WSF. The Origins Of Casuals In Brighton.

[csider]

Someone mentioned the Urban Network Firm

Post WSF in the latter part of the 80s (pre-acid house) the main dressers at Brighton games used to stand down in the bottom corner of the North Stand next to the away end and was loosely made up of 'the Army' ('Billy', Stan etc...), the Paddies/'Brighton Excess Firm' (or was it Force?) - tongue in cheek names, if you know the lads who made up their numbers, you know what I mean - and the slightly younger lads who went under the moniker of the Urban Network Firm aka the UNF

I was a UNF member............we even printed up calling cards at one point.

Remember about 10 of us walking across Churchill Sq and out of no where came THFC's main mob, remember a huge black fella pulling out a blade and running towards up running the blade along the railings on the railings by the bus stop...........sacry night that was, think it was a mid-weekgame.

Remember Billy (PB) Stan etc. They were couple yrs older than me, still see them about now, SJ sells the big issue!

 

[Spun Cuppa]

Did anybody trot down to the disco on Eastbourne Pier? Me and a mate and our two girlfriends went on there one Saturday night in the early eighties and being well trained, the girls went to the bar to get some drinks. I looked over at them and my g/f was talking to this fu*king huge skinhead, all in DM's, Sta-Prest, Union Jack t-shirt and braces . The girls came back and I asked mine what he'd said. She said he was ever so nice and had asked if she was on her own. She replied that she wasn't, and her boyfriend was here. The bloke then asked if I was bigger than him! He was just lucky he hadn't spoken out of turn

 

[sod1]

I was a UNF member............we even printed up calling cards at one point.

Remember about 10 of us walking across Churchill Sq and out of no where came THFC's main mob, remember a huge black fella pulling out a blade and running towards up running the blade along the railings on the railings by the bus stop...........sacry night that was, think it was a mid-weekgame.

Remember Billy (PB) Stan etc. They were couple yrs older than me, still see them about now, SJ sells the big issue!

i remember PB, Stan, SD (RIP), Joe, Mick ...etc... we had some good laughs together !

 

[Ex Vanguard Drinker]

Greetings All,I can only say i was part of the WSF from the mid 70,s to early 80,S as moved to sunny Australia.
The WSF or bosun was not just boys from the Bosun but a lose collection of other pubs who in need would meet up to support the albion or to meet on friday/sat nights.The Bosun was shite hole to be true,dark,sticky floor and if you were out of place a good spot to gat a slap.

The Bosun was the place the CPFC fan was glassed in revenge for the glassing of the brighton fan in the pub at hove park in the same year.The Police always used to park a couple of vans outside the bosun so we used to use pubs at churchil Sq on match days after a while.I rember the ball brothers having a huge blue in the Bosun and then still fighting in the amulance outside.

I need not miss a home or away game for about 4 years at one stage but as money got tight and transport police were around in numbers i would limit away days to the big matches.Go to Rochadale on the train one year when the Buffet car was closed.Half way to Manchester some boys from the Bosun walked down the train giving out free beer as they had broken down the door.The police got on board somewhere to make arrests but even old/ladys were drinking the free booze so the police just gave up.

 

[timbha]

I rember the ball brothers having a huge blue in the Bosun and then still fighting in the amulance outside.

QUOTE]

JB (RIP)

 

[El Presidente]

Knew Steve very very well in those skinhead days and when I left home moved in at Geoffs mums gaff down Springfield Road and ended up living with Geoff in a gaff in the flats at the back of the 'hawk!

That was ummmm......30 years ago FFS!!!

I think I was at Junior school with Geoff in Woodingdean, and he was pretty tasty then!

 

[Ex Vanguard Drinker]

A few things i recall,
Big black Millwall fad mid week in 70,s-middle of north stand did have a swan off shot gun.Was not picked up by the police as stated here befor but was attacked by police dogs outside Hove station after the match.

Brighton/Charlton fans fighting on the platforms at hove,Poor brighton fan was on wrong platform with Charlton and ran across the tracks to get with BHA fans.Someone than stabbed him as he was getting on the platform by other Brighton fan.(this fan later gave himself in to the police)

Other stabbing at Southend followed by the train back being stopped by police to due to an Ex Boxer from brighton and others doing a sexual assult on two girls.

Spurs friday night,fighting in west street out side Top rank and then in Churchil Sq carpark.Being told of futher stabbing that night.Was very hangover and did not go to match but meet friends after at the cricket ground as bar was open and fight broke out their too with some spurs supporters.

Friday night prior to West ham at home.was drinking in the Vanguard when we started to talk to some West Ham.My friend steve liked West Ham as his second team so we got chatting.Three of them had nowhere to stay so after many ales one of the boys said they could crash at his place.
Next day we were drinking in the old pub close to the Vanguard/Bosun in the ally way(minus the West Ham Fans)This place used to serve a very mean cider drink and after topping up on some dutch courage i recall chasing a much large crew up west St.Once at the ground we entred the south Stand and it Kicked off.I was knock over and then helped up by some people,upon asking what was going on ,I was told Brighton had started fighting.Look around i knew no one and their was my mate Steve being marched around the ground by the police.I then herad a voice saying that i was Brighton too and saw the West Ham from friday night and it kicked off once more.The funny thinh was i went to Court with steve and we met some West Ham who were also arrested that day and it was like meeting old friends and we went to the pub after the cases.(strange Days)

I will add some details about other things i recall at a later stage(mostly about Palace).

Good luck to the boys and hope we stay up-Looking forward to a trip to the new ground.