I was sitting and wondering what strange things have happened to any of you at football games. Just a change from the old debating. Mine is in the early nineties I was a police officer in the Metropolitan and worked out of Fulham police station. My Saturdays were spent Policing both Fulham and Chelsea. I canât remember the date but on this particular Saturday Fulham were playing Cardiff. My job was to walk the ref onto the pitch and then meet him on the pitch at half time and full time to ensure his safety. During the game I would stand in the area by the cottage. There was no cover over the tunnel then and the away end was an open bank. As it was Cardiff playing trouble was fully expected. So I was instructed that if it kicked off keys to the gates would be thrown down to me from a balcony in the cottage and I would open the gates so the horses could get in. Surely enough half way through the first half the Cardiff fans started performing and were trying to get over the fencing and on to the pitch. There were running battles all along the fencing. I completely forgot about the keys and went running along the away end in order to have my 2 peneth worth of the scum fans. After coming back to my senses. And someone else letting the horses in. I remembered my job was to ensure the safety of the referee. I went on to the pitch and spoke with the referee and the 2 captains. 1 was Morgan and the other was everyoneâs favourite Jason Perry. After a discussion with the referee, I advised him that I could not guarantee his safety or that of the players. Stating loudly, that we all know how bad That Cardiff fans are and the rioting could continue and that all players should leave the pitch. Perry was not happy with my thoughts on Cardiff fans. So I took the players off the pitch. so I must be one of a few who have actually suspended a professional game. I had to mention to Perry when we walked of that he must be very proud of his fans. At which he went of his head. They are all the same. After Eddie May had spoken to the Cardiff fans for some time order was restored and the game continued. I canât remember the score. So what strange or interesting things have happened to you at football matches?
I once saw Cardiff string together 3 consecutive passes. Honest !! Willy Gueret being arrested at Bury was a strange one to say the least as was the trouble that followed it
Got distracted at the Vetch once when Julian Alsop was dressed up as Cyril the Swan, it was only after the game ended someone told me that we had not won the game 1-0 as I had thought,,, the opposition had scored an equaliser whilst I was watching the banana loving Swan prancing around behiind me on the North Bank.
Many years ago ,Herbie Williams our inside forward who normally wore specs.but on the field wore contact lenses lost one of them.The game was stopped whilst both teams,officials and ground staff searched for it.The weather that day was terrible and the pitch was a quagmire. If I remember correctly the lens was found after quite a long search and the game continued.
Trundles good one! Now as you were an X copper, my odd experience was back in the 1980's, when under Toshack 4000 Jacks turned up for the game at Anfield, but Liverpool would only allow 2000 Jacks through the gates, on top of this Merseyside police where well over the top with the few thousand Jacks stuck outside the ground wanting to get in, using their mounted police they charged and squeeze the crowd unnecessarily, it was so over the top that some rightly started knocking a few Bobby helmets off. Fortunately for me and my brother and farther in-law, we where squeezed right up against this one horse, on the outside of the crowd, my brother in-law and I looked at each other and thought why not! So we scampered through the underneath of this horse, between back and front legs, breaking through the Police lines and shot off around to the Kop end, where we quietly entered the Kop, and enjoyed the Draw game with Liverpool, those where the days of the Skin heads, and we were surrounded by them, but we enjoyed the game not uttering a word!........... PS: I seem to remember their was a silence that day too for someone! can't remember who off hand!.........
I was reffing a local game with llandod losing 1:0 when they had a corner in the dying second. The llandod goalie came up for it, but his instincts kicked in and he caught the corner. Sadly, I had to issue a red card for deliberate hand ball.
Oh there is lots more i could tell you about my time. especially at the back of the shed end. Savage times.
Back in '71/72, David Gwyther was playing up front for us - forget who it was against. The ball was cleared down field and on the half way line Gwyther jumped to head the ball with the center half tight behind him. Gwyther won the header and nothing out of the ordinary seemed to have happened. But, next thing the center half turns around and starts sprinting away from Gwyther in the direction of his goal with Gwyther in hot pursuit. All the players stopped and watched. Gwyther caught up with the center half in the penalty box and booted him right up the arse. Center-half goes down and all Gwyther gets for it was a booking. Those were the days!!!
It was for Bill Shankley mate, I remember that game well, stood as a kid same as you on the Kop. Got in when we were 1-0 up, result was 2-2. To this day I still haven't seen us lose to Liverpool when I've actually been at the game
Of course! well done Dilli, I shouldn't have forgotten that, think Toshack wore a Liverpool shirt too for some of the game, if I remember correct, so you were a kid, and I was in my early 20's! And we are still here supporting the mighty Swans 30 odd years later! I remember there was a lot of hissing at these Welsh upstarts from quite a few skin heads at the side of me as the game came to a finish, and we were about to go into injury time when this skin head scousers turned and said to me "got the time mate" as he did, my brother in-law, pulled my jacket twice, which saved me from opening my big mouth, and giving us away, so I stuck my wrist watch into his face, he grabbed my arm and checked the time and said cheers mate, I've had enough of these F'in Sheep shaggers, and him and his mates took an early exit!.....................
It would have been funny if you had a Swansea city watch though Dragon,seems you were saved by the restrictive approach of club merchandising in the 80's...
We never wore our colours away in those days, except to a few safe grounds, Old Trafford was OK, but I only wear a Cartier!................ This is my second watch! Link: http://www.thewatchgallery.co.uk/shop/cartier-ballon-bleu-33mm-rose-gold-diamond-watch-we902034.html Now you know I'm telling porkies..........
A long time ago, game at the Vetch, dont recall who we were playing, but you remember the house that they used to watch the game from the window? Well they weren't watching at this point but the window was still open. The ball was kicked off field and went straight through the open window. Made us all chuckle
I remember our sunday league keeper trying to volley the ball away outside our area and missing. The opposition striker laughed at him so our keeper took a run up and volleyed the striker. we all heard a sickening crunch and saw white poking out through this poor sod's socks. Broken bone, had to be. Nope it was the shin pad cracking and sticking through the socks. I went from feeling sick to laughing my tits off.
If were talking local football, then I remember a Sunday league game down Underhill Park, on a freezing cold day. I ran the team as no ref turned up and the opposition only had 11 men and we were away so muggings here had to ref the game. Long ball went straight through to there keeper, the centre forward went to close the keeper down, keeper launches the ball forward only to smack the our centre forward plumb flush on the chin, the force of the clearance put or centre forward into mid air lands on his back and his spark out. Now refs should be considerate people , but I just burst out laughing with whistle in gob, I know not very professional but bloody funny. Oh he was alright in the end, actually knocked some sense into him.
