineux at half time and went to the pub, saying he would see us after the game. On that particular day Wolves were 3 - 0 down at half time to Leicester City, and we all know what happened next...

Suffice to say he never left a game early again.

If I ever consider leaving early this is the game I think back to. I was living a hectic (in a good way) life back in 2003-04 and this was the only game I got to that season. I was living in Leeds, had driven down and was on my own and at half-time I was pretty fed up, a few guys sat along from me told everyone they were leaving and I seriously considered doing the same but I told myself I’d gone to all the trouble of getting there I might as well suffer another 45 minutes and the rest is history.

These days I stay behind after the game, clap the players off and a few of us gather together to catch up and talk about the game and are amongst the last to leave the ground. We’re so late leaving we’re often moved along by the stewards. It’s amazing how quiet and relaxing the walk back to my car and driving home is considering it’s probably only around 15 minutes after the final whistle.

 

[Woody]

There is a woman on the row in front of me and a lad on my row who come to the games together. Every single game, without fail and no matter what the score or how tense the game is, around 15 minutes before the end they both leave.
They may have a very good reason for doing so but I just can't get my head round going to a game knowing you're missing a decent chunk of it at the end.

 

[Wolf316]

Can’t understand those who leave ten minutes before the first half finishes and come back ten minutes after the second half starts.

 

[Golden Arrow]

A friend of mine (sadly no longer with us) was once so mad that he left Molineux at half time and went to the pub, saying he would see us after the game. On that particular day Wolves were 3 - 0 down at half time to Leicester City, and we all know what happened next...

Suffice to say he never left a game early again.

I put my hand up in shame and report that I too left at HT on that memorable day.

I remember driving home to the Potteries listening to 5-Live. I walked into my local and said to the guy behind the bar, "I can't believe what I've just done; I've turned my back on my team when we were losing 3-0 and now we've drawn 3-3".
He replied, "no you havn't pal, you've won 4-3" and he pointed to the TV Final score screen,

Deep shame followed and I vowed never to turn my back on my club again. I still however occasionally get reminded of that regrettable day.

 

[SheldonWolf]

Ahhhh the whole “leaving early debate”……

I’ll put my hands up and say I’m an offender and guilty as charged as far as leaving early is concerned. Several reasons:
•Going to the match is a social event, if it’s ****e or we’re in no chance of getting anything then I’d rather beat the queues in the pub and get a quick one in before the train.
•I’ve got a baby now so life is a juggling act. If I get out the house early and enjoy a few scoops beforehand then I want to get back and put the boy to bed.
•Co-ordinating trains back to Solihull & onward busses back to Shirley can be a military operation. So there’s a trade off to be made which is normally - stay til the end of a dead game for no reason whatsoever and get back home at 7.00ish or leg it for the 4.45 and get back at 6.15.

I’m also a serial late arriver choosing to enjoy the end of my beer and general banter on the pub before the walk down.

I’ve also committed the cardinal sin of just staying in the pub and watching it on the telly in the Hogs rather than stand in the freezing cold.

Everyone has different reasons. Doesn’t make us any less “fans”. And with the South Bank mainly standing with rails nowadays I can come and go as I please without interrupting anyone.

Pays your money, you takes your choice I suppose……..

 

[lobodelsur]

To me, match day is match day,it's about the match and nothing else. I love football and I very much like a drink,but I don't mix the 2 on match day, I want to watch the whole match and have a coherent memory of it all, and that's how I've always felt about it.

Agree 100%.
I've always tried to get into any match around 20 minutes before kick -off and as a rule never leave early. But there is one exception to that. Went to see us at Reading (as we tumbled down through the divisions) for a night match. They were trying to set some sort of record for consecutive wins at the start of a season. (IIRC Trevor Senior was their main striker). Anyway it seems the whole off Reading had got carried away and the queue for the turnstiles was enormous such that we didn't get in until 5 mins after kick off - by which time Derek Ryan had scored for us. They turned it aound and were leading 2-1 and controlling the game when my mate suggested we leave. Given that it was lashing down with rain since before we got there, that we were soaked through and that he knew of a couple of good pubs a few miles away, we left. Cue Derek Ryan to come up with a very late equaliser and end Reading's winning run.

 

[thetwistedsock]

Evening games I used to have to leave at half time to get to my night shift work. I remember hearing on the radio when Kightly did his hamstring. Whatever date that was.

 

[sc91]

You pay their ticket, then you can tell them what to do, till that point, pipe down.

 

[Longford Wolf]

Agree 100%.
I've always tried to get into any match around 20 minutes before kick -off and as a rule never leave early. But there is one exception to that. Went to see us at Reading (as we tumbled down through the divisions) for a night match. They were trying to set some sort of record for consecutive wins at the start of a season. (IIRC Trevor Senior was their main striker). Anyway it seems the whole off Reading had got carried away and the queue for the turnstiles was enormous such that we didn't get in until 5 mins after kick off - by which time Derek Ryan had scored for us. They turned it aound and were leading 2-1 and controlling the game when my mate suggested we leave. Given that it was lashing down with rain since before we got there, that we were soaked through and that he knew of a couple of good pubs a few miles away, we left. Cue Derek Ryan to come up with a very late equaliser and end Reading's winning run.

I’m pretty sure we were winning 2-0, Derek Ryan with both goals and Reading came back to draw 2-2.

 

[woop woop barmy army]

Usually in for kick off after a few scoops
If my round usually leave 5 mins before half time. Hence I missed podance goal and back few mins after second half kicked off

Last game I left early was the Albion home game and that was understandable. But always stay till the end.

 

[manchesterwolf17]

Each to their own with this. The only ones I fail to understand are those who religiously leave 10 minutes or so before the end whatever the score is.

Only twice have I done it myself - Against Slovan Bratislava because I had to get the train back and there was a huge amount of injury time. 15 minutes or something. Just caught the Jimenez winner as it was right after the 90.

The other when we lost to Burnley in 2013, effectively sealing our fate to League 1. I was too despondent to get angry and knew how hostile the stadium would be. Actually missed our goal as well as we were 2-0 down when I left.

 

[lobodelsur]

I’m pretty sure we were winning 2-0, Derek Ryan with both goals and Reading came back to draw 2-2.

Sorry, but not according to the last few paragraphs of this;

The forgotten story of ... Reading's record start to the 1985-86 season | Daniel Harris

Daniel Harris: The Royals’ remarkable run of 13 consecutive victories in Division Three helped set a Football League record that remains to this day

www.theguardian.com

 

[Padraig]

It was bad at the Southampton game. First win in absolutely ages and about a quarter of the crowd couldn’t be ***** to stay til the end to celebrate it.

They would soon moan if players weren’t putting any effort in but don’t seem to reciprocate it.

Why are you there if not to see Wolves win?

 

[Dan G WWFC]

I stay to the end, then when I get to my car in the civic I bloody wish I left earlier. I'm going to park elsewhere now. Last couple of times I didn't get back home till half 7.

 

[Longford Wolf]

Sorry, but not according to the last few paragraphs of this;

The forgotten story of ... Reading's record start to the 1985-86 season | Daniel Harris

Daniel Harris: The Royals’ remarkable run of 13 consecutive victories in Division Three helped set a Football League record that remains to this day

www.theguardian.com

No problem, it was a long time ago. I have trouble remembering what I went into the kitchen for, never mind a football match from decades ago

 

[Oh When the Wolves]

Is frustrating given the loyalty points system that a reasonable proportion of away fans don’t give a **** about supporting the team for up to 1/3 of the match

 

[BrierleyHillWolves]

I leave my seat as the board goes up and watch till full time on the tele

 

[lobodelsur]

No problem, it was a long time ago. I have trouble remembering what I went into the kitchen for, never mind a football match from decades ago

Aaah. I'm not alone then...

 

[Very Proud (AKA Still Proud)]

Not quite of Leicester City, Sheff Wednesday or Blooze proportions but back in 1976 we were 2-0 up in the FA Cup against Charlton. King John had come on as sub and got the two goals. My Dad looked down at me with a few minutes to go and said "Come on we're going" (this was code for I can squeeze in a quick pint in the Locksmith on the way home and your mom will be non-the-wiser).

I stubbornly refused and said I wanted to see Jonny Richards get his hattrick, "He's not going score again" said my Dad furtively looking at his watch. I won, King John scored and became the first substitute to get a hat trick in an FA Cup tie, and my Dad still snuck in that quick pint

Not left early since.

 

[chignalwolf]

I have arrived that late and left that early that I haven't actually been to Molineux....

I once travelled over 150 miles to a match where due to getting lost we got there at half time, we went in the home end by mistake and after a few choice words with this copper got thrown out before the 2nd half started so missed the whole game LOL.
PS, we were 3 down at half time so suppose we deserved it

 

[Wolfman jack]

Some of the problem is how difficult it is to get off the NB lower, so if people have to catch buses or trains, get a lift or be home at a particular time, or have young kids or mobility problems, its understandable. Dont know why the exits are so rammed.

 

[WasStefan]

While its a relatively quiet period due to the period of mourning it could be an opportunity to discuss this.

Last week against Southampton I was in the North Bonk the guy next to me arrived probably about 6/7 minutes late, then he left 5 minutes before Half time, following the HT break it must have been another 6/7 minutes before he got back to his seat, then lo and behold he left a good 5 minutes before the end of regular time with the 4 minutes added time that made it 9/10 minutes he had missed, now if you total that up according to my reckoning he missed at least 31 minutes of the game, now I know we are not scoring loads of goals but to miss half an hour of a game, is it worth him bothering ?. I can understand people wanting to avoid queues to get a pint or 2 or a nibble at half time, but to miss that much of a game, that takes the biscuit.
I have on the odd occasion left 5/6 minutes early on midweek night games to pick the missus up from work when she is on shift but other than that I stay to the end.

This is me. Arrive more or less on kick off, go up for a ****, vape and beer at 40 mins. Back down at 50 mins then leave bang on 90 mins to the pub.

My choice. Not hurting anyone

 

[WasStefan]

I have arrived that late and left that early that I haven't actually been to Molineux....

During the latter period of jackett’s reign i stayed in the pub. Think we did it twice ha

 

[Deak77]

During the latter period of jackett’s reign i stayed in the pub. Think we did it twice ha

To be fair there was some pretty painful stuff to watch in the last 2-3 months of that season, 5 0-0's in a row at home being a particular lowlight. Not surprising considering we had the non goalscoring goalscorer Joe Mason up front as Afobe's replacement.

 

[WickedWolfie]

To be fair there was some pretty painful stuff to watch in the last 2-3 months of that season, 5 0-0's in a row at home being a particular lowlight. Not surprising considering we had the non goalscoring goalscorer Joe Mason up front as Afobe's replacement.

We do seem to have had more than our share of non-scoring strikers over the last 20 years.... Perhaps karma trying to make up for Bully....

 

[WasStefan]

To be fair there was some pretty painful stuff to watch in the last 2-3 months of that season, 5 0-0's in a row at home being a particular lowlight. Not surprising considering we had the non goalscoring goalscorer Joe Mason up front as Afobe's replacement.

Yeah it was during those 0-0s. Pointless going.

 

[oldgoldheart]

I used to live in essex and go to the match with my wife. One snowy day we drove the 110 miles to molineux and watched a dire game against sheff united. We were 0-2 down so i said sod this and left 5 mins before the end to beat the traffic. Wolves scored two as we walked back to the car. So we vowed never again and although we live even further away now we always stay

 

[sc91]

During the latter period of jackett’s reign i stayed in the pub. Think we did it twice ha

I remember playing Sheffield Wednesday, miserable wet day, turned up to Molineux and had a beer before going to my seat in South bank, all the lads doing the same. 5 minutes in the seat and they went 1-0 up, needed a **** so went down, by the time I got done I was walking back up and it was 2-0 Wednesday. Couldn't be ***** going back so just walked out and went back to pub. Walked in the pub and the lads were already sitting in there, they ****ed off after the first.

 

[Big Saft Kid]

While its a relatively quiet period due to the period of mourning it could be an opportunity to discuss this.

Last week against Southampton I was in the North Bonk the guy next to me arrived probably about 6/7 minutes late, then he left 5 minutes before Half time, following the HT break it must have been another 6/7 minutes before he got back to his seat, then lo and behold he left a good 5 minutes before the end of regular time with the 4 minutes added time that made it 9/10 minutes he had missed, now if you total that up according to my reckoning he missed at least 31 minutes of the game, now I know we are not scoring loads of goals but to miss half an hour of a game, is it worth him bothering ?. I can understand people wanting to avoid queues to get a pint or 2 or a nibble at half time, but to miss that much of a game, that takes the biscuit.
I have on the odd occasion left 5/6 minutes early on midweek night games to pick the missus up from work when she is on shift but other than that I stay to the end.

At the Soton game, two non-regulars turned up in the two seats next to me in the BWU. A young bloke and a young woman. They arrived literally half an hour after kick off and left with about 10 minutes left. Neither of them uttered a word throughout the game, not even when we scored. The woman was mainly tapping away on her phone and looked as if she had spent a couple of hours on her make up. Why did they bother coming?

 

[Deak77]

Yeah it was during those 0-0s. Pointless going.

Yeah,proper depressing stuff,I seem to remember Ikeme being our MOTM in at least 2 of those matches, pulling off some stunning saves, tells you everything about that period in our history!

 

[Keith maniac]

We were 2-0 up in the home match v Reading that season and lost 3-2 that might be what you remember!

 

[Krispy Kreme]

If a serial leaver misses 20% of the game but has been going for the last 30 years without fail is he more or less of a fan than someone who watches every minute but has only been going in our Premier League years.

Show your working.

 

[Glass ankles]

Left at HT vs recent Newcastle game as felt stupidly sick and bunged up. I'll make sure I check with you if OK to leave next time...

Seriously, your life must be ****ing boring if you're timing people in and out of games.