'Taking the Holte'

[WarszaVillan]

Rangers weren't that tough, they didn't take the Holte for the whole 90 minutes of the game.

So what happened?

We went 2-0 up, some Villa fans brandished an Irish tricolour to taunt Rangers, and they decided it was time to invade the pitch and come and engage the Villa fans in a debate about transubstantiation.

But what happened once they were in the Holte. Did they stay the whole game? Did the police evict them?

[willywombat]

There were too many of them for the Police to evict. They had got onto the terrace early on that morning and stayed there until the match was abandoned

[Nev]

I always remember that chant of "You'll never take the Holte End" sung with gusto but followed by a few coughs and splutters and mentions of Rangers.

[Fasth56]

Against Millwall in 1976, at the end of the game Millwall met us as we were leaving the Holte onto Witton lane. They had left early and were trying to get in.

[Dave Clark Five]

At some grounds they opened the gates at half time or soon after. At Burnden Park in the early 70s, Villa crossed the pitch and took the Lever End before the game. This was quite early on. Bolton mobbed up in the open end and came round to reclaim their end as soon as the gates opened. Quite a regular occurrence. Few grounds had the transfer gate that we had at Villa Park. You could pay for the privilege of going into the Witton via the Enclosure.

[Risso]

Haven't Man U fans "taken the Holte" every year since the Premier League started by just buying a ticket?

[PGW]

Small Heath in 1967 (Oct 21st) had loads up the back right hand side - we lost to em as well 4-2. Greenhalgh and Godfrey home debuts.
Also Tottenham League Cup where they beat us 4-1 remained at back for most of game - police protected em. 1968ish

[Pete]

Against Millwall in 1976, at the end of the game Millwall met us as we were leaving the Holte onto Witton lane. They had left early and were trying to get in.

I was their, almost walked into the middle of it with my Dad, it was a midweek League Cup match. As a youngster who hadn't seen hoolies in action before, I was struck by the fact that the so-called hard men in their Doc Martens were hiding in the Holte while the Milwall were engaged enthusiastically by older Villa fans, many wearing blazers. Funny what you remember.

[Breezeblock]

I remember Small Heath in a cup match during the '80's. About half a dozen knuckledraggers were in "Nutters Corner" (why did they always go there?). As the teams came out they got their scarves out and  it seemed that the entire Holte End instantly converged into the corner and I was suddenly standing on my own on the terraces shaking my head and thinking "stupid knuckledraggers!"

[Kingthing]

In the H&V edition "Holte end's last stand" someone mentions the game, against blues, that Tommy Docherty came on the the pitch before the game and bowed down towards the Holte and the place went mental, it was also mentioned that the Holte was divided diagonally from one corner to the other with one half Villa the other half blues, is this correct? 

[tilecross lion]

The three clubs i know Rangers.Blues i think in 1968 8o% of the Holte reported to be blues and man u not sure what year,many clubs have had considerable success nothing like what the above 3 did.

[PeterWithesShin]

The three clubs i know Rangers.Blues i think in 1968 8o% of the Holte reported to be blues and man u not sure what year,many clubs have had considerable success nothing like what the above 3 did.

And here ends the lesson in how to out yourself as a nose in 1 post.

[Brend'Watkins]

The three clubs i know Rangers.Blues i think in 1968 8o% of the Holte reported to be blues and man u not sure what year,many clubs have had considerable success nothing like what the above 3 did.

And here ends the lesson in how to out yourself as a nose in 1 post.
[/quote]

80% of an end that held 28,000 at capacity back then.  That's 20,000 or so noses that parked themselves in the Holte.

I think tilecross lion has had a wet dream.

[class_of_82]

the fact that rangers took the holte is true but the truth is they took it at about 11-30 pm the night before when the police got in touch with the stadium manager who agreed to open up the gates to the holte end and they were escorted there and let in to remove them from the city centre. i know certain "firms" who used to take a early train to catch opposing fans un-awares but 11-30 at night now thats what i call early.
i was actualy stood next to the guy who got out the tri-color and him doing so lit the blue touch paper as they say. after the game about 500 villa stuck together and went mental i remember a austin princess police car being smashed to bits and about 50 police smashing the hell out of us with batons. then being marched into the city centre and all hanging around the old costermonger pub by oasis market.

[bertlambshank]

The three clubs i know Rangers.Blues i think in 1968 8o% of the Holte reported to be blues and man u not sure what year,many clubs have had considerable success nothing like what the above 3 did.

Have you moved from Lichfield?