It was just part and parcel of going to a game in those days. Also what a lot don't mention is there wasn't really any segregation back then. Everyone knew teams staunch home ends and if you went in there you were in trouble. Away fans usually gathered behind the opposite goal ( Most staunch ends were behind goals, except the kippax.) When a fair few of our lads started going into the newly covered north stand as well as the kippax it took a fair few away fans by surprise as they thought it was safe, quite a few got a kicking for making that mistake.
Maine Road was a nightmare for away fans with all the side streets and alleys. Also for quite a while they used to.park the away coaches and cars on Hough end fields, so they had quite a walk to either the train station or coach. In those days there was as much talk about the other firm as there was the match. How many they would bring, where they were meeting up, if they'd been spotted yet.
One thing that baffles me is in a lot of the hooligan books they say they only met and fought other firms that wanted to fight. This wasn't my experience, any away fan spotted was game to be attacked, the same applied to ourselves when we went away.
I had lots of skirmishes, some more serious than others. For me it was just for the buzz and sticking up for our club and City, not seriously hurting people. More not allowing fans from other towns to come and take liberties. I have to admit my hackles still rise if I'm on the metro and away fans are gobbing off and being disrespectful, the urge to give them a smack is still there lol.