[Archived] BIGGEST AWAY FOLLOWING EVER AT EWOOD ?

[Claytons Left Boot]

Without doubt Bolton in the late 70s. They were everywhere, all the Darwen End, most of the Bburn End and all over the Riverside where I was.

Ewood was absolutely packed. They laughingly gave the attendance out as 27k. The biigest crowd fiddle of all time. There must have been easily 35k on. You couldn't move an inch on the Riverside and it seemed the same in all other areas of the ground.

[ABBEY]

Rovers away- Wigan in the cup was big. Many have mentioned Gigg Lane promotion. Missed this by a couple of years and have always been jealous of those that went.

I was told about an idiot with an air rifle taking pot shots at Rovers fans at a Gigg Lane, can anyone back this up?

Preston away ... Promotion.. Rovers fans all over deepdale.

[Jock]

Preston away ... Promotion.. Rovers fans all over deepdale.

I was in the Finney stand. Ran across the pitch at the end and gave Craig Short a hug, then jumped into the paddock with the rest of of the Rovers fans.

My mate got nicked at the Sumners pub after the match but got away with it as the arresting officer logged him down as a Preston fan..

[ABBEY]

I got nicked in that stand but copper was a lasher ha.. Let me go .

[Gav]

Rovers away- Wigan in the cup was big. Many have mentioned Gigg Lane promotion. Missed this by a couple of years and have always been jealous of those that went.

I was told about an idiot with an air rifle taking pot shots at Rovers fans at a Gigg Lane, can anyone back this up?

Gate was only 10k if memory serves me right, so couldn't have been a massive following.

I recall one game away at Barnsley possibly during Kennys time when we filled the big open end, half of the enclosure down the side and seats, not sure how many the away end held but it seemed big.

Also Sheff Weds in the cup semi was a big following, 7k I think.

Villa in the cup replay when Andy Kennedy scored the opener, Everton away FA cup mid 80's.

[Shabani]

What about smallest away following?

Remember when Basle brought about 25 fans? Or AS Nancy Lorraine the same year who also brought about 17

[Majiball]

Does the league cup in 2002 count as an away game??

[Mercer]

If you look at that Bolton game in 1978 a couple of days earlier we had 8000 on v Sheff Utd.

In a season which was long dead for us that tells its own story

That night there were 27000 on. It was an enormous following I was in the Blackburn End with a minibus full of mates from Uni I can assure you there were plenty of Bolton fans in there too!

A funny thing I remember from that night is nobody wore replica shirts in those days but just one Bolton fan had put a red shirt on Same as their away kit

Their fans on the pitch took him for a player it was so unusual & lifted him aloft along with Frankie Worthy & Peter Reid and co

And in the days when attendances tended to be understated rather than overstated !

Pretty certain that's the biggest away following I've seen in 50ish years at Ewood.

Some Rovers' fans got a good spanking that night - Bolton always had a few handy lads and didn't need the numbers for it !

[Doug]

The Bolton game was exciting, nearly got duffed on BBE, my Dad and Uncle saved the day. Wanderers fan made my life a misery for years after that. Don't know how many the old Darwen End used to hold, but I remember Newcastle (Speedy game) and Sunderland (may have been 70's) filling that end to bursting point. Pretty sure Derby brought a few in the first leg play off game. Liverpool in cup 79? Dalglish played that day, seemed to be a few on then. Always looked impressive when it was full.

Modern Ewood, Utd always, Liverpool, City game, Everton always brought a few, Celtic.

Rovers good followings, winning promotion at Bury, felt like we took a lot, Sheff.Utd away in Semi. City away at Maine road. Burnley away in late 70's, Palace away Play off, Liverpool in cup 70's away, Everton away cup 70's (I think), Derby 70's cup.

[DannyKeg]

I seem to remember that the record attendance at the "Old" Ewood was something like 53,000 ? And that was for an F.A. Cup tie against Bolton in the '50s ?

I think the biggest crowd I was on for would have been the F.A. Cup replay against Burnley in 1960, when as a young lad I was sat in front of the wall at the corner of the Riverside and Blackburn end, we must have been 10 deep in front of the wall and I was actually on the grass in the corner, the wingers taking a corner had to try and make room and shift us out of the way. I don't know how many Burnley fans there were or the official attendance, but it is still in my mind as the biggest crowd I have been in.

[old darwen blue]

Goodson Park Everton early eighties. I went on a coach from The Lord Raglan at Livesey and we must have had 12000 Rovers on. Lineker scored two goals, think it was the FA Cup

[ABBEY]

crammed in the paddock ,i remember a similar one at derby .Derby fans and forest fans scrapping in the ground over cloughie.

[forumquizmaster]

The Bolton game was exciting, nearly got duffed on BBE, my Dad and Uncle saved the day. Wanderers fan made my life a misery for years after that. Don't know how many the old Darwen End used to hold, but I remember Newcastle (Speedy game) and Sunderland (may have been 70's) filling that end to bursting point. Pretty sure Derby brought a few in the first leg play off game. Liverpool in cup 79? Dalglish played that day, seemed to be a few on then. Always looked impressive when it was full.

Modern Ewood, Utd always, Liverpool, City game, Everton always brought a few, Celtic.

Rovers good followings, winning promotion at Bury, felt like we took a lot, Sheff.Utd away in Semi. City away at Maine road. Burnley away in late 70's, Palace away Play off, Liverpool in cup 70's away, Everton away cup 70's (I think), Derby 70's cup.

Add Carlisle away in the early 80s to that list as well.

[Doug]

Add Carlisle away in the early 80s to that list as well.

We went to that game also, I have an extremely poor memory from that period, possibly because we went to so many games in those days, I'm sure we stood in the side.

[thewarhurstward]

cant see the likes of Colchester,Crawley and Stevenage bringing too many to Ewood next season

[koi]

City in 2000 biggest I've seen. We were moved from the DE to JW upper, when the fourth went in plenty of Rovers shirts came off to reveal City shirts. They covered the hill behind the RS they filled the streets surrounding Ewood, they were trying to climb over the turnstiles, the flaming Mancs were everywhere. I also remember the stewards failing miserably to get a hold of the fighting in the BE. Thing is we absolutely battered them in the first half, think we hit the woodwork bout 98 times*.

*Might be exaggerating.

[SIMON GARNERS 194]

Has to be Citeh in 2000 for me also.

The 70's Bolton promotion game at Ewood was slighty before my time but I have heard Boltons fans talk about their legendary 20k+ following that night and how they 'took' Ewood.Dont think there is much of a fight to be put up when you have that amount of away numbers at your ground!!

[darrenrover]

City in 2000 biggest I've seen. We were moved from the DE to JW upper, when the fourth went in plenty of Rovers shirts came off to reveal City shirts. They covered the hill behind the RS they filled the streets surrounding Ewood, they were trying to climb over the turnstiles, the flaming Mancs were everywhere. I also remember the stewards failing miserably to get a hold of the fighting in the BE. Thing is we absolutely battered them in the first half, think we hit the woodwork bout 98 times*.

*Might be exaggerating.

Just a touch of exaggeration but first half batter them we did. Should have been 3 or 4 up at half time. I will never be convinced that in the second half Rovers hadn't had instructions to capitulate with regard to public safety.

On topic, biggest away following in my memory at Ewood was Notlob in 78 or 79, there must have been 25,000 of them at least in the ground, City in '69 in 5th round of FA Cup must have been a similar amount. Incidentally the gate was 42,000 after twice being postponed previously and sold out. There were 10,000 non attendants that had bought tickets, so in Shagspew speak the actual gate was 52,000. (Which is what it originally would have been btw).

Play offs and cup finals aside, largest Rovers away followings were probably Turf (3-2 win, 3-0 half time), Gigg Lane (was I p1ssed or did the stand and floodlights really move and sway?) and Bristol Rovers away when Preston fecked it up.

Good memories, cheered me up no end thinking about them.

[bob fleming]

City and Celtic for me. The legendary Bolton game was before my time also.

City. I left with 5 to go. Seen enough, went to the Mill Bar, RIP, passed 5 city fans on their way to the ground, i said "well done lads", they nodded, then 30 yards apart I felt a bottle wizz over me head and one hit me on the back of my leg. Class act City. Scum.

Celtic. Took half day off, met the lads in the Napier, we had a couple, then they turned up. Absolutely boll oksed. Drunk as skunks. Good fun though. 11,000 ish I heard, opened the Cav for em. Walked passed the Fernhurst after the match, utter scum. Never let them into our league, they can't hold their drink. Safety in numbers and all that.

Away for us? Carlisle has to be up there. We took loads to Oldham on many occasion, 9k once I recall. Leeds? Always took loads there. Notts County in the Cup? QPR away? Argyle? Stoke? Bedlam there. Crickey, we've had some great followings throughout the years.

[Ewood Spark]

I remember being in a 10k plus following at Goodison in 1986 for a cup game.

[darrenrover]

I remember being in a 10k plus following at Goodison in 1986 for a cup game.

Me too ES, forgot that one. Lineker was the thorn if memory serves correct.

Thinking about the times before 'the dream' makes you appreciate that without the many idiots that are currently within the club, life following Rovers could be enjoyable once again.

I'd raise a glass to that!

[Neil Weaver]

Goodson Park Everton early eighties. I went on a coach from The Lord Raglan at Livesey and we must have had 12000 Rovers on. Lineker scored two goals, think it was the FA Cup

Cracking header from van den Hauwe if memory serves from Windy's cross. Pity it was his own net.

[McClarky]

I remember being in a 10k plus following at Goodison in 1986 for a cup game.

Oh yes, about 12,000 according to an Everton fan I was talking to after game. Never seen a bigger following apart from finals and semis.

[old darwen blue]

I remember being in a 10k plus following at Goodison in 1986 for a cup game.

That's the one!

See post number 37

12000 Rovers fans away, wonder if we will ever see that again unless its a semi final or something. The away end was behind the goals at Goodison then, we arrived so late we were put into the paddock right at the front. You were stood below pitch level with your head at the same level as the pitch. Bizarre but fun. Bloody Lineker, mind you he was class.

[tomphil]

Bolton game at Ewood was estimated in their local rag as 15k plus. Rovers at Bury was a 10k estimated following out of a 14k crowd.

Biggest at Ewood for me Sheff wed early 80's, Geordies, Keegans first game, City 2000 but most arrived during and after the game.

Away.. Stoke late 80's at the end of the unbeaten run, 23 games was it ? imagine that now !

Goodison FA cup..where did they all come from ?

Carlise...Bad day

Most games late season in the Don Mckay era, unreal followings considering we were still only getting about 7/8k at home.