Trouble at Leeds-Cardiff

[Starry]

Given that we have moved into the 21st century I do not think waiting outside for over an hour to attack some coaches is really enlightened behaviour. It makes them look like small minded humourless morons. could do without being saddled with.

Goes both ways, Cardiff waited for our coaches at Ninian Park this season as well. Turned right at the end of the road to be greeted by bricks and missiles. It's a case of 6 of one, half a dozen of the other.

 

[Albion Rob]

The stupid thing is that the coaches which were being attacked only contained the drivers and, in a couple of cases, their families. All of the Cardiff fans were still inside Elland Road. The drivers were brought into the ground by the police a few minutes before the final whistle because the problems outside had already started.

As for the ticket situation, this is now becoming a regular thing for Cardiff fans. This season, our matches at Millwall and Leeds have already been so-called 'bubble trips' and the forthcoming matches at West Ham and Stoke will also follow a similar pattern.

The routine is that our fans (season ticket holders and club members) can only travel to these games on official coaches that are run by either the club or our three official supporters clubs. Alcohol on these coaches is banned and they are not allowed to stop at any pubs on the way to the game, or anywhere near the town or city we are visiting for any reason at all (yesterday's stop limit was 12 miles from Leeds).

Fans buy travel vouchers from the club in advance, which includes the cost of both the trip and a match ticket. These vouchers are handed to the reps on the coaches, and the reps then hand the vouchers over to the police at the designated rendezvous point (usually a service station at least 10 miles from the ground), who exchange them for match tickets after the coach has been searched for alcohol. The coaches are then taken to the ground by the police in convoys.

These measures may sound very Draconian, but in fairness they do eliminate the risk of trouble at games where the potential for such is high like it was yesterday.

The regulations are a pain in the arse, no doubt about that, but our fans have been living with them for several years now and we manage to have a laugh all the same. The supporters clubs are excellent and very organised, and there are plenty of ways around the old 'no alcohol' rule as long as we are careful!

Despite the hassle, I enjoyed yesterday's trip as much as I've enjoyed any other this season.

Takes me back to my days at uni when you lot played Stoke in the Div 2 playoffs. Never seen so many police at a match and remember none of you were allowed to travel by train. Seemed like hundreds of coaches in the car park and the whole thing was played against a backdrop of two police spotter helicoptors whirring in the air.

If I remember correctly you were only given the top tier of the away end - I have no doubts you could have filled the whole end - and there was a thick cordon of police in front of you.

If memory serves, there was trouble in the ground but it was all Stoke, fighting the police and possibly each other to try to get to your lot.

Outside was incredible. an't remember if they let you out at the same time but there were literally hundreds of blokes there just desperate for it to kick off. To be fair to the police they cleared the area and I didn't see any trouble but the amount of bad feeling was palpable.

Mind you, I would imagine I would have quite a story to tell if I had bothered to go to the game at the Brit at the end of the 99/2000 season....

 

[The Laughing Bluebird]

Goes both ways, Cardiff waited for our coaches at Ninian Park this season as well. Turned right at the end of the road to be greeted by bricks and missiles. It's a case of 6 of one, half a dozen of the other.

Strange. Are you sure you're not making this up?

The visiting coaches always turn left at the exit from the club car park and are taken by the police straight onto the motorway link road via the Leckwith roundabout. There is nowhere on that route for anybody to wait with bricks and missiles. And a right turn out of the car park would take you towards either Canton or the city centre - a route the police would never allow visiting coaches to take.

 

[Lord Bracknell]

Fans buy travel vouchers from the club in advance, which includes the cost of both the trip and a match ticket. These vouchers are handed to the reps on the coaches, and the reps then hand the vouchers over to the police at the designated rendezvous point (usually a service station at least 10 miles from the ground), who exchange them for match tickets after the coach has been searched for alcohol. The coaches are then taken to the ground by the police in convoys.

This arrangement would never work for visiting supporters going to an Albion game at Withdean.

Not only do we have the worst stadium in the League, we haven't even got the feckin' road system down here. The nearest service station with the capacity to function as a rendezvous point must be in Berkshire.

 

[Starry]

Strange. Are you sure you're not making this up?

The visiting coaches always turn left at the exit from the club car park and are taken by the police straight onto the motorway link road via the Leckwith roundabout. There is nowhere on that route for anybody to wait with bricks and missiles. And a right turn out of the car park would take you towards either Canton or the city centre - a route the police would never allow visiting coaches to take.

Nope, we defo went right. From the carpark facing the ground, turned right, (through the same area that your 'fans' had been waiting behind the fence/police line) passed a lot of houses with chavs stood around outside. Turned right at the end of that road and along what looked like we'd gone into a small industrial estate, lots of business/small factory buildings (car sales place maybe). This was at about 6pm and as we turn the corner we were greeted with a barage of bricks. Mostly from people in their cars who I assume park there on the verges to go to the game.

 

[The Laughing Bluebird]

Mind you, I would imagine I would have quite a story to tell if I had bothered to go to the game at the Brit at the end of the 99/2000 season....

That play-off game was one of the first where the travel restrictions applied. The same restrictions applied to league games earlier that season against Stoke and Bristol City.

The riot at the Britannia Stadium in April 2000 was one of the worst I've ever seen in my 30 years of following City. The police that day were incredibly heavy-handed before the game. Those of us on coaches had to be searched and go through metal detectors in a big field on the outskirts of Stoke, believe it or not. The atmosphere was tense enough anyway, but the police really got everyone's backs up.

Those who had travelled by train were held at the station for ages by the police and they didn't get into the game until midway through the first half. They were evil by the time they arrived and it was only a matter of minutes before it all kicked off. The City fans smashed the away end to bits during the game, and went on the rampage outside afterwards. It was very, very heavy. There were loads of arrests on the day, and a further 80-odd a couple of weeks later after a name-and-shame campaign by the South Wales Echo who printed photos from the CCTV footage of many of the guys involved.

My abiding memory of the game itself was the unusual sight of Andy Legg trying to take a corner through the legs of a police horse that was standing on the pitch at the time!

 

[Yorkie]

This arrangement would never work for visiting supporters going to an Albion game at Withdean.

Not only do we have the worst stadium in the League, we haven't even got the feckin' road system down here. The nearest service station with the capacity to function as a rendezvous point must be in Berkshire.

The Wolves coaches parked up at the garage at the Burgess Hill turn off whilst waiting for the police escort. I had a couple of texts from a friend whilst waiting for them to arrive at Withdean

 

[The Laughing Bluebird]

Nope, we defo went right. From the carpark facing the ground, turned right, (through the same area that your 'fans' had been waiting behind the fence/police line) passed a lot of houses with chavs stood around outside. Turned right at the end of that road and along what looked like we'd gone into a small industrial estate, lots of business/small factory buildings (car sales place maybe). This was at about 6pm and as we turn the corner we were greeted with a barage of bricks. Mostly from people in their cars who I assume park their on the verges to go to the game.

Interesting. The Old Bill have changed their tactics then, which is a bit stupid to say the least. They took you back to the motorway via the Grangetown route. God knows why they did that. Doesn't make any sense to me, but I don't doubt you. You've described the route perfectly.

 

[Albion Rob]

The Wolves coaches parked up at the garage at the Burgess Hill turn off whilst waiting for the police escort. I had a couple of texts from a friend whilst waiting for them to arrive at Withdean

Waiting for the Wolves coach to arrive at Withers? Did you get them with a hail of bricks and bottles?!

 

[Yorkie]

Waiting for the Wolves coach to arrive at Withers? Did you get them with a hail of bricks and bottles?!

Lol No the two Wolves guys that I know are both bigger than me so I just greeted them with a hug.
I made them buy the round of drinks in the Sportsman though.

 

[Albion Rob]

Lol No the two Wolves guys that I know are both bigger than me so I just greeted them with a hug.
I made them buy the round of drinks in the Sportsman though.

Sounds like a result to me then....

 

[Lord Bracknell]

So let's get this right.

The Old Bill escorted bus loads of Wolves hoolies into Brighton and then stood by while they stormed the Albion's home pub and forced ALCOHOL down the throats of innocent women supporters with a history of living in YORKSHIRE.

Shocking.

 

[Brighton Breezy]

I saw police in full riot gear tracking about 50 hooligans as they waited for a connecting train at Sheffield station at about 11.30.

 

[Yorkie]

So let's get this right.

The Old Bill escorted bus loads of Wolves hoolies into Brighton and then stood by while they stormed the Albion's home pub and forced ALCOHOL down the throats of innocent women supporters with a history of living in YORKSHIRE.

Shocking.

 

[The Laughing Bluebird]

I saw police in full riot gear tracking about 50 hooligans as they waited for a connecting train at Sheffield station at about 11.30.

Which team do they follow? How do you know they are hooligans?

 

[Brighton till i die]

I hope there won't be too many Leeds 'boys' looking for a bit of payback after what our lot did to them in the Pump House.

Small fry, I know, but could still do without it.

just what i was thinking.

could make it a very "interesting" day out!

 

[CHAPPERS]

There were a group of less than savoury looking Leeds fans at Sheffield on the way back after our train was cancelled. I was SCARED but the GDC protected me.

 

[The Laughing Bluebird]

No need to be SCARED, Chappers. Leeds fans are nice enough guys. For instance, have a look at this rather odd report from squarefootball.net. Apparently, some of the Leeds fans outside the ground were actually trying to ASSIST us Cardiff fans on Saturday. Not sure how that works exactly as we were inside the ground at the time, but here's the report:

More than a little trouble after the Championship match between Leeds and Cardiff at Elland Road, which ended in a 1-1 draw. 10 arrests for public disorder offences were made by West Yorkshire police as the Cardiff coaches were targeted after the match by some Leeds supporters, who ended up in running battles with police. One might add that some of the Leeds supporters were trying to assist Cardiff supporters, rather than attack them.

 

[Brighton till i die]

i cant wait for the Leeds game on the 29th.

the lads who attacked the Leeds pub in Brighton last year will prob be banned for this game, so we will have to bear the front of any trouble.

hey ho 3 points will do nicely!!

 

[CHAPPERS]

i cant wait for the Leeds game on the 29th.

the lads who attacked the Leeds pub in Brighton last year will prob be banned for this game, so we will have to bear the front of any trouble.

hey ho 3 points will do nicely!!

Banning orders hanging over them from the police. They won't be travelling. Same old story really, they active at home but don't travel leaving regular fans to take the backlash.