High Ho, High Ho.

Before I start 1968-69, I’d like to thank a couple of Old Gunners who’ve contacted me.
Young Raddy, who remembers the older blokes protecting the youngsters on the coaches at away
games up North.
Gary C, who remembers many of the incidents mentioned and was obviously there as he has recalled things I’d left out.
                                                               Nicked.
The strangest part of these years was that hardly any of us had actually ended up in court, Shorty & Dave L were the only 2, although some had been or were still in Borstal or prison for crimes not related to football.
Hoyboy, Danna W, Jonah, Albie S, Jimmy G, Bootsie & Yarns, to name a few.

Ironically, Granty & myself were nicked on holiday at Butlins when we went into the nearby town for a drink and ended up fighting with 2 local blokes.
We were returning to the holiday camp when a van load of police arrived and took us to the nick.
We were sitting in the charge room protesting our innocence, when 2 coppers arrived with the blokes we’d left on the pavement.
On seeing me, one of them pointed and said “that’s him”. I immediately jumped up and shouted “ I’ve never punched anyone in my life “ and hit him so hard that he fell over the desk.
The coppers dragged me off to the cells with Granty.

The police sent a copper round to Granty’s house early the next morning. His dad lived in a flat on the top floor. When they woke him up he leaned out the window and copper said “We’ve got your son and his mate in the cells for fighting “ Granty’s dad replied “ fucking keep them there then” slammed the window down and went back to bed. No bail for us then!!!

                                                   Season 1968-69.

                                                  High Ho, High Ho,
                                              To Tottenham we will go,
                                               With a bottle and brick,
                                                And a Walking stick,
                                                  High Ho, Hi Ho.


                                                 10th August 1968.
Somehow, without mobile phones, social media or even a previous home game,
word had spread that the North Bank boys were going to meet at Manor House and march to the Lane for the opening game of the season.
4-500 Arsenal fans gathered on the pavement and spilled into the road. Remember, no cctv, police escort or police with video cameras.
This was one of the only times I can recall when all the main fellas were together outside a stadium.
It was a formidable little army, which was swelled with others jumping off buses and coming from side streets and council estates along the way.

Putney had appeared at the head of the crowd, holding a large plastic cockerel that he’d painted red.
He said he got it from a workshop near his house in Highbury that made them for the Courage brewery. It was their emblem and used to be on delivery carts and pub roofs.

On reaching the junction at 7 sisters station, after Dave Mackay’s Tie shop had been left with no windows, a copper roared up on his motorbike, skidded and fell off. The fans were like locusts attacking him and he left the bike and ran off to the nearby police station.

The police piled out and Putney was arrested for inciting a riot, charged, released on bail and we met up again in the ground. He later got fined £10 in court.

Meanwhile, Eddie P had jumped on a bus going to the ground. He later recalled that he went in the Corner Pin pub where the boys from the Lane met and found “Parish” one of their leaders.
Eddie P was recognised and asked “ what are you doing in here “ he replied “ we’re coming to get you “.
Parish hit him, saying “well they ain’t here yet”
About 20 minutes later we turned up and Eddie P was wiping the blood from his bleeding nose.
We all pissed ourselves laughing when he told us the story.
The pub was now empty by the way.
We filled the Park Lane end as they had moved to the Paxton road end.
We won 2-1 and everyone was happy.

Little did we know we’d be back later that season.

We attempted to march again the following season but the police stopped it forever.

Their fans moved to the Shelf the next season but in 1970-71 not many of them got in the ground at all.
                                   
                                       Something Fishy?

After the game at Old Trafford and a few beers some of us we were eating fish and chips outside the chip shop while waiting for the coaches to leave.
Suddenly, Mullers shouted that there was a fight inside the shop and Barry B & George H were getting done by 4 mancs.
Someone ran in and clumped 3 of them, causing nasty injuries, before the 4th put his hands up in surrender.
They hadn’t realised our bloke had a knuckle duster on his fist.
The police arrived and searched everyone but it had already been hidden on the coach.
 

                 

Stretford End. 

By now we’d given up the coaches and were hiring Transit vans from Godfrey Davis hire in Euston. 

These vans had no seats in the back and only windows in the rear doors. 

Putney hired them early Saturday morning and we’d meet outside the gunners pub and someone would disconnect the trip meter This would be reconnected on Sunday. 

He would eventually be banned from hiring because one Monday morning the mechanic found a Manchester evening pink paper inside and apparently the van had only done 60 miles according to the trip meter.  So, we had to change to another company. 

About 8 of us used to sit on our coats in the back. 

FA Cup. 

We were drawn away at Cardiff in the 3rd round. 

We beat  them after a replay. 

Only memorable for Lenny T stabbing himself in the leg, with a bayonet he had in his coat pocket, whilst climbing over some railings. 

More laughter. 

We beat Charlton at home next and then drew West Brom away in the 5th round. 

We went by train to this game as for some reason it was played in midweek, if I remember. 

We lost again and at the end some Albion fans were waiting for us outside. 

A fight ensued and I somehow ended up with a denim jacket with a large Albion badge sown on the back. The only thing in the pockets was a sweaty corned beef sandwich in a paper bag. 

Coming back on the train Granty was playing cards and after a while said “ I’m starving, has anyone got anything to eat?” I pulled out the sandwich and gave it to him. He was too busy looking at his cards to care.  A few minutes later Kenny H asked “was there anything in the denim jacket?” I replied  “only a sweaty corned beef sandwich “ Granty nearly dropped his cards and beer. 

More laughter. 

The previous winter we had all started wearing sheepskin coats and become known for it. 

Dream gone again. 

November & December 1968. 

In the League Cup we’d have to beat the team from the Lane in the semi finals. 

We won 1-0 at Highbury. Then it was off to the Lane for the 2nd leg. 

As it was all ticket, we could meet for a beer beforehand and our little gang did just that. 

We were approaching the Corner Pin pub singing, 

“ We’ll drink a drink a drink,

To Radford the King, the King, the King,

The saviour of The Arsenal “ 

There was a group of their fans outside on the pavement and the song finished just as we got there. 

One of them shouted to us “we knew you’d stop singing when you saw us”. 

I think Big Bob nearly took his head off with a punch and we charged at them, scattering them all over the road. 

Then we marched on into the ground where Arsenal had filled the Park Lane end again. 

Raddy scored with a few minutes to go and it was sheer bedlam amongst the Arsenal fans. 

The 1st leg. 

2nd leg. 

2nd leg. 

The main headline refers to the Opening game of the season. 

Wembley again, surely we won’t lose!!

I will post some pictures but no words or excuses such as, flu or muddy pitch due to the Horse of the Year show a few days earlier, can describe how I and all Arsenal fans felt on this day. 

One of the worst ever in our history. 

When we were young. 

Sad, bad day. 

Speechless. 

A moment of hope. 

Dream becoming a nightmare. 

And so we had another trophy less season but there was one highlight left. 

Monday April 14th 1969 - Chelsea away. 

I think this was the last time away fans were allowed in the Shed.

They would be allocated the opposite end in following seasons. 

14 of us decided to meet at my mum’s flat and get to the ground early. 

Nobody wore any colours and because the previous year the police had formed a barrier between opposing fans, we had a cunning plan!!

As it wasn’t an all ticket game, we would go in through the home fans turnstiles into the Shed end and meet up inside. 

A few more Arsenal fans had recognised us outside and joined in. 

There was now about 20 of us and we went in single file with Putney up front, looking for “Eccles “ the Chelsea leader. We spotted him screaming abuse at the Arsenal fans who were behind the police cordon again.  In those days along with Eccles was Webby, Jesus, Greenaway and some others. This was the days before Nightmare, one armed Babs and the headhunters. 

Anyway, Putney tapped Eccles on the shoulder and said “hello “ the blood drained from his face and he said “ what you doing in here?” Putney replied “we’ve come to see you” and promptly head butted him.  The rest of us then turned as one and hit the nearest Chelsea bloke. 

They retreated up the terrace leaving a huge gap which we were now jumping up and down in.

 The police couldn’t intervene because they had to hold back the other Arsenal fans who’d recognised us and wanted to join in. 

After a few minutes police reinforcements arrived and Chelsea had regrouped once the shock had worn off.  So we went off to join the others. 

After the game the police pulled everyone off the tube trains that was wearing a sheepskin coat. 

Someone had slashed mine across the back with a knife, so it probably saved me. 

Nobody was arrested though, but the police were wising up. 

Barry C remembers that one of the first Chelsea fans to come back at us was his brother. 

I bet that livened things up indoors!!

Apparently, Eccles was followed home by a few Arsenal fans after a midweek game some time later and given a hiding by one of them. 

Ironically, they weren’t even playing Arsenal that night. 

Arsenal take the Shed 1969. 

Outfoxed!!

Memories!!

Next Post Sunday 3/5/2020. 

Champions 49 years ago. 

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