When Did Away Ends Start

[Harrisblade]

Great story !
I'm fairly sure it crept in during the 60s.
If I had to guess , I would say it followed the "tribal" era of mods & rockers.
The famous battle of Brighton beach was1964.
We won the World Cup in 1966.
The simmering teenage rebellion mushroomed and violence between factions was just one expression of it.
It's strange , I would never condone wanton gratuitous violence and yet I do get the adolescent frustration felt + why it happens.
The Who are my all time favourite rock-band (out of the many dozens which i love) ... Probably because of the amount of emotions including frustration & anger , which is in their music.

1314!

King Edward II banned football in 1314,[7] and then King Edward III in 1349 because he felt the disorder and violence that accompanied matches led to civil unrest and distracted his subjects

Football hooliganism in the United Kingdom - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

Away ends probably started informally when the police used to herd away supporters from the coach parks to the grounds keeping them all together, then letting them into grounds as decided beforehand by the home teams (not sure when it started, but certainly happened in the 71/72 season)

 

[Jordo Blade.]

Lane Ender you any idea muka?

 

[Wapping Blade]

I remember going on the BLLT with my dad’s Wolves supporting mate where it was a mix of fans sometime in the mid 70s.

 

[dublin 10 blade]

I remember seeing both away /Blades fans mixing on the Lane end on one side of the white fence , mostly dads & kids with majority of away fans on other side , and never saw any hassle only saw 3 teams try it on our kop
Arsenal in FA cup game but got ran onto pitch
Forest about 200 tried running into kop from one of gates but got a hammering when they tried it and failed
Dum pigs surrounded by cops and fences on 1 side and moat in front carnage after final whistle
Missed manure game , but mates told me they were on

 

[sitwell]

I started in the BLUT in 1970 ,down to the terrace the season after and then became one of the 'big boys' on the Kop the year after at 8 years old. We were talking about this on Xmas eve , I think you could walk round from the kop to the Lane end via the pavilion , my mates said you couldnt get through via John St as there was a gate where you had to have an excuse to get through.

 

[Hagansbootlaces]

Possibly linked to the increase and availability of coach travel, the idea of visiting Hillsborough or the Lane instead of going to an away game was apparently still a thing well into the sixties, if all of a sudden the option was there for cheap coach travel to an away game, more would choose that, and Police at away grounds as well as other clubs might think the idea of a dedicated away end not just a good idea but a requirement

 

[Rodley]

My old man said the violence in the 60s and 70s was different gravy compared to when we went (early 90s onwards).

His particular “highlights” were being pissed on by the whole front row of an upper tier at Man City and seeing a Man City lass there swinging a dead chicken around her head. He also copped for a milk bottle on his head outside the ground. Upton Park was “noticeably rough” and on the train to Ayresome Park his train was “peppered” with breeze blocks. And a machete was once drawn by Arsenal fans coming up Shoreham St.

He was a big unit so could sort the wheat from the chaff so to speak. I miss him greatly.

 

[Hagansbootlaces]

My old man said the violence in the 60s and 70s was different gravy compared to when we went (early 90s onwards).

His particular “highlights” were being pissed on by the whole front row of an upper tier at Man City and seeing a Man City lass there swinging a dead chicken around her head. He also copped for a milk bottle on his head outside the ground. Upton Park was “noticeably rough” and on the train to Ayresome Park his train was “peppered” with breeze blocks. And a machete was once drawn by Arsenal fans coming up Shoreham St.

He was a big unit so could sort the wheat from the chaff so to speak. I miss him greatly.

Me and a mate got duffed up outside the old club shop on John St in the mid 70s by four rather large Sunderland supporters well into their 30s/40s we were about 13/14, on the whole the aggro in the 90s was more organised and willing groups

 

[Maurice Maurice]

I remember running up and down Shoreham Street as a 13 year old, with other like minded souls in 1973, and there being trouble on both the Bramall Lane end and the kop dating back to the late 60's. It was well known where the kop was and that the more energetic supporters tended to gather there. If you were an away fan on your own you'd avoid it if you wanted to stay safe, if you fancied a bit more excitement, you and your mates would mob up and have a pop. There was no segregation by the club, it was done by the fans who'd routinely boot the opposing lot off of their turf, or suffer the indignity of having the kop 'taken' on occasion.

There were some cracking battles on the Shoreham, and I still have vivid memories of Liverpool, West Ham and a good few others getting more than they expected after giving it the big 'un. Man U and Leeds used to pack the place early and it was non stop battling trying to shift them, although the day TC came back with Leeds they got battered all over the shop, despite their numbers.

Going away to the likes of Stoke, Derby, Leicester etc. you just knew where to go in the ground, depending what you we're going for. They were crazy, mad, exciting and dangerous times. I'm old and boring now, but I still have a wry smile when I hear about the antics of today's youth. Half of them wouldn't make it off the football special without shitting themselves.

Anyway, enough of that hooey, segregation for me started when the fans either mobbed up to sing and support their team or decided they wanted a crack at the other lot. Over time, it got so bad that the authorities had to do something and working with the clubs, came up with designated areas for home and away fans.

 

[frechyblade]

Great OP, I’d not really thought about it but there was definitely a shift in the early 80’s to more segregation. My first game was a night match against Leeds 74ish and we were on bllt towards the pavilion. Used to go on the intercity specials to away games in the 80’s and as someone mentioned earlier you tended to get herded by the police to a certain part of the ground. Remember playing Crewe away and they were expecting a big following from us so put the home fans in what would normally be the away stand and we had the other three sides. There was no choice when you went by train to hull the train just used to stop at the back of the ground straight into the away end. Getting marched around the allotments at Watford. I was never one for seeking out trouble I just wanted to be with fellow blades so invariably just followed the crowd and generally ended up on the ‘away’ end.

 

[Weasel]

Remember reading somewhere about there being trouble between United and Wendy supporters at Olive Grove ground (now under the railway tracks as you come out of Midland Station) from back in the 1890s. Apparently there was 'much trouble' between both sets of fans all around the ground. Seems that sdude if things has been going on since Adam was a lad but segregation properly came into play around the late 70s from what I remember. I was taken on the BL end lower tier mid 70s by my old man complete with red n white scarf round my neck and stood within mainly away fans and there was never any hassle from them. Try doing the same nowadays and some coked up hoolie would probably have had a pop at me and the old fella to try and impress his mates.

 

[Mike325]

I think away ends begun when supporters from away teams started attending matches at opposition stadiums

 

[PaulHalfway]

Early 70s my dad took me as a kid on the BLLT I don’t really recall any trouble or big away followings in those days
But once we started playing Man United Leeds, Newcastle etc they brought thousands and packed out the BL end it become more just for away fans as the violence started to become part of the scene at every club every week from mid 70s

 

[Grumps]

I remember trouble for the first time during the 1966 World Cup ,then after that it all took off

 

[metalblade]

It often depended where you were going if there was segregation or not, you just wouldn't go to Anfield or Old Trafford and go on their kop in the 70's unless you had a death wish so really it was down to away fans where they were going and in what numbers. The Police tried controlling where away fans stood by marching fans into away areas straight from the train stations not so easy to do if fans arrived by coach who would drop you off somewhere near the ground. Fans got wise to that tactic and started catching service trains rather than footy specials, I remember 50 of us going to Derby on Friday night piled on a train only to find it full of Geordies on the way to Birmingham
By the time the 80's came clubs started making pens to help the Police to keep fans apart, fences never stopped bricks and bottles or anything else being thrown. Fences probably made things worse easy to be big and brave behind a six foot set of railings. We had Heysal in 85 where Liverpool fans antics killed Italians and got all English clubs banned from Europe then Hillsborough which was down to a product of football violence fences and pens. All seater stadiums helped but you could still rock up at a football ground and buy a ticket or pay on the turnstile for any area of the ground whoever you were.
Unitedites went in all parts of the sty for the Zenith Data match the first time the Leppings lane end had been partially re-opened to fans. Unitedites went in the pigs North stand when we did the double on them in the early 90's. It wasn't until clubs started having databases for fans and matches became all ticket that segregation could be enforced.
Trouble then moved away from the stadiums to the city centres where like minded fans would arrange to meet by phone. Sadly twatish behaviour is moving back into football grounds today where you are more likely to get twatted by a coked up fan of your club rather than the opposition either home or away.

 

[Lane Ender]

Lane Ender you any idea muka?

Late 60 early 70s
We used to go round to the Lane End 20 minutes before the end mid 70s then blatantly went on when we went down to division 2 up to 1979 then then after that they arrested you if you went on.
After that we we had to settle for John St West sitting down or standing

 

[Ace of Blades]

I remember Eskimo, he was called at that time a ‘greaser.’ A lot of the so called greasers went in the coronation cafe on (I think) Langset or infirmary rd.

But Bert says he wore a parka so that would surely make him a mod as greasers wore leather jackets?

 

[metalblade]

But Bert says he wore a parka so that would surely make him a mod as greasers wore leather jackets?

Strange, but in the early 70's most of the lads I went to games with would be wearing Doc Martens and Harrington jackets but there was on lad who was always at games with us who was a full on member of the Hells angels with a shaved nut.

 

[coaxingstar71]

I went to see us play at Chesterfield in the 2014/15 season, Pigdon was sent off and we lost 3-2 and it could have easily been 7-2.

I couldn't get a ticket for 'our end' so I tried to get one in the main stand, however Chesterfield had got some really strict ticketing restrictions in place...

Me : Can I have one ticket for the xxxx (main) stand please?
Ticket Office : Can I have your address please?
Me : Sure it's..... (Sheffield 8 address)
TO : You're not a Sheffield Utd fan are you?
Me : Of course not!
TO : That will be *£25 please
Me : Thanks

* I can't recall the exact amount

 

[Original United]

Think Wednesday started it when they took so many fans to away games, they would put all the home fans in one confined area

 

[Kenilworth]

King Edward II banned football in 1314,[7] and then King Edward III in 1349 because he felt the disorder and violence that accompanied matches led to civil unrest and distracted his subjects

Ssshhhhh. Them lot will claim that took at least 3,000

 

[Hull Blade]

Millwall had crowd trouble in the 1930s.

I recall a Millwall fan invading the pitch in around 1968 and it making the national news. Nowadays it would barely raise a titter.

 

[CarlMcBlade]

Never really noticed it at the time (too young), but when watching old footage from the early 70’s, their was always good scattering of Blades fans in the BL lower terrace when we scored. Maybe it was the building of the south stand that heralded a more organic attitude for segregation a BDTBL. With more space for Blades, there was no longer any need to mix it with travelling hordes behind the goal. But I think a concerted effort to segregate the fans came in with the fences were erected.

 

[Jonboy60]

But Bert says he wore a parka so that would surely make him a mod as greasers wore leather jackets?

Bert is probably correct. But sometimes even greasers get cold.

 

[Bell4]

I remember running up and down Shoreham Street as a 13 year old, with other like minded souls in 1973, and there being trouble on both the Bramall Lane end and the kop dating back to the late 60's. It was well known where the kop was and that the more energetic supporters tended to gather there. If you were an away fan on your own you'd avoid it if you wanted to stay safe, if you fancied a bit more excitement, you and your mates would mob up and have a pop. There was no segregation by the club, it was done by the fans who'd routinely boot the opposing lot off of their turf, or suffer the indignity of having the kop 'taken' on occasion.

There were some cracking battles on the Shoreham, and I still have vivid memories of Liverpool, West Ham and a good few others getting more than they expected after giving it the big 'un. Man U and Leeds used to pack the place early and it was non stop battling trying to shift them, although the day TC came back with Leeds they got battered all over the shop, despite their numbers.

Going away to the likes of Stoke, Derby, Leicester etc. you just knew where to go in the ground, depending what you we're going for. They were crazy, mad, exciting and dangerous times. I'm old and boring now, but I still have a wry smile when I hear about the antics of today's youth. Half of them wouldn't make it off the football special without shitting themselves.

Anyway, enough of that hooey, segregation for me started when the fans either mobbed up to sing and support their team or decided they wanted a crack at the other lot. Over time, it got so bad that the authorities had to do something and working with the clubs, came up with designated areas for home and away fans.

Arrived late to the Boleyn Ground in 1975/76 and ended up on the chicken run terrace

Three mates and me not daring to speak - until that is Colin Franks hit the bar and we have it the usual ‘whooar’ - time stood still

 

[Bell4]

Great thread by the way

Never given the subject any real brain space - fascinating responses - thank you

 

[ghandi]

Millwall had crowd trouble in the 1930s.

Some spectators at Bramall Lane regularly changed ends by walking through the Pavilion end but SUFC stopped that during either the 1962/63 or 1963/64 season (HodgysBrokenThumb will know) because there were a bit of fighting when fans from both teams were crossing each other

Later than that I think I remember walking round in 66/67.

 

[Silent Blade]

Later than that I think I remember walking round in 66/67.

The only time I did that was against Doncaster in the 1973 County Cup

 

[HodgysBrokenThumb]

Millwall had crowd trouble in the 1930s.

Some spectators at Bramall Lane regularly changed ends by walking through the Pavilion end but SUFC stopped that during either the 1962/63 or 1963/64 season (HodgysBrokenThumb will know) because there were a bit of fighting when fans from both teams were crossing each other

You overestimate my memory! The only problem I remember were the miserable old gits at the Lane End complaining that when Utd kicked the wrong way (towards the Lane End 2nd half), we used to arrive at half-time with our rattles and disturb their peace and quiet.
The first time I was aware of crowd trouble starting were matches at Everton and Leeds in 1961. We were chased after the Cup win at Everton as we headed back to the station; and a group of Leeds teenagers headed towards us behind the goal a bit aggressively before the match started. The adult Leeds supporters told them to bugger off, and they did.
Segregation has been a necessary evil. It is much more enjoyable to share space with opposition supporters (as we used to be called).

 

[Cheets]

I'm amazed that no-one has a definitive answer. Maybe someone like John Garrett would know?