Forward with Franny 1993

I’ve dug out a page from the Mirror with the Blue Vicar as he was often dubbed on it and posted it here:


On my website post I’ve put the full page of the Mirror but haven’t made reference to the story at the top of that page (it concerns a certain Mr Charlton & tickets). Another interesting reminder!

Maybe @Mad Eyed Screamer can remember because I’m sure he played a major part (I’ll have it in my collection somewhere) but was the sit down protest actually against Swales or was it against all-seater stadia? Emma’s photo is dated 11/9/93 so that fits with Swales Out and the QPR game but I’m sure I have a leaflet using the James ‘Sit Down’ style/wording encouraging us to sit down to protest against all seater.

When I get chance I’ll investigate further but if anyone can remember please let us know. Ta!
Thanks Gary
I don't recall a sit down protest against all seater stadiums.
 
This 100%.....and at every ground on a rolling basis for live tv games

Something has to be done......a million fans every week doing nothing about corruption,bias,incompetence and inconsistency.
I did something about it. I was absolutely fuming after city v Chelsea Anthony Taylor ref..well before Var years ago...I walked away from the game. A huge decision for me( not for City,they don't miss me) but I've seen nothing since I've been away to convince me to return..if anything things have got worse....
I'm not advocating others follow my step,watching in pubs with plastic loudmouths isn't fun and quite often I don't see enough of games to even comment on City on BM ,it hurts ,but so be it.i still keep in touch with many who don't miss a match home or away ,and luckily still play the game .

Every time I spot Taylor getting top matches with that slimy arrogant tone of his,I think of his brothers all season ticket holders at OT and the Blue Mist( sorry old chap ;) returns...

For years ,back in the day,I had as my location on BM " Football will eat itself"
The game is not far from that tipping point ,imo.
 
The mid week game when the candlelit protest was planned I recall John Maddock being in the MEN asking for it not to happen as there could be City fans who had worked in a garage all day, straight to the ground and could have traces of petrol on them...... a candle could see them go up in flames!

Halfway through the game up go 2 candles in the Kippax and the tannoy is on it straight away appealing for the candles to be put out. Within 5 seconds there are hundreds of candles being held up ha ha
Against Oldham Athletic on a Monday night. Paul Power marching up and down the wall at the front of the Kippax handing candles out from a big cardboard box full.
 
Around this time there was also the Ipswich game that was rained off when we were winning, written about it on here before. A few hundred of us refused to go home and stayed on the Kippax til 4.45 chanting Swales Out. Even started whistling for the non-existent ref to blow up with five minutes left
Stewards were well pissed off but coppers told them not to try and shift us in case it kicked off
 
The Mirror tried to make him the face of the protest, ‘God vs evil’ and all that as @Mad Eyed Screamer has said
As I remember the somewhat controversial Dante Friend led a lot of it. A Marmite character but personally couldn’t fault him
Dante was ‘Free the thirty thousand’… another protest under Lee
 
I'll tell you what this campaign did, it showed that we as a fanbase can effect a change, the swales out movement got him out, utd could never do that, their support is too varied and their local fanbase too small
 
Around this time there was also the Ipswich game that was rained off when we were winning, written about it on here before. A few hundred of us refused to go home and stayed on the Kippax til 4.45 chanting Swales Out. Even started whistling for the non-existent ref to blow up with five minutes left
Stewards were well pissed off but coppers told them not to try and shift us in case it kicked off

I’ve got it in my head that both those Ipswich abandoned games were evening kick offs?
 
£11 to get in FFS.

They were the expensive seats!

Half-a-crown when I first went! (and yes, that's what we still called it). Mind you, that was with the unruly masses on the Kippax — my preferred choice, always.
Only sat in the Main Stand once, I think. That was the one time I took my wife, and I felt the Kippax was a bit rough, honestly.
 
In a strange way it was a brilliant time to be a blue.
Yep. Without trying to sound like an FOC (which I am) they were great days to be a blue. The camaraderie and togetherness amongst the fans really was there. We were shit and we knew it but we didn't care. We had an identity and a sense of purpose. We even had a decent atmosphere in our stadium! (still had the early leavers though)
 

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

SIGN UP
Back
Top