Walsall football violence

The match today at wolves vs westbrom got me wondering
What’s the worst football violence you’ve seen at a walsall game home or away and what triggered it ?

Blues v Walsall F A Cup 5th Round 1975. What triggered it was that it was the 1970s.

2 Likes

Glad I was born in the 90s so the worst of the football violence was behind us. Can’t imagine being terrified to attend a game

Mid eighties at home against Chelsea in the league cup. Chelsea fans in the Hilary Street end.

5 Likes

I don’t remember much trouble at Fellows Park in the 70s and 80s but then memories probably depend on where you stood.

Worst i saw was the Battle of Bramhall Lane. Awful scenes. Was sat with my Dad in one of the main stands and at the end an older Sheff U fan came over and said it would be wise to hide my scarf on the way out.

3 Likes

Milwall 81
Started in the Tavern in the town, when they came in with pick axe handles, and left with them up their arses
Then outside the ground after the game, on Bescot road where i ended up in as cell with 2 of them :man_facepalming:

3 Likes

They had stanley knives, i was standing in front of them

1 Like

Seen a few incidents over the years nothing on a huge scale though mostly late 80s and 90s remember it kicking off in Legends at Preston and a pub in Blackpool being smashed up and blokes with pocket fulls of pound coins at the game having done the fruit machines over.Northwich away in the 90s was another one they’d set about a small group of our fans before the game we ended up on a disused bank right next to there fans separated by a fence housebricks old glass milk bottles and other missiles started flying and the fence was literally swaying and almost came down until the police intervened i nearly got knicked my old man pulled me out the way :rofl::rofl::rofl:

2 Likes

The old Wigan ground, Springfield Park. Walsall fans jumping over the wall and running across the near empty open terrace to get at the Wigan supporters opposite. I remember sheltering a solitary Wigan fan who was stood at the top of the bank. At the end we were locked in until the home fans had been dispersed. Then there was the visit to Port Vale in the same season. Had to run through a mob of Vale fans , just escaping with only a few bruises. An earlier visit to Vale Park, in the late 60’s I think, just missed by a large lump of concrete chucked by Vale fans. Also remember the Chelsea game at FP as mentioned above. Ah for the good old days… :grinning:

4 Likes

Yes I was there , still have nightmares about being bombarded by roofing slates

I was nearby with @Acuman. Elected not to get involved. However, they did get a good kicking.

Probably around the same time, walking down Wednesbury Road after playing Coventry. Visiting fan had parked his car sporting a ‘Coventry City’ sunstrip. It ended up on its side ( nowt to do with me!)

1 Like

It was a regular feature in the 70’s and 80’s. Not always on a massive scale, but always about.
Bradford away in the second round of the cup in 75/76 was one of the worst I got caught up in but also Gillingham away around the same time. Arsenal away, Wigan away, a couple of visits to Port Vale, Millwall at home, Chelsea at home and a couple of games v Newport spring to mind.
Oh, and of course the two play off games v Bristol City and that mad day at Bramall Lane.

2 Likes

Same game, walking down Hillary Street there was a car that had most of the contents of a nearby builders skip inside it. Planks of wood and bricks and rubble all thrown through the windows. I assumed, but don’t know for sure, that the car belonged to a Coventry fan.

This season Crewe away. We were in the car and it all kicked off and our car was slap bang in the middle of it. One guy was thrown onto the boot of my car

1 Like

I worked with a mate from rushall who loved it back in the 80s, had some interesting stories to say the least, scrapping on the bridge at home games or wherever following us away. Was always with likeminded lads at least.

Whether we like it or not for a small club Walsall has always been a rough place with a large number of game lads.

3 Likes

I was about 10 years old and saw them tooled up and Walsall fans with bloodied faces. Horrendous looking back and how I can’t imagine taking my own boys in to that environment. Glad my Dad did take me though. Different times.

1 Like

One of my most vivid memories was at home vs Middlesborough in the 80s and they were winning the league comfortably. Walking from the car up the lane pastvthe away coaches and a discussion was being had between the police and some Middlesborough fans in a minibus. For whatever reason the police thought enough was enough and just chucked a couple of large Alsations in to the bus through the side door. Could just hear the dogs going crazy and cries of anguish from the men inside the bus.
The police did a nice line in violence and hooliganism themselves back then.

1 Like

In recent times the fa cup game at Stockport was dicey as it can get walking to the car. Few metres in front i would have to go all Danny Dyer. some poor bloke got filled in anyway. Manny police as helpful as ever…

4 Likes

Not been hit by a coin in my life until we played Kings Lynn either.

Middlesborough away in the 80s, probably the same season Sunn0 is talking about above. The most scared I have ever been at a football match. (Dad didn’t let me go to the battle of the Blades game) Anyone who went to Boro that day will surely remember it, they were crazy.

I’ve seen more in pubs than at the actual grounds. Maybe I have been lucky but I haven’t really been caught up in that much.

There are a few places that you are almost guaranteed some niggle though. Bristol and Sheffield are always aggro. Lincoln is a place who always seem up for a knock as well. 2007 stepped off the minibus and a bloke in his late 50s clocked my pin badge and said " Do you want me to get some lads together for a knock" I politely declined but he went ahead and got them anyway :rofl:

1 Like