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I went to Leeds quite a few times and didn't find it all that scary although if you walked to and from the ground the bombed out zone between the city centre and Elland road could be a bit hairy, lots of rubble lying around just waiting for someone to pick up and lob it.

On one occasion myself and two mates decided to have a drink in the pub closest to the ground, I think it was called the 'Peacock'. I went to the bar to order the drinks and asked my mate Ian what he wanted, he replied a lager top. About fifty heads turned to stare at us but we had no trouble, maybe they thought we must be nutters to be in there, I don't know, anyway they left us alone.

 
OldGuard said:
What a day that was. I was stood with 'Kojak' and 'China' who was from Bristol. Me and China made our way over from Paddington on the tube and saw a few Chelsea coming away from the ground back into the tube station as we got there, which was not re-assuring. We made our way up to the Den and got in the ground just before kick off. We saw Kojak and he told us of all the trouble that had kicked off earlier. We were right next to the fence that seperated the CBL from the side enclosure. There were a few of the Millwall lads stood around us. Fotunately some of them also use to go over to Chelsea as well at the time and they knew Kojak. They were chatting to the three of us and obviously knew we were Chelsea. Each time Millwall scored they went mental and the three of us just stood there in silence. To be fair, the Millwall mob we were standing with were ok. They could have kicked the sh*t out of the 3 of us at any moment but didn't. Must admit as time went on I was feeling more and more vulnerable. Just before the final whistle me and China said our goodbye to Kojak and took our chances in the street. Getting back to the tube was a heads down, keep your mouth shut, hope for the best situation. We were making our way back to the tube and I just felt that me and China stuck out like a bulldogs boll*cks. There were lots of Millwall about looking to pick off any Chelsea. Then China said "O f*ck. Some of them know me". He had spotted a couple of Millwall further up the road he knew who also went over to the Bridge. We couldn't turn back at that point so just walked through with the crowd, fortunately undetected. We made it to the tube and I have to admit have never been so relieved to hear the sound of the doors shutting on a tube train. The next home game in the Black Bull Eccles told us of his 'adventures' that day. China had been going to Chelsea since the late sixties and knew Eccles and Greenaway quite well. Happy days, great memories.
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Also went to the Millwall away game 4th Sept 1976, my 2nd full season supporting Chels'. Like you stood in the CBL end, to the right of the goal post, went with 5 other lads from Stevenage. we were pictured in the next home game programme against Bolton. I remember the Chelsea making themselves known, and the Millwall fans making their way, from all around the ground to the Chelsea mob, I don't know how many were there. Things kicked of periodically during the game, I heard several Chelsea were stabbed. It was rumored West Ham ran with Millwall that day. The people behind us knew we were Chels' supporters, but looked after us. Once there was a battle there' In Mill In Millwall !
 
Who's mob was tougher and who's ground was scarier: Southampton or Portsmouth? I know they have bitter rivalry so kind of interesting to hear more about it and we play Soton today in the Cup.

 
BelgradeCFC said:
Who's mob was tougher and who's ground was scarier: Southampton or Portsmouth? I know they have bitter rivalry so kind of interesting to hear more about it and we play Soton today in the Cup.
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Portsmouth by a long way on both counts. Pompey were always up for it, whereas Southampton were the more athletic mob, very good at running.

 
BlueBeard said:
Portsmouth by a long way on both counts. Pompey were always up for it, whereas Southampton were the more athletic mob, very good at running.
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lol

I've read somewhere they always had a fight with each other when going on England matches and they were the only two mobs  who couldn't resist beating one another. How much is true in it?

 
BelgradeCFC said:
lol
I've read somewhere they always had a fight with each other when going on England matches and they were the only two mobs  who couldn't resist beating one another. How much is true in it?
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I never went to watch England, but that wouldn't surprise me in the least! Southampton would always fight Pompey, but I don't remember them ever fighting anyone else, especially not us! Chelsea and West Ham didn't exactly see eye to eye at England games either from what I've heard - not really a shock :wink:

 
It seems they were only up against Pompey and rest of the season training athleticism, so it's no wonder they are the fittest city in England  :biggrin:

 
Gonna resurrect this thread and put Birmingham in purely on personal experience. Only God knows how some of you got out of WHL and The Den alive, fair play to you.

I went to Brums ground a few times to see The Chels but one sticks out and has been mentioned in here. We lost 5-1 on a night game, 79/80ish. I took a mate from work who liked Chelsea but had never been, he was a bit of a timid type and didnt like the reputation our fans had in those days. Anyway i agreed to take him the back streets way avoiding New Street and Digbeth. Big mistake, Chelsea fans had started arriving mid afternoon and there were small skirmishes all over Brum, By the time we got down there some of the Brum gangs had started looking round these same back streets picking Chelsea fans off. Something serious had gone off near The Crown pub, there was a bus pulled up and the driver looked shell shocked, from what i can gather a fight started in front of the bus and a Chelsea fan lost his eye. My mate wanted to turn back but i talked him out of it saying that we would be ok as we got nearer the ground. We got stopped by some Chelsea and had to convince them we were also Chelsea, we got stopped by Brummies and laid our thickest accent on and told em we were going to see a band ha ha.

We got to St Andrews and there was already talk that quite a few Chelsea had got done on the way down and that Brum were to get a little pay back once Chelsea had mobbed up. This scared my mate again (he was a black belt as well!!) so i agreed to sit in the seats with Brums fans to watch the game.We were dreadful and me and my mate also got sussed. Brum won a free kick and Tommy Langley fetched the ball and placed it where the kick was to be taken, he got a mini round of applause for this and a bloke behind me asked who it was, i responded "Tommy Langley" and he laughed and said "i knew you were Chelsea, we've scored five and you aint budged". Everyone around just laughed until towards the end of the game when true to form the Chelsea fans were now mobbed up and took it to Brum inside the ground. For the first time that evening i agreed with my mate and we made a discreet exit, i couldnt wait to get him out of Brum that day. My name was mud at work the next day, taking that nice harmless lad to a Chelsea game.

I dont think he ever went again but it would take more than a scary night in Brum to stop me following Chelsea..

 
In the seventies you probably expected trouble at most away grounds.You could usually expect trouble on the way back to the station and seeing fighting was the norm.Scariest grounds in the seventies Cold Blow Lane,Upton Park,Ninian Park,Elland Road,St James Park in no particular order.Best to stick together back then.

 
Travelled to most of these destinations in the 70s I felt more excited than scared, as I got older the tables gradually changed the excitement lessened with a proportional increase on the scary side. I suppose it is called getting older without getting wiser.

 
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West Ham in the 1980's always iffy outside.

You also tended to get the local Geography questionnaires after the game.

 
zinc alloy said:
West Ham in the 1980's always iffy outside.

You also tended to get the local Geography questionnaires after the game.
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I got caught out wearing the wrong jumper? I think it was the 1984 game I was only about 15 and I was walking around the queens market just killing a bit of time when 4 lads started kicking me from behind calling me Chelsea this and that, I said I was West ham and they said bo**ocks your wearing a Pringle jumper and we don't wear them because the badge is too much like Chelsea's. I done a runner and got two cracks in my earhole for good measure. I hadn't heard that before about Pringles so not sure if it was true? But it caught me out, it was also a sh*tty market, so serves me right for hanging around there.

Another west ham experience was the night game when we won 2-1, 86ish. I remember coming out and walking up towards the tube station and all the West ham were on the other side of the road and one of their fella's had a riot shield, madness! As we walked to the tube the whole Chelsea line was very quiet!


 
At the 60ish grounds ive visited since late 60s it seems that in the 70s and 80s there were scary places and scenarios but included myself in a lot of these situations as a matter of course because one trusted the groups you followed...Nowadays i certainly need beer to bolster my aging torso and mind...Problem is , as im an aged bod now facing off spam or y*ds probably has them thinking....LOOK AT THAT SILLY OLD C@@@

 
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Mike Carefree said:
At the 60ish grounds ive visited since late 60s it seems that in the 70s and 80s there were scary places and scenarios but included myself in a lot of these situations as a matter of course because one trusted the groups you followed...Nowadays i certainly need beer to bolster my aging torso and mind...Problem is , as im an aged bod now facing off spam or y*ds probably has them thinking....LOOK AT THAT SILLY OLD C@@@
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If I ever have the pleasure of meeting you Mike I'll introduce you to my uncle Ken. He's 72 and still fronts up to everyone he is a bloody nightmare to be honest. Very proud east Londoner that when we played west ham in 2008 after the game he went in the Queens for a pint and a chat!!!! Hence I said my good byes and went for a curry in brick lane, I often call him a silly old c@@@!

 
West Ham, early 80s. Hardly any Chelsea turned up. Nearly got a hiding but was an apprentice and at East Ham college at the time, luckily so were some of the large West Ham mob who 'met' up with my little group, and we agreed to all walk off in different directions.

Was late teens at the time, but most of the West Ham boys were in their 30s & 40s, and really big lads

 
Mike Carefree said:
I dont like saying this but spudland isnt the best of places outside 
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Last went there in Dec 2006 to ironically see Southend in the Quarter Final of the Carling Cup. Spuds won 1-0, last min extra time goal. No previous history between the clubs, but heard of some shocking tales the following week of Southend fans being attacked outside afterwards, making their way back to coaches/train stations. Very cowardly ones as well.

Recall inside Southend had the whole Park Lane end, and Spuds fans singing 'theres a Pikey in my seat'. No action taken. When Southend fans retorted with 'I'd rather be a Pikey than a Jew' loads were thrown out by their stewards. Bias or what?.

 
Well there probably was a pikey in that seat if it was southends area...I must say i found the spud security quite amenable yesterday.......Spud fans ...They wernt that brave on the train to Bruce grove , but did see some real toughs afterwards......I have to admit i think they are quite a good gang slightly second to wet spam nowadays ..but hey what do i know

 
There were lots of Blues taking the piss yday...Everytime spuds sang the y  army song chelsea fans were asking for their removal from the ground on the idea that some chelsea are jews and are offended. of course they were replied with a grin and a wink

 
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I went to Spurs yday, we had loads of our usual suspects out, some at the game & some of our exiled elsewhere, i heard 100s of Chelsea got off at Bruce Grove putting the plod in to a panic, before & after i drank in Spurs pubs with no hassle, i saw a small group of Spurs who all looked like old skool thugs outside the ground.

It just shows how fv is finished over here when Spurs v Chelsea, Millwall v Leeds, Fulham v Cardiff & QPR v Boro can all be played in London on the same day with no incidents.

 
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