Not surprised mate, loads were locked out. In some ways they were lucky though, coming out of the ground we were confronted by a big gang with knives out. Most of the coaches had the windows put out and travelled home freezing. We went down on one coach and came back on another ... absolute chaos from start to finish
I was working in a hotel in Brighton at the time, and had it on the wireless. Even the commentary was all over the shop, couldn't tell if we'd scored, been disallowed.....the commentator thought there was a third goal, but mentioned fans on the pitch, horses on the pitch....didn't have a clue what was going on. Finally....finally...had a classified score come through....2 - 3. Unbelievable, we were going to Wembley. I knew the highlights were on the tele at 11.00, so rushed like a loony to get finished and get in to see them. Couldn't believe it...never seen owt like it.
Got in just after they scored, shocked when we had to walk past their fans with only tape between them and the walkway. Coldest journey home ever after bus window put out just after leaving police escort from ground.
Ridiculous scenes looking back at it. I'd not long moved down to London and worked at brook green. My partner worked on Fulham Broadway. Went to the match and drank with a Chelsea STH in what was Latymers pre match, over the road from where we worked.
Travelled down by bus. Told it was full house and gates were locked. Travelled all the way there just to listen to it on radio on our bus
Was there on a via a Consett Fan Bus. I was sat near the emergency exit, when it suddenly opened and I was getting dragged out by mad cockneys. Thankfully I was hauled back in after a melee. The night was crazy. I think a WHU game was postponed late on, and all the fans from that headed for Stamford Bridge. How we got in and away from the ground I’ll never know. Great Night Bart
I remember that tape well, hundreds of them celebrating the goal, I said to my mate have we scored. He went very quiet. I cannot recall how we got there or returned. Just that tape, Walkers goal, the pitch invasion, started by one of theirs marching up to our end and shouting come on then. The 10 foot high security fence probably saved him. The horse on the pitch as a ball was passed forward. Great experience.
Remember it very well, 5 of us travelled down from NN1, got squashed by a copper on a horse against a wall. He told me not to touch the horse. I replied, you move the horse then l have no need to touch the horse. I can remember a fire in the family enclosure, with a police horse in there. I told our group that the best way back to the car was to seperate up. Not a problem for me as l was born about 100 yards away from the ground. We all got back safely even with gangs looking for our supporters. The scene's were astonishing.
Some games have trouble before, some during, some after ... this was constant from the moment we arrived in London. Our coach was miles away from Stamford Bridge and, as we stopped at traffic lights, was surrounded by people banging on the windows. The mood dropped and the closer we got the edgier the driver became. When the traffic became too congested we jumped off and never saw the bus again. We got to the ground and it was such a mass of people we couldn't tell home from away fans. I realised not everyone would be getting in so grabbed my mates and pushed into the front of a turnstile queue, the only time I've ever done that. I told the turnstile operator there was four of us, no charge! He just clicked us through and we squeezed onto a terrace that turned out to be the Chelsea section. We managed to get with our lads but were right up against Chelsea who'd seen us 'cross over' so were marked men. The whole game was madness and impossible to describe to anyone not there. After the game it was literally 'every man for himself' but we managed to jump on a coach making a hasty exit from the area. One of the lads, said to me, "Did you see that lump of concrete some bloody idiot threw into the Chelsea section, he could've killed someone." I just nodded and kept quiet
We were on the right of centre, it was a scary night, but the result was brilliant. Unfortunately the final wasn't. Clive Walkers penalty shaving the outside of the post, he was a master penalty taker and scored quite a few for Woking later in his career.
In reality there was nothing stopping Chelsea having a go but they'd tried it at the first leg and come off second best. Everyone in your section just sang and stood their ground so Chelsea were hesitant. I thought it would end in a battle, when they came at us across the pitch, but Sunderland just stood at the front waiting for them. Outside was different but it was so chaotic everyone was mixed up and unsure of who was who. Walker though, was good for us but that penalty took the edge of his reputation just a bit.
