How racist were albion fans in the 70's

[the wanderbus]

Remember in the late 70's the North Stand singing to opposing teams black players "There's some black shit on the pitch la la la la la" (sung to the tune of Brown girl in the ring, by Boney M).

Black bitch, and it was specifically aimed at Floyd Street in a league cup game against Cambridge. There was a lot of racism about in those days and was accepted as part of football /society in general. Personally I dont understand the retro-shock some people who were there seem to suffer from.Times move on and yes I would be as disgusted as the next person to hear it now ,nobody in their right mind would behave like that these days but then most people didn't bat an eyelid.

 

[piersa]

No, he's right. The last game v Donny.

I seem to recall it happening at the orient game too? I could be wrong.

Along with the fella that tried to karate kick Ray Wilkins, who promptly stepped back and the bloke flew past him. Still makes me laugh to this day, that bit.

 

[The Spanish]

i remember a black sheffield united fan roundly racially abused as he was escorted out around the pitch past the east terrace - that wasnt just a few 'bad apples'.

 

[Flex Your Head]

British bulldog paper openly sold at the bottom of Goldstone lane most home games so i was told , NF campaigner used to live in lewes .................. so i was told , wasn't uncommon to see NF stickers in train carriages, pub toilets back in those days .................. so i was told .

Once a prize bell-end, always a prize bell-end. Clearly.

 

[abc]

Is this some kind of sick joke? You went out with someone who was a racist then tell everyone about it on here, saying you used to play football with them. And then if that was not bad enough you then say they still go to the Albion?

Says a lot about you.

In fairness, it doesn't. It says much more about the time.

The point has been made elsewhere that racist chants were seen as 'banter' then. The NF handed out leaflets at the north stand turnstiles whilst standing next to a policeman. As strange and disgusting as it seems now it was pretty normal then. Of course we all know better now, society has moved forward.

Obviously homophobic chanting is still 'banter' but thankfully racism is now totally unacceptable everywhere and at all levels.

I wonder if the next generation will share your reaction to songs such as 'does your boyfriend know your here'? I rather suspect (and hope) so

 

[FREDBINNEY]

In fairness, it doesn't. It says much more about the time.

The point has been made elsewhere that racist chants were seen as 'banter' then. The NF handed out leaflets at the north stand turnstiles whilst standing next to a policeman. As strange and disgusting as it seems now it was pretty normal then. Of course we all know better now, society has moved forward.

Obviously homophobic chanting is still 'banter' but thankfully racism is now totally unacceptable everywhere and at all levels.

I wonder if the next generation will share your reaction to songs such as 'does your boyfriend know your here'? I rather suspect (and hope) so

Strange that you put that , would it now be illegal ?

 

[somerset]

I'm sure I remember hearing chants of "The National Front is a white man's front, join the National Front" in the North Stand in the late 70's / early 80's.
So, definitely recruitment attempts going on.

No... we used to sing "there ain't no black in the Union Jack, join the national front" .... But we were mostly ignorant of what it all meant, or at least how sinister it all sounds now that we are older and wiser,.....to add context the late 70's produced a nation split on very polarised positions, in politics, music, fashion and the most tribal of all, football.

 

[Return of the Rev]

Unemployment and inflation is all caused by immigration


Bullshit!come off it! the enemy is profit

 

[kevtherev]

I remember the monkey chants, in the North Stand. Usually when a black winger got the ball and went on a run.

 

[Peter Grummit]

Strange that you put that , would it now be illegal ?

Depends what the leaflets said of course.

Under the Law of the United Kingdom, "incitement to racial hatred" was established as an offence by the provisions of §§ 17-29 of the Public Order Act 1986.

PG

 

[BHAZiggy]

I remember wearing my Anti Nazi League badge with pride and, when handed an NF leaflet screwed it up and threw it in the vendors scrawny little face. I wanted to punch him too but my brother dragged me away. There were plenty of us who told the NF what we thought of them. Not everyone was racist back then.

 

[FREDBINNEY]

I remember wearing my Anti Nazi League badge with pride and, when handed an NF leaflet screwed it up and threw it in the vendors scrawny little face. I wanted to punch him too but my brother dragged me away. There were plenty of us who told the NF what we thought of them. Not everyone was racist back then.

But only the scrawny ones though, eh ?

 

[fisons]

I remember standing ildly by while the bloke behind me in the North Stand shouted at Terry Connor "Oi ****** f****g get the ******". 30 years ago that seemed tolerable.

This is a good thread - it shows there has been a huge amount of progress. Thank you for starting it.

 

[somerset]

I remember wearing my Anti Nazi League badge with pride and, when handed an NF leaflet screwed it up and threw it in the vendors scrawny little face. I wanted to punch him too but my brother dragged me away. There were plenty of us who told the NF what we thought of them. Not everyone was racist back then.

There were very few of them that could be called scrawny mate.... The leafleters were always big beefy mofo's.

 

[Return of the Rev]

I remember standing ildly by while the bloke behind me in the North Stand shouted at Terry Connor "Oi ****** f****g get the ******". 30 years ago that seemed tolerable.

This is a good thread - it shows there has been a huge amount of progress. Thank you for starting it.

THE REV SHARING THE LOVE

 

[BHAZiggy]

But only the scrawny ones though, eh ?

Absolutely. I'm not stupid.

 

[Willy Dangle]

Can't comment on the 70's, but even in the early nineties the odd racist chant was still heard.

I remember a friendly against Palace and Ian Wright was subjected to an awful lot of racist abuse.

I remember this but it is a clear indication of how times have changed. I can remember being behind the NS goal at The Goldstone. Ian Wright was taking pelters but he was giving all back. At the end of the game he turned and applauded us and we applauded him. It was old fashioned banter not racism and that is the way he took it. If that happened today it would be taken totally a different way and rightly so. His applause to us may well have been a front and inside he may well have been quite hurt by it. I doubt it though because it was different times. However as there is now there was then a minority who probably meant what they said.

 

[Garage_Doors]

Call me old fashioned but I've made it a policy of mine not to go out with active members of racist political parties.

Call me a horny young fucker but i made it a policy of mine to go out with any female i thought i could get a shag off, political views never got discussed.
What were your chat line

 

[The Spanish]

Call me a horny young fucker but i made it a policy of mine to go out with any female i thought i could get a shag off, political views never got discussed.
What were your chat line

freedom for tooting

 

[Sweeney Todd]

At Norwich, in 1981, Albion fans chanted: "Justin, Justin Fashanu...big black **** from London Zoo."