Reading away 80s

[Oh Louie louie]

That first game of the season when lavin lost his head.

I worked with a kid, not a hooligan, had one to many, cut a long story short, ended up in court drunk disorderly.

I cant recall how many got arrested that day, pretty sure was double figures.

Anyway, he was getting phone calls for months at home, from reading fans. quote, wanting to arrange something for the home leg.

Telephone tough guys.

[ralphindevon]

9 hours ago, City Rocker said:

I know what you mean Ralph. I have literally never had a fight with anyone in my life, but I was always there or thereabouts, in the thick of it at Reading, Dulwich Hamlet, Millwall, Hereford, Cardiff, Aldershot, Torquay, Rovers, Swindon, Walsall, and right there in the Enclosure when West Ham came and had a go. 

Over the years a few of my mates got involved and at times a couple of them got arrested. But not me, I'm a lover, not a fighter...

Me too, there were certainly a lot of occasions where I was glad there were some fighters amongst us, In Dulwich that afternoon there were a couple of moments where me and my mates would have been in serious trouble had those City fans around us not wanted to get involved. 

[Oh Louie louie]

Can recall the 2nd leg of the freight rover against aldershot.

They had a fan who favoured the skinhead look, in the away end.

He must have been aldershots only thug in those days.

He took some stick from the singing in block b that day.

After we scored our 2nd, he snapped and the old bill carted him out the away end!

 

[Oh Louie louie]

A rovers fan i know said one of the games they took a real hiding, was when they got knocked out the fa cup,

By a non leauge team under francis.

I cant remember who it was, think it was outskirts of london.

He said a london united mob turned up for them that day.

[Ciderhead433]

On 28/01/2020 at 19:40, archie andrews said:

Not a chance.... Be like City rovers ganging up

They did when City played Man U 75

 

[RedRock]

12 minutes ago, Ciderhead433 said:

They did when City played Man U 75

 

Ummm…. don’t think they were welcomed in the East End that day.

A case of trying it on and being put firmly in their place from what I recall. 
 

Never forget taking my 10 year old nephew to his first game at The Gate in the early 80’s.

That Millwall match …. Dolman, Block A, centre.
 

What an introduction! Had quite a few dodgy moments over the decades but never seen anything like that home or away, before or after. 

[OneCity]

Away days at Elm park in the 80s, although I missed the one in 84, was always a tasty affair.

Remember the heaving terraces at one end of season game, and a City fan actually climbing the floodlight pylon. Great view from up there I'm sure, but holy hell that was dicey..

Also remember, after one game, the coaches pulling away from the ground and Reading fans lined up on the pavement to see us off - bricks in hand. Can't recall if any got lobbed or not, but yeh, was glad to make it onto the M4 in one piece!

 

[Sixtyseconds]

19 hours ago, ralphindevon said:

 

After all, if you were at Reading, Millwall, Corinthien Casuals, Swindon etc a flare up in a pub, club or whatever would feel like a quiet night compared. 

 

By the time I was twenty I had seen numerous riots.

City.

Gigs. 

Protests.

80's life was a back drop of windmilling pugilists.

I think it changes you ... Has to.

When I see the odd fight, the arms out and the silly bounce.

Not much to see there.

You've always seen better and more threatening and more dangerous. 

 

[ralphindevon]

1 hour ago, Sixtyseconds said:

By the time I was twenty I had seen numerous riots.

City.

Gigs. 

Protests.

80's life was a back drop of windmilling pugilists.

I think it changes you ... Has to.

When I see the odd fight, the arms out and the silly bounce.

Not much to see there.

You've always seen better and more threatening and more dangerous. 

 

Yes and although it’s brilliant nowadays that families can go to matches without fear, there is a mischievous side of me that feels sorry for some of the young ones that missed such a crazy time.

For years I’ve felt sorry for those really keen football fans that have never experienced a huge, noisy overpacked terrace. Even the first time I stood in the east end as lad, first division days, my mind was blown. 

[PHILINFRANCE]

4 minutes ago, ralphindevon said:

Yes and although it’s brilliant nowadays that families can go to matches without fear, there is a mischievous side of me that feels sorry for some of the young ones that missed such a crazy time.

For years I’ve felt sorry for those really keen football fans that have never experienced a huge, noisy overpacked terrace. Even the first time I stood in the east end as lad, first division days, my mind was blown. 

Whilst, like many on here, I am glad those heady, violent and often dangerous days of the 1970s are but a distant memory - these days, I prefer a quiet pint or two before the match, before sitting in my comfortable seat in the stand and enjoying the game with a perfect, unobstructed view of the pitch - I still retain memories of some quite hairy away days.

I mean, who could ever forget:

As a young, teenage schoolboy, being told by the local Police at Elland Road that it would be my own fault if I got beaten up on the way back to the coach following City’s 1-0 win in the FA Cup as I shouldn’t have come there in the first place.

Being chased on to the pitch at Villa Park by a group of angry Villa fans, only to be forced back on to the terrace by the local Police.

Spending a pleasant 10 minutes or so in an underpass outside Molineux watching empty milk bottles being thrown over my head.

Being protected from a baying mob and given a Police escort back to our car (all five of us!) after being so stupid as to cheer a last minute winner against Millwall at the old Den.

As Mary Hopkins once sang....

[Nicki's soulmate]

1 hour ago, PHILINFRANCE said:

Whilst, like many on here, I am glad those heady, violent and often dangerous days of the 1970s are but a distant memory - these days, I prefer a quiet pint or two before the match, before sitting in my comfortable seat in the stand and enjoying the game with a perfect, unobstructed view of the pitch - I still retain memories of some quite hairy away days.

I mean, who could ever forget:

As a young, teenage schoolboy, being told by the local Police at Elland Road that it would be my own fault if I got beaten up on the way back to the coach following City’s 1-0 win in the FA Cup as I shouldn’t have come there in the first place.

Being chased on to the pitch at Villa Park by a group of angry Villa fans, only to be forced back on to the terrace by the local Police.

Spending a pleasant 10 minutes or so in an underpass outside Molineux watching empty milk bottles being thrown over my head.

Being protected from a baying mob and given a Police escort back to our car (all five of us!) after being so stupid as to cheer a last minute winner against Millwall at the old Den.

As Mary Hopkins once sang....

I was right in the middle of the milk bottle incident, scary stuff, FA cup Wolves 73

[swanker]

1 minute ago, Nicki's soulmate said:

I was right in the middle of the milk bottle incident, scary stuff, FA cup Wolves 73

Had a ticket for that match but didn’t go because I was ill with Tonsillitis. Lost 1-0 if my memory is right and I think a player called Richards scored for them?

[PHILINFRANCE]

24 minutes ago, Nicki's soulmate said:

I was right in the middle of the milk bottle incident, scary stuff, FA cup Wolves 73

It was indeed.

20 minutes ago, swanker said:

Had a ticket for that match but didn’t go because I was ill with Tonsillitis. Lost 1-0 if my memory is right and I think a player called Richards scored for them?

John Richards, who played alongside Derek Dougan; both very strong players.

We had ex-Wolves forward Bobby Gould playing for us.

It got even worse a few years later, though, as once Richards and Dougan retired, along came a certain Steve Bull, who seemed to enjoy scoring against us almost as much as David ****ing Kelly of that other Midlands team, Walsall.

Still, we made up for it the following year when we beat Leeds.

 

[Davefevs]

10 minutes ago, PHILINFRANCE said:

John Richards, who played alongside Derek Dougan; both very strong players.

Very useful card in Top Trumps!

[Vespa Red]

8 hours ago, Oh Louie louie said:

A rovers fan i know said one of the games they took a real hiding, was when they got knocked out the fa cup,

By a non leauge team under francis.

I cant remember who it was, think it was outskirts of london.

He said a london united mob turned up for them that day.

Hitchin?

[Oh Louie louie]

A milk bottle fight at wolves.

Battle of the gold tops?

[REDOXO]

3 hours ago, PHILINFRANCE said:

Whilst, like many on here, I am glad those heady, violent and often dangerous days of the 1970s are but a distant memory - these days, I prefer a quiet pint or two before the match, before sitting in my comfortable seat in the stand and enjoying the game with a perfect, unobstructed view of the pitch - I still retain memories of some quite hairy away days.

I mean, who could ever forget:

As a young, teenage schoolboy, being told by the local Police at Elland Road that it would be my own fault if I got beaten up on the way back to the coach following City’s 1-0 win in the FA Cup as I shouldn’t have come there in the first place.

Being chased on to the pitch at Villa Park by a group of angry Villa fans, only to be forced back on to the terrace by the local Police.

Spending a pleasant 10 minutes or so in an underpass outside Molineux watching empty milk bottles being thrown over my head.

Being protected from a baying mob and given a Police escort back to our car (all five of us!) after being so stupid as to cheer a last minute winner against Millwall at the old Den.

As Mary Hopkins once sang....

I got chucked back in by a copper at the front of the north stand at Chelsea. The stories I have home and away are many and various, but I was late to arrive at Dulwich Hamlet and missed the main event. My luckiest day it seems!

[Tin Soldier]

Anyone remember the milk bottle/milk float incident v Millwall many years ago. Hijacked by City fans.

Edited January 12, 2022 by Tin Soldier

[sglosbcfc]

In more recent times I remember winning at Cardiff when Scott Murray did 'that celebration' after scoring. After the match I had to get across the Ninian Park car park to get to my motor. There was a full scale riot and the Soul Crew were driving back the South Wales Police. I turned to one copper and said 'I have to get across the car park' he just grinned and said 'good luck, we can't help you because we have lost control' I still don't really know how I made it across, I kept looking at my feet and walking, I felt breath on my neck more than once but just didn't look up. The vicious atmosphere was such that if I'd been hit to the ground I really think there would have been a good chance of me being killed.

[firstdivision]

Jeez - some of the misplaced nostalgia on this thread.

I used to hate the violence, hate it with a passion. 

Now I can take my 14yo daughter to away matches  largely without fear of her or me having our heads split open by a moron. (Yeah, I was head-butted after a Millwall game in the 80s as I was walking away from the Gate minding my own business.) 

I actually went for the football in those days (and these days). Those who didn't should, frankly, be ashamed.

 

[Oh Louie louie]

Sexton went on that hooligan doc on the bbc, when they were undercover at the cardiff games.

He did not come across well.

[Tin Soldier]

Reading away made national headlines at the time.

Edited January 16, 2022 by Tin Soldier

[Oh Louie louie]

In that everton fans book scally, he was working in london, and got on the train with our lot from reading.

He said it was a proper mob of casuals, and they had smashed reading up so bad, the manager was going to jack.

[Mike Stone]

On 12/01/2022 at 23:57, sglosbcfc said:

In more recent times I remember winning at Cardiff when Scott Murray did 'that celebration' after scoring. After the match I had to get across the Ninian Park car park to get to my motor. There was a full scale riot and the Soul Crew were driving back the South Wales Police. I turned to one copper and said 'I have to get across the car park' he just grinned and said 'good luck, we can't help you because we have lost control' I still don't really know how I made it across, I kept looking at my feet and walking, I felt breath on my neck more than once but just didn't look up. The vicious atmosphere was such that if I'd been hit to the ground I really think there would have been a good chance of me being killed.

Whenever this game is mentioned I often wonder what happened to the City lad who was in front of me as we left the ground. I was looking at the sea of faces where my car was parked as a brick hit him full in the face splitting it open and felling him to his knees. Luckily for me he was a good foot taller than me otherwise it had my name on it.

[BS3City]

I'm sure the events mentioned at Crapdiff occurred only a week or two before some widely reported violence in a cup game between them and Leeds (although I could be wrong). 

The Crapdiff stuff at our game was the worst I've ever experienced, but barely got a mention nationally IIRC.

[Red]

5 hours ago, Tin Soldier said:

Reading away made national headlines at the time.

Funny how you notice old mates after all these years isn't it Mark, sadly Steve no longer with us.

[Tin Soldier]

11 minutes ago, Red said:

Funny how you notice old mates after all these years isn't it Mark, sadly Steve no longer with us.

I was not going to mention this but some well known City in those pics. Good days as a City fan as the club was on the up after some desperate years before.

[INCRED]

On 12/01/2022 at 18:33, Tin Soldier said:

Anyone remember the milk bottle/milk float incident v Millwall many years ago. Hijacked by City fans.

Yep, I was in the coach in front of the Venture inn coach and they leant out of the windows as they had no glass in them and helped themselves to quite a few empty crates of milk bottles

in front was a line of riot police and you could see the Milwall mob running towards them and milk bottles being launched over their heads from the Venture inn coach - hilarious looking back but as a 15y old I was shitting it, especially when the police inspector came on board and told us to sit in the central aisle in case our windows were put in

[sglosbcfc]

8 hours ago, Tin Soldier said:

Reading away made national headlines at the time.

Very clear photo for the mid 1980s. It must have been quite easy for the football 'spotters' to identify main culprits. With 4K (or whatever the top spec is nowadays) for cameras, they would be identify every last minor detail on any hooligans face unless they were wearing a balaclava!

[Sixtyseconds]

10 hours ago, Tin Soldier said:

Reading away made national headlines at the time.

Patrick kagoule ahoy!!