blobbyrob Posted October 9, 2022 Share Posted October 9, 2022 2 hours ago, Follyfoot said: He said they got a lot of payback for the return fixture on the Serpentine car park.with a little Arab fella running the show Just a little before my time That sounds like it could have been Pete the Greek. I think he was part of the Kingstanding Steamers mob and a proper nutter. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Follyfoot Posted October 9, 2022 VT Supporter Share Posted October 9, 2022 Just now, blobbyrob said: That sounds like it could have been Pete the Greek. I think he was part of the Kingstanding Steamers mob and a proper nutter. Yes I had it down as being him Mad as a box of frogs. Apparently he used to do one arm press ups in town outside blues pubs on his own suicide missions. I think he also head-butted a police horse once and said it ‘wobbled’ 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blobbyrob Posted October 9, 2022 Share Posted October 9, 2022 1 minute ago, Follyfoot said: Yes I had it down as being him Mad as a box of frogs. Apparently he used to do one arm press ups in town outside blues pubs on his own suicide missions. I think he also head-butted a police horse once and said it ‘wobbled’ That sounds like him I remember queuing to get in the Holte (mid 70's) just as he was being thrown out by the Police. He wasn't best pleased and started head butting the wall. Blood everywhere was a scary sight for a 14 yr old. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LondonLax Posted October 9, 2022 Share Posted October 9, 2022 (edited) I went to the Australia-Croatia game in WC 2006 (the infamous game where Simunic was shown 3 yellow cards before finally being sent off by Graham Poll). Australia and Croatia had a bit of a rivalry and both teams had players who could have opted to play for the other side. The Croatian fans were pretty intimidating in the build up and during match, flares and coordinated chants etc and the atmosphere was pretty aggressive. When we got the draw needed to knock them out of the comp we thought we might be in for some trouble after the match but to their credit the Croatian fans were good as gold after the match wishing us well etc and many even said they’d be adopting Australia as their second team (sadly we didn’t get much further ourselves, thanks to Grosso’s dive ). Edited October 9, 2022 by LondonLax 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rugeley Villa Posted October 9, 2022 Share Posted October 9, 2022 My grandad and uncle used to fill me in with all the tales of following villa home and away during the so called dark days of football . My grandad used to stand next to Pete The Greek at home games. Good old fashioned brawler by all accounts none of that Stone Island rubbish on him . 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Follyfoot Posted October 9, 2022 VT Supporter Share Posted October 9, 2022 (edited) Leeds was another nasty one, especially for the black lads who followed us. They used to spend the entire match making cutthroat gestures at them Edited October 9, 2022 by Follyfoot Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mottaloo Posted October 9, 2022 Share Posted October 9, 2022 2 hours ago, Follyfoot said: Yes I had it down as being him Mad as a box of frogs. Apparently he used to do one arm press ups in town outside blues pubs on his own suicide missions. Yeah, one armed push ups are one thing but bet he didn't have a drink in town. Mate 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HanoiVillan Posted October 9, 2022 Share Posted October 9, 2022 On 08/10/2022 at 20:23, HKP90 said: Not been for a game but Wolverhampton in general is pretty sketchy. I have been all over the world, across 5 continents and the only place I've ever been mugged is Wolverhampton. (I'm sorry to hear about your experience, that absolutely sucks, but) the Custard Bowl might be many things but it doesn't feel remotely dangerous. More sleepy than anything (not that we can talk). 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tayls Posted October 9, 2022 Share Posted October 9, 2022 And yet, you get fans of many others sports all able to have a laugh and drink together and even mingle inside stadia to create a brilliant atmosphere. Football is shit, sometimes. It really is. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
El Zen Posted October 9, 2022 Share Posted October 9, 2022 1 hour ago, Tayls said: And yet, you get fans of many others sports all able to have a laugh and drink together and even mingle inside stadia to create a brilliant atmosphere. Football is shit, sometimes. It really is. Nah, I’d hate to ‘mingle’ with other teams’ fans inside the stadium, or even outside. No room for violence, but it certainly shouldn’t be all nice and friendly. Singing ‘against’ the other fans creates a much better atmosphere, and I’d hate to have a smug word removed from the other team celebrating a goal right in my face. That being said, to answer the headlining question, I’m not sure I’ll ever go to SHA away ever again. What a wretched hive of pure hate, blind violence and flying bottles. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Talldarkandransome Posted October 10, 2022 Share Posted October 10, 2022 Have a recollection of going to Highfield Rd in early to mid 80s with me school mates. Treated like criminals from the train to the shit hole of a ground. They didn't seem bothered what happened after the game though. Barely got back to the train in one piece after being legged through a park. I wasn't a fighter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Davkaus Posted October 10, 2022 Share Posted October 10, 2022 13 hours ago, El Zen said: Nah, I’d hate to ‘mingle’ with other teams’ fans inside the stadium, or even outside. No room for violence, but it certainly shouldn’t be all nice and friendly. Singing ‘against’ the other fans creates a much better atmosphere, and I’d hate to have a smug word removed from the other team celebrating a goal right in my face. That being said, to answer the headlining question, I’m not sure I’ll ever go to SHA away ever again. What a wretched hive of pure hate, blind violence and flying bottles. On balance, a better afternoon of atmosphere and sing-songs probably isn't worth the downside of opposition fans being treated as an amorphous blob of enemy fans, rather than real people. I quite enjoy sitting alongside other fans at rugby, cricket or hockey and knowing it's not going to all kick off outside the ground. For football, I think it's an unsolvable problem at this point, but the tribalism that comes with the better atmosphere is inextricably linked to the violence, IMO Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hev Posted October 10, 2022 Share Posted October 10, 2022 The Sty. I think it was a cup game maybe - some years ago now. We won. Going out of ground their fans were breaking off bits of metal and chucking it down on us - a great big bit narrowly missed me. Then we were penned in the car park whilst their fans were lobbing bottles over. Horrible. Never been since Also i think it may have been first gane back in Championship Sheff Wed away. The crush in the foyer areas was awful. I was genuinely fearful Dont really go to away games any more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
villa89 Posted October 10, 2022 Share Posted October 10, 2022 16 hours ago, Tayls said: And yet, you get fans of many others sports all able to have a laugh and drink together and even mingle inside stadia to create a brilliant atmosphere. Football is shit, sometimes. It really is. To be honest I think you only get a good atmosphere at football. You need that tribalism, I cant think of any other sport where you atmospheres like you get in football. Rugby, cricket, etc. Zero atmosphere 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VillaJ100 Posted October 10, 2022 Share Posted October 10, 2022 4 hours ago, Hev said: The Sty. I think it was a cup game maybe - some years ago now. We won. Going out of ground their fans were breaking off bits of metal and chucking it down on us - a great big bit narrowly missed me. Then we were penned in the car park whilst their fans were lobbing bottles over. Horrible. Never been since Also i think it may have been first gane back in Championship Sheff Wed away. The crush in the foyer areas was awful. I was genuinely fearful Dont really go to away games any more. Crush and Sheffield Wednesday I mean let's face it should be completely impossible these days Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tayls Posted October 10, 2022 Share Posted October 10, 2022 3 hours ago, villa89 said: To be honest I think you only get a good atmosphere at football. You need that tribalism, I cant think of any other sport where you atmospheres like you get in football. Rugby, cricket, etc. Zero atmosphere When both sets of fans are on form, yea for sure. But when you can’t walk back to your vehicles without having bottles launched at you and your children, then that isn’t great. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
delboy54 Posted October 12, 2022 Share Posted October 12, 2022 Upton Park in the 1970's. The tube station walls were painted.... "West Ham welcome Villa with boots" Made me chuckle, but saw no trouble at the game, bit scary though for 13 year old me with me dad.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NurembergVillan Posted October 13, 2022 Moderator Share Posted October 13, 2022 14 hours ago, delboy54 said: "West Ham welcome Villa with boots" Ooh! Scary!!! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newhavenhibby Posted October 13, 2022 Visiting Supporter Share Posted October 13, 2022 In the Villa supporting days in the 70's and 80's , many grounds were interesting !! but the worst was Millwall in the mid 70's. Middlesbrough in the 80's was also "hectic" Up here , Ibrox was the most intimidating ground I went to in the late 70's..................................................ironically some of the worst violence I have seen at a ground was at Villa Park in 1976 when Rangers played a friendly. Game had to be abandoned after 50 minutes or so due to the trouble after Villa scored their second goal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Fun Factory Posted October 13, 2022 Share Posted October 13, 2022 (edited) I went to see Rapid Bucharest a few years ago which was an experience. Although far from a sell out, the only way to get a ticket was being in a massive queue to a small booth like you normally see programmes being sold at. It was so slow we missed the key off and some of the fans started to rock the booth back and forth to 'speed' things up a bit. It was a total scrum getting a ticket. Then went in the stand which literally bounced with the fans. The concourse was a fug of cigarette smoke and scattered pumpkin seeds on the floor. After the match the walk back to town was pitch black and thought I would get mugged! Think they have a new boring stadium now. Selhurst Park is a sordid little grief hole and I am amazed it is allowed in the premier league. i have been to League One grounds better than that. Edited October 13, 2022 by The Fun Factory Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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