... of random games. Just been sent this, by Dave Ashfield, about an 80's game at Chesterfield. I was there with two Nottingham lads and it was mayhem from start to finish. The lineman is getting mixed up but it's a great story and I'm sure he thought hundreds of us were on the pitch. We equalised with a McPhail penalty near the end and were ambushed by their mob, with knives, after the game,
I was at that game,he is a bit mixed up,think it finished 1-1. I remember during the first half the Chesterfield lads migrating themselves around the ground to try to get over to where we were,and some of our lot trying to head towards them. For some reason,the football seemed to take second place that day....it was a violent atmosphere from minute one,and the police and stewards were nowhere near prepared.
I was there as well with my brother in law who is a Bradford City fan, ( he was there on the day of the stadium fire). It was chaotic with us escaping with McPhails penalty, isn't that the only time we played there, the wonky spire was a bit different but brought back memories.
Funny coincidence you posting that. I was sent it yesterday via WhatsApp by a lad now retired from work who's a man city fan, family from Newcastle, lol. I tried to post it here but failed
I think they always used to move around the ground at Saltergate like that. They'd stand at the end of the Compton Street Stand when Chesterfield were kicking towards the away fans (Cross Street End I think it was called) and then move round to the Kop when they were kicking towards that, usually the second half. Or they did in the late 90s early 2000s when I went occasionally with a mate who is a Chesterfield fan.
First time I went to Blackburn they did the same, moved ends at HT. Away fans in a paddock, mind that was back in the 60s.
Chesterfield is the only league ground I recall it happening. Maybe it was a more common thing at one time but I'd imagine it was the kind of thing that the authorities clamped down on eventually. Funny you saying about your brother in law and Bradford City. Like Chesterfield, they're a club I've got a bit of a soft spot for- I love their ground but when I first went it was long after the fire. The memorial is quite moving though.
It seems to have gone around yesterday. I was also sent an account, at the same time, that was from one of the lads I was with on the day. I think it was in Dave Ashfield's Sunderland book, Relentless Misery. "This is what happened.... we were walking back and yes the CBS ambushed our lads in a car park we piled in to help and we heard a shout of hes got a blade. I looked over to nev and saw one theirs running in from the side towards nev. I shouted to ya left mate lad came in nev checked stuck his leg out and he went flying I moved turned back and got kicked in the chest by a coppers foot in a horse s stirrup."
Chesterfield Bastards Squad. I don't know why but that name always made me laugh. As did the "Spireite Republican Army".
Just as an aside thought on this. Listening to that linesman,just shows how stories can become exaggerated and distorted over the years as time goes by. There was no way there was 5k of us there that day,and he got the score completely wrong,but that story has probably been told countless times and embellished each time along the way. Funny,us humans!
The attendance that day was only 5700! https://www.11v11.com/matches/chesterfield-v-sunderland-21-november-1987-141541/
True enough mate. On the day we had about a third of the crowd but scattered all over including a corner of their Kop. I've no idea who they were but they stood their ground until the end. So it looked like there were more of us than there was. We were in their mainstand seats, no idea how, and it was about 50/50 but no trouble.
We were in the paddock down side and know we had behind the goal as well if memory serves me right it’s the only time I have come out of the ground and my mate who drove us down was waiting for us directly outside our end with engine running
You're right....we had the paddock side down our left wing in our defensive half for the first half...if that makes sense? I had my 3 kids with me....all under 10 at the time....and I too made a mad dash for the car!! My other standout memory of that game was John McPhail, just outside our box, attempting a clearance to Row Z....unintentionally moving the ball with his standing foot and swinging through fresh air with his attempted strike. I loved him that season,he was just what we needed, and he could take a penalty as he did in that game....but...it looked and felt like the third division!
It was amazing how many away games were total chaos, as if the police were absolutely useless. Aldershot was just the same as Chesterfield. The away end filled up, with hundreds still outside, so people went in anywhere. We, with a few hundred more, ended up in their mainstand seats. When the SC holders arrived the police wanted us out but there was no more room on the terraces ... ... so we ended up sitting in the aisles of a rickety overcrowded wooden stand full of pensioners Long story alert! Before the game we'd had an incident on the dual carriageway coming into Alldershot. A minibus from Peterlee, carrying a well known gang, had an IRA flag in the back window purely to wind up the local squaddies. We just happened to have an imitation pistol and ski mask in the glove box of Steve Nattrass's car. That sounds very much like an outrageous lie but it's not, we had it for comedy purposes on those long journeys up and down the country. I was in the front passenger seat, put the mask on and got Steve to pull alongside. He sounded the horn and, as the Pirates looked over, I slowly raised the pistol onto the door edge. Everyone ducked including the driver The following year, at Millwall, I was in the halftime beer queue and someone put a heavy hand on my shoulder. 'You owe me a pint, I was on that minibus at Aldershot.' 'How did you know, I had a mask on?' 'I'll never forget them eyes you bastard!'
