Supporter Segregation

[Herbert Anchovy]

I’ve been watching some of the old editions of ‘The Big Match’ on itv4 recently from 1977. I’ve noticed that at quite a few games crowd segregation wasn’t really a thing & away supporters were stood in the middle home fans. Does anyone remember when segregation became standard? Did we often have away fans mingling with home fans at Belle Vue? I remember a few occasions when away supporters would try to ‘take’ the old pop side and also when some of our own headcases would try to do the same at away grounds in the 1970’s,  but I can’t recall occasions when all the fans mingled together?

[drfchound]

I can remember many games where there was no segregation, at home and away games.

[scawsby steve]

I’ve been watching some of the old editions of ‘The Big Match’ on itv4 recently from 1977. I’ve noticed that at quite a few games crowd segregation wasn’t really a thing & away supporters were stood in the middle home fans. Does anyone remember when segregation became standard? Did we often have away fans mingling with home fans at Belle Vue? I remember a few occasions when away supporters would try to ‘take’ the old pop side and also when some of our own headcases would try to do the same at away grounds in the 1970’s,  but I can’t recall occasions when all the fans mingled together?

I could be wrong, Herbert, but I'd guess police controlled segregation came in round about the early to mid 80s.

[DearneValleyRover]

I’ve stood with loads on the popside, Bradford, Lincoln, Bury and Rochdale fans to name a few

[Beerseller]

Segregation was certainly in place by the early to mid 70s when I first started attending. How well it was policed is a different matter since I can’t remember any all ticket matches in those days. I suppose safety in numbers meant you tended to go in the correct part of the ground.

[idler]

I remember in our league cup run in 1975 the Rovers and Hull fans mixed together on the old Kop at Belle Vue.

[Jimmydee]

I can remember going to Feethams and at half time walking over to go behind the other goal and the Darlington fans mingling with us going in the opposite direction and making comments about the first half, it was 0-0 at half time and the put 5 past us in the second half.

[DonnyBazR0ver]

It's probs during the 70s when football hooliganism got worse on the back of a few winters of discontents, two miners strikes, power cuts, everyone one else striking, not qualifying for 74 & 78 World cups, when folk were generally p*ssed off and wallowing in doom & gloom.

We started to see more and more fences going up at grounds, barbed wire, police dogs, mounted police etc etc.

It was a very grey decade until things started to turn more positve in the late 70s after the 78 World Cup but it still took the Bradford and Hillsborough disasters to force the authorities to wake up, ultimately leading to the Taylor report.

[Red wizard]

Away support of big numbers started when the football specials trains started. Not sure what the year was but it gave people cheap travel. Or so I'm led to believe.

[scawsby steve]

Away support of big numbers started when the football specials trains started. Not sure what the year was but it gave people cheap travel. Or so I'm led to believe.

Yes, RW, the football specials were fantastic.

I wish they still did them.

[Iberian Red]

There was definitely segregation in about 78 when we played Sheff Utd in the league Cup. Sheff Utd were massed on the Rosso end. The segregation didn't last too long,as when we went ahead,hundreds ran over the pitch and took the Pop side. They was the night they also smashed up a train on the way back to Sheffield,got kicked off at Conisboro and had to walk all the way back to Sheffield in the pishing rain.

[Barmby Rover]

I can remember when folks used to swap ends by jumping over the wall and going up the other end to watch the team play towards them, and the same for the away team.

[Herbert Anchovy]

There was definitely segregation in about 78 when we played Sheff Utd in the league Cup. Sheff Utd were massed on the Rosso end. The segregation didn't last too long,as when we went ahead,hundreds ran over the pitch and took the Pop side. They was the night they also smashed up a train on the way back to Sheffield,got kicked off at Conisboro and had to walk all the way back to Sheffield in the pishing rain.

Good memories IR. I don’t remember that game against the blades but I do remember the game against them in around 1980 when they filled the Rosso end and tried to take the pop side but were forced back by our own fans. Unimaginable now really.

[belton rover]

My dad tells me he used to walk round to the Rosso end when we were kicking that way. I’ve been going since the late ‘70s and don’t remember doing this.

[ravenrover]

Yes it was the norm back in the 60's - early 70's