BBC TELEPRINTER

[Moodybluebird]

One for you oldies. I'm not sure when the BBC results service was modernised but how many of you remember the Teleprinter on Grandstand, which was one of the forerunners of today's Final Score ?

Presumably a typist was clacking away on her typewriter in the background (or was it Telex) and the scores would gradually appear letter by letter, number by number on your screen. Coverage of any matches outside of Division 1 was sketchy at the time so unless you listened to the radio, you didn't really have a clue how your team was doing, especially in away matches.

My favourite score as it slowly appeared on my black and white TV ? That's easy......

Fulham 1 Cardiff 5.

Unfortunately we got beaten 2-0 by them in the reverse fixture, thus scuppering our promotion chances in 1968-69 but that's another story....

[NYCBlue]

I used to love it when the score would have to be written out like: BRISTOL CITY 0 CARDIFF CITY 6 (SIX)

[Optimistic Nick]

I used to love it when the score would have to be written out like: BRISTOL CITY 0 CARDIFF CITY 6 (SIX)

What was the threshold for having it in letters as well as numbers? Five?

I’m not a patient person, it is fair to say. I do not know how I survived as a teenager, with that and waiting for teletext to scroll through three pages to get updates. Or cricket by teletext. Jesus. I’m irate now if my illegal live stream is 30 seconds behind. I spent hours of my life watching cricket on teletext. And waiting for computer games to load.

[lardy]

What was the threshold for having it in letters as well as numbers? Five?

I’m not a patient person, it is fair to say. I do not know how I survived as a teenager, with that and waiting for teletext to scroll through three pages to get updates. Or cricket by teletext. Jesus. I’m irate now if my illegal live stream is 30 seconds behind. I spent hours of my life watching cricket on teletext. And waiting for computer games to load.

I thought it was 7 (seven), not at six.

[Heisenberg]

I thought it was 7 (seven), not at six.

That's my memory too. I always assumed it was because a 7 (seven) could look a bit like a 1 (one)...

[Tuerto]

That's my memory too. I always assumed it was because a 7 (seven) could look a bit like a 1 (one)...

I'm going with your theory, for years i thought it was because it was such a shocking scoreline, sort of like silently mouthing it to someone else with that look of ridicule on your face, obviously not, although the thought is appealing.

[NYCBlue]

I thought it was 7 (seven), not at six.

I always thought it was six because it could be mistaken for a zero. Not sure though.

[Allez Allez Allez]

I always thought it was six because it could be mistaken for a zero. Not sure though.

'twas 6 (SIX). Port Vale 6 (SIX) Cardiff City 1 is still etched in my memory. We beat them 3-0 in the return fixture.

[Moodybluebird]

I used to love it when the score would have to be written out like: BRISTOL CITY 0 CARDIFF CITY 6 (SIX)

That was much, much later but would have been joyful to see !

[Rjk]

Watching live games on ceefax could be quite exciting actually

[lardy]

Watching live games on ceefax could be quite exciting actually

Even more exciting when you had a crappy reception and there was a letter in the score, so you had to wait for the pages to come round again to fix it.

[Bobby Dandruff]

Watching live games on ceefax could be quite exciting actually

Often more exciting that watching them at NP 😉

And page 312 ‘In Brief’ remember.

[Rjk]

Often more exciting that watching them at NP 😉

And page 312 ‘In Brief’ remember.

Although when you wanted to look at the table and you're distracted while the bit of the table you wanted is on and have to wait for it to roll around another 7 pages

[Bobby Dandruff]

Although when you wanted to look at the table and you're distracted while the bit of the table you wanted is on and have to wait for it to roll around another 7 pages

OMG, that happened ALL the time.

Unless of course you managed to find and then press the 'Hold' button in time.

[Cleve van Leef]

Charlton 7 (Seven) Huddersfield 6. Circa 1957 and Charlton were 5-1 down into the second half

[xsnaggle]

I recall watching it one saturday and the word "fire" came up, then nothing else.

It transpired the alarm had gone off where ever they were printing the scores and some guy had paused to type Fire before running out.

[Bluebirdman Of Alcathays]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-_V4...nnel=NeilMiles

I thought it was 7 (seven) as well but this one has a 6 SIX. This is the first vidiprinter I can remember, likewise the results board. Cardiff's result comes in as he's reading them out! The suspense!

[Rjk]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-_V4...nnel=NeilMiles

I thought it was 7 (seven) as well but this one has a 6 SIX. This is the first vidiprinter I can remember, likewise the results board. Cardiff's result comes in as he's reading them out! The suspense!

Gosh that brings back some memories

The picture of the reporter on the phone

In case anyone's wondering, we won the late kick off 2-1 against middlesborough

[Bluebirdman Of Alcathays]

Gosh that brings back some memories

The picture of the reporter on the phone

In case anyone's wondering, we won the late kick off 2-1 against middlesborough

The very analogue way the score was dialled around and even when it stopped on 1 for Boro, you still had to wait a second to see if they'd finished. A real tender hooks moment.

[Dorcus]

Forfar 5 (FIVE) East Fife 4 (FOUR)

[The Bloop]

Forfar 5 (FIVE) East Fife 4 (FOUR)

East Fife 4 Forfar 5 - the comedy result that finally came true (on penalties) - https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/44916496

[Moodybluebird]

I thought it was 7 (seven), not at six.

Pretty sure you're correct, as in:-
Oldham 1 Cardiff 7 (Seven)

[Steve the Tea]

One for you oldies. I'm not sure when the BBC results service was modernised but how many of you remember the Teleprinter on Grandstand, which was one of the forerunners of today's Final Score ?

Presumably a typist was clacking away on her typewriter in the background (or was it Telex) and the scores would gradually appear letter by letter, number by number on your screen. Coverage of any matches outside of Division 1 was sketchy at the time so unless you listened to the radio, you didn't really have a clue how your team was doing, especially in away matches.

My favourite score as it slowly appeared on my black and white TV ? That's easy......

Fulham 1 Cardiff 5.

Unfortunately we got beaten 2-0 by them in the reverse fixture, thus scuppering our promotion chances in 1968-69 but that's another story....

I was there at Craven Cottage that day. Don Murray committed one of the worst challenges (on Vic Hallom) I've seen on a football pitch. I still have the Pink Un from that weekend. The headline read: "City Sizzle and Batter Fulham." The City fans were housed behind the opposite goals than today.

StT.
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[splott parker]

Forfar 5 (FIVE) East Fife 4 (FOUR)

I was there at Craven Cottage that day. Don Murray committed one of the worst challenges (on Vic Hallom) I've seen on a football pitch. I still have the Pink Un from that weekend. The headline read: "City Sizzle and Batter Fulham." The City fans were housed behind the opposite goals than today.

StT.
<><

Us and the Fulham mob were both on the Hammersmith End (their end), we were on there quite early and the few Fulham fans there then were telling us that when their no.1 heavy, whose name was Tank, turned up we’d soon scarper. Not sure if he turned up, we didn’t scarper, City won 5-1 after going one down. How we enjoyed turning their ‘Fulham 1, Cardiff 0 hallelujah’ song into 5 other verses

[the other bob wilson]

Us and the Fulham mob were both on the Hammersmith End (their end), we were on there quite early and the few Fulham fans there then were telling us that when their no.1 heavy, whose name was Tank, turned up we’d soon scarper. Not sure if he turned up, we didn’t scarper, City won 5-1 after going one down. How we enjoyed turning their ‘Fulham 1, Cardiff 0 hallelujah’ song into 5 other verses

My first away game, I stood on the opposite end to you and was in the ground at some ridiculous hour like quarter past one. About half an hour later, I saw a group of City fans wander on to the Hammersmith End and start singing "we have taken over" - I can vouch for the fact they did not move from their spot near the middle of the stand right up until the crowd became too big to make them out, but, as the goals were going in, it was obvious that there were still quite large groups of City fans still there.

As for who scored, I've not looked it up, but I'm fairly sure Toshack got two, Brian Clark got one and I think Barrie Jones did as well - not so sure about who got the other one, but I have a feeling it may have been Les Lea.