Smallest away contingent



Liverpool at ours in te 70's famously 14 of them
\
'14 to West Ham!' Explanation behind fan's strange shirt number

'14 to West Ham!' Explanation behind Everton fan's strange shirt number has left Blues fans laughing
Everton fan deserves "Bitter Blue Hall of Fame" entry say other fans

Logon or register to see this image


The reason behind the unusual shirt number worn by an Everton fan undertaking the crossbar challenge at Goodison Park yesterday has been revealed - as a 44 year old dig at rivals Liverpool!

At half-time of every home match the Blues invite a supporter to try and hit the crossbar with three separate shots from the edge of the penalty era.
The fan who took part yesterday wore an Everton shirt with the words "14 West Ham" on the reverse.

Younger Evertonians were puzzled at the logo.

Until older Blues fans revealed that it referred to an infamous incident in 1975 when the Echo reported on a midweek trip to West Ham in which only 14 Liverpool supporters attended the away game.

"He's my new hero and needs inducting into the Bitter Blue Hall of Fame," tweeted one Blues fan, while another replied "Bring back that chant!"

"Fourteen to West Ham!" became a regular chant at Goodison Park during the 1974/75 season and the wikipedia reference to the incident speculates on possible reasons for the poor turnout.

"It was during this season Liverpool Football Club only took 14 fans to Boleyn Ground stadium for a game against West Ham United (a game which ended 0–0).

"An article in the Liverpool Echo explained how Lawrenson's Coaches had to cancel coaches a few days before as they had received no bookings.

"Five 'specials' were put on by railway services, however only one left the station.

"When it arrived at London for the game only 14 fans left the train to meet the escort.

"There has often been a debate about why this happened, some blame it being a midweek game, others talk about it being a protest against how the club were treating Bill Shankly and others claim that the fans were intimidated by the hooligans of West Ham United."
 
Last edited:
Are away game fans, mainly a UK thing?? Assume it happens in Germany too.
 
cbwhu said:
Liverpool at ours in te 70's famously 14 of them
\
'14 to West Ham!' Explanation behind fan's strange shirt number

'14 to West Ham!' Explanation behind Everton fan's strange shirt number has left Blues fans laughing
Everton fan deserves "Bitter Blue Hall of Fame" entry say other fans

Logon or register to see this image


The reason behind the unusual shirt number worn by an Everton fan undertaking the crossbar challenge at Goodison Park yesterday has been revealed - as a 44 year old dig at rivals Liverpool!

At half-time of every home match the Blues invite a supporter to try and hit the crossbar with three separate shots from the edge of the penalty era.
The fan who took part yesterday wore an Everton shirt with the words "14 West Ham" on the reverse.

Younger Evertonians were puzzled at the logo.

Until older Blues fans revealed that it referred to an infamous incident in 1975 when the Echo reported on a midweek trip to West Ham in which only 14 Liverpool supporters attended the away game.

"He's my new hero and needs inducting into the Bitter Blue Hall of Fame," tweeted one Blues fan, while another replied "Bring back that chant!"

"Fourteen to West Ham!" became a regular chant at Goodison Park during the 1974/75 season and the wikipedia reference to the incident speculates on possible reasons for the poor turnout.

"It was during this season Liverpool Football Club only took 14 fans to Boleyn Ground stadium for a game against West Ham United (a game which ended 0–0).

"An article in the Liverpool Echo explained how Lawrenson's Coaches had to cancel coaches a few days before as they had received no bookings.

"Five 'specials' were put on by railway services, however only one left the station.

"When it arrived at London for the game only 14 fans left the train to meet the escort.

"There has often been a debate about why this happened, some blame it being a midweek game, others talk about it being a protest against how the club were treating Bill Shankly and others claim that the fans were intimidated by the hooligans of West Ham United."
Click to expand...
Wonder what changed to sudd
cbwhu said:
the crowd at that West Ham v Liverpool match was 40,256

14 away fans

have to go some way to beat that ratio

Game played on 19 Feb 1975
Click to expand...
Thats hectic. Even given the times not like they usually wouldn’t have had a decent away contingent surely? I’m keeping that in the back pocket for all the glory hunting Reds i have to work with and am related to. New chant for them, “Where were you when they were relatively shit?”:D
 
foggyballa said:
Wonder what changed to sudd

Thats hectic. Even given the times not like they usually wouldn’t have had a decent away contingent surely? I’m keeping that in the back pocket for all the glory hunting Reds i have to work with and am related to. New chant for them, “Where were you when they were relatively shit?”:D
Click to expand...
Relatively shit, lest you forget they were FA Cup holders, oppo weren’t up to much to be fair:lol:
 
foggyballa said:
Wonder what changed to sudd

Thats hectic. Even given the times not like they usually wouldn’t have had a decent away contingent surely? I’m keeping that in the back pocket for all the glory hunting Reds i have to work with and am related to. New chant for them, “Where were you when they were relatively shit?”:D
Click to expand...
pre-segregation so was relatively hard to gauge away support

at ours in the 70's it was advisable to keep your head down as an away fan so there may well have been more there but that's how many went officially

Stortford said:
Relatively shit, lest you forget they were FA Cup holders, oppo weren’t up to much to be fair:lol:
Click to expand...
oi we won the Cup ourselves that season :lol::lol:
 
Last edited:
Stortford said:
Relatively shit, lest you forget they were FA Cup holders, oppo weren’t up to much to be fair:lol:
Click to expand...
I mean relative from where they ended up within the following ten years. Couple of leagues, league cups, European cups. I’d give my left arm to see us lift the F.A. Cup.

foggyballa said:
I mean relative from where they ended up within the following ten years. Couple of leagues, league cups, European cups. I’d give my left arm to see us lift the F.A. Cup.
Click to expand...

Now I think about it, I’d probably give both arms to see us lift it against the same opponents the scousers beat in 74.



Well, maybe the wife’s arms.
 
Last edited:

Back
Top