"A Major Concern" & Crowd Control at Maine Road

[Gary James]

There were fences in front of the Main Stand, well at least there was in 1989, because i remember trying to scale over them after Luther Blissett penalty in the 3-3 draw against the cherries after being 3-0 at half time. They had vandal grease on the top, which smeared my Barbour jacket, and a copper gave me a whack on the hands with his truncheon. This was however near the North Stand corner, so it may have not gone the length of the pitch, but I'm sure i saw others getting over the fence or at least attempting to do from the Main Stand.

Yep:
<a class="postlink" href="http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150108375607816.281371.289818652815#!/photo.php?fbid=10150209893912816&set=a.10150108375607816.281371.289818652815&type=1&theater" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set= ... =1&theater</a>

& <a class="postlink" href="http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150135617717816.285215.289818652815#!/photo.php?fbid=10150209905952816&set=a.10150135617717816.285215.289818652815&type=1&theater" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set= ... =1&theater</a>

These photos were from 25/2/89 (City 2 Plymouth 0) and I've got others from earlier that season showing the fencing. Also, images of the 10-1 in 1987 clearly show the fencing in place.

I've not checked 1986-87 yet, but pretty certain the fencing wasn't in place before 1987. I included photos of the Main Stand during the 1985-86 derby in "The Pride Of Manchester" and it was not fenced then.

 

[neil jung]

I've not checked 1986-87 yet, but pretty certain the fencing wasn't in place before 1987. I included photos of the Main Stand during the 1985-86 derby in "The Pride Of Manchester" and it was not fenced then.

October 1986 derby...

 

[Gary James]

October 1986 derby...

Good find. So, it must have gone up between 1985-86 and the next season.

 

[bainy]

21,700 with all those Chelsea?

No way.

City's lowest crowd of the season was 19,147 v Charlton (who brough very few fans!), so assuming Charlton brought say 1,147 (probably about 1,000 more than they did) then that would give City a hardcore of 18,000.

The Chelsea crowd was a low one because of the TV coverage, but I find it hard to accept Chelsea could possibly have brought so many to a Friday night game televised live (at a time when that did affect travelling support and kept numbers down) and the attendance only being 21k.

The Platt Lane (City fans) is clearly less than half full but even so.

8 days after the Chelsea game City attracted 20,787 - another low-ish crowd that season - for Cambridge Utd. The maths of that Chelsea away following just don't add up.

Chelsea did bring 1000's, could easily of been 9000. Alot of family city fans didnt turn up that night because of the expected trouble. Town was full of chelsea all day and there was loads of chelsea coaches all over the place.

On the way to the match a coach full pulled up in front of me and load of mates, they were all big beer monsters (we were 16-17 years olds). They ran at us, chased us around a corner and about 30 chelsea lads who were hanging around the corner in front legged it from us. They thought we were after them!!

 

[Biggsy1]

Mental this was my first ever game, I was8/9 yrs old and we won 5-1 what a day. My dad brought me a Match Programme and I never really noticed at the time was so taken in by a live game.

Many years later I found the some programmes in the and found the one from this game which had no picture on the front cover just "A Major Concern" on the front in bold red text and loads of writing talking about violence amd pitch Invasions.

Random thanks for bringing back this memory!!

 

[kippax_blueboy]

Regarding the Chelsea Friday night game mentioned earlier, can remember being outside the souvenir shop, when this cockney came up to me givin it out about wanting a fight etc. Not normally my seen, but the old adrenelin was flowing and a decision had to be made, I chased the bloke towards the Main stand (i couldnt believe he ran after wantin the confrontation!), mind you I was wearing winkle pickers, as we were all off goin to watch Sisters of Mercy after the match in Manchester. There were City and Chelsea fans at the gig, and we all got on fine, but discussed how volatile it had been at the match!
Those were the days eh....?! City let us down on the night, but Sisters of Mercy certainly didnt disappoint............anyone else go to the gig btw?ctwd

I went to the match and the Sisters gig at the Uni. Flesh For Lulu supported.

Sisters were blinding that night improving all the time.
Saw them many times from 1982 - 1986
I saw them opening act at the Futurama Festival in 82.

 

[macca-mcfc-flc]

chelsea were every where that night,i was only 13 at the time and never saw a firm take the piss at ours like that,the only other one i can rember was west ham one night game,think it was winter,them fukas were everywhere in the ground and took the piss outside the ground big time,happy days!!!!

 

[Chillidog77]

Regarding the Chelsea Friday night game mentioned earlier, can remember being outside the souvenir shop, when this cockney came up to me givin it out about wanting a fight etc. Not normally my seen, but the old adrenelin was flowing and a decision had to be made, I chased the bloke towards the Main stand (i couldnt believe he ran after wantin the confrontation!), mind you I was wearing winkle pickers, as we were all off goin to watch Sisters of Mercy after the match in Manchester. There were City and Chelsea fans at the gig, and we all got on fine, but discussed how volatile it had been at the match!
Those were the days eh....?! City let us down on the night, but Sisters of Mercy certainly didnt disappoint............anyone else go to the gig btw?ctwd

I went to the match and the Sisters gig at the Uni. Flesh For Lulu supported.

Sisters were blinding that night improving all the time.
Saw them many times from 1982 - 1986
I saw them opening act at the Futurama Festival in 82.

This ... Remember the match & gig. Yep, loved SOM. Saw them many times myself.