Denis Law and the Backheel - the Facts & Evidence

[BlueRockape]

I remember the most trouble I saw that day was around white city kicking off all over the place.
I was sweet 16 and when the rags first started their invasion I was half over the wall to go meet them an older City fan grabbed me dragged me back and told me to fuck off home.
I wore my scarf on the way in but had it hid around my waist on the way out.


I wasn't that stupid

 

[JGL07]

I was in the Scoreboard End for that match and if there was any segregation it certainly wasn’t very effective.

I am not sure if total segregation was even possible on that stand. I was in the right hand side of the stand and it was mostly City supporters but there were a few United fans sprinkled about but not looking for trouble.

I didn’t hang around after the match ended and avoided any trouble inside the ground. I did have my scarf nicked at Warwick Road station after the match.

 

[cyberblue]

It's strange so few blues turned out that day. At the FA cup tie in 1970 which we lost 3 0 by all accounts United came to the scoreboard end looking for trouble and were smacked senseless . Chased down Chester Rd back to town. Heard this from many sources. Any blues even older than me remember that day.

I wasnt at that game but was at the one in March 1970 City fans all over town before and after the game Thousands all marched to town together after the games without a rag in site The pitch was a disgrace no wonder it called the Swamp

 

[Gone for a Burton]

I had tickets in their main stand with my mates from Denton


There were hundreds of City fans around us taking the piss out of seething rags.

There were a few short punch ups but nothing serious.

It seemed like the whole stand was up celebrating when Law scored.

A lot of City's lads had agreed to meet up after the game at White City opposite Quicks.

There was plenty going on twixt big groups but City were very tight and together with some very handy lads.

There was a big set to outside Trafford Bar Station when the rags got leathered by a mob from around Brookes Bar.

My late father led a conga around Crown Point and through the pubs on Manchester Road.

He hated rags !!

 

[tregyblue61]

I was 12, went with me Dad, Uncle and Grandad. We were in the Scoreboard Paddock.

When Law back healed to make it 1-0, a rag pulls out a bayonet and starts swinging around screaming: "kill the bastards."

We didn't hang around.

 

[No 1 City Fan]

Yep I was there as a 12 yr old and your description pretty much matches my recollections. Sporadic scraps breaking out around us , some bloody. Snuck out at the end after the invasion straight on the 71 home relieved and happy!

This is 100% as it was that day

 

[paulchapo]

There’s more to it than that and I try to remind people of the emotion of these final days by comparing to 2012 a little. Technically Law didn’t relegate Utd but emotionally that’s a different story.

Exactly this. At the time he scored he wouldn't have been aware of the results elsewhere pre internet days. He would know though that if the rags didn't equalise then his goal would relegated them irrespective of results elsewhere.

 

[paulchapo]

As promised, I've just read the article. Excellent work Gary.

Probably already been mentioned as it's one of THE iconic Citeh moments, but I haven't read the whole thread.Anyone remember Mike Doyle calmly walking off as the invasion was happening. Not one of the scruffy inbreds would go anywhere near him. Legendary stuff.


*edit* Just spotted @LongsightM13 commenting on Doyle's walk. Loved the Bay City Rollers reference. Shang-a-lang, indeed!




10:05 into the video. Mike's walking off and one of the big men seems to be giving him a bit of the verbals. He just turns around, looks at them and stands there. They won't go near him!

They were shit scared of Doyle. Many times he'd done interviews stating how much he hated them. Now there he was, their biggest enemy, surrounded and outnumbered. A few made to.make a move against him, some verbals were thrown his way but he stared them down fearlessly. One look into his eyes and they knew they might have the numbers but without a shadow of a doubt a fair few would get hurt if they tried it. Like the shitehouses they are they backed off.

 

[spinney]

That was a very strange match. It was basically a dead rubber after the season had finished and was played like a friendly. The crowd (43,000 according to this site) was much lower than usual for a Derby in those days. There were not many United fans there but I still remember some scrapping in the Kippax in the corner.

we put out a very weak team that night and still ran the raggy rags even more ragged

 

[TheGhost]

If only they'd had VAR.....

I understand having just realised there may have been an offence (offside) United are seriously considering a review HAHAHAHA

Well they got a penalty AFTER the final whistle when they played away at Brighton 2 or 3 seasons ago. Don’t put anything past the desperate vermin.