city fanzines....

[BTH]

noel you like to paint a picture that you are the innocent party in all this why don't you tell everyone on here how you bullied a couple of blue print fanzine editors in the early 90s

punching one in the kippax tunnel

swinging at another two weeks later only for it to be broken up by the old bill

Well, it's just like the old days! It's also an interesting way to start your first ever threat on BM, with a defamatory story. There's a grain of truth in what you say, but you appear to have couched your tale in an extremely jaundiced, nay prejudiced, light.

As there were only two people present on both occasions, and I was one of them, here's the full story of what happened on each occasions way back when - over 15 years ago:

My ex and a BP seller - not, you'll note, an editor as you have stated - were having a bit of argy-bargy in one of the Kippax tunnels. I can't remember the exact details but it culminated in him pushing her. As she wasn't the biggest girl, to put it mildly, I went over and gave him a slap. IMO he'd deserved it. The fact that neither he not anyone else from BP came back to challenge me - even verbally - over this incident confirms, as far as I am concerned, that he was in the wrong.

The second incident that you refer to concerns the same person, but I dispute that it was two weeks later, as the first incident had been forgotten about, suggesting that it was some considerable time later. Anyway, I approached him in order to discuss a point of order. This was after a game with Sheffield Wednesday on the forecourt outside the North Stand. He was with somebody else at the time; I was on my own. I asked him for a word when, without warning, the second person - again, not a BP editor, but a former one - suddenly grabbed me around the throat - as if to throttle me rather than simply pushing me away. I gave him a couple of smacks - rather than simply "swinging" - and that was that. Now I don't recall the police being there and I would have thought they might have arrested me if your version of events is to be believed. They didn't. The next I heard about this was when Dave rang me up the following day for the detail, given that the original aggressor had already rang him up whingeing.

So, there you have it. Not exactly bullying, was it? First, my ex was assaulted - no question - and the second time I acted in self-defence. Who, on this board or anywhere else for that matter, would not have acted in a similar way to either incident?

You've painted me blacker than I actually am here with what is your first, libelous post. Unless it's a ruse, I note that you have referred to both incidents in the third person, suggesting that you were not there but have come across both tales second hand at best. However, I suggest that you are more than just the chummy "blueprintreader" you claim to be and would venture that you are better connected to BP and/or its legendary darks arts dept than you are letting on.

Either way, should you bother replying, do try and establish the facts first... and brush up on your punctuation.

 

[Mad Eyed Screamer]

Noel
I received a text message suggesting I pay a visit to this website (which I haven't done for a few years). I wish whoever wrote the BluePrintReader message hadn't done so (or come to think about it, wish my friend hadn't text me) but the message is there, as is your woefully inaccurate reply. As a result have I registered to post this message to you.

Your memory is vastly different to mine, so let me recall my version of events and see if it jogs your mind.....

I was in the tunnel in the Kippax at half time selling Blue Print, I think it was first match of the season. I had written an article which posed a few questions to yourself, discussing some strange statements you had written about Blue Print in a previous edition. Unbeknown to me, Bill Borrows had added a few words (said you were more known as the bloke who used to sell Blue Print). The first time I saw this addition was that afternoon when I arrived to sell them.
Back to the tunnel...I was stood maybe 30 feet away from you and KK sellers, when out of nowhere your girlfriend came up and said ''why have you written that about Noel?'' I replied I didn't write it. Next thing she bends down and tries to snatch the bag of fanzines being held on the floor between my legs. The next thing we are both holding the bag, both pulling it from each other, she let go and walked back to you. To suggest I even layed a finger on her, never mind push her is complete fabrication. I had one hand on a bunch of fanzines and the other on the bag stopping her from grabing it.
The next thing is you come down to me, ask about the article, i said ''go and see Bill, he wrote that'' and you thumped me. Well done.
The reason no one followed up with you has nothing to do with my 'guilt', it was because we couldnt be bothered dealing with a bully and to be honest it was more laughable than anything else. I could equally state that you never ever took it up with Bill, maybe picking on 'Little' (compared with yourself) Phill Gatenby was your limit eh?

The second incident I have no idea when it was or what game it was, I do recall we lost and I was walking past where you were selling and I was with a colleague and you said something like ''oh here's Gatenby the wanker'' or something like that. I ignored it but my friend snapped and said ''why dont you just fuck off'' and the next thing is you are walking all the way from the corner of the Gene Kelly stand with us, threatening all sorts against my friend, right outside the other end of the North Stand when you then began a grapple with my friend. You certainly started it. Fellow Blues were astounded to see this happen and the police did come along and led you away from us. We explained what had happened and the police who had led you away came back and said that you had told them that we had started it. The police suggested we just went on our way, which we did.

I can come up with a few more little gems of intimidation that went on for a long time - not just from yourself but others too, but will leave it there. It certainly wasn't an enjoyable part of selling fanzines.
Can't wait for your reply.

 

[Phuk Tifano]

Where can I buy my TEAM PHILL t-shirt?

 

[BTH]

I'll stand by my reply, I think.

Funny isn't it? Accusations of bullying and intimidation from you lot is really quite laughable. I can remember your holier-than-than mob - when it was a mob - were really full of it whenever you had the numbers, which was most of the time. There were three or four of us at the very most; two usually.

Derby County away at the Baseball Ground in '89... that was the start of it, I well remember. Being lectured to by a grim-faced Mike Kelly who was supported by the other fools. It was clear BP didn't welcome the competition despite their assertion to the contrary in the first issue. And I never ever sold it either. Bollocks to 'em, I thought, there and then. So did Dave funnily enough. I went public. He didn't. That was the only difference.

On the first occasion I can only go off what I saw. I stand by what I saw. Oh and Bill wasn't exactly on the scene that often to go and see, was he? Although he did track me down to my local once and followed me into the gents. That was an interesting and unintentionally hilarious incident.

With regard to the second incident, I note that your photographic memory doesn't extend to your "friend" grabbing me by the throat out of the blue, whatever exchange of insults you claim took place, and I categorically refute your version of the other events. I might not be an angel but you'll be hard pressed to find anyone who knows me who'd accuse me of starting punch-ups. I'll defend myself by all means necessary, but I draw the line there. More to the point, it's more unlikely still as I wanted to have a word with you about something or other.

TBH I don't miss those days at all, but it's nice to see that you've still got your little spies here and there and it's equally nice to see that you can always put someone like "blueprintreader" up to fan the flames on your behalf. I think it's been cleared up beyond all reasonable doubt that whoever they are, they certainly weren't there.

We all know those axes will never be truly buried; I suspect you're as bothered about that as I am. Same as it ever was then...

 

[howfen blue]

This thread is brilliant!!! Never realised a fanzine underworld existed!!! I've just given Ross Kemp a buzz and he's very intrested in making a documentary about it!!

 

[Bill]

This thread is brilliant!!! Never realised a fanzine underworld existed!!! I've just given Ross Kemp a buzz and he's very intrested in making a documentary about it!!

lol neither did i.

i've never bought a fanzine in my life but i will say that dave wallace is a decent guy and a top blue.

speak as you find i say.

 

[Mad Eyed Screamer]

Noel, trust me, I didnt put anyone up to posting anything (if I had, I would have suggested any name but that one to use!). I haven't been on this site for years and not sure if I have even posted here before. As I stated, I'd rather they hadn't posted that as believe me, I'd rather not get involved in this crap and regardless of what you post after this, this will be my last post on the subject.

You can posture on here as much as you want to. As you said elsewhere, there were very few people there to claim either way as to what happened.

You claimed you thumped me because I ''assaulted'' your girlfriend. The girlfriend who left your side, to walk 30 feet away from you, on her own, to where I was stood, to then aggressively try to snatch the bag of fanzines jammed between my legs. Do you agree with that bit so far????
So....lets just say I did ''assault her'' (which I didn't - as I said, one hand had fanzines in them, the other the carrier bag that your girlfriend was trying to steal) - but lets just say i did push her away..... what else would I be expected to do? Just say ''oh there you go, yes, steal my bag of fanzines and take them away with you, no problem at all my dear''.
No, I held on to the bag and she pulled this way and I pulled that way, she eventually let go and went back to your side.
Then enter big Noel into the ring for round 2.

As for the 2nd incident, if you wanted a word with me, well, had you said, ''Phill can I have a quick word mate'', I may have gone over. But ''Here's that wanker Gatenby'' didnt have the same effect on me. Why else would my friend have said ''why dont you just fuck off?'' if your request for a civilised discussion was so polite?
To recap that incident, do you deny walking from where you were selling a fanzine, right next to me and my friend, right in our (or his) face, all the way to near outside the supporters club office, (50 yards?) intimidating him, saying ''what you doing to do about it?', 'come on then' etc etc etc. (which is when the scuffle commenced)
Believe me, it's a far cry from your ''I was stood outside the ground innocently selling when 2 of them walked past me, grabbing me by the throat - it was retaliation yer honour'' scenario you are trying to paint.

You know the truth and I know the truth. You can write want you want on here, but deep, deep down, you know what really happened.

As for the Mike stuff, I can't comment as wasnt there or have knowledge of it, what I can comment on is you had issues with Mike, Bill and others I suspect, but you (and others) always took it out on me as I was the one stood there in line trying to do my bit. You were never brave enough to seek out those you had issues with, but just picked on me. Well done. I'm sure your girlfriend at the time must have looked up to you as a tough guy and felt safe around you.

 

[ifiwasarichfan]

I never really understood the need for the sniping and the politics to be honest.
I used to buy my copies of both Kippax and Helmet just between the Social Club and the Touts. I found Mr Wallace to be informative and knowledgable. I told him once that for my anniversary the Wife had bought me Shares in the Club as we discussed another potentially explosive AGM on the horizon and he asked me if I would be interested in doing a piece on how to buy them for the Fanzine. By the same token; the pretty girl who sold Helmet always had a smile on a face and time for a chat about the Blues.

In my opinion for Regular Features - Kippax; and for the most outstanding one -off articles Helmet.

As forerunners to this place Bluemoon; which is now a second home to most of us they did a fantastic job for the times. Kind of like how " Z Cars" leads to " The Wire".

 

[Dave Ewing's Back 'eader]

Jeez, I've read a good bit about the Ice Cream Wars in Glasgow but never realised they 'ad nowt on the Fanzine Wars at Maine Road. Will the Beeb or ITV kick out 'Enders or Corrie to make way fer 'Maine Road - A Tale of Ordinary Fanzines?

 

[Trigger]

I will also add that I was unaware of any warring parties on the fanzine front, and have read most of the City fanzines in my time.

I have only met Dave Wallace, and concur he is a decent man, a true blue and the same as all the rest of us 100% blue. He is always willing to give his opinion on City - the same as anybody on here ! - whether you agree with him or not is irrelevant, and certainly not a reason to have a go at him.