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Post by technical on Mar 12, 2015 21:44:15 GMT 1
Who wants to settle an argument?
My dad took me and some school friends. It was the days when you just rocked up and paid your money on the turnstile. Once we were inside the ground Dad decided the away end (Gills) was too rowdy and we were going in with the home fans. I remember a heated discussion by the tea shed because we kids wanted to go where the atmosphere was and Dad was having none of it.
So, in my memory, we just walked from one end of the ground to the other and went in with the home fans. Would that really have been possible? It was the height of football hooliganism, fans were kept in cages, but we could just swap ends? |
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Post by muppet on Mar 13, 2015 0:57:46 GMT 1
Before my time at Gills Technical, but as you say in 1984 I think the only way you would have got into the away end was with 250 supporters with bats running behind you and steaming the away end. You thug!1
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Post by Deleted on Mar 13, 2015 15:20:23 GMT 1
I started going in 87, but it would certainly have been possible then.
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Post by statotheblue on Mar 13, 2015 16:07:30 GMT 1
Even after cages many grounds were still open to move around one or two people at a time. As long as you did not look like trouble. I remember the Valley I went a few times changing ends to cheer whatever side I fancied at the time.I often did that in those days.Sounds strange now but there were often loads of goals at the Valley in those days.But equally I have turned up all over London for non Gills games. I have always gone to games as a neutral supporter and still do although now days Kent non league grounds.Having spent 15 years living in London from the mid 80's when I couldn't get to Gills games I would normally turn up wherever I fancied.I nearly got beaten up once by a load of Evertonians being in with them at Arsenal.Me having a London accent.But a old Gills programme in my pocket saved my skin.It wasn't that long after our FA cup game so they were OK after I told them who I was.Strange that I have always had a soft spot for the toffees ever since.Without that programme it could have been so different.
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Post by durhamgills on Mar 14, 2015 8:45:15 GMT 1
Yes you could walk from one end on Layer Road to the other - in fact the away fans were located at each end of the ground, mainly standing at the layer road end but the ones who wanted seat were at the other end - the tea shed was half way between the 2 - we stood for the first half and then moved to the seating
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Post by terryjolleysboot on Mar 14, 2015 10:06:37 GMT 1
That day was a fantastic memory for me beat ever away victory by scoreline at least, that I have attended!
It was always rowdy then and in fact to put it mildly Gills took their away end that day only for the majority of our vast travelling support to be moved back to the away end!
My memories are of a crumbling terrace at the Colchester home end vast chunks of concrete falling away.
Colchester thenput seats into that area and I sat there for a 1-1 draw a few years later!
David Shearer lives long in my memory for that specific day, I remember Terry Cochrane moaning to me about our poor support at Colchester in the league cup earlier that season,my words to him eas then if we draw them in the Fa Cup watch our support swell then, strangely we did and our away support didn'tdisappoint!
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Post by technical on Mar 14, 2015 21:47:26 GMT 1
I think we'd beaten Preston 4-0 at home the week before? Was a great season, just missed promotion. I can still name that side - IIRC it hardly changed all season
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