Leagueliner train for Arsenal match 3/3/1973

[Silent Blade]

Looks like the above photo was taken just before or after I walked through the group as in below photo.

 

[United Aren't Back.]

I love the history articles and photos. Thanks Silent.

 

[United Aren't Back.]

This Isle of Man friendly in 1948 sounds interesting.
Note how the reporter'swife tells him, during two hours of discussion, that he will be murdered. The press were evidently well and truly on the "football fans are thugs" train. And the way he drones on about the cost makes it sound very poverty stricken and Yorkshire.
Even though three of the lads were from Chesterfield.

 

[Snake]

The thing that strikes me is how young football fans were back then. As I remember it, the majority of match attending supporters were aged probably up to about 21.

One thing the younger ones would not believe now too, is just how independent and street wise we were back then. I started going to the Lane with my mates when I was 6 years old back in the mid/late 60s. My dad was a pig so no chance he'd go. There were between 3 and about 8 of us all ranging between the ages of 6 and 10. The 10 year old was very much our leader and in charge of the gang. We'd trundle along proudly wearing our scarves and badges, and on the way back to Pond Street to catch the bus home take a wander by Midland Station to watch the feightin.

Hard to imagine that now lol, but back then it wasn't out of the ordinary.

 

[Ball_Sup (Phil)]

The house I was brought up in, off Abbeydale Road at the bottom of Woodseats Road, backs onto the Sheffield to London rail line. I would have been 14 at the time of the League Liner. I vividly remember scaling the railway embankment and watching it pass the house on it's journey South.

 

[Silent Blade]

50 years ago today!

 

[LSF]

Is that a young Silent next to Ted Hemsley on one of the photos?

 

[Digs blade]

The thing that strikes me is how young football fans were back then. As I remember it, the majority of match attending supporters were aged probably up to about 21.

One thing the younger ones would not believe now too, is just how independent and street wise we were back then. I started going to the Lane with my mates when I was 6 years old back in the mid/late 60s. My dad was a pig so no chance he'd go. There were between 3 and about 8 of us all ranging between the ages of 6 and 10. The 10 year old was very much our leader and in charge of the gang. We'd trundle along proudly wearing our scarves and badges, and on the way back to Pond Street to catch the bus home take a wander by Midland Station to watch the feightin.

Hard to imagine that now lol, but back then it wasn't out of the ordinary.

You’re right. I went down to Portsmouth on my own in the train first game of season 82. I would have been 10 years old. My dad took me in to town and asked a couple of blokes in the train queue to keep an eye on mr. I’ve no idea who they were or whether my dad knew them but it didn’t phase me at all cus like you say, it wasn’t uncommon.

I got off the train walked with the escort, walked with it back after the match and arrived safely back in Sheffield that night

 

[Silent Blade]

Is that a young Silent next to Ted Hemsley on one of the photos?

Yes, the little un in the middle looking at the camera

 

[LSF]

Yes, the little un in the middle looking at the camera

You ain't changed a jot mate
Caught a passing glimpse of you on Wednesday night on SS concourse.

 

[Jon Bon II]

Yes, the little un in the middle looking at the camera

You look like a young Ken Furphy.

 

[Greenwich Blade]

Why can't we do this sort of thing now? Grumble grumble.