blue_paul said:Didsbury Dave said:Stevies Bald Head! said:There is no doubt that in the 70's and 80's hooliginsm was rife and werever you went they was most proberbly going to be some sort of trouble whether it be a few digs exchanged or a full scale mass brawl with it going of everywhere.
There is no doubt with disasters such as hillsborough and heysel that fired hooligans into world news, that something had to be done and something was done. Policing techniques got better along with the development of CCTV and this was the demise of the ''old school hooligan'' who would kick off wherever and whenever he could.
Hooliginism nowadays is well underground but it is still around. Take stoke away this year, city had a right crew out that day and it was easy to see, yet the firm was wired from the start by dibble. they new when they were hear, who was about, were it could potentially go off and did a good job at stopping trouble, although the organisation of those buses was a discrace. With city's lads having a firm out that evening/night it kicked of in town with the rags with apparently city coming out on top. it just shows that if you go looking for it you will get it.
Now i dont condone hooliginism nor do i revil in it i feel that the lads who took part init during the 70's and 80's did it for a purpose whther it be for the buzz, how they grew up or simply just to do something different on a saturday afternoon. There is no doubt innocent people did caught up in it i mean lets be honest going to the swamp, anfiled or leeds back the n it was hard not too. Guvnors is a Good read and there is a point to reading it as its interesting relating to away days that you went to when something happened. ctid
That's a good post, mate.
There is another book out which noone has mentioned called "Sully" which is the story of a well known City lad who was involved for many years - including the Mayne Line. His book is as honest and revealing as Mickey Francis's and is worth a read. It also comes right up to date, pretty much, although he is clearly on the fringes.
Dave/Steve's Bald Head,
Would City's firm of had a far right/Loyalist element in it? I know that there was obviously black guys in it but is the supposed Rangers connection with City due to our hooligan element?
===========Stevies Bald Head! said:blue_paul said:Lads,
When was this scene at its height?
you seem to mention going to other Northern towns such as l'pool and leeds, was it mainly a phenomenon between northern mobs and the cockneys had their own scene?
Did you have different groups or do names like 'Mayne line' 'Cool Cats' and 'Guvnors' represent different eras?
What areas of Manchester did most of these lads come from?
Just curious!!
this scene was at its height mainly late 70's right up until the late 80's. the anomosity between northern clubs such as city, leeds and liverpool stems from many different resons. one being clubs honours and the simple glory rival that arrives. others being out right hate for people from areas that are seen to be scummy such as we hate scouser so if they came hear and took the piss we wouldnt be too chuffed! i aint a phycologist but that how i merely see it between us local teams.
every team south of watford has a mob. london is a weird place and is often divided into areas due to its size. for example north west and north london is Spurs and Arsnal country. The south is Chelsea, they used to have a massive mob and took the piss at city in 84 big time. and the east is faught out betwen the obviouse west ham and millwall.
Cool cats was city's firm in the late 70's early 80's, mayneline was city earlly 80's.
then came the forming of the Guvnors that stretched from earlly 80's right up until present day. the young guvnors were all the younger teens from that area who would grow up to be guvnors.
Most of city were from south manchester, places like moss side, hulme, longsight, whalley range. however mnay blues from middleton area and bury, rochdale way.
Didsbury dave if i'm wrong please correct me. ctid
mancityvstoke said:It's a long time ago.
Donald = Cool Cats 1970's to early 80's. Took coaches from under Picc Station.
Mickey (younger brother) = Guvnors. 1980's.
mayne line...dunno.
Lots of smaller crews existed in the 70's. Pez , Pat B etc. Yes they all knew each other and stuck together at places like Leeds etc. In fact one year City and Rags went to Leeds together.
It's all ancient history now.
liamctid said:blue_paul said:liamctid said:blue_paul said:Lads,
When was this scene at its height?
you seem to mention going to other Northern towns such as l'pool and leeds, was it mainly a phenomenon between northern mobs and the cockneys had their own scene?
Did you have different groups or do names like 'Mayne line' 'Cool Cats' and 'Guvnors' represent different eras?
What areas of Manchester did most of these lads come from?
Just curious!!
Somebody needs to buy the book!
Just asking a couple of questions Liam, i find the whole hooligan thing an intersting sub-culture, it's hugely influential whatever you think about it, from music to fashion, not just the fighting.
If you look through the thread, Paul, you'll realise I'm exactly the same. To give you a brief answer to your questions:
The scene was probably at its height (from what I'v heard/been told) in about 1984-1985.
It was a national thing. City just had more rivalries with the clubs round here: United, both Merseryside clubs and Leeds. When we play teams like Blackburn and Bolton you see all the scallywags come out in full force as they tend to be cheaper tickets and easy to get to. Defo not a seperate thing between Northern and Southern clubs - try finding on youtube the West Ham documentry when they go to Old Trafford.
The 'Cool cats' are probably known as the original 'firm' - Mayne Line were based around the bus company which took them to games - and then the Guvnors got there name from the youth refering to themselves as the Guvnors, before the older lot stole the name - or so I'm led to believe! A lot of the lads were from Moss Side and surrounding areas.
1_barry_conlon said:mancityvstoke said:It's a long time ago.
Donald = Cool Cats 1970's to early 80's. Took coaches from under Picc Station.
Mickey (younger brother) = Guvnors. 1980's.
mayne line...dunno.
Lots of smaller crews existed in the 70's. Pez , Pat B etc. Yes they all knew each other and stuck together at places like Leeds etc. In fact one year City and Rags went to Leeds together.
It's all ancient history now.
Lol, Pez, now there is a blast from the past and very very game!
swervin said:Slightly off topic but mancityvstoke.....why that username if you dont mind me asking.