Guvnors Book

[Stevies Bald Head!]

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]

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]

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.

 

[Sky Blue]

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.

I used to go with Pat, often got the Finglands coach from Levenshulme when we were young lads to the away games.... hitched to a fair few as well.

 

[blue_paul]

Cheers lads,
One more question if you don't mind!!
Did City come in for particular hatred in some circles due to numerous black lads being in our firm? Would you of got black/Asian lads in other firms?

 

[mancityvstoke]

I used to go with Donald to away games (he was my next door neighbour too for a while!)

Those coaches were out of control. I have some right stories.

Always take a bin bag..........(shopping)

You talk about violence.......robbing was the main event as far as I saw.

I also went with lads from Withington and Burnage. There were loads in those days and we all knew each other.

 

[mancityvstoke]

Cheers lads,
One more question if you don't mind!!
Did City come in for particular hatred in some circles due to numerous black lads being in our firm? Would you of got black/Asian lads in other firms?

definitely yes.

I remember at Everton away one nightgame and they only wanted the black lads from the cool cats. All you could hear was scousers shouting

"do the *insert racist language here*" They weren't interested in white lads that night.

Police looked the other way too.

Leeds were same.

 

[Sky Blue]

Cheers lads,
One more question if you don't mind!!
Did City come in for particular hatred in some circles due to numerous black lads being in our firm? Would you of got black/Asian lads in other firms?

definitely yes.

I remember at Everton away one nightgame and they only wanted the black lads from the cool cats. All you could hear was scousers shouting

"do the *insert racist language here*" They weren't interested in white lads that night.

Police looked the other way too.

Leeds were same.

...and Newcastle.

 

[Stevies Bald Head!]

Cheers lads,
One more question if you don't mind!!
Did City come in for particular hatred in some circles due to numerous black lads being in our firm? Would you of got black/Asian lads in other firms?

definitely yes.

I remember at Everton away one nightgame and they only wanted the black lads from the cool cats. All you could hear was scousers shouting

"do the *insert racist language here*" They weren't interested in white lads that night.

Police looked the other way too.

Leeds were same.

...and Newcastle.

newcastle was horrendouse used to be thousands of snarling jordies behind a fence litrally waiting for you. as danny dyer would say 'PRROOWWWWPAAA NAWWWWWTYYYYYY'!

 

[Didsbury Dave]

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

Nowt wrong with that post. City always had lots of lads from other "Blue" areas like Gorton, Moston, Blackley, Chadderton too.

It was tribal, simple as that. Working class youths have always faught with youths from other areas to let off steam, build bonds with each other and just for the sheer buzz. Football became the vehicle for that and, whilst the injuries, stabbings and deaths which occured were horrendous and unforgiveable, and the damage to football irreversable, you really can't comprehend what it felt like to get off a train in an enemy city with your mates and 100 others. You knew an ambush could be waiting anywhere and you knew it was dangerous. But what a buzz to know that you were all together. And what an incredible buzz it was to chase off the ambush party.

It was a matter of pride for working class lads in those days. Everyone talked about it.