The problem that day was at the very end of the game when

the River End invaded the pitch. The Barclay assumed we wouldn't be allowed on after 15 minutes and everyone started to leave out of the back of the terrace. Then without warning the stewards opened the small gates in the front fence to let the fans on the pitch to celebrate with the others. This meant you had everybody on the steps at the back suddenly come surging in down the terrace knocking others over and you had the ludicrous situation of thousands of fans trying to squeeze through about 2 tiny little gates all at once to get on the pitch. My abiding memory is seeing an old man's set of false teeth bouncing down the terrace steps as he and others were bowled over in the chaos. Very dangerous but I don't think there were any serious casualties, which looking back is incredible! But that's how it was in those days.

Posted By: Pygmy bulb on April 15th 2014 at 20:45:36

Message Thread

The worst crowded terrace I ever stood on watching Norwich (NCFC) - strap_on sally, Apr 15, 20:24:24
- Too young to have gone to games in the 80s, but... (NCFC) - DJ Ginga, Apr 15, 20:58:53
- FA Cup 6th Round 89 West Ham away. (NCFC) - Pygmy bulb, Apr 15, 20:36:46
  - vmt (NCFC) - robert_rosario, Apr 15, 20:53:23
- I was quite scared at Norwich-Stoke in 87 when we won the 2nd Division (NCFC) - Worzel Scrimmage, Apr 15, 20:27:38
  - The problem that day was at the very end of the game when (NCFC) - Pygmy bulb, Apr 15, 20:45:36
    - Good insight... (NCFC) - Dandy Highburyman, Apr 15, 21:17:11
  - Didn't they mostly keep that pen empty? (n/m) (NCFC) - Huge Small, Apr 15, 20:33:20
    - yep, I remember us singing for the police to open up the middle pen (NCFC) - Worzel Scrimmage, Apr 15, 20:46:54
    - Yes,as a no mans land. (n/m) (NCFC) - protheroe fitzgibbon, Apr 15, 20:42:54
      - I remember a Sutton Utd fan tring to climb through it (NCFC) - Huge Small, Apr 15, 20:45:57
        
        I've got vivid memories of the Leeds game that year (NCFC) - Worzel Scrimmage, Apr 15, 20:51:04
        
        be honest, was it more fun than games nowdays? exciting and exhilarating in equal measure? (n/m) (NCFC) - Only1Doherty, Apr 15, 20:54:15
        
        Ah, do my memory served me right then. I got hit a couple of times.lovely ol leeds (n/m) (NCFC) - Men without hats, Apr 15, 21:03:59
        
        oh definitely, but I'd probably have very different memories if I'd been injured (NCFC) - Worzel Scrimmage, Apr 15, 21:00:56
        
        Totally. (NCFC) - Pygmy bulb, Apr 15, 20:59:10
  - 86 I mean of course (n/m) (NCFC) - Worzel Scrimmage, Apr 15, 20:30:30
- It was busy that day, Villa Park the day of the tragedy was also very packed, the trouble (NCFC) - lovely old job, Apr 15, 20:26:25
  - Remember it well (NCFC) - bristolboy, Apr 15, 20:36:33
  - I stood on the Holte end that day right at the back near the Everton fans (NCFC) - strap_on sally, Apr 15, 20:33:07
    - It wasn't packed at the front.it was at west ham though,that was chocker. (n/m) (NCFC) - protheroe fitzgibbon, Apr 15, 20:44:00
    - I too was at the back with an old lady, must have been about sixty next to me (NCFC) - Men without hats, Apr 15, 20:43:58
    - I was lower down in the centre, I can remember getting very squeezed and moving without (NCFC) - lovely old job, Apr 15, 20:37:40
  - A matchday experience these days is certainly different than when I started going (NCFC) - strap_on sally, Apr 15, 20:31:21

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