Have you ever touched the match ball?

All the matches I've been to and the closest I ever got was when Akinbadbuy sliced a great chance half way up the old Kop v Villa in his first game for us.
 
Once at Rotherham’s new stadium in a neutral game when I was ticking off the ground. I felt kind of privileged to throw it back to the player to take the corner.
 
70’s as a young kid I was in the main stand by the wall when the ball came out of play and a kind fella gave it to me to throw to Steve Whitworth.
 
Mini-Eggs got dragged out of the stand at Millwall a few years back to be Leicester's mascot for the day as we hadn't brought one with us. Got within a few inches of the match ball as I waited for him on the touchline.

As a bonus I did get a few Millwall fans calling me a CAAAAAAAAAANNNNNNNNNT. So that was nice.
 
Mini-Eggs got dragged out of the stand at Millwall a few years back to be Leicester's mascot for the day as we hadn't brought one with us. Got within a few inches of the match ball as I waited for him on the touchline.

As a bonus I did get a few Millwall fans calling me a CAAAAAAAAAANNNNNNNNNT. So that was nice.
I never realised that Millwall fans were so perceptive!
 
It was a last season at the KP (I can't remember the game. What day is it? Who am I? God Save The King!) when a defensive hoof from the away team was expertly caught by yours truly seated in K1. I thought it was an opportunity to get myself featured on the tele (think the frequent replays of catches in the crowd at the cricket) so I stood up with the ball held aloft for longer than I ought. The trouble was we were losing at the time so my bid for televisual fame was badly timed. I can still feel the death stare and look of disgust on the face of Youri Tielemans, who was waiting to take the throw in, as I eventually threw back to him. Quite rightly I got some stick from those around me for being a twat (Nowt new there then Ed.). Did I get on the tele? Of course not. Pretty sure we won though otherwise I'd have been blamed for the defeat. Silly Billy.
 
It was a last season at the KP (I can't remember the game. What day is it? Who am I? God Save The King!) when a defensive hoof from the away team was expertly caught by yours truly seated in K1. I thought it was an opportunity to get myself featured on the tele (think the frequent replays of catches in the crowd at the cricket) so I stood up with the ball held aloft for longer than I ought. The trouble was we were losing at the time so my bid for televisual fame was badly timed. I can still feel the death stare and look of disgust on the face of Youri Tielemans, who was waiting to take the throw in, as I eventually threw back to him. Quite rightly I got some stick from those around me for being a twat (Nowt new there then Ed.). Did I get on the tele? Of course not. Pretty sure we won though otherwise I'd have been blamed for the defeat. Silly Billy.
I remember that, I can't recall which game it was either....though I do remember the abuse
 
Sadly not at a City game, no.
But it happens all the time at my local non-league club, where I do a bit of stewarding. Most memorably a few year back, when we were hanging on to a 1-0 lead in the dying minutes against the lovely Wealdstone. The ball deflected out for a corner straight towards me and, quick as a flash, our experienced ex-pro centre-back yelled, "No hurry steward! Take your time...".
I was quite pleased with my impression of Gazza, stooping to pick up the ball but nudging it forward with my foot – so it remained just out of reach – as I wandered around the rough tarmac for what felt like a couple of minutes. The Wealdstone player who'd raced over to take the corner was less impressed, and suggested I give him the ball pronto, "you fucking hairy cunt". When I then saw a couple of their travelling finest starting to come and give me a (back) hand, I saw his point and chucked it back. The ref was laughing, held up two fingers, and did indeed add-on at least twice the time I'd tried to waste!
Result: 1-0 home win.
 
Not the match ball but...

In the pre-match warm-up against QPR some years ago, the players were leathering the ball & more often than not, the goal was not being bothered. There was the shout of "Heads!"from the crowd every time this happened.

However, a woman about 8-10 seats to my right was not so lucky - a ball smacked her right in the face. She wore glasses which didn't help & were totally bent out of shape post-impact - a fair bit of blood too. To her credit, she was a picture of calm while everyone else went into panic-mode or turned away unable to look.

Needless to say, she was taken away for medical attention & as far as I'm aware didn't get to see the match.
 
Lee Clarke booted his water bottle in temper after we'd equalised v Huddersfield, I saw it coming and ducked and it hit Freery who then lept up like a mad man and was going to kill Clarke but was stopped by the hi-vis brigade
 
I got the match ball at the SF v the Wombles. Sadly my lad burst it on a rose bush in the garden.Still remind him of that even now.
 
Playing Blackburn at Filbo when Kop was all seated . I was at the front as I'd taken my 5 year old Nephew. Ball went of for a corner and I managed to grab ball before Tim Flowers who was at Blackburn could kick it away. He was millimetres from kicking me in the head.
Kop went mental with loads at the back running down the stairs to get at him .😂
 
Twice. Once at Sincil Bank at a Lincoln v Barnet game.

The other time was at Copenhagen in the Champions League. (Stood next to Hackney) Can't remember buck all else about the match!
 
April 1949, last game for Alderman Richard Hallam Junior School first team.
And not realising it was my last football match as I went up to the posh school where
they played rugger (grievous bodily harm with a badly shaped ball).. :(
 
Was standing with my dad at the Filbert St End in the late 60's when Graham Cross lashed one in the pre match kickabout. It hit my old man in the mush, his false teeth shot out and were trodden on by a fella standing in front of us.
Three of us ended up in the St Johns Ambulance room, my old man, blood pouring from his nose, me moaning because I thought I might miss the game, and the bloke holding my dads broken false, who had hurt his back while ducking down to avoid the ball that hit my old man.....chaos !!
Missed the first 20mins, dad ok, never saw the other fella again!
Oh.. and we'd got as far as the tunnel when PC Plod asked me to release the ball that I had tucked under my arm.
 
Smacked in the kisser whilst sitting on the wall surrounding the pitch at Filbert St. when I was a lad by a young Bobby Charlton...showing my age now ain't I ?
 
My mate got smacked in the head by the ball, in the Filbo Kop. During the warm-up. Made me laugh.
Mrs wints got knock out cold by a ball smack in the face from Steve Howard, away at Walsall on that snowy night when we were in Div 3.
 
old wembley, england match. ian wright hoofed the ball into the crowd as he walked down the tunnel after pre-match warmup.
it was heading straight for my brother, who had visions of catching it, shoving it up his jumper and smuggling it out as a prize souvenir.

at the last second, just as he was about to safely catch it, i lunged in and 'tipped it around the post'. bro was not happy, as someone a few rows behind us claimed it. :oops:
 
Has anybody been outside the ground (old Filbert St) and picked the match ball up after it was kicked over the East Stand?
 
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