KEYNSHAM NEWS

I just joined this site after reading various accounts of 74-black bull and 75-on the shed. We came up the steps of fulham broadway into the road about 40 of us-a mixture of long hairs and wedge haircuts, thought i was the kid with my fiorrucci jeans and plastic sandles. The landlord of the Britt defended his door with a iron bar if i remember-he didnt last too long, outnumbered his windows went in. Fulham old bill quickly arrived in black transits and moved us on -we plot up further down the road in the Black Bull-this was the Anglo Scottish Cup 1974. I was nineteen years old, into soul music down the Guildhall every weekend. Drinking up time came and i was sat near the door, bang-the door opens and in comes a one-armed man with a small afro and denim waistcoat, (by his side was a dark -skinned bloke with long hair). He came out with the immortal words that i will never forget-"You Bristol c**ts think your flash-but were flasher" a dart was thrown at him which connected in his forehead-then all hell broke loose, the place turned into a wid west saloon brawl-sitting by the door my head and back were badly cut but wouldnt go to the local hospital, that man was one of the bravest blokes ive seen and i couldnt believe it when i seen his photo on your site at a party in Lewisham. After that we were escorted round to the North Stand terrace-what was left of us got kicked all over the place, had to climb the fence into the East stand. I remember being at Paddington later on queuing up for the train-turn around and you lot were there-dustbins being thrown the lot. Im 58 yrs old now-3 yrs down the road with Parkinsons, but my memories crystal clear. Fast-forward one year 1975, league match, three transit loads move as one across the forecourt and up the steps rhs of the shed-the young lads in there with thier Union flags move away from our small group-only about 25 of us.I think Pat Dolan mentioned this in his book! The old bill come around and start to move us down to the dog-track, we walk round to the North-Stand to applause from the away support separated from your lot by a line of police.The game starts and in the top rh corner a large mob of late-comers arrive-"Chelsea aggro" comes from the shed-but its late Bristol Boys steaming into the back of your lot, which causes a ripple effect onto the pitch! I've never been a top boy-theres no shame in that, but i've always been there, done my bit and i hope never let anyone down This all happened 38 yrs ago and our support has a bit of a bad rep today, and this arose last season when we played the boys from the Barking Road-at the home match some of my London friends were drinking at the waterfront bars in the centre of Bristol. I turned up on my own thinking it would be ok-i couldnt be more wrong! i was quickly surrounded -but not touched- on the say-so of a giant of a bloke. He asked me what i thought of an incident outside the Queens. Rather than say what he wanted to hear i answered truthfully-IF it happened and i have my doubts- tho i wasnt there-i would be ashamed-his response-"He's old skool, leave him alone"!