Most intimidating London Ground in years gone by?

[happychappy]

I went to Chelsea in 1983 / 84 season, when Jim Tolmie hit the games only game.
We were kept back an hour, and I was still hoping the cops would keep us in longer....
We were led through various streets to where ever our coaches were, with Chelsea trying to break through into the escort, but the police held firm. Thankfully!

Yeah , by the time we'd reached the the mid-80's the police had definetely improved their 'awareness' of football hooligans , and being kept behind at grounds was becoming commonplace , as was the greater police presence before , during and after games .....

but during the 70's , as hooligan gangs manifested on a large scale , police have long admitted that they were caught 'on the hop' , and had little idea how to cope .. overall police 'intelligence' was lacking , and there just weren't enough of them to deal with many situations of violence back then.
The only game I went to on my own in the 70s was Bolton v fulham when they got promoted, I was at school in Radcliffe at the time and all my classmates were Bolton fans, I remember them smashing a toilet window into the away end and one by one getting into the away end being mullered as they did so until they had enough in there to secure it and then take the end, policing was none existent
I was at Old Trafford back in 1974 , when it all kicked off ... and the cops had no idea how to cope , there was a pitch invasion , and prolonged fighting all over the scoreboard paddock area.

 

[oakiecokie]

I went to Chelsea in 1983 / 84 season, when Jim Tolmie hit the games only game.
We were kept back an hour, and I was still hoping the cops would keep us in longer....
We were led through various streets to where ever our coaches were, with Chelsea trying to break through into the escort, but the police held firm. Thankfully!

Yeah , by the time we'd reached the the mid-80's the police had definetely improved their 'awareness' of football hooligans , and being kept behind at grounds was becoming commonplace , as was the greater police presence before , during and after games .....

but during the 70's , as hooligan gangs manifested on a large scale , police have long admitted that they were caught 'on the hop' , and had little idea how to cope .. overall police 'intelligence' was lacking , and there just weren't enough of them to deal with many situations of violence back then.

I was at Old Trafford back in 1974 , when it all kicked off , and the cops had absolutely no idea how to cope .... there was a pitch invasion , and prolonged fighting all over the scoreboard/ scoreboard paddock areas.

And all around every fucker was scrapping.Apart from one person,who just stood there looking at it and waiting.
Mike Doyle !!!
And not a single Rag went near him. Hahaha.Fucking never forget that day and seeing the photo and TV the next day.

 

[happychappy]

The only game I went to in the 70's on my own was Bolton v fulham when they got promoted in 77. I was living in Radcliffe at the time and all my classmates were Bolton fans. Bolton smashed a window in the toilets and one by one they got through, getting mullered as they did, once they had enough through they secured the the area and then took the end, my first experience of football violence

 

[ellguitar]

craven cottage is ridiculously friendly! most the away games I go to in london are fine. Upton Park aint bad at all !!!

 

[happychappy]

craven cottage is ridiculously friendly! most the away games I go to in london are fine. Upton Park aint bad at all !!!

I've got a son of 23, who is a city fanatic due to me, when he tells me he's going this ground and that ground( Birmingham, Chelsea) I still try to give advice and tell him to be on his guard, us the old timers are still battle scared and are always on our guard

 

[Anonymous]

craven cottage is ridiculously friendly! most the away games I go to in london are fine. Upton Park aint bad at all !!!

These days most grounds that were once so intimidating are fine to visit .....

most of yesteryears hardened hooligans are now old men , and have long hung up their fighting gloves ...... they are now to be found either tending allotments , selling newspapers on street corners ... or knocking on doors collecting for charities!

 

[Ray78]

The Old Den (I haven't been though) had the reputation.

 

[ellguitar]

the only major trouble ive been in was after that 4-3 city v spurs (who were 3 up barton was sent off)

 

[happychappy]

The Old Den (I haven't been though) had the reputation.

Went when city won 1-0, read all the story's, know some of the coaches windows got put through, but while a 1000 of us were grouped together under police escort on the train station, on the other platform were 500 of the most ordinary(non offencive) city fans with no police escort making their way back to the centre of London, sometimes the reality of what actually went on can be skewed by the romanticism of football hooliganism


Tony adcock

 

[Ray78]

The Old Den (I haven't been though) had the reputation.

Went when city won 1-0, read all the story's, no some of the coaches windows got put through, but while a 1000 of us were grouped together under police escort on the train station, on the other platform were 500 of the most ordinary(non offencive) city fans with no police escort making their way back to the centre of London, sometimes the reality of what actually went on can be skewed by the romanticism of football hooliganism

That has put me in my place:)