After the Millwall drubbing 4-0 a few seasons ago i enter the bunch of grapes at London Bridge had a glass put under me chin and bloke jumping round like he had won the lottery because a charlton fan had a arrived. I wont be going back this year for a pint.
Nor would I when it's over £4 a pint. Stinks in there too.
So this geezer smashed the glass under your chin?
No he didn't smash it into my chin he held it there whilst bigging himself up to his mates thankfully a fucking great lump of millwall supporter who new him backed him away then proceeded to talk me for the next 30 mins when I just wanted to
Newcastle away November 87, the match in which Colin Walsh broke his leg and had coins pelted at him. We were in the old away end and there only seemed to be about 200 Charlton fans there. Anyway some Geordie scrotes got in and just spent the whole match slagging us off and how we were going to get the shit kicked out of us at the end of the game. Seems pathetic looking back but I recall being genuinely intimidated at the time.
Another time was when we lost to West Ham in The Cup at Parkhurst Cell/Selhurst Park and there was a clump of right East End hard nuts who just stood in the Arthur Wait stand slagging us off. They were itching for a fight. I wasn't.
@LawrieAbrahams this is mentioned in The Last Game (about Liverpool v Arsenal '89), and refers to Harlow being mixed in with WHU, it also mentions our striker taking a lot of racial abuse
@LawrieAbrahams this is mentioned in The Last Game (about Liverpool v Arsenal '89), and refers to Harlow being mixed in with WHU, it also mentions our striker taking a lot of racial abuse
i was literally considered a curse cuz i hadnt seen us win live in 8 or 9 straight gms. so me n my dad bought 2 tickets in the away stand at the valley, charlton vs grimsby town. stuart balmer scored a diving header late at the away stand in front of my self and all the travelling grimsby supporters to win late 2-1. we couldnt help but jump for joy. Thats when the grimsby fans took note and wanted to confront us, we literally had to be ushered away by stewards from the grimsby mob. most scared but best time ever!
@LawrieAbrahams this is mentioned in The Last Game (about Liverpool v Arsenal '89), and refers to Harlow being mixed in with WHU, it also mentions our striker taking a lot of racial abuse
Newcastle away November 87, the match in which Colin Walsh broke his leg and had coins pelted at him. We were in the old away end and there only seemed to be about 200 Charlton fans there. Anyway some Geordie scrotes got in and just spent the whole match slagging us off and how we were going to get the shit kicked out of us at the end of the game. Seems pathetic looking back but I recall being genuinely intimidated at the time.
Another time was when we lost to West Ham in The Cup at Parkhurst Cell/Selhurst Park and there was a clump of right East End hard nuts who just stood in the Arthur Wait stand slagging us off. They were itching for a fight. I wasn't.
I was right next to them too. At half time one of them just had a piss on the terrace, and then they started singing Billy Bonds claret and blue army (Dont think he was even manager then, they just had enough of the current manager - Macari maybe). There was definitely a little ruckus during the 2nd half involving them.
Also seem to remember some Derby fans being in the seats in the Arthur Waite and jumping down to the terrace for a ruck.
Any time I got on a train to go away an k. Giles was there was scary ! Over years very few real nut jobs on the firm, but he was one of them. As we were looking at how the hell we would get out of a situation, he would be up front offering them all out !! He scared me, Christ knows what they made of him.
Chelsea 88 Sheffield Weds home when they took covered End. All Millwall away games. Cambridge Utd Bristol Rovers Twerton Park, fight in bar under the stand , the biggest man I'd ever seen walked in. I am clanger and afriad of no one he said, and off it went. He came up on the terrace 10 mins later covered in blood ! Man Utd at Birmingham new street, we were going to Walsall. Had them running all overt the place.
Cafc vs Sheffield Wed, circa 1975/76. I think we won 2-1 and it all kicked off outside the ground. I remember hiding in a basement flat doorway with my Dad and uncle when they were turning cars over. Anyone remember?
Never been intimidated but only been going for 15/20 years, to be honest I would love to have been at some of the above mentioned places just to experience it all. My old man has mentioned Chelsea 88 before says he was in the home end, cheered when we scored and was pelted with missiles!
Slightly off topic, so apologies. When I was in Subic Bay, Philippines, met Steve "Hicky" Hickmott, a former Chelsea Headhunter. He was actually very friendly but in a scary way. He bought me a beer and rejoiced in the Chelsea fire at The Valley. He was close to getting sent down for many years but the police evidence collapsed. A scary man even at 50 - I slipped off to another bar having returned the beer .
I remember one of the last visits to the old den we were let out into the area behind the away end and held before the exit gates were opened. From the side, jew boy hill I think it was called, came a hail of stones out of the darkness from lads who were watching the game for freemans. We were like fish in a barrel for a while. Luckily the Police cottoned on and opened the gates sharpish.
Any time I got on a train to go away an k. Giles was there was scary ! Over years very few real nut jobs on the firm, but he was one of them. As we were looking at how the hell we would get out of a situation, he would be up front offering them all out !! He scared me, Christ knows what they made of him.
lol ... one thing for sure we were always glad Keith was on our side
I remember taking my 5 year old cousin (at the time) to the Charlton V Sunderland playoff final in 1998 and although it was a great game, I had an invite to the television studios after the game (uncles work connections), the only problem was that we had to walk through a shitload of Sunderland supporters on the way there, not easy when you have a 5 year old sitting on your shoulders shouting "losers" and "your rubbish" at all of the Sunderland fans at the top of his voice, thank god they saw the funny side of it, well I presume they did as I managed to avoid a kicking, LOL!
I'll confess to a moment of nervousness at the Elland Road play-off -I was getting a burger and a well known CAFC face behind me in the queue said "They can keep us in here to midnight as far as I'm concerned". I thought well, if he doesn't fancy it........
it always seemed strange even 15 years later going up there, walking in the pub next to the ground and not getting so much as a dirty look when you opened your mouth.
The first time I ever saw any aggro at football was the Spurs FA Cup replay at The Valley in the mid-80's.
We were stood on the East Terrace and a load of Spurs came round the back of the covered end and rushed into the terrace. I was only about 13 or so and it seemed to me as though suddenly the crowd parted and there was nobody between me and them - until my dad grabbed me by the scruff of the neck and pulled me out the way.
I also remember that my dad worked with and Arsenal fan at the time who went to the game with some of his mates and as my old man was pulling me out the way they ran past towards the invading Spurs fans to fill their boots!
Think that was the only time I was genuinely scared. Have had plenty of moments since where I've thought "this could be a bit iffy", but that's not the same thing.
Just remembered, to get to the Old Den from New Cross you had to walk through a serious of pretty ropey looking tunnels and at the entrance to the first one of them someone had scrawled "Away fans turn back or die" on the wall.
I thought it was quite funny myself, but I could imagine that scaring the bejesus out of some people as the dark tunnel looked like the gateway to hell!
Charlton v Barnsley 1981. Millwall were at the game and the Covered End was closed for new seating. Whole game seemed to be running battles with Millwall in the old away end. Carried on outside for a while and was then threatened on the train going back to London Bridge. Me & a mate were sitting next to 2 elderly gentleman which saved us from a kicking when Millwall entered out carriage. They made a comment that they would leave us alone as we were with our Grandad's! Escaped at London Bridge being chased by 20 Millwall. Fastest I've ever run all the way back to Fenchurch Street.
The Millwall that were in the old away end wern't proper Millwall, how do I know because one of them was Craig Fairbrass (london's Burning, Eastenders, Foot Soldier etc etc ) he ended up with a bloody nose and they got chased off, how do I know, because I was in the same form as Fairbrass at Eaglesfield and I was at the game and saw him and his so called Millwall lot there.
Mine was when I was around 15, at Chelsea away when Lisbie scored in the last minute. Only because it seemed like his huge skinhead kept screwing me all game, I was sure of it. When we left and joined up with the Chelsea fans, there he was the big man mountain, 5 yards in front of me. I was praying please don't turn around, he did and obviously he hadn't been screwing me as he just kept walking.
Another time was when I was in Spain when Ourselves, Millwall, Swindon and Leeds were all going for promotion. Went into a bar where there was 300 odd Leeds supporters as they were showing the Leeds game on foreign tele. There was Swindon fans in there too. I was wearing my Charlton training top, the atmosphere turned from party like to very frosty after they went one nil down and had a player sent off. Decided to leave at half time and find a quiet boozer with results coming in.Just as we thought we were ok to relax and not worry, Of all people to walk in, a Millwall supporter does. Walked back past the Leeds supporters who were having the time of there life after the game.
Comments
Another time was when we lost to West Ham in The Cup at Parkhurst Cell/Selhurst Park and there was a clump of right East End hard nuts who just stood in the Arthur Wait stand slagging us off. They were itching for a fight. I wasn't.
@LawrieAbrahams this is mentioned in The Last Game (about Liverpool v Arsenal '89), and refers to Harlow being mixed in with WHU, it also mentions our striker taking a lot of racial abuse
had he been gardening?
Also seem to remember some Derby fans being in the seats in the Arthur Waite and jumping down to the terrace for a ruck.
Chelsea 88
Sheffield Weds home when they took covered End.
All Millwall away games.
Cambridge Utd
Bristol Rovers Twerton Park, fight in bar under the stand , the biggest man I'd ever seen walked in. I am clanger and afriad of no one he said, and off it went. He came up on the terrace 10 mins later covered in blood !
Man Utd at Birmingham new street, we were going to Walsall. Had them running all overt the place.
My old man has mentioned Chelsea 88 before says he was in the home end, cheered when we scored and was pelted with missiles!
it always seemed strange even 15 years later going up there, walking in the pub next to the ground and not getting so much as a dirty look when you opened your mouth.
We were stood on the East Terrace and a load of Spurs came round the back of the covered end and rushed into the terrace. I was only about 13 or so and it seemed to me as though suddenly the crowd parted and there was nobody between me and them - until my dad grabbed me by the scruff of the neck and pulled me out the way.
I also remember that my dad worked with and Arsenal fan at the time who went to the game with some of his mates and as my old man was pulling me out the way they ran past towards the invading Spurs fans to fill their boots!
Think that was the only time I was genuinely scared. Have had plenty of moments since where I've thought "this could be a bit iffy", but that's not the same thing.
I thought it was quite funny myself, but I could imagine that scaring the bejesus out of some people as the dark tunnel looked like the gateway to hell!
Another time was when I was in Spain when Ourselves, Millwall, Swindon and Leeds were all going for promotion. Went into a bar where there was 300 odd Leeds supporters as they were showing the Leeds game on foreign tele. There was Swindon fans in there too. I was wearing my Charlton training top, the atmosphere turned from party like to very frosty after they went one nil down and had a player sent off. Decided to leave at half time and find a quiet boozer with results coming in.Just as we thought we were ok to relax and not worry, Of all people to walk in, a Millwall supporter does. Walked back past the Leeds supporters who were having the time of there life after the game.