Port Vale away

[OOH! SHAUN TAYLOR]

Chalkies actually said

"I don't wish to go back there" and was most certainly not advocating that violence or the threat of it would improve football.

Dismiss away the fun that we dinosaur fans drone on about but the threat of violence did inevitably heighten the senses and at times the passion and excitement as did, within the ground, the terracing - also at it's most dangerous and exciting when packed.

As a fan, I was embarrassed by football violence at the time but I do not regret having found the dangerous aspects exciting even if incidental to my experience.  I do hope that posters aren't against all rites of passage that are not organised and officially approved?

Looking at the present, I embrace the fact that there are more women fans and family areas and especially what Jaybox is doing.  I really hope Jaybox's initiatives gain traction and can help up the passion and support for the team throughout the whole 96 minutes and improve the whole experience (unlike drums and Crystal Palace piped music after a goal).

!

I wasn't dismissing anything my friend, hence my comment "I suppose it would be boring if we were all the same". Violence does nothing for me but I understand it gives some people a buzz. Each to their own.

Simples innit?

[@mwooly63]

I don't think anyone is saying taking part in actual violence increased the match day experience.
Was more the perceived threat of violence.
Imtimidatery away support up against the fences always upped the vocals of home fans.
Terracing helped of course, seating isn't the same even if you stand up. The freedom to move around the terracing meant like minded fans congregated together.

Anyway carry on Jay, anything that makes a difference is welcome

[suttonred]

Jay, keep it up.  Ironside, I've always thought you'd probably give me a kiss and a hug if we met.

When we had a bash at this in 2005 it was mainly as result of my dismay at the sheer negativity and depressing nature of being around fellow fans at that time.  I've seen some terrible seasons, but going to football has always been about having fun for me.  Certainly as we moved into the 2000's it seemed more and more to me that people were actually out to have a bad time - and I'm excluding the types that enjoy themselves in the TE style atmosphere's here.  For all our efforts at flags, banners and ticket tape etc. (and it was a lot of personal effort for those involved) it was only ever geared to trying to brighten the atmosphere of those around us - the idea being that get those people a little more positive and the singing sections can bring a few more along with them.

As it happens, it was pretty far removed from my usual experience at a football match.  My teen to early 20's years were spent just in front of the cock at the back of the Bank and then later enjoying a good pint or 7 before a game.  Anyone who met me around those times will probably vouch for the fact that having a good time and some beers was more my thing -I present my state at Cheltenham when I failed to understand how seat rows and numbers worked for a day and Walsall away.  The mini bus adventures were a great laugh and it didn't need any flags and streamers for me to have fun and remain positive.

But.....for others, some of it did rise a smile, get their kids involved and if it raised just one persons spirits it was worth the effort.

On the other subjects, never really got the violence thing at football.  I remember dodging bits of the Bank coming my way against Bournemouth, which was not much fun at all.  I struggle to comprehend how taking a good beating is a rights of passage, it's not stopped me in life because I didn't get in fights as a kid.  Who knows if I could hold my own in a fight? so far, it's not really been a problem getting promotions at work or buying the weekly shop at Asda.

One of the best typo's ever

[RobertT]

 

[tans]

Walsall away

What a day that was

[OOH! SHAUN TAYLOR]

I don't think anyone is saying taking part in actual violence increased the match day experience.
Was more the perceived threat of violence.
Imtimidatery away support up against the fences always upped the vocals of home fans.
Terracing helped of course, seating isn't the same even if you stand up. The freedom to move around the terracing meant like minded fans congregated together.

Anyway carry on Jay, anything that makes a difference is welcome

I think they're saying exactly that to be fair. But that's fine - I'm not having a go at anyone for feeling that way. A lot of young blokes are like that. I wasn't. I'm not saying that's good or bad. It just is what it is.

[leftside]

If you had two groups of lads who wanted it then let them crack on.
Town used to do a good job of self policing if the rules of engagement were broken.  

I agree with much of what you have written, but I suspect a lot of us who have never wanted to take part have been victims of football fan violence.

[kerry red]

A lot of the time you had little choice - in the pub, walking to/from grounds and in the ground itself.

It took clubs so long to cotton on that segregating fans in the ground would all but finish trouble inside grounds it beggars belief.

It is still there just below the surface, though.

[chalkies_shorts]

I think they're saying exactly that to be fair. But that's fine - I'm not having a go at anyone for feeling that way. A lot of young blokes are like that. I wasn't. I'm not saying that's good or bad. It just is what it is.

To avoid any ambiguity what I'm saying is that those games where it "kicked off" were more fun than those that didn't, particularly if you could go toe and toe.That's just the way it was and as an away fan ( unless you went with the Travel Club ) you were a target. Scum away was brilliant as was Trashton. Pompey and Cardiff away were suicide.
I walked away from this when I met my wife and settled down but it was a great crack.  I didn't see many innocent victims as most groups had a code of conduct.
It was the bloody idiots throwing bricks and coins that were the problem.
I accept what I'm saying is not politically correct but if you went away in the 70s and early 80s that was just the way it was.
I still see some of the lads at games now with their kids / grandkids. Its over half a lifetime ago but it was great but it was "of its time". The world has moved on.

[RedRag]

I wasn't dismissing anything my friend, hence my comment "I suppose it would be boring if we were all the same". Violence does nothing for me but I understand it gives some people a buzz. Each to their own.

Simples innit?

I support you 100% on the diversity point and didn't mean to imply you were dismissing anything.

I was lending some support to the posters who had expressed a certain excitement at aspects of the matchday experience of the 70s and 80s and clarifying that that didn't mean anyone was advocating a return of it (Samdy, I think!)

A little passion has disappeared from the terraces in my view for various reasons and getting some of it back, with JayBox's initiatives, is something I'm all in favour of

[OOH! SHAUN TAYLOR]

I accept what I'm saying is not politically correct

Believe me mate, I have no problem with that!

[JayBox325]

People have different ways of being entertained. But for me, the idea of coming into work (or not being able to) just because I had a ruckus with another fan from another club doesn't make sense. Weighing up the pros and cons, it doesn't add up. Could be shutting a door to a career because of it or having a disabling injury from it. It never seemed worth it.

Saying that, I love the threatening away atmosphere of calling someone every expletive under the sun in the ground, but when it changes from that... I'm not a fan.

I'll keep trying to get the atmosphere's up via flags and balloons and leave the pyro & fighting to others.

[JoeMezz]

Jay what's happened to the goals of the month YouTube montages?

[JayBox325]

Jay what's happened to the goals of the month YouTube montages?

Haha. Yeah... sorry. I usually do them on the Sunday after the last game of the season but that was Sheffield United away in Jan, then we started that poor run and I lost all motivation to re-watch any of those games. I'll get back on them when I can but I tend to spend my spare time working on freelance work or sorting out banners etc