Forum | Football Violence. by qpr_1968

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Football Violence. 11:10 - Nov 17 with 33443 views

qpr_1968

What was your first experience of football violence/crowd disturbance.
and did that first experience have an effect on you.....not being involved, but as a by stander.

The first was at home to glasgow rangers, pre season friendly in 1969, as an 11 year old it was pretty hairy, and although not very violent in the ground, the atmosphere was intense.
outside though plenty of trouble, in later years i've learnt that west ham and tottenham fans were there for trouble.
it did have an immediate effect, one terrified but excited the same time, but that was when i was nearly home after.....just to add, 3 of us all 11 year olds went to the game on our own, from sutton esteate off north pole road.

First away experience was at leeds in 1973, 2-2 draw.
we went by football special, 400 on the train in all, in them days everyone was a target, wearing your colours or getting caught out by your accent.
we had trouble at the turnstiles before the game, no segregation, and lots of leeds fans in what we now call the away end.
coming out was even worse, hundreds of leeds fans waiting outside to pick you off, and a few did get caught out and beaten up....thank god for the green buses back to the train station.

Poll:

how many games this season....home/away.

Football Violence. on 08:09 - Nov 18 with 4774 views

BlackCrowe

Football Violence. on 22:21 - Nov 17 by stowmarketrange

The first time I went to the old den I drove there,parked up and went into the ground.We lost 3-2 and they went top of the league.Of course I realised I’d parked the other side of the police cordon,and there was no way that they’d allow me to walk through it,even if I’d wanted to.I therefore had to walk right round the ground to reach my car.As there were still a few thugs milling around the few remaining cars still parked,I went around again.I only lived in Mitcham at the time so I cycled there the following season ,and chained my bike to one of the garage gates that were everywhere at their old ground.No problem getting straight away that year.

I’ve been close to fights and trouble at football,but I’ve always managed to avoid getting involved in any,so far.

Pretty much word for word experience that i had when i drove up to the old Den on my own aged around 18.

Poll:

Kitchen threads or polls?

Football Violence. on 09:08 - Nov 18 with 4706 views

BostonR

Away to Ipswich in the Milk Cup 1985, was very violent. R's fans invaded the pitch and dismantled a concrete wall and laid into Ipswich fans. Local Police literally herded the 2,000 plus R's fans out of Ipswich that night. Then multiple battles between R's fans on the way home ending up with a huge fight in Holland Park at around midnight.

Also Portsmouth home was incredibly violent and the fighting went on for quite a bit of time - all around the ground.

Football Violence. on 10:25 - Nov 18 with 4624 views

Southamptonsuperhoop

I can remember quite a few incidents over the years both at QPR and elsewhere. Used to hang around in a group of about 8/9 mates all supporting different London teams, QPR, West Ham, Fulham, Charlton, Arsenal and Spurs and we'd just pick a game on the Saturday or midweek and turn up.

Got caught up in a few scuffles here and there but nothing too much, part of the match day experience 70s and 80s. Scariest moment was when West Ham visited Fulham and the police sent mounted police into the mouth of the underground tunnel that linked the park with Putney Bridge station, nowhere to run, so many just got trampled by the horses.

Forest, Portsmouth, Chelsea, Luton and Wolves were all a bit tasty at Loftus Rd, but to be honest the worst I've witnessed is our own 'in-fighting' examples being the knife attacks at the Milk Cup Final 1986 and Doncaster away (of all places) under Warnock, never understood it really, why fight your own?

Football Violence. on 10:26 - Nov 18 with 4607 views

2Thomas2Bowles

One of the strangest things I saw was an away game at Ipswich 83

Coming out of the ground there was a fight going on between a copper and a rangers guy, copper a sergeant, was getting a right kicking, no one else involved but there were 5 or 6 coppers just standing watching letting it go on as well as everyone else.

I was told on the train back that it was something that had gone on the season before, that the other coppers did not like the sergeant so took their time, no arrest nothing.

Must have been more to it but feck knows.

[Post edited 18 Nov 2020 10:28]

	When willl this CV nightmare end
Poll:	What will the result of the GE be

Football Violence. on 10:30 - Nov 18 with 4611 views

BazzaInTheLoft

Football Violence. on 21:41 - Nov 17 by ted_hendrix

Very early 1970's evening game at the Old Manor ground, left the building site and drove straight to the game but it was late and they wouldn't let me buy a ticket in the pits that was the away end but I managed to get in the home end stood at the back behind the goal wearing me donkey jacket with me blue and white scarf in me pocket and me gob firmly shut.
Crap game tbh, in the dying seconds we got a corner right in front of me lo and behold Rodneeee buried a header in the back of the net, I let rip 'get f ucking in' and stuck two clenched fists in the air mistakenly one of my fists had hold of my blue and white scarf.
Got chased out of the ground and I ran like f uck, right across the road and down through that housing estate, I stopped to look behind me and there were about 4 or 5 of them still running after me, I took off again turning left then right not having a clue where the bollox I was , eventually I slowed down and thankfully they'd given up.
It honestly took me about an hour to find me car all the time looking up and down the road and over me shoulder.

Never mind these so called bullshitting hero's and their 'these colours don't run' nonsense.

Mine did that night.

Sounds like the colour Brown in this case!

Football Violence. on 10:32 - Nov 18 with 4608 views

terryb

I was on that train to Leeds. I got separated at the ground & ended up in the wrong part. However, it soon became apparent I was a Rangers fan & a group of Leeds fans took me under their care! I'm not sure that would have helped though if the referee hadn't wrongly disallowed the Gerry Francis winning goal.

At ther train station after the game I went into the main station to buy the "Pink 'un" & was immediately chased out. Luckily, I ran faster than at any other time of my life & reached the entrance for our special before they caught me!

My first experience & most memorable crowd trouble both happened at West Ham. Fights broke out on the North Bank at the match against Liverpool in 1965 (Liverpool won 5-1), but I don't think they wre excessive (certainly not compared to future years).

I was also on the North Bank for the game with Manchester United in 1967. United won 6-2 & won the league that day with the NB being at least 75% full of their fans. Suddenly a group of West Ham girls started singing & were hit for their troubles. The next thing we knew, about 30 WH fans forced their way into the middle of the NB & took no prisoners. The middle of that end of the ground was nearly empty for the rest of the match while everywhere else was the most cramped I've ever been!

Following Rangers I've been very scared four times - Tottenham 1969, Portsmouth 1969, Cardiff 1973 & Millwall 1973.

Football Violence. on 10:34 - Nov 18 with 4592 views

2Thomas2Bowles

Football Violence. on 09:08 - Nov 18 by BostonR

Was at that game, remember being attack outside the train station on arrival, a bit of a running battle in the town.

	When willl this CV nightmare end
Poll:	What will the result of the GE be

Football Violence. on 10:38 - Nov 18 with 4597 views

welwynranger

Football Violence. on 09:08 - Nov 18 by BostonR

Away to Ipswich was bad. It started before the game as I was approaching the ground we got threatened by a group of Ipswich. After the game it went off big time. We were on our way out of the ground and everyone was fighting. I went in between two parked cars caught the bumper of one and tripped my mate thought I had been hit and started punching any Ipswich fan near him. Then 5 of us got into a street fight. Hell of a night . The match wasnt anywhere near as exciting it finished 0-0.

Football Violence. on 10:42 - Nov 18 with 4584 views

TheChef

First year at uni I went to watch Wolves v Stoke with a couple of mates. Walking to the ground we went past a group of Stoke's firm who were being held back by the police, as we went into the subway next to the ground the police decided this was a good time to let them go, and the Stoke mob steamed through the subway! I came out the other side and was nearly sat on by a police horse.

Poll:

How old is everyone on here?

Football Violence. on 10:56 - Nov 18 with 4558 views

stoweboy

Football Violence. on 10:38 - Nov 18 by welwynranger

This was the replay wasn't it ? Think we all thought we had done the hard
bit getting the draw up there , there was alot of trouble at the 1st game if i am correct very dissapointed that night expected us to go through, didn't they play norwich in the semi final .Leeds away in the cup 87 , only 15 at the time never been so scared in all my life, put me off forever never been back , was actually quite pleased we did not equalise thinking if they won they would leave us alone , thats how scared i felt .
The 3-1 at home to the scum , i was just at the top of the stairs of the loft leaving just as it was kicking off , bannister hatrick ? did that put us top ? it was only september ! or am i getting muddled ?

Football Violence. on 11:22 - Nov 18 with 4515 views

CroydonCaptJack

Football Violence. on 18:51 - Nov 17 by Hastings_Hoops
Not football violence by any stretch, but my favourite ‘moronic moment’ was away at Cambridge in 2001/2002ish when we lost 2-1 and one of our own bright sparks got so angry with the lino that he threw his mobile phone at him. Genius.

Does anyone else remember a trip to Cambridge when I guess we were losing and a mob left early and started lobbing vegetables from the allotments back into the ground?

Football Violence. on 11:33 - Nov 18 with 4495 views

CroydonCaptJack

Football Violence. on 02:11 - Nov 18 by SydneyRs

Was at this one too. Although I was in the Loft I had no idea this happened until after I got home. Was up the back where the best atmosphere always was and therefore one of the first out of the ground and didn't even know Chelsea had come down to that end.

Another notable game for fighting was the Palace FA cup quarter final in 82 when Clive Allen taunted the away end after scoring the winner. They had been giving him stick all game while led to him giving it back after scoring. They didn't take it well!

In the early 80s when I started going regularly there was often some sort of incident, particularly after goals were scored. Usually it wasn't hard to keep away from/out of it though.

That was a lively afternoon. My old man decided to come to that one with my brother and me and a bloke he worked with who was Palace. We were in the upper loft so had a great view of events. I thought he might try and stop us going after that but when we got home he seemed to take great joy in telling my Mum what had happened and said it was like Keystone Cops.

Football Violence. on 11:42 - Nov 18 with 4470 views

CroydonCaptJack

To be honest there was loads of trouble back then. As someone has mentioned it was just part of going to football back then. We sometimes would go in the home end and just keep quiet especially in London derbys because in those days away fans would just get ambushed or followed on the way out as it was easy to identify them.

The special trains and coaches were great or sometimes a couple of us would drive but you nearly always had to be careful where you parked. We would often overtake the C Mob with their decreasingly dilapidated coaches. I don't think the coach companies liked the condition they came back in probably!

Worst trouble I seem to recall was Luton away one Saturday and a home night game against Cardiff.

Football Violence. on 12:29 - Nov 18 with 4398 views

qpr_1968

Football Violence. on 10:32 - Nov 18 by terryb

i was at that game at portsmouth in 1969, went with my uncle, as an 11 year old i can't recall much disturbance, but being young it did'nt really occur to me to look out for that sort of thing.
if something did happen in the ground it was when the qpr contingent all changed ends walking around to the other side behind the goal at half time, i remember that.
my unle drove to the game and parked the car down near the seafront, so the trouble could have been at the train station.

Poll:

how many games this season....home/away.

Football Violence. on 12:33 - Nov 18 with 4392 views

soops

Football Violence. on 10:56 - Nov 18 by stoweboy

Yes we were top of the League.
The week before I had cracked a rib at Selhurst Park when Dean Coney scored against Charlton - was pressed up against a crush barrier and thought I was gonna die!
A week later I was trying to take it easy on the Loft as I was still in loads of pain, but couldn’t resist getting in the ‘mosh pit’ behind the goal when the 3rd went in!

Football Violence. on 13:05 - Nov 18 with 4338 views

Myke

My first and thankfully only experience to date, was in Lansdowne Road in 95. I was in the stand under the English 'gentlemen' who showered us with seats, drinks and various bodily fluids

Football Violence. on 16:08 - Nov 18 with 4195 views

marky67

i remember being on a piccadilly line train going to arsenal in 83, train had pulled into caledonian rd station i think it was when somebody threw a smoke bomb into one of the carridges further down, cue mayhem and a right punch up on the platform between us and the gooners

Football Violence. on 16:26 - Nov 18 with 4173 views

Juzzie

I seem to remember QPR playing at Wimbledon the same day West Ham were at Chelsea.

Earls Court station District line platforms were a tad lively around 5.45pm.

Football Violence. on 17:11 - Nov 18 with 4098 views

dutch

Barnet away FA Cup replay 1973, I was 14 and it felt like Rourke's Drift. Casualties lined up getting triage by the side of the pitch as firms from all the other London teams took on Rangers, raining slates down upon us from the roof of the stand. It was the maddest night I've ever experienced in 55 years supporting this mob, and nobody else seems to remember the Battle Of Barnet.

Football Violence. on 17:14 - Nov 18 with 4090 views

BazzaInTheLoft

I usually experience football violence when I get in at 1am in the morning when I said I’d come straight after the final whistle

Football Violence. on 17:43 - Nov 18 with 4048 views

Harbour

Millwall home games early 1970s I was about 13/14 years of age first experience of seeing it kick off. Was walking down SAR before the game Millwall fan nuts rangers guy . In the loft started out rangers fans singing 10 minutes or so in loft invaded by Wall fans mass punch up. Wall took the loft and school end they were everywhere.

Football Violence. on 17:43 - Nov 18 with 4049 views

CroydonCaptJack

Football Violence. on 17:11 - Nov 18 by dutch
Barnet away FA Cup replay 1973, I was 14 and it felt like Rourke's Drift. Casualties lined up getting triage by the side of the pitch as firms from all the other London teams took on Rangers, raining slates down upon us from the roof of the stand. It was the maddest night I've ever experienced in 55 years supporting this mob, and nobody else seems to remember the Battle Of Barnet.

I think I have read about that night somewhere before, either on here or another forum.

Football Violence. on 18:21 - Nov 18 with 3988 views

qpr_1968

Football Violence. on 17:11 - Nov 18 by dutch
Barnet away FA Cup replay 1973, I was 14 and it felt like Rourke's Drift. Casualties lined up getting triage by the side of the pitch as firms from all the other London teams took on Rangers, raining slates down upon us from the roof of the stand. It was the maddest night I've ever experienced in 55 years supporting this mob, and nobody else seems to remember the Battle Of Barnet.

yes was there that night, and as you say pretty much word for word.
someone else has already mentioned it on here as well i think.
seems most of london turned out that night, especially arsenal.

Poll:

how many games this season....home/away.

Football Violence. on 19:19 - Nov 18 with 3904 views

welwynranger

Football Violence. on 11:42 - Nov 18 by CroydonCaptJack

You always had to be careful where you parked.
In the early 70s my mate drove to Bristol City parked near the ground. Don Givens scored twice in a 2-1 win.
We got back to the car to find the 2 front tyres slashed. Because a Rs scarf had been left on the back seat. So instead of getting home about 8o'clock we finally got home about 1am sunday morning.

Football Violence. on 19:39 - Nov 18 with 3873 views

Boston

Football Violence. on 17:11 - Nov 18 by dutch
Barnet away FA Cup replay 1973, I was 14 and it felt like Rourke's Drift. Casualties lined up getting triage by the side of the pitch as firms from all the other London teams took on Rangers, raining slates down upon us from the roof of the stand. It was the maddest night I've ever experienced in 55 years supporting this mob, and nobody else seems to remember the Battle Of Barnet.

Underhill was a large council estate. I was told that every male below the age of 30 was rounded up to spank us. That story told to me by a gent who grew up there.

Poll:

Thank God The Seaons Over.

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