| Away fans at PR before segregation 15:03 - Sep 4 with 2758 views | CopfordBlue |
I’ve just been watching highlights of a 1974 game against Spurs at Portman Road. No obvious signs of fences or a pen for away supporters but most of the North Stand were not celebrating our goals so presumably they were Spurs fans. What used to happen? Did away fans just congregate wherever they wanted or was the North Stand the area for away fans? |  |
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| Away fans at PR before segregation on 15:13 - Sep 4 with 2692 views | Roburmsyenna |
pretty much split, half home half away, remember watching us play Wimbledon in the ZDS one night and counting all 17 of them. | |
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| Away fans at PR before segregation on 15:14 - Sep 4 with 2689 views | DJR |
There used to be a phalanx of police between the opposing fans, and fans used to surge against each other.
For some games involving London teams, however, segregation broke down before the game even started. I remember in particular a game against Chelsea where I was punched by an Ipswich fan who along with two burly friends asked "Who do you support?" I wasn't quite sure what to say thinking they might be Chelsea fans (with both teams in blue) but my mates said "Ipswich" and they said "That's alright then."
It happens to be the only time I've been attacked at or near a football ground despite all the violence in the late 60s/70s. [Post edited 4 Sep 15:20]
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| Away fans at PR before segregation on 15:19 - Sep 4 with 2640 views | NorthLondonBlue2 |
There was fencing in the North Stand to separate Town fans from the visitors. I think there was a middle section, but the abuse shouted between the two was quite full on. Saw a few on pitch fights between rival groups too, with QPR bizarrely being one of them.
Definitely more civilised these days although I don't like how the roof of the Cobbold amplifies the away fans' voices. Will be interesting to see where they go as and when that stand is redeveloped. | | | |
| Away fans at PR before segregation on 15:34 - Sep 4 with 2538 views | Radlett_blue |
| Away fans at PR before segregation on 15:14 - Sep 4 by DJR |
There used to be a phalanx of police between the opposing fans, and fans used to surge against each other.
For some games involving London teams, however, segregation broke down before the game even started. I remember in particular a game against Chelsea where I was punched by an Ipswich fan who along with two burly friends asked "Who do you support?" I wasn't quite sure what to say thinking they might be Chelsea fans (with both teams in blue) but my mates said "Ipswich" and they said "That's alright then."
It happens to be the only time I've been attacked at or near a football ground despite all the violence in the late 60s/70s. [Post edited 4 Sep 15:20]
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indeed, the North Stand was unsegregated in the 1970s & when opposition came down who had a decent away following - Man U, Liverpool, the big London clubs - segregation was achieved by a thin blue line of coppers down the middle. At some stage, I can't remember when, the North Stand was partitioned by means of a fence down the middle and the "away pen" was born. |  |
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| Away fans at PR before segregation on 15:41 - Sep 4 with 2484 views | exeterblue10 |
| Away fans at PR before segregation on 15:34 - Sep 4 by Radlett_blue |
indeed, the North Stand was unsegregated in the 1970s & when opposition came down who had a decent away following - Man U, Liverpool, the big London clubs - segregation was achieved by a thin blue line of coppers down the middle. At some stage, I can't remember when, the North Stand was partitioned by means of a fence down the middle and the "away pen" was born. |
I think the fence may have appeared in the summer before the start of the 78-79 season but then again, my memory is pants. | | | |
| Away fans at PR before segregation on 15:48 - Sep 4 with 2436 views | bluefunk |
The NS was completely unsegregated when Town were promoted to Div 1 in 1968. Away fans would arrive early and try to occupy the stand, running battles were frequent and there’d often be a kind of no man’s land between the two sets of fans. The police line was a later innovation, also used to avoid over crowding, as they would make their way to the back of the stand and forcibly throw people down the steps to the front. Then, few fans wore colours, so you learned how to recognise away fans by their dress sense, and avoid getting isolated.
TWTD |  | | |
| Away fans at PR before segregation on 15:50 - Sep 4 with 2414 views | Alberto_the_frog |
| Away fans at PR before segregation on 15:13 - Sep 4 by Roburmsyenna |
pretty much split, half home half away, remember watching us play Wimbledon in the ZDS one night and counting all 17 of them. |
I remember regularly standing in the away area as there was often more room |  | | |
| Away fans at PR before segregation on 16:33 - Sep 4 with 2252 views | ClassicBlueTractor |
As others have said there was no segregation in the Sixties or seventies. I was one of those police officers who formed a line between the home and away fans. I can’t remember the exact date the cage was build but there were three sections. One home and one away with a small third section between home and away for the police to have exclusive use and protection of our own. Following Lord Justice Taylor’s recommendations Town was one of the first English professional clubs to convert to all-seater status following the Hillsborough disaster, with Portman Road becoming all-seated in 1992. |  | | |
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| Away fans at PR before segregation on 16:39 - Sep 4 with 2217 views | brazil1981 |
| Away fans at PR before segregation on 15:14 - Sep 4 by DJR |
There used to be a phalanx of police between the opposing fans, and fans used to surge against each other.
For some games involving London teams, however, segregation broke down before the game even started. I remember in particular a game against Chelsea where I was punched by an Ipswich fan who along with two burly friends asked "Who do you support?" I wasn't quite sure what to say thinking they might be Chelsea fans (with both teams in blue) but my mates said "Ipswich" and they said "That's alright then."
It happens to be the only time I've been attacked at or near a football ground despite all the violence in the late 60s/70s. [Post edited 4 Sep 15:20]
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Coincidentally the only time I’ve been physically assaulted (punched) in or around a footie ground was by a Town fan in the 80s! Similar story, in car park behind North Stand after the match…he wacked me first then asked who do I support? “Oh sorry Mate” he said…we’d just played Newcastle, he must have thought my Felixstowe accent sounded a bit Geordie!!!!
Followed us home and away through the 80s, a few hairy moments but usually you could avoid trouble if you had your wits about you! | | | |
| Away fans at PR before segregation on 16:39 - Sep 4 with 2203 views | DJR |
| Away fans at PR before segregation on 16:33 - Sep 4 by ClassicBlueTractor |
As others have said there was no segregation in the Sixties or seventies. I was one of those police officers who formed a line between the home and away fans. I can’t remember the exact date the cage was build but there were three sections. One home and one away with a small third section between home and away for the police to have exclusive use and protection of our own. Following Lord Justice Taylor’s recommendations Town was one of the first English professional clubs to convert to all-seater status following the Hillsborough disaster, with Portman Road becoming all-seated in 1992. |
Well done you. | | | |
| Away fans at PR before segregation on 16:52 - Sep 4 with 2145 views | FBI |
I was generally a Churchman's kid but, if the ground was full, there was the dubious privilege of being escorted along the touchline to squeeze in wherever you could (Yes, kids!) and one time a load of us were shoved into the corner bit of the North Stand, adoining the West. There was a bit of room there... with the Spurs fans...1981 I think: Ardiles, Hoddle, Archibald, Crooks etc.
Much banter ensued but actually it was absolutely fine. Jumpers for goalposts, single subs, blue invacars, dolly bird souvenir sellers, mumble, pipe smoke, grumble, First Division.... (tails off into incoherence) |  |
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| Away fans at PR before segregation on 17:16 - Sep 4 with 2042 views | CopfordBlue |
| Away fans at PR before segregation on 16:52 - Sep 4 by FBI |
I was generally a Churchman's kid but, if the ground was full, there was the dubious privilege of being escorted along the touchline to squeeze in wherever you could (Yes, kids!) and one time a load of us were shoved into the corner bit of the North Stand, adoining the West. There was a bit of room there... with the Spurs fans...1981 I think: Ardiles, Hoddle, Archibald, Crooks etc.
Much banter ensued but actually it was absolutely fine. Jumpers for goalposts, single subs, blue invacars, dolly bird souvenir sellers, mumble, pipe smoke, grumble, First Division.... (tails off into incoherence) |
I can remember those days but right from the first game I went to in ‘77 there was a separate section for away fans. The North Stand was in 3 sections. Right hand side (if you’re in the stand looking at the pitch) was always away fans, middle section varied depending on away support (sometimes it was empty) and left hand side was Ipswich. The fence separating fans was made bigger at some point in the late 70s. I just wondered what it was like before there was any segregation at all. | |
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| Away fans at PR before segregation on 17:28 - Sep 4 with 1942 views | monty_radio |
Back in the sixties when Millwall came to Town they moved around to the back of the North, gave us a few choruses of:
Hey, Ho, Hey Ho
It's off to work we go
With bottle and brick and Walking stick
Hey Ho, Hey Ho
And said accoutrements were indeed in evidence as they charged from the back and sent many vaulting over the barrier down into the stairwell while the Bobbies tried to fight their way upwards. | |
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| Away fans at PR before segregation on 17:55 - Sep 4 with 1812 views | north_stand77 |
| Away fans at PR before segregation on 16:33 - Sep 4 by ClassicBlueTractor |
As others have said there was no segregation in the Sixties or seventies. I was one of those police officers who formed a line between the home and away fans. I can’t remember the exact date the cage was build but there were three sections. One home and one away with a small third section between home and away for the police to have exclusive use and protection of our own. Following Lord Justice Taylor’s recommendations Town was one of the first English professional clubs to convert to all-seater status following the Hillsborough disaster, with Portman Road becoming all-seated in 1992. |
I was also a police officer in the mid 70s , usually working in the North Stand
My recollection is that in the first half of the 70s, before I joined up , I would be standing with Town fans on the left side of the North and Away fans would be separated by a thin line of officers. It wasn't 'half and half', just separated according to how many Away fans there were.
After that, the cage for officers was brought in, as was in use when I joined. Didn't stop coins being thrown as I recall - or being spat at! |  | | |
| Away fans at PR before segregation on 18:42 - Sep 4 with 1669 views | ITFC_Forever |
| Away fans at PR before segregation on 15:19 - Sep 4 by NorthLondonBlue2 |
There was fencing in the North Stand to separate Town fans from the visitors. I think there was a middle section, but the abuse shouted between the two was quite full on. Saw a few on pitch fights between rival groups too, with QPR bizarrely being one of them.
Definitely more civilised these days although I don't like how the roof of the Cobbold amplifies the away fans' voices. Will be interesting to see where they go as and when that stand is redeveloped. |
The fences / pens didn’t appear until the late 70s / very early 80s. |  |
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| Away fans at PR before segregation on 18:46 - Sep 4 with 1664 views | witchdoctor |
| Away fans at PR before segregation on 17:28 - Sep 4 by monty_radio |
Back in the sixties when Millwall came to Town they moved around to the back of the North, gave us a few choruses of:
Hey, Ho, Hey Ho
It's off to work we go
With bottle and brick and Walking stick
Hey Ho, Hey Ho
And said accoutrements were indeed in evidence as they charged from the back and sent many vaulting over the barrier down into the stairwell while the Bobbies tried to fight their way upwards. |
I remember that game..the ‘wall fans were basically in a group halfway up and behind the goal…with a massive gap all the way around them..In those days I used to do a scavenger hunt after games and that day found a watch where they had stood… |  | | |
| Away fans at PR before segregation on 19:39 - Sep 4 with 1547 views | ClassicBlueTractor |
| Away fans at PR before segregation on 17:55 - Sep 4 by north_stand77 |
I was also a police officer in the mid 70s , usually working in the North Stand
My recollection is that in the first half of the 70s, before I joined up , I would be standing with Town fans on the left side of the North and Away fans would be separated by a thin line of officers. It wasn't 'half and half', just separated according to how many Away fans there were.
After that, the cage for officers was brought in, as was in use when I joined. Didn't stop coins being thrown as I recall - or being spat at! |
Remember they issued us with cleaning tokens after most matches | | | |
| Away fans at PR before segregation on 21:35 - Sep 4 with 1303 views | Pendejo |
| Away fans at PR before segregation on 15:41 - Sep 4 by exeterblue10 |
I think the fence may have appeared in the summer before the start of the 78-79 season but then again, my memory is pants. |
The fences went up before start of 77/78 season IIRC
76/77 was my first season and where away fans stood appeared to be fluid, usually West Stand side of North, but last home game of season we took our usual position to discover we were surrounded by Newcastle fans |  |
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| Away fans at PR before segregation on 22:15 - Sep 4 with 1224 views | ArnieM |
If that was the game we won 4-0 (I think), I was at that game, and it was carnage in the NS every single time Town scored, as Spurs just surged from the back of the stand kicking 6 bells out of any Town fan celebrating. I just yelled at them, “ you can kick sh 1 t out of us as much as you like, but Town are beating your lot and there’s nothing you can do to change that”. Think I got away with it because I was just a kid…. |  |
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| Away fans at PR before segregation on 06:51 - Sep 5 with 969 views | kiwiblue |
| Away fans at PR before segregation on 22:15 - Sep 4 by ArnieM |
If that was the game we won 4-0 (I think), I was at that game, and it was carnage in the NS every single time Town scored, as Spurs just surged from the back of the stand kicking 6 bells out of any Town fan celebrating. I just yelled at them, “ you can kick sh 1 t out of us as much as you like, but Town are beating your lot and there’s nothing you can do to change that”. Think I got away with it because I was just a kid…. |
At the spurs match also easy for away supporters to break into the home support and threaten to take on the whole home support most of whom disappeared. I got slashed at that game as a young 20 year old. The cages just put the issue on the streets of every club. |  | | |
| Away fans at PR before segregation on 08:07 - Sep 5 with 825 views | LegendofthePhoenix |
| Away fans at PR before segregation on 16:33 - Sep 4 by ClassicBlueTractor |
As others have said there was no segregation in the Sixties or seventies. I was one of those police officers who formed a line between the home and away fans. I can’t remember the exact date the cage was build but there were three sections. One home and one away with a small third section between home and away for the police to have exclusive use and protection of our own. Following Lord Justice Taylor’s recommendations Town was one of the first English professional clubs to convert to all-seater status following the Hillsborough disaster, with Portman Road becoming all-seated in 1992. |
I may well have had my skin saved by you, or at least one of your colleagues. Home game v Arsenal in August 1974 I went into the NS on my own as a 13 year old, shortly before kick off. There had been a lot of trouble pre-match, and the police had taken the decision to escort all the Ipswich fans up the side of the pitch to Churchmans. However, a sprinkling of Ipswich fans, including me, were still making their way in to the NS.
Just before half time, and Town scored our 3rd goal. Cue the Arsenal fans to run rampage assaulting anyone with a blue scarf. My silk scarf was tied round my wrist, got grabbed by an Arsenal fan, I yanked my arm free and scarpered under the NS along the concourse, pursued by 4 Arsenal hooligans, only to get to the locked iron bar gate between NS and West Stand. I turned, looking at the Arsenal fans running at me, only to see them stop suddenly and retreat. At that moment, you or one of your colleagues walked across on the opposite side of the gate, and asked if I was alright. He kindly got the gate unlocked and let me pass through to safety.
Those were the days.  |  |
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| Away fans at PR before segregation on 08:13 - Sep 5 with 810 views | DJR |
| Away fans at PR before segregation on 15:48 - Sep 4 by bluefunk |
The NS was completely unsegregated when Town were promoted to Div 1 in 1968. Away fans would arrive early and try to occupy the stand, running battles were frequent and there’d often be a kind of no man’s land between the two sets of fans. The police line was a later innovation, also used to avoid over crowding, as they would make their way to the back of the stand and forcibly throw people down the steps to the front. Then, few fans wore colours, so you learned how to recognise away fans by their dress sense, and avoid getting isolated.
TWTD |
I always thought it wasn't difficult to spot the supporters of a London club because they just looked much rougher and tougher than Ipswich fans. And in my view it was the fans of London clubs who caused much more mayhem than those of other clubs. [Post edited 5 Sep 17:57]
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| Away fans at PR before segregation on 17:07 - Sep 5 with 276 views | mellowblue |
74/75 was a season we should have won the league. Our home form was pretty immaculate, winning 17 out of 21, drawing twice and losing twice, a stupid home loss against Luton on Boxing Day (clearly a Christmas hangover) and also Sheff Utd. But to be challenging for the league and losing 12 out of 21 away games was a disaster. As well as beating Spurs 4-0, we also beat Coventry 4-0 and beat Newcastle 5-4 in a thriller. This is the season that if the current 3 points for a win was awarded, we would have won the league on goal difference with 74 points from Derby. | | | |
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