Some Arsenal fans left when their team was 4-0 down last night, missing what Arsène Wenger called 'a big party' as they fought back to win 7-5. Have you ever regretted leaving a match early?

Football fans never learn. The sport is littered with comebacks but each of them has one thing in common: someone in the crowd thought it was a good idea to go home early.

When Manchester United came from behind to win the Champions League in the Nou Camp in 1999, George Best missed the two late goals. He was in a taxi away from the stadium when Teddy Sheringham scored the equaliser. By the time Ole Gunnar Solskjær scored the winner, he had replaced his seat in the ground for one in a local pub.

Some of the Liverpool fans who travelled to Istanbul for the 2005 Champions League final left at half-time, when their team were losing 3-0 to Milan. They missed out on seeing their club win its fifth European Cup.

There were empty seats in the Etihad in May when Manchester City came from behind to beat QPR in injury-time and win their first league title in 44 years. One of the fans interviewed after the match admitted: "We were on the way home and I was listening to the match on headphones when we scored one. Before the next bus stop we scored another and we ran back. We're well chuffed."

It was the same story at Reading last night. Were you there – and did you leave before the end and hear about Arsenal's turnaround in the car on the way back to London?

Have you ever regretted missing the end of a match? Why did you go – to beat the traffic, to make a train or because you were disgusted by your team's performance?

Readers' confessions

AiNoCorridaBrixton

Many many moons ago. At Highbury. Us against Chelsea, 2-1 down. No-brainer I thought, we've lost. Let's get to the tube station before thousands and thousands of fellow Gooners descend upon it. Get home, Paul Mariner at the death, 2-2. Source: Ceefax (RIP). Never done it again. Will never do it again.

oslogooner

I once left a Norway v Finland international friendly after 89 mins with the score at 1-1 – the dullest match my mate and I had ever been to. Morten Gamst Pedersen (Blackburn and diving) couldn't even hit the pitch with a corner etc. On the radio home we heard three more goals being scored in extra time to make the final score 3-2 and Gamst giving the finger to the crowd.

PintofHydesMild

Watching Manchester United vs Everton at Goodison in the mid 1960s. Fred Pickering gave the Toffees the lead. To avoid Stanley Park traffic we left 10 minutes before the end. Two giant roars from the away fans told us Denis (The King) Law had netted twice in the last few minutes. Happy days!

cityoj

My brother took my nephew out of the Manchester City v Gillingham play-off final in 1999. They got as far as Stoke before putting the radio on to find out we had won. If you are reading our kid: you are a NUMPTY.

PeteBr

On September 11, 2004. Boston United were 2-0 down away at Lincoln City with seven minutes left on the clock. They had played dismally, barely a shot all game. Having never previously left a game early, I was left with a decision: leg it and catch an early train, or stick it to the end and wait around for an hour. I weighed up the odds, thinking there was no chance we'd score, let alone level it, and left. By the time I got to the end of the street, it was 2-2, thanks to Gazza. Never again.

goonerinoman

I have only ever left a game early. It was the day after my mate Dunks 17th birthday and we went to watch Scarborough v Aldershot. My mate was hungover and the first half was dire. My mate went off to puke. When he came back, he asked to leave. Scarborough were 1-0 down and it was the season that Aldershot went bust. Aldershot only had a few fit players and not a full bench but they still managed to outclass the Seadogs. My mate dangled the carrot of some girl I had got off with at his party coming round and away we left. Scarborough lost the game 2-0 in the end. It was a good decision to leave the game. Aldershot went bust and the League decided that all results involving Aldershot were null and void. I think Scarborough moved up three places as most of the other teams lost points. Hilariously, the girl left me for one of the Scarborough players. The only other time was when I went on the pitch to discuss the arts of refereeing with the ref. After telling him how his performance was less than impressive, I returned to my seat to be thrown out of the ground. From the resulting action Scarborough scored an equaliser and I was lucky enough to hear the cheer as I walked home. I think I deserved an assist for that.

Mozzerella

September 1984. Loftus Road. QPR 5 Newcastle Untied 5. QPR were 0-4 down at half time. Chris Waddle was rampant and had scored two. I remember being impressed that the ground remained full during the interval. I was proud of the fortitude shown by my fellow sufferers. The game restarted and we pulled two back. The home crowd's loyalty and trust in their team was being rewarded and hopes were rising. Then with 15 minutes to go, Newcastle scored again. Kenny Wharton I think. It brought a new intensity to the old adage that one can deal with the despair, it's the hope that kills you. The ground began to empty like a fourth pint on Friday night. With five minutes remaining, three of the four stands looked like a midweek crowd at Headingley, while the fourth bounced and rocked with black and white joy. Then Rangers scored. Twice. The remaining 2,000 Rangers fans sounded like 20,000. I was there. I understood why they left early. It was almost too much to bear. But my God did I slate them for it when we all got to school on the Monday.

bigfatheart

My Dad has often told me of the time he left an FA Cup replay away to Tottenham in the 1970s (Google says 1973). Derby were 3-1 down with ten minute to go. We won 5-3 after extra time. As a result of this cautionary tale, the only game I've left early was a miserable reserves game against Preston: 3-0 down at half-time, middle of December, tipping it down, attendance probably only in double figures. Final score was 3-1 so even if I did miss our goal I can't say I particularly regret it. Bear in mind that Derby have given me plenty of excuses to leave early over the years.

thereverend

I left Nou Camp in 1999 at 0-1. I was walking around the outer perimeter when Teddy equalised and managed to squeeze back in for Ole's winner. Happy days.

DrGreggles