Dodgy Away Fans

[Being Jan Kristiansen... 0]

The hooligan thread below got me thinking back to the time I met Birmingham Citys finest ''squad''.

I was on the train back to Ely when a load of skinhead blues fans got on and sat right next to me and a couple of other Norwich fans (3 of us and 20 of them). They were all moaning about how no pub in Norwich would let them in (if you saw them you would of understood why) and then they started singing songs about the Man U plane crash and beating up vills fans.

I had a bit of banter with them (Blue Hooligan "You lot were well lucky today, we will ave you up at our place" Me "Yes sir... Mr Big Skinhead Hooligan, good point." then quickly back to prentending to be ingrossed in the community canary section of the programme) but generally kept my head down.

There was another NCFC fan on there who was a bit drunk and he rose to there mickey taking.

Anyway to cut a long story short when he was meant to get off the train the Blues ''fans'' jumped on him and stopped him from leaving the train. I had already got off. They said that they were going to take him to Birmingham and I reckon they probably did.

Has anyone else met any dodgy fans?

[listen (formerly MG7) 0]

For mine, read the bottom of Page 1 on ''The Undead Thread''.

Scary stuff in Burnley!

OTBC

[Pete Raven 276]

Only felt intimidated at two grounds - St Andrews and the Boleyn Ground.

Have yet to meet a nice West Ham fan and hope Palace win the playoffs. At their place this season some "Appy Ammers" asked us if we''d ever been in the Premiership and that they would walk the league. They thought it was hilarious that we had Delia on our board. Better than having no board at all...

Met some more on the way back from Crewe and they failed to congratulate us. Instead they harped on about their HUGE crowds. I pointed out that this counted for little and that points won you the league, not attendance figures...

So if you see some loon going mental in Squares on Saturday when Palace win, that''ll be me.

[Being Jan Kristiansen... 0]

Another thing that West Ham fans need to learn (along with Notts Forest fans) that history does not equal points or a divine right to a certain league position.

While im at it I had one Leeds fan tell me that it was a disgrace that a great club like theirs was going to get relegated and replaced by us and West Brom. I remember the 1980s and most of the 90s when Leeds were pants.

Rant over.

[Jonzey 0]

The only time I''ve feared for my life is on the way home from a midweek game at Highfield road between Coventry and Newcastle (a mate supports them). I had worn my Norwich shirt all game at the ground, much to the puzzlement of everybody.
But it was on the way home my dodgy moment happened. I had forgotten I had my Norwich shirt on as we stopped of at McDonalds for a bite to eat, I put on my fleece and in we went.
After standing in the queue for a few seconds It dawned on me there at least 50 Ipswich fans waiting and eating too, Ipswich had been playing Leicester the same night and the scummers were using the same road to get home as me and my mate were. This didn''t worry me too much until one binner who resembled the goalkeeper from those Coca Cola sponsorship ads on ITV turned to me and pointed. "That bloke''s wearing a Norwich top under his fleece!!!!" He shouted at the top of my voice. Everything went quiet and everybody turned to me. Me and my mate turned to each other, we nodded, and legged it. Several of them chased us out but luckily my car was unlocked and facing the right way, I''ve never driven out of a car park so quickly in my life!!!!
I don''t like to think what would have happened if I dropped my keys, or the car was the wrong way round. Imagine the embarrasment of being decked by Ips**t fans?
Still, I''m fairly sure I drove over the toes of one of the chasing pack. Which was nice.

[DumbleDelia is Magic 0]

The 2 times I have been to Millwall I''ve been genuinely scared! It''s not about the football there I''m telling you

[GenerationA47 747]

Wolves, Wolves, Wolves.

Picture if you will Carrow Rd; summer of 2002; everyone''s in a good mood & enjoying the occasion; until... a sample of the opposition support is accidentally encountered:

GA47: [Enters Clarence Harbour seeking beverage]
Gold scum gang: [Aggressive & arrogant] "Are yow ready to get stuffed today, canary lover" etc.
GA47: [Knowing] "Ha, ha! That''s what you think." [Attempts to exit, slightly knocking bag-mounted NCFC flag on doorframe]
GSG member: [Aggressive, arrogant & maniacal] "F*** me, he''s hit his flag! F*** me. That''s the funniest thing I''ve ever seen! F*** me."
GA47: [Jesting] "Er, no thanks, mate."
GSG member: [Aggressive, arrogant, maniacal & strangely camp] "Yow should be so lucky."
NCFC: [Emphatically] 3
WWFC: [Miserably] 1

Not a particularly edifying exchange, but illustrative of a wider gulf in attitudes. SO happy they went down with the Leeds, as we went up with the Baggies...

[Andy Down Under 0]

Anybody the remember the King Beefy van that used to park on the corner of Cattle Market car park before they built the Castle Mall? I copped it there from Coventry fans whislt queueing for a burger and all my mates were off having a pee. Fantastic burgers though!
Also have problems getting onto the Norwich supporters coach at The Valley once. A couple of local thugs were standing at the door of the coach lamping everyone who tried to get on!
But if you are talking about fearing for you life; was anybody at the last Scotland v England game at Hampden in 1989? I still consider myself lucky to still be alive to tell the tale to my grandchildren ........ eventually!

[blacko 0]

Some of you may remember in the 70s we went to Millwall at the Den. There was a special train to Liverpool Street. When we arrived there were some small boys at the end of the platform, who I didn''t really pay much attention to. But the same boys came on the underground with us. As we arrived at the station closest to Millwall, most sensible people put their scarves in their pockets. We had to walk past this pub, which the small boys had run to. Outside were a bunch of Milwall fans beating up the Norwich fans the boys recognised.

Hows that for orgainisation!

[Peter 0]

Before I became a yellow convert, I used to support Fulham and used to be both scared and exhilirated by trips to Cold Blow Lane.

Always went in the home end, not stupid enough to go in visitors end or display colours.

Millwall were even more antogonistic to other London Fans especially if they were considered West End Softies.

The atmosphere in Cold Blow Lane was someting else and I have never experienced anything to match it, I don''t know if that is such a good thing. Youngsters these days will never believe you.

[Ricko 0]

Blacko, I think you''re referring to the 71/72 promotion season. Millwall was the first ever City away game I went to - perhaps not the cleverest of choices. I too travelled on the ''special'' down to Liverpool Street. For some obscure reason - probably youthful naivety - I wore my City scarf with few problems until I got to Cold Blow Lane. There I proceeded to wander into the home end, a visit that lasted all of two seconds, then I made a hasty attempt to get to the far end of the ground where I assumed the Norwich fans would be. I was persistently tripped as I walked along the terracing at the side of the ground and just as I arrived at the other end the previously singing Norwich fans were attacked from behind and all hell broke loose. I spent the rest of the game with my scarf tucked inside my jacket and one eye looking over my shoulder. Fortunately, I got chatting to an OK Millwall fan and we just talked about how our two teams might do, etc. Norwich lost 2-1 - our first defeat that season - and Millwall fans followed us back to Liverpool St for more fun and games later.

Other than that both legs of the League Cup semi-final the following season against Chelsea were absolute nightmares from a personal safety point of view. Then there were the various home games against Man U in the 70s that ended in violence and the game at Portsmouth in 1975 where we clinched promotion was notable for constant battles on the terraces.

Ah, happy days!

[At last? 0]

What really got my goat was a group of Ipsh*t fans looking to beat up Norwich fans on the train back from an ENGLAND game cause "a Norwich fan had laughed at them on the way down"

Tssrs

To be fair have met a few decentish Ipswich lads while away following England and as usual ist just the few that ruin it.

[Gromitt 12]

Sheffield Utd, Bramall Lane 99/2000 season (I Think) midweek game. Dying for a pint dived into pub near ground full of SUFC fans? fairly quiet and placid looking wandered upto to bar ordered 4 pints at which point goon next to us at bar leans over and says
" do you know our little yellow bird song"
reply " err no"
goon " well we''re gonna stamp it all over your ''kin head"
reply" thats nice"
at this point looking at barman waiting for him to say "give it arrest" unfortunately he just smiles showing more gaps in teeth than Iwan and laughs while leaning two fisted on bar like the ape that he appeared displaying H A T E tattoed across knuckles of each hand.

As pint had arrived by this point swiftly dispatched it departed the way we came.

[Paradox 0]

My story is from Cardiff at the play off final. The was me, my bird, my big brother and my mate richie. We were having a great day, and wanted to find an offee to get some beers in. We had walked past the EDP sponsored pub and it was a joy to look at - yellow chested canaries everywhere. Anyway, whilst walking round the other side of the ground we began to see more and more B''ham fans. Now I''m an eternal optimist and reassured richie, kate and my bro that all would be fine - besides it was a sunny day.

We turned the next corner and it was blue as far as you could see. oh well i thought, grabbed my girlfriends hand and we walked towards them, then into them. I can remember just hearing an insanely loud chorus of "who the F*cking hell are you?" At this point is was starting to become a little intimidating as the shaven headed monkeys. At which point they poured beer all over richies head - poor old richie!!

[Cantley 0]

I think Binners are like dogs. They only chase you if you run..

[The Lord 0]

well ive only been to two matches away from carrow road, one being cardiff (millenium) and the other reading ..i have to say they were both brilliant days and didnt witness an ounce of trouble. In cardiff when we lost i must have shook about 20 birmingham fans hands as they said ''unlucky u played well'' and theyre was the usual banter but no fights or anything.. then in reading me and 3 other friends walked all away around the ground, club shop and down from the ''hill'' the stadium is built on and dint even get a dodge look. on the way back on the coach we got a few hand signals to which we replyed with a ''cherrio'' wave but thats it. though reading is not reknowned for trouble i was glad to see birmingham beat millwall in there play off semi final as i didnt really fancy seeing 30,000 millwall supporters in cardiff!

[susie b 0]

Fool, your post reminded me of something I used to say to children in the playground when they came up to me and said "miss, miss....tell him/her to stop chasing me". My response was always, "well stand still, then he/she can''t chase you". Some thought about this and were able to act accordingly, but most just ran off and carried on running until the next time they came to bother me with "miss, miss..."!

[Plastic Scouser 0]

Standing on the tube going to Stamford Bridge proudly decked out in my 60''s replica City top - train pulls into Paddington and on pile about a dozen of the most neanderthal skinheads I have ever seen - Chelsea tats on their knuckles and necks (a la Beckham). Spent the rest of the journey staring me out as they stood about 5ft away. Thankfully it was a full carriage and a busy Saturday afternoon - wouldn''t have fancied my chances if it was an evening game! As for intimidating grounds - has to the walk to Upton Park or the Old Den! Mind you the worst bit of violence I''ve ever seen was between Celtic & Rangers fans returning from separate UEFA Cup games two sets of fans decided to stop off at services on the M6 services just north of Brum. Absolutely vicious attack on the Rangers fans - one poor bloke was knocked down in the entrance to the services whilst about 5 or 6 fans stamped on the poor bloke - all in front of families etc. Took ages for the rozzers to arrive and separate the fans...