Most intimidating match day experience you've had?

[EBRA]

8 minutes ago, Geedee said:

I doubt anybody who went to cold blow lane will forget that place

In the late 70s I remember the bridges you went under as you approached the ground with every one having more or less death threats and what would happen to away fans painted on, by far the most intimidating ground I have ever visited  

[Philb125]

In the Euro's 2016 at France I was lucky enough to spend a month there and travel around mainly south of France watching a variety of games. Most were absolutely awesome, and especially the ones where Republic of Ireland, Northern Ireland, Wales etc. (I'm a bit biased as a welshman) but their fans were incredible. Singing before kickoff and all the way through, win lose or draw. 

 

Onto the intimidating bits!! 

 

A few games I was at had fan trouble, but when they did the response from storm trooper lookalike battalion of police was swift and the one game that paused due to albanian and swiss fans kicking off was back underway a few minutes after the fans had started fighting.

 

The worst atmosphere and game I felt most uneasy at was an England game. That game I was sat on my own, in and amongst England fans in row 0. Which was almost pitch side. Now I'm sure it isn't all England fans, but the ones I was in and amongst are a special breed. Before kickoff, they were screaming at your players, a few metres away from us. Calling them every name under the sun. Especially Sturridge I think if memory serves me right. As the game went on, the mob grew as it seemed easier to stand pitchside in concourse than it did to go to their seats, the angst grew too as England failed to score in a 0-0 with Slovakia. 

 

Despite being a welshman, I always believed in supporting the players you knew/other home nations when they are not playing Wales. This was not met with great enthusiasm. As I cheered on the English team whilst the angry mob bayed for blood!! Luckily a gentle, tipsy giant sat next to me as the mob turned their attention to me other than the game and said 'don't worry taff' before telling some of the more enthusiastic mob to feck off in no uncertain terms. 

 

It was certainly eye opening to see the different fan support of our home nations, it also helps me understand why Wales and Ireland tend to punch above their weight rather than often lose out to teams that in theory are vastly inferior.         

[Spion Kop]

10 hours ago, parkfieldowl14 said:

Fast forward 9 years to 1984 last match of the season, same ground only difference there were over 9,000 of us at the away end.But that didn't stop the Cardiff fans from trying to wind us up. 

Remember going for a night match on the football special but not sure of the year, good old British Rail.

[Spion Kop]

9 hours ago, Utah Owl said:

Was there too. Said to a copper "aren't you going to do anything about it" and got the response "you shouldn't have come!"

 

FA Cup 3rd round tie Jan 76. About half the crowd were Wednesday and Millwall had turned up just for the scrap, apparently they weren't overly happy about having been kicked  off the East Bank 3 months earlier in a Div 3 game.

Remember after the Charlton match some Wednesday fans turning a car over and the running battles with the Millwall fans on the way back to the coaches.

[TommyCraig]

It got very intense in the Wembley coach park after the semi in 93. Blades were upset about sommat. 

Loads of fighting, proper as well, not the bouncy thing they do nowadays. Our coach windows went through as did many others. Our driver kept straight legging the scrubbers trying to on. 

If I remember rightly a blade was sadly killed that day. I saw one go down from a huge haymaker. Had dreadlocks, always wondered if that was the one that died. What a bleedin waste. 

[fatzooma]

Old Trafford league cup 1994...that was good fun

[Sham67]

10 minutes ago, fatzooma said:

Old Trafford league cup 1994...that was good fun

We left the ground and walked to the tram stop at the cricket ground completely oblivious to any trouble. It was only when other Wednesdayites turned up covered in blood we knew something had kicked off.

[Truth is out there]

12 hours ago, panda800 said:

I thought it  was the get Carter  car park they threw stuff off

Kin ell

they must have been well up for it

That car park (was) in Gateshead - flinging a telly about a mile is no mean feat, even for the horse punchers

[1867Heaven]

Old Trafford in cup semi final 1994, we were still doing the dam busters tune with our arms out from when we played Kaiserslautern and they thought we were taking ******** out of Munich so they attacked the away end, no one was off limits, my sisters mate took a good hiding and she was a 16 year old girl

[Truth is out there]

3 hours ago, EBRA said:

In the late 70s I remember the bridges you went under as you approached the ground with every one having more or less death threats and what would happen to away fans painted on, by far the most intimidating ground I have ever visited  

“Turn back while you can “ was my particular‘favourite’

[panda800]

2 hours ago, Truth is out there said:

Kin ell

they must have been well up for it

That car park (was) in Gateshead - flinging a telly about a mile is no mean feat, even for the horse punchers

   

[panda800]

I remember  going to tramere  rovers 78-79  for the fa Cup  game I remember some  nasty  stuff going on  we also had the side terrace  I think the linesman had something  thrown at him...  

Edited July 21, 2021 by panda800

[Dizzys Dad]

League cup tie at Wolves, early 70s. A mahoosive Wolves fan asked me for a light. I duly supplied one from my lighter, which he blew out, stared me straight in the eye and waited expectantly for me to relight it. Missed Oscars winner while stumbling down the back of their kop.

[daveyboy66]

21 hours ago, asteener1867 said:

That the cup game Dave?

Losing 2.0 and pulled one back 

Millwall on that big side terrace....bloody mental after the  game

One if my worst was Old Trafford after the Dambuster song got misinterpreted 

Yes Andy... we asked a St John's Ambulance to come and look after the kid who got stabbed but they wouldn't come on the terrace to treat him...and that night at Old Trafford was bad they were smacking anyone...women, kids... anyone coming out. Me and our kid got out unscathed by pure luck

 

 

Edited July 21, 2021 by daveyboy66

[Utah Owl]

6 minutes ago, Dizzys Dad said:

League cup tie at Wolves, early 70s. A mahoosive Wolves fan asked me for a light. I duly supplied one from my lighter, which he blew out, stared me straight in the eye and waited expectantly for me to relight it. Missed Oscars winner while stumbling down the back of their kop.

They put us on the old South Bank and then we got surrounded. Our coach got attacked on way out by the railway station and driver escaped by going through a red light! Somehow (not sure how) the windows stayed put despite the missiles being launched at them.

 

Think that was the last away match I went to with an old friend John Pashley who joined the Paras a couple of weeks later. He got killed in the Falklands in the final assault on Stanley. RIP.

Edited July 21, 2021 by Utah Owl

[bolton9owl]

Although I was born in Intake, Sheffield I have lived in Bolton for over 40 years and continued to support the Owls, having a season ticket for the South Stand for years now.

Living in the North West I do try to get to as many away games as possible and join the thousands that make up the WAWAW traveling army. 
A couple of seasons ago I went up to support the team at Blackburn’s ground and after the game had finished I was walking with a couple of mates back to our car when a big guy ran past swinging a large machete. We didn’t actually see him  cause any serious damage to anyone but it was a scary time as he was either high on drugs or drunk.

The police did a superb ‘rugby tackle’  on him and brought him to the ground, he still managed to keep hold of the very large machete and was still very threatening.
Strangely another policeman started filming the guy which must have been for evidence.

We later learned he had inflicted some injuries to some fans just outside the ground but we didn’t hear any more about the scary incident.

 

[Owl 44]

17 hours ago, talon said:

I remember that game at Old Trafford. Most Wednesday fans were bemused by the Utd fans throwing a wobbler.

Typical Mancs, thinking it’s all about them.

I felt the same. I got back home and I was absolutely fuming. Had no idea what we'd done wrong. 

[asteener1867]

4 hours ago, daveyboy66 said:

Yes Andy... we asked a St John's Ambulance to come and look after the kid who got stabbed but they wouldn't come on the terrace to treat him...and that night at Old Trafford was bad they were smacking anyone...women, kids... anyone coming out. Me and our kid got out unscathed by pure luck

 

 

We went to old Trafford in 2 cars that time...4 mates went in a blue transit van...We got saved in a car park by a load of Wednesday arriving at the same time as some Mancs were coming for us...The lads in the blue transit got chased down the side road they had parked on by about 20 frothing Mancunians...They got to the blue transit....couldn't get the keys in...wrong f.ookin' blue transit!!...about turn..back up the road 50 yds and got away...We were howling about it next day...but it was bloody hairy

[everydays_wednesday]

Portsmouth in the early 80s me and my missus jumped up in the stand when Gary Mason scored from the halfway line. Turns out everyone in the stand except us 2 was between 40 and 50 and from Portsmouth. They all stood up and threatened us if we didn’t sit down !!!

 

Soon sat down and kept our mouths shut!

 

Won 1-0 so worth it 

[asteener1867]

Middlesbro'!!!..anyone remember when they charged us on the way back from that sodding graveyard outside Ayresome?...it was brilliant shock tactics!...Smoggies suddenly charging from behind gravestones!!.... 

It was like "Holy Mother of God!!!...Its zombies!!!!"

All sat panting on the coach...sayin' "Hail Marys"

The Demonic f.ookers....