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Splendid Rush

John O'Neil Testimonial

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Did anyone here go?

For those that don''t remember, we signed him from Leicester (or was it QPR?) and he got a career ending injury just minutes into his debut. As I remember it, there was a testimonial at FCR, between two Norwich sides and Gary Lineker played for one of them.

I remember there were loads of funny moments... Flecky went in goal, nicked a St John''s ambulance hat and a Mars Bar from the ''sweeeeeeeeeeets, hot drinks cold drinks'' man and sat against the post eating it as the game went on.

Gunn, in Flecky''s tiny shirt blasted a free kick just over the bar.

Fleck kept throwing the ball out at Cluverhouse who passed it back a few times before chipping him for an own goal.

Anyone else remember this game? Any other funny moments?

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Wasn''t at the testimonial but was at the game where he got injured, away to Wimbledon at Plough Lane. Just looked him up on Wikipedia, didn''t remember that it was John Fashanu who injured him, also didn''t know that O''Neill sued him and got £70k out of court.

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What brought that to mind? It did have some great moments to it. I was chair of John''s committee that organised it and remember Gary Lineker who had flown form in from Barcelona telling jokes at his hotel well into the night.

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''What brought that to mind? It did have some great moments to it. I was chair of John''s committee that organised it and remember Gary Lineker who had flown form in from Barcelona telling jokes at his hotel well into the night. ''

The thread about Real Sociedad. It was another testimonial around the same time I believe. It reminded me of this game.

Didn''t the local news do some joke report about Lineker having signed for us?

Sounds like you enjoyed it Surfbird. It was a great night.

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my dad was a porter at the hospital and took John O''Neil to theatre...He was in a bit of pain but a nice chap and in good spirits.

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Vague memories of standing in the River End for the testimonial, a Trevor Brooking hatrick? Wouldn''t have happened if they hadn''t subbed Duncan Forbes early on

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I was at the game and remember Lineker scoring a screamer from about 25 yards - which was not at all a typical type of goal for him!

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i was at plough lane that friday night, wasn''t it a record low attendance for a top flight game at the time? 4000 and something? i remember coming out of the ground and it was like a football match had never happened it was deserted ... later wimbledon beat this when they got under 4000 for another match unbelievable how they survived so long in the top flight...

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I went to the testimonial and I remember heaing about the "tackle".I hated John Fashanu. The idiot was a donkey on the pitch and he totally rejected his brother, Justin, when he came out.

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The Real Sociedad friendly circa1987 was a testimonial for Peter Mendham if I remember correctly.

On the subject of friendlies, I also remember paying Dinamo Moscow at home. I recall it being in around late March of 1988 and coincided with the evening that FA Cup Semi Final tickets went on sale. So everyone had to queue for a ticket then went to the friendly match to make an evening of it! Leslie Ash kicked off the game I think! God knows what the game was in aid of, but it just sticks in the memory!

I also remember a friendly, mid-season, at home to Bayern Munich in about 1991 or 1992. We won 2-1 at home, with Goss scoring the winner believe it or not! I think Bayern took the lead and I remember one of the Bayern players broke his nose in the game and was treated by one of my mates mums at the N&N! Believe it was Effenberg This seems to be little-known as I rarely hear mention of this, certainly when all the talk is about the more widely known Bayern game less than just 2 years later!

Be interesting to hear any memories of these games. Mid season friendlies coud have been down to clubs being on their mid season break, but I''m only guessing.

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