Your first time

Discussion in 'The Beautiful Game' started by skipshady, Aug 5, 2002.

  1. FootyMundo

    FootyMundo New Member

    Mar 1, 2001
    Minneapolis
    I'm in my mid 30's. I started playing when I was about 6. A kid down the street had a brother who played college ball. Very rare back then. First match was a Chicago Sting game. After the NASL folded I kept playing but there were few outlets to watch. Always followed the World Cups but not much else to watch until MLS. I followed it sporadically. Then in 1999 my wife and I went to Italy. We saw a Serie A game. I had the bug again. Upon our return I realized the international channel broadcasted games every weekend. I watched. My interest in MLS also started to peak more. Now with FSW and the shootout I'm back as a full time fan and loving it. I'm not leaving the game again. It was a bigger part of my youth than any other sport I played - baseball, hoops, track, etc.
     
  2. MassachusettsRef

    MassachusettsRef Moderator
    Staff Member

    Apr 30, 2001
    Washington, DC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Must have been the 1993 US Cup.
     
  3. BrianCappellieri

    BrianCappellieri Red Card

    Feb 11, 2002
    I'm 16...
    -First match on TV: Unforunately I can't remember my first match on TV although I know I use to watch EPL and Serie A matches when I was very young. Although I can remember specific matches from WC 94'
    -First match in person:Wolves (A-League) when I was 8. First MLS match in person was the Revs home opener in 96'.
    First International Match: US-Scotland at Willowbrook Park in 1995. Eric Wynalda scored in the first half on a PK and Cobi Jones scored the winner with a high left-footed shot from just outside the box.
    -First time I played: I was 5 years old and I had just ran up the stairs for dinner one summer. My dad was reading the newspaper and saw an ad. He asked me if I wanted to play soccer and I said yes. I had no clue about the sport other than you can't use your hands. :) But for some reason I was obsessed and couldn't wait until the fall when the season began. After dinner I got a small basketball and started kicking it against a fence (which I still do to this day only with a soccer ball).
    -First time I played in a real match: Rec. League at age 5, then onto travel when I turned a U-9.
     
  4. vmax71

    vmax71 BigSoccer Supporter

    Apr 11, 2002
    high desert
    Club:
    Los Angeles Galaxy
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    First Match I ever saw on T.V.: 1982 world cup ( I was 11) England Vs. France on Canadian Broadcast Company - I lived in Detroit- they showed like 40 of the matches - I was so amazed that England scored a minute into the match I thought this is how it always happened - I saw the match again that night on PBS! - They would show a one hour highlight of each of the two matches earlier in the day!!!!

    First Match I ever saw in person: 1994 world cup US-Switzerland in Detroit - Wynalda's free kick to tie the game!!

    First time I ever played - 6th grade
     
  5. BrianCappellieri

    BrianCappellieri Red Card

    Feb 11, 2002
    I remember that goal like it was yesterday. I can even remember writing out USA 1-1 Switzerland on a typewriter after the match, as I was keeping track. :D
     
  6. LeeS

    LeeS Member

    Mar 23, 2002
    San Francisco, CA
    Club:
    San Jose Earthquakes
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    First match on TV: I know I watched NASL games before this, but the first specific game I remember watching was Tampa Bay v Vancouver in Soccer Bowl 78 or 79.

    First match in person: This really surprised me but I think the first pro game I attended was a North Bay Breakers (USISL) game in in Rohnert Park, Ca in the early 90's I think. I get my years mixed up so maybe my first game attended was the SJ Clash in '96. I attended a US Qualifier in '96 at Stanford (Estadio de STAN-fooord, god I love saying that!) v Canada also, my first USMNT game.
    In I think '97 I went to England and saw a Manchester United v Leisister (w/Kasey in goal, 2-2 draw)

    First time I played: Organized I played in junior high like around 79 I think. I was terrible. I mostly played defense because I was slow with no skills. I backed up some fat girl!

    First time I played in a real match: Uhhh, I have NEVER played in a "real" match. I am 36 now, so I don't see it happening!
     
  7. Metro

    Metro New Member

    Feb 9, 2001
    Dallas
    First exposure to soccer..My neighbors first exposed me to soccer. They played in their backyard using goals their father made. I must have been about 4 or 5. They let me join in every now and then even though I had no idea what I was doing.

    First game..I played my first game at about 6 years old in a summer parks and recreations league in Dallas. This was around 1973. I played goalkeeper and had 6 goals scored on me. I was moved to the field for the next game.

    I was 7 when I joined a 'real' team. I played for Caillet Tigers. We wore old Birmingham replica jerseys though I didn't know it at the time. They were blue long sleeve with a big white stripe down the middle. I joined late so I didn't have a number on my jersey. My first goal was with this team the following season.

    First pro game..The first pro game I attended was an NASL exhibition between the Dallas Tornados and get this...Manchester United. I must have been about 8 years old. I got them free at a kick, juggle, dribble contest. Dallas lost 1-3, I think.

    First pro game on TV was the NASL championship between the Atoms and maybe the Cosmos. I don't remember the year.

    First international game..I saw the national team play around 1975 against Honduras at Texas Stadium. USA won 14-1...I'm not kidding.
     
  8. Dave216J

    Dave216J Member

    Aug 1, 2001
    DC
    First game on TV: World Cup 94, although I didn't know what I was watching.

    First game that I understood: 1999 Arsenal-ManU FA Cup match on the day of the Superbowl, during a "cultural exchange day" spent in a bar with my two best friends (FC Kopenhavn and 1FC Nurnberg fans) while studying abroad in Amsterdam. They explained what was happening, and it was much more exciting than the game I brought them to the bar to watch, Denver-Green Bay.

    First game in person: Ajax 5-0 Sparta Rotterdam, later that semester at the ArenA

    I still haven't played a serious game since I was 10 years old, although a drunk junkie showed me how to hit corner kicks at the park across from my dorm. It was amazing how much every Dutchman, whether drunk, high, biking, using a walker, etc., could all make the ball do what they wanted--like telekinesis.
     
  9. sydtheeagle

    sydtheeagle New Member

    May 21, 2002
    Oxfordshire
    First match on TV: Hard to say because the telly was always on football. The first match I distinctly remember watching from begining to end, however, was the 1968 European Cup Final between Manchester United and Benfica, and being allowed to stay up over my mums objections to watch extra time. My dad had the right priorities.

    First match in person: 1967/8 season, Palace vs. Blackburn at San Selhurst (if I remember the opposition right). I was only seven, and I spent most of the game running up and down the grass bank that is now the Arthur Wait Stand with my mate. First game that I watched the entire 90 minutes totally absorbed by football was 1969, Palace vs. Cardiff in the League Cup, third round. We won 3-1. John Sewell scored two penalties. What a great start for a kid! That was the first year I had a season ticket with my dad.

    First time I played: I've got photos of me with a ball at my feet at 14 months old. I have a 14 month old of my own, now, and though he's not really speaking yet, say the word "kick" and he knows what to do! My older boy (now 2 years, 7 months) saw his first live Palace game at the princely age of 11 days old. It was a reserve match, Tottenham vs. Palace at St Albans (where Spurs play their reserve games). We got the pram in through a hole in the fence to avoid paying as we were a bit brassic at the time, and spent the game pushing him up and down behind the goal. We did, however, take him out for a good look at Clinton Morrison. By the way, his first three words were "mummy," "daddy," and "palace".

    First time I played in a real match: Probably at school, and probably when I was around 5 years old if you are talking about something approximating an organised match. That would have been the mid sixties.
     
  10. Gar7

    Gar7 New Member

    Feb 7, 2001
    Southington, CT
    First time on the tube: 1976 or 1977 watching All Star Soccer and then Soccer Made in Germany on PBS. This was a staple for me after church on Sundays as much as getting comic books. Also, used to watch the Cosmos on WOR-TV, channel 9.

    First live match : USA vs Partisan Belgrade prior to Italia 90 at Yale Bowl in New Haven. Vermes scored for a 1-0 victory.

    First League Match: 1992, Spurs vs Crystal Palace at White Hart Lane. 2-2

    First MLS match: Metrostars home opener, a loss(big surprise)

    First World Cup Match: Ireland vs Italy USA 94.

    First World Cup Qualifier: USA vs T&T June 2001

    First US Open Cup Match: CT Wolves vs Tampa Bay Mutiny, 3-2 Wolves
     
  11. Golazo

    Golazo Member+

    Apr 15, 1999
    Decatur, GA USA
    I was lucky enough to grow up in Brazil and Mexico, so I can't pinpoint first match on TV. Soccer on the tube was sortof like a lava lamp in my house. Always on.... being stared at by some.... a mysterious glow....

    I was also lucky enough to have my first match watched in person to be Ireland v. Italy at the Meadowlands during USA 94. Can't beat that with a stick.

    My first USA match on TV was the qualifier against T&T in a dank college basement in Vermont.

    My first USA match live, was far too recent to admit.

    (My daughter's first match on TV was the opener of the WWC when it was here, and her first match live was the Silverbacks v. the Battery here in town. She slept through most of it.)
     
  12. Father Ted

    Father Ted BigSoccer Supporter

    Manchester United, Galway United, New York Red Bulls
    Nov 2, 2001
    Connecticut
    Club:
    Manchester United FC
    Nat'l Team:
    Ireland Republic
    First TV match: The first one I remember was the 1977 FA Cup final between ManUtd and Liverpool, though I used to watch Match of the Day long before that.

    First live match: Galway Rovers V Bohemians 1978-ish (League of Ireland)

    First live match in England: West Ham V ManUtd March 1985 (on a school trip)

    First intl match: Ireland V Russia 1990

    First time I played with an organised team: 1978
     
  13. Treetaliano

    Treetaliano Member

    Jun 29, 2002
    San Diego
    First game on TV
    Cosmos vs. ?? on ABC's Wide World of Sports when I was 6 or so

    First Game in Person:
    Netherlands : Saudi Arabia WC 1994 Washington D.C.

    First USA Match
    USA-Ecuador 0-0 Columbus, OH 2001

    First Serie A match
    Fiorentina - Milan 2-0 1998

    First MLS Match
    Columbus - DC United 2001
    Columbus wins on Cunnigham Golden Goal despite being 2 men down. Also Quaranta's first ever goal

    http://mlsnet.com/games/01/0519dcclb.html

    First game played
    AYSO league in Ojai, California when i was 6 (1981)
     
  14. Deleted Users

    Deleted Users Member+

    Nov 25, 2001
    1st match on TV: USA vs Columbia '94

    1st match live: Korea vs AC Milan '95 at Jamsil Olympic Stadium

    1st K-League on TV: Pohang Steelers vs Jeonnam Dragons '95

    1st K-League live: Suwon vs Ulsan '99

    1st MLS on TV: DC United vs ??? '??

    1st MLS live: MLS All-star match...if that counts I forgot which year Donovan scored 3 goals i think

    1st J-League on TV: Jubilo Iwata vs Cerezo Osaka '97

    1st WC Qualifier: Korea v Japan '97 at Jamsil

    1st WC match: Korea v USA '02

    1st time I played: when i was in kindergarten around '90

    1st real game: I first played a team game when i was in the 7th grade. Unfortunate.

    1st Varsity match: my freshmen year in '99
     
  15. burning247

    burning247 Member+

    Liverpool FC
    England
    Sep 16, 2000
    Dallas
    Club:
    Liverpool FC
    Nat'l Team:
    England
    First Match on TV- I'm told it was 1990 WC Argentina-Cameroon, but I prolly didn't pay attention since I was only 5. So, the first game I payed attention to was WC '94 opener Bolivia-Germany.

    First live game- CONCACAF Gold Cup '93 in Dallas, US VS Panama I believe then saw US beat Costa Rica in the Semi's a couple days later.

    2 WC Games- Spain VS South Korea, South Korea VS Germany. Both in Dallas

    First MLS Game- Dallas-Tampa '96 L 1-0 :(

    First time played- when I was 5 in the local kids rec league. Me and my friend took turns scoring goal after goal, we kicked ass :)
     
  16. BrianCappellieri

    BrianCappellieri Red Card

    Feb 11, 2002
    I was there too. Irasto Knights jumping into the crowd. :)
     
  17. NER_MCFC

    NER_MCFC Member

    May 23, 2001
    Cambridge, MA
    Club:
    New England Revolution
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    First game on TV: Pele's farewell match, the Cosmos vs. Santos. At least that's the first I remember.
    First game live: First organized game I saw was my high school team in a pre-season tournament, August of 1980. First professional game I ever saw in person was USA-Nigeria in Foxboro in 1995.
    First played: something vaguely resembling soccer was one of the 1v1 games my brother and I played during the 70s.
    First played organized: Boston area rec league, June, 1998
    LeeS, I was 35 at the time with no history of organized athletic activity AT ALL, so it's never too late.
     
  18. csc7

    csc7 New Member

    Jul 3, 2002
    DC
    First Game on TV-- I remember seeing a game from Italy 1990, but didn't know what I was watching. So it's probably a Champions League game on tape involving Ajax (I don't remember more details than that)

    First live Game-- Pro--Nigeria v Bulgaria Dallas, 94
    first ever was a D3 college championship game when I was little. I remember it went to 4 or 5 rounds of penalty kicks

    First game played--I started U-8, so I don't remember the first game, but I do remember my first goal...ball popped out of a pack in the 6 and I put it in with my left foot.

    First real game--not counting U-12 rec championship games (we finished 3rd) because I didn't really know what I was doing. so I count U-13 when I joined the club team (1991). we got crushed 8-0 by a team a year older than us.

    First USMNT game-- US v Uruguay warmup for Korea2002, DC.

    Last real game (I know its first but indulge me)-- Third game of group play at Regionals '98 in Columbus, Georgia. Tie 2-2 against South Texas. Left the field holding back tears knowing that was the last one.
     
  19. Professor B

    Professor B Member

    Oct 13, 2000
    Grundy, VA
    First game on TV: World Cup 1986, although my high school soccer coach had shown portions of taped games prior to that

    First game live: Tampa Bay Rowdies (featuring Tatu!) versus someone on July 4 in the early to mid 80's . . . wait a minute, I just remembered that I saw an Atlanta Chiefs (Diamonds?) game at Fulton County Stadium when I was very, very little. I can barely remember it so it was probably in the mid to early 70's.

    First (and only) European game live: Chelsea at Tottenham, FA Cup (semi, quarter?) 2002

    First played and first real game: Some youth soccer in Atlanta when I was very young. I only have vague memories of playing up front, wearing yellow and black uniforms and getting nosebleeds a lot.

    First MLS game: Revolution vs DC United, first ever Revolution game at Foxboro. (DC lost)

    First MLS Cup:1996 at Foxboro (DC won)

    First USWNT game live: US vs Sweden in Decatur, GA during the build-up to WWC in 95.

    First USMNT game live: I'm not sure but it was probably at Foxboro or RFK during the qualifying for WC 98 (saw Jamaica at RFK, Mexico and El Salvador at Foxboro).

    Professor B
     
  20. Red Star

    Red Star Member

    Jan 10, 2002
    Fayetteville, AR
    After 20 years of watching his son play and officiating my brother began playing at the age of 52 in an over 35 6v6 league. Don't give up the dream.

    First TV: Must have been NASL but I REMEMBER Soccer Made in Germany, 8:00 am on Sunday. I didn't know what the heck I was seeing but I was enthralled. I seem to recall Keegan and maybe Ray Mann (?) and of course Toby Charles, the man against which all announcers are judged (by me). I still miss the halftime roundup of news around (West) Germany.

    First Game Live: Tulsa Roughnecks v. Memphis Rogues NASL in the tight confines of War Memorial Stadium, Little Rock Arkansas. Must have been about 1977. Probably on Astroturf, I was amazed by how high they could kick the ball.

    First played during a junior high PE class called Individualized Sports, nobody, especially the polyester wrapped football coaches knew what the heck to do. I think that we used two 5 man blocking sleds as goals. All varieties of toeing poking were explored. 1974?

    First Game YMCA, 1976. Second game of the season, the jerk Iranian exchange student in charge only played his buddies in the first match.

    First Goal 1982 As a Freshman in college I came home for springbreak and one of the mens teams let me play with them. We were down 2 late and I came up for a corner, put a left footer in the lower left corner off a scramble at the penalty mark. I think I shoved two opponents and one teammate out the way to get to the ball. It took 6 years to get the first one and they continue to come at about that rate.
     
  21. John Boy

    John Boy New Member

    Jun 16, 2002
    Staffordshire
    Re: Move over kids..?




    Was against Birmingham City
     
  22. salange

    salange Member

    Sep 15, 2000
    Atlanta
    First on TV: Argentina v. England, Hand of God
    First in person: Atlanta Chiefs v. somebody
    First in person I was old enough to remember: Atlanta Attack v. somebody (indoor)
    First played: U-6 team circa 1982
    First real game: ditto
     
  23. ManuGarcía

    ManuGarcía New Member

    Mar 6, 2002
    TresCantos(Madrid)
    it was on summer, she were 16...
     
  24. Boro_lad

    Boro_lad New Member

    First match attended: Boro vs Port Vale. Back in the day when we were in the 2nd division. I think it was 1989. We lost 3-2

    First televised game: Cant remember..but it was very early in my life...

    first game played: Nunthorpe athletic v someone else. Someone else scored an own goal and i got the blame :(...but i scored the next game from 40 yards..and i was only 9 :D i scored an impressive 3 goals in my career. PLaying from 9-15 played every sunday. Played in goal, left back, rightback, center back, midfield (once), and center forward (due to injuries). Due to bad knees i retired at the tender age of 16

    highlight: playing at victoria park(heartlepool's ground) in the final of a tournamet. But i missed boro's promotion game against oxford in 97/98 season for that game. but it was on sky in the pub next to the ground so i go to watch it with all my teammates and we all acted really stupid...such fun.....also boro this season with the return of TLF and macca, boat, and geremi!!

    lowpoint...: when playing for my school we were in a 6 a side tournament and i was in goal. It was 1-1 and ref blew full time. however he said it was going to extra time. but then proceeded to give a corner to them. and they scored while some were walking toward center circle. it was a crap decision from the biased ref and although i was 10 at the time some 7 1/2 years ago i still hate that man.....also boro getting beat in 2 cup finals then going down(96/97)..with the departure of TLF and rav
     
  25. Duff

    Duff New Member

    Apr 8, 2002
    First match on TV: 1990 World Cup. I was a big Italy and Pagliuca fan.

    First match attended: Mid 80's, it was indoor...I went to a Kansas City Comets game with my dad. Outdoor, 1999 in SAn Jose...were they the Quakes or the Clash then?

    First time I played: 10 years old, youth leagues
     

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