Independent Leyton Orient Forum

The violent scenes at the West Brom v Wolves game this weekend has got me wondering what is the most crowd trouble members of this board have witnessed at a football match.

Cup vs Buckingham Town rather randomly. Kicked off all over the ground including on the pitch and in the goals. May have been an old wives tail but was apparently a beef between the Leyton blacks and Buckingham skinheads.

Cardiff or maybe Swansea mid 80’s. Seemed like a riot to a youngster. At one point Orient took back the stand that had just been “taken” by Cardiff and all you heard was a mighty roar of East East East London. Marvellous.

At a game?

Southampton cup game mid 80s, running battles on the away terrace (no idea who between) pre game. I can still vividly remember witnessing some bloke launch a flying kick straight into someones face. That sort of thing stays with you as a 10 year old.

Didn't see anything of the Cardiff invasion when they managed to get out their pen, had to hotfoot it out the ground.

Fulham away, probably late 90s, proper tear up in the corner underneath the pavillion building where home and away fans sections met.

Chester 0-2 Rochdale - 1999

Fan ran on the pitch, grabbed ref by the neck, dragged him to the ground and started throttling him until he got dragged off

Thankfully the ref went on to a long career in the Premier League

Away back we were playing Birmingham City at Brissy in one of the last games of the season, Millwall were also in contention for promotion. I was on the old north terrace and there was a big mixture of both of the other clubs. Birmingham scored from a corner and then it all kicked off, and it was savage.i got out of there pdq.

Arsenal V Chelsea in the 1960's. A big crew of North Bankers got in to the Clock End before kick-off. They attacked anybody: women & children included. Not a very illuminating site. These thugs showing how " hard " they can be! Another event was on the North Bank at Highbury at an Arsenal V Rangers "Friendly ". The North Bankers had a go at chanting " Celtic ", I have never seen so many bottles flying through the air at once. This illustrates the combined effect of alcohol & low IQ. No concerns at consequences.
In the 1960's Stoke V Chelsea. The Shed boys thought it would be a good idea to plant themselves at the Booten ( surely should read Boot them ) Rd End. The only time I thought it prudent to take a walk pitch side to the other end of the ground ( I say a lie, did the same at Rotherham- when them money grabbing Tykes decided to fill up the Away seating with any Tom, willy & Thug ). Measures to control thuggery have an effect; but I feel trouble, fed by alcohol & coke is always simmering not far from the surface. These Merchants are not particularly brave & are always looking for softish targets to look well 'ard .

Chicken Dhansak wrote: ↑Mon Jan 29, 2024 10:44 am Away back we were playing Birmingham City at Brissy in one of the last games of the season, Millwall were also in contention for promotion. I was on the old north terrace and there was a big mixture of both of the other clubs. Birmingham scored from a corner and then it all kicked off, and it was savage.i got out of there pdq.

Don't forget the bomb under the East Stand !

Luxembourg v England 1983, absolute carnage and too many incidents to pick just one out
Tear gassed by French riot police, duty free ransacked on the ferry over, cars set alight and property damaged.
Never went to watch England abroad again, totally ashamed of my fellow countrymen

Years ago when I was a young teenager I went to see Arsenal V Walsall in an FA Cup tie . I was in the old clock end at Highbury . Anyway half way through the second half I felt the crowd pushing me from behind . I looked around and there was a massive fight going on near the top of the terracing . Of course the police soon got involved and all hell broke loose . The only other thing I can remember about that day is Walsall's away kit looked like the Argentina kit

Another one for - Orient vs Birmingham last but one game of the season 1970 something- Birmingham win and they go up and Millwall stay down - Birmingham Lose and Millwall odds on to go up - I would say the full house was 40% Wall, 40% Brum and 20% O's fans (this was the "bomb under the East stand game") Fighting outside before kick off was brutal and literally nowhere in the ground was safe. Inevitably Birmingham scored in the second half and it kicked off all over the ground - ended up on the pitch to try to escape the fighting but it was very very frightening.

Beradogs wrote: ↑Mon Jan 29, 2024 10:06 am Cup vs Buckingham Town rather randomly. Kicked off all over the ground including on the pitch and in the goals. May have been an old wives tail but was apparently a beef between the Leyton blacks and Buckingham skinheads.

Cardiff or maybe Swansea mid 80’s. Seemed like a riot to a youngster. At one point Orient took back the stand that had just been “taken” by Cardiff and all you heard was a mighty roar of East East East London. Marvellous.

It was Oxford United fans that day - I can remember the worst of the fighting behind one of the goals and one of the goal supports being badly distorted by bodies falling all over the back of the net. there was no perimeter fence just a rope around the pitch.

Top of the JES wrote: ↑Mon Jan 29, 2024 11:42 am

Beradogs wrote: ↑Mon Jan 29, 2024 10:06 am Cup vs Buckingham Town rather randomly. Kicked off all over the ground including on the pitch and in the goals. May have been an old wives tail but was apparently a beef between the Leyton blacks and Buckingham skinheads.

Cardiff or maybe Swansea mid 80’s. Seemed like a riot to a youngster. At one point Orient took back the stand that had just been “taken” by Cardiff and all you heard was a mighty roar of East East East London. Marvellous.

It was Oxford United fans that day - I can remember the worst of the fighting behind one of the goals and one of the goal supports being badly distorted by bodies falling all over the back of the net. there was no perimeter fence just a rope around the pitch.

That’s right , it was like keystone cops behind the goal as it was on a slope and everyone was falling over everyone in the fighting.

Someon explain the Bomb under the East stand thing!?

Orient vs Brighton. Last game at The Goldstone. Fan came on and Wilkins hit him. A pretty tense away trip.

Who was it who had fans fighting amongst themselves in the away end relatively recently? Accrington? Not nominating this by the way, was pretty tame, just popped into my head.

1972 and Chelsea cup tie where we won 3-2 .
I was standing in the West stand as a 15 year old with my Dad. When Fairbrother got the winner it all kicked off around us and Chelsea fans tried to invade the pitch, punching any O’s fans nearby.
My Dad grabbed me and said “We’re leaving “ and we just about escaped.

I was also at the Birmingham game in May 72 I think.
Bob Latchford scored the only goal to take them up and keep Millwall down. Carnage everywhere, fighting between the Brum and Millwall fans on the West Stand .

O’s v Birmingham back in the 70’s Millwall fans dismantled the toilets behind the goal throwing the bricks at the Birmingham supporters and exploding a small bomb in the East stand. Don’t think you can get much worse than that?

Rich Tea Wellin wrote: ↑Mon Jan 29, 2024 11:58 am Someon explain the Bomb under the East stand thing!?

There was a bomb threat to the club during the O's Brum game - There was an IRA bombing campaign going on at the time and it was taken very seriously, The PA announcer Keith Simpson was making frantic requests for supporters to clear the main stand - it slowly emptied as his requests became more frantic, and then there was a bang! (a very small bang as it happened) It was a firework in a bottle or something similar. It was rumoured that it was an attempt by a Brum fan to get the game abandoned and replayed, there were probably three thousand odd people on the pitch at one stage. There were fights absolutely everywhere - it was a nightmare for the police and any O's fans trying to get out in one piece.

Well, I remember once at Bristol city when the away end tea bar ran out of oat milk. Me and a few others properly tutted and I think someone even through a pot of uhd at a bin

Rich Tea Wellin wrote: ↑Mon Jan 29, 2024 12:51 pm Well, I remember once at Bristol city when the away end tea bar ran out of oat milk. Me and a few others properly tutted and I think someone even through a pot of uhd at a bin

With the exception of Forest Green Rovers, I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything other that cow milk at football grounds.

banqo wrote: ↑Mon Jan 29, 2024 11:05 am

Chicken Dhansak wrote: ↑Mon Jan 29, 2024 10:44 am Away back we were playing Birmingham City at Brissy in one of the last games of the season, Millwall were also in contention for promotion. I was on the old north terrace and there was a big mixture of both of the other clubs. Birmingham scored from a corner and then it all kicked off, and it was savage.i got out of there pdq.

Don't forget the bomb under the East Stand !

I went to that game & what I remember was the bomb scare. I also recall it was a night match & there was a very large crowd.
I think I was standing at the Coronation Gardens end.
I don't remember seeing any violence which is not to say that there wasn't.

Not fighting as such, but West Brom brought loads for a night game in April 1976 in their promotion season. They were on the South Terrance before the game, but after a few ran on the corner of the pitch to the West Side about half joined them. Didn't see any bother as most Orient fans just walked to the North Stand.

Uneventful 0-0 game but changing trains at Mile End, my train was packed with West Brom, after the game, a load of West Ham fans steamed past us to engage with the West Brom lads

Rich Tea Wellin wrote: ↑Mon Jan 29, 2024 12:51 pm Well, I remember once at Bristol city when the away end tea bar ran out of oat milk. Me and a few others properly tutted and I think someone even through a pot of uhd at a bin

On a serious note, the Orient food bars should really provide some kind of alternative milks. Its 2024.

Top of the JES wrote: ↑Mon Jan 29, 2024 11:35 am Another one for - Orient vs Birmingham last but one game of the season 1970 something- Birmingham win and they go up and Millwall stay down - Birmingham Lose and Millwall odds on to go up - I would say the full house was 40% Wall, 40% Brum and 20% O's fans (this was the "bomb under the East stand game") Fighting outside before kick off was brutal and literally nowhere in the ground was safe. Inevitably Birmingham scored in the second half and it kicked off all over the ground - ended up on the pitch to try to escape the fighting but it was very very frightening.

Definitely this one 2 clubs fans taking over a football match and the O’s fans weren’t one of them. I left before the bomb scare very intimidating atmosphere.

VeganO wrote: ↑Mon Jan 29, 2024 1:53 pm

banqo wrote: ↑Mon Jan 29, 2024 11:05 am

Chicken Dhansak wrote: ↑Mon Jan 29, 2024 10:44 am Away back we were playing Birmingham City at Brissy in one of the last games of the season, Millwall were also in contention for promotion. I was on the old north terrace and there was a big mixture of both of the other clubs. Birmingham scored from a corner and then it all kicked off, and it was savage.i got out of there pdq.

Don't forget the bomb under the East Stand !

I went to that game & what I remember was the bomb scare. I also recall it was a night match & there was a very large crowd.
I think I was standing at the Coronation Gardens end.
I don't remember seeing any violence which is not to say that there wasn't.

The odd thing was that there were 3 sets of supporters at the game. Birmingham needed to win to go up, Millwall need Orient to win so Millwall could go up and the Orient players needed to get off as quick as possible to preserve there manhood