Posted by : Robbie Robin
Date : 15/01/10
Subject : Bradford in a Banger

I went to Bradford years ago (season97-98, I think). Live in Hertfordshire, so it was always going to be a long journey. I owned a beaten up old Astra that was lucky if it made it to the end of my road, let alone Bradford.

Anyway, I left with two mates and a girlfriend in tow ( it was her birthday, so i was treating her). Got three junctions up the M1 and I broke down. After about an hour the engine cooled down and we were off again. A further hour into the journey the car gave up on us. We waited on the hard shoulder and called the RAC. When they arrived I told them I had to be in Bradford for a funeral by 2pm. The driver made a few calls and towed us up the M1. We actually arrived at 3.15. Dropped the car off outside the ground and then duly watched City get hammered 5-0.

It was cold, raining - Oh, it was painful. Anyway, much to our surprise the car started. We made it to the M1 and we broke down again. This time my mate called the AA and they towed us all the way home again!!

It was a long, long day. But hey, I can look back now and chuckle!!

Posted by : Barneyredballs
Date : 15/01/10
Subject : Couple of crackers

Monday 22nd April - 1992 (Easter Monday)

Portsmouth V City

Made the decision to go down to Fratton Park. Drove down with 'boys' in convoy. Stopped for a drink or two in Southampton. Car wouldn't start. Train from Southampton to near Pompey. Ran in sizzling heat from train station to Fratton. Had to go in stand rather than terrace. Missed the only goal of the game (scored by Pompey). Left game and realised we couldn't get back. Bumped into friends of friends. Returned to Bristol laid across three strangers in the back of a metro. Mate never even picked up his car from Southampton.

Tuesday 18th August - 1992

Cardiff V City

Train to Cardiff for this glamorous 1st leg, 1st round League Cup tie. Lost game 0-1. Nothing exceptional there. At final whistle, city fans started to quickly move to back of terraced area which was a 20 foot brick wall. Then it started raining.... coins, bricks, bottles, bollards. City fans kept locked in for 30 mins. Then walked back to train station by police escort. You walked past many sub stations. We had riot vans/horses/dogs. Got to the final sub station and looked up, about 300 Cardiff fans all hanging over the sides. Police then said, right that is as far as we're going, we'll try and hold them back; you run. Never again, even in a bubble!

Posted by : 22A
Date : 15/01/10
Subject : Police horses & Beach Balls

Final game of the 74-75 season City v Fulham. A player booted the ball really hard, but wayward. It smacked with full force into the rump of a Police horse causing it to rear up and the copper on board nearly got thrown to the ground. Fans of both sides cheered.

Not Bristol, but two other cities. Late 70s / early 80s, Norwich v Man C. The fans were divided by a double set of fences. Someone had brought a large beach ball into the ground and the Norwich fans started throwing it around between them in the build up to kick off. One hit it too hard and it went over to the visiting fans. They started hitting it round then took to hitting this beach ball to and then getting it back from the Norwich fans. Then one Man C fan didn't throw the ball hard enough and it landed in the gap between the double railings. Both sets of fans turned on and roundly abused the individual concerned.