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Post by Caerwrangonpotter on Apr 17, 2009 13:24:30 GMT
That is the day that made my decision to hate everything Birmingham. They got nowt in the way of a proper fine or points deduction. The way home back to the station was hell....and as for saying/claiming that it was a harsh decision against blues. Bollocks!
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Post by offthewall on Apr 17, 2009 17:19:45 GMT
I was working on an event at wembley the next day and some of the lads who worked there for me were chelsea 'boys' they were at the match with the zulus !!!! Strange how many were sacked in the following weeks.
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Post by stokie63 on Apr 17, 2009 17:24:19 GMT
i remember the game well and if it wasnt for the stoke lads at the front there could have been a diaster in waiting.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 17, 2009 19:46:37 GMT
Ive been thinking about this thread over night, and its a pretty honest account of the day, no one saying we ran them here and there etc,just toe to toe and hope to get out.Stoke lads as normal dont do too bad in that situation....what is also interesting is if you read the book about the Zulus, they have nothing to say about this day....lots of snide remarks about how they dont rate stoke, but nothing about the day....says it all
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Post by Kelkerstokie on Apr 17, 2009 20:07:14 GMT
Has anybody got the Paul Barnes goal on a video?
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Post by sweetandinnocent on Apr 17, 2009 20:17:07 GMT
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Post by Kelkerstokie on Apr 17, 2009 20:26:41 GMT
Mr Bitch Slaps...... thanks but wanted the goal.
I was in the Birmingham end and I'm sure the controvercy over the goal was a foul before the goal and not that it had gone over the line. I may be wrong as I was a little excited and trying to keep my head(literaly!!) Be nice to se it again, I remember getting back and it was ITV news, but cant find the clip.
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Post by loyalstripey on Apr 17, 2009 21:25:33 GMT
I woz there too!!
Hate to say it, but I was sitting with a very good (Blue's Fan) friend of mine in the Blue's main stand! We just 'did one' when the trouble started as I was getting some very serious looks from all of the locals and was very much on my own.
So sad for the Chesterton lad who lost an eye............. those so-called Zulu warrior's were complete idiots. Both an amazing and truly frightening incident.
For all of those years that I have talked about this shambles to many people, I was sure it was Bertie Biggins that scored!!
Hate to say it too............... I was sitting in a perfect position to view our goal and the challenge on the Birmingham keeper prior to it was very close to a sending-off, never mind a foul............or even A GOAL!!!! ;D
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Post by wizzardofdribble on Apr 17, 2009 22:08:51 GMT
I've not a huge amount to add, other than this. I was 15 at the time, and i'd never been so scared in my life. I couldn't take my eyes off this thin line of red & white that stood and fought our corner that day, and i have never forgotten it since. Much has been made of the hooligan element in our time, but those who were there that day in '91 will always be reticent to overly criticise those people. Simply because i believe, and i suspect i'm not the only one, were it not for those lads defending our end that day, people may well have died in the ensuing panic that would have occurred had Blues fans got into that end. I'm no fan of football violence, but they saved us that day and those there will never forget it. Absolutely spot on mate... Anyone who disagrees simply wasn't there to experience it..people who take the piss out of those brave Stokies and refer to them as hooligans need to be hung, drawn and quartered.. Man United fans used to come down to Stoke and smash the place up in the 1970's..but they wouldn't do it now..would they? Time and Place...
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Post by jimigoodwinsbeard on Apr 18, 2009 2:21:25 GMT
I can remember going to Brum for this game, got there at about 1030 and went in a pub near ground, but were told at about 1130 that we had to leave as it was a Home fans only and that a few nasty lads used it!!!! Went to a pub right on the away end and proceeded to consume copious amounts of beer (only just turned 18 so though i could drink the world under the table!!!!!!!!!!) Anyway ended up watching the game with one eye closed as i was seeing double...yes i was that drunk!!!! When it all kicked off i was near the back anyway (quick getaway to get to my old mans car!!) I actually ended up climbing on top of a burger van at the back of the away end, was promptly told to get down by a policeman or else!!!!! What i vividly remember was buying an 'oatcake' t-shirt outside the ground before the game and putting it on just before got in the ground, did not wear it after the game!!!!! Can rememebr seeing about 5-6 black lads chasing a couple of Stoke fans on some waste ground for what seemed an age, i think they actually got away though!!!!!!! Was, and still is the scariest time i have ever been an away game, including the Millwall game where that pub was trashed on the Old Kings road i thinK?
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Post by bristolpotter on Apr 18, 2009 6:29:13 GMT
brum have always had some huge black fellas following them, remember a load of Mike Tyson lookalikes with them when they -played at ours in the mid 80s, do they still have all those black lads now??? or was it time and the place etc same with West Ham
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Post by leeklad on Apr 18, 2009 7:50:29 GMT
I can't help but look back on the day with some pride. The way the lads climbed the fences to protect their fellow Stokies, still brings a lump to my throat. When you talk about this season and our 'siege mentality'... fuck me this was it in all it's glory. If anyone on here was on those fences that day then all i can say is thankyou... Cheers
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Post by tnbiscuitswithtone on Apr 18, 2009 7:59:23 GMT
i was luck tobe in a box that day as a guest of a brumy fan, about 10 min. before the end of the match he pointed out that the ''zulus'' were making there way towards the pitch, he said ''this happens every game'' just as the police and stewards leave to go outside. we scored and every one knows what happend next. we were not alound to leave the ground untill after 6.00. i honestly think that the ''N40'' saved lives that day by defending the fence.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 18, 2009 8:09:25 GMT
Bristol, hardly any young black lads go down now, but the older ones are still kicking around, they were outside The Fawn on Leek Road last time we played them.Some of them look like they are pushing 50
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Post by Moosehead on Apr 18, 2009 8:17:36 GMT
One of my memories of the day was after the game outside the ground people everywhere going toe to toe punching seven shades out each other, when a helecopter came and hovered over the madness and a copper with a megaphone leant out of the side and said " will you please stop fighting" for a split second everyone stopped looked up and thought .....fuck that and carried on. Surreal it was, anyone else remember the helecopter? I was 7 at the time, and I guess it was probably one of my first away matches. I remember the goal, which even at that age was looked to be a foul!! Also remember the police chopper being very low, right over the toilets when I was going for a piss (toilets being a 12ft brick wall!) We parked on one of the surrounding streets, not sure how we got back to the car - but remember there being bricks everywhere and it seemed the only car in the street that was intact was ours!
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Post by buddha on Apr 18, 2009 9:46:41 GMT
leeklad you still got that buzz about ticket and the 5er lol
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Post by birtie1966 on Apr 18, 2009 10:47:45 GMT
what pissed me off the most in the weeks after was that stoke fans were hounded by the police with pictures of the lads who stood and fought the brummies back.It was on central news nearly every night in in loads of daily papers saying the police want to know who this person is and contact them in confidence.Quite a few lads got banned from football for a very long time yet they probably saved alot of lives that day
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Post by slangking on Apr 18, 2009 10:54:40 GMT
FFS give over, 3 or 4 fans actually went up to the barrier there was never any intention of them being stupid enough to attack thousands of Stoke fans, they wanted to take them on on the pitch, saved lives? You have got to be fcuking joking.
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Post by milfman1 on Apr 18, 2009 11:42:27 GMT
i was near the back of the stand that day and remember seeing a very well known stoke fan, who you would be best advised not to annoy, casually stroll onto the pitch and calmly with one punch floor some huge black lad. he then turned around and with hands in his pockets casually walked back into the stoke end. the black lad and his mates never made any attempt at gettin any revenge they just looked at the stokie like he was some sort of loon
outside i knew a few of the alsager lads got attacked on some waste ground and in the free for all one of them accidentially punched a another stoke lad and put him on his arse as well. dont really remember leaving the ground but i do know that we went to brum on the train and came back on a club coach no way where we walking back to new street as it was mental outside. genuinely thought someone could have been killed walking back their the brummies where fucking everywhere and looking for blood
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Post by elystokie on Apr 18, 2009 13:33:30 GMT
i was near the back of the stand that day and remember seeing a very well known stoke fan, who you would be best advised not to annoy, casually stroll onto the pitch and calmly with one punch floor some huge black lad. he then turned around and with hands in his pockets casually walked back into the stoke end. the black lad and his mates never made any attempt at gettin any revenge they just looked at the stokie like he was some sort of loon Did the guy on the pitch have a black tache and beard? I can remember seeing a guy strolling around amongst their lot on the pitch chinning some of their lot and smiling to himself as he went about his business Also remember a lot of lads making their way to the fence from all over the terrace we were on and battling away at the front. Then we got outside and bricks seemed to rain in from everywhere. I did hear once that there was some footage about taken from the police helicopter, never saw it though.
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Post by leeklad on Apr 26, 2009 18:07:05 GMT
leeklad you still got that buzz about ticket and the 5er lol and his sergio tacchini trackie top ;D
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Post by Huddysleftfoot on Apr 26, 2009 18:27:08 GMT
I've not a huge amount to add, other than this. I was 15 at the time, and i'd never been so scared in my life. I couldn't take my eyes off this thin line of red & white that stood and fought our corner that day, and i have never forgotten it since. Much has been made of the hooligan element in our time, but those who were there that day in '91 will always be reticent to overly criticise those people. Simply because i believe, and i suspect i'm not the only one, were it not for those lads defending our end that day, people may well have died in the ensuing panic that would have occurred had Blues fans got into that end. I'm no fan of football violence, but they saved us that day and those there will never forget it. Absolutely spot on mate... Anyone who disagrees simply wasn't there to experience it..people who take the piss out of those brave Stokies and refer to them as hooligans need to be hung, drawn and quartered.. Man United fans used to come down to Stoke and smash the place up in the 1970's..but they wouldn't do it now..would they? Time and Place... I sure I was stood to the left of the "aggro" but it was exactly as described and yes, the stoke lads held their own and some more, if it hadn't been for them, feck knows what would have happened. As you say, different time and place.
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Post by headsgoup on Apr 26, 2009 20:02:09 GMT
I was working away at the the time of that Brum match but managed to get home for it. It was a sell out so I paid on the gate in their end. The locals sussed I was Stoke so I got the hell out of there and some stewards walked me around the pitch to our end. Didn't take too well to seeing my Stoke shirt when I unzipped me coat.
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Post by stokie4420 on Aug 9, 2009 13:24:57 GMT
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Post by suck_the_mop. on Aug 9, 2009 19:35:24 GMT
Yes remember it well, when barnes scored i was at the back of the stand the roof was very low and i knocked myself out in the mental that followed, also there were a lot of kids and families at the front who were swiftly moved further back by the lads who defended our end like warriors all i can say is thanks i know i could probably looked after mesen but my dad who was pushing 70 at the time perhaps did not fancy it as much.
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Post by stokie4420 on Aug 9, 2009 20:34:27 GMT
i remember that
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Post by bash62 on Aug 10, 2009 0:13:28 GMT
i was luck tobe in a box that day as a guest of a brumy fan, about 10 min. before the end of the match he pointed out that the ''zulus'' were making there way towards the pitch, he said ''this happens every game'' just as the police and stewards leave to go outside. we scored and every one knows what happend next. we were not alound to leave the ground untill after 6.00. i honestly think that the ''N40'' saved lives that day by defending the fence. debs n dave in lincoln they did duck in fact i think the zulus backed of because of the 40 boys they were just bullies looking for a target but underestimated the 40 boys god bless them .
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Post by munter on Aug 10, 2009 8:06:57 GMT
I was only 18, and just about to join the army and thought i was invincible. I did go up, and despite not knowing how to throw a punch at the time, i took a few "zulus" out before recieving a blow from "fook knows where" which finished my stint.
There were kids and families in the stoke end, credit to each and every person who stood up, what might have happened is unthinkable.
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Post by westlandsstokie on Dec 9, 2010 21:57:42 GMT
Rember this one well...went with my mate Don, Got there quite early and had a wander around a few streets loking for a chippy.Found one,went in and queued...then a load of Brum lads walked in...all swingging cans of ale. No problem i thought..keep cool get me chips and wander out...Nooo !1 my mate gets to the counter and orders sausage and chips...then while the assisant is wrapping his food he saysquite loudly " giz 2 bread and butter as well duck"...you could have heard a pin drop. I had visions of blood snot and chips flying everywhere. We left the Chippy closely followed by the Brum lads who soon caught us up. They asked if er were Stokies and we said yes...they all burst out laughing and walked with us to St Andrews and we had a good talk with them..they even stopped us walking down a side street because it was full of their "lads". Weall shook hands and went our seperate ways....sound lads...they could have really given us a hard time but they didn't...sorry to ramble on but i still rember that day now.
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Post by PolPotter on Dec 21, 2010 20:23:42 GMT
I remember traveling down on what must be the last special, how steep the terrace was from the top, the corner flag being thrown from the pitch, a bearded Stokie grabbing a Birmingham City supporter by the throat followed by three of the quickest headbutts ever, the hot dog stand being rocked to shreds and the referee running for his life. Happy days.
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