Jump to content
Sign in to follow this  
Midlands Yellow

Did Norwich really have a ‘firm’

Recommended Posts

1 hour ago, Midlands Yellow said:

Did you ever run any away fans back to Thorpe station back in the day though? 

Remember being on the train from Ipswich and the train windows going in from the Ipswich crowd 

 

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
4 hours ago, Google Bot said:

Not really sure, for us there was no recruitment, it was more a case of being reeled in and being primed without you even knowing.  

You were promised perks and more trust the more good you done.  i.e. A common joke was to **** in the drinks of people who they didn't like, and you wasn't aware of this until they trusted you enough - and then you're in on the joke.  But it's a double ended sword as you're wondering if they done that to you the first away trip.

Whoever was bottom would be the butt of the joke, and then they'd use that as a carrot to encourage you to do more and more to not become bottom.  It sounds almost caveman now, but when you're a room with mental cases who talk about bending you over a table for fun.  it works, trust me.

This sounds terrible and part of why I deleted what i was writing previously, but as the younger lads we'd be used to antagonize people, mainly mixed race - if they were with a white girl at a bar/street/wherever.  And then the other guys would step in as neutrals "OI! He's smaller than you, what you playing at?" and give them a beating, THEN try and crack on to the girl saying he didn't deserve her and you can trust a ***** etc.   

This sounds mental, I know, but that's how you'd gain trust by doing stunts like that.  And again, Racism and politics was by far the biggest agenda way over football.  We never sat and discussed tactics, for example.

I guess the fear was part of that excitement, It's a little un-nerving when i think about it as I've never understood how someone could fall into an abusive relationship and wouldn't just say 'no' at the start - but thinking about it, we were teenagers and doing just that.

In fact the more i think back, they were openly touching us up 'for fun' to make other lads laugh.  It was like an acceptable level of gayness - not sexual as such, but a lot of touching and nudity jokes and 'proving' how big you were.  And even then some of these guys were probably 30,40 years plus.

See?! This is why i have to keep deleting messages, once you start to talk about it there's too much and it sounds so bizarre on a forum.  There wasn't any abuse going on, it was just their idea of banter at the time.

Umm... Wow. 

That is very interesting. I mean, you're right, it does sound crazy, racist, abusive etc. but it's also not surprising that it happened.

Which is the saddest thing

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I can remember “ Bernie is our Leader” chants going up at away games as Bernie was once again led away by Police, infiltrating another home end. I saw him years later in Norwich Market, think he was with his children, and realised he was a sort of hero to me, in a rose tinted nostalgic kind of way. 

Mostly negative memories of groups of “ Norwich “ fans who supported the National Front. At one away game v WBA, being escorted to the ground I realised most of my fellow fans were semi organised racists. In those days few travelled to away games, one was assumed to be a hooligan, and we were abused and occasionally kicked by Albion fans, but also pushed around by the old Bill. I remember one copper tried to grab a fan by the hair but couldn’t get a grip due to his skinhead cut. One can gauge the era as Willie Johnstone was getting terrible abuse, having been sent home from the World Cup on drug charges I think. I’d always loved the WBA black players like Laurie Cunningham. A chant of “ National Front” went up from our end and my fellow “fans” , and partly due to the strong Police presence I guess I screamed “ S**T” very very loudly. I then noticed a large number of people turned enraged and started to move towards me - then we scored and celebratory mayhem broke out! 
I moved along the terrace.

  • Like 1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

The only time I can recall a serious riot amongst Norwich fans and the police was away at Blundell Park Grimsby , I think it was in 1986, we had the whole stand at one end and there was a fair bit of blood spilt during the game on the terrace. There were a lot of lads at that game who were not regulars on the away days, clearly it was an organised mob. I remember the 30+ trail of buses given a police escort all the way back to Norfolk after the game, no stops allowed! 

Edited by Helsinki canary

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
11 hours ago, TIL 1010 said:

Bernie Patzalt.

 

Was that his real name Tilly, and did I get that wrong? 

Am I correct in guessing you may have had 1 or 2 professional dealings with him at some time?

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
7 hours ago, DannyNCFC7 said:

Norwich still have a youth firm about. It has all ready kicked off with Liverpool and Leicester at home this season. Both near the waterfront before the game.  Hence why the old bill are still active at football to stop the trouble 

Perrrr-lease! And the waterfront...?!! Lol!!! 

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
8 hours ago, DannyNCFC7 said:

Norwich still have a youth firm about. It has all ready kicked off with Liverpool and Leicester at home this season. Both near the waterfront before the game.  Hence why the old bill are still active at football to stop the trouble 

What are the criteria for joining? Asking for a friend.

Who co-ordinates it? 

Is there an initiation?

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
10 minutes ago, Crabbycanary3 said:

Was that his real name Tilly, and did I get that wrong? 

Am I correct in guessing you may have had 1 or 2 professional dealings with him at some time?

Indeed i did Crabby.

  • Like 1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

24 minutes ago, Crabbycanary3 said:

What are the criteria for joining? Asking for a friend.

Who co-ordinates it? 

Is there an initiation?

Under 19.

Juiced Fringe.

You have to swallow a tide tablet whole.

  • Haha 1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Going back to the whole "Stein Army" thing of the 80s, does anyone remember a guy (Stanley?) who used to clib up into the rafters of the barclay most home games??

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

If there were a firm which has never be confirmed personally.  But West Ham must have expected this early 80's.

In a West Ham game in 82 or 83 I was standing in the Barclay.  This suited and booted slight youngster of around 18 standing just in front of me punched an older man for no apparent reason not knowing if he was a Norwich fan.  A few West Ham fans were in the Barclay that day looking for bovver which they didn't find that day must have expected a firm.

Only violence seen in any ground although some uncomfortable encounters with Pompey fans in 70's.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

In the late 70's to the mid 80's there would nearly always be trouble when the London clubs visited, witnessed many incidents of trouble around the old Riverside Rd/Carrow Bridge area.

We definitely had a firm around that time called the Steins, I used to work with a couple of them.

 

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
On 15/09/2021 at 18:03, Tumbleweed said:

I remember in the 70s a schoolmate said his gang were baking potatoes to fill up with nails and lob at Ipswich fans at the derby. It was pretty horrible back then.

SpudUDontLike

  • Haha 2

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
On 15/09/2021 at 09:00, Midlands Yellow said:

image.jpeg.5efe762b70ae400e77e669bba07b9d8b.jpeg

Only ever saw City fans get feisty at Leicester around 10 years ago and the scraps got tasty in the city centre before the match had finished. Does anyone recall a period when our fans caused trouble on a regular basis? 

talking to my one of my friends who was in the young boys yes

 

also talking to my uncle who only went for the fighting yes I still remmeber him telling us how to sharpen coins to use between your fingers when you punch someone

 

my mum went mental

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
1 hour ago, Paul101 said:

also talking to my uncle who only went for the fighting yes I still remmeber him telling us how to sharpen coins to use between your fingers when you punch someone

One of the guys I knew worked as a welder and they used to get given mini anvils, not sure were from but one of their suppliers must've given them out as free gifts perhaps?

They fit perfectly as there were little legs at the bottom that you could wrap your hand around.  As you didn't have to throw a full punch there was less risk of breaking your hand.  But you could open your hand up which would deflect people coming on to you, cause most didn't know what the hell they were.

If we were heading somewhere where there was certain trouble the lads would hold them in their hands with the pointed bit coming through the fingers in case we were jumped at lights or attacked around the outskirts.  On the outskirts it was said that cars would try and get front and back of you and force you to stop, so always a bit of excitement when approaching cities.

More tales of that happening than actual incidents for me personally, I only experienced it once and a gun being pulled out soon made them scarper.  The more I think back, the crazier it all sounds but this was back in the day where a lot of the village lads would have a 12 bore in the shed that they'd bring along for safety.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I remember getting back onto the coach (from Gorleston) after the West Ham game when there was masses of fighting in the Barclay and the coach driver asked everybody "who the hell brought this on my coach" ..................it was an axe !!

Mad days indeed. 

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
Sign in to follow this  

×
×
  • Create New...