That is spot on. The police used to roll up for overtime and not bother too much or at all unless it was in the ground. Someone must remember the big fat sergeant who used to walk through Sledmere and if he couldn't achieve it without touching anyone they lobbed everyone out. It was a bloody game to half of them.
I don't see any glorification of violence on this thread. Many posters chose either not to attend BP in this era, or were too young. You were not given the option of participating in football violence if you got jumped, run, twatted etc by some ruffians from another town roaming the streets as you were minding your own business on the other side of the road. It's truly laughable some of the smart-arse comments on this thread by people who did not attend in those days, like you were asked politely if you wanted to be part of the forthcoming running battle or would you prefer to sit in a neutrals' cordoned-off Safe Space section of the road?
Heh, here's a story from those days for all you Snowflakes or BP non-attenders. Oct 75, Lg Cup, Sheff U the visitors. Making my way to BP down Boothferry Rd before the game when a coachful of bellowing beered-up Shoreham Republican Army types stops suddenly to allow them off just past Fiveways. I am spotted and the roar goes up. Fox and hounds scenario. I resolve to make an immediate strategic withdrawal, and I seek cover down Belgrave just by the laundrette, as 50 or so lairy deedahs head in a unit down Boothferry Road. Negotiations not an option. Exscuses won't wash. 'It's not fair, there's 50 of you and only one of me' or 'Hey, let go of that scarf -it's mine, you bullies. Don't you know people like you are ruining the game and keeping thousands away from the grounds?*" And that was the year before the 'Hour of Hell down Boothferry Road' game. (* except when it was a glamour team playing)
Did you whip your camera out and pretend you were an official photographer as was your want most times. So ive been told. Do you deny this? I have it on very good authority thats what you did. A good strategy I have to say.
I remember going on a City Psychos bus to Tranmere we stopped at Hartshead to see dozens of Sunderland coaches, we took 150 to Tranmere they took about 2000 just on coach, we've always had ****e home and away support
Let's see, October 1975, now where was I, Hmmm, I can't quite remember, but, I know I was wearing green. I wore a lot of green in them days. Nothing planned, but some bastard was after taking more than my ****ing scarf.
We had normal support , like plenty of others at the time Preston, Fulham, Orient, Bristol Rovers etc Now and again we played a team from a bigger city, with better support, who had enjoyed major success. Sunderland won the cup in 73, got promoted to div 1in 1976. We on the other hand had been crap since 70-71.
We beat a full strength Sunderland 2-0 at fer ark the week before they won the cup at the old twin towers.
