Bob Mash

I remember this game well, it was 6 months or so before the Bradford fire disaster. It was absolute carnage, one of the worst I can remember. As I recall the end terrace was divided in two and we were in the left hand side. I think there may have been some work happening on the terrace and they had helpfully left piles of rubble, but whatever the cause there were chunks of concrete flying back and to. I saw several of our fans covered in blood and looking back it was a miracle nobody was seriously hurt or worse. Incidentally we lost 3-1 although I don't think I saw much of the match! Football was a different world back then. 

Anybody remember the away game at Bradford around 1984? About 15 of us were in the back of a transit van, no windows, complete darkness. Went in a very hostile pub and left. Got to the ground and were pelted with concrete chunks from the crumbling terrace. Rams fans responded in kind and the slabs rained back and forth until kick off. My mate got smacked straight in the ear, blood everywhere. No sympathy from cops or stewards. The ref blows for kick off. Huge chant of DLF from the main home stand and around a hundred Derby stand up gesturing to a group next to them. Another chant goes up, 'Leeds Leeds Leeds'...A pre arranged scrap Then 90 minutes of all out fighting. Graham Richards apparently described the chaos as 'like a scene from Zulu dawn'.. Can't remember the game or the score. 

Hull City away in the early 1980s, the old Third Division I think. Through the Junior Rams me and a mate won two tickets to the game and free coach travel. So far so good...until we got to the game. The away end was on the opposite side of the ground! We were housed in a stand surrounded by Humberside's finest. At 2-0 to the Rams a thin line of stewards and police formed a barrier around the 50 or so of us. It didn't stop the bottles, coins and other items raining down on us. We were saved by a second half capitulation which resulted in an injury time winner for the Tigers. While the locals were celebrating we legged it past the Grandways supermarket and to safety. 
 

We climbed up straight after Archie scored the penalty. 
Leeds fans are still in denial about that.

Chelsea did the same...but threw them on their own fans below on the terracing, Leeds in their game threw the seats at us as we were on the terracing, Derby lads climbing up onto the barbed wire and into the Ossie seats to get a little retrebution, Which they did.
Mike Waterson said after that game "we have our own Lunatic Fringe" well Mike look what you started ?

Birmingham probably around 1977 ish, arrived late at the ground, parked up in a side street as the driver "knew" all about Brum as he worked there at the time. The ITK driver then took us to a turnstile which led us onto a huge terrace on the side of the pitch. As we squeezed in (the match was already underway) it suddenly dawned on us that the Derby fans were away to our right, behind the goal and we were slap bang in the middle of Digbeth's finest.
Derby scored and it kicked off down beneath us as several Derby were being attacked, we decided to make our way down towards the pitch and with Brummies streaming down to get involved we were hid in plain sight. As the police got the Derby lads out we just climbed over and joined them and got escorted round the pitch to the away end to a heroes reception!
After the game we couldn't get back to the car as the side street seemed to be the meeting place for the Zulu's to plan their attack on the Derby fans.......I don't think we went with that ITK driver again.?
 

Hull City away in the early 1980s, the old Third Division I think. Through the Junior Rams me and a mate won two tickets to the game and free coach travel. So far so good...until we got to the game. The away end was on the opposite side of the ground! We were housed in a stand surrounded by Humberside's finest. At 2-0 to the Rams a thin line of stewards and police formed a barrier around the 50 or so of us. It didn't stop the bottles, coins and other items raining down on us. We were saved by a second half capitulation which resulted in an injury time winner for the Tigers. While the locals were celebrating we legged it past the Grandways supermarket and to safety. 
 

How about this dogs allowed
Kids only allowed if kepted on a lead and under close control at all times.

No kids at the bar was a rule at our local.
But dogs of the owners at the bar lying down behind you while you carry pints back to the table is fine.
Dogs barking and growling at each other is fine to apparently.
It’s the groups of parents who each bring two kids to the pub and sit drinking while the kids run feral inside and outside the pub.  They’re normally the well to do type also.  

Craft beer bar? 
 
you gets what you deserves. Hope the baby pukes on you! 

That's what the car in the car park is for!

Back in the Midland, Bearwood. Bank's Sunbeam (or Bonks's in Wolverhampton). Bloody good. 

Please close this thread. 

You can't just unnaturally force some tired old pop song onto a club's  entire fanbase without there being a single solid reason for it, no unifying event to inspire it, and with no local connection to the song whatsoever. Maybe you could in the 80s in Stoke, but not today.

Turning Point Brew 'exile' Czech style Pilsner. Very good. Craft Inn Bearwood. Cheers. 

There were several younger females in the 70s that would stand at the back of the Vulcan Street End, I started in the Kids Pen, Then moved to the Columbo End as a very young teen where me and my mate would climb up the corner near the floodlights and tie ourselves with scarves to the metal fence with the away supporters walking underneath us.
Getting older a move to the Vulcan Street was a must, With the red metal fence walkway seperating home and away fans, Many a suicide fan would jump them to have a close chat with the away fans, At the back of the Popside where a hot bovril was served there was no segregation and all hell would break loose at HT, A fence was later put up to seperate both waring factions, Then a portion of the Columbo and Vulcan street was segregated for the more normal fan, So home fans would enter the Columbo end to great the away fans, All cash turnstiles so no checking the fans, Eventually moving to the Ossie End after Chelsea and Leeds wrecking the seats fiasco, Then onto the more sedate "C" Stand Paddock ?.
As a football arena I don't think there was a more intimidating ground than the BBG, Away players who were going to take a corner at the "C" stand paddock area would often have a change of heart when scores of Lads got to their feet and hurl abuse at them, Away players would often have their shorts pulled on when taking a throw in, Or if you were a Fulham player...getting kicked/tripped, The Hunter/Lee fracas, Lee was initially punched... the reason...Lee was a master at tripping himsel up in the penalty area, Which he did when Hunter was chasing him down, Ref gave a Pen and we scored, Hunter bided his time, And got a good one in right on Lees nose, Ref sends them both off then the fun began with Lee throwing several punches and NOT one landing on Hunter, Only for Hunter to fall over, Word has it that Hunter refused to come out of the changing rooms until Lee had left the BBG.
For me, DCFC lost something when moving to PP, I bought a ST in the East stand, The view was great right in line with the 18 yard line, The Atmosphere was lost for me, It became more sterile, But I Lived with it I guess, As long as I have my memories I can always visit the BBG anytime I choose ?
 

I have very good memories of the BBG ever since first attending in the Ozzie end as a nominal Telford supporter and witnessing a Bobby Davison hat trick. 
 
Safety standards were a little different then. I used to get a free ticket for a time through Derbyshire County Council to take an elderly man to matches. His mobility was limited and often the tickets were for the Ozzie upper! He was a hefty chap and after being dropped off at the ground myself and a couple of stewards would carry him up the many flights of stairs in a chair of sorts to our seats. If there had been a fire aka Bradford he was certainly a gonner and getting back down was none too easy either. He could reel off the cup winning team  with ease and the staff at his care home said he was so happy come a Saturday. I remember the joy of seeing Dean Saunders debut with him from the Ozzie upper as well as being unnerved by the din made by Man U fans below us on another occasion. 

Eventually they gave us tickets in the Normanton corner of the main stand where we watched Deno bury his header past Crossley.
 
Best atmosphere I experienced at the BBG was the 3:3 cup game against Wednesday packed into the popside. Spent most of the game trying to peer round a 6foot 6 bloke until Kitsons header?. When the mayhem ceased I was a good 4 foot in front of him with a much better view.

24 Doppelbocks and 24 Oktoberfests arrived today.
I also picked up a few Karmeliets, Westmalle Tripels and Chimay Whites from Morrisoms.
Today was a good day.

Never felt that Pride Park was 'home'. First BBG game was Hinton's testimonial in 1976. The Rams lost to an England '11' but the atmosphere was magical. Totally agree about moving. Wish we'd stayed and upgraded. 

Four pints of that and bowl of stewed rhubarb and you'd have won the Olympic 100m final.

I've said it before many times on here, but my first venture to the hallowed Popside was the 3-2 game v Leeds and I was stood level with the 18 yard line, so had a front-row view of the Lee v Hunter heavyweight final.?
Happy, happy days.

North Cotswold 'jumping jack flash' 
Session hoppy pale. The Midland, Bearwood. Happy Bank Holiday. 

Amazing memories, a real football ground….worst decision the club has ever made was to leave there and the abomination they did of “preserving” the place is frankly an absolute disgrace. 

Bobby Davison & The Baseball Ground ! A match made in heaven !

Hi mate. A combination of factors, finance, 90 Mile round trip, Mrs works Saturdays and a general loss of interest over the last few years.  Not sure if it's a divorce or separation.