Season 86/87

British Soccer Fans Riot on North Sea Ferry - 06/08/1986

Source: Reuters + press

More than 100 British soccer fans fought a pitched battle today on a North Sea ferry, leaving many injured and forcing the vessel to return to port.

Fans of Liverpool, Everton and Manchester United were on their way to exhibition matches in the Netherlands and West Germany when they started fighting on the Koningen Beatrix, bound for the Hook of Holland.

A fan said the fight started when supporters decided to take revenge for a stabbing last March of one of their friends by rival supporters.

Last year, Liverpool fans were at the root of fighting in which 39 people, mostly Italians, were killed in Brussels at the European Cup final between Liverpool and the Juventus team of Turin. British clubs were banned from competing in Europe after the disaster.

The incident today was seen as jeopardizing hopes of ending the ban. The fans had been planning on attending matches not affected by the ban.

FC Antwerp - FC Bruges - 04/09/1986

Source: Bruges website

About 50 members of the East-Side were escorted by the Antwerp police from the Central Trainstation to the FC Antwerp stadium. When leaving the trainstation, the East-Siders started singing: "wij gaan Joden jagen" or "we're going Jew hunting" (Antwerp is known as a city with a rather large population of Jews). During the game some X-Siders from Antwerp started provocating and saw themselves arrested. Another parth of the Antwerp hard core already left before the end of the game in order to follow the Bruges' police escort. During the scurmishes which occured, a hooligan of Bruges was stabbed with a knife. The victim was transmitted to the Stuyvenberg-hospital, where he had to be operated. After this event the mob of Bruges fans left the scene, but still 2 more got arrested, respectively for punching a cop and another one for trowing sticks in the direction of the Antwerp supporters.

FC Bruges - RSC Anderlecht - 27/09/1986

Source: Bruges website

The East-Siders were awaithing the O-Side at the local railway station, but were spotted by the local police and later on arrested when running on the tracks. During the game, there were some small fights between the both sides and the police had to come between. After the game, the Bruges fans tried to attack the O-Side who were escorted by the police. But again a fast police intervention could prevent any clashes to errupt. The large numbers of arrest (14 Anderlecht fans and 36 Bruges fans) was dued to very strictly police interventions.

SK Beveren - FC Bruges - 04/10/1986

Source: Bruges website

During the game all remained calm. At the home stand there were some flags spotted with celtic crosses printed on them, and one with the text "Bruges are a bunch of Jews". In the train back to Bruges, a serious fight broke out, resulting in 2 injured persons. The local police of Lokeren had to come between but arrested only a few.

KV Kortrijk - FC Bruges - 09/11/1986

Source: Bruges website

During the whole game the East-Side lads were very nervous, sometimes charging in the direction of the police forces. Certain cops spotted various Bruges fans who were then arrested in a brutal way. After the game, about 150 members of the East-Side tried to enter the local city theatre where, at that moment, an opera was playing. There was some small damage at the entrance hall and the loud screaming of the fans disrupted the opera.

RSC Charleroi - FC Bruges - 22/11/1986

Source: Bruges website

As well as in the first half as in the second one, there were some troubles at the stand behind one of the goals. A small group of Charleroi fans who were standing just above the visiting stand, were provocating the Bruges lads by singing "et les Flamands, c'est du caca…" which means "The Flemish are shit". The hard core of the Bruges fans steamed in their direction but didn't manage to get past the police. In the meanwhile both sets of supporters were still provocating each other. Beside that, the fans from FC Bruges were frustrated by the bad result of the game and the happiness of the home crowd. At the end of the game, the goalie of Charleroi came towards the visiting fans, laughing at them with his fists raised. Some Bruges supporters reacted by jumping on the fences and tried to damage them. Remarcable is the passive reaction of the local police forces who didn't do anything. Problems also errupted when the Bruges mob left the stadium area and started to vandalise traffic signs, but again the police forces let them.

Beerschot - FC Bruges - 29/11/1986

Source: Bruges website

During the game the Bruges fans reacted aggressive after Beerschot scored 2 goals. Bombs were trown on the pitch and a small group of East-Siders were provocating in a way that the police had to make an intervention. After the game, the police were attacked with stones and missiles. The police, who tried to keep the both group away from each other, couldn't prevent the visiting fans from trowing stones. One drunken Bruges supporter charged towards the police in a very loud way, and when he was hit by a police officer with a batton, he ran away. Later on, that same fan tried to charge in again but he was stopped by some of his friends. Afterwards, when the police was gone, a group of East-Siders managed to spot some groups of Beerschot fans. A fast intervention by the police prevented any fights to break out.

SK Lokeren - FC Bruges - 14/12/1986

Source: Bruges website

After the thirth and winning goal of FC Bruges, the East-Siders all jumped on the fences with the resulting in one breaking down. The police came in with their battons, arresting one fan. When the Bruges group left the stadium a small fight errupted between a police officer and a young fan. Later on, eye witnesses claimed the police's interventions were very brutal on the more euphoric than aggressive Bruges fans, and a report was made.

FC Bruges - FC Antwerp - 01/02/1987

Source: Bruges website

During the game itself no incidents were reported, although about 5 Antwerp fans were arrested in the stadium for disrupted behaviour while in drunken condition. After the game, it came to some small fight between Bruges fans and the X-Side from Antwerp. In the cafeteria some teargas bombs exploded making a police intervention necessary. After the game, the Bruges mob tried to attack the escorted X-Side, but again a fast action of the police could prevent clashes. Afterwards, some 5 East-Siders together with 4 Hell-Siders provocated the X-Siders at the trainstation. All 9 of them were arrested.

KV Mechelen - FC Bruges - 07/02/1987

Source: Bruges website

Before the game, a fan from FC Bruges was already arrested for having teargas with him. From the minute the game started the atmosphere on the terraces where the Bruges fans were posted, got very hectic. Lots of bombs where trown on the pitch and when KV Mechelen scored, difficulties started to begin. The police entered the visitors' stand and arrested some people in a hard way. The arrested fans where taken away and when they arrived behind the fences they received some serious punches. This led to a serious reaction from the East-Side who where now charging the police officers who where standing in front of the evacuation gates. The police then steamed into the Bruges' block and started trowing punches on various persons, and again people got arrested and again this happened in a hard way. Incidents later occured when the visitors where led away: people started pushing, spitting, pulling on the fences, etc. When the Bruges group were outside the stadium area, they provocated a group of Mechelen fans who got support of a bunch of Ajax supporters. The Dutch came out and fighting broke out. Fighting was also reported when a fan of FC Bruges pulled a Mechelen scarf out of a passing car. The persons involved found themselves arrested, just like some others who where vandalizing parked cars.

RSC Anderlecht - FC Bruges - 07/03/1987

Source: Bruges website

Some 80 Bruges fans found themselves arrested before the game, after they were trowing stones and bricks, first at local immigrants and later towards the riot police. They were surrounded by the police and arrested. They were locked up and got free after midnight. During the game some bombs where trown from the Anderlecht stand and metal marbles where trown towards the police. The Bruges lads then also started trowing bombs and an iron bar was also trown towards the local police.The policemen reacted by using a teargas bomb which led to panic. After the game de Bruges group were hold in their section of the ground for some time, and where escorted to the South Trainstation after a while. There the police had to keep a group of about 100 O-Siders away from the East-Side, and when the Anderlecht hools noticed an attack on their foes wasn't possible some cars where wrecked. The policed managed to force the group back but where then attacked with bottles and stones. After some new charges the O-Side was driven back and everything got calm again.

Notice: before the game a small group of about 10 fans of FC Den Haag, who came visiting their friends from FC Bruges, were arrested because they were in possession of fireworks and drugs. Finally, some 25 other Den Haag hooligans, managed to get into the stadium.

RWDM - FC Bruges - 18/04/1987

Source: Bruges website

Already before kick-off time, some East-Siders where arrested for being drunk in public. During the game, things got hectic after R.W.D. Molenbeek scored. Some little fights broke out and police had to steam into the block with Bruges supporters. After the game some R.W.D.M. supporters were attacked by some 4 Bruges fans, who were punching their enemies heavily in the face, resulting one R.W.D.M. fan to lose some teeth.

Standard Liège - FC Bruges - 10/05/1987

Source: Bruges website

Some incidents took place between the Guillemins trainstation and the Standard stadium. The police had to escort the East-Side who were about 80 lads including some Den Haag friends. After the game, a group of about 100 Bruges fans where led to the trainstation by some 20 police officers and 2 sections of riot police. But although this measure they couldn't prevent that some shopwindows were smashed in. At the end of the day 20 found themselves arrested, including 3 minors and 3 visiting FC Den Haag supporters.

Notice: members of the Standard Hell-Side welcomed their friends from FC Den Bosch by hanging some flags, but police forces claim no Den Bosch groups where spotted. The East-Side managed to mislead the info-services of the local police by arriving with the train one earlier than planned.

FC Bruges - KV Mechelen - 30/05/1987

Source: Bruges website

During the game, the East-Side charged some times in the direction of the police. An act which led to the police steaming in their stand and arresting some of the lads. Later on in the game the KV Mechelen goalie was hit by some object which was trown from one of the Bruges stands, and a report was made. After the game the East-Side was searching for a confrontation with the visiting fans, but a very strict police escort of this group prevented any contacts. A long time after the game, there some isolated fights were reported, fights in which one guy from Mechelen found himself heavily wouded.

Notice: one person got wounded after he climbed on the fences and then fell behind. His wedding ring then got stuck after the top of the fences and lost his left index finger.

Lucchese - La Spezia - 86/87

Source: mail

La Spezia ultras

Cisternina - Latina - 86/87

Source: Latina fans website

Coventry City - West Ham United - ??/01/1987

Source: forum - WHUFC view

First away game after the dawn raids in January 1987 and we had a piss poor mob out as you might expect with most wanting to keep their heads down. Undeterred less than 25 of us(think it was 23 and half of those weren't firm!) made the trip. Before the game we had a drink in several pubs and ended up in the Hand On Heart i think it was called? Went right bang off close to the same pub the previous season but nobody about but our small group.

Never saw any of your lot and a well known WH lad decided we should go in your main stand instead of the away seats. We duly plotted up in the wing close to the Cov home stand and sat back to enjoy the game. Cottee got a hatrick and West ham won 3-1. The lad who's idea it was to go in the main stand ended up having a one on one straightener with a disgruntled Cov lad behind the back of the stand at half time and won!

It was obvious by the second goal we had been spotted by your lads in the home stand and it was no surprise when our spotter came back from a recce 5 minutes from time to report there were about 80+ pissed off Cov lads waiting for us outside! Normally i wouldn't have been too bothered as we always took a tidy mob to Cov but not today with only a dozen decent lads in tow!

With some trepidation, all 23 of us trooped out silently after a pep talk from one of our lads who told us to stick together and just go straight in to the waiting mob. As we reached the exit gate, a cry of ICF went up and we just steamed straight into Cov. Surprisingly, despite their obvious numerical advantage they backed away and split as we charged through. It was chaos as the whole street went up. The fighting spread to an adjacent road and with so few we were all over the place now and it was coming well on top.

We tried to regroup but it was no use as Cov were all around and now realised we offered little resistance. One very well known lad who posts on here was decked and had his new jeans ripped and another lad i know received a cut across the bridge of his nose and head as fists and feet rained between both sides.

Cov forced us back down the street towards the main stand and we ran into a protected area behind some glass doors. Seconds later a brick crashed through the door smashing it completely and Cov now jubilant bounced up and down. One of ours stepped forward and popped his head round the delapidated door to inform them that "You've just been run by 23 of us, you're nothing"! Before anything else happened, plod were on the scene and pushed the Cov mob away and then fucked us off down the road.

5 minutes later we bump into about 40 of the same lot and despite several lads including 3 well knowns wanting to make a stand it's too late as half of ours have vaulted the railings into the road. Heading back towards the city centre we again bump into the same group who've just run us and a brick fight ensues. Their ammunition is returned with interest as missiles whistle past my ears but again we are on the back foot and eventually arrive back at the railway station!

We got a small result at first and at least we had a go with lesser numbers but it was Cov's day and you got the better of us on that occasion!

Stockport County - Cardiff City - ??/11/1986

Source: forum - CCFC view

Cardiff's first season in the old 4th div. Got there late (2ish), some Cardiff already there & as we head to the ground small group of Cardiff are on their toes. We get out of a taxi to help & WHAM! it's straight on us. Old bill then rear there heads & it's an escort to the ground.

In the ground we're in the old stand, I go to the toilet & immediatly I'm surronded by 4 or 5 Stockport. I get landed with a few & back off out. My mate is on his way to the toilet & I tell him to walk back to the stand, because in the mean time the 4 or 5 has swelled to about 10 or 15.

Back in the stand there are reports of Cardiff taking a few slaps around the town. All through the game there are little pockets of trouble, one of which was at half time, when my mate who was on his way to the toilet earlier had a one on one right in front of the tannoy announcer & the announcer gave a running commentary of what was going on, it was like listening to a boxing match. Both my mate & the Stockport lad were nicked for their troubles.

Stockport win the game 2-0 & as the final whistle blows all our lads from the seats are on the pitch, 1 lone Stockport lad in a White jumper comes tearing towards us like a madman & was rugby tackled & nicked.

Outside the chaos continued, all our lot from the seats (about 20) got outside with no escort & Stockport are waiting. Battles were had with either side & OB, one of which was a girl who had decided that football was really exciting (you know the type - an upper class groupie with too much money) got a dig from a Stockport lad & screaned (most amussing). The OB eventually chasing us into a corner in a trading estate type thing & set the dogs on us.

Glasgow Rangers - Aberdeen - 27/09/1986

Source: ASC Aberdeen website views

We had headed down on the imfamous 905 hooligan express and stopped en-route at Stirling for a dig at the locals,in the early days the Under 5's tended to travel ahead of the main organiser's of the mob possibly due to us being young and eager or that we were'nt on the drink the night before...anyway to cut along story short our numbers after the game were around 450+ while Rangers numbered around 700 + the fighting after the game behind the Broomloan Stand was some of the best to date that I have witnessed/been involved in for around 15 mins all hell broke lose as the two sides fought a running battle on the concouse behind the Main Stand and the Broomloan Stand.
Repeated charges by the police on horse back eventually broke the warring factions apart.
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For some reason that I can't remember Aberdeen were only given an allocation of 300 tickets for this fixture (the previous match we had the whole of the bottom section 3,500)
Anyway most of Aberdeen's mob had arranged to go to Sunderland v Huddersfield, due to lack of tickets, I bought a ticket from a lad my age in the car park of the railway station for £15 for a £3 ticket a bit excessive but what the f**k i did want to miss this for the world.

Our mob consisted of 1 minibus from Tillydrone and 4 cars we numbered 31 slightly less than the 450+ for the previous fixture.
We set of with Shinner driving the minibus, at least we had someone vaguely sensible behind the wheel.
Other's on the minibus inc Mike and Keg's fae Tilly Malone and and other undesirables aboard.
We stopped en-route at the Spiders Web in Dunblane for a few beers and a spot of lunch before heading thru to Ibrox at 2pm.
We were in the Main Stand (Rear Section) and our view looked out above the terraced section below that housed most of Rangers considerable mob. The game it's self wasn't much of a spectacle a dour 0-0 if i remember correctly, at half time various comments were getting shouted at us to tell us our fate when the match had ended, worringly they were speaking the truth we were lambs(no pun intended)for the slaughter.

On of the older ones of the 31 Dave from Ferryhill kept saying it would'nt be a problem when we left the ground it was just a pity I didn't hold the same enthusiasim as he did.

The final whistle sounded and we grouped up for the long descent down the stairs looking out the glass windows at what looked like nearly a 1000 Rangers casuals/fans F**k were DEAD!

P*ff*n removes his false tooth and sticks it in his pocket other older members in the cars Steve from Ferryhill, Darren and others are ready for action... two steps on to the pavement outside and a guy in a sheepskin jacket fly's forward with a karate kick into us IT'S GOING OFF fist's feet bottles flying at us We ALL pile in were fighting (for our lives) the adrenalin is going, bodies on the ground a hail of punches and i'm on my arse others run to pick me up, someone next to me is covered in blood, another goes down, no police in sight...There coming at us from all angles there 2/3 on each one of us we stand and take it,and give it back as much as possible. Were getting pushed back against the Main Stand wall, then some of us are getting run behind the STV lorries were taking one hell of a beating 1000 into 31 ain't my idea of fun but if I didn't like it I should'nt of come down, F**k that, WER'E ABERDEEN! Two bodies fell in front of me in my panic not looking I ran into the metal stanchion of STV truck, on my arse again getting the living daylight's kicked out of me from 3/4 lads stamping on me, a policeman runs in to pull me off my feet.(They come in handy sometimes)

The old bill move in to pick up the pieces and there were a few THANK FUCK on my arse twice f**ked ribs and a large bruised face I got off lightly... were now under escort back to the road our cars and minibus were parked on
BUT Rangers still want more the police keep them a bay and were back on the m/bus with everyone having a tale to tell, Some faired better than me some faired worse but that's life you cant win them all.

We head off under escort we've arranged to meet at the chipper at stepps another chance of a possible ruck but with even numbers possibly.
Stepps passes off peacefully further up the road we stop for fuel,everyone's hungry but we've no intention paying for it. Malone asks the elderly assistant for some weird colour of rizzla's she kindly goes thru the back of the shop to look we kindly loot her shop! everyone passes round there food/drink etc smiles back on our faces,Malones still there with a bottle of vodka up his jacket (the c**t off his head).
We leave the petrol station only to be held up in traffic when the Aberdeen team bus pull's up beside us, everyone gets out onto the motorway giving it ABERDEEN,ABERDEEN,ABERDEEN!!! the players ALL look on in disbelief they know who we are, some even know us by name, there just happy for our support to day.

On the other side of the motorway a Celtic coach carrying some of there fans back from Paisley has crashed we start baiting them for a go but they don't take us up on our offer.

Our journey continues up the road to Forfar where we stop for a few beers Shinner nip's in to see a relative of his while we have 2 quick pints in one of the pubs.
Were off again 35 miles till were home we take the first corner heading towards the Aberdeen road when we hit a build up of ice on the side of the road the minibus flips up onto the pavement and plougs straight into a 10 ft high wall sending bodies flying everywhere in the back,the bonnet of the m/bus is f**ked steam coming out of it...everyone's now on the road side nursing MORE cuts and bruises, will our torture ever end today.

Were wondering are we ever going to get home.
The police survey the damage and say if we can make it home on the minibus to go for it, we get 3 miles up the road and the m/bus grinds to a halt 1/2 a mile past Findhavon, muggins here runs back to get the AA much to the delight and laughter of the other's on the m/bus.

The AA are not needed as a guy in a flower lorry stops to offer help,then agree's to tow us back to Aberdeen with 2 in the front of his cab with him and the other 11 in the back going thru his flowers and sticking them between our teeth having a right carry on in the back of his van.

As we headed down to Brig of Dee (before they put the roundabout in) the flower lorry towing us goes one way at the light's with the m/bus going in the opposite direction nearly crashing in to the other set of traffic lights...

Nottingham Forest - Newcastle United - 86/87

Source: http://www.toonarama.co.uk/

Fans of both teams spilled onto the pitch after the game and mounted police, with a little help from Forest manager Clough, had to step in to separate the fighting hordes.

Police crack down on soccer hooligans - 20/01/1987

Source: BBC

Police have carried out a series of dawn raids and made 26 arrests in their biggest operation so far against soccer hooliganism in England.

Officers say seven men have been charged.

Uniformed and plain clothes officers have been working for five months on Operation Fulltime aimed at netting the ringleaders of the gangs of hooligans which follow West Ham and Millwall.

The raids were synchronised to take place at 0600 GMT at 30 addresses in London, the Home Counties and the Midlands.

Officers armed with arrest warrants woke the sleeping football fans and told them they were being taken for questioning about soccer-related violence.

VIDEO:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/mediaselector/check/player/nol/newsid_6500000/newsid_6507400?redirect=6507489.stm&news=1&nbram=1&bbwm=1&bbram=1&nbwm=1

Ajax Amsterdam - FC Den Haag - 27/08/1986

Source : Press

Den Haag mob

Feyenoord Rotterdam - FC Den Haag - 21/03/1987

Source : Press

Den Haag hooligans around the "De kuip" stadium.

West Ham United - Newcastle United - ??/05/1987

Source: https://www.youtube.com

Doncaster Rovers - Middlesborough - 09/05/1987

Source : https://www.youtube.com

Party time at Belle Vue, the home of Doncaster Rovers FC as several thousand Boro fans descend on South Yorkshire to celebrate promotion to Division 2 on the final day of the season. Pitch invasions a-plenty amid chaotic scenes in the closing minutes of the match.