Happy Backheel Day - 49 years ago today!

[Gingers Dad]

I was too young, but my Uncle (RIP) was there that day and he went on about it at family gatherings for years. He was adamant that everyone there inside The Swamp thought that the back heel sent the Rags down (only later that they could take solace in that they were down even if they’d won)

He also reckoned Law was seen out in Pips nightclub that night with Buzzer & Best enjoying himself and not the ‘devastated’ myth that has been widely narrated.

Can anyone vouch for this nightclub and if it was still open in 74’?

Behind the Cathedral?

 

[Scaring Europe to Death]

I was too young, but my Uncle (RIP) was there that day and he went on about it at family gatherings for years. He was adamant that everyone there inside The Swamp thought that the back heel sent the Rags down (only later that they could take solace in that they were down even if they’d won)

He also reckoned Law was seen out in Pips nightclub that night with Buzzer & Best enjoying himself and not the ‘devastated’ myth that has been widely narrated.

Can anyone vouch for this nightclub and if it was still open in 74’?

The other myth is that Law was so devastated that he never played again, when he actually played (and scored) for City the following August v Sheffield United in the Anglo Scottish Cup.
It was only when Tony Book made it clear that Law didn't feature in his plans for 74-75 when the curtain was finally drawn.

As for the backheel game, United were offered a potential early lifeline when Norwich scored at Birmingham in virtually the first minute. Birmingham were only one place above United and the news soon spread around Old Trafford
United still had a game in hand, so if they beat City and Norwich won at St Andrews, then they would still have a chance of staying up.

However, Birmingham scored twice, just before Half Time, and suddenly it was out of United's hands.

Naturally, the news was greeted with a mixture of excessive celebration and fear for ones safety.

 

[77lost by a point]

Got very tasty in the Scoreboard End. Hardly any segregation from the start and after Law scored there was a massive invasion of Red cunts. I was young and daft then so me and my two mates stayed until the end even though it was like the Alamo :)

I was only a kid,was in the scoreboard end and got knocked to the floor when the great unwashed came in. Got my scarf knicked but to be fair an older rag helped me up and advised me to keep my head down.

 

[Invisible Man's Bandage]

I was only a kid,was in the scoreboard end and got knocked to the floor when the great unwashed came in. Got my scarf knicked but to be fair an older rag helped me up and advised me to keep my head down.

I was 19 and I was with a mate the same age and a lad I worked with who was a couple of years older. He had a tough manual job and he was as strong as an ox so he was punching any Rag twat that came at us. The rest of us were like a Roman Legion as we all stayed together and dished out what we could. I took a few digs but I probably handed out as many in that game as all the other games I ever went to combined.

 

[shnaghaicityfish]

I was 14 in the scoreboard end with a denim jacket with hells angel style city “wings” on the back. When Denis scored and the orks came across the pitch a copper gave me a leg up into the seats, still chuckling now

 

[JGL07]

Got very tasty in the Scoreboard End. Hardly any segregation from the start and after Law scored there was a massive invasion of Red cunts. I was young and daft then so me and my two mates stayed until the end even though it was like the Alamo :)

There was zero segregation back then other than by choice.

For a City supporter to go into the Stretford End you had to be a hard bastard or a nutter or keep quiet. Most of the City fans were in the Scoreboard End or the Paddock below the seated area.

I think that a lot of United fans moved to the Scoreboard End near to the finish.

 

[Invisible Man's Bandage]

There was zero segregation back then other than by choice.

For a City supporter to go into the Stretford End you had to be a hard bastard or a nutter or keep quiet. Most of the City fans were in the Scoreboard End or the Paddock below the seated area.

I think that a lot of United fans moved to the Scoreboard End near to the finish.

By the time of that game there was segregation at many grounds from memory. There was little / none in the Scoreboard End right from the start and it was kicking off all the way through the game. It went up many levels after the Law goal as loads of Rags moved in from both sides and then even more when the pitch was invaded.

We could have done with Mike Doyle in there with us. That iconic photo of him walking off the pitch with hundreds of Rags around him with none of them prepared to have a pop is brilliant.

 

[paulchapo]

By the time of that game there was segregation at many grounds from memory. There was little / none in the Scoreboard End right from the start and it was kicking off all the way through the game. It went up many levels after the Law goal as loads of Rags moved in from both sides and then even more when the pitch was invaded.

We could have done with Mike Doyle in there with us. That iconic photo of him walking off the pitch with hundreds of Rags around him with none of them prepared to have a pop is brilliant.View attachment 107910

Yes there's videos of that day and while the rest of the players got off the pitch sharpish, Doyle stood his ground and stared them out. They gave him abuse and it looked like a few were going to have a go but not one was brave enough.

 

[paulchapo]

I was too young, but my Uncle (RIP) was there that day and he went on about it at family gatherings for years. He was adamant that everyone there inside The Swamp thought that the back heel sent the Rags down (only later that they could take solace in that they were down even if they’d won)

He also reckoned Law was seen out in Pips nightclub that night with Buzzer & Best enjoying himself and not the ‘devastated’ myth that has been widely narrated.

Can anyone vouch for this nightclub and if it was still open in 74’?

Yes I was a member of Pips back then, a great club with about three different rooms. One was a Roxy room.

 

[Mad Eyed Screamer]

He also reckoned Law was seen out in Pips nightclub that night with Buzzer & Best enjoying himself and not the ‘devastated’ myth that has been widely narrated.

Can anyone vouch for this nightclub and if it was still open in 74’?

Chances are the club would have been Slack Alice - owned by Best.
It later became 42nd St.