NottinghamForest

Golden goal: Johnny Metgod for Nottingham Forest v West Ham (1986)

14-Feb-2024 12:01:36 | The Guardian

The Hammers’ title hopes were rocked by an extraordinary thunderbolt of a free-kick from the Dutch master

Thunderbastard. A football goal scored usually from long-range with high degrees of velocity and power. Think Davie Cooper in the 1987 Scottish League Cup final. Steven Reid for Blackburn against Wigan. Roughly 93% of Tony Yeboah’s goals for Leeds. You can volley your xG into the stands. Here is a football term that should be celebrated.

Helpfully the Urban Dictionary definition gives an example of a memorable goal that happens to be the subject of this piece. The word may not have been on the lips of many in April 1986, but the phrase “title-chasing West Ham” was definitely part of the football lexicon as John Lyall took his team to Nottingham Forest. Ten points behind leaders Liverpool with five games in hand, optimism was flowing through the Hammers.