Nick
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'Doyler started a little scuffle' - the truth behind City's first Ricoh game
Decent article from Andy!
Decent article from Andy!
“I think we were 2-0 up and there was some trouble in the stands so the game stopped and Ian Holloway, the QPR manager, got hold of the microphone and was trying to calm things down but it didn’t help that the security people were battering our fans around the head with batons."
I have no recollection of this at all, was anyone there?
I remember it all kicking off at the pre season game in Ibiza. Can't remember any problems at the first Ricoh game.Sounds like that was in Ibiza rather than the Ricoh/
There was a problem at the first Ricoh game. It was a full house and the two sets of fans were goading each other the whole time as a result of the trouble in Ibiza. About halfway through the second half, a hundred or so fans from each side got up and left the stands to settle their differences on the concourse outside.I remember it all kicking off at the pre season game in Ibiza. Can't remember any problems at the first Ricoh game.
There was a problem at the first Ricoh game. It was a full house and the two sets of fans were goading each other the whole time as a result of the trouble in Ibiza. About halfway through the second half, a hundred or so fans from each side got up and left the stands to settle their differences on the concourse outside.
Yes you’re right, the ground only had a partial safety certificate, so the capacity was restricted for that game. Would that we could regularly get 20k plus now, eh?That was it!
Wasn’t the crowd restricted to about 21/23k!?
Remember going up to a training evening at the ground the week before where they wanted as many fans as possible so they could practise safety drills etc and the evening ended with us all having to do an emergency evacuation!
Was down the stadium being completed late wasn't it. Meant no pre-season games as test events so the capacity got restricted.Yes you’re right, the ground only had a partial safety certificate, so the capacity was restricted for that game. Would that we could regularly get 20k plus now, eh?
That’s right, and reading I.S.S.S’s post, it looks like there was a panic to get the season started at the Ricoh.Was down the stadium being completed late wasn't it. Meant no pre-season games as test events so the capacity got restricted.
He was doing the co-commentary for BBC CWR at the recent home game against Cambridge. I too have a lot of love for Claus Bech!Always liked Claus, hasn't he been spotted at our games at times too?
You would have thought alarm bells would have gone off as soon as someone suggested a pre-season trip to Ibiza.
Good account but if you remember Colin, McSheffrey scored a perfectly legit goal at 2-1 that was disallowed with 80 odd minutes gone. This fuelled the rumours that the game was hastily 'arranged' to satisfy QPR's greater numbers.I was there. Something like 750 pissed up QPR fans arrived that day for the the final of the Ibiza Cup in 2005. As the Stadium only had a stand on one side of the ground all the fans were together. We were 2-0 up when it all kicked off at half time and Riot Police came into the ground with batons raised. As Fred said Holloway went onto the pitch and gave a speech asking for the fans to calm down,
The match then restarted QPR got the score back to 2-2 and it appeared some deal had been done so that the match would be a draw and then QPR scored a third goal and won the tournament.
Have to say we got out of the ground double quick as the atmosphere was toxic
Was down the stadium being completed late wasn't it. Meant no pre-season games as test events so the capacity got restricted.
Really strange day with lots of QPR fans turning up during the day intent on drinking anything and then the night and the match culminating in the Riot Police. We arrived on the Sunday and got on well with the Huddersfield supporters around San Antonio and didn't see any trouble until the QPR match. As I said the feeling was a deal was done to quieten down the QPR fans by letting them score a couple of goals however someone didn't follow the script. And if memory serves as you say McSheffrey's goal was a good one. Needless to say We kept well away from the West End that night.Good account but if you remember Colin, McSheffrey scored a perfectly legit goal at 2-1 that was disallowed with 80 odd minutes gone. This fuelled the rumours that the game was hastily 'arranged' to satisfy QPR's greater numbers.
Cov numbers were swelled for the fixture at Loftus Rd as I recall, some looking to exact revenge.
Think we did the double over them for the following 3 seasons.