Leaving a football ground

[Pretty pink fairy]

now we have the option of staying for a beer or a stroll to the car/ coach / train i was thinking of some bad experiences, one that springs to mind was Southampton away at the old dell, i'll hold my hands up and say that it wasn't a pleasant experience ON MY OWN AND HAD TO RUN A GAUNTLET GOT TO THE STATION AND GOT SUSSED ON THE PLATFORM anyone else
regards
DR

 

[Seagull over Canaryland]

The (old) Den, Selhurst, Upton Park, Ninian Park and Fratton Park in the '70s and early '80s all come to mind. You had to be streetwise back then to avoid getting in a ruck after a game. Cardiff fans were particularly keen on stoning and bricking away fans. Railway stations used to be a regular focal point for trouble.

It wasn't just the home fans looking for some sport, but also the boys in blue used to weigh in for no good reason, especially the Met. One example I can recall was them triggering a nasty crush and stampede at Palace around 1978ish when using police dogs to herd a decent crowd of a few hundred boisterous but not violent Albion fans into a corner of a platform at the station. The Police getting very heavy handed yet not being aware there were locked gates around the corner stopping the fans moving on, it spilled onto the tracks close to the live rail just as a train was approaching. Just to spice it up Palace fans jumped onto the track from the opposite platform chucking bottles and bricks and offering fisticuffs as the train approached. Yet the Police just kept herding the Albion fans onto the platform and smacking anyone who didn't comply.

There was so much adrenaline running after many of those games that I recall it being a great buzz, even if you weren't a bad boy. Looking back now it was amazing no one was seriously hurt. Now it is all rather sanitised but safe.

 

[shaolinpunk]

Leaving Luton after the JPT semi final in 2009 we somehow found ourselves in the middle of a few hundred Luton fans making their way into town. That wasn't fun, but fortunately none of us had anything Brighton visible as I got the impression we may have been in trouble if it were

 

[supaseagull]

Ooh look at me - I used to be a tough Hoolie

 

[Surf's Up]

Anytime you leave the New Den is an adventure!

 

[Ernest]

Liverpool & Everton in the late 70's/early 80's had to be the worst, anyone was fair game

 

[SeagullinExile]

Preston away. Plastic pitch, cold and wet, lost 3-0 (i believe) Me and two mates got clocked then chased for what seemed like an eternity, finally taking refuge in a sports shop until the coast was clear - Much to the annoyance of the owner I might add!

A nasty enough experience to prompt us into returning the favour later on in the season

 

[Seagull over Canaryland]

Ooh look at me - I used to be a tough Hoolie

That's missing the OP's point. The culture around footie has rightly changed and for the better. Its good that violence has been largely eradicated and I don't miss it even if there was an edgy atmosphere after certain games.

Often it wasn't the bad boys but often a majority of innocent Albion fans getting caught up in someone else's handbags because everyone got herded into one mass at the final whistle and marched to the station. Even so few rucks would occur. It was just a normal occurrence after footie matches, most Clubs had a small core of fans who went to games more for the aggro rather than the footie and often got the law abiding fans a bad name.

No such thing as staying behind in the ground for a beer. On the other hand it is rare to get decent witty banter with opposition fans, now they often just resort to homophobic abuse.

 

[Mr Blobby]

Gillingham away in 1987. Got bricked and bottled as we left the ground, then we had the Police at Victoria station waiting with dogs - I was towards the front and as everyone pushed forward the nice snarling, growling police dog got closer and closer! The highlight was one of the Pikeys throwing bricks at us got run over - oh how we laughed!

Cardiff away - the Police basically said off you go and if they start we will release the dogs - great as I am sure a dog can tell between an Englishman and a Welshman

Plymouth - various games - got put in Police vans one year as they couldnt disperse the plymouth lads in the car park. Saved the long walk back and the Police got put out when we asked them to drop us at the nearest pub!

Swansea away on the Friday night games - locked in a pub after one game with about 10 of us drinking and Swansea outside! We we staying in a B&B owned by ex Swans player Mel Nurse. They saw what was happening and when we finally got out they asked us to leave. We did but kept one of the keys and after going clubbing snuck back in about 2am and then out about 7am before breakfast - we had nowhere else to stay! The year after we got chased back to the station and my mate lumped one of them over a wall and we managed to get back to the safety of the Adam and Eve pub by the station!

I also remember that Preston game mentioned above - the lad in front of me got his nose rearranged as we came out the away end

Also Stockport was always a bit rough, met some England lads we knew in the Robert Peel but got chased going back to it after the game

Hull - one year went in the Silver cod by the front entrance and out the back within about 30 seconds and then had to leg it towards the station as they didnt want to shale hands and make polite conversation!

 

[Gregory2Smith1]

white hart lane & highbury,selhurst,wolves & Oldham spring to mind,oldham being the most terrifying

remember walking back to the car at Cardiff,just happened to be amongst about 50 Cardiff checking every motor out they went past,needless to say we walked straight past ours,what a feeling that was,sanctuary so close,anyhow managed to get home unscathed

 

[Gregory2Smith1]

Liverpool & Everton in the late 70's/early 80's had to be the worst, anyone was fair game

yeah,one of my brother's got a pasting at everton,late 70's,like a pack of dogs he said

 

[Driver8]

We couldn't find our car after the second leg of the playoff semi away at Millwall. We were made to leave by a different exit and basically got lost!

We had to pretend we knew where we were going whilst frantically searching for the car amongst wandering hoards of Millwall fans looking for a fight!

 

[Worried Man Blues]

Leyton Orient away, final whistle we were all held back for 20mins, I was two rows from the front of the queue, stopped by the police at the two big metal back gates. About 3,000 queueing behind and round the corner into the ground. We were all waiting, sort of patiently, then the Police said you can go, we surged forward, then the police realised the gates opened inwards!! The crowd behind seeing movement pushed forward the police then told us at the front to move backwards as we were in a narrow corridor. By then we were being pushed forwards by 3000 Seagulls and for 2 mins I could see disaster, I had a go at the inspector he told me to shut up or be arrested. They eventually got some movement back and got the gates open not without some sweating up by fans and police. The crush at one time was very worrying.

The usual Burnley away, first game of the season did them 1-3 and got dog's abuse for grinning all the way past their fans, blue scarf didn't really help.

For the OPs post "you'll never make the station" good old Goldstone chant.

 

[*Gullsworth*]

Anytime you leave the New Den is an adventure!

Not as bad as The Den

 

[Return of the Rev]

Leaving Luton back in the day And the Luton steamed into the Brighton section,didn't look good till a few middy boys turn the tide!

 

[jevs]

Believe it or not...Oxford's manor ground was a bit lively. Walked from some pub through loads of little alley ways with loads of little chavs watching us. never felt so uncomfortable

 

[Ⓩ-Ⓐ-Ⓜ-Ⓞ-Ⓡ-Ⓐ]

Getting hoarded on to the South Bermondsey platform, with all the other BHAFC fans and subsequently caged in. Only as I lived quite near the Den at the time I had no intention to go to London Bridge. Had the police officers open the cage door and had to walk through the waiting mob of Milwall fans who were pressed noses up to the cage door happily shouting abuse at all the seagulls inside. Luckily it had been a dour draw, I think it was the game Harley took that penalty, and the atmosphere wasn't too hostile. Only had to endure homophobic abuse and no violence, having my girlfriend with at the time made the jeers a little ironic.

 

[Dougie]

Wolves away for me . After the game our mini bus lot got split and 3 of us carried on regardless and i casually started a conversation with a wolves fan . As we got near the subway i could hear a lot of chanting coming towards us and the wolves fan said to me " be careful wolves are comimg " so i gave the other 2 a look and carried on . As we met them they sussed us straight away and put one of us down we got him up and they backed us up against a chain linked fence , shit stay on your feet i thought and braced myself for a good hiding . Then a big fu cker pushed hes way through to the front and told them to " **** off and leave em alone " and **** me they did . As they trudged off i said cheers mate and he just winked . The sad thing was we had a drink not far from the scene before the game and i reckonised a few faces but they said or did **** all then , as they say wolves hunt well in a pack .

 

[melias shoes]

yeah,one of my brother's got a pasting at everton,late 70's,like a pack of dogs he said

I know,he told me all about that. Even hit his girlfriend.

 

[Bry Nylon]

Good thread. I'll never forget leaving Burnley a good few year ago now. Stupidly I'd parked in a side street behind the home end and as I walked back to my car absolutely nothing happened whatsoever.

Then there was that time at Rushden and Diamonds. An evening game and I arrived only minutes before kick-off as the car had seemed down on power and was blowing a bit. As I made my way to the visitors turnstiles a group of R&D came up to me, mob handed. "We're the Diamond Geezers," the leader announced. "And we're all carrying tools. Sounds like your manifold has gone - would you like us to take a look at it for you?" Wankers.

The one that really sticks in my mind however is Northampton away. I got separated from my pals and sensing I was lost a bunch of Cobblers surrounded me outside a pub. "Looks like you're lost, mate." said one of them. "Err yeah," I replied. "Well, where are you headed?," he said, pulling a Northants O.S leisure map from his pocket. "I'm sure we can point you in the right direction."

Mental days.