Scariest time at a ground. (1 Viewer)

rob9872

Well-Known Member
Millwall away old and new den. Pompey and Leeds at home the ones that stick out.

Villa away and Man City in the cup get a mention further up, but most of that caused by the old bill imo. They were the real hooligans in a uniform that allowed them to get away with it.
 

LastGarrison

Well-Known Member
Was a long time coming iirc, was an incident between CCFC and Pompey fans years before and they’d promised retribution next time we played
I was chatting about this years ago with one of the lads who was at the ‘incident’ in Whitley Bay where supposedly this all stems from (although in Pompey’s book they say that this was their chosen big day out of the season) and he said the Pompey lads took an absolute shoeing and I think one of theirs ending up getting stabbed.

Either way what a game for the club to choose not to have police in the ground for. 🤣
 

rob9872

Well-Known Member
I was chatting about this years ago with one of the lads who was at the ‘incident’ in Whitley Bay where supposedly this all stems from (although in Pompey’s book they say that this was their chosen big day out of the season) and he said the Pompey lads took an absolute shoeing and I think one of theirs ending up getting stabbed.

Either way what a game for the club to choose not to have police in the ground for. 🤣
Early days of cctv though and plenty got an early morning knock to follow
 

Adge

Well-Known Member
Seen a few things over the years.

Got chased int he 80’s by arsenal fans just after the park by hr.

Can remember a game at the baseball ground where the fans were trying to get at each other in the street through a line of police vans.

Had quite a bit of stuff thrown down on us at wolves.

Was on a train that got totally wrecked going to Villa Park and our fans were throwing light bulbs at the Villa fans below as we went over a bridge. The train got delayed from new street as it was rammed as t was the last one as we had been on the piss at my mates house since 9am and got into the rocket for opening time.

Also hull fans leaving the ground early and forcing themselves into the back of the west terrace was a bit hairy.
Yeah I forgot about that one. League cup tie and they had some balls to make it into the West Terrace where it kicked off behind us 😲
 

ovduk78

Well-Known Member
In the build up to playing Man Utd in 1977 we had to collect vouchers from a couple of games beforehand to get into the game at Christmas & as my brother is a Man Utd fan and I knew some of the so called Rugby Reds I had seen them at a couple of games and knew they were collecting tickets for the game. I wasn't aware of any trouble during the game but there were plenty of Man Utd fans on the train over from Rugby and we were keen to avoid travelling back with them so as soon as Yorath put us 3-0 up we headed for the train station and got on the train back with just a handful of their fans so were happy as the train started moving. Then 1 of their fans pulled the chord to stop the train as the Rugby Reds piled onto the platform & they all got on the train & we were surrounded. Luckily for us a couple of them that sat near us where friends of my brother and knew me so we were safe but it's fair to say we were bloody scared when the chord was pulled.
 

Terry Gibson's perm

Well-Known Member
Yeah I forgot about that one. League cup tie and they had some balls to make it into the West Terrace where it kicked off behind us 😲


It was a right crush people trying to get at them and some get away.
 

Liquid Gold

Well-Known Member
I remember Wolves away being a tough place to go even during our Championship days. One game that sticks out is when we drew 1-1 or 2-2, I think Paul Ince scored for them in the first few minutes. After the game police tried to escort City back to the station but Wolves just followed the whole way chucking rocks into the group. On the train back there were loads of people bleeding everywhere. The looks from normal passengers wasn't nice.
 

Gynnsthetonic

Well-Known Member
Leicester away 1984, we got tonked 5-1 on the pitch the Baby Squad got tonked 5-1 off the pitch. Word went round Cov for a week beforehand to turn up on the day in numbers. They didn't disappoint, proper fighting and running battles not like now showing off who's got the newest Stone Island jacket!!
 

Saddlebrains

Well-Known Member
I was chatting about this years ago with one of the lads who was at the ‘incident’ in Whitley Bay where supposedly this all stems from (although in Pompey’s book they say that this was their chosen big day out of the season) and he said the Pompey lads took an absolute shoeing and I think one of theirs ending up getting stabbed.

Either way what a game for the club to choose not to have police in the ground for. 🤣


Yea I heard this, stag do or something for one of the legion lot, got into a scuffle down there and didnt realise they done in one of Portsmouths top 'boys'.

Thought it was a myth glad someone else was aware of it
 

Cov kid 55

Well-Known Member
3 games I remember recently where City fans have fought each other; Rotherham away, Crewe away, and Bolton away. All mad but the Bolton one, in particular, was crazy. Leaving the ground, a lad just brushed into another lad, and the kid just launched a massive punch at him. If he’d connected properly, he could have killed him.

On the main post, most away games in the mid to late 60’s were white knuckle rides. At Molineux, we’d all be on the huge South Bank, and you knew that halfway through the second half, they’d come round from the North Bank after us. Remember our first season in Division 1, at Bramall Lane, being chased around the ground which included the cricket ground in those days. Then the coaches got bricked.... which also happened at Forest away.

Does anyone remember going to Wolves late 60’s, and the game was called off late due to fog? Cov fans had got to the ground and as we walked away there was a cry that the Wolves were coming. So we started to run, and I remember one Cov lad standing in the middle of the road shouting ‘I’ll down the next fucker that runs!’ Everyone kept running. Was he called Killer?
 

Adge

Well-Known Member
Was anyone else in the little pocket of Cov fans in the Hoult end (think it was 91-92 or around that time) when we had to win and Cyrille (who left for Villa) scored after 2 minutes? Thought we were safe as there was about 100 odd Cov in there together, but just before KO the meat heads from Villa came down and piled in. I was a teenager and was the 2nd person on the pitch tripping over a St John’s Ambulance stretcher 😁 but ran the length of the pitch into the safety of the away end full of Cov.
Lots more runners behind me too-they weren’t catching me that day though!
 

ccfc1234

Well-Known Member
Was a long time coming iirc, was an incident between CCFC and Pompey fans years before and they’d promised retribution next time we played

I didnt know about the previous flare up but that makes sense as there were groups all over the city centre that day and that carried on into the ground. I felt sorry for our disabled supporters who were as close as anyone to the mayhem in the ground.

In recent Ricoh times Sunderland home and away is about as good or bad as its been. Think if and when we play the Villa again that has the potential to be naughty as for some reason that riviary ignites our fan base more than others.
 

Brylowes

Well-Known Member
Yea I heard this, stag do or something for one of the legion lot, got into a scuffle down there and didnt realise they done in one of Portsmouths top 'boys'.

Thought it was a myth glad someone else was aware of it
I heard this year’s ago, no idea if true but was told one of their lot was beaten up and had a paving slab dropped on him and subsequently died. I’m sure I’ve seen this referenced on here in the past as well.
 

Tommo1993

Well-Known Member
Seems to have become a new thing to do for young groups of lads literally jumping on each other and crashing down to row below when a goal is scored. It's fucking stupid

Almost broke my legs at Luton in L2. I think for Shipley’s goal. Turns out when knobheads push forward, your legs don’t exactly bend forward from the knees! Something had to give, the backs of the seats or my legs. Nope, just arse over tit into the row in front. Also that FA Cup game away at St Andrews when Marlon King and Richard Wood scored, had a seat on the end of a row, was dragged down about 6 stairs and almost trampled.
 

Magwitch

Well-Known Member
Was anyone else in the little pocket of Cov fans in the Hoult end (think it was 91-92 or around that time) when we had to win and Cyrille (who left for Villa) scored after 2 minutes? Thought we were safe as there was about 100 odd Cov in there together, but just before KO the meat heads from Villa came down and piled in. I was a teenager and was the 2nd person on the pitch tripping over a St John’s Ambulance stretcher 😁 but ran the length of the pitch into the safety of the away end full of Cov.
Lots more runners behind me too-they weren’t catching me that day though!
I was at Villa Park in the early 70s to watch a friendly between Villa and Glasgow Rangers, Holte End was packed to the rafters about 50/50 Villa and Rangers fans, fairly friendly atmosphere until some Villa idiots started chanting something about the Ibrox tragedy and all hell broke loose, Villa fans being chased onto the pitch towards the other end which unfortunately for them was also packed with Rangers supporters. I stuck like shot to a blanket with my Rangers supporting mate...name Joe Green !
 

SBbucks

Well-Known Member
I’ve been quite luck however I did go into the turnstile pub outside filbert street a couple the season we got relegated and felt a bit on edge . Turns out one of the biggest Leicester fans in there was my postman and he used to drink in my dads old pub so I was ok


My dad often tells me of being at Upton Park for a semi final ( I think ) in the early 80s he had my 2 older brothers with him and he said it was going off everywhere
I agree with your dad. Upton Park for the league cup semi final was the worst I’ve seen in 55 years watching the City, nothing else comes close (thankfully). Local police not only weren’t interested in stopping it, they seemed to be actively encouraging it. Very glad to get out in one piece.
 

SBbucks

Well-Known Member
Does anyone remember Liverpool away in the League Cup about 1977,night game. We took about 8,000 fans and drew 2-2 . The scouse twats outside afterwards were trying to rob our jackets and coats. Loads of scuffles outside, and it took ages to get back to Cov afterwards, really thick fog. Didn't get home till about 3 in the morning and my Mum let me have the next day off school
Took about 4 hours to drive home due to the fog, had to get off the M6 as you couldn’t see 20 yards in front of you. Ended up driving round Keele Uni totally lost. My abiding memory of the wonderful Liverpool fans was the sharpened 50p pieces being thrown at us, hadn’t experienced that sort of hospitality before.
 

rob9872

Well-Known Member
Was anyone else in the little pocket of Cov fans in the Hoult end (think it was 91-92 or around that time) when we had to win and Cyrille (who left for Villa) scored after 2 minutes? Thought we were safe as there was about 100 odd Cov in there together, but just before KO the meat heads from Villa came down and piled in. I was a teenager and was the 2nd person on the pitch tripping over a St John’s Ambulance stretcher 😁 but ran the length of the pitch into the safety of the away end full of Cov.
Lots more runners behind me too-they weren’t catching me that day though!
Kind of. We were at the side in their end but not the holte. When you lot all started 'let's all sing together ' we joined in but weren't so brave after you all exited. All we heard was the Vile singing ' run run city run'.
 
D

Deleted member 9744

Guest
A couple from me:

Newcastle FA cup match mid 70s with over 30,000 at Highfield Road. There was a terrible crush outside the West Stand getting in at the beginning. Really scary as a young child and I remember some guy lifting me up just as I felt unable to breath. I must admit am glad I was in the Sheffield Wednesday stand for the FA Cup quarter final, seeing reports on here. Luckily I messed up on getting tickets for that match and ended up in with home supporters.

Birmingham at St Andrews in 83. We won 1 0 with Terry Gibson scoring and the game was famous for an incident when the sprinklers coming on during the game. We had a police escort out of St Andrews. The police led us to a waste area and then disappeared when the saw an ambush from a load of Blues fans. My mate and I were right at the end of the group and noticed what was happening and quietly walked away just as the fighting started.

Remember Spurs fans throwing stones at us coming out of Highfield Road in the 70s too.
 

Gleneagles65

Well-Known Member
Coventry v Leicester 84/85, won 2.0 at home. Lots of fighting in various stands and corner flags used as weapons. Segregation didn’t work out too well that day.
 

Sky Blue Harry H

Well-Known Member
I was at Villa Park in the early 70s to watch a friendly between Villa and Glasgow Rangers, Holte End was packed to the rafters about 50/50 Villa and Rangers fans, fairly friendly atmosphere until some Villa idiots started chanting something about the Ibrox tragedy and all hell broke loose, Villa fans being chased onto the pitch towards the other end which unfortunately for them was also packed with Rangers supporters. I stuck like shot to a blanket with my Rangers supporting mate...name Joe Green !
One of my favourite football stories related to that game. I'd been up to watch Leamington play, and walking back from the ground had the radio on listening to a Tony Butler BRMB phone in reporting on the Villa / Rangers trouble. This Brummie rang up saying that his brother had been beaten up by Rangers fans, so him and his mates had gone out and found a Rangers fan, and he had him tied up in his kitchen! The Brummie said 'and he ain't going home tonight, Tony' Brilliant listening to Tony Butler telling the bloke 'now it's time for calm heads'. Funniest/most bizarre thing I've ever heard in a post match phone in.
 

Torquay Sky Blue

Well-Known Member
Late 70's Witton Station. Cornered by a bunch of Villa fans, I feared for my life but luckily standing next to me was a young Cov fan about 12 years old, so I quickly told the Villa fan about to punch me that he was my brother...I used him as a human shield and it worked.
I bumped into the kid at a home game weeks later and he told his mates I'd saved him at Villa. So win win and if you're out there, thanks fella. You're probably about 55 now.
 

joemercersaces

Well-Known Member
A few...worst definitely West Ham away in semi final. Blues ‘at home’ in cup last year, crushing in concourse and very moody walk back to the town in the dark, and of course in the early 70s when the away lads were just the other side of a gangway away in the West End it kicked off every single week, either there or in the park, except when we played Ipswich, Norwich, QPR (times change) or Southampton. When it kicked off there could be hundreds involved.
 

NortonSkyBlue

Well-Known Member
When the away fans came to take the west end with varying degrees of success. The clever ones got in early before the Coventry boys arrived and then it was a matter of holding their nerve but it was the ones who just walked in and drove the fans out that used to annoy me. Where was our civic pride?
You could guarantee that Man United would take the ground and I used to hate standing next to fans that were from Coventry and watched the Sky Blues one week then don their red, black and white scarves to support United.
I can remember many a time before even the west end segregation that there would be attempts on a regular basis that were repelled and once the away fans were corralled to the left of the west end it become more difficult because of barriers and better policing.
Leicester and Stoke at HR was always interesting as was the visit of Newcastle with many locals supporting their ex hometown team.
The most frightened I have been at HR was a cup tie between Walton and Hersham and Highgate which was truly surreal. Walton and Hersham brought a proper heavy mob and set about kicking the fuck out of all in the west end. There was minimum policing and stewarding as it was a non league final and it was carnage.
Away it was not so bad as we didn’t take many fans to most grounds and the locals were generally not expecting too much trouble but Leicester and Wolves were nervy and when we did take a big away following I got the impression it was because we were playing Ipswich, Norwich or QPR and we didn’t expect any trouble.
 

wingy

Well-Known Member
Took about 4 hours to drive home due to the fog, had to get off the M6 as you couldn’t see 20 yards in front of you. Ended up driving round Keele Uni totally lost. My abiding memory of the wonderful Liverpool fans was the sharpened 50p pieces being thrown at us, hadn’t experienced that sort of hospitality before.
Got home around 8 the next morning.
 

joemercersaces

Well-Known Member
When the away fans came to take the west end with varying degrees of success. The clever ones got in early before the Coventry boys arrived and then it was a matter of holding their nerve but it was the ones who just walked in and drove the fans out that used to annoy me. Where was our civic pride?
You could guarantee that Man United would take the ground and I used to hate standing next to fans that were from Coventry and watched the Sky Blues one week then don their red, black and white scarves to support United.
I can remember many a time before even the west end segregation that there would be attempts on a regular basis that were repelled and once the away fans were corralled to the left of the west end it become more difficult because of barriers and better policing.
Leicester and Stoke at HR was always interesting as was the visit of Newcastle with many locals supporting their ex hometown team.
The most frightened I have been at HR was a cup tie between Walton and Hersham and Highgate which was truly surreal. Walton and Hersham brought a proper heavy mob and set about kicking the fuck out of all in the west end. There was minimum policing and stewarding as it was a non league final and it was carnage.
Away it was not so bad as we didn’t take many fans to most grounds and the locals were generally not expecting too much trouble but Leicester and Wolves were nervy and when we did take a big away following I got the impression it was because we were playing Ipswich, Norwich or QPR and we didn’t expect any trouble.
Yes I remember that when I first started going with my old man, on the Kop, the away fans were on the Thackall Street side of the West End. Remember one evening match against Liverpool when suddenly the whole middle section of Cov surged into the Liverpool lot, seem to recall something similar against Arsenal. But you’re right when Man Utd came to town the whole ground was taken over for many years. Happened in a lot of places to be fair. Also a game against Blues when they got in the middle early. A Blues mate described Cov arriving from Thackall Street and going mad. From the other end you could see repeated efforts to take it back but without success. Also recall a game against Villa at home where you could see one bloke had another over a barrier near the front and was windmilling the hell out of him, no idea if he was Cov or Villa. Cov lost a few but also stood their ground pretty often, not least against Millwall in the FA cup late 70s
 

Moff

Well-Known Member
My scariest time at a ground was for very different reasons.

Aged 14 I had a bad bout of shall we say gastroenteritis, more commonly known as shitting through the eye of a needle. We had a night match against Sunderland, and I didn't want to miss a game on my season ticket.

To say whenever my stomach gurgled was scary is an understatement, and how I made the cubicle at half time to expel some more of what was going through me at a rapid rate of knots, was down purely to luck.

Fear gripped me throughout the second half as my stomach threatened the onset of an explosion amongst my fellow fans, but thankfully I survived and the only thing that was shat on that night, was Sunderland!
 

lordy_87

Well-Known Member
Slightly off topic but anyone remember that lad knocking out that blades fan in the stand at the Ricoh :ROFLMAO:
 

Magwitch

Well-Known Member
When the away fans came to take the west end with varying degrees of success. The clever ones got in early before the Coventry boys arrived and then it was a matter of holding their nerve but it was the ones who just walked in and drove the fans out that used to annoy me. Where was our civic pride?
You could guarantee that Man United would take the ground and I used to hate standing next to fans that were from Coventry and watched the Sky Blues one week then don their red, black and white scarves to support United.
I can remember many a time before even the west end segregation that there would be attempts on a regular basis that were repelled and once the away fans were corralled to the left of the west end it become more difficult because of barriers and better policing.
Leicester and Stoke at HR was always interesting as was the visit of Newcastle with many locals supporting their ex hometown team.
The most frightened I have been at HR was a cup tie between Walton and Hersham and Highgate which was truly surreal. Walton and Hersham brought a proper heavy mob and set about kicking the fuck out of all in the west end. There was minimum policing and stewarding as it was a non league final and it was carnage.
Away it was not so bad as we didn’t take many fans to most grounds and the locals were generally not expecting too much trouble but Leicester and Wolves were nervy and when we did take a big away following I got the impression it was because we were playing Ipswich, Norwich or QPR and we didn’t expect any trouble.
I remember those early West End days part of the match day thing was running away fans out the end but who remembers the coppers they were a fearsome lot and I know the large away groups like Chelsea and Leeds were very wary of them. One in particular was a Reg Jenkins about six foot high and wide and used to plough into fans like a bull had a fearsome reputation I was talking to a Chelsea fan some years back in a bar in Tenerife and he remembered him and said the Chelsea lot tried to keep away from where he was standing. In his later years he was the copper in the dock at the magistrates court, I wonder why.!
There was another one a sergeant Williams another brute with a big handle bar moustache kept away from him too and finally my local beat bobby PC Thomas, the man who never smiled, who went round on his bike all three were Welsh who I don’t think had much time for us English.
 

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