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I've met some truly mad Sunderland supporters .....

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Spenny said:
I was in far worse situations over the years including Earls Court but that was the most frightened I can ever remember being. The turnstiles were miles away and word spread that the mob coming through them were Millwall. Our main lot were still in the pubs, we were all young sitting ducks. When they charged we legged it. That paddock was massive and my legs stopped working about half way up. I stood with an old Charlton fan and his son who was about my age (14 ish). I ran back down and straight on to the pitch as soon as they passed, arrest looked more appealing than Millwall.

One thing that stands out for me about those days is that there was always someone in the group blissfully unaware of any danger, no matter how obvious it was.

3-3 at Upton Park was a nightmare for anyone who stood in that end, every goal triggered a free for all. Razor sharpened 2p pieces rained down on us as we waited to leave after the final whistle, it was a grim affair. When we got out about 50 of us were attempting the walk back to the tube, I really did not want to, ‘oh to be on a bus’.

West Ham were everywhere, a huge mob in front slowing up, a huge one behind closing in and hundreds across the road waiting for their moment. The further we got away from the ground the fewer the coppers and the more of them there were. We were a small group of donkey jackets in a sea of claret and blue. Eventually the gaps closed up and they came across the road, Frankie shouted ‘backs to the wall the lads’ so we all grouped together looking outwards, here we go, we were in a bad situation. At that moment my mate started wandering away, someone grabbed him and dragged him back just in time. We all made it on to the tube relatively unscathed, everyone was hugely relieved. During the post mortem we asked what the fuck he was doing? he replied, ‘going for a programme.’

Thirty minutes before the kick off another lad was berating the driver to put his foot down as we made a final approach to the Old Den, everyone was giving us the come on and doing cut throat sign, it looked deadly out there. Dressed in red & white from head to toe this lad was adamant he was going for a 'quick pint'?

Half a dozen of us were sat in a big Arsenal pub on Holloway Road after the match. One of the lads came back from the bar to casually announce he’d overheard a group them talking. They were planning to ‘Attack those Sunderland wankers’ the minute the police riot vans parked directly outside the left. As we were the only Sunderland in the place it triggered an alarm in everyones head but his. He’d even heard it before he bought the pints which we now had to sup sharpish with one eye on the police vans.
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the Charlton/Millwall incident was scary like. As you correctly state the turnstiles were miles away and it was a big ground. That paddock was huge. I was about 17 at the time and I remember that there were probably about a dozen of them. I didnt cotton on what was going on at first until my mate grabbed me and told me that we were off. there was absolutely no way at 17 years old was I standing and having a go at Harry The Dog and his mates. Not a chance. Well out of my league. I remember running half way up that paddock and looking back and they hadnt even bothered to chase us. If we'd stood then it would have kicked off but they were of absolutely no mind to go trundling around the stadium after us.

I'm sure that game was on The Big Match, Brian moore commentating. I think we lost 2 v 3. Might have been Roy Greenwood's debut. If people remember Shoot! was on ITV on the sunday but if London Tv had televised The Big Match ie their equivalent and it involved NUFc or SAFC that was the match we got on the sunday.

The 3 v 3 game. that was our first trip to WHU and we were advised by a Man United fan that we knew from CLS not to go in the South Bank. He told us to go in The Chicken Run opposite where the players came out. We took his advice and it was indeed very good advice. I remember watching the SAFC fans coming into the ground from around 2pm and being picked off one by one as the WHU fans charged through what appeared to be a gap in the fence. Before the game we'd walked down that way as we made our way to The chicken Run and had seen a mob of WHU, about 50 of them waiting. almost certainly the likes of Cass Pennant, Bill Gardener et al will have been in that group.

Incidentally that game was superb. We stood next to an old bloke in TCR, WHU fan, who had watched them since the year dot. He told us that it was one of the best games he had ever seen at the ground.

I think we lost the next year down there 0 v 2. Barry Siddall played a blinder from memory as it was like The Alamo.
 

TOONDOON said:
April 21st 1979 I would have thought something like that would have stuck in my mind, unless I was too pissed to remeMber. Not remembering was a big part of the seventies and eighties come to think of it. When we get together and crack on about our away days theres always some detail that comes up that one of us didn t know.
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That's it, it was red hot, we won 2-0. Peter, the driver who got us lost was from around there and claimed to have contacts. After the farm track debacle we doubted it but he actually made it in to the Cambridge dug out during the game.
 
My Boy Harry said:
the Charlton/Millwall incident was scary like. As you correctly state the turnstiles were miles away and it was a big ground. That paddock was huge. I was about 17 at the time and I remember that there were probably about a dozen of them. I didnt cotton on what was going on at first until my mate grabbed me and told me that we were off. there was absolutely no way at 17 years old was I standing and having a go at Harry The Dog and his mates. Not a chance. Well out of my league. I remember running half way up that paddock and looking back and they hadnt even bothered to chase us. If we'd stood then it would have kicked off but they were of absolutely no mind to go trundling around the stadium after us.

I'm sure that game was on The Big Match, Brian moore commentating. I think we lost 2 v 3. Might have been Roy Greenwood's debut. If people remember Shoot! was on ITV on the sunday but if London Tv had televised The Big Match ie their equivalent and it involved NUFc or SAFC that was the match we got on the sunday.

The 3 v 3 game. that was our first trip to WHU and we were advised by a Man United fan that we knew from CLS not to go in the South Bank. He told us to go in The Chicken Run opposite where the players came out. We took his advice and it was indeed very good advice. I remember watching the SAFC fans coming into the ground from around 2pm and being picked off one by one as the WHU fans charged through what appeared to be a gap in the fence. Before the game we'd walked down that way as we made our way to The chicken Run and had seen a mob of WHU, about 50 of them waiting. almost certainly the likes of Cass Pennant, Bill Gardener et al will have been in that group.

Incidentally that game was superb. We stood next to an old bloke in TCR, WHU fan, who had watched them since the year dot. He told us that it was one of the best games he had ever seen at the ground.

I think we lost the next year down there 0 v 2. Barry Siddall played a blinder from memory as it was like The Alamo.
Click to expand...
I went to the Siddall game and mistakenly went in South Bank. Nightmare. Only about 300 max in corner with about 4 coppers at intervals between back of stand and pitch (tbf it was a very shallow end). They kept running through and ran us on the pitch twice before game kicked off.
At end of game no one was going outside. Gilly led us out and there were hundreds waiting even tho they'd won easily 2 nil. Fortunately 2 cop vans were waiting and we got to coaches unscathed. However, the windows then got put in and we had to drive to Loughborough to get replacements. Even tho it was mid September it was freezing going up the M1 at 70mph with 4 big windows out.
One of my worst away trips.
 
shaun61 said:
I went to the Siddall game and mistakenly went in South Bank. Nightmare. Only about 300 max in corner with about 4 coppers at intervals between back of stand and pitch (tbf it was a very shallow end). They kept running through and ran us on the pitch twice before game kicked off.
At end of game no one was going outside. Gilly led us out and there were hundreds waiting even tho they'd won easily 2 nil. Fortunately 2 cop vans were waiting and we got to coaches unscathed. However, the windows then got put in and we had to drive to Loughborough to get replacements. Even tho it was mid September it was freezibgvgoibg up the M1 at 70mph with 4 big windows out.
One of mt worst awayvtrips.
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I was on the exact same coach.

We came out of the ground, got on the coach and by that green at Canning Town the windows got put in?

Before the game the coach driver had reversed into the main gates at Upton Park?

At Canning Town we all got off and IIRC the police caught three lads - skinheads. However one of our lads had got some glass in his eye (or similar) and the coach had to drive to the nearest hospital. The hospital was ram shackled, probably isnt there now. On the way down the street towards the hospital there were some WHU fans standing outside the pub with pool cues, clearly were playing or had been playing pool inside. when they saw our coach they ran down towards the hospital. the police had to fend them off.

I remember we then went back to Loughborough as you say to get the windows put back in. At one of the service stations we bumped into some Luton fans who had just been playing at the mags. I spoke to one who had a black and white scarf on and he said that "it was a piece of piss" and that the mags had been soft as shite. He reckoned that theyd filled the mags in...then the real story came out.

Theyd been shit scared and had all bought NUFC scarves lest they got filled in. I got a hold of his scarf, turned it over and it still had the price tag on.

The mags had waited for them near the Tyne Bridge (?) and ambushed the coach. Put most of their windows out.
 
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The Falcon said:
We didn't have scarves on and we're only 14 ish at the time I can remember being down st the front when Our older lads got in and it started seemed to be battled all the game but they were

probably just four young boys and no threat to them, we had no scarves on and I think we ended up right at the front watching the various skirmishes some of these bastards were huge I recall my initial shock at seeing so many and barely a Sunderland lad in sight, they got there really early well planned and organised.
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A well known sunlun fan "organised" the 79 bath lane rumble.
He got a load of photocopies of cards urging all game lads to meet at sunlun station and to all get the 2pm train through.
When they got to central, the cops held them back and waited for another train to arrive so they didnt have to do two escorts.
Apparently, the mag reception committee got more than they bargained for.

My Boy Harry said:
I was on the exact same coach.

We came out of the ground, got on the coach and by that green at Canning Town the windows got put in?

Before the game the coach driver had reversed into the main gates at Upton Park?

At Canning Town we all got off and IIRC the police caught three lads - skinheads. However one of our lads had got some glass in his eye (or similar) and the coach had to drive to the nearest hospital. The hospital was ram shackled, probably isnt there now. On the way down the street towards the hospital there were some WHU fans standing outside the pub with pool cues, clearly were playing or had been playing pool inside. when they saw our coach they ran down towards the hospital. the police had to fend them off.

I remember we then went back to Loughborough as you say to get the windows put back in. At one of the service stations we bumped into some Luton fans who had just been playing at the mags. I spoke to one who had a black and white scarf on and he said that "it was a piece of piss" and that the mags had been soft as shite. He reckoned that theyd filled the mags in...then the real story came out.

Theyd been shit scared and had all bought NUFC scarves lest they got filled in. I got a hold of his scarf, turned it over and it still had the price tag on.

The mags had waited for them near the Tyne Bridge (?) and ambushed the coach. Put most of their windows out.
Click to expand...
Wahaaay, spot on.
The windows did get put in by some park/green and we had to drop a lad off at hospital.
The Luton lads I spoke to said they'd been chased down part of the A1m by a car load of mags angry at losing at home !!
 
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Good memories lads keep them coming, you should all meet up for a drink before the match on Saturday .
 
Spenny said:
I was in far worse situations over the years including Earls Court but that was the most frightened I can ever remember being. The turnstiles were miles away and word spread that the mob coming through them were Millwall. Our main lot were still in the pubs, we were all young sitting ducks. When they charged we legged it. That paddock was massive and my legs stopped working about half way up. I stood with an old Charlton fan and his son who was about my age (14 ish). I ran back down and straight on to the pitch as soon as they passed, arrest looked more appealing than Millwall.

One thing that stands out for me about those days is that there was always someone in the group blissfully unaware of any danger, no matter how obvious it was.

3-3 at Upton Park was a nightmare for anyone who stood in that end, every goal triggered a free for all. Razor sharpened 2p pieces rained down on us as we waited to leave after the final whistle, it was a grim affair. When we got out about 50 of us were attempting the walk back to the tube, I really did not want to, ‘oh to be on a bus’.

West Ham were everywhere, a huge mob in front slowing up, a huge one behind closing in and hundreds across the road waiting for their moment. The further we got away from the ground the fewer the coppers and the more of them there were. We were a small group of donkey jackets in a sea of claret and blue. Eventually the gaps closed up and they came across the road, Frankie shouted ‘backs to the wall the lads’ so we all grouped together looking outwards, here we go, we were in a bad situation. At that moment my mate started wandering away, someone grabbed him and dragged him back just in time. We all made it on to the tube relatively unscathed, everyone was hugely relieved. During the post mortem we asked what the fuck he was doing? he replied, ‘going for a programme.’

Thirty minutes before the kick off another lad was berating the driver to put his foot down as we made a final approach to the Old Den, everyone was giving us the come on and doing cut throat sign, it looked deadly out there. Dressed in red & white from head to toe this lad was adamant he was going for a 'quick pint'?

Half a dozen of us were sat in a big Arsenal pub on Holloway Road after the match. One of the lads came back from the bar to casually announce he’d overheard a group them talking. They were planning to ‘Attack those Sunderland wankers’ the minute the police riot vans parked directly outside the left. As we were the only Sunderland in the place it triggered an alarm in everyones head but his. He’d even heard it before he bought the pints which we now had to sup sharpish with one eye on the police vans.
Click to expand...
 
shaun61 said:
A well known sunlun fan "organised" the 79 bath lane rumble.
He got a load of photocopies of cards urging all game lads to meet at sunlun station and to all get the 2pm train through.
When they got to central, the cops held them back and waited for another train to arrive so they didnt have to do two escorts.
Apparently, the mag reception committee got more than they bargained for.


Wahaaay, spot on.
The windows did get put in by some park/green and we had to drop a lad off at hospital.
The Luton lads I spoke to said they'd been chased down part of the A1m by a car load of mags angry at losing at home !!
Click to expand...
Your well known sunlun fan is talking bollocks about being the organiser of the bath land rumble.Tell him it happened after the game.
 
Spenny said:
I was in far worse situations over the years including Earls Court but that was the most frightened I can ever remember being. The turnstiles were miles away and word spread that the mob coming through them were Millwall. Our main lot were still in the pubs, we were all young sitting ducks. When they charged we legged it. That paddock was massive and my legs stopped working about half way up. I stood with an old Charlton fan and his son who was about my age (14 ish). I ran back down and straight on to the pitch as soon as they passed, arrest looked more appealing than Millwall.

One thing that stands out for me about those days is that there was always someone in the group blissfully unaware of any danger, no matter how obvious it was.

3-3 at Upton Park was a nightmare for anyone who stood in that end, every goal triggered a free for all. Razor sharpened 2p pieces rained down on us as we waited to leave after the final whistle, it was a grim affair. When we got out about 50 of us were attempting the walk back to the tube, I really did not want to, ‘oh to be on a bus’.

West Ham were everywhere, a huge mob in front slowing up, a huge one behind closing in and hundreds across the road waiting for their moment. The further we got away from the ground the fewer the coppers and the more of them there were. We were a small group of donkey jackets in a sea of claret and blue. Eventually the gaps closed up and they came across the road, Frankie shouted ‘backs to the wall the lads’ so we all grouped together looking outwards, here we go, we were in a bad situation. At that moment my mate started wandering away, someone grabbed him and dragged him back just in time. We all made it on to the tube relatively unscathed, everyone was hugely relieved. During the post mortem we asked what the fuck he was doing? he replied, ‘going for a programme.’

Thirty minutes before the kick off another lad was berating the driver to put his foot down as we made a final approach to the Old Den, everyone was giving us the come on and doing cut throat sign, it looked deadly out there. Dressed in red & white from head to toe this lad was adamant he was going for a 'quick pint'?

Half a dozen of us were sat in a big Arsenal pub on Holloway Road after the match. One of the lads came back from the bar to casually announce he’d overheard a group them talking. They were planning to ‘Attack those Sunderland wankers’ the minute the police riot vans parked directly outside the left. As we were the only Sunderland in the place it triggered an alarm in everyones head but his. He’d even heard it before he bought the pints which we now had to sup sharpish with one eye on the police vans.
Click to expand...

Away to Millwall first game of the season 73/74 I think won 4-1. Me and my matewent down on bus from Ferryhill, didn t know anyone on bus only 16 yr old. Drunk as lords before the game in Harrow and Wealdstone wmclub. Set off for the Den a bit late. Got there 20mins after kick off on our own and went in their end by mistake. After the initial panic we just stood a bit to one side not saying a word as our goals went in and watching the bother at the other end of the ground. Surprisingly ok. coming out as well.
West Ham can t be positive of year but score was 1-1 Joe Bolton scored and we were on Mot Day. We went in the paddock to avoid any bother pretended to be part of the t.v. crew after the game to delay going out of the ground for as long as possible. Must have been a good 45 mins after the whistle we went ouside and they were still milling about. Bollocks to walking to the tube station we just jumped on the first service bus and paid a quid. Then made our way back to the hotel for wherever.
London trips back then were £11.00 picked up at seven on fri night bus down to Sheffield into a nightclub out at three in the morning and down to London. Check into hotel out at eleven match night out, overnight in hotel . Afternoon session in London and back home, great value and apart from being on edge and scared shitless fantastic weekends.
Could go on but just to finish off on one trip to a Sheffield nightclub there was a hairdressing competition on the third floor one of the ladswas passed out mortal drunk and we carried him in his chair and table upstairs and parked him up in the middle of the hairdressers. His hair was down his back anyway. What a laugh when they woke him up.
 
shaun61 said:
A well known sunlun fan "organised" the 79 bath lane rumble.
He got a load of photocopies of cards urging all game lads to meet at sunlun station and to all get the 2pm train through.
When they got to central, the cops held them back and waited for another train to arrive so they didnt have to do two escorts.
Apparently, the mag reception committee got more than they bargained for.


Wahaaay, spot on.
The windows did get put in by some park/green and we had to drop a lad off at hospital.
The Luton lads I spoke to said they'd been chased down part of the A1m by a car load of mags angry at losing at home !!
Click to expand...

Don't remember that like. If there were cards I didn't seen one. The town was full prior to the match & the word got around that everyone was going to get the 2pm train, and as you said in previous posts there were 2 trains that came into the Central station together, so there was a right squad of Sunderland. Went off at the Waterloo , Bath lane & the petrol station, already well documented.
 
safctommie said:
The battle of Bath Lane took place after the game.The photo of the battle produced on here was taken after the game.
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Wrong

Roker19 said:
Don't remember that like. If there were cards I didn't seen one. The town was full prior to the match & the word got around that everyone was going to get the 2pm train, and as you said in previous posts there were 2 trains that came into the Central station together, so there was a right squad of Sunderland. Went off at the Waterloo , Bath lane & the petrol station, already well documented.
Click to expand...
Absolutely correct
 
shaun61 said:
I went to the Siddall game and mistakenly went in South Bank. Nightmare. Only about 300 max in corner with about 4 coppers at intervals between back of stand and pitch (tbf it was a very shallow end). They kept running through and ran us on the pitch twice before game kicked off.
At end of game no one was going outside. Gilly led us out and there were hundreds waiting even tho they'd won easily 2 nil. Fortunately 2 cop vans were waiting and we got to coaches unscathed. However, the windows then got put in and we had to drive to Loughborough to get replacements. Even tho it was mid September it was freezing going up the M1 at 70mph with 4 big windows out.
One of my worst away trips.
Click to expand...

That was the game that always made me question these people who say 'you'll only get trouble if you look for it' or 'I've been to every game for the last 30 years and never seen any trouble'.

Anyone, between the ages of 14 and 60 was 'fair game' that day. We came out and were herded towards the coaches in the opposite way to our car.

We doubled back, went down a side street and thought we'd be safe. When we got to the top of that road, at some crossroads, there were still dozens milling around.

We dodged them and miraculously turned down the exact street where the car was parked, Tolpuddle Avenue ..... we laughed when we recognised the irony.

So now we were 'safe' we set off down the backstreets to keep out of the way and came out on Barking Road right next to that Boleyn Tavern :eek:

They were all over the road and looking into cars as they had to slow down with the amount of people. Thankfully I was driving and deliberately hung back to create a gap between us and the car in front.
I absolutely floored it, spun the tyres and hurtled towards them. If they'd managed to stop us we'd have been mincemeat because we were Sunderland and also because I'd have hit someone.
We all braced ourselves but, due to the speed I was going, they knew I couldn't stop and they chickened out.

I don't think any of us spoke for half an hour after that tbh and I don't think we went back for years ....... makes me cringe thinking about it now.

You can usually look back at the old days and laugh but not that day.
 
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Back in those days you had to watch your back at quite a few grounds,even if you had no interest in getting involved in any bother.No cctv's to give you any protection and usually no plod around when you wanted them.
 
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