Other "mobs" turning up

[PeterWithe]

The SHA away game in 87, when we won with two Bruno goals, was a bit lively, we must have had half the crowd in our two small paddocks.

[Dave Clark Five]

All way before my time, but this thread has been a great read. Thinking of my comments on another thread, what would you say was the worst/evilest sort of atmosphere you have seen at Villa Park and at an away game?

Worst at Villa Park for me was Rangers. Various Millwall away trips were horrendous but the West Ham FA Cup 6th Round was very grim. Not quite so snidey as Millwall but very heavy in numbers and on your case inside and outside the ground. The turnstile operators were letting them jump over the turnstiles. Most were wearing green flight jackets so it was easy to spot them. The Millwall lot you could pick out, even if they were bedecked in claret and blue, the same as they could spot us. Outside the ground at Maine Road was evil at times, in those ginnels, with Police who didn't give a shit about your safety. Liverpool always has a nasty crew in the Annie Road end. This was in the days of the Stanley knives. I have stood in the Kop twice to dodge them, once when Steve McMahon got sent off for retaliating after Souness raked him with his studs. Another place was Portsmouth. One particular time was an FA Cup match. They were bastards. Stoke was another.

[Bernie]

I remember us being in the Oxford home end before the game in about 72/3. They sneaked in a few at a time, until they had enough to run us out of the end, onto the pitch, just as the teams were coming out. KO was delayed 10 mins until we went in the paddock or open end.
Ref, M'boro cops giving lifts to the station, Toon cops did the same in 75/6 ish, back to Manors station.

Wasn't that Oxford one in 1969?

November '72 I think; early in the month, there were fireworks (real, not metaphorical) flying about

[clash city rocker]

There was also the fans of other clubs that you met on your travels . Remember going to Bolton on one of the specials. It stopped at crewe for some reason and pulled up alongside a train full of West Ham..It then stopped at Wigan where they used to change the engine around and who happened to pull up..A train full of Millwall..Also remember stopping at a pub just outside Derby on our way back from Leeds when a load of Grimsby came charging in..Also bumping into a load of West Ham at a pub at London Bridge on our way back from Palace . Happy days  ..!

[thick_mike]

The SHA away game in 87, when we won with two Bruno goals, was a bit lively, we must have had half the crowd in our two small paddocks.

I was on the kop that day with my girlfriend from Carlisle...have to say that my celebrations of the thommo goals were somewhat muted!

[Dave Clark Five]

I remember us being in the Oxford home end before the game in about 72/3. They sneaked in a few at a time, until they had enough to run us out of the end, onto the pitch, just as the teams were coming out. KO was delayed 10 mins until we went in the paddock or open end.
Ref, M'boro cops giving lifts to the station, Toon cops did the same in 75/6 ish, back to Manors station.

Wasn't that Oxford one in 1969?

November '72 I think; early in the month, there were fireworks (real, not metaphorical) flying about

There was also some serious disorder there in either '68 or '69 when Villa had tried to take there end. I will find some cuttings on it later this week.

[Damo70]

I remember a hat-trick of games at St Andrews in the early eighties where it was moody to say the least. Boxing day 1982, the game the following season around March '84 and in between we played them in the Birmingham senior cup final. I think it was a week before the start of the season, both sides were at full strength and there was a relatively decent crowd. Decent in numbers, not decent when it came to attitude and intent.

[Bernie]

I remember us being in the Oxford home end before the game in about 72/3. They sneaked in a few at a time, until they had enough to run us out of the end, onto the pitch, just as the teams were coming out. KO was delayed 10 mins until we went in the paddock or open end.
Ref, M'boro cops giving lifts to the station, Toon cops did the same in 75/6 ish, back to Manors station.

Wasn't that Oxford one in 1969?

November '72 I think; early in the month, there were fireworks (real, not metaphorical) flying about

There was also some serious disorder there in either '68 or '69 when Villa had tried to take there end. I will find some cuttings on it later this week.

That rings a bell, Easter '69, we lost 1-0. My first away match other than SHA- I had my Villa bobble hat pinched!

[ADVILLAFAN]

Here is the other one:

My dad has that programme, although I think it would have been from before he started going. The lady in the picture is from Middlesbrough and it was her birthday and I think all the Villa fans were buying her drinks all night.

[Richard E]

The SHA away game in 87, when we won with two Bruno goals, was a bit lively, we must have had half the crowd in our two small paddocks.

I was on the kop that day with my girlfriend from Carlisle...have to say that my celebrations of the thommo goals were somewhat muted!

I was 17 and I was only prepared to go as long as my Dad went with me. Seem to remember it being pretty tasty at the intersection between their stand and our section.

[steamer]

Bernie,
You never told me you had a Bobble Hat !!!!!!!!!!
thank god they nicked it and did not replace it.

[lennythekad]

I'd have to go for Rangers too re. home games. Got off the train at Aston, but we were too scared to leave the station, as there was a huge mob of 'em inside and outside the Swanpool Tavern, (as it was then). We crossed the tracks and went down the embankment and over the fence into Lovers Walk, feeling pleased with ourselves, only to come out by The Ads, where there was an even bigger mob of 'em drinking, in the car park. You could hear a pin drop as we tiptoed past on the other side of the road by the three storey flats, them staring at us, hoping somebody would make eye contact, signalling a charge over the road at us, which, fortunately didn't come.
I remember the coppers trying to get in amongst the Rangers fans at the back of the Holte during the game, only to be driven back by a huge salvo of bottles.
I'll stand being corrected, but I think there were half a dozen stabbings, and the victims were all Rangers fans.

[Bernie]

I'd have to go for Rangers too re. home games. Got off the train at Aston, but we were too scared to leave the station, as there was a huge mob of 'em inside and outside the Swanpool Tavern, (as it was then). We crossed the tracks and went down the embankment and over the fence into Lovers Walk, feeling pleased with ourselves, only to come out by The Ads, where there was an even bigger mob of 'em drinking, in the car park. You could hear a pin drop as we tiptoed past on the other side of the road by the three storey flats, them staring at us, hoping somebody would make eye contact, signalling a charge over the road at us, which, fortunately didn't come.
I remember the coppers trying to get in amongst the Rangers fans at the back of the Holte during the game, only to be driven back by a huge salvo of bottles.
I'll stand being corrected, but I think there were half a dozen stabbings, and the victims were all Rangers fans.

Bernie,
You never told me you had a Bobble Hat !!!!!!!!!!
thank god they nicked it and did not replace it.

Nothing wrong with bobble hats, they'll be back in fashion one day

[Dave Clark Five]

I'd have to go for Rangers too re. home games. Got off the train at Aston, but we were too scared to leave the station, as there was a huge mob of 'em inside and outside the Swanpool Tavern, (as it was then). We crossed the tracks and went down the embankment and over the fence into Lovers Walk, feeling pleased with ourselves, only to come out by The Ads, where there was an even bigger mob of 'em drinking, in the car park. You could hear a pin drop as we tiptoed past on the other side of the road by the three storey flats, them staring at us, hoping somebody would make eye contact, signalling a charge over the road at us, which, fortunately didn't come.
I remember the coppers trying to get in amongst the Rangers fans at the back of the Holte during the game, only to be driven back by a huge salvo of bottles.
I'll stand being corrected, but I think there were half a dozen stabbings, and the victims were all Rangers fans.

There were a load of them in the Aston Social before the game but they were not causing much grief at the time. The sound coming out of the Holte End as I walked past was that of bottles smashing and lots of angry shouting. That made my mind up. I went straight into the Enclosure, only to have to leg it when the game got abandoned. When I got into town, there were whisky bottles and the odd Rangers fan lying in the street by the Rotunda.

[andyaston]

The SHA away game in 87, when we won with two Bruno goals, was a bit lively, we must have had half the crowd in our two small paddocks.

I was on the kop that day with my girlfriend from Carlisle...have to say that my celebrations of the thommo goals were somewhat muted!

I was 17 and I was only prepared to go as long as my Dad went with me. Seem to remember it being pretty tasty at the intersection between their stand and our section.

I was 13 then and went with my big brother, it was a nasty atmosphere. The ball went through the hole in the net for their goal but, thankfully Thommo got a goal either side of that. I remember being in the Tilton and looking towards the Kop where most of them seemed more interested in us than the game. Afterwards, outside they were looking for anything not wearing blue, horrible lot,