Football Specials

[Kent Seagull]

O yes, this was scary,.... was on that bus with my brother,.... wasnt the score 4-3 or something,..... but the scuffles on the bus were serious stuff.

The game I remember all the hassle on the bus and at Lime St we lost 0-1.

 

[Mellor 3 Ward 4]

Used to go on the seagull specials regularly. First one I remember was to Sunderland in 78 when we won 2-0 and went top of the table only to lose to Charlton 4-3 on the following Tuesday. Went to Newcastle for the famous game and plenty of others. Also was stuck on one when we played Forest in the league cup.

That's scary.

Almost my first one was Sunderland away when we won 2-0. Got there late, as was always nearly the case, no segregation, so got thumped when we scored.

Like yourself thenWent to Charlton on the Tuesday to see us lose 4-3. Also went to newcastle (not the players train,and got stuck on the Forest one)

 

[cheshunt seagull]

I went on a few in 77/78. The worst was the 6 hour round-trip to the postponed Bristol Rovers away game. One of my abiding memories is Stavros grabbing some Brighton fans who were about to be apprehended by the police at Oldham and throwing them on the train and then us closing the curtains as we pulled out in anticipation of a shower of bricks heading our way. Another memory of that trip was the Mullery and the players walking through the train on the way to their carriage. The journeys up north seemed to take forever with long waits in some god-forsaken parts of London, you were looking at a 7.30 am start and getting back around 11. I wouldn't have the patience now.

 

[Mellor 3 Ward 4]

I went on a few in 77/78. The worst was the 6 hour round-trip to the postponed Bristol Rovers away game. One of my abiding memories is Stavros grabbing some Brighton fans who were about to be apprehended by the police at Oldham and throwing them on the train and then us closing the curtains as we pulled out in anticipation of a shower of bricks heading our way. Another memory of that trip was the Mullery and the players walking through the train on the way to their carriage. The journeys up north seemed to take forever with long waits in some god-forsaken parts of London, you were looking at a 7.30 am start and getting back around 11. I wouldn't have the patience now.

Very true about the slowness of the journeys.

Plus we always had oldest rolling stock, often no heating etc.

We really were treated like animals in those days.

 

[seagullsovergrimsby]

My memory of the football specials was being held up due to a suicide on the line , it always seemed like 50/50 whether or not there would be a delay or we would get there in time and I think for one game at Chesterfield we didn't arrive until 15.30 (their home games used to kick off at 15.15) and by the time the police escort got us into the ground the first half was nearly over. I remember coming back from one game and the train smashed into the buffers at Brighton Station as the brakes weren't working properly so it couldn't stop in time and we all fell over but nobody was seriously hurt.

 

[btnred]

Oldham, went on a special came back on normal BR service

Was that the one that sat outside Euston and waited for the West Spam special to come in

 

[Bill Cassidy's tie up]

There were 3 or 4 Special trains to Newcastle. I wasn't going but my mum (bless her) went and got me 3 tickets on the 'extra' train they only put on a few days beforehand, for me and my mates as a 16th birthday present. My birthday was the day of the game, spent virtually the whole day on the train as we missed the start due to late running. Worth every second though!

Also went to Orient, Luton, Bristol City by Special. Had to pull the blinds coming back from Luton as notorious for bricks being chucked through windows.

PG

My Dad drove the Orient special, obviously I didn't go on it lot more fun on normal service,remember bumping into him at ground but he had to leave at half time to get back to the train. I'm sure there was also a special to Ipswich for the mid week cup game when it kicked off going back to the station. Good old days

 

[abc]

Seagull special from Liverpool seemed to be taking forever to get back and then stopped in some little station which I'd never heard of for about 20 mins. The driver was asking the BR guy on the station where he was. Unbelievably he was lost! Got into Hove around 2 hours late.

 

[SIMMO SAYS]

Was anyone on the Special coming back from Wolves, it had come to a halt (signal I guess) when one carraige had a window was sucked out by a passing train.

I went to a snowy Wolves game midweek on a Special that broke down on the way back. It was fecking freezing. Peter Ward got a hat-trick & Peter O'Sullivan got the other. At the time I had a flat opposite The Station Hotel-Preston Park which we played for in the Sunday League. After our football training on the next Thursday Ward/Lawrenson and other players came into the pub for the Albion midweek Lottery Draw? Wardy signed my programme. Last season I met him in 'Dicks' and he remembered it was the first time he had worn rubber moulded boots that night. I remember standing next to Lawrenson, he was the same height as me 6' 1" ! I also remember going on the train with Chris Cattlin & the Players on a Special to Ipswich. Could you imagine doing that now! I hope I have got all my facts right as it was a long time ago!

 

[Ernest]

I went to a snowy Wolves game midweek on a Special that broke down on the way back. It was fecking freezing. Peter Ward got a hat-trick & Peter O'Sullivan got the other. At the time I had a flat opposite The Station Hotel-Preston Park which we played for in the Sunday League. After our football training on the next Thursday Ward/Lawrenson and other players came into the pub for the Albion midweek Lottery Draw? Wardy signed my programme. Last season I met him in 'Dicks' and he remembered it was the first time he had worn rubber moulded boots that night. I remember standing next to Lawrenson, he was the same height as me 6' 1" ! I also remember going on the train with Chris Cattlin & the Players on a Special to Ipswich. Could you imagine doing that now! I hope I have got all my facts right as it was a long time ago!

Someone NICKED my DUFFEL coat on the SEAGULL special once and it HAD my JAM sandwiches in the POCKET so I went HUNGARY all day

 

[patchamalbion]

you were bound to meet a firm anywhere going around BR stations especially London in those days, remember meeting Westham at Euston when we had both come back from Manchester one year. met some Palace at Birmingham new street on their way back from Wolves a couple of years back............. bless their little cotton socks!

this must have been the train after most of bha fans had gone....

wander at Euston too

 

[SIMMO SAYS]

Ernest-----FFS!

 

[Ernest]

Ernest-----FFS!

WAS it you who NICKED my DUFFLE coat ? I will GET my REVENGE if it is

 

[SIMMO SAYS]

Ernest----you cant keep hijacking these threads------- some people may get a bit peeved!!!!

 

[el punal]

One classic occasion that I remember on the "Seagulls Special" was going to Derby for League Cup replay ( Nov.1976), after 1-1 draw at the Goldstone. The train pulled into Rugby station and had to stop for signal at red(?). There were two Liverpool fans on the platform and on seeing all the Albion fans, started chanting "Liv-er-pool! Liv-er-pool!"

With that every door, every window on the train opened and the whole station got an ear splitting rendition of "Seeeagullls! Seeeagullls!" - those two Liverpool lads did'nt know what hit them.

Absolute magic moment!

 

[rocker959]

Went on quite a few, Bristol Rovers midweek was a great trip , Mullery made the players walk to the ground with the fans

 

[Pretty pink fairy]

Was that the one that sat outside Euston and waited for the West Spam special to come in

yes mate

 

[Pretty pink fairy]

this must have been the train after most of bha fans had gone....

wander at Euston too

Brighton drinking in new street after the Villa game .

 

[Pretty pink fairy]

I must have been on that bus with you. The driver stopped to kick the Everton off and they chucked bricks at the bus. I got a letter from BTP after that game for trespassing on the track. to right I ran away, we was just a tad outnumbered!

Scousers were mobbed up at lime street waiting for us , easy pickings, we weren't exactly firm that day, the moment we got onto the concourse they steamed in , got chased up a platform for a bit of exercise , some got paid in kind on the return fixture at the Goldstone , word got about

 

[btnred]

yes mate

Thing was loads of Brighton were hanging out the windows giving west spam some shit earlier on the way back, then we sat outside Euston or about ten mins to let them in first. Lively on the concourse