Colenall Funch Mk

The slump that began after 1981 effected ALL clubs.
The *malaise*, as it was called.
I remember watching on the telly the vast bald patches of concrete behind each goal wishing I could grow up, fly to England (I lived abroad as a kid) and hurry up and go...
We'd get the Sunday papers on Tuesday, costing more than my pocket money... And since the local island paper has the results, we would just browse the London papers to see the attendances.
I cannot explain why I was transfixed by reading the attendances.
In fact, I was overjoyed when I noticed that in America, they too, published the gate figure for their sports, and amazed that 80000 watched college kids...
I just couldn't understand it.
I got back to UK in 87 and was there to see Chelsea go down.
Surely there was more than forty thousand for the Boro match?
I'm now convinced that *guess the crowd* was a mugs game! Surely there were so many fiddles.
I've worked events where you pay at the door, lots of fresh cash, lots of leeway to let people slide by... Then the promoter announces the taking and you know there oughta be more considering the crowd.
I like how Chelsea fans STAYED AWAY from Stamford Bridge but amassed an ARMY for away matches during our *Dark* spell in Division 2...
It shows discerning critique... And sorry to get all Sociological...
But we were LOSING our club... It was on the brink...
But as an ARMY, away from home-- we became the Owners of the club. Like airline stewards who own the whole airline once yer up in the air and away from Head Office-- the fans were the face of the Company away from home.
This was a *power* that home fans don't have. As away support, the entire *process* is owned by the fans-- the ritual, the journey, the standing one's ground...
Cup Final 97 was when we showed our history and the reach of our fan base... People wearing shirts from the 60s... Fans arriving from all over the world...
And yet... The next day, the headline?
*Beckham quits United.*

The slump that began after 1981 effected ALL clubs.
The *malaise*, as it was called.
I remember watching on the telly the vast bald patches of concrete behind each goal wishing I could grow up, fly to England (I lived abroad as a kid) and hurry up and go...
We'd get the Sunday papers on Tuesday, costing more than my pocket money... And since the local island paper has the results, we would just browse the London papers to see the attendances.
I cannot explain why I was transfixed by reading the attendances.
In fact, I was overjoyed when I noticed that in America, they too, published the gate figure for their sports, and amazed that 80000 watched college kids...
I just couldn't understand it.
I got back to UK in 87 and was there to see Chelsea go down.
Surely there was more than forty thousand for the Boro match?
I'm now convinced that *guess the crowd* was a mugs game! Surely there were so many fiddles.
I've worked events where you pay at the door, lots of fresh cash, lots of leeway to let people slide by... Then the promoter announces the taking and you know there oughta be more considering the crowd.
I like how Chelsea fans STAYED AWAY from Stamford Bridge but amassed an ARMY for away matches during our *Dark* spell in Division 2...
It shows discerning critique... And sorry to get all Sociological...
But we were LOSING our club... It was on the brink...
But as an ARMY, away from home-- we became the Owners of the club. Like airline stewards who own the whole airline once yer up in the air and away from Head Office-- the fans were the face of the Company away from home.
This was a *power* that home fans don't have. As away support, the entire *process* is owned by the fans-- the ritual, the journey, the standing one's ground...
Cup Final 97 was when we showed our history and the reach of our fan base... People wearing shirts from the 60s... Fans arriving from all over the world...
And yet... The next day, the headline?
*Beckham quits United.*

The slump that began after 1981 effected ALL clubs.
The *malaise*, as it was called.
I remember watching on the telly the vast bald patches of concrete behind each goal wishing I could grow up, fly to England (I lived abroad as a kid) and hurry up and go...
We'd get the Sunday papers on Tuesday, costing more than my pocket money... And since the local island paper has the results, we would just browse the London papers to see the attendances.
I cannot explain why I was transfixed by reading the attendances.
In fact, I was overjoyed when I noticed that in America, they too, published the gate figure for their sports, and amazed that 80000 watched college kids...
I just couldn't understand it.
I got back to UK in 87 and was there to see Chelsea go down.
Surely there was more than forty thousand for the Boro match?
I'm now convinced that *guess the crowd* was a mugs game! Surely there were so many fiddles.
I've worked events where you pay at the door, lots of fresh cash, lots of leeway to let people slide by... Then the promoter announces the taking and you know there oughta be more considering the crowd.
I like how Chelsea fans STAYED AWAY from Stamford Bridge but amassed an ARMY for away matches during our *Dark* spell in Division 2...
It shows discerning critique... And sorry to get all Sociological...
But we were LOSING our club... It was on the brink...
But as an ARMY, away from home-- we became the Owners of the club. Like airline stewards who own the whole airline once yer up in the air and away from Head Office-- the fans were the face of the Company away from home.
This was a *power* that home fans don't have. As away support, the entire *process* is owned by the fans-- the ritual, the journey, the standing one's ground...
Cup Final 97 was when we showed our history and the reach of our fan base... People wearing shirts from the 60s... Fans arriving from all over the world...
And yet... The next day, the headline?
*Beckham quits United.*

Ha-ha thanks for the correction!
Of course I was hungover that day.
I remember Chelsea fans singing *Où est Cantona?*
And I meant 87-88. Perfect payback beating em twice at Wembley.

The slump that began after 1981 effected ALL clubs.
The *malaise*, as it was called.
I remember watching on the telly the vast bald patches of concrete behind each goal wishing I could grow up, fly to England (I lived abroad as a kid) and hurry up and go...
We'd get the Sunday papers on Tuesday, costing more than my pocket money... And since the local island paper has the results, we would just browse the London papers to see the attendances.
I cannot explain why I was transfixed by reading the attendances.
In fact, I was overjoyed when I noticed that in America, they too, published the gate figure for their sports, and amazed that 80000 watched college kids...
I just couldn't understand it.
I got back to UK in 87 and was there to see Chelsea go down.
Surely there was more than forty thousand for the Boro match?
I'm now convinced that *guess the crowd* was a mugs game! Surely there were so many fiddles.
I've worked events where you pay at the door, lots of fresh cash, lots of leeway to let people slide by... Then the promoter announces the taking and you know there oughta be more considering the crowd.
I like how Chelsea fans STAYED AWAY from Stamford Bridge but amassed an ARMY for away matches during our *Dark* spell in Division 2...
It shows discerning critique... And sorry to get all Sociological...
But we were LOSING our club... It was on the brink...
But as an ARMY, away from home-- we became the Owners of the club. Like airline stewards who own the whole airline once yer up in the air and away from Head Office-- the fans were the face of the Company away from home.
This was a *power* that home fans don't have. As away support, the entire *process* is owned by the fans-- the ritual, the journey, the standing one's ground...
Cup Final 97 was when we showed our history and the reach of our fan base... People wearing shirts from the 60s... Fans arriving from all over the world...
And yet... The next day, the headline?
*Beckham quits United.*

Ha-ha thanks for the correction!
Of course I was hungover that day.
I remember Chelsea fans singing *Où est Cantona?*
And I meant 87-88. Perfect payback beating em twice at Wembley.

Ok so I've worked out the upload process... This is a tribute to the Shed I did in Montreal

Sorry if already posted
Stamford Bridge 77 ish?
Sports Injuries via Pathe News. Some good contrast between the crumbly terrace steps and the clinical lines of the East Stand that sorta represented our all-round image.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=baH3lnaEq7c

Sorry if already posted
Stamford Bridge 77 ish?
Sports Injuries via Pathe News. Some good contrast between the crumbly terrace steps and the clinical lines of the East Stand that sorta represented our all-round image.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=baH3lnaEq7c

Ok so I've worked out the upload process... This is a tribute to the Shed I did in Montreal

Likes!
Lads, there is a "like button" on each posting, CLICK IT if you like the post. Its daft that I have 52 likes and Eddie Mac only 32. He is the main man here who has gone to great lengths to supply us with the video. I like my likes as I know I have a lot of input into this era but please, click on Eddies films if you like them.

Legal graffiti I done here in Montreal...
A dream come true to mark this turf with the blood from our manor...
Graf is an entire subculture that I entered after they shut down the terraces... It's the same fing as being on a terrace, except you have a spray can.
We get the same stigma as hooligans... Just a different arena.
Chelsea here, Chelsea there, Chelsea fuvking everywhere...

That bloke Suggs at Wembley back when we had no history in 1997... All of us just happened to be in the Wembley area and came over to see what the fuss was about.
Some guy with a beard and 60000 scarves for sale, presto: instant plastic army of us.

That bloke Suggs at Wembley back when we had no history in 1997... All of us just happened to be in the Wembley area and came over to see what the fuss was about.
Some guy with a beard and 60000 scarves for sale, presto: instant plastic army of us.

Shed from West vs Oldham 1989 just after the ban was lifted.

That bloke Suggs at Wembley back when we had no history in 1997... All of us just happened to be in the Wembley area and came over to see what the fuss was about.
Some guy with a beard and 60000 scarves for sale, presto: instant plastic army of us.

Shed from West vs Oldham 1989 just after the ban was lifted.

Ok so I've worked out the upload process... This is a tribute to the Shed I did in Montreal

I'm now a street artist in Montreal... I got attracted to graffiti as a kid when I first saw *Chelsea* scrawled every where...
I LOVE this thread.
It is possibly the most important document of social history I have EVER come across.
I killed 2 days of my life reading it. Will look for pics from the past to add to the quality here.
For now, here is a sample of a piece I did here in Montreal. To be able to mark this territory with the heraldry of the Shed is my dream come true.

Shed from West vs Oldham 1989 just after the ban was lifted.

That bloke Suggs at Wembley back when we had no history in 1997... All of us just happened to be in the Wembley area and came over to see what the fuss was about.
Some guy with a beard and 60000 scarves for sale, presto: instant plastic army of us.

Shed from West vs Oldham 1989 just after the ban was lifted.

Ok so I've worked out the upload process... This is a tribute to the Shed I did in Montreal

That bloke Suggs at Wembley back when we had no history in 1997... All of us just happened to be in the Wembley area and came over to see what the fuss was about.
Some guy with a beard and 60000 scarves for sale, presto: instant plastic army of us.

Shed from West vs Oldham 1989 just after the ban was lifted.