jackfieldwolf
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This is a memorable game, but sadly the football played a secondary role this ill fated day.
Wolves had been relegated from the old first division in May. Wolves legendary manager Bill McGarry sadly paid the price. Relieved of his duties, his assistant Sammy Chung was appointed first team Manager.
Wolves had [as was the case in those days] kept hold of their star players in readiness for a quick return to the top flight.
The season had started somewhat disappointingly; the first two games were pitched against their fellow relegatees. A scoreless home draw Burnley. Then a 2-2 draw away
against Shef Utd.
Next up Forest away. Forest were in the process of being rebuilt by a certain Brian Clough.
Clough had taken over the previous. January and steered them towards a modest mid table position. Now Clough had been reunited in pre season with his erstwhile assistant Peter Taylor. This should be the starting point for Damned Utd-The sequel.
Yet, fans of Wolves contemplating their journey to the City Ground, there was always a sense of trepidation.
Crowd disorder in the mid 70’s had moved through to a dangerous phase which would lead to the dreadful episodes of the 80’s.
Most clubs in the mid 70’s had experienced bouts of crowd disorder. Some worse than others. Hooliganism was moving through a more serious phase. A lot of clubs had seen hooligan elements decamp from their traditional ‘home ends’ into the ‘away end’
Indeed Wolves supporters were beginning to be involved in a number of serious outbreaks of disorder notably in the South Bank.
For younger supporters reading this, segregation then was at best a thin line of policemen, or at some grounds nothing at all.
For most away supporters of this period the journey from train, coach and car was made without supervision.
Once inside the ground most away fans would pay on the turnstile to what would be a ‘historic’ away end and would experience little trouble.
That was changing in the mid 70’s with away ends attracting ‘elements of hostile home support’
Some clubs were notorious away days, notably London Clubs along with Liverpool and Manchester. The usual rule of thumb in those days for attending the afore mentioned grounds was to adopt a low profile. For example forming a raucous choir in the score board end of Old Trafford in the early 70’s would be risking life and limb.
Nottingham Forest away on the 28th August was what the Americans would describe a ‘perfect storm’
A handful of police on duty. Stewards were still years away. No fences to segregate fans, a Forest Ground which allowed supporters once in to access any terracing in the ground.
And worse a group of supporters who were fast gaining a reputation for serious crowd disorder. Add into that a number of previous crowd disorder incidents featuring Wolves and Forest fans, and you had the recipe for serious trouble.
Three friends and I set off from Bridgnorth in a beat up old mini. After parking up some way from the ground it soon became clear whilst walking to the ground that serious trouble was brewing.
As we made our way past the Bridgford stand towards the [since named Brian Clough stand]. The Bridgford stand then was an uncovered open terrace. As a few Wolves coaches began to disgorge a boisterous mob. A sort of chanting standoff aimed at Forest fans occupying the Bridgford stand soon turned ugly. The forest fans charged down the terrace towards the stand exit points. Then, proceeded to rip the gates apart. Yes that's right ripped off the gates of their own stand to attack the Wolves fans baiting them in the adjacent car park. After a melee that lasted some time, Police intervention saw the Forest fans retreat back to where they'd came from leaving the beleaguered Wolves fans to queue into the Brian Clough Stand. Just when you thought it would be safer in the ground. The forest mob poured under the Brian Clough stand and started attacking Wolves fans as they came through the turnstiles!
That was the final straw for quite a few of us. We decided to take our chance by entering the Bridgford stand on the other side of the ground. Incognito with colours hidden we were able to enter the ground only to witness a large group of Wolves fans under siege in the Lower Terracing of the Brian Clough Stand. Without Police intervention, it resembled a kind of Rorkes Drift with scores of Forest fans literally queuing up to attack the group of Wolves fans pinned against the seating tier behind them.
As for ourselves we stood incognito in the Bridgford Road end our scarves stuffed in our pockets.
As the teams limbered up we just prayed for the full time whistle to blow 0-0.
Bobbie Gould [in his second spell at the club] put Wolves up two up within 30 minutes. The first goal lit the fuse the second ignited the blast. Wolves fans who had slipped into the Bridgford Road end incognito suddenly found themselves under siege. Forest fans up for the fight surged around the ground towards the flash point which had moved into the corner of the Bridgford road end.
Wolves fans heavily outnumbered were forced onto the pitch. The game was halted whilst police reinforcements tried to restore order. At one point Brian Clough had a forest hooligan in a head lock. Even coaching staff tried to help the police to restore order.
Finally the Police, who could not prevent the hostile Forest fans from spilling onto the pitch, decided that they could not guarantee the safety of the remaining Wolves fans.
The remnants of visible Wolves support were forced to leave the ground through the players tunnel, leaving a shell shocked Cloughie appealing for calm from the centre circle.
This match for me and my friends was the most terrifying experience ever at a football match. Never have I remained completely motionless when Wolves have scored, and that day was my only experience of ever cheering an away goal.
We were able to survive that day suffering a few bruises, but we were luckier than a lot of Wolves fans that day.
How that day never ended in a fatality is a miracle.
The game finished 3-1 to Wolves with Steve Daly scoring the third. Forest went onto gain promotion along with Wolves and Chelsea that season. For Forest it was the dawn of an unprecedented era. For Wolves the late 70’s should have ushered a similar re birth. Sadly it did not.
Wolves had been relegated from the old first division in May. Wolves legendary manager Bill McGarry sadly paid the price. Relieved of his duties, his assistant Sammy Chung was appointed first team Manager.
Wolves had [as was the case in those days] kept hold of their star players in readiness for a quick return to the top flight.
The season had started somewhat disappointingly; the first two games were pitched against their fellow relegatees. A scoreless home draw Burnley. Then a 2-2 draw away
against Shef Utd.
Next up Forest away. Forest were in the process of being rebuilt by a certain Brian Clough.
Clough had taken over the previous. January and steered them towards a modest mid table position. Now Clough had been reunited in pre season with his erstwhile assistant Peter Taylor. This should be the starting point for Damned Utd-The sequel.
Yet, fans of Wolves contemplating their journey to the City Ground, there was always a sense of trepidation.
Crowd disorder in the mid 70’s had moved through to a dangerous phase which would lead to the dreadful episodes of the 80’s.
Most clubs in the mid 70’s had experienced bouts of crowd disorder. Some worse than others. Hooliganism was moving through a more serious phase. A lot of clubs had seen hooligan elements decamp from their traditional ‘home ends’ into the ‘away end’
Indeed Wolves supporters were beginning to be involved in a number of serious outbreaks of disorder notably in the South Bank.
For younger supporters reading this, segregation then was at best a thin line of policemen, or at some grounds nothing at all.
For most away supporters of this period the journey from train, coach and car was made without supervision.
Once inside the ground most away fans would pay on the turnstile to what would be a ‘historic’ away end and would experience little trouble.
That was changing in the mid 70’s with away ends attracting ‘elements of hostile home support’
Some clubs were notorious away days, notably London Clubs along with Liverpool and Manchester. The usual rule of thumb in those days for attending the afore mentioned grounds was to adopt a low profile. For example forming a raucous choir in the score board end of Old Trafford in the early 70’s would be risking life and limb.
Nottingham Forest away on the 28th August was what the Americans would describe a ‘perfect storm’
A handful of police on duty. Stewards were still years away. No fences to segregate fans, a Forest Ground which allowed supporters once in to access any terracing in the ground.
And worse a group of supporters who were fast gaining a reputation for serious crowd disorder. Add into that a number of previous crowd disorder incidents featuring Wolves and Forest fans, and you had the recipe for serious trouble.
Three friends and I set off from Bridgnorth in a beat up old mini. After parking up some way from the ground it soon became clear whilst walking to the ground that serious trouble was brewing.
As we made our way past the Bridgford stand towards the [since named Brian Clough stand]. The Bridgford stand then was an uncovered open terrace. As a few Wolves coaches began to disgorge a boisterous mob. A sort of chanting standoff aimed at Forest fans occupying the Bridgford stand soon turned ugly. The forest fans charged down the terrace towards the stand exit points. Then, proceeded to rip the gates apart. Yes that's right ripped off the gates of their own stand to attack the Wolves fans baiting them in the adjacent car park. After a melee that lasted some time, Police intervention saw the Forest fans retreat back to where they'd came from leaving the beleaguered Wolves fans to queue into the Brian Clough Stand. Just when you thought it would be safer in the ground. The forest mob poured under the Brian Clough stand and started attacking Wolves fans as they came through the turnstiles!
That was the final straw for quite a few of us. We decided to take our chance by entering the Bridgford stand on the other side of the ground. Incognito with colours hidden we were able to enter the ground only to witness a large group of Wolves fans under siege in the Lower Terracing of the Brian Clough Stand. Without Police intervention, it resembled a kind of Rorkes Drift with scores of Forest fans literally queuing up to attack the group of Wolves fans pinned against the seating tier behind them.
As for ourselves we stood incognito in the Bridgford Road end our scarves stuffed in our pockets.
As the teams limbered up we just prayed for the full time whistle to blow 0-0.
Bobbie Gould [in his second spell at the club] put Wolves up two up within 30 minutes. The first goal lit the fuse the second ignited the blast. Wolves fans who had slipped into the Bridgford Road end incognito suddenly found themselves under siege. Forest fans up for the fight surged around the ground towards the flash point which had moved into the corner of the Bridgford road end.
Wolves fans heavily outnumbered were forced onto the pitch. The game was halted whilst police reinforcements tried to restore order. At one point Brian Clough had a forest hooligan in a head lock. Even coaching staff tried to help the police to restore order.
Finally the Police, who could not prevent the hostile Forest fans from spilling onto the pitch, decided that they could not guarantee the safety of the remaining Wolves fans.
The remnants of visible Wolves support were forced to leave the ground through the players tunnel, leaving a shell shocked Cloughie appealing for calm from the centre circle.
This match for me and my friends was the most terrifying experience ever at a football match. Never have I remained completely motionless when Wolves have scored, and that day was my only experience of ever cheering an away goal.
We were able to survive that day suffering a few bruises, but we were luckier than a lot of Wolves fans that day.
How that day never ended in a fatality is a miracle.
The game finished 3-1 to Wolves with Steve Daly scoring the third. Forest went onto gain promotion along with Wolves and Chelsea that season. For Forest it was the dawn of an unprecedented era. For Wolves the late 70’s should have ushered a similar re birth. Sadly it did not.
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