|
Post by JoeinOz on Oct 27, 2009 12:04:57 GMT
Blimey. Just reading these things reminds me how ludicrous and oppressive it actually was. Younger message board readers might not believe this but there was a time when football and it's supporters were pariahs. Walking down the street in a football shirt could sometimes mean people dashing into shops or crossing thr road to avoid you. Celebrities weren't under pressure to have a favourite team and any fans had no right of reply to police abuse. Many enjoy remiscing but keep it in perspective. Ferfuxache, we used to have to stand in cages to watch football matches.
|
|
|
Post by mark71 on Oct 27, 2009 12:17:51 GMT
Agreed Joe,
At an away game if you didn't get your head kicked in by the opposing supporters the police would do there best to either nick you or give you a good going over. Most away games safety in numbers was the order of the day.
If ever you did get nicked you would stand no chance of a fair trial, in the courts eye's anyone who to an away game was looking for trouble and automatically found guilty.
This is the reason why incidents such as Barnsley, Hillborough and Bradford occurred. Football supporters had no voice, we were mainly working class blokes who had to put up with anything that was put our way. Can you imagine Frank Lampard and the rest of the Chelsea team playing in front of the old shed end with all it's razor wire and if they allowed Ken Bates to do it, the Electric fence!
|
|
|
Post by pejic on Oct 27, 2009 12:19:19 GMT
The night we played Barnsley will last long in the memory. How everyone came home alive I'll never know. I can honestly say I was petrified that night. I agree,i was there that night.I was one of the late arrivals due to heavy traffic around Oakwell.I remember running down the bank trying to get into the game quicker.We heard a massive roar,(Barnsley had scored),before us we saw a massive surge.I got in without paying as the police had opened the exit doors.It was a very scarey night.How nobody was injured that night was a miracle.
|
|
|
Post by JoeinOz on Oct 27, 2009 12:50:03 GMT
It was John Stalker the ex head of Manchester police who said he knew football was the one situation where police knew they were "Let off the leash". It also varied from force to force. The West Midlands police force was unbelievable.
|
|
|
Post by lordb on Oct 27, 2009 13:09:09 GMT
yes West Midlands police in the 80's & 90's were the worst
|
|
|
Post by JoeinOz on Oct 27, 2009 13:11:21 GMT
I saw the West Midlands cops shoving a pregnant woman around.
|
|
|
Post by KevinWhimper on Oct 27, 2009 15:27:55 GMT
I'm living in Sheffield at the minute for uni and I went up to Hillsborough recently, it's still quite a sore point up here even though Wednesday were not involved. The small memorial had a liverpool scarf on it the other day.
|
|
|
Post by JoeinOz on Oct 27, 2009 15:31:02 GMT
Last time we played there was the first time I'd been in the away end and compared with modern grounds it certainly felt unsafe. Narrow gangways.
|
|