A Request For The Older Generation

[anotherwin]

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 bike, bikes 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.

Trust that's the sort of thing you were after I believe all of that had changed by 1989. If I think of anything else I'll post it.

That's brilliant, I'm printing that off for the guys at work, (hope you don't mind) thanks DavieG

[davieG]

As I've mentioned on here before in April 63 just prior to our Cup Final against Man U I was locked out (37000 inside) of the home league game against Man U which has often been listed as one of the best games at Filbert St. We won 4-3 with both Keyworh & Law scoring hat-tricks.

It's also worth noting, I had to check this with of fossils & foxes over the Easter period we played:

Sat 13th WHU away

Mon 15th Man U away

Tues16th Man U home

Sat 20th Wolves away.

Bearing mind this is pre-motorway travel.

Also glad to see a few other oldies remembering the great underrated Davie Gibson.

[davieG]

That's brilliant, I'm printing that off for the guys at work, (hope you don't mind) thanks DavieG

Just noticed there was also seating in the upper double decker of course.

[Fox in Wolves' territory]

Hey, although I said in the title that this is a request for the older generation, help from all areas is welcome if you know places to access relevant information, or have any it is all warmly welcomed.

Basically, I am writing my third year History dissertation on this question, "To What Extent Did The Experience And Behavior of Leicester City Supporters, During Games and Outside, Differ Between The Years 1960 To 1989?".

I was wondering whether any of you would be able to help me out, whether you personally remember these years and have your view on the topic (all views welcomed as differing opinions are good, maybe we could meet and discuss it?), or have access to information that has this (references needed), or have family or friends that can remember the period.

I have access to a lot of old club programmes, as well as Leicester Mercury articles, however these are very vague in reference to supporters, so I am trying to access all possible information I can get for the topic.

I am also open to information relating the wider English game at the time, as some broad knowledge to put in at the start could help make a better argument.

If you can help I would be most grateful, and thanks in advance.

[Fox in Wolves' territory]

I started going in 1963. There was no segregation and crowd was mixed, certainly on the Popular side where I stood, aged 13. I remember flicking a sweet paper over the heads of the people standing in front of me. A policeman, standing on the pitch yards away from me stared at me and I was terrified.

The "lads" used to prefer standing behind the goal being attacked by the city. In those days several hundred would change ends at half time. This, of course did not long survive the growth of violence.

After the violence at the Rangers' friendly match, mentioned elsewhere, those arrested appeared in court the following Monday. They all gave their addresses as Corby !!!

In 1963 it was still "cool" to carry a wooden rattle to the match and wear a rosette. In fact, the team mascot used to run around the pitch with his rattle. People were still cycling to the matches and leaving their bikes in one of the terraced houses along Filbert Street.

[East London Fox]

Some excellent stories on here - so interesting to hear about the games in the 60s. Does anyone know where you can buy dvds of old matches or season compilations. I look on Ebay, but there is never much about. Does the OS ever release these? I would love to see the Man UTD 4-3 match!!!

[Pegosteve]

I started going with my Dad in 1968. He is a Leeds fan so we used to go in the Filbert St end with the away fans. I used to stand at the front as fans were not segregated so there were City fans around.

If it was a big game we stood in front of the wing stand at the Filbert St end it later became the Family Enclosure. Sitting was usually in Double Decker or Wing Stand. I started going on my own in the early 70's. and stood in Pen4. Violence had just got going, I remember one occasion when a Wolves fan tried to get into the kop. As he was being searched (they searched everyone going into the kop) well the copper found his Wolves scarf and held it up high and announced in a loud voice "look what we got here boys" Then he left them to it!

I remember a game against Man Utd where they had all come in through the standing area in front of WIng Stand and got into Pen 4 as it was not segregated at the time. There were too many of them for them to be moved and it led to an interesting time when Utd scored!

Violence remained pretty much through the 70's and 80's I remember going to a game v West Ham around 1980/81 and some of their fans had got into the seated area on the Pop side. They created a bit of a scene, this copper came down grabbed one by the neck and smashed his head on the edge of the seat in front, they had all been kicked out by half time!

Davie G's list is pretty good and brings back many memories.

[smudger63]

Talking of trouble down the football, I can also remember back in the 70`s, fights breaking out in the kop, between Leicester fans from different, housing estates, like new parks, braunstone, the saff and monsell.

Leicester fans fighting each other, is something that i`ve seen on numerous occasions, home and away!

Also, back in the 70`s, during very cold match`s, there used to be little bonfires lit in the kop, to warm up.

Can you imagine the health and safety lot, of today!

[stockyfox]

I went to my first match in '59, it was just after Arthur Rowley left the club, though I later saw him play for Shrewsbury (and he had a rare off day that day) he was a player I really wish I'd have gotten the opportunity to see for Leicester.

Although what a lot of has been said about the off-field aspects such as no advertising, less fan segregation and that fans would applaud great opposition attack play is true, I don't think the actual game has changed that much, certainly not at this level anyway.

In terms of memories about Leicester, that side in the early 60's will always be the best Leicester side for me. Jimmy Bloomfield's and Martin O'Neill's sides were good, but Matt Gillies side in its prime was something else. Some of the younger fans who remember us being good mid-table teams in the top flight under O'Neill and Bloomfield may not be aware of this, but in 62/63 under Gillies, Leicester actually challenged for the title and in fact the double. We were top of the top flight with about 4 or 5 games to go til we got a lot of injuries and then fell away and reached the FA Cup final, which we lost to Manchester United. Even now I still find it remarkable that a Leicester side nearly won the league in my lifetime.

The best players I ever saw were Gordon Banks and Davie Gibson. Banks was technically the best in terms of his position I ever saw. On his day he was absolutely unbeatable. I remember one particular game against Sheffield Wednesday in the league (though I can't remember the year), that was the best single performance I ever saw from a City player, some of saves took your breath away. I think he made about 8 or 9 saves which 99% of goalkeepers never would have gotten to. Also, he had this way of somehow saving shots when the ball looked like it had gone past him. I don't know how he did it but he could somehow arch his back backwards and claw the ball back. I'm sure I remember reading in the Mercury a few days after that Sheffield Wednesday game that it was the first time The Times sport section had ever given a player rating of 10/10.

Gibbo was the most exciting player I ever saw though. mikey54 mentioned it earlier, but he really doesn't get enough acknowledgement from the club. Fans talk about outfield players like Keith Weller, Frank Worthington, Gary Lineker and Steve Walsh and while all of those were great players, none of them were as good as Gibson was and I think a lot of fans who saw him would fully agree. Paul Scholes is probably the best modern player I can draw comparison with, his close control and passing was extraordinary. He used to pick out passes that not a single other person in the crowd could see.

Without his left foot, Arthur Rowley would have been inconspicuous and hardly given a second glance, with it, he was dynamite and when he took a penalty, you just had to feel sorry for the goalie - twice! Before the kick and when he had to collect it from the back corner of the net afterwards. The shortest distance between two points is a straight line. Arthur Rowley was aware of this and consequently his penalty kicks skimmed the turf like a bullet. The one criticism I have of Arthur Rowley is that he never used his head, though I suppose he didn't need. Not to have seen Arthur Rowley in action should be be of the utmost regret to every City fan in its 125+ year history.

Not to have seen either Arthur Rowley or Wee Davie Gibson must be regarded as being diabolically unlucky.

Davie Gibson was and is and always will be the finest and most exciting ball-player ever to wear a Leicester City shirt. Nailed-on, indisputable fact. And not to have seen him dance the bandy-leg two-step with his partner Mike Stringfellow must rank as one of the biggest disappointments that will never, well probably never, be repeated.

My memories goes back to the early 50's two matches stand out, 53 54 season beating Lincoln 8 - 4 (old 2nd div) and 57/58 beating Man. City 8 - 4. many games in the 50's were high scoring. Cost of entry no more then 1/- (5P), programme 21/2P. Parking my bike in someones back yard on Walnut street 1P. approx. As a kid I used to either sit with legs dangling over wall near the dugouts, legs behind the old half time score boards or Filbert street corner of the popular side, standing or sitting on the wall at the back.

Home and way fans mixed, i remember going to Forest and paying on the gate, no problems between groups of fans.

Season ticket holders also got in free for reserve games. So used to sit on the wooden planks (what passed for seats in the 50's) in double deck stand for reserve games. I had a blue and white bobble hat knitted by my mum!! but no scarf. Minimum stewarding and police presence at games, very littlle agro from any fans.At the end of the match the streets were filled with hundreds if not thousands of bikes instead of cars as now.

As the song (from the 50's) says "Memories are made of this".

Sorry wigston! You must have left early because we actually scored nine against Lincoln and the ref only allowed two of theirs to stand! Derek Hines scored five, Johnny Morris and Mal Griffiths scored one apiece and that chap Arthur Rowley scored two, one of which was a penalty (see above). Mind you, we'll quietly pass over the game at Lincoln in Sept '55 when they very narrowly beat us 7 -1.! and two days later, we lost 6-2 to Donny.

As I've mentioned on here before in April 63 just prior to our Cup Final against Man U I was locked out (37000 inside) of the home league game against Man U which has often been listed as one of the best games at Filbert St. We won 4-3 with both Keyworh & Law scoring hat-tricks.

It's also worth noting, I had to check this with of fossils & foxes over the Easter period we played:

Sat 13th WHU away

Mon 15th Man U away

Tues16th Man U home

Sat 20th Wolves away.

Bearing mind this is pre-motorway travel.

Also glad to see a few other oldies remembering the great underrated Davie Gibson.

You missed out on the 'Goal of the Century' with Dennis Law's unbelievable, incredible overhead bicycle kick - a bit like Rooney's last week but twice as good, further out at the corner of the area and higher.

I still maintain that Banks should have saved it because that what he was there for. Trouble was, he never saw it.

I started going in 1963. There was no segregation and crowd was mixed, certainly on the Popular side where I stood, aged 13. I remember flicking a sweet paper over the heads of the people standing in front of me. A policeman, standing on the pitch yards away from me stared at me and I was terrified.

The "lads" used to prefer standing behind the goal being attacked by the city. In those days several hundred would change ends at half time. This, of course did not long survive the growth of violence.

After the violence at the Rangers' friendly match, mentioned elsewhere, those arrested appeared in court the following Monday. They all gave their addresses as Corby !!!

In 1963 it was still "cool" to carry a wooden rattle to the match and wear a rosette. In fact, the team mascot used to run around the pitch with his rattle. People were still cycling to the matches and leaving their bikes in one of the terraced houses along Filbert Street.

If you happen to have a programme of this season's game v Hull (October 16th - Sven's first home game) look on page 31, Fans Gallery and you will see a picture of the rosette I wore for the '61 Final and again for the 63 final!

Do you remember when they used to open the gatesat the Filbert Street end fifteen minutes before the end - and all those who hadn't managed to get in before, now flooded into that corner. My mum used to enjoy Sundays, Mondays and most of Tuesdays because my dad and I didn't have any voice for about three days after a game!

[davieG]

You missed out on the 'Goal of the Century' with Dennis Law's unbelievable, incredible overhead bicycle kick - a bit like Rooney's last week but twice as good, further out at the corner of the area and higher.

I still maintain that Banks should have saved it because that what he was there for. Trouble was, he never saw it.

Do you remember when they used to open the gatesat the Filbert Street end fifteen minutes before the end - and all those who hadn't managed to get in before, now flooded into that corner. My mum used to enjoy Sundays, Mondays and most of Tuesdays because my dad and I didn't have any voice for about three days after a game!

Not surprising really because if you read what I wrote you'll notice I didn't see it or any of the match

I seem to remember them opening the gates at half time, I recall getting in then after arriving from a College evening class on one or two occasions.

[stockyfox]

Not surprising really because if you read what I wrote you'll notice I didn't see it or any of the match

I seem to remember them opening the gates at half time, I recall getting in then after arriving from a College evening class on one or two occasions.

Yes davie, I read and understood what you wrote and like I said, you missed out on seeing what I reckon was the finest goal ever scored at Filbo and I really do think it was an utter tragedy that you were there but not priviliged to be inside the ground. In the same situation, I would have been totally gutted and to have missed out would have been one of my greatest regrets so I guess how you might have felt.

[davieG]

Yes davie, I read and understood what you wrote and like I said, you missed out on seeing what I reckon was the finest goal ever scored at Filbo and I really do think it was an utter tragedy that you were there but not priviliged to be inside the ground. In the same situation, I would have been totally gutted and to have missed out would have been one of my greatest regrets so I guess how you might have felt.

My brother was inside and I was outside for the whole game, guys on the roof and walls were telling those of us outside what was happening. I was gutted and still am. Accord to of fossils and foxes there were 37002 why they couldn't let one more in I don't know.

[OzFox]

Yes please post them!

There ya go. Stuck them in a more appropriate post though

My link

[1964FOX]

Talking of trouble down the football, I can also remember back in the 70`s, fights breaking out in the kop, between Leicester fans from different, housing estates, like new parks, braunstone, the saff and monsell.

Leicester fans fighting each other, is something that i`ve seen on numerous occasions, home and away!

Also, back in the 70`s, during very cold match`s, there used to be little bonfires lit in the kop, to warm up.

Can you imagine the health and safety lot, of today!

We've got a fire, we've got a fire.

You've not, You've not.

And ah yes the fights with the dodge city boys.

[Bellend Sebastian]

There were fires in the Kop as late as 1992 as that was the first time I went and they had one going then

[Mr B]

Some brilliant stuff here guys , thanks so much. Got a lot of sorting and arranging to do now, definatly some stuff i can use

[funkyrobot]

There were fires in the Kop as late as 1992 as that was the first time I went and they had one going then

I can vouch for that, twas quite a bonny. Coining and pissing down rolled up programmes were also still enjoyable pastimes for certain city fans during this era!

[renards]

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 bike, bikes 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.

Trust that's the sort of thing you were after I believe all of that had changed by 1989. If I think of anything else I'll post it.

[Bellend Sebastian]

I can vouch for that, twas quite a bonny. Coining and pissing down rolled up programmes were also still enjoyable pastimes for certain city fans during this era!

I'll be honest, I don't miss this

[Mr B]

I know this post hasn't been posted on for a while. But i would like thank you all for your input in the discussion. My dissertation is now practically done and i have used a lot of the useful insights you posted here during the discussions. Thanks again.

[DANGEROUS TIGER]

I started following "The Filberts" (not Foxes then), in the 1960/61 season, home and away.

There was no segregation of followers in those days, because there was no need. Many a time I stood amidst the other side's supporters, and only experienced friendly banter. , whilst shouting City on, and deafening those around me with a very loud football rattle. The emphasis was on the game, and not on those around,.who wore different coloured scarves or rosettes. This remained the case, in my experience, until 1972 or 73, when teenagers became very troublesome, with this trend appearing to escalate quite severely into the eighties.

Thus a great deal of pleasure, was duly removed from the terraces, as the boot boys etc. would look for trouble after the game, especially after a defeat.

The game has never been the same as it was, on the terraces since, with seating also removing the fans natural desire to shuffle around a bit,

Heady days, never to be forgotten!