30th April 1994 - The Kippax's Last Stand

Sky Blue Thinking said:
But there were 'only' 47000 there... would be interested to know the actual attendance that day, I'd say it was well over the official capacity of 52000, lots of fans spilled out of the Kippax to the gap between the wall and pitch. Was definitely dangerously overcrowded, fortunately not aware of any injuries but tragic events in Bradford the same day.
Click to expand...
I was in the seats and hundreds were stood on the aisles, the Kippax was absolutely rammed, way over capacity...
 
Lovebitesandeveryfing said:
Isn't it the case that when you're fourteen or so, you absolutely love that, though? I liked the sense of danger.
Boxing Day against Everton, 1968. The official figure (on this site) says only 53,000. Sorry, but I just don't believe that. We were crammed in like sardines on the Kippax. Easily the match at which I was most closely boxed in, anywhere, at any time. If you needed a piss — luckily,I never did, at that age — you were going to do it on the spot. No question of going down the steps for your Wagon Wheel at half-time, either.
Click to expand...
My first game was v Leeds, boxing day 1976, the Kippax was that packed you couldn't get in!!! 100's on each of the steps leading up to it, carnage but I loved it as a 11 year old :)
 
pride in battle said:
My first game was v Leeds, boxing day 1976, the Kippax was that packed you couldn't get in!!! 100's on each of the steps leading up to it, carnage but I loved it as a 11 year old :)
Click to expand...

I've got a theory, which is a conviction actually, that Boxing Day matches are often absolutely rammed — all over the country. It's men getting out of 48 solid hours of kids, wife, and home (and relatives they probably didn't want to see particularly). They go to their other home.
 
pride in battle said:
I was in the seats and hundreds were stood on the aisles, the Kippax was absolutely rammed, way over capacity...
Click to expand...
We were on the main stand benches that day, more and more people kept coming in as the game went on, and I ended having to sit on my dad's knee (I was only 8) as all the room on the benches went. The steps became jam packed too with loads of people sat on them who couldn't find any space on the benches. It was rammed.
 
Lovebitesandeveryfing said:
I've got a theory, which is a conviction actually, that Boxing Day matches are often absolutely rammed — all over the country. It's men getting out of 48 solid hours of kids, wife, and home (and relatives they probably didn't want to see particularly). They go to their other home.
Click to expand...
Or the fact that the vast majority of adults were off work.
How many of us now work on Boxing Day? I have done for 9 of the last 12 years
 
Mad Eyed Screamer said:
Or the fact that the vast majority of adults were off work.
How many of us now work on Boxing Day? I have done for 9 of the last 12 years
Click to expand...

You surprise me. What line of business you in, if I may ask? (If you're a Colombian drug dealer, based in Florida, I understand — the client is king, after all). I've never been in a job that required me to work on Boxing Day.
Oh, and weren't most adult males off work by 3 p.m. on Saturdays, though, unless they were doing overtime? As I remember it, Boxing Day matches were noticeably more rammed than even ordinary Saturday matches.
 
Lovebitesandeveryfing said:
You surprise me. What line of business you in, if I may ask? (If you're a Colombian drug dealer, based in Florida, I understand — the client is king, after all). I've never been in a job that required me to work on Boxing Day.
Oh, and weren't most adult males off work by 3 p.m. on Saturdays, though, unless they were doing overtime? As I remember it, Boxing Day matches were noticeably more rammed than even ordinary Saturday matches.
Click to expand...
I work with kids / teens so they need looking after every day lol
Yes when I started work the place was open Saturday until 12 or 12.30pm. I guess it was a case of how many could be bothered making their way home and getting changed and then back out to the ground - a good deal of folk used public transport to get home and to the ground.

The other thing to remember is Boxing Day was City v Everton and Liverpool v the rags or City v Liverpool and Everton v the rags
Always big games. Now the police don't want to know so it's Southampton or Fulham on Boxing Day or 8pm on 28th December
 
Mad Eyed Screamer said:
The other thing to remember is Boxing Day was City v Everton and Liverpool v the rags or City v Liverpool and Everton v the rags
Always big games. Now the police don't want to know so it's Southampton or Fulham on Boxing Day or 8pm on 28th December
Click to expand...

I was surprised by what you say here, too. You know, if you look on the excellent History section of this forum, that doesn't really square with your claim. Not as far as the sixties and seventies are concerned, anyway. What was interesting to discover was how many years there was no match on Boxing Day. I had thought it was just graven in stone that there was a full programme on the 26th, all over the country, come what may. Seems I was mistaken.
Interestingly, I see that in ’75 we played Leeds on Boxing Day at Maine Rd, and Liverpool at Anfield the following day! God knows how that came about.

Oh, and more recently, in 2013, I was at the nightmarishly tense Boxing Day game between us and the dippers.
 
Mad Eyed Screamer said:
I've dug out this picture from the day.
Me with my eldest, aged 2 years and 3 months, and in a sling on my chest is my youngest aged 11 weeks.
I took her out of the sling and placed her tiny legs on the terrace floor - both my girls being 4th generation Blues to stand on The Kippax
View attachment 77221
Click to expand...

What's curious about that picture is that several are dressed as if it's serious winter weather. Whereas you're wearing shorts. Or were you just doing your Geordie “hard” bit? (Fuck you've got hairy legs too — you are well hard…)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Unread Posts

Don't have an account? Register now and see fewer ads!

SIGN UP
Back
Top