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DanBrook

Going to the match in the 1960s (memories)

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Hello all,

I am a postgrad at the University of Leicester (and a Fulham supporter) and I am researching Leicester youth culture in the 1960s. As part of my research I want to know how important football was for young people growing up in the city during this time and I am looking for any memories people have during that era. I have a few questions/topics as a starting point but really if any one has anything in particular they want to share please do!

 

How important was going to the football on the weekend? Why was it important/not that important?

 

Was there any sort of matchday 'routine'?

 

Who did you go with to the match? Family/friends? How did your family react if/when you started going to the game with your mates rather than them?

 

Did you notice any social changes going to the game throughout the sixties? I.e. the types of people that went/ the attendances, the match-day routine?

 

Did the England winning the World Cup in 1966 change any aspect of going to the football match? e.g. did you become interested/more interested in Leicester afterwards?

 

 

How popular was gambling on sport among young people during the decade?

 

Thanks in advance and good luck for the season - brilliant start on Saturday.  :)

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Not sure if any of this helps but I posted this on here a while back in response to this thread - http://www.foxestalk.co.uk/forums/topic/71187-a-request-for-the-older-generation/

 

 

 

60's
The biggest difference was no segregation and fans 'getting on' with each other. There was plenty of banter but it all had a friendly, derogatory, jokey edge to it none of it was nasty, vindictive, hateful or aggressive.

Even though there was lots of banter and plenty of singing you could actually applaud a decent bit of play from the opposition without being attacked by your own fans


The majority all stood, the only sitting at Filbert St was the Main Stand but there was a decent sized standing area in front of the stand.

No adverts on shirts or around the perimeter of the ground

No names on shirts

No subs

Teams numbered 1 to 11

No warm ups by the team on the pitch at least

Teams entered the pitch separately so you could cheer / boo them 

I was never aware of an player diving or making a meal of injuries even though he boots they wore must have hurt.

You could pass the ball back to the goalkeeper to pick up

No going off when you were injured to come back straight on again

Quick free kicks, none of this 5 minute setting up we see nowadays

At Leicester the players trained on the car park and often arrived by bus or walking like and with the fans

Apart from ST holders it was pretty much pay on the gate on a first come first served basis.

Most fans travelled by bus or bikebikes were parked down the entries of the local terraced houses for a 'penny'

I'm pretty sure I remember being able to walk around the perimeter of the ground and change stands at half time.

No electronic scoreboards - to know the half time results you needed a programme with a list of games that corresponded to a numbered board displayed on the perimeter of the pitch.

Very little if any TV or radio commentaries - I remember watching Real Madrid beat Eintracht Frankfurt 7-2 in the European Champions Cup at the YMCA several weeks after the game on a Cine Real set up.


You could buy the Sports Buff up town around 6pm after the game for the full results and a report of the game.

 






 

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I remember the Buff as a very young boy, I have a memory of going with my Dad and waiting amongst other men for it to arrive at the local newsagents, always seemed like we were waiting for something quite special, but I was too young to know what it really was!

 

What was it's content,was it just football reports? they did well to get it off the press and in the shops for Saturday teatime.

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No warm ups by the team on the pitch at least

Not strictly correct. I can recall us playing Blackburn Rovers and there was a kick about at each end. At our end, the ref was inspecting the net, back to the pitch and McLintock let a quite a hard shot go that hit the ref on the back of the head. It was a great game too, we led 4-0 after 10 minutes, BR fought back to 4-3 and we were hanging on for dear life at the final whistle.

 

In answer to the questions posed by Dan Brook in post #1:

 

How important was going to the football on the weekend? Why was it important/not that important?....very important, limited away games due to playing in a group most weekends.

 

Was there any sort of matchday 'routine'?...Not really, a few of us would head for Victoria Park and have a bit of a "match" early Saturday, then go to get a cuppa and wander around town.

 

Who did you go with to the match? Family/friends? How did your family react if/when you started going to the game with your mates rather than them?...Mostly with mates or sometimes on my own, sometimes with a girlfriend. I don't recall any reaction if I went to a game and any of my mates didn't.

 

Did you notice any social changes going to the game throughout the sixties? I.e. the types of people that went/ the attendances, the match-day routine?....Nothing other than transfer fees come to mind, I suppose fashion was also evident later in the 60's, when I first stared going, the "attendance gate" was judged by the length of the macintoshes you could see on  the opposite stand, the mackintoshes became kaftans, donkey jackets and duffle coats. It's noticable to me that there are a lot more keen female supporters at modern day matches. Also no female teams in major sports.

 

Did the England winning the World Cup in 1966 change any aspect of going to the football match? e.g. did you become interested/more interested in Leicester afterwards?...No change as far as I was concerned and like most, was very proud that we were represented by Gordon Banks.

 

How popular was gambling on sport among young people during the decade?...I used to gamble on horse, dogs cards, I finished up with a bad gambling habit that took me decades to get rid of.

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In the 60's the Mercury had half time scores printed on the stop press section at the bottom of the back page.

Was printed sideways and as we couldn't afford a working TV or Radio, I used to go down to Morris's newsagent on Rosemead Drive, Oadby and wait for the delivery so I could sneak a look at the scores, particularly our away games.

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"Numbered board"- wasn't it capital letters? Pedantic, I know.

Didn't go down until 1965. One shilling and threepence (6,25 p), half- price. Even the poor were allowed to go!

It was capital letters.

If my Mum went we'd go in the double decker. Saw the 5-0 loss against Manx there in 1965; DD cost 7s / 35p for adults, half that for me.

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I was at Wyggy, a rugby playing school.  I reckon half my friends were likely to go to Filbert Street on a Saturday afternoon, far more than to Welford Road.  Everyone at school fell into one of two camps - they were City supporters or they weren't interested in football.  I honestly reckon that until I went to University I had hardly ever met anyone who supported any other team.

 

The Buff came out astonishing early, more like 5.30 in Earl Shilton, 10 miles from town.  It contained not just reports of the main game and all the news and gossip from Filbert Street, but also local matches from all over the county.

 

Football seemed to unite the whole city.  There were not many places that had a single team that was worth supporting.  In the mid 60s I went to live in Nottingham that was completely different, because there apparently the Forest and County supporters played on opposite sides of the playgrounds.  When we reached the cup final in 1961 and 1963 little else seemed to matter, and even though we lost both times I won't say it didn't matter, but the build-up had made it all worth it.

 

I initially went with my father, but he was only moderately interested, and was probably relieved when I preferred to go with friends.

 

The atmosphere at matches was initially very friendly, and young boys were allowed to make their way to the front and were looked after.  As the 60s went on, you started to see gangs of youths who could be quite intimidating, and there were usually one or two ringleaders that the rest would follow.

 

I'm not sure if 1966 made much difference.  Gordon Banks was already a big star and generally respected by fans of opposing teams.  If I remember rightly, our first home match of the 1966/7 season was against West Ham, so the 4 world cup winners were welcomed onto the pitch before the match and politely applauded.

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I was at Wyggy, a rugby playing school. I reckon half my friends were likely to go to Filbert Street on a Saturday afternoon, far more than to Welford Road. Everyone at school fell into one of two camps - they were City supporters or they weren't interested in football. I honestly reckon that until I went to University I had hardly ever met anyone who supported any other team.

The Buff came out astonishing early, more like 5.30 in Earl Shilton, 10 miles from town. It contained not just reports of the main game and all the news and gossip from Filbert Street, but also local matches from all over the county.

Football seemed to unite the whole city. There were not many places that had a single team that was worth supporting. In the mid 60s I went to live in Nottingham that was completely different, because there apparently the Forest and County supporters played on opposite sides of the playgrounds. When we reached the cup final in 1961 and 1963 little else seemed to matter, and even though we lost both times I won't say it didn't matter, but the build-up had made it all worth it.

I initially went with my father, but he was only moderately interested, and was probably relieved when I preferred to go with friends.

The atmosphere at matches was initially very friendly, and young boys were allowed to make their way to the front and were looked after. As the 60s went on, you started to see gangs of youths who could be quite intimidating, and there were usually one or two ringleaders that the rest would follow.

I'm not sure if 1966 made much difference. Gordon Banks was already a big star and generally respected by fans of opposing teams. If I remember rightly, our first home match of the 1966/7 season was against West Ham, so the 4 world cup winners were welcomed onto the pitch before the match and politely applauded.

Memory may be playing tricks, but didn't City beat Wham 5-4, the first game after the WC? Banks letting in more goals in that game than throughout the entire WC.
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Not sure if any of this helps but I posted this on here a while back in response to this thread - http://www.foxestalk.co.uk/forums/topic/71187-a-request-for-the-older-generation/

 

 

 

 

 

I worked on The Bufff. It was a masterpiece of planning and emerged from the old Albion Street offices of the Mercury just off Belvoir Street, being so called because of its distinctive yellowy paper 

 

Albion Street had an aerially-mounted canister system which ran between floors for swift delivery of match results and reports.

 

It was always a race to get the product onto the streets as quickly as possible but, as far as I recall, it always happened - and with much pride taken if we could shave a minute or two off the time it took to get the first copies onto the streets.

 

With everyone standing, young fans in the "Popular Side" would be passed horizonally over the heads of adult fans - often over considerable distances  - so they could either stand leaning on the perimeter wall or even sit on the running track around the ground.

 

Health and Safety officials would have had nightmares nowadays but far from caring about whether the ball hit you from some ferocious clearance or whether two slithering opponents careered into you as the result of a sliding tackle on the sodden, mudpatch of a surface near the touchline it was something of "trophy" for the day.

 

Attendances were much bigger for the big matches than they are today - anything up to the low 40,000's - and, with spectators so closely packed it was a fairly regular occurence for people to take a pee where they stood because it would take ages to reach the crowded, stinking loos and return to where you stood - even if you could find where you stood.

 

Happy days? Well, there was more atmosphere than in the clincal stadia of today and players were much more approachable both at the ground and in everyday life. But I wouldn't say it was "better" overall. Last Saturday against Sunderland took some beating both for atmosphere and the football played. 

 

I do feel it strange though that I can't take my pint-in-a-plastic mug into the Kop while rugby fans over the road have no such restrictions. And even more so when I learn that, come the rugby World Cup there will be no such restrictions at the King Power. How the hell can that be right?         

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I worked on The Bufff. It was a masterpiece of planning and emerged from the old Albion Street offices of the Mercury just off Belvoir Street, being so called because of its distinctive yellowy paper 

 

Albion Street had an aerially-mounted canister system which ran between floors for swift delivery of match results and reports.

 

It was always a race to get the product onto the streets as quickly as possible but, as far as I recall, it always happened - and with much pride taken if we could shave a minute or two off the time it took to get the first copies onto the streets.

 

With everyone standing, young fans in the "Popular Side" would be passed horizonally over the heads of adult fans - often over considerable distances  - so they could either stand leaning on the perimeter wall or even sit on the running track around the ground.

 

Health and Safety officials would have had nightmares nowadays but far from caring about whether the ball hit you from some ferocious clearance or whether two slithering opponents careered into you as the result of a sliding tackle on the sodden, mudpatch of a surface near the touchline it was something of "trophy" for the day.

 

Attendances were much bigger for the big matches than they are today - anything up to the low 40,000's - and, with spectators so closely packed it was a fairly regular occurence for people to take a pee where they stood because it would take ages to reach the crowded, stinking loos and return to where you stood - even if you could find where you stood.

 

Happy days? Well, there was more atmosphere than in the clincal stadia of today and players were much more approachable both at the ground and in everyday life. But I wouldn't say it was "better" overall. Last Saturday against Sunderland took some beating both for atmosphere and the football played. 

 

I do feel it strange though that I can't take my pint-in-a-plastic mug into the Kop while rugby fans over the road have no such restrictions. And even more so when I learn that, come the rugby World Cup there will be no such restrictions at the King Power. How the hell can that be right?         

Sadly because of stuff like this

 

bootin.jpg

 

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Thinking about it, one of the main differences in the 50s and early 60s was that there were very few away supporters.  A goal by the opposition was greeted often with silence, so much so that one match I thought we had were leading 1-0 until people around me were talking about a draw, when I realised the other side must have scored and I hadn't noticed.  So there were often no away fans to cause trouble or to get home fans worked up.

 

I remember once in the early 60s some Leicester fans were beaten up at Anfield and there was quite a bit of publicity about it.  Later that season I went to Goodison in a bit of trepidation.  We won 3-0 and the 2nd half was played in virtual silence apart from me letting out an inadvertent cheer when the final goal went in.  Luckily all I got was some rather angry stares.

 

When groups of supporters travelled to away matches they were more likely to smash up the train than fight home fans.  However as time went on, possibly when people had more money to spare, travel to away matches got more frequent, and the hooligans got organised.  It was only then that the grounds started having separate fenced off areas for away supporters.  I don't think the violence ever put me off attending matches, but I was certainly wary about which part of the ground I went to.

 

By the way, enmac was right about Banks letting in 4 against West Ham but that didn't matter as Bobby Moore's defence let in 5.

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I read in a Fanzine once that leicester first taste of Hooliganism was against Rangers or Celtic in a friendly lol can't remember all the details but apparently the away fans where throwing empty pint glasses at the Leicester end?

Anyone go to that game?

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Mr B - yes, feel free.

DaveG's comments certainly brought back memories.

I'll always have fond memories of my early days down at Filbert Street. (standing at the front of the Kop, feet soaking wet - the toilet facilities back then weren't what they are today) :whistle:

My first recollection of violence in football was, ironically, a friendly game against Glasgow Rangers - 1965/66? A scary experience to say the least.

The state of the Filbert Street pitch in the late 60's - the games would be abandoned today (unless they were being televised by Sky).

The aroma of horse liniment,

The characters in the game - so many of them

  

I think it was a wee bit later than that? I was there in the popular side / east stand - I've never seen so many beer bottle flying through the air, it wasn't violence between opposing fans though I was mixed in with thousands of LCFC/Rangers fans with my girlfriend/wife to be and we never felt threatened.

Forgot about the pitches and the bogs and they played on snow, ice and waterlogged pitches,

  

You may be right, but I'm sure we won 1-0 with a goal from Dougan

  

18th February 1967 - 1-0 (Dougan) :thumbup:

  

I read in a Fanzine once that leicester first taste of Hooliganism was against Rangers or Celtic in a friendly lol can't remember all the details but apparently the away fans where throwing empty pint glasses at the Leicester end?

Anyone go to that game?

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Rosettes. Rattles. Scarf ( hand knitted by you mum)

The only merchandise I remember was a badge you could sew on your football shirt - no replicate kit in those days and lapel badges.

Looking at the footage from that time not too many scruffs about either.

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I read in a Fanzine once that leicester first taste of Hooliganism was against Rangers or Celtic in a friendly lol can't remember all the details but apparently the away fans where throwing empty pint glasses at the Leicester end?

Anyone go to that game?

Yep. I was there. It was Rangers and in fact they started having a fight between themselves at one stage. There were bottles and glasses flying everywhere! I actually don't remember them having a go at us at all! Mind you, it was an awful long time ago. Can't really remember if it was the first taste of hooliganism at Filbert street.

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Yep. I was there. It was Rangers and in fact they started having a fight between themselves at one stage. There were bottles and glasses flying everywhere! I actually don't remember them having a go at us at all! Mind you, it was an awful long time ago. Can't really remember if it was the first taste of hooliganism at Filbert street.

I think a lot of the "fans" came from Corby I'm not sure what year it was but i think it must have been a sellout with not many Rangers fans getting a chance to travel Up The Road to league games. 

Wouldn't surprise me them fighting amongst themselves.

There was another game i remember hearing about where the Forrest fans snuck in the the Leicester Kop and took it over while the leicester fans where waiting at the train station for them 

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I think a lot of the "fans" came from Corby I'm not sure what year it was but i think it must have been a sellout with not many Rangers fans getting a chance to travel Up The Road to league games. 

Wouldn't surprise me them fighting amongst themselves.

There was another game i remember hearing about where the Forrest fans snuck in the the Leicester Kop and took it over while the leicester fans where waiting at the train station for them

That's correct about the Corby Rangers contingent. I don't remember Forest taking over the Kop but I do remember that people used to put adverts in the papers, (was the Evening Mail still going then)? To notify anyone that wanted to join them for a punch up with the Forest fans could meet up before going to the station. It didn't seem to occur to them that the Police might read them too!

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That's correct about the Corby Rangers contingent. I don't remember Forest taking over the Kop but I do remember that people used to put adverts in the papers, (was the Evening Mail still going then)? To notify anyone that wanted to join them for a punch up with the Forest fans could meet up before going to the station. It didn't seem to occur to them that the Police might read them too!

Sounds insane today reading through the papers looking for a place to have a fight, Dark days. Im sure the ground was great but you must have had to keep on your toes and your head on a swivel after the game?

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Sounds insane today reading through the papers looking for a place to have a fight, Dark days. Im sure the ground was great but you must have had to keep on your toes and your head on a swivel after the game?

With certain teams defintely so. Chelsea had a particularly bad reputation and I well remember the police attempting to herd them to the station up, I think, Walnut street. Unfortunately they also released the home fans with a gap of around 50 metres between the two groups and a single line of police on the leading and following edge of the two groups. Suddenly there was a massive cheer and the Chelsea fans swept the police aside, there were helmets flying everywhere! Being brave I leapt behind one of the garden walls and was lucky to be invited into the hall of the house whilst the brawl went on in the street. I do remember thinking things had got beyond a joke after that but it didn't stop me going. I'm sure there are a shed load of similar stories people will come up with much more scary endings. I'm not sorry civilisation has now reached football but as memories, and sometimes hilarious ones, it is a laugh to recall them.

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I think football was just a reflection of social behaviour at the time. The 50's and early 60's was a time of the old order, respect for the establishment etc.

 

The rest of the sixties was a time for questioning that order and rebelling against it.

There's always been a sub-culture within the youth of Britain. In the 50's it was the Teddy Boys, the Mods and Rockers in the early 60's. The zenith of violence at football matches in the 60's was the rise of the skinhead culture in 1969, which seemed to extol violence.

 

After the World Cup, there seemed a lot more interest by women so I suppose that was a little different but for me.

 

Live football was never available on TV unless it was an international. In fact the only TV football was MOTD which showed the highlights of a game.

 

The only few things I can add to the match day experience are: -

Along Burnmore Street, there we a number of street vendors selling scarves, rosettes and woolly hats for home and away teams.

I also remember hot dog and hamburger carts or vans near the car park by the Liberty.

The St John's Ambulance men wore large black overcoats with a white sash and a military style cap.

My first match was in March of 1959. A night game with a huge crowd. We were in the kop with a seething crowd, when the crowd moved so did I and my feet didn't touch the ground, I was terrified and felt any minute I'd fall and get trampled to death.

Much of the rest has been described by DavieG, although I do remember the upper deck being seating only.

 

As to betting I think that seemed to be the proclivity of the racing fraternity although I'm sure you could get a bet after the betting shops were allowed. I'd say the biggest betting on football was the football pools. A Saturday night routine was either listening to James Alexander Gordon on the radio or watching the teleprinter on TV, both my parents and grandparents were into that.

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