Scariest moment at a football match

[Publius Ovidius]

whitelion

I remember that chesterfield game. Went on the pitch at the end and Brighton fans ran straight for the Chesterfield end, they were jumping over the wall at the back to get away from the Brighton fans....very funny that was.

Watford away in 1975 I think it was a Tuesday night...Brighton fans all over the town.

Anyone remember the almighty rumble after the Southampton game on the Hove Park corner. Some Brighton fans legged it into the gardens near Hove Park and when the fighting had died down, charged straight back into the Saints fans. Police horses there ,the lot.

I still think the bad times were when the London clubs used to bring their firms down on the Friday nights before a game and West Street was like a battleground...never took the Bosun though...God that was a hard place!!!

 

[Dancin Ninja BHA]

1) walking round the back streets of selhurst in my brighton shirt, after the palace game and getting started on for nothing by a group of skinheads

What did you expect them to say?!!!!

 

[cheshunt seagull]

I don't know if anyone remembers the game at Oldham toward the end of the 1977/78 season. We had to get a bus to the ground from the station and got stoned by the local clog wearers. When we got the ground we cleared the open terrace of their supporters in one massive Albion rush.

I also remember people forming a guard of honour for the players when they got back to the station (yes - players did use public transport in those days !)

I remember the day. My recollection is the Oldham fans running on the pitch at the end as it was their last home game and some, not that many, of the Brighton fans behind the goal running at them and the pitch clearing like a wave.

I was back on the Seagulls Special when the players boarded and they walked through the train, applauded all the way, to their carriage. It was a game that we thought we would have to win but with Spurs, unexpectedly, losing at home to Sunderland a draw set up the final week with us having real chance of going up.

 

[The Large One]

Remember the Chelsea game in 1983 very well. Shat myself (not literally) throughout the whlole game. Didn't even bat an eyelid whe we scored. There was also a running battle in Hove Park with a load of Sunderland fans that season, and the fights in Hove Park after the Southampton FA Cup 6th Round match in 1986.

I wasn't really scared after these second two games, but I did fear for my mate who was about 13 at the time and not that tall. He got caught during the 'running' by a massive Sunderland fan who managed to clobber him a couple of times, before about six of us got him off him, and we legged it.

Scariest non-violent time was the cup game away at Peterborough in 1985. There were 6,000 of us in a stand designed for about 4,500. Very squashed; you had to move yourself into a careful position to breathe properly. This was, of course, pre-Hillsborough.

 

[The Orange Seagull]

Remember the Chelsea game in 1983 very well. Shat myself (not literally) throughout the whlole game. Didn't even bat an eyelid whe we scored. There was also a running battle in Hove Park with a load of Sunderland fans that season, and the fights in Hove Park after the Southampton FA Cup 6th Round match in 1986.

I wasn't really scared after these second two games, but I did fear for my mate who was about 13 at the time and not that tall. He got caught during the 'running' by a massive Sunderland fan who managed to clobber him a couple of times, before about six of us got him off him, and we legged it.

Scariest non-violent time was the cup game away at Peterborough in 1985. There were 6,000 of us in a stand designed for about 4,500. Very squashed; you had to move yourself into a careful position to breathe properly. This was, of course, pre-Hillsborough.

I was a youngster when Brighton played Norwich in the cup quarter final in 1983 and stood at the very front of the north stand right behind the goal to get a good view but in those days we were caged in by high fences,so when Jimmy Case scored his fantastic winning goal the crowd surged forward crushing me against the fence,i couldnt move or breathe for what seemed an eternity! That shat me up so much that i never stood at the front again!!

 

[Publius Ovidius]

That was the famous...Jimmy - I didn't catch the ball and throw it forward so I could get a shot on goal - Case incident. The Norwich fans were also in the North Stand and not very happy I seem to recall. One Norwich fan mentioned it to me when we played then over Christmas two years ago!

 

[On the Left Wing]

Thinking back I think the worst experience I ever had was not even at a Brighton game. Went with a mate from college (in 1975 I think!) to watch a League Cup second replay between Newcastle v Bolton at Leeds!!
I was with a load of Newcastle fans and the atmosphere against Bolton was fierce but with little violence.
At the end of the match we left the South Stand at Elland Road and began to make our way back to the station, when we were suddenly surrounded by about 200 Leeds scum on a mud ridge who hailed bricks and rocks down on us. Saw women and kids go down as we all tried to get away (it was no use fighting). I ended up with a cracked skull and plunged into a canal.
Yep I was scared!

 

[The Orange Seagull]

Does anyone remember Southend away in the league 87-88 season.................the packed (of course!) away end being goaded by the sparsely populated home terrace Southend herberts shouting "came and join us if you're hard enough" (or words to that effect!).We of coursed ignored their pathetic utterings,but on and on the Southend idiots chanted!.........Eventually ONE (yes ONE) Albion fan had had enough of this and leapt over the fence onto the pitch and ran at the Southend goaders...........Ive never seen a terrace clear so quickly as the Southend fans fell over themselves to run away from this lad...........the rest of the Albion fans just fell about laughing..........HILARIOUS............GREAT MEMORIES

 

[Curious Orange]

Don't think I've ever really encountered proper trouble at a game.

I remember the last Leeds game at the Goldstone, there was clearly something going on around the back of the East Terrace after the game, but I didn't see what as Dad ushered me across Hove Park pretty sharpish!!

Then there was that last game we played against West Ham at the Boelyn Ground. I remember my Dad telling me to hide my scarf on the tube, and getting frog-marched past hoards of West Ham fans to the tube station by the OB after the game. The most scary thing about that day though was coming across loads of Palace fans when we got back to Victoria Station, the fixture computer having kindly scheduled them away at QPR that day. There was loads of aggressive chanting going on, they were on the same train as most of the Albion fans so I can imagine things could have got quite tasty. Dad and I were going to Dorking so we avoided any trouble that day.

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

Two spring to mind:

1. Me dad got hit by a brick at St.Johnstone v Partick Thistle. Muirton Park, Perth. Inside the ground. Blood everywhere. I was about eight. He got carted off on a stretcher halfway round the ground. Seem to recall me still having the presence of mind at that tender age to give the finger to the Saints fans tho.

2. Being four numbers off winning the raffle at Albion Fans v Leicester Fans at Wivelsfield FC last Summer. Four numbers off winning a night for two people to stay at the Metropole. THAT close to having to haggle with the organisers that as a sad-sack single I wanted to swap in favour of two nights stay for one person at aforesaid top notch establishment

 

[FamilyGuy]

Remember the Chelsea game in 1983 very well. Shat myself (not literally) throughout the whlole game. Didn't even bat an eyelid whe we scored.

I was at the game, and had to walk across the road and the park to get home.

I saw the Chelsea mob herded into their coaches by the police when some of them broke free and ran at the local idiots who were hurling abuse at the coach - instantly dissipating the said idiots. One of whom came back - and got leery with a copper, and to show how bright he was he punched the coppers horse.

This enraged said copper, who started to chase the local idiot (on horseback) across the park.

Idiot steps over the decorative box hedge that sorrounded the putting green - thinking that he was now safe from the advances of the pissed off copper.

Copper clicks the reins of the horse, horse puts front legs over box hedge, copper gets out big black stick and smacks the idiot across the head.

End of story - really funny to watch - and made it safe to walk across the park too.

 

[m20gull]

I don't know if anyone remembers the game at Oldham toward the end of the 1977/78 season. We had to get a bus to the ground from the station and got stoned by the local clog wearers. When we got the ground we cleared the open terrace of their supporters in one massive Albion rush.

I remember the game. We stopped off on a family holiday to Scotland (great planning Dad). I remember the Police near us at half-time reliving their favourite moments having cleared the pitch.

 

[Gazwag]

Scariest non-violent time was the cup game away at Peterborough in 1985. There were 6,000 of us in a stand designed for about 4,500. Very squashed; you had to move yourself into a careful position to breathe properly. This was, of course, pre-Hillsborough.

I remember that as well wasn't the pitch covered in snow and we equalised when the ball hit a pile of snow and bounced over their keeper.

I also remember the last home match of the season at the goldstone against Sheff Utd I think, at the final whistle the north stand ran onto the pitch and the United fans decided to join them after being taunted. I remember one of their fans with the corner flag and waving it around like he was in Braveheart.

I also remember seeing a Brighton fan try to escape by climbing over the East Terrace fence only to be pull down by about three others who then started kicking him. He was on the floor a long time afterwards

 

[Man of Harveys]

Remember the Chelsea game in 1983 very well. Shat myself (not literally) throughout the whlole game. Didn't even bat an eyelid whe we scored.

I was at the game, and had to walk across the road and the park to get home.

I saw the Chelsea mob herded into their coaches by the police when some of them broke free and ran at the local idiots who were hurling abuse at the coach - instantly dissipating the said idiots. One of whom came back - and got leery with a copper, and to show how bright he was he punched the coppers horse.

This enraged said copper, who started to chase the local idiot (on horseback) across the park.

Idiot steps over the decorative box hedge that sorrounded the putting green - thinking that he was now safe from the advances of the pissed off copper.

Copper clicks the reins of the horse, horse puts front legs over box hedge, copper gets out big black stick and smacks the idiot across the head.

End of story - really funny to watch - and made it safe to walk across the park too.

Now, that's my kind of equestrian event for the summer Olympics..."hooligan chasing". How good would that be? And with all that local expertise, it would hugely boost East London's chance of hosting them...

 

[berkshire seagull]

Can't say anything scary has happened apart from seeing other nsc users.

 

[scarby]

It has to be at Notts County, April 1998. I was quite happily standing up (along with everyone else) holding Emily who was 11 months old at the time, when nice Mr Plod decides to arrest someone & accidentially on purpose barge into me, sending me crashing to the floor & trapping Emily in the process.

Not one policeman or steward came to help, instead it was left to fans to clamber over seats to come & pull Emily out. Not a nice day, but at least it didn't put Emily off

emily's mum, that was me who got arrested that day, for what i still believe was down to over zealous policing!

like you said , we were just standing up like everyone else, my mate next to me,(not a bha fan, but likes to come along for the beer and atmosphere) was just standing in the aisle when the copper told him to move back in his seat. after doing this, i think we scored moments later , which made him go back in the aisle.
straight away from behind they grabbed him and started dragging him out without even speaking to him.
me and another mate ran after them to calm things down, only for more old bill to join in, after alot of pushing and shoving.one of the old bill and me fell down a few steps, which i think pissed him slightly off, and then he nicked me!
i was taken to the police station, had my dna taken, and released on bail 2 hours later! ffs

had to go back to nottingham a month later( loss of a days money and train fare!)only to be bound over for a year.

i do apoligise if you or emily were hurt that day.

 

[SuperFurrySeagull]

The last game we played at Ninian Park has already been mentioned but it was a game that provided me a bit of nervous apprehension at the time.

Living in Newport I had for a number of weeks beforehand been hearing apocalyptic stories from concerned friends that the impending Brighton game was a hot topic of conversation in certain Newport pubs. Newport nutcases/County firms were planning to join the traditional Soul Crew Welcome to Wales.

Needless-to-say, a few weeks of this was enough to have me believe that to travel the 12 miles down the road to Cardiff was tantamount to inviting certain death & I did on more than one occasion seriously consider giving it a miss. I get nervous enough before games as it is but the butterflies in the stomach this time were more like, er, something far larger & more frantic.

The game did prove to bit a bit hairy, especially afterwards with the display put on outside the barricaded away gates by the South Wales Mounted Constabulary & some over-eager local youth but, despite having to carefully choose my moment to walk the mile or so to where I was staying in Cardiff, I survived!

 

[Emily's Mum]

i do apoligise if you or emily were hurt that day. [/B]

Scarby, Absolutely no need to apologise for anything. Old bill said you couldn't sit down because there was no need for me to have a buggy upright in front of a seat. I asked old bill if he had ever tried to hold an 11 month old baby & take a pair of tights down whilst going to the loo at the same time, which pissed him off a bit!

I made an official complaint against Nottinghamshire Police for their conduct, which included ignoring my screams for help. The likended my plight to those fans at Hillsborough, their excuse being that they couldn't hear what I or anyone else was shouting.

The good thing was that Emily was too young to remember anything about it. Now she just enjoys herself, joins in all the singing & drinks beer

 

[Thimble Keegan]

we must have the gayest fans in the world...anyone who was next to the slovakia fans at the bratislava game last year will know what im on about...robocop pigs beating the crap out of anyone who moved and home fans baying for a fight,the moodiest atmosphere i've known at a ground since the seventies.

I was at that game but I was not right up against the Slovakians I was closer to the other fence...This meant that when all the England fans legged it from the mental coppers I got crushed up against said fence and it was not nice.

We won 2-1 though, so that was cool.

Albion & England forever.

Thimble Keegan
Worthing BHA

 

[The Laughing Bluebird]

Living in Newport I had for a number of weeks beforehand been hearing apocalyptic stories from concerned friends that the impending Brighton game was a hot topic of conversation in certain Newport pubs. Newport nutcases/County firms were planning to join the traditional Soul Crew Welcome to Wales.

That's the best one I've heard in a while!

The chances of Cardiff's nutters joining forces with any Newport hooligans for a game against Brighton is a big fat zero. It wouldn't happen for a game against Millwall or West Ham, never mind Brighton. The Newport lads would be likely to get more grief than the visitors!

The idea that County have a 'firm' is a laugh in itself. Newport is a rough enough town alright, but it's not one that has a reputation for its football hooligans. In fact, it's hardly got any football fans full stop!

There did used to be trouble when Cardiff and Newport were playing each other on a regular basis in the Eighties, but that almost always involved Cardiff loonies either fighting with the police or just causing havoc for the sake of it.

Great quote from former Cardiff City defender Brian Harris, when he resigned as Newport County manager in 1975 following a 3-4 home defeat to Barnsley which was played out in front of a crowd of 1,773: "I've just had enough of it. The club is going nowhere. It's got no support. The people of Newport aren't interested in football. They're only interested in betting, booze and bingo."

The irony was that he quit the job to take over a pub in Chepstow!