Away days

[Howmanheyman 27312]

Just seen this on nufc.com's advent calender about what turned out to be my first away game at Goodison Park;

 

 

Saturday August 27th 1988 was another sunny day on the banks of the Mersey, but by 4.45pm the dark clouds were gathering over Newcastle and their fans, remaining in residence above our heads for most of the next ten months.

 

Living in that London at the time and without a ticket for the game, catching the first train from Euston followed by a bus to the ground was accomplished in time to join a small queue at a window in the Bullens Road Stand, to buy a £5.50 obscured view seat in what was meant to be a home section of the ground but in reality well stocked with Toon fans by kick-off.

 

The atmosphere was electric, with both sets of fans anticipating a good start to the season after some wholesale recruitment over the summer. Willie McFaul had brought in Dave Beasant, Andy Thorn, John Hendrie and John Robertson, while his opposite number Colin Harvey's new fab four of Pat Nevin, Tony Cottee, Stuart McCall and ex-Magpie Neil McDonald.

 

Only one side was to enjoy a kick start to their season though - and it wasn't the visiting one....

 

After barely 30 seconds Graeme Sharp had seen his shot blocked by Beasant only for Cottee to crack in the rebound in front of the assembled away support in the Park End (seats upstairs and crammed into shallow terrace with a high fence downstairs).

 

United's response was to introduce Darren Jackson for Mirandinha but Cottee struck again just after the half hour and the former Hammers striker then completed a dream debut on 62 minutes when he rounded Beasant and shot into the empty net. Cottee then turned provider on 88 minutes for Sharp to get in on the scoring act - future Mag Kevin Sheedy by now on as substitute.

 

The atmosphere outside the ground was fractious to say the least, with the spark seemingly the slashing of a disabled Newcastle fan in a wheelchair, who was pushed away bleeding. And while the scenes on the road along by Stanley Park were unsavoury, the memory of Newcastle fans tipping over a three wheeler car driven by a mouthy local and then dancing on it singing "Rocking Robin" remains one of the most bizarre and memorable scenes of this, or any away game. We went down.

 

I remember persuading my Aunt to let my cousin go with me, (I was a couple of weeks away from my 15th birthday and he would've been 13), I told her that the Armstrong Galley bus booked from the Newcastle United Supporters shop at the Haymarket run by the old dears, (aka Tree Travel), was safe and we'd be dropped right outside the turnstiles and escorted in by the Police which was a complete fabrication from my 'desperate to go' mind. My cousin was over from Belfast and, surprise surprise supported perma-trophy winning Liverpool but he just wanted to see an English game and Everton were a good side then. We eventually got dropped off somewhere near Stanley Park and on a lovely sunny day I saw what it was to follow the Toon away from home, there were Geordies everywhere, some even were a little bit drunk, everyone was in a good mood but as .com say it didn't last long as we were well and truly hammered from the first minute as Cottee got the first of his three goals that day. What I remember is the crowd on the away terrace jumping up and down singing the Blaydon Races and it being that full that, like it or not, you jumped along as the motion of the packed end lifted you up and down. Also recall seeing the look on my cousins face as he had his eyes well and truly opened on the support of our club and how big a club we could be as until then he probably thought we were just a crappy little club like a Coventry, always near the bottom of the 1st Division. I can recall at least one car being turned over and a burger van being tipped over as well afterwards and a few Scouse scallies ducking in and out of streets baiting us afterwards but they were well outnumbered. Also remember a senior looking policeman with pips on his shoulders bending down, (the bottom of away end was a bit lower than the pitch), and him pointing his finger at some Mag and a rain of hockle come spiriling down on him but our end was that packed how could he pick out all the culprits? (Essembee would've loved that bit!)

 

The old away end courtesy of nufc.com;

 

 

(This was obviously taken at another game v Everton as you could hardly breathe on that terrace in 1988.)

 

Please add your own memorable trips as I personally lap this stuff up!

[Tooj 17]

Quality reading that like. Sure you've got loads more to add too.

 

Obviously things are a lot more sanitised now but a good away trip is fucking class.

[Howmanheyman 27312]

Quality reading that like. Sure you've got loads more to add too.

 

Obviously things are a lot more sanitised now but a good away trip is fucking class.

I'll also add that prior to the game the Chronicle said we'd get around a 6,000 allocation but that '10,000 Geordies were preparing to march on Merseyside', (No 'Toon Army' then), and as it was the summer holidays we got up sharp to queue up outside the old ticket office to get our tickets as there was no computers or loyalty points then, you had to queue up and take your chances. The most mental queue I remember was Blackburn away in the 4th round of the cup in 1993. Me and my pal got up at four in the morning, got a taxi from his house and as we travelled over Byker Bridge there was this mist everywhere and pockets of people heading towards the town. When we got there the queue was already snaking from the ticket office in the new Milburn Stand down by the Gallowgate gates and down on Strawberry place. The mist was enhanced by an old mattress which had been set alight, the ground was like a post apocalyptic scene and rumours became rife that people were trying to jump in the queue and tempers started getting raised and the very few Police there started flapping a bit. I think they called the ticket office staff in early and despite getting up at four in the morning I still didn't get a ticket! Remember, this was just the fourth round and we got around 5,000 tickets!

[NJS 3989]

Two of my mates went to get tickets for that Blackburn game but were too late so they said fuck it its only 2.5 hours away and drove straight down and bought 4 tickets in the home end. What we didn't know was that end opposite the cameras where the tickets were for was supposedly members only. Two lads bluffed their way into the away end and me and the other lad somehow managed to skirt around the bloke who was checking membership cards at the entrance to the stand (outside the ground).

 

I've only gone in home ends a couple of times (funnlly enough another was Everton in 84) and it doesn't suit me at all - keeping quiet was torture. At least nobody noticed when me and my mate fucked off when Wegerle scored.

[SCOREBOARD1 0]

I started queuing about 8pm on the weds night for the Blackburn cup tickets and they went on sale at 9.00am on the Thursday. Was a canny few people there already. By about 3 in the morning it was fucking heaving. They ended up opening the ticket office at about 4am. Think I got my ticket around 5am. Waited for the buses to start running then home to get ready for school. What a fuck on. Bastards scored in the last minute. Great season that. My fav following the lads.

[Howmanheyman 27312]

Two of my mates went to get tickets for that Blackburn game but were too late so they said fuck it its only 2.5 hours away and drove straight down and bought 4 tickets in the home end. What we didn't know was that end opposite the cameras where the tickets were for was supposedly members only. Two lads bluffed their way into the away end and me and the other lad somehow managed to skirt around the bloke who was checking membership cards at the entrance to the stand (outside the ground).

 

I've only gone in home ends a couple of times (funnlly enough another was Everton in 84) and it doesn't suit me at all - keeping quiet was torture. At least nobody noticed when me and my mate fucked off when Wegerle scored.

Funny enough, the one time I went in with the home fans was at Goodison as well. Was in 1994 where we won 2-0, (Cole and Beardsley). Was in a bar which I think was 'The Stanley Park' and got cracking with a Scouse lad who was red. Anyway, he liked the cut of our Jib and said he'd take us to the ticket office and come in with us. We were canny trusting, canny pissed and canny desperate and besides he seemed sound enough and had by this time spent a couple of hours on the piss with us. We ended up in what is now the away end but was for home fans then as the old away end was in its last season before being pulled down. We didn't really need to be quiet as there were no Everton fans near us as there were loads of empty seats. There was 25,000 that day and 4-5,000 were our fans, Everton were having a bad spell and this crowd was down from the 40,000 odd from my first visit six years previous when they were a force. We were happily drunk and jumped all over when our goals went in and at half time when we went for some scran and a pint I said to a Scouse Blue, 'Cheers for letting us have Beardsley back' to which he replied ironically, 'cheers for giving us Neil McDonald'

[Howmanheyman 27312]

I started queuing about 8pm on the weds night for the Blackburn cup tickets and they went on sale at 9.00am on the Thursday. Was a canny few people there already. By about 3 in the morning it was fucking heaving. They ended up opening the ticket office at about 4am. Think I got my ticket around 5am. Waited for the buses to start running then home to get ready for school. What a fuck on. Bastards scored in the last minute. Great season that. My fav following the lads.

 

 

Two of my mates went to get tickets for that Blackburn game but were too late so they said fuck it its only 2.5 hours away and drove straight down and bought 4 tickets in the home end. What we didn't know was that end opposite the cameras where the tickets were for was supposedly members only. Two lads bluffed their way into the away end and me and the other lad somehow managed to skirt around the bloke who was checking membership cards at the entrance to the stand (outside the ground).

 

I've only gone in home ends a couple of times (funnlly enough another was Everton in 84) and it doesn't suit me at all - keeping quiet was torture. At least nobody noticed when me and my mate fucked off when Wegerle scored.

 

 

A few of my mates went down ticketless and ended up on the roof of a local's house who charged them a tenner each and threw a few cans in with the price. Their stand had been pulled down and the house had a great view of the pitch which it normally wouldn't. They were on the telly I think but definitely in a couple of the papers for which they got treated like minor celebrities for a couple of days round our way in Walker.

[Howmanheyman 27312]

Just thought I'dd add the fact that you'd get half the Gallowgate singing 'If you're going to [insert football club here], clap your hands' at the home games prior to the away games they were singing about which I'd completely forgotten about till my mate reminded me the other day. It was the start of a Geordie mobilisation for the next away and was a pretty good way of gauging how many we'd take the following week!

 

(Probably means nowt to younger posters but it makes me smile).

[Happy Face 29]

No story behind it really, but my favourite away day was the Man U semi final in Cardiff (despite the result).

 

We were stopping in the premier inn just over the bridge from the Milenium Stadium the night before and after, so spent the morning of the game hanging out the windows 10 floors up and starting chants with all the fans walking by. Some cousins who'd arrived on a coach rang my mobile during one shouty song to say they could hear me but couldn't see me.

 

Also a good kick about in the streets right outside the stadium beforehand.

 

We put their fans to shame in the stadium as well.

[Howmanheyman 27312]

No story behind it really, but my favourite away day was the Man U semi final in Cardiff (despite the result).

 

We were stopping in the premier inn just over the bridge from the Milenium Stadium the night before and after, so spent the morning of the game hanging out the windows 10 floors up and starting chants with all the fans walking by. Some cousins who'd arrived on a coach rang my mobile during one shouty song to say they could hear me but couldn't see me.

 

Also a good kick about in the streets right outside the stadium beforehand.

 

We put their fans to shame in the stadium as well.

Didn't/couldn't get to that one, HF. To be fair we put every club we've played to shame in the neutral venues for finals/semis/charity shields etc.

 

 

I remember a lad going with us to Blackburn one year, (not sure if it was the 'Speedie' game or the 'Toms Diner' game, but he had a nickname of the Weasel because he was skinny and slight of build, we made him get the first round as he could somehow slip through the biggest queue at any bar and get an order in where the bigger lads would then take over the carrying of drinks. Anyway, he ordered about 18 pints, we removed the 16 pints, (two each as it was chocka) and as the lass went to get the last two the weasel slithered through the 6 deep bar in a flash as the lass returned to see him gone and all the 16 pints scattered throughout the bar to who knows who. He wasn't a big drinker and he got mortal pretty quickly and as we went through the car park to the ground and saw all the vans/buses approaching the weasel being full of drink started applauding the buses in to the car park in the style of Keegan to our fans which was fucking hilarious at the time especially as the supporters on the buses were laughing at him as well.

[Happy Face 29]

Didn't/couldn't get to that one, HF. To be fair we put every club we've played to shame in the neutral venues for finals/semis/charity shields etc.

 

True, Not sure how many have been such inept displays on the field though.

[PaddockLad 14769]

No story behind it really, but my favourite away day was the Man U semi final in Cardiff (despite the result).

 

We were stopping in the premier inn just over the bridge from the Milenium Stadium the night before and after, so spent the morning of the game hanging out the windows 10 floors up and starting chants with all the fans walking by. Some cousins who'd arrived on a coach rang my mobile during one shouty song to say they could hear me but couldn't see me.

 

Also a good kick about in the streets right outside the stadium beforehand.

 

We put their fans to shame in the stadium as well.

 

I think thats where the now infamous "your support is fuckin shit" was coined; its certainly the first time I heard it. That was one of the only times it was justified. Now its rolled out for a tiny club's fans from a little known Atlantic island.

[JawD 31]

I drove down to that game with 3 lads in the car getting pissed. Started battering their heads in on the way by playing the shittest music I could find. Rolled into cardiff half cut and the only pub open was a hotel and then we realised they were only serving tea/coffee. So half cut they all sat down drinking cups of tea form little china mugs. Was a bit bizarre. On the way home at a services we had to get moved on by police as a coach of Man U fans started being mouthy with us and one lad I was with is a bit of a terrier and doesnt know when to back down In typical Mac fashion they were just bleating on about Shearer all the time. Was this point when my hatred of their fans really escalated.

[Happy Face 29]

One of the lads we went with had a mare of a weekend.

 

He's a younger lad and the night before the game he was chatting up some tart so our mate went over (I thought) to play wing man, then he told the younger lad to go and get a round in. Which he did. By the time he came back with the drinks he was treated to the sight of his potential conquest tonsils deep in the cheeky cunt.

 

The yonger fella in question started necking stella like it was lemonade, we telt him to take it easy but he ended up spewing his ring all over some pub by half 9. He dragged himself to the bog so we fucked off and left him.

 

We stopped out at some club that went up 9 flights or so and when we got back to the hotel in the early hours the lad was out for the count so we took one of his eyebrows.

 

Poor sod will never live it down. Bitch slapped 3 times in one night.

[McFaul 35]

I'll also add that prior to the game the Chronicle said we'd get around a 6,000 allocation but that '10,000 Geordies were preparing to march on Merseyside', (No 'Toon Army' then), and as it was the summer holidays we got up sharp to queue up outside the old ticket office to get our tickets as there was no computers or loyalty points then, you had to queue up and take your chances. The most mental queue I remember was Blackburn away in the 4th round of the cup in 1993. Me and my pal got up at four in the morning, got a taxi from his house and as we travelled over Byker Bridge there was this mist everywhere and pockets of people heading towards the town. When we got there the queue was already snaking from the ticket office in the new Milburn Stand down by the Gallowgate gates and down on Strawberry place. The mist was enhanced by an old mattress which had been set alight, the ground was like a post apocalyptic scene and rumours became rife that people were trying to jump in the queue and tempers started getting raised and the very few Police there started flapping a bit. I think they called the ticket office staff in early and despite getting up at four in the morning I still didn't get a ticket! Remember, this was just the fourth round and we got around 5,000 tickets!

The paper estimated there was 14,000 people in that queue. I wasn't one of the people, because it was 2 per person, me mate (who's now Old Bill) got there at 9pm and there was a thousand there then. The agreement we had was he'd get the 5th round tickets if I got the QF ones. They started selling the tickets about 430am if memory serves me rightly.

[McFaul 35]

Funny enough, the one time I went in with the home fans was at Goodison as well. Was in 1994 where we won 2-0, (Cole and Beardsley). Was in a bar which I think was 'The Stanley Park' and got cracking with a Scouse lad who was red. Anyway, he liked the cut of our Jib and said he'd take us to the ticket office and come in with us. We were canny trusting, canny pissed and canny desperate and besides he seemed sound enough and had by this time spent a couple of hours on the piss with us. We ended up in what is now the away end but was for home fans then as the old away end was in its last season before being pulled down. We didn't really need to be quiet as there were no Everton fans near us as there were loads of empty seats. There was 25,000 that day and 4-5,000 were our fans, Everton were having a bad spell and this crowd was down from the 40,000 odd from my first visit six years previous when they were a force. We were happily drunk and jumped all over when our goals went in and at half time when we went for some scran and a pint I said to a Scouse Blue, 'Cheers for letting us have Beardsley back' to which he replied ironically, 'cheers for giving us Neil McDonald'

That was the only time I'd been to Goodison Park, that away end was almost below pitch level. My thoughts about what a wank club Everton are were formed that day.

[McFaul 35]

A few of my mates went down ticketless and ended up on the roof of a local's house who charged them a tenner each and threw a few cans in with the price. Their stand had been pulled down and the house had a great view of the pitch which it normally wouldn't. They were on the telly I think but definitely in a couple of the papers for which they got treated like minor celebrities for a couple of days round our way in Walker.

If my memory serves me rightly, see they'd taken the roof off the away end, but the supports that roof was held on were still there. So it was like a skeleton of a roof. This mad cunt climbed up one of the metal beams and up over the away fans 50 feet below. The metal beam he was sitting on was probably about 90 feet back to front and about 8 inches wide and he climed right in to the middle of it with nothing either side! I'd sure he was going to fall and die, but fuck me he balanced himself and watched the whole game up there. The fucking SAS would've applauded.

[themags 0]

I think thats where the now infamous "your support is fuckin shit" was coined; its certainly the first time I heard it. That was one of the only times it was justified. Now its rolled out for a tiny club's fans from a little known Atlantic island.

 

That day in Cardiff was fantastic, the DJ played local hero before the game and we 'sung' along to it, he had to turn the volume up for the Man Utd song as we're drowned it out.

 

Your spot on about the Man Utd support that day, utter utter shit.

 

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[Jill 0]

My video. Fame at last.

[McFaul 35]

My video. Fame at last.

I was right on the corner flag front row in the direction you're pointing, you can hear and see me saying "fuck off Scholes" when he's taking a corner

[LoveTheBobby 1]

 

 

Seeing Goodison in the OP reminded me of a trip there in 97-98 for the FACup . Went down for the weekend without tickets . Before the game we ended up at The Royal Oak by Goodison . Bar was rammed and half Newcastle . We luckily chanced on a pair of tickets for £40 or so from some lads whose mates had 'not made the bus' that morning . Atmosphere in there was getting a bit fraught and it was so stuffy we went to join a few outside to front and get some air . All of a sudden a group of older dressed Everton 'lads' come marching determinedly over to get in . Oh here we go .

One Newcastle lad who was inside starting songs off and memorable for being around 6'4" and eyes-half-closed drunk is now stood on the top step to the bar like he was on the door - complete with 'A-frame' stance and chin jutting .

 

He then calmly announced to the 20 or so lads, pointing a dismissive finger at their main agitator . .

"AV SEEN YEE , , SELLIN HOT DOGS , , ON BROOKSIDE !"

 

This was the only hairtrigger required and CRASHBANGWOLLOP all hell broke out . . We put our beers down and slinked away towards the ground . The scenes at the pub had caused a chain-reaction and there were all sorts of scuffles going on in the road with police casually walking up and down taking swipes with their long batons to keep folk moving on

I can still replay the 'hotdogs' incident vividly and it has to be one of the funniest things I've seen .

 

We won 1-0 with a scrappy goal from Rush (incidentally in a team also featuring Desmond FuckingHamilton)

[LoveTheBobby 1]

Another cup game that comes to mind was the Saha Blackburn affair . At halftime the bars were rammed as usual and there was one chap serving who was a Rasta , big dreads tied back . Lads in front were asking for minatures which had sold out and with it being a chilly night game this counter had no hot food left .

When ya man with the dreads announced there was no minatures left, as quick as y like, this bloke behind starts singing ". NO RUM AND NO PIES . . WE'VE GOT . . NO RUM AND NO PIES"

 

Loads joined in and the lad was laughing his back off behind the bar . A top moment .

[LoveTheBobby 1]

Went to Marseille UEFA s/f on a charter flight that had Spanish aircrew . Many of the male attendants had rather comfortable shoes on . Sitting waiting for takeoff and they were going through the emergency procedure .

 

One of the more floral attendants (complete with orange fake tan) was trying his best broken English to advise the 'refreshed' customers .

 

Lad behind sings right at him during it "is this the way to Amarillo, every night he's been biting his pillow KEEP THAT MAN AWAY FROM ME"

[Howmanheyman 27312]

Another cup game that comes to mind was the Saha Blackburn affair . At halftime the bars were rammed as usual and there was one chap serving who was a Rasta , big dreads tied back . Lads in front were asking for minatures which had sold out and with it being a chilly night game this counter had no hot food left .

When ya man with the dreads announced there was no minatures left, as quick as y like, this bloke behind starts singing ". NO RUM AND NO PIES . . WE'VE GOT . . NO RUM AND NO PIES"

 

Loads joined in and the lad was laughing his back off behind the bar . A top moment .

Very good.

[ChezGiven 0]

:lol: @ the last 3 posts LBT.