Does Anyone Remember 'Happy' and His Regular Coach to Away Games? (4 Viewers)

[Samo]

I was on the coach to the semi of the league cup against west ham away, coach broke down, took all our cash to get another driver to take us to game and got stuck outside uptown park after losing with no coach!! Scary!

I was there that night and it was scary. Got bricked as soon as we were off the coach, police were worse than the West Ham fans inside the ground, thugs in iniform! I remember a WH fan had been stabbed at the home leg at HR and they had sworn to do the same. A tense night in east London, glad to get home.

 

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[skybluericoh]

I was there too! pulled in on the way up last game of the season. We were the 1st caoch in went to the toilets got chashed out by the boggies, can't remember where they were playing but I think they won promotion that day, anyway another 5/6 RMHS coaches came in with the 'boot boys' on, and all hell let loose, boggies running everywhere wonder nobody got killed I'm sure some ran onto the M6. after the game half the city fans went into Blackpool, I went back home we pulled into the services and bumped into the boggies again. All good natured this time, thats how i remeber they'd been promoted! At burnley it was bad, I seem to remember the tarracing was crumbling concrete and people were kicking it loose then throwing it at the home fans/ police.

 

[Sky Blue Harry H]

I was there that night and it was scary. Got bricked as soon as we were off the coach, police were worse than the West Ham fans inside the ground, thugs in iniform! I remember a WH fan had been stabbed at the home leg at HR and they had sworn to do the samReply With Quotee. A tense night in east London, glad to get home.

Missed that one. Was at Sheff Utd away (Tony Currie era) when Red House wouldn't run coaches as they'd been trashed somewhere the week before, but we had a coach from Leamington. Parked outside a churchyard, plenty of rubble around, and we won 1-0. Snuck through the Sheff U fans onto the coach, but the driver kept panicking and crashing the gears as the rubble rained down on us. Worst shots in the world - never broke one window, but still smile at the memory of Stu Cooper putting his pack of sandwiches between his head and the window as protection. Driver took the wrong route out of Sheffield and we had to drive back through again. (Don't hire him ....although he'd be in his nineties now)

 

[skybluericoh]

Another one I remember was at anfield rd League cup Tommy Hutch played a blinder we took thousounds up there, half the ani road end and the stand oposite there man stand. I remember coppers holding city fans through the fences while little scouse scallies punch and kicked them and if anyone tried to stop it the coppers inside the fence put you against it and then the ones pitch side grapped you and it was your turn. We draw 2 -2 I think and lost the replay at HR. Outside coaches were bricked freezing fog on the motorway!!

when you booked a coach ticket you were charged £2 deposit for it comong back in one piece, you had to go back to pool meadow the next day to get it back, so if your coach got bricked it cost you money! Although scarry it was still funny at the same time.

 

[LastGarrison]

I agree, would make a great book.

Anybody remember Mr Sox? Ran on the pitch to confront Stratchen, I believe there's a picture of it in one of Stratchens books. He was also known to sell snide clobber.

Mr Sox was at the front of the march up to Broadgate.

Still see him about and he obviously did alright off the gear as his Mr Sox personalised number plate testifies. He always used to pull in the Rose and Crown on Walsgrave Road to sell his gear. Nice chap.

 

[jesus-wept]

Was at that West Ham game and the Liverpool one, both in the league cup. At Anfield the scousers got the shock of their lives, tthousands of City went, took the whole Kremlyn Road stand and half the Annie road. Little known fact the scousers in the kop confronted us after the game and were chased back into the kop and big scrap took place on the kop terrace for a good ten minutes with Cov more than holding their own. As for the West Ham semi, tough night .The cockney old bill were ruthless and spent all night taking City fans out. Something Cas Pennant forgot to mention in his hooligan book was the so called ICF got sorted at the back of the terracing after the game. They came in t.he gates to have a ruck about 200 of them but someone closed the gate and trapped them at the bottom, talk about Custers last stand, they were all well battered for a good 15 minutes and no old bill to rescue them. They tried a bit of revenge the next season by the main stand at HR but again got trapped and I remember distinctly our plod turning away and letting the Cov get on with it, something else Pennent forgot.

 

[thaiskyblue]

Was at that West Ham game and the Liverpool one, both in the league cup. At Anfield the scousers got the shock of their lives, tthousands of City went, took the whole Kremlyn Road stand and half the Annie road. Little known fact the scousers in the kop confronted us after the game and were chased back into the kop and big scrap took place on the kop terrace for a good ten minutes with Cov more than holding their own. As for the West Ham semi, tough night .The cockney old bill were ruthless and spent all night taking City fans out. Something Cas Pennant forgot to mention in his hooligan book was the so called ICF got sorted at the back of the terracing after the game. They came in t.he gates to have a ruck about 200 of them but someone closed the gate and trapped them at the bottom, talk about Custers last stand, they were all well battered for a good 15 minutes and no old bill to rescue them. They tried a bit of revenge the next season by the main stand at HR but again got trapped and I remember distinctly our plod turning away and letting the Cov get on with it, something else Pennent forgot.

may be Pennent only remembers their so called "victories ", i'm getting on a bit, but remember it like it was yesterday. pusb.

 

[thaiskyblue]

Anyone remember the Ewings that used to frequent the West end..mid 70's ....came from Earlsdon ... i think
Yes they did Kensington Road knew them well

good firm the Ewings, jr was top boy.

 

[jesus-wept]

I remember that rumble by the Main stand like yesterday. I was in that stand for the match and there were pockets of West Ham all oover the place after the game they grouped together in the concourse and went outside to be confronted by a mass of Cov. I was with my little 'un and stood watching for ages and distinctly remember a black West Ham fan first to leg it down King Richard Street, obviously don't know if it was Pennant or not but not too many black West Ham fans around in those days. That was one of the best footie fights I witnessed and the so called ICF were well beaten and never really came back for more.
Thankfully trouble at football died down significantly in the late 80s, cops got on top and those two disasters at Heysel and Hillsborough had an impact.

 

[thaiskyblue]

Isn't that Maurice? (used to see him in Cheylesmore - needed a bar of soap, no offence Maurice)

that was MAURICE , TOP BLOKE, PROPER SKY BLUE LEGEND.

 

[ricohroar]

Was Maurice the guy the old Kop used to chant "Cyril" at?

Loving the old stories, liked the ICF related one, never thought any Cov ever had any sort of stand against the ICF.

 

[thaiskyblue]

Was Maurice the guy the old Kop used to chant "Cyril" at?

Loving the old stories, liked the ICF related one, never thought any Cov ever had any sort of stand against the ICF.

that's mo, and city have had a few good go's at west ham , they were mainly living on the fear factor. lo's of mouth, if you never ran straight away , they wern;t so keen.

 

[jesus-wept]

I have a great West Ham story from that away semi. We travelled in a van, no seats just sat on the floor supping beer. Someone threw a can to a mate ,Pete, won't give his full name, and it hit him on the bonce and cut his head, he wasn't happy. This lad was a proper street fighter and ex boxing champ at amateur level but not what I would call a hooligan, anyway near the ground the old bill stopped our van and seeing blood on Pete's head arrested him, roughly,punched him knocking a tooth out and he was dragged to the police van kicking and screaming and three coppers sat on him all the way to the nick. Still going off on one at the station they put him in a cell with about half a dozen West Ham in as they licked their lips Pete struck, knocked the teeth out of one, broke anothers jaw put another away leaving the other three quivering in the corner. Guess what they old bill did, c.harged him for breach of the peace and believe this or not took him direct to Upton Park and in the ground. They couldn't do anything about those left battered and bruised at the nick because they would of had to justify putting him in the cell with those fans in it. He got a £250 fine which he said was the best 250 he ever paid.True story and yes the ICF were mainly mouth but they had their boys, Bill Thompson who I have met was a freak and every year invaded the Chelsea shed end, a real nutter. We all had them. What are they doing nowi wonder ?

 

[covhead1]

I have a great West Ham story from that away semi. We travelled in a van, no seats just sat on the floor supping beer. Someone threw a can to a mate ,Pete, won't give his full name, and it hit him on the bonce and cut his head, he wasn't happy. This lad was a proper street fighter and ex boxing champ at amateur level but not what I would call a hooligan, anyway near the ground the old bill stopped our van and seeing blood on Pete's head arrested him, roughly,punched him knocking a tooth out and he was dragged to the police van kicking and screaming and three coppers sat on him all the way to the nick. Still going off on one at the station they put him in a cell with about half a dozen West Ham in as they licked their lips Pete struck, knocked the teeth out of one, broke anothers jaw put another away leaving the other three quivering in the corner. Guess what they old bill did, c.harged him for breach of the peace and believe this or not took him direct to Upton Park and in the ground. They couldn't do anything about those left battered and bruised at the nick because they would of had to justify putting him in the cell with those fans in it. He got a £250 fine which he said was the best 250 he ever paid.True story and yes the ICF were mainly mouth but they had their boys, Bill Thompson who I have met was a freak and every year invaded the Chelsea shed end, a real nutter. We all had them. What are they doing nowi wonder ?

what a story!!
love it, there really was some right nutters back then.

 

[thaiskyblue]

what a story!!
love it, there really was some right nutters back then.

bill gardner jw, a big ginger brute of a guy, but away from the match an absolute gent , had a few beers and laugh at crewe station once,.

 

[Astute]

Sitting here with a smile on my face. The memories are all coming back. Massive rucks against Chelsea, WHU, Brummie teams and Leeds were normally the best......or worse as I see them now.

All clubs had their runners. The ones that started the trouble but ran away as soon as it started. It was the same with WHU. But they had a large amount of proper lads that never ran however bad it got. Was always a hard place to get into the ground.....and even harder to get away from. Same as Chelsea. On one game away to WBA....think was a cup game.... we went on the special. We got attacked by the Zulus on the first change. They were nearly all massive. But we seriously outnumbered them so the ruck never lasted long. Got attacked a couple more times by other brummies before we met the WBA fans. Then it really started. It was dark and the police directed us through a park. They were waiting for us. No police escort through the park either Was a good game. Very hostile in the ground but still good banter. Most of us lost count of the score and the scoreboard was above us so we couldn't see it. Think we lost 4-3. Then more fun trying to get home.

We always seemed to do well at the home games against the big clubs. We would have more after a fight than would go to watch some games. Another time that comes clearly to thought was home against Chelsea. Was outside Broadgate when surrounded by some of our lads whilst with my mates. Some of them started shouting at the Chelsea lot. They ran at us. Got ready for the ruck......looked around me.........I was alone. I suddenly found my running feet. I can't normally run :laugh: Reached a large amount of Cov fans. My legs wouldn't stop. I carried on running through the lot of them. Was a busy day before the game. Ended up with a few of them getting chased into the burger king or whatever it was.....the concrete circular cafe in the city centre. What seemed like a couple of thousand Cov fans came from nowhere.

The away games were the best though.

 

[AndreasB]

ah the good old days of mindless thuggery

 

[skybluesam66]

I had no idea who Happy was when i started this, but soon realised who he was . I can only picture him in his ref kit - those shorts were tight
we used to call him "you are the ref" out of the shoot

 

[ThroughThickAndThin]

Thankfully trouble at football died down significantly in the late 80s, cops got on top and those two disasters at Heysel and Hillsborough had an impact.

Covs hooligan element picked back up a bit in the 00's. Man city away 2001, Portsmouths revenge trip at home 2002(?), cardiff at home, Wigan believe it or not 2003

 

[thaiskyblue]

Covs hooligan element picked back up a bit in the 00's. Man city away 2001, Portsmouths revenge trip at home 2002(?), cardiff at home, Wigan believe it or not 2003

last time i went with the firm , main road 2001, things changed , such as cctv, jail sentences and banning orders, and of course old father time creeping up/maybe growing up too.

 

[fernandopartridge]

last time i went with the firm , main road 2001, things changed , such as cctv, jail sentences and banning orders, and of course old father time creeping up/maybe growing up too.

Last hurrah for Cov really. Few jailed there haven't really bothered since.

 

[ThroughThickAndThin]

Last hurrah for Cov really. Few jailed there haven't really bothered since.

A few were out in earlsdon 2008 for Leicester at home, most involved were the new generation of hooligans though.

 

[thaiskyblue]

A few were out in earlsdon 2008 for Leicester at home, most involved were the new generation of hooligans though.

i was living on the other side of the world at the time , i saw it on tube, looked and felt to me another world which it sort of was.I think it's had it's day, all these books and hoolie films are showing it to a new generation all the clobber and such to me it was just something i grew up with , it was our generations thing, nowdays with all the new policing techniques , cctv, banning orders, jail, i think you'd have to be stupid to be involved, football has become a family event, in my day it was just about all working class blokes with lot's of pent up anger to release ( not an excuse ), but that was how it was , football's moved on and i'm glad.

 

[Ashdown1]

It was different in the old days, it was almost every match and part of the experience, not worth going to jail for though. The sentences are out of proportion with other crimes for a start.

 

[thaiskyblue]

yes, tottaly bonkers, you get more for football violence than rape .

 

[jesus-wept]

I believe 90% of us didn't want to be a hooligan but in those days of the 70s and 80s to go to away games in your colours was a no no, to be in a mob meant protection to a point and the old bill would be about, places like Leeds and Man United fathers and young sons were fair game for a thump.

 

[thaiskyblue]

Ayresome park was pretty hairy back then.

 

[Sky Blue Harry H]

Remember the Maine Road thing being in the papers (notably The Sun) and seeing one or two faces in the photos. Whenever I travelled I used to see a dark haired guy with a pony tail (in the Sun photo) who always seemed to be part of a middle aged crew. Saw him at Notts County away last year, and when I described him to one or two old City fans who travelled a lot, they instantly knew him as some sort of 'leader' of a crew - he looks like he's had a drink or two over the years, judging by the ruddiness (no offence if you're some mad axeman!). Anybody know who he is? Seen him all over the place over the years - Southampton, Sheffield, Swindon (anywhere beginning with an S!)

 

[Tonylinc]

Remember the Maine Road thing being in the papers (notably The Sun) and seeing one or two faces in the photos. Whenever I travelled I used to see a dark haired guy with a pony tail (in the Sun photo) who always seemed to be part of a middle aged crew. Saw him at Notts County away last year, and when I described him to one or two old City fans who travelled a lot, they instantly knew him as some sort of 'leader' of a crew - he looks like he's had a drink or two over the years, judging by the ruddiness (no offence if you're some mad axeman!). Anybody know who he is? Seen him all over the place over the years - Southampton, Sheffield, Swindon (anywhere beginning with an S!)

Shitzu HQ?

 

[Steve.B50]

Your all getting me nostalgic now and bringing back a lot of memories.
I recall as a teenager meeting in the a Silver Sword and walking to HR, but we used to go via the Zodiac so we were with some older lads who knew how to look after themselves. Walk through the old pool meadow, always fun, we used then meet up with those from the Elastic Inn.
After the game anyone who wanted a little action met on Pork Chop Hill ( why did we call it that?). Seen some heavy stuff around that area over the years.

 

[Sky Blue Harry H]

Your all getting me nostalgic now and bringing back a lot of memories.
I recall as a teenager meeting in the a Silver Sword and walking to HR, but we used to go via the Zodiac so we were with some older lads who knew how to look after themselves. Walk through the old pool meadow, always fun, we used then meet up with those from the Elastic Inn.
After the game anyone who wanted a little action met on Pork Chop Hill ( why did we call it that?). Seen some heavy stuff around that area over the years.

Somehow came past Pork Chop Hill in the middle of a bunch of Wolves fans and got pelted with missiles by City fans (hid behind a vehicle or two) Didn't take that route again!

 

[Steve.B50]

I know they were not all nice times but these things stick in your mind, I remember getting into a nasty rumble with Derby and they started throwing milk bottles at us, or the time Everton ran up the stairs of the a Silver Sword and we ended up fighting in the over the bar till the police turned up. My worst scare was at Liverpool in the cup, it must have been 1980/81, we drew 2-2 and and walking back to coach we got attacked by around 100 nutters and some lads took a real kicking, just so many of them and it was in middle of a car park. Everyone was running around between cars, then they bricked the coach. I was so glad I had my donkey jacket with me.

 

[martcov]

I know they were not all nice times but these things stick in your mind, I remember getting into a nasty rumble with Derby and they started throwing milk bottles at us, or the time Everton ran up the stairs of the a Silver Sword and we ended up fighting in the over the bar till the police turned up. My worst scare was at Liverpool in the cup, it must have been 1980/81, we drew 2-2 and and walking back to coach we got attacked by around 100 nutters and some lads took a real kicking, just so many of them and it was in middle of a car park. Everyone was running around between cars, then they bricked the coach. I was so glad I had my donkey jacket with me.

That Liverpool game was another when I just jumped into a coach to get out of the way… Our coach had broken down on the way anyway and it was going to be a gamble getting home. Was a really foggy and slow drive home.. the atmosphere in the ground had been great though..

 

[Sky Blue Spud]

Fascinating stories being recalled and it was all part of the culture of football in its day. Football hoolies came from all walks of life not only working class lads. It could be argued that a 'sheep mentality' prevailed at the time but if you didn't want to get involved it was never really a problem. Many was the day that I walked through a ruck and came out unscathed the other side.
As for the ICF, they were just a bunch of pussies innit.

 

[Samo]

Fascinating stories being recalled and it was all part of the culture of football in its day. Football hoolies came from all walks of life not only working class lads. It could be argued that a 'sheep mentality' prevailed at the time but if you didn't want to get involved it was never really a problem. Many was the day that I walked through a ruck and came out unscathed the other side.
As for the ICF, they were just a bunch of pussies innit.[/QUOTE]

Lovin it!!!!!!!!!!!