Match going experience (the 80's)

[Big Geordie]

A look back to my match going experience and what I can remember from the 1980's.

 

My first game was in early 82 - Shrewsbury at home, I think but I can't really remember it. I remember being at Keegan's debut later in the year-  gates were shut at 130pm. Was with my dad, in the old Family Enclosure in the old West Stand, next to the Leazes End.  Big games back then were exactly that - absolutely heaving. Supporters bus from Cambois with my dad and his mate's at about 1pm - picking up from Bedlington before heading. Loads of good craic at the back of the bus often having to sit on dad's knee, if the bus was busy. Once in town - if we had time, head to the old Companion's Club (now the Leazes Club, IIRC) - quick pint for my dad and a glass of pop for me. Then we headed in - round the back of the Gallowgate then up the back of the West Stand. I remember the shouts of 'Programme!' from the sellers - the smell of the boiled burgers from the wee hot dog vans and massive queues to get in. Once in the ground - the smell of baccy, tabs, farts and probably hops from the old S&N brewery.  The noise from people stamping their feets in the old wooden west stand, whenever we got a corner or a free kick in a good position. After the match - heading out, across Leazes Park and back onto the supporters bus to head home. 

 

This was typical for me - we didn't see much of the 84/.85 season due to the Miner's Strike (dad was a spark at Bates, Blyth - so they were out too) Dad stopped going to games as much in around 87/88, so by time - was old enough to stand with one of my mate's - first remaining in the West Stand and then shifting on to the corner, in 1989. Experienced all weathers - some in one day (seriously!) 

 

A very different experience to what it is now.  Possibly for the worse? Maybe....

 

 

Edited April 16 by Big Geordie
Typo in title

[TheBrownBottle]

32 minutes ago, Big Geordie said:

A look back to my match going experience and what I can remember from the 1980's.

 

My first game was in early 82 - Shrewsbury at home, I think but I can't really remember it. I remember being at Keegan's debut later in the year-  gates were shut at 130pm. Was with my dad, in the old Family Enclosure in the old West Stand, next to the Leazes End.  Big games back then were exactly that - absolutely heaving. Supporters bus from Cambois with my dad and his mate's at about 1pm - picking up from Bedlington before heading. Loads of good craic at the back of the bus often having to sit on dad's knee, if the bus was busy. Once in town - if we had time, head to the old Companion's Club (now the Leazes Club, IIRC) - quick pint for my dad and a glass of pop for me. Then we headed in - round the back of the Gallowgate then up the back of the West Stand. I remember the shouts of 'Programme!' from the sellers - the smell of the boiled burgers from the wee hot dog vans and massive queues to get in. Once in the ground - the smell of baccy, tabs, farts and probably hops from the old S&N brewery.  The noise from people stamping their feets in the old wooden west stand, whenever we got a corner or a free kick in a good position. After the match - heading out, across Leazes Park and back onto the supporters bus to head home. 

 

This was typical for me - we didn't see much of the 84/.85 season due to the Miner's Strike (dad was a spark at Bates, Blyth - so they were out too) Dad stopped going to games as much in around 87/88, so by time - was old enough to stand with one of my mate's - first remaining in the West Stand and then shifting on to the corner, in 1989. Experienced all weathers - some in one day (seriously!) 

 

A very different experience to what it is now.  Possibly for the worse? Maybe....

 

 

 

Great stuff  

 

I don’t think I can ever burn the memory of the Gallowgate bogs from my memory banks.  To this day I’ve never smelt owt like it outside of the occasional visit to a farm

[Big Geordie]

10 minutes ago, TheBrownBottle said:

Great stuff  

 

I don’t think I can ever burn the memory of the Gallowgate bogs from my memory banks.  To this day I’ve never smelt owt like it outside of the occasional visit to a farm

 

Yup - a gutter against a wall and a bog with no seat on it. Absolutely honking (cc 89) 

[Holloway]

Oooh I love some terrace nostalgia. The humour did it for me,it was everywhere and to me is the most regrettable loss, although I can't comment on away days in recent years.

One of the things I used to love in the Leazes was when the opposing keeper would trot over to take up his position at the start of the half and the whole end would start applauding him, the moment he acknowledged it would trigger a mass showing of the v's and associated abuse. The better keepers would laugh or show the wanker sign 

[TwoForJoy]

You don't realise how much of your freedoms have been eroded until you think back to these days. Remember when Thatcher wanted football fans to have ID card and everyone was up in arms? We're there now by stealth. All seater stadiums and digital tickets you have to provide ID for on request.

 

Back then, you could go to any match you fancied on a whim. Out for a pint with your mates on a Friday night. A few down your neck and egging eachother on. Next thing you know, you're on the Clipper to London at midnight and you're off to see Newcastle play Charlton the following afternoon.

[Jonas]

I just squeezed into the era by starting going in 88/89. None of it should have appealed to a kid especially considering what followed but I was absolutely hooked and the football was the least of it and there were no thoughts of glorious futures or anything, it was just the experience itself. 

When I first went into the Gallowgate bogs (was my haunt from September89-February90 so some point then, post match and dark) I couldn't figure out what the deal was. The next time I had that experience was in the bogs at the Olympic Gallery at Wembley for the Charity Shield - similar urinal, just a floor with some drainage - bit too much like just pissing on the floor to me, which as I hadn't started nights out on the drink I wasn't yet used to. Could have stopped to ponder how far we'd come since the last piss in such a toilet

 

 

Edited April 16 by Jonas

[TheBrownBottle]

34 minutes ago, Jonas said:

I just squeezed into the era by starting going in 88/89. None of it should have appealed to a kid especially considering what followed but I was absolutely hooked and the football was the least of it and there were no thoughts of glorious futures or anything, it was just the experience itself. 

When I first went into the Gallowgate bogs (was my haunt from September89-February90 so some point then, post match and dark) I couldn't figure out what the deal was. The next time I had that experience was in the bogs at the Olympic Gallery at Wembley for the Charity Shield - similar urinal, just a floor with some drainage - bit too much like just pissing on the floor to me, which as I hadn't started nights out on the drink I wasn't yet used to. Could have stopped to ponder how far we'd come since the last piss in such a toilet

 

 

 

Funnily enough the match which sticks out from my mind as a kid in 88/89 is Kenny Wharton’s testimonial - mainly for the Newcastle vs Sunderland match with the old players before it.  I remember it most for my old man getting excited by Pop Robson - I’d never seen him that happy before at the match (tbf it was 88/89).  It’s also still the only time I ever sat in the posh seats in the East Stand - the view of the ground from that angle and the noise was incredible to me.  

[ikri]

My first game was us at home to Ipswich in 84.  It had, and possibly still has, the record for the fastest own goal scored in the top division.  I remember the games being exhilarating but also occasionally terrifying.  Those surges from the crowd when we scored could be a bit much when you're 6.

 

I used to go with my dad and it was always a bit of a treat since he didn't have a lot of money spare and it was often the only time that I'd spend time with him without my sister.  That's what I remember more than the actual games we went to.

[pinkeye]

My first ever match was Newcastle vs Leyton Orient in 1978, I was 12...  

My dad took me and we sat in the Popular Stand.  Now known as the East Stand.

 

I think it was a terrible nil nil draw.

 

I started going more regularly in the early 80's with my school friends, going through the turn-styles at the Gallowgate Corner, getting in really early to get a good spot but, inevitably by the time the game had started we were pushed right to near the front and having to look through the wire fence that surrounded the pitch at that time.  The atmosphere was always incredible leading up to kick off, everyone singing and chanting.  The toilets were so bad!!!  

 

An abiding memory was while I was at a match, and wearing the stylish snorkel jacket that was very much of the time, I was struck on the back on my head by a heavy object which had been thrown, it fell into my hood.  It took quite a while to be able to get my hands up to get the object out of the hood because of the fact that the corner paddock was absolutely rammed.  It turned out to be a bottle full of piss.  

 

There was a lot of racism back then, also a lot of violence.  

 

I make it sound like a nightmare but, it was the best time to be a football supporter.  We were shit but, we seem to always  hover around being reasonable, amazing, terrible (no consistency whatsoever!  )

 

£2 or £3 pay on the gate....  frisked by a policeman then up the steps.  Happy days!

[madras]

We were middle of the scoreboard when I went with my dad. I've no recollection of people pissing in pockets but remember gaps opening as blokes just went on the terrace, that was mid 70s. Starting on my own with mates aged 11 nearly 12 (first game on my own was a 0-0 draw with Fulham, i think John Brownlie missed a pen) but we'd go to the E or A wing paddocks, like yourself just about first in the ground then and pick a concrete barrier to get on closer to KO. 

 

Not sure it was the best times, yeah it was easier to get to games but most of what was good about it was because of the age we were.

[NG32]

Some things that come to mind from when I was a kid at the match in the 80s were being freezing cold, crap food, full of characters/radgies, terrible stadium, massive queues, wooden seats in the old Milburn stand, fences and generally dont remember the quality of football being that good.

 

 

[The Fountain]

First game Aug 79 with dad and his mates.

Started going with my mates in 82. Spent the next 8 years having spells in different terraced areas, Leazes, flag/corner and scoreboard.

First season ticket was for the Millburn paddock in 1990, upgraded to East Stand Gallowgate wing in 1991.

[1881]

My first games were away from home in 1972/73 as my family had moved South for work. Winning 2-0 at Arsenal, finished 2-2 followed by winning 2-0 at Tottenham finished 2-3 with Spurs winning with the last kick of the match. Not surprisingly, I have always expected things to go wrong ever since.

 

First home match was in East Stand with dad in October 1974 against Luton with Tudor scoring the winner just before the end.

 

Started going regularly in 1981/82 in the Corner until part-season season-tickets were introduced in the promotion season of 1992/93.

 

Memories of smells tabs, beer, brewery, hot dogs and piss. Crowd surges, fireworks, snowball fight with the Gallowgate. Getting soaked on a regular basis. Mostly crap football usually involving booted balls up the wing. 

[TRon]

I went to a few games during these times but mostly when we were shit. One of the games which always sticks in my mind was a European game where a Johnny Rep thunderblast was smashed in from about 25 yards. Partly because I was behind the goal and it felt like it was going to put a hole in the net, and partly because Johnny Rep was such a cool name. 

[Big Geordie]

The racism was awful too back then - as a kid, I didn’t really understand. I remember John Barnes and his namesake, Bobby (West Ham) getting terrible abuse. National Front peddling their filth outside the gallowgate. 😢😡

 

Thankfully things began to change when we signed Andy Cole. A watershed moment for our support. 

[The Fountain]

40 minutes ago, Big Geordie said:

The racism was awful too back then - as a kid, I didn’t really understand. I remember John Barnes and his namesake, Bobby (West Ham) getting terrible abuse. National Front peddling their filth outside the gallowgate. 😢😡

 

Thankfully things began to change when we signed Andy Cole. A watershed moment for our support. 

In the next home game  v Ipswich Jack Charlton wrote about it in programme along with condemning Newcastle fans waiting at Central Station for West Ham fans.

There was a few arguments amongst fans in the scoreboard when Romeo Zondervan (I think) was booed.

[JLC]

3 hours ago, ikri said:

My first game was us at home to Ipswich in 84.  It had, and possibly still has, the record for the fastest own goal scored in the top division.

George Burley if I recall. We won 3-0?

[bobbydazzla]

50 minutes ago, Big Geordie said:

The racism was awful too back then - as a kid, I didn’t really understand. I remember John Barnes and his namesake, Bobby (West Ham) getting terrible abuse. National Front peddling their filth outside the gallowgate. 😢😡

 

Thankfully things began to change when we signed Andy Cole. A watershed moment for our support. 

Coming from a family who didn’t have any interest in football and being born in 78 meant my only visit to SJP in the 80s was a tour of the ground with the local U10’s. 

 

But on your point about racism, I vividly remember being in the Milburn paddocks around 93/94 and someone shouting racist abuse at an opposition sub who was warming up and the racist got pulled up immediately with a “you can’t say that, Andy Cole’s black”

 

Which illustrates your point about the watershed moment. 

[Sandrotastico]

86 West Ham at Home - In the Milburn Terrace with my Mam - Programme, Hot Dog, Smell of Hops and Piss, and a pink to finish off the day. Memories indeed.

[pinkeye]

I can remember our fans monkey chanting to Tony Cunningham in the 80's.

 

I was young, naive and while I can honestly say I didn't join in, I also didn't try at all to stop it.  I think I just nervously laughed as it was happening. Looking back I feel ashamed but, it was just so widespread back then...  almost normalised.   Happy that things are so much better today.

[ikri]

2 hours ago, JLC said:

George Burley if I recall. We won 3-0?

 

Good memory.  Definitely a good game to be my 1st.

[LionOfGosforth]

First game was Cardiff home in the 83/84 promotion season. Know we won 3-1, can barely remember a thing about it. Started going to away games in 84/85, rarely missed a home game 84-98 when I moved abroad.

 

If I had to pick one game that summed up the typical match-going experience of the 80s, for me it would be Spurs away in the FA cup, February 87. For anyone that was there, no explanation needed. I went as a wide-eyed 15 year old and was never quite the same afterwards.

 

That game summed up the way the average fan was treated and the dangers you faced on an almost weekly basis, exaggerated by it being a big cup game but still. Mayhem before, during and after, weak and vicious policing, danger around every corner and nearly asphyxiated in the away end until I got on top of the barriers where I stood for 75% of the game. A Hillsborough waiting to happen, that we somehow survived. Beaten 1-0 to a shit non-penalty scored by Clive Allen. A microcosm of the 80s match-going Toon fan.

[Menace]

 

 

This thread basically

[madras]

The 80s was me being the perfect age, 13 to 23, it was literally formative. I grew up there, from a kid who wouldn't say boo to a goose to hitching to games, jumping trains and fighting for survival. 

 

It was so much easier, bump into friends on Friday night and deciding to go away the next day, no applying for tickets just turn up but running the gauntlet on each trip.

[Whitley mag]

43 minutes ago, LionOfGosforth said:

First game was Cardiff home in the 83/84 promotion season. Know we won 3-1, can barely remember a thing about it. Started going to away games in 84/85, rarely missed a home game 84-98 when I moved abroad.

 

If I had to pick one game that summed up the typical match-going experience of the 80s, for me it would be Spurs away in the FA cup, February 87. For anyone that was there, no explanation needed. I went as a wide-eyed 15 year old and was never quite the same afterwards.

 

That game summed up the way the average fan was treated and the dangers you faced on an almost weekly basis, exaggerated by it being a big cup game but still. Mayhem before, during and after, weak and vicious policing, danger around every corner and nearly asphyxiated in the away end until I got on top of the barriers where I stood for 75% of the game. A Hillsborough waiting to happen, that we somehow survived. Beaten 1-0 to a shit non-penalty scored by Clive Allen. A microcosm of the 80s match-going Toon fan.

Seven Sisters Road was mayhem, great day would have them back in a heartbeat compared to the theatre going experience now.