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The Greatest Goal I Ever Saw: Marcus Stewart vs Forest
Marcus Stewart has scored over 250 career goals, but none as important as this header for Yeovil in the league one playoff semi-final...
Marcus Stewart, superstar, got more hair than Sheearaaaarrrrrrr
Back in the day Yeovil Town fans would only get the chance to see the likes of Nottingham Forest on the TV. They had won the European Cup twice and were managed by the great Brian Clough, they were as far removed from the Somerset non-league club as you could get. Yet this changed rapidly in the new millennium, the Glovers rapid rise up the divisions coincided with the decline of a once great club. So it was that Nottingham Forest played Yeovil Town in a fixture in League 1 in October 2005.
The mighty Forest failed to achieve their expected promotion that season and the two clubs faced each other again in the 2006-07 season. That season was a great one for Yeovil Town fans as Russell Slade somehow led us to the League 1 play-offs. Our opponents in the semi-final were our manager’s hometown side, Nottingham Forest, who had once again stumbled on missing out on automatic promotion under the somewhat underwhelming leadership of Colin Calderwood.
Whilst the table didn’t lie, after a long hard season we deserved our place in the play-offs, yet few thought we would prevail. This looked even more unlikely as we lost the 1st leg 2-0 at home. The consensus was we were out, yet football fans are a loyal/dedicated/misguided/stupid bunch and thus myself and a few Capital Glovers travelled up to the City Ground clutching at the tiniest of straws that we might be able to turn it around. Even the stalls outside the ground before the match considered it game over, with Forest at Wembley 2007 flags and scarves already on sale.
Nothing beats a proper football ground packed to the rafters under the floodlights and the City Ground looked and sounded beautiful as the game kicked off. It soon transpired that we were more than up for it, attacking at Forest from the off and when Aaron Davies opened the scoring in the 22nd minute we began to think maybe, just maybe. We had a few more chances and went in at half time on top and 1-0 up. There’s nothing like 15 minutes of chat and a couple of downed pints with your fellow fans to get you slightly carried away. And get carried away we did as Scott Dobie equalised for Forest in the 47th minute and we were right back where we started. The game drifted to what we thought was its inevitable conclusion and we were proud that the guys had given us their all. Then, out of nowhere with eight minutes to go a scuffed shot from Kalala rattled the bar only for the rebound to hit Forest defender Alan Wright on the back and roll into the net. 2-1 and game on but time was running out.
As a policeman walked towards me I suddenly thought ‘fuck I’m getting kicked out here, I’m going to miss it.’ The policeman leaned into my ear and said ’they (stewards) want you out but I’m a Derby fan and I enjoyed that nearly as much as you so I’ve had a word but don’t do it again!
Then in the 87th minute something happened that will remain with me until my dying days. Local lad Andy Lindegaard had the ball on the right wing and hit an absolutely a delicious ball into the box. We were on the front row of the visiting section behind the goal and just yards away. Almost in slow motion we could see the ball with unnerving accuracy head towards the forehead of Marcus Stewart. Like the seasoned goalscorer he was he stuck his nut on it good and proper and the ball smashed the back of the net. I doubt I will ever again feel the rush of euphoria as I did during the following seconds. I jumped so high in the air my momentum took me up and over onto the mesh netting in the rows in front of us – you know the netting that’s designed for us mere supporters to keep away from the action. As Stewie and the Yeovil players rushed towards us I suddenly found myself in no-man’s land between the players and my mates. Needless to say stewards came rushing across to ensure I didn’t go any further.
One beckoned to me ‘get the fuck back’ but try as I might, I could hardly move, I was genuinely delirious, struggling to even stand up. My mates themselves going absolutely bat shit tried to pull me back to my seat but it was no use. Fuck it I was stuck and just going to celebrate like fuck. A couple of stewards got angrier and edged closer and as the initial shock died down I realised the police were heading my way. Eventually I found my legs and got back to my seat and immediately held my hands up apologetically but what could I do I’d just seen the best goal of my life – from being dead and buried we were back in with a chance to go to Wembley. We still had extra-time though but as a policeman walked towards me I suddenly thought ‘fuck I’m getting kicked out here, I’m going to miss it.’ The policeman leaned into my ear and said ’they (stewards) want you out but I’m a Derby fan and I enjoyed that nearly as much as you so I’ve had a word but don’t do it again!’ That 30 seconds was the highest high I’ve ever experienced and made up for every shit game, every shit ground, and every shit moment I’d previously witnessed as a Yeovil fan.
From that Stewart goal onwards, I was on cloud nine, fuck it even cloud 10,11,12 etc and so much more so when it became clear that Stewart’s goal was a sucker punch to the Forest players and the supporters who were in as much shock as the Yeovil fans. The momentum was well and truly with us and we would go on to score twice in extra time to run out 5-2 winners. A little treasured fact for Yeovil supporters is that the last 2 teams to have scored five or more at the City Ground were Manchester United and Bayern Munich. My team Yeovil Town had just stuffed Nottingham Forest on their own turf and we were now heading to Wembley. I realised I would never ever see a goal of that importance like that ever again. Maybe if we’d have managed one in the final against a certain Blackpool (whatever happened to them?) a week later then that would have beaten it but the euphoria of the City Ground was matched by the sheer disappointment of a 2-0 defeat. The next day and after a shitload of drowning the sorrows I realised how lucky I was to be one of the 1,095 to make that trip.
A couple of years later I got the supplier of the cross for the goal, Andy Lindergaard to sign the ticket stub at a golf day. He seemed amazed that I’d even kept it and asked him, and then even more amazed when I said it was the best moment of my life. I’ve got the video of the goal on my iPhone, and it’s still guaranteed to make the hairs on the back of my neck stand up despite hundreds of views. The accompanying commentary makes you realise as well what a moment it must’ve been for the Yeovil fans watching it on the TV. I’ve not yet tracked Stewart down to add his signature to the stub but I’m sure one day I will and even though he’s scored a fair few goals in his time I hope he’ll appreciate why many Yeovil fans like myself see it as the greatest goal we ever saw.
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COMMENTS
concomitantly, this was one of the worst days of my life. the squad ethic we had under Calderwood never looked convincing all season, and we had hoped that we could grind our way to promotion. thankfully, we made it the following season and almost made back to the Premiership last year. I felt bad about losing to Blackpool at the time but right now they are blowing everyone away. they remain the last team to beat Forest on home turf.
If I ever see a more memorable goal than that watching YT, I'll eat my hat.. So, so glad I made the journey as that'll never be repeated.
As a Forest fan there that night, I was obviously lower than a snake's belly by the end. But Yeovil were superb on the night and totally deserved to go through. We stayed behind to applaud the Yeovil team afterwards - as did many other Forest fans - and this respect was returned by Yeovil fans the following season when were finally promoted from League One by beating them on the last day of the season. The Blackpool Play Off defeat last season was almost a carbon copy, and probably even more sickening to witness as a Red - but again we could do nothing but applaud Blackpool off at the end. Much respect to both clubs. And even more to Crawley Town after last night!
As Seb will concur with, I'm a Yeovil fan who's fallen out of love with the club in the last few years. A combination of moving away from Somerset, work and personal commitments meaning that attendance at matches is no longer really a regular possibility - but mostly at the end of my tether thanks to the off-field idiocy that has become the norm since about 2006. I wasn't at the Forest match that night - had just had one of my final uni exams up in Durham that afternoon and getting there for the evening kick-off would have been very difficult at best - so I made do with BBC radio commentary. Fair to say I went bat shit in my own way, standing in my student hovel as my flatmates tried to revise for the next exam. Wished ever since that I'd been there. Reading this almost makes me want to push the limits to get to the next match and recapture some of the elation that I used to feel whenever we scored! A blissful memory (even though I wasn't there) and I only hope we can get back to those days soon.
shame you lost out in the final and now your absolutely awful hahahahaha if thats the greatest goal you have seen god help you! up the reds!!!!!
Seb couldnt have put it better myself. Reading, watching (yeah i bought the DVD) and thinking about that night brings a shiver down my spine and tears of joy to my eyes. I was at both home (which we didnt deserve to loose 2-0) and away legs and i swear as long as live i will never ever forget that day, ever!! I had the most horendous trip to the game i had a puncher at about 4.45pm on just outside Tamworth whilst getting out of the car the door was caught by a gust of wind from a passing car which ripped and bent it i to pieces, i honestly thought it was a sign from above to give up but we carried on and was directed to a quick fit via the phone by my brother just as they were about to close the doors 15mins later and £60 lighter we were back on track. All the way to the ground we were stuck in traffic and getting friendly banter from the Forest faithfull singing 'were on the way to wembly' but we didnt take any notice and still thought that the tie was still alive. Even during the game the crowd above us felt they had to remind us of what they thought was the inevitable. The following 120 mins speaks for itself and made the earlier problems meaningless, im never shy to say 'I support Yeovil' and that night made me prouder than ever. WHAT A NIGHT!!! I believe i couldnt stop smilling all the way back to Somerset.
Someone help Luke please i think he is still sore. LOL
What a night and on Sky after the goal they focus on a fat guy wearing a bandana-me!! I think I even gave Seb a hug that night.
Peachy is spot on. Forest fans were great to us that night despite what they had seen. Like he said the following season the respect was returned. Luke must've have bought one of the Wembley 2007 flags and hasn't quite got over it!
When we returned to the City Ground 12 months later, and Forest won promotion, I remember a lot of our fans calling people back to their seats who started to leave on the final whistle. Loads of people stopped, realised why people were telling them to stay, and then stood up and applauded. Similarly those waiting for the coaches did the same. I think what our fans considered was "if we'd been beaten 5-2 at home in a play-off match, would we have had the balls to stay there and applaud?" - I'd have probably gone home and cried. The May 2007 night will probably never ever be repeated - quite possibly our finest hour. I got two hours sleep that night because after arriving home, I watched 30 mins of the Sky coverage, then couldn't sleep, and then at 6am an excited BBC chappie rang me up and said "any chance we could put you on the radio?" - I sounded utterly f**ked - like I'd been to the best party in the world and had just got home. Indeed I had. :)
I think every YT fan who was there has a story about the game. For me it represented a high that will be unsurpassed even if I see another thousand matches live. As Seb says it was the true David vs goliath battle. There was no way we deserved to loose the first leg and the freedom of fear the team had was breathtaking. The feeling at the end of extra time is something that very few will ever get to experience certainly those following the big clubs. And to have my ticket bought for me by my dad who is usually tighter than a ducks butt and to share that moment with him will last with me until my dying day. Great post Seb.
We nade a night of it as there was also a beer festival on so duly booked a hotel by the Midland station. We were most amused to see the Forest team arrive as we did - we shared the lift with one of their coaches (sadly I never did work out who it was) who asked us why we bothered making the journey and pointedly commented that Marus Stewart was 'past it'. On the way back down, the 3 of us shared the lift with no other than Wes Morgan and explained politely that Forest were going to get stuffed that night, he did look rather nervy. We would, therefore, like to claim partial credit for his horrendous back pass in extra time. (the beer festival was rather decent as well)
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