BRFC - The Nostalgia Thread

[Claytons Left Boot]

20 hours ago, oldjamfan1 said:

 

Thanks for the two links Andy. There’s certainly some stories there and if there are half as many in his book, it should be a blinder.

I never knew Patty but his mum used to call in to where I worked in the late 70s and I remember her being as proud as punch when she told me he had signed for the Rovers. He would have been around 13 or 14 at the time, so schoolboy forms, I would guess.

[oldjamfan1]

14 minutes ago, Claytons Left Boot said:

Thanks for the two links Andy. There’s certainly some stories there and if there are half as many in his book, it should be a blinder.

I never knew Patty but his mum used to call in to where I worked in the late 70s and I remember her being as proud as punch when she told me he had signed for the Rovers. He would have been around 13 or 14 at the time, so schoolboy forms, I would guess.

I can thoroughly recommend the book Mark - plenty of Darwen stories in it 😉

[Claytons Left Boot]

1 hour ago, tonyoz said:

When did Rovers stop fans changing ends at half time?

It was in the early 70s as hooliganism was taking hold. As a Darrener, I used to enter the ground at the Darwen End turnstiles and if we were kicking towards that end in the first half, we stayed put. Otherwise, we stood on the Riverside, about two thirds the way to the half way line. I started going in 1966 and you could get to the Blackburn End from the Riverside but it was through a relatively narrow gap.

I remember us playing a ‘friendly’ versus the Clarettes in 1970 and winning 2-0. Rovers fans came from the Blackburn End, through the Riverside and into the Darwen End, late in the game, to attack the Burnley fans, so you could still change ends then. Even for a fight 😆. Certainly, by the mid 70s there was a fence inbetween the Darwen End and the Riverside and the small gap inbetween the Bburn End and the Riverside had been removed. To answer your question, I would guess in 1971 or 1972.

[tonyoz]

19 minutes ago, Claytons Left Boot said:

It was in the early 70s as hooliganism was taking hold. As a Darrener, I used to enter the ground at the Darwen End turnstiles and if we were kicking towards that end in the first half, we stayed put. Otherwise, we stood on the Riverside, about two thirds the way to the half way line. I started going in 1966 and you could get to the Blackburn End from the Riverside but it was through a relatively narrow gap.

I remember us playing a ‘friendly’ versus the Clarettes in 1970 and winning 2-0. Rovers fans came from the Blackburn End, through the Riverside and into the Darwen End, late in the game, to attack the Burnley fans, so you could still change ends then. Even for a fight 😆. Certainly, by the mid 70s there was a fence inbetween the Darwen End and the Riverside and the small gap inbetween the Bburn End and the Riverside had been removed. To answer your question, I would guess in 1971 or 1972.

Oh! I would have guessed 60’s. I remember fans walking around the cinder track, inside the concrete wall …….from memory it all seemed pretty relaxed. But memories can be unreliable! 

[Claytons Left Boot]

1 hour ago, tonyoz said:

Oh! I would have guessed 60’s. I remember fans walking around the cinder track, inside the concrete wall …….from memory it all seemed pretty relaxed. But memories can be unreliable! 

This is a photo from our defeat to Manchester United in May 1966. At first glance, it looks like a full scale pitch invasion but it’s just fans moving from the Blackburn End to the Darwen End at half time.

[bazza]

4 hours ago, tonyoz said:

When did Rovers stop fans changing ends at half time?

I don't know but there was no segregation in the early 1970s. 

I was on Burnden Park in 1973(?) to see us take on top of the league Bolton Wanderers, a game that we won 1-0 thanks to a Fazackerley goal. I thought all of us on the end nearest the town centre were Rovers but I soon realised it was about 50/50 with small pockets of opposing supporters close to each other. The gate that night was 33,000. I saw no trouble.

[rigger]

4 minutes ago, bazza said:

I don't know but there was no segregation in the early 1970s. 

I was on Burnden Park in 1973(?) to see us take on top of the league Bolton Wanderers, a game that we won 1-0 thanks to a Fazackerley goal. I thought all of us on the end nearest the town centre were Rovers but I soon realised it was about 50/50 with small pockets of opposing supporters close to each other. The gate that night was 33,000. I saw no trouble.

Where did you tie-up your guide dog ?

[oldjamfan1]

1 hour ago, bazza said:

I don't know but there was no segregation in the early 1970s. 

I was on Burnden Park in 1973(?) to see us take on top of the league Bolton Wanderers, a game that we won 1-0 thanks to a Fazackerley goal. I thought all of us on the end nearest the town centre were Rovers but I soon realised it was about 50/50 with small pockets of opposing supporters close to each other. The gate that night was 33,000. I saw no trouble.

Is that you Arsene?

[Waggy76]

2 hours ago, bazza said:

I don't know but there was no segregation in the early 1970s. 

I was on Burnden Park in 1973(?) to see us take on top of the league Bolton Wanderers, a game that we won 1-0 thanks to a Fazackerley goal. I thought all of us on the end nearest the town centre were Rovers but I soon realised it was about 50/50 with small pockets of opposing supporters close to each other. The gate that night was 33,000. I saw no trouble.

I was only 10 , it was a dangerous walk back to the car ...Stood on Burnden Terrace (down the side) missed 1st 15 mins for queues at turnstile....

Roger Jones took 2 bows that night ...

[arbitro]

11 minutes ago, Waggy76 said:

I was only 10 , it was a dangerous walk back to the car ...Stood on Burnden Terrace (down the side) missed 1st 15 mins for queues at turnstile....

Roger Jones took 2 bows that night ...

I don't know if anybody remembers the Warby Boys. They gave themselves that name because the stood under the Warburtons sign on the Embankment at Burnden. That night they were out in force hitting anybody who they thought was from Blackburn. A group of them chased me and a mate all the way up Manchester Road and we reached the sanctuary of the train station shaking and dishevelled. Usain Bolt wouldn't have caught us that night😆😆. The sting in the tail for me was that my elder brother, no doubt in relief to see me in one piece whacked me on the station platform for being a dick and getting chased.

[Herbie6590]

Here’s another #RoversRewind - the start of that 1988/9 season in front of fewer than 9,000 at a decrepit Stamford Bridge. 
Howard Gayle of course memorably celebrated with the empty away terrace but the Chelsea cameraman didn’t capture it…

 

Chelsea weren’t always the rich playboys you know…let’s go back to the start of the 1988/9 season & a debut for @superatko22 

Chelsea (a) 18/8/88 

 

 

 

[Gav]

I think the football league had banned away fans at Chelsea and closed the terracing for a period of time after the play off game with Boro at the end of the previous season, it was like a battle ground for most of the game I seem to recall.

Edited November 3, 2021 by Gav

[Claytons Left Boot]

3 hours ago, bazza said:

I don't know but there was no segregation in the early 1970s. 

I was on Burnden Park in 1973(?) to see us take on top of the league Bolton Wanderers, a game that we won 1-0 thanks to a Fazackerley goal. I thought all of us on the end nearest the town centre were Rovers but I soon realised it was about 50/50 with small pockets of opposing supporters close to each other. The gate that night was 33,000. I saw no trouble.

It was mayhem bazza! Rocks, bricks were being hurled around and fights were breaking out everywhere. Bolton away was always a nightmare, partly because their fans are a set of knuckle dragging Neanderthals and partly because the police never gave two hoots.

[rigger]

36 minutes ago, arbitro said:

I don't know if anybody remembers the Warby Boys. They gave themselves that name because the stood under the Warburtons sign on the Embankment at Burnden. That night they were out in force hitting anybody who they thought was from Blackburn. A group of them chased me and a mate all the way up Manchester Road and we reached the sanctuary of the train station shaking and dishevelled. Usain Bolt wouldn't have caught us that night😆😆. The sting in the tail for me was that my elder brother, no doubt in relief to see me in one piece whacked me on the station platform for being a dick and getting chased.

Sheepskin coats. I had a similar transit back to the station. I ended up giving a bloke with his head painted red a whack at the station

[bazza]

33 minutes ago, Claytons Left Boot said:

It was mayhem bazza! Rocks, bricks were being hurled around and fights were breaking out everywhere. Bolton away was always a nightmare, partly because their fans are a set of knuckle dragging Neanderthals and partly because the police never gave two hoots.

Maybe I was just lucky then. I think we went back over a footbridge to get to the car. We didn't look for trouble and maybe they thought we were home fans.

[simongarnerisgod]

30 minutes ago, Claytons Left Boot said:

It was mayhem bazza! Rocks, bricks were being hurled around and fights were breaking out everywhere. Bolton away was always a nightmare, partly because their fans are a set of knuckle dragging Neanderthals and partly because the police never gave two hoots.

i remember a game over christmas in the early 80`s,i had a right moan at my dad for making us stand in the burnden paddock,he told me the shut it because it was going to kick off on the embankment sooner or later,lo and behold after 10 minutes,bottles,bits of loose terracing  and the odd dart were flying between the two sets of "fans"im`e sure the old bill enjoyed it was well,battering a few hooligans,that was when ever copper was 6 foot tall and 4 foot wide of course and they did`nt take any ****😁

[speeeeeeedie]

30 minutes ago, Claytons Left Boot said:

It was mayhem bazza! Rocks, bricks were being hurled around and fights were breaking out everywhere. Bolton away was always a nightmare, partly because their fans are a set of knuckle dragging Neanderthals and partly because the police never gave two hoots.

This baffles and intrigues me at the same time. 

I wonder what pleasure people got from it, or why people would want to go to a football match if this had a decent chance of occurring. 

I'm glad that those days are over. 

Watching the Netflix Yorkshire Ripper documentary gives a good idea of what life was like back then so I can see why it happened. 

[rigger]

1 minute ago, speeeeeeedie said:

This baffles and intrigues me at the same time. 

I wonder what pleasure people got from it, or why people would want to go to a football match if this had a decent chance of occurring. 

I'm glad that those days are over. 

Watching the Netflix Yorkshire Ripper documentary gives a good idea of what life was like back then so I can see why it happened. 

It got your adrenalin pumping.

[simongarnerisgod]

like the mods and rockers of the 60`s hooliganism was of it`s time,it had virtually disapeared by the late 80`s and when the acid house scene was going,potential hooligans were prefering ecstasy to alcohol,was better to hug everybody than to get your head kicked in,when the premier league marketed the game to a new audience it finished it off completely,i hav`nt seen any trouble for years

[iacok]

Went on a coach from Chorley, Jacksons or Cliff Owen. Half Rovers half them. Fighting at the ground and then on the coaches! 

Those were the days! Not! 

[Exiled in Toronto]

4 hours ago, arbitro said:

I don't know if anybody remembers the Warby Boys. They gave themselves that name because the stood under the Warburtons sign on the Embankment at Burnden. That night they were out in force hitting anybody who they thought was from Blackburn. A group of them chased me and a mate all the way up Manchester Road and we reached the sanctuary of the train station shaking and dishevelled. Usain Bolt wouldn't have caught us that night😆😆. The sting in the tail for me was that my elder brother, no doubt in relief to see me in one piece whacked me on the station platform for being a dick and getting chased.

I was right on your heels Tony! Easily top of my league table of “relieved to get home in one piece” matches.

[47er]

This will be an increasingly popular topic.

After all, nostalgia is all we have left.

[Gav]

3 minutes ago, 47er said:

This will be an increasingly popular topic.

After all, nostalgia is all we have left.

The bastards can't take away our memories 47er and what memories!

Who would have ever dreamed of the success this club has had, from a small deprived Lancashire cotton, becoming the kings of England.

We'll come again, no doubt about that.

[47er]

1 minute ago, Gav said:

The bastards can't take away our memories 47er and what memories!

Who would have ever dreamed of the success this club has had, from a small deprived Lancashire cotton, becoming the kings of England.

We'll come again, no doubt about that.

Only when those bastards have gone.

[Ianrally]

On 03/11/2021 at 22:19, Gav said:

We'll come again, no doubt about that.

Oh how I hope you are right Gav. Sadly I think you are much younger than me and you may live to see it. I on the other hand may not.