Terrace Legends - Softcover

Pennant, Cass; King, Martin

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1844540928 ISBN 13: 9781844540921

Publisher: Blake Publishing, 2005

Synopsis

Meet the men who, for decades, have ruled the football terraces. They are the faces behind the biggest firms in football history; behind the rucks, the rules and the respect. They have caused chaos for the public and the press and struck fear into rival fans that have crossed their path. In this ground-breaking book, the men behind the mobs have joined forces to reveal their experiences as key figures in the most notorious terrace fights. Never before has such a wide-ranging book on this phenomenon appeared because never before have the men of violence been prepared to co-operate. From the bovver boys of the sixties and seventies to the football casuals of the eighties, the names central to the biggest firms - the names that were to become the stuff that terrace legends were made of - have all been tracked down and interviewed. They tell their stories in this essential book.

About this title

About the Author

This is a unique and groundbreaking collaboration between two bestselling authors. Cass Pennant, prominent face from West Ham's ICF, and Chelsea Head Hunter main man Martin King have buried the differences between their own firms to produce the definitive book on terrace culture. There are no voices more authoritative on the subject than these two bestselling authors.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

Terrace Legends

By Cass Pennant, Martin King

John Blake Publishing Ltd

Copyright © 2005 Cass Pennant/Martin King
All rights reserved.

ISBN: 978-1-84454-092-1

Contents

Title Page, 
Epigraph, 
Acknowledgements, 
Introduction, 
BILL GARDNER West Ham United, 
FRANK HARPER Millwall, 
STEVE, 'HICKEY' HICKMOTT Chelsea, 
ANDY NICHOLLS Everton, 
STEVE COWENS Sheffield United, 
JERREL Feyenoord, 
DANNY Feyenoord, 
DIRK Fortuna Dusseldorf, 
MARK 'JASPER' CHESTER Stoke City, 
RICHARD GREY Derby County, 
GILROY 'GILLY' SHAW Wolverhampton Wanderers, 
JOHN WESTWOOD Portsmouth, 
TREVOR 'T' TANNER Tottenham Hotspur, 
ANGUS NUTT Bristol City, 
ANDY 'THE BEAR' PHILLIPS Bristol Rovers, 
MAC Cardiff City, 
NEIL Wrexham, 
MR B Barnsley, 
LEE 'OATHEAD' OWENS Middlesbrough, 
DAVID 'SKEENY' SKEEN Nottingham Forest, 
GARY JOHNSON Wolverhampton Wanderers, 
STEVE 'WING NUT' LYONS Charlton Athletic, 
GINGER HOWARD Portsmouth, 
TERRY 'TESS' MANN Newcastle United, 
FRANK WHEATLEY Sunderland A.F.C., 
ALAN 'MONTY' MONTGOMERY Newcastle United, 
GARY 'SUNDERLAND A.F.C.' LAMB Sunderland A.F.C., 
PAT 'FAT PAT' DOLAN Chelsea, 
IRVINE WELSH Hibernian, 
Conclusion, 
Copyright, 

CHAPTER 1

BILL GARDNER

THE MEET

There's been plenty said and written about Bill. And Bill's never been one to talk himself up. He was even very modest when he spoke about himself in the Congratulations ... book. To me he is a gentleman and I class him as a real good family friend. I first came across him up at Middlesbrough in 1975 and what an eventful day that was! One thing was for sure, in the '70s and '80s you'd always find Bill at the front of the West Ham mob. So, besides the keyboard warriors of today, every football fan and face in the know would have heard of Bill's name. He really needs no introduction. He's an Upton Park legend and has been for a long, long time. Here are Bill's experiences about his days following the Hammers.

BACKGROUND

I first started watching West Ham in 1958. My mum was from Poplar and my dad was from Bethnal Green in the East End of London. After leaving school I worked in a factory, then I became a stonemason – the job I still do to this day.

WHAT'S YOUR FAVOURITE TERRACE FASHION?

An orange boiler suit I wore in the early '70s, and yer old Dr Martens. I had quite a few pairs of them over the years.

WHAT'S THE WORST FASHION YOU'VE EVER SEEN ON THE TERRACES?

That's got to be them stripy tank tops.

DESCRIBE YOUR WORST FEELING AT A GAME.

I was coming home from Chelsea away in the early '70s. We pulled in at Whitechapel train station and some Millwall were on the platform. The doors opened and they jumped on and started slapping a few young West Ham fans about. I steamed into them thinking that the rest of our boys on the train would back me up, but no, I ended up steaming into them on my own.

Plus losing a game – being relegated has to be the worst feeling of all. If you follow my team then these things happen. But the spineless way we went down in the 2002/3 season and taking into account the squad of players we had, well ...

HAVE YOU EVER INCURRED ANY SERIOUS INJURIES OR BEEN BADLY BEATEN UP AT A MATCH?

I've never been injured or beaten up at football.

HAS YOUR OWN SIDE EVER BEEN INVOLVED IN A FULL-SCALE RIOT?

The Harry Cripps testimonial over at Millwall in '72. I've never seen anything like that – it was unbelievable. Definitely the worst I've seen in all my years of going.

DESCRIBE THE BEST TAKING OF AN END YOU'VE EVER WITNESSED.

The North Bank at Wolves. We went in there that day and someone sang 'Bubbles' and the whole end just cleared. You couldn't see their arses for dust. I mean, in them days there was a lot of end taking but this one stands out.

WHICH WAS YOUR OWN TEAM'S POPULAR END?

The North Bank.

WHERE DID YOU STAND OR SIT IN THE GROUND?

The Chicken Run. It was a good crack in there and a good laugh.

CAN YOU RECALL A BATTLE YOU HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN, EITHER INSIDE OR OUTSIDE A GROUND?

There's far too many to really mention but Man. United in '75 springs to mind. And the games we've had with Millwall – they've always been a lively encounter.

CAN YOU RECALL THE BEST EVER MOB YOUR TEAM HAS PUT TOGETHER?

Man. United away in 2003 in the FA Cup. We had a firm of about 300 hundred top faces. Now that mob would take some beating.

WHO'S THE BEST RIVAL FIRM YOU'VE EVER SEEN?

Never seen one. No man from another firm has ever faced me one to one.

WHO ARE YOUR BIGGEST RIVALS TEAM-WISE?

Manchester United.

WHO ARE YOUR BIGGEST RIVALS FAN-WISE?

Millwall, Man. United – in that order.

HAVE YOU EVER JOINED UP WITH ANOTHER TEAM'S FIRM?

No, never. But I've got a lot of friends at QPR.

DID YOU EVER FOLLOW ENGLAND AND WOULD YOU PUT ENGLAND BEFORE YOUR CLUB?

I've been to a few England games. I went to the World Cup in '82 and Norway the same year in the qualifiers. And I've been to Wembley a few times. But West Ham comes first. I don't go to England games now because too many people get pissed and silly, and that isn't for me.

WHICH WAS THE BEST ENGLAND ROW?

None. I've not been involved in any of the England troubles.

HAVE YOU EVER SUPPORTED OR LOOKED OUT FOR ANOTHER TEAM'S RESULTS?

No. I've followed my son James's results when he played for Wycombe Wanderers and Woking and Burnham. But no, never supported another team.

NAME YOUR TOP FIVE FIRMS, IN ANY ORDER.

Two bob, the lot of them.

WHICH IS THE WORST GROUND YOU'VE EVER BEEN TO AND WHY?

Liverpool and Man. United. They pack too many fans in and it's so tight for room because there's too many seats. They charge £30 to £40 and you're crammed in. It's more about making money. They don't put the fans first, do they?

WHICH IS THE BEST STADIUM YOU'VE BEEN TO?

Don't be surprised – Blackburn Rovers have got a nice stadium. The top seats or the lower tier both give you a good view, there's plenty of legroom, and the facilities are good. Also Spurs have got good seats with good views for watching football.

WHO ARE THE FAIREST COPPERS YOU'VE COME ACROSS AT A MATCH?

West Ham Old Bill are fair.

AND THE WORST OLD BILL?

Manchester are a bit heavy-handed. Remember us up there in the Cup in the 2002/3 season. There was more of them than us and they were all dressed like Robocop. It's a shame they couldn't get their act together when there was real trouble about. They've left it a bit too late. In the old days they couldn't catch a cold.

WHAT WOULD HAVE STOPPED YOU GETTING INVOLVED WITH THE BOYS AT MATCHES?

If I'd have been a coward, maybe that would have stopped me getting involved.

DESCRIBE SOME OF THE METHODS AND TACTICS USED BY THE POLICE AND AUTHORITIES TO STOP FOOTBALL VIOLENCE, AND DO YOU THINK THEY WORK?

The retirement of the faces involved helped stop it. And CCTV cameras, and the use of police spotters have helped stop it spreading further.

HAVE YOU EVER BEEN SICKENED BY SOMETHING YOU'VE WITNESSED AT A GAME?

Every violent scene I saw or came across made me sick. I'm not a violent person – I just stood my ground.

WHAT'S YOUR FAVOURITE FOOTBALL SONG OR CHANT AND WHICH IS THE WORST YOU CAN RECALL HEARING FROM ANOTHER TEAM?

I can't sing! Ha, ha! No, 'Bubbles' is the best. I know 'Bubbles' is our song but it's a bit of a defeatist song. I also like 'You'll Never Walk Alone' – it's a great rousing football song. I don't go a lot on songs about Munich '58 and Aberfan. I don't like Man. United but these type of songs are in bad taste. I wouldn't like to hear songs bad-mouthing Bobby Moore.

WHAT WAS YOUR FAVOURITE BAND/RECORD DURING YOUR FOOTBALL DAYS?

Elton John's 'Saturday Night's Alright (For Fighting)' was a football fan's favourite in the '70s. Carl Douglas and 'Kung Fu Fighting' was another you'd hear in them days.

WHO WAS YOUR ALL-TIME FAVOURITE PLAYER?

Paulo De Canio is the most skilful player I've ever seen in a West Ham shirt. But my favourite all-time player was the legendary Bobby Moore. To me, he typified what West Ham's all about and he was an East End boy done good. Also Alex Young of Everton and George Eastham of Stoke City were two players I admired.

WHERE DO YOU THINK THE NEW ENGLISH NATIONAL STADIUM SHOULD BE BUILT AND WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS REGARDING THE WEMBLEY FIASCO?

I think the national stadium should stay at Wembley. They should have rebuilt and modernised the new stadium around the existing twin towers and brought the ground up to a better standard. But as usual the real fans don't get a look in. It's all about pound notes and ripping the arse out of the fans. The worse thing to happen was they got a German firm in to knock it down – now that's really taking the piss.

CHAPTER 2

FRANK HARPER

THE MEET

I met Frank just after he'd finished filming one of the main characters in The Football Factory. Most people remember Frank for his part in Guy Ritchie's film Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, but I was surprised to learn that he'd also appeared in films alongside stars such as Michael Caine (Shiner), Bob Hoskins (24-7), Daniel Day Lewis and Emma Thompson (In The Name of the Father), and hosts of other top actors. He told me the drama school he went to was SMADA, which spells the Smithfield Market Academy of Dramatic Arts. One thing about Frank is he doesn't look like an actor. For a start, he's a big fucker, but he's nice with it. We met down on the coast in Eastbourne in East Sussex, where he'd gone to see his mum and dad. And over a few beers and a spot of lunch he told me about the days of his dad being a pro at Millwall, his acting career, and everything and anything. So, lights, camera, action.

BACKGROUND

I grew up on the Downham Estate, which is between Catford and Bromley, in south-east London. It's a hotbed of Millwall support and most people from that area follow Millwall. I grew up following Millwall as my dad played for the club between 1957 and 1965, and won the Fourth Division Championship while he was there. He later moved on to Ipswich. Harry Cripps and Alex Stepney were there at Millwall with Dad, and there was a lot of real characters at the club. I dreamed about following in Dad's footsteps and becoming a pro footballer, but on leaving school I ended up working at Smithfield Market. One day a mate of mine took me down to a youth theatre at the Albany Empire in Deptford and from then on I had the bug. Did I get some shit from the boys at the market! I was insulted by experts for ten years – acting became a hobby. As a kid there's probably three jobs you dream of – pro footballer, Grand Prix driver or actor. I took the latter road. I'm 40 now and my younger brother runs all the kids' football for Lewisham Council, and Mum and Dad have retired down in Eastbourne, East Sussex.

WHAT'S YOUR FAVOURITE TERRACE FASHION?

Back to the early '80s and I'd say Burberry fly-front macs. I think I went through about three of them. Football's such a big fashion statement.

WHAT'S THE WORST FASHION YOU'VE EVER SEEN ON THE TERRACES?

Dodgy flared trousers still being worn by northerners in the '80s.

DESCRIBE YOUR WORST FEELING AT A GAME.

Me and four mates got caught by Charlton fans after a night game at the Valley. We were thirteen or fourteen years of age and a mob of geezers flocked on us and ambushed us. Millwall had taken the piss over there all night and we came close to getting a good hiding.

HAVE YOU EVER INCURRED ANY SERIOUS INJURIES OR BEEN BADLY BEATEN UP AT A MATCH?

One of my most frightening experiences at football was when Millwall played Ipswich at the Den in the '70s. Somehow a mob of Ipswich came into the Cold Blow Lane End of the ground. Everyone pushed down the terraces towards them, and I was being carried and shoved by one mass of angry bodies. My head was heading towards a metal barrier and I just ducked underneath it, but my mate hit his head and I had to drag him up because he was nearly out cold.

HAS YOUR OWN SIDE EVER BEEN INVOLVED IN A FULL-SCALE RIOT?

There's been more than a few with Millwall but the one that sticks in my mind is Luton away in the Cup. I think the main reason behind the troubles there was that the game wasn't made all-ticket. Fans from lots of other clubs turned up that night, many packed like sardines behind the goal with the bulk of Millwall fans. I remember my mate commenting that there'd be people injured because of the packed crowd swelling around the terraces. It was a sea of bodies and the only escape for some was the safety of the pitch. A few spilled over and for a moment it looked like people were going to get seriously hurt. Later the seats were ripped out as a mob of Millwall had it with the Old Bill. It was a mental night and the pictures of it say it all.

DESCRIBE THE BEST TAKING OF AN END YOU'VE EVER WITNESSED.

Chelsea away. Millwall came into the Shed in about four different mobs and it was going off all over the place. It ended with the bulk of the Millwall firm standing on the dog track behind the goal.

WHICH WAS YOUR OWN TEAM'S POPULAR END?

Cold Blow Lane. But in the '70s and '80s Millwall's gates were that small you could walk around the ground. I've seen people sunbathing on the terraces on a sunny day, stretched out with one eye on the game.

WHERE DID YOU STAND OR SIT IN THE GROUND?

Cold Blow Lane. It was always a giggle.

CAN YOU RECALL A BATTLE YOU HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN, EITHER INSIDE OR OUTSIDE A GROUND?

Leeds at home in the league. I was in a pub and suddenly it emptied. The ones that couldn't get out the door were climbing out the toilet windows to get out on to the street. Thousands of Millwall came out of nowhere as bottles and glasses rained down on the Leeds lot. The Old Bill pulled a transit van across the pub doorway to try to stem the flow of Millwall fans. That day Leeds were dead lucky to reach the ground.

CAN YOU RECALL THE BEST EVER MOB YOUR TEAM HAS PUT TOGETHER?

A couple of seasons ago, when the Wackers went up to Maine Road to play Man. City. We took an unbelievable firm up there that day. The Wackers have now become an urban myth. That's why I think no top face has written a serious book about Millwall's exploits over the years.

WHO'S THE BEST RIVAL FIRM YOU'VE EVER SEEN?

West Ham has always had a serious firm and a lot of my good pals are ICF. And, besides the hatred between Millwall and West Ham, I think there's a mutual respect between the two. Both teams come from tough areas, and tough areas breed tough people.

WHO ARE YOUR BIGGEST RIVALS TEAM-WISE?

The main one has to be West Ham, but I like to get one over Crystal Palace. My dad used to have The Clifton Arms pub right near the ground so it was nice when we beat them and took a few quid off them, having won a bet.

WHO ARE YOUR BIGGEST RIVALS FAN-WISE?

Cardiff, because they're Welsh.

HAVE YOU EVER JOINED UP WITH ANOTHER TEAM'S FIRM?

Yeah, I've got a couple of really good pals who follow Chelsea, so sometimes it's nice to watch Premiership football. I remember when Millwall were in the top flight and we played Forest, and Brian Clough came out the tunnel and got a standing ovation. We can be fair at Millwall and appreciate good football and characters.

DID YOU EVER FOLLOW ENGLAND AND WOULD YOU PUT ENGLAND BEFORE YOUR CLUB?

I've been abroad a few times watching England but, as an Englishman, I'm used to being hugely disappointed when a major tournament comes around. As for club or country, it would be nice if Millwall had three or four English internationals on our side. But I don't suppose we're ever going to be in a position like Man. United or Chelsea and worry about our players going off for internationals.

WHICH WAS THE BEST ENGLAND ROW?

There've been one or two, but just general stand-offs with the Old Bill really. Me and some mates nearly came unstuck out in Italia '90. A few experienced campaigners advised us off going down a certain street, a load of idiots did, and got well bashed by the Italians lying in wait.

HAVE YOU EVER SUPPORTED OR LOOKED OUT FOR ANOTHER TEAM'S RESULTS?

I always look out for Leyton Orient's results, simply because my dad played there for a while.

NAME YOUR TOP FIVE FIRMS, IN ANY ORDER.

West Ham, Chelsea, Pompey, Leeds and Cardiff – in no order.

WHICH IS THE WORST GROUND YOU'VE EVER BEEN TO AND WHY?

Grimsby. You can smell fish twenty miles outside the town. It's a shithole. I hear they call themselves the Millwall of the North. Dream on! Let them think that if it makes them happy.

WHICH IS THE BEST STADIUM YOU'VE BEEN TO?

I've not been to any of the Premiership grounds since they've been done up, but I think Wembley had to be one of the best stadiums to go to. I went and watched Millwall play Wigan there. We sold nearly fifty thousand tickets. It was surreal walking up Wembley Way before the game.

WHO ARE THE FAIREST COPPERS YOU'VE COME ACROSS AT A MATCH?

Barnsley. They just wanted to get rid of us without any problems.

AND THE WORST OLD BILL?

Portsmouth. In the '80s a big mob of us were surrounded by Old Bill and they didn't know what to do with us, so we all sat down in the road and blocked all the traffic for a few hours.

(Continues...)

Excerpted from Terrace Legends by Cass Pennant, Martin King. Copyright © 2005 Cass Pennant/Martin King. Excerpted by permission of John Blake Publishing Ltd.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
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Edition details

• Publisher: Blake Publishing
• Publication date: 2005
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1844540928
• ISBN 13: 9781844540921
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 288