Originally Posted by
cardiff55
We must be about the same age Paul?
My nearest brush with being a hooligan was throwing a Jubbly packet (remember them?), still frozen at the goalkeeper of some team or other , maybe Bury 68/9? I too was in the Boys' Enclosure at the time. Must have been a training area.
I have come close to being battered a few times by being in the wrong place at the wrong time. One was at Chelsea in 1976, we lost 2-1, Clive Charles scored with a penalty. We got on the tube in London, two of us, but as more and more Chelsea fans got on I told my mate not to speak, just keep quiet. As more and more got on we got separated, and jokingly shouted "Do you think I should sell them Cardiff lottery tickets!" Just before they attempted to kill us, the tube doors open and we were at Fulham Broadway. We ran, pursued by about 50 nutters. We turned the corner and ran in to about 1000 City fans being escorted by the police. Thankfully we scurried off.
Close shave at Palace in 1976 when we were in the Palace end. And a strange one at Bristol City Boxing Day 1980. 0-0 Linden Jones and Kevin Mabbutt got sent off. Before the game a local loonie came up to me and said :
Him: "Where are you from", which I declined to answer.,
Him: " You're a Cardiff fan aren't you?" So taking the bull by the horns I said bravely " What if I am?"
He then asked where I was from, I told him I was from Pontypridd. He said he had a friend living there and did I know him! That was before the game which as I say was a 0-0 and a waste of a Bank Holiday.
Plenty of scenes down at Swansea which i kept away from on my various visits incognito, even visiting Swansea pubs pre game, but Istood out a bit because I was the only one without a moustache!