<b>Game Of My Life #02: Saved by the post</b>
The 1985/86 Bundesliga season was a rocky one for FC Bayern München, and for me as a then fourteen year old fan. <em>Die Roten</em> had been on the end of a number of strange results, but with two matches remaining found themselves just two points behind leaders Werder Bremen.<a href="#topsy-turvy-season"></a>Topsy-turvy seasonOn the penultimate match day, 22nd April 1986, fate would bring the two teams together in what would be a moment of drama that would remain lodged in my memory forever. German football was rarely seen on British television in the 1980s, and my being stuck in a boarding school in the countryside did not help; all I had was a long wave radio with a very sketchy reception.For the vast majority of expert pundits, Bayern’s topsy-turvy season was all set to come to a conclusion at the packed Weserstadion. Bremen had only dropped three points at home all season, while the Bavarians had been far from consistent on the road. In the days of two points for a win, a victory would seal the deal – and a first Bundesliga title – for Otto Rehhagel’s men.It was the ultimate make or break encounter, and the fixtures could not have been arranged any better. A win for Bayern would have pushed Udo Lattek’s side in front on goal difference, while a draw was just about enough to keep the contest open until the final week.<a href="#a-cagey-scratchy-affair"></a>A cagey, scratchy affairThe match could not have been more dramatic – though at the time I wouldn’t have known to what extent. As usual, the radio coverage was awful. In between loud bursts of noise, I was able to pick up the odd bit of commentary. I desperately played with the controls, trying to find the German voices in the hissing fuzz. The match ticked by, and I remained unsure as to what had actually happened. I had to wait until later in the evening to check the result on teletext – in the days before the internet, this is all we had until the newspapers arrived in the school library the following day.When I filled in my scrapbook and carefully scribbled in the match details, it would simply read as <em>Werder Bremen 0, Bayern München 0</em> – enough to keep Bayern in with a shout going into the final week. What I didn’t know at the time was that Werder had been awarded a penalty a minute from the end.<a href="https://miasanrot.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/12/SVWFCB1986en-650x650.png">Media</a>By the time I actually got to see any footage of the game, the season was long over. Any antipathy towards Bremen striker Rudi Völler had long been replaced by the desire to see “Tante Käthe” become a World Cup winner with West Germany in Mexico.The game itself had been a cagey, scratchy affair, which only burst into life at the end. Looking to break the deadlock, Rehhagel had thrown on Völler for midfielder Norbert Meier in the 77th minute.Völler’s arrival was a highly significant moment, both in the context of the match and the fast-developing and somewhat bitter rivalry between the two title contenders. It was his first competitive match since November the previous year – when the two teams met in Munich’s Olympiastadion. In what had been another highly-charged encounter, the Bremen striker was clattered by Bayern skipper Klaus Augenthaler in the 28th minute, consigning him to the sidelines for five months.<em>(The game in Munich was also highly memorable. Augenthaler may have been lucky to escape with the booking for his challenge on Völler, but Bayern were reduced to ten men with the score locked at 1:1 when Lothar Matthäus was dismissed. Bremen would have fancied their chances, but two goals in as many minutes in the second half from Dieter Hoeneß saw the Bavarians clinch a hard-fought 3:1 win)</em>.<a href="#tried-and-tested-marksman"></a>Tried and tested marksmanThe tousle-haired striker was far from fully fit, but it was a desperate throw of the dice from the Bremen coach who desperately wanted to avoid a final week…
The 1985/86 Bundesliga season was a rocky one for FC Bayern München, and for me as a then fourteen year old fan. <em>Die Roten</em> had been on the end of a number of strange results, but with two matches remaining found themselves just two points behind leaders Werder Bremen.<a href="#topsy-turvy-season"></a>Topsy-turvy seasonOn the penultimate match day, 22nd April 1986, fate would bring the two teams together in what would be a moment of drama that would remain lodged in my memory forever. German football was rarely seen on British television in the 1980s, and my being stuck in a boarding school in the countryside did not help; all I had was a long wave radio with a very sketchy reception.For the vast majority of expert pundits, Bayern’s topsy-turvy season was all set to come to a conclusion at the packed Weserstadion. Bremen had only dropped three points at home all season, while the Bavarians had been far from consistent on the road. In the days of two points for a win, a victory would seal the deal – and a first Bundesliga title – for Otto Rehhagel’s men.It was the ultimate make or break encounter, and the fixtures could not have been arranged any better. A win for Bayern would have pushed Udo Lattek’s side in front on goal difference, while a draw was just about enough to keep the contest open until the final week.<a href="#a-cagey-scratchy-affair"></a>A cagey, scratchy affairThe match could not have been more dramatic – though at the time I wouldn’t have known to what extent. As usual, the radio coverage was awful. In between loud bursts of noise, I was able to pick up the odd bit of commentary. I desperately played with the controls, trying to find the German voices in the hissing fuzz. The match ticked by, and I remained unsure as to what had actually happened. I had to wait until later in the evening to check the result on teletext – in the days before the internet, this is all we had until the newspapers arrived in the school library the following day.When I filled in my scrapbook and carefully scribbled in the match details, it would simply read as <em>Werder Bremen 0, Bayern München 0</em> – enough to keep Bayern in with a shout going into the final week. What I didn’t know at the time was that Werder had been awarded a penalty a minute from the end.<a href="https://miasanrot.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/12/SVWFCB1986en-650x650.png">Media</a>By the time I actually got to see any footage of the game, the season was long over. Any antipathy towards Bremen striker Rudi Völler had long been replaced by the desire to see “Tante Käthe” become a World Cup winner with West Germany in Mexico.The game itself had been a cagey, scratchy affair, which only burst into life at the end. Looking to break the deadlock, Rehhagel had thrown on Völler for midfielder Norbert Meier in the 77th minute.Völler’s arrival was a highly significant moment, both in the context of the match and the fast-developing and somewhat bitter rivalry between the two title contenders. It was his first competitive match since November the previous year – when the two teams met in Munich’s Olympiastadion. In what had been another highly-charged encounter, the Bremen striker was clattered by Bayern skipper Klaus Augenthaler in the 28th minute, consigning him to the sidelines for five months.<em>(The game in Munich was also highly memorable. Augenthaler may have been lucky to escape with the booking for his challenge on Völler, but Bayern were reduced to ten men with the score locked at 1:1 when Lothar Matthäus was dismissed. Bremen would have fancied their chances, but two goals in as many minutes in the second half from Dieter Hoeneß saw the Bavarians clinch a hard-fought 3:1 win)</em>.<a href="#tried-and-tested-marksman"></a>Tried and tested marksmanThe tousle-haired striker was far from fully fit, but it was a desperate throw of the dice from the Bremen coach who desperately wanted to avoid a final week…
