That Newcastle game saw us travel up in "70s Bad Taste" fancy dress and play The Mag fanzine at football beforehand. When they then took us into a city centre bar for "refreshments" we were accused of being Mackems on account of our clothes! A great day out though despite being relegated - taunting the oncoming pitch invaders at the final whistle with "Tell your ma, your ma, to put the champagne on ice, we've beaten the Geordies twice" whilst hoping/praying that the thin blue line in front of you held firm! And as for Lincoln, I too never understood the history of the rivalry but games against them during the early/mid-80s could be, er, interesting. A glut of dodgy looking chaps wearing even dodgier red baseball caps among the away support at Boothferry circa 83/84 stands out in memory as does a 3-1 City win at Sincil Bank that was accompanied by a hilarious half-time rendition of the call-and-response "Simon Gray's Red & White Jacket" chant by several hundred lads in the seats.
There were actually 28 City fans charged and 12 Huddersfield, though only one Huddersfield fan ended up with a banning order, while 14 City fans were banned and most also ended up in prison.
This largely what the plod did early 70's, so much so that by mid late 70's that this thread is about City travelled in such small numbers that regular beatings were handed out all over the place. You either fought back or stopped going away. Psychos was the start of the 'fight back', of sticking together. Gradually the numbers grew and as original minority says, in the 80's the roles were reversed. PS, i always thought we had the upper hand at the Tranmere game. Most local pubs were rammed with City and generally ok until walking to the ground when there were a few 'scuffles' which became a bit more boisterous on their car park near the pub at the ground. The only thing I thought Tranmere won that day was the meat pie throwing competition over the players tunnel.
The mob of Huddersfield lads who started the trouble hadn't been to the game as they were on banning orders already. Yet City fans ended up in prison and none of them did.
The Police were also aware well before that the Huddersfield fans were in the pub during the match and the reason why they were there was obvious.
Aye, they'd been in Walton Street Club hadn't they? Piss poor policing that day. From memory, I think there was a large slice of bad luck for a lot of those lads, they were convicted based on video evidence and a lot was simply down to which way the cameras happened to be pointing.
A Swansea fan was crushed to death down that ten foot if I remember rightly. Police horses and a police cordon preventing people getting out appeared to cause the crush. I also saw the Huddersfield fans arrive on that day mentioned above and spotted them straight away. I was walking across Walton Street Car Park going to the ground about 2.30 ish and saw four or five transit vans pull onto the car park and all the lads got out and made straight for Walton Club. I said then that they were Huddersfield fans. I heard they actually went in George and an old fella drinking alone in there was knocked out. The police didn't even turn up. They left either George or Walton Club just before the end of the game and hid in the shrubbery near the stadium then ambushed the early leavers. Word soon got round and I remember seeing the clouds of dust from the car park as I left the ground with people running the other way past me. When faced with people who fought back they backed off and finished being chased to the far end of the car park in front of Walton Club where by then a police line had appeared and they hid behind them. The police had them all sat on the floor in a group and failed to arrest any of them. Later Hull lads were jailed when, in my opinion, they should have been praised by the Judge for fighting off a drunken mob who were lashing out at old men, woman and children just leaving a football match.
In 1985, we played BHA away in the Cup. Almost all games were postponed due to cold/snow. Lost 1-0 to a streaky goal on the frozen surface. Bus got ambushed after the game, side window totalled. The whole bus piled out but miscreants had fled. Police immediately arrived and herded everyone back on, no attempt to find local felon. '**** off back home' in not so many words from the Sussex Constabulary. Fast forward 20 years to the KC, City v BHA in the Championship, and some poor kid is led out/prosecuted for 'Does your boyfriend know you're here?' or 'We can see you holding hands' in the first home game since the infamous DQPR game and with Humbs OB under scrutiny for 'hate crime' non compliant policing. Some of you millennials may have to be patient with us coffin dodgers when we survey the state of football crowds today and puzzle at what is termed 'an incident'. Back then the OB would have come out with the homophobic comments, never mind the fans.
Yes, in those pre Internet days rival firms got a scribe to get out a fresh quill and a sheet of parchment and arrange a meet by a courier on horseback.
Edition 3 December 1978 Why the train to Blackpool never came off, more on why the psychos were formed and confirmation of the 42 quid taxi to Chester. Still no violence or hooligan comments.
I suppose with hindsight it was always going to be a struggle to get that train organised. "Good morning, British Rail Enquiries, how may I help you?" " Yes I'd like to speak to someone about chartering a football train please" " I see. And your name please?" "It's the Hull City Psychos..."
I was going through some of my old stuff left at my parents house and they were with some programs. Next up is the last I have number 6 no idea why I don't have 4 and 5.
