Pompey Boot Boys!

S

Stanmatt

Well-known member
The post thread mirrors the exact Graffiti sprayed on Bloomfield road bridge back in 1968/9. As a 13 year old i encountered a day at Bloomfield Road that i still remember vividly. I have lots of memorable moments that have defined my life supporting Blackpool including being at Deepdale when we won promotion. however as a young lad i recall me and my school mates getting off the bus at the bottom of Bloomfield road and walking up and seeing that piece of iconic graffiti. Whats a 'boot boy' we all wondered!. As usual we entered the ground about 2ish , always got there early to savour the build up and atmosphere. Naively we didn't expect many away fans as Portsmouth was such a long distance away. Surely nobody travels that far to watch a football match, do they?. After paying our 1 shilling and 11 pence to get in (poetic license invoked on the exact admission cost), We walked up the back of the Spion Kop , Blackpool fans always seem to favour the right hand stairs back then, or maybe the Junior turnstile was located there. Anyway back in the day , Blackpool fans used to get there quite early to ensure nobody took the 'Kop'. halfway up the stairs we could here lots of chanting and noise, thinking it was our fans. On reaching the of the stairs and entering the Kop, we soon got the answer to what a 'boot boy' was. There in the middle of our Kop was about a hundred lads that might well have landed from another planet. We were mesmerised, just stood there in awe taking in the scene. Big lads everyone of them with a shaved head, big red snarling faces, dressed in grandad vests, levi jeans with turn ups held up with thin braces and steel toe capped boots. obviously we were just a little gang of schoolkids and no threat to them whatsover. they did growl at us though. they all stunk of fags and booze. They were absolutely terrifying. Whenever we got really tough away followings we used to go and stand at the front of the Kop near the pitch. Normally our tough boys used to arrive about 230 and wade in . I dont recall what happened that day though. Back at school on Monday, that,s all we talked about and wanted to be a skinhead boot boy.!! Im expecting a different experience tomorrow when i come out of the Armfield club!!
 
Stanmatt said:
The post thread mirrors the exact Graffiti sprayed on Bloomfield road bridge back in 1968/9. As a 13 year old i encountered a day at Bloomfield Road that i still remember vividly. I have lots of memorable moments that have defined my life supporting Blackpool including being at Deepdale when we won promotion. however as a young lad i recall me and my school mates getting off the bus at the bottom of Bloomfield road and walking up and seeing that piece of iconic graffiti. Whats a 'boot boy' we all wondered!. As usual we entered the ground about 2ish , always got there early to savour the build up and atmosphere. Naively we didn't expect many away fans as Portsmouth was such a long distance away. Surely nobody travels that far to watch a football match, do they?. After paying our 1 shilling and 11 pence to get in (poetic license invoked on the exact admission cost), We walked up the back of the Spion Kop , Blackpool fans always seem to favour the right hand stairs back then, or maybe the Junior turnstile was located there. Anyway back in the day , Blackpool fans used to get there quite early to ensure nobody took the 'Kop'. halfway up the stairs we could here lots of chanting and noise, thinking it was our fans. On reaching the of the stairs and entering the Kop, we soon got the answer to what a 'boot boy' was. There in the middle of our Kop was about a hundred lads that might well have landed from another planet. We were mesmerised, just stood there in awe taking in the scene. Big lads everyone of them with a shaved head, big red snarling faces, dressed in grandad vests, levi jeans with turn ups held up with thin braces and steel toe capped boots. obviously we were just a little gang of schoolkids and no threat to them whatsover. they did growl at us though. they all stunk of fags and booze. They were absolutely terrifying. Whenever we got really tough away followings we used to go and stand at the front of the Kop near the pitch. Normally our tough boys used to arrive about 230 and wade in . I dont recall what happened that day though. Back at school on Monday, that,s all we talked about and wanted to be a skinhead boot boy.!! Im expecting a different experience tomorrow when i come out of the Armfield club!!
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That’s evoked some memories of those stairs and getting there early. Can picture the kop in my mind as I type. Hopefully tomorrow will be a bit more mellow 😎
 
I was there in 1974 when Man United had the whole of the Kop and thousands locked out, I heard there was over 20,000 of them there that day. Good job it was an all ticket game
 
Great days.

I also remember the Sheff Weds 'Brolly Boys' who wore Crombies, Stay Press or Ruperts and Docs with quality umbrellas that they had sharpened the metal points.

Crazy days
 
I saw those Pompey skins on the West Stand Car Park before the game (around 1.30 ish). They were a pretty terrifying sight to a kid of my age.
 
I had arranged to take my bosses three youngsters to that game so that I could watch it. One of them, I will call fred, unfortunately, would now be called someone with special needs. Due to their age we all sat in the west, paid for by my boss. I could see all sorts going on in the Kop but didn't take much notice. At the time I had a Green A35 van with rear seats, which was parked on the car park outside the Kop.

Following the final whistle, we made a beeline for the van and had just got in when were surrounded by a mob of the so called boot boys, who started shaking the van quite violently. Fred was hysterical and all I could think of doing was to press the horn on the van. Fortunately within a minute or less loads of Police arrived and the boot boys disappeared, apart from one who was being held by a ginger headed Policeman, who looked quite fierce. He marched the Boot boy over the the Black Maria and threw him into the back, then looked at him pulled him out and once again threw him back in this time using his boot. What a great performance it was by this obviously wound up copper.

As Stan says, it's a match I'll never forget, or should I say a day I'll never forget.

Fortunately none of the kids were hurt, just shaken up, as I was but couldn't show it, and wanted to go to the next match.
 
Great memories passing through my mind reading that. Any sign of the old codger Pompey boot boys in town yet?
 
We lived corner of St Heliers and Waterloo Rd at that time. My mum would let me go on condition I left before the final whistle and came straight home. I used to cut it fine, then sprint down St Heliers before the crowd went past our abode 😎
 
Stanmatt said:
The post thread mirrors the exact Graffiti sprayed on Bloomfield road bridge back in 1968/9. As a 13 year old i encountered a day at Bloomfield Road that i still remember vividly. I have lots of memorable moments that have defined my life supporting Blackpool including being at Deepdale when we won promotion. however as a young lad i recall me and my school mates getting off the bus at the bottom of Bloomfield road and walking up and seeing that piece of iconic graffiti. Whats a 'boot boy' we all wondered!. As usual we entered the ground about 2ish , always got there early to savour the build up and atmosphere. Naively we didn't expect many away fans as Portsmouth was such a long distance away. Surely nobody travels that far to watch a football match, do they?. After paying our 1 shilling and 11 pence to get in (poetic license invoked on the exact admission cost), We walked up the back of the Spion Kop , Blackpool fans always seem to favour the right hand stairs back then, or maybe the Junior turnstile was located there. Anyway back in the day , Blackpool fans used to get there quite early to ensure nobody took the 'Kop'. halfway up the stairs we could here lots of chanting and noise, thinking it was our fans. On reaching the of the stairs and entering the Kop, we soon got the answer to what a 'boot boy' was. There in the middle of our Kop was about a hundred lads that might well have landed from another planet. We were mesmerised, just stood there in awe taking in the scene. Big lads everyone of them with a shaved head, big red snarling faces, dressed in grandad vests, levi jeans with turn ups held up with thin braces and steel toe capped boots. obviously we were just a little gang of schoolkids and no threat to them whatsover. they did growl at us though. they all stunk of fags and booze. They were absolutely terrifying. Whenever we got really tough away followings we used to go and stand at the front of the Kop near the pitch. Normally our tough boys used to arrive about 230 and wade in . I dont recall what happened that day though. Back at school on Monday, that,s all we talked about and wanted to be a skinhead boot boy.!! Im expecting a different experience tomorrow when i come out of the Armfield club!!
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I am a, skinhead now, but not by choice
 
Stanmatt said:
The post thread mirrors the exact Graffiti sprayed on Bloomfield road bridge back in 1968/9. As a 13 year old i encountered a day at Bloomfield Road that i still remember vividly. I have lots of memorable moments that have defined my life supporting Blackpool including being at Deepdale when we won promotion. however as a young lad i recall me and my school mates getting off the bus at the bottom of Bloomfield road and walking up and seeing that piece of iconic graffiti. Whats a 'boot boy' we all wondered!. As usual we entered the ground about 2ish , always got there early to savour the build up and atmosphere. Naively we didn't expect many away fans as Portsmouth was such a long distance away. Surely nobody travels that far to watch a football match, do they?. After paying our 1 shilling and 11 pence to get in (poetic license invoked on the exact admission cost), We walked up the back of the Spion Kop , Blackpool fans always seem to favour the right hand stairs back then, or maybe the Junior turnstile was located there. Anyway back in the day , Blackpool fans used to get there quite early to ensure nobody took the 'Kop'. halfway up the stairs we could here lots of chanting and noise, thinking it was our fans. On reaching the of the stairs and entering the Kop, we soon got the answer to what a 'boot boy' was. There in the middle of our Kop was about a hundred lads that might well have landed from another planet. We were mesmerised, just stood there in awe taking in the scene. Big lads everyone of them with a shaved head, big red snarling faces, dressed in grandad vests, levi jeans with turn ups held up with thin braces and steel toe capped boots. obviously we were just a little gang of schoolkids and no threat to them whatsover. they did growl at us though. they all stunk of fags and booze. They were absolutely terrifying. Whenever we got really tough away followings we used to go and stand at the front of the Kop near the pitch. Normally our tough boys used to arrive about 230 and wade in . I dont recall what happened that day though. Back at school on Monday, that,s all we talked about and wanted to be a skinhead boot boy.!! Im expecting a different experience tomorrow when i come out of the Armfield club!!
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So football hooliganism didnt start in the 70s, as many proclaim.
 
Talking of skin heads.Anyone on here go to the Newcastle away game on our return to the old Division one in 1970/71 season which we won.
Coming out after the game it wasn’t the male skin heads who were scary but the female ones.I though I’d hidden my scarf until my friend pointed out it was hanging down from the waist….it got pulled up sharpish.
Those girls were terrifying with the near bald heads massive doc martens and the short cropped jeans and bracers.🫣🫣
 
Stanmatt said:
The post thread mirrors the exact Graffiti sprayed on Bloomfield road bridge back in 1968/9. As a 13 year old i encountered a day at Bloomfield Road that i still remember vividly. I have lots of memorable moments that have defined my life supporting Blackpool including being at Deepdale when we won promotion. however as a young lad i recall me and my school mates getting off the bus at the bottom of Bloomfield road and walking up and seeing that piece of iconic graffiti. Whats a 'boot boy' we all wondered!. As usual we entered the ground about 2ish , always got there early to savour the build up and atmosphere. Naively we didn't expect many away fans as Portsmouth was such a long distance away. Surely nobody travels that far to watch a football match, do they?. After paying our 1 shilling and 11 pence to get in (poetic license invoked on the exact admission cost), We walked up the back of the Spion Kop , Blackpool fans always seem to favour the right hand stairs back then, or maybe the Junior turnstile was located there. Anyway back in the day , Blackpool fans used to get there quite early to ensure nobody took the 'Kop'. halfway up the stairs we could here lots of chanting and noise, thinking it was our fans. On reaching the of the stairs and entering the Kop, we soon got the answer to what a 'boot boy' was. There in the middle of our Kop was about a hundred lads that might well have landed from another planet. We were mesmerised, just stood there in awe taking in the scene. Big lads everyone of them with a shaved head, big red snarling faces, dressed in grandad vests, levi jeans with turn ups held up with thin braces and steel toe capped boots. obviously we were just a little gang of schoolkids and no threat to them whatsover. they did growl at us though. they all stunk of fags and booze. They were absolutely terrifying. Whenever we got really tough away followings we used to go and stand at the front of the Kop near the pitch. Normally our tough boys used to arrive about 230 and wade in . I dont recall what happened that day though. Back at school on Monday, that,s all we talked about and wanted to be a skinhead boot boy.!! Im expecting a different experience tomorrow when i come out of the Armfield club!!
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Great Post SM👍

I don't know if it's my memory fading or yours, but who bloody cares at our age?

Our first game of the following 1969/70🧡promotion-winning season was at home to Portsmouth and I remember their mob singing on The Kop, to the tune of Tiny Tim's Top-Twenty hit "Tiptoe through the Tulips" (so many effin' Tees, must be a record🤪) ...

Tiptoe, thru' the Fratton
Wiv yer boots on
Get yer head kicked in
Come Tiptoe, thru the Fratton, wiv me!

Happy Days though👍
 
Born_in_the_Fifties said:
Great Post SM👍

I don't know if it's my memory fading or yours, but who bloody cares at our age?

Our first game of the following 1969/70🧡promotion-winning season was at home to Portsmouth and I remember their mob singing on The Kop, to the tune of Tiny Tim's Top-Twenty hit "Tiptoe through the Tulips" (so many effin' Tees, must be a record🤪) ...

Tiptoe, thru' the Fratton
Wiv yer boots on
Get yer head kicked in
Come Tiptoe, thru the Fratton, wiv me!

Happy Days though👍
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Bizarre, but catchy tune, that one!
 
Stanmatt said:
The post thread mirrors the exact Graffiti sprayed on Bloomfield road bridge back in 1968/9. As a 13 year old i encountered a day at Bloomfield Road that i still remember vividly. I have lots of memorable moments that have defined my life supporting Blackpool including being at Deepdale when we won promotion. however as a young lad i recall me and my school mates getting off the bus at the bottom of Bloomfield road and walking up and seeing that piece of iconic graffiti. Whats a 'boot boy' we all wondered!. As usual we entered the ground about 2ish , always got there early to savour the build up and atmosphere. Naively we didn't expect many away fans as Portsmouth was such a long distance away. Surely nobody travels that far to watch a football match, do they?. After paying our 1 shilling and 11 pence to get in (poetic license invoked on the exact admission cost), We walked up the back of the Spion Kop , Blackpool fans always seem to favour the right hand stairs back then, or maybe the Junior turnstile was located there. Anyway back in the day , Blackpool fans used to get there quite early to ensure nobody took the 'Kop'. halfway up the stairs we could here lots of chanting and noise, thinking it was our fans. On reaching the of the stairs and entering the Kop, we soon got the answer to what a 'boot boy' was. There in the middle of our Kop was about a hundred lads that might well have landed from another planet. We were mesmerised, just stood there in awe taking in the scene. Big lads everyone of them with a shaved head, big red snarling faces, dressed in grandad vests, levi jeans with turn ups held up with thin braces and steel toe capped boots. obviously we were just a little gang of schoolkids and no threat to them whatsover. they did growl at us though. they all stunk of fags and booze. They were absolutely terrifying. Whenever we got really tough away followings we used to go and stand at the front of the Kop near the pitch. Normally our tough boys used to arrive about 230 and wade in . I dont recall what happened that day though. Back at school on Monday, that,s all we talked about and wanted to be a skinhead boot boy.!! Im expecting a different experience tomorrow when i come out of the Armfield club!!
Click to expand...
First saw the Pompey Boot Boys August 1969. The first game of the season. Went to the barbers on the Monday and had skinhead haircut. Unfortunately that style is not a choice these days. I remember it being lively all over town and many Pompey being arrested. The Gazette reported that the JP In the magistrates court said their ' uniform' was a skit on the Royal Navy. Left a lasting impression on me, hence the username.
 
Stanmatt said:
The post thread mirrors the exact Graffiti sprayed on Bloomfield road bridge back in 1968/9. As a 13 year old i encountered a day at Bloomfield Road that i still remember vividly. I have lots of memorable moments that have defined my life supporting Blackpool including being at Deepdale when we won promotion. however as a young lad i recall me and my school mates getting off the bus at the bottom of Bloomfield road and walking up and seeing that piece of iconic graffiti. Whats a 'boot boy' we all wondered!. As usual we entered the ground about 2ish , always got there early to savour the build up and atmosphere. Naively we didn't expect many away fans as Portsmouth was such a long distance away. Surely nobody travels that far to watch a football match, do they?. After paying our 1 shilling and 11 pence to get in (poetic license invoked on the exact admission cost), We walked up the back of the Spion Kop , Blackpool fans always seem to favour the right hand stairs back then, or maybe the Junior turnstile was located there. Anyway back in the day , Blackpool fans used to get there quite early to ensure nobody took the 'Kop'. halfway up the stairs we could here lots of chanting and noise, thinking it was our fans. On reaching the of the stairs and entering the Kop, we soon got the answer to what a 'boot boy' was. There in the middle of our Kop was about a hundred lads that might well have landed from another planet. We were mesmerised, just stood there in awe taking in the scene. Big lads everyone of them with a shaved head, big red snarling faces, dressed in grandad vests, levi jeans with turn ups held up with thin braces and steel toe capped boots. obviously we were just a little gang of schoolkids and no threat to them whatsover. they did growl at us though. they all stunk of fags and booze. They were absolutely terrifying. Whenever we got really tough away followings we used to go and stand at the front of the Kop near the pitch. Normally our tough boys used to arrive about 230 and wade in . I dont recall what happened that day though. Back at school on Monday, that,s all we talked about and wanted to be a skinhead boot boy.!! Im expecting a different experience tomorrow when i come out of the Armfield club!!
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yeah, remember it quite well. Was it first game of the season or near enough anyway? Hot day! Like you i was about 14/15 at the time and always got there early. My memory thinks there were at least 200 or so of them and it was pretty much carnage. I made my way down towards the front of the kop and sort of watched in awe what was going on. I didn't quite go all the way with a skinhead, had a feather cut, but i loved all the fashion and went full on with all the usual gear, Ben Shermans, Levis, Harrington, Crombie with red hanky in the pocket etc, etc. Even had a Lambretta SX 200 with morrors.
 
bleach51 said:
Talking of skin heads.Anyone on here go to the Newcastle away game on our return to the old Division one in 1970/71 season which we won.
Coming out after the game it wasn’t the male skin heads who were scary but the female ones.I though I’d hidden my scarf until my friend pointed out it was hanging down from the waist….it got pulled up sharpish.
Those girls were terrifying with the near bald heads massive doc martens and the short cropped jeans and bracers.🫣🫣
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I was there. Went on the Standerwicks coach. Frightening.
 
69skin said:
I was there. Went on the Standerwicks coach. Frightening.
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can't recall that but if i remember rightly at the home game with them when i went thru the turnstile there were absolutely loads of Doc Martens all piled up. Thecoppers had made them all remove their boots!
 
Football hooliganism at Blackpool games was certainly was around in mid to late 60,s. Blackpool was and is still today always a place away fans came in numbers. usually for the weekend. So inevitability there was always a potential trouble scenario. From memory Blackpool started to get organised from mid/late 60,s. They formed their own Blackpool Boot Boys gang. Blackpool had many gangs of both cultures and areas. Big Skinhead gangs like the South Shore Crew and Greasers ( Bikers/ Rockers) gangs. The original Boot boys were just hard lads from the various local areas who stood their ground against usually outnumbered odds. I remember Derby county coming when Clough was Manager. Massive scrap after the game on Lytham road. Once again we were only young and just watched as boots and fists went flying. Was mayhem. Blackpool lads would rush to south shore station after the match then work their way back along Lytham road. Blackpool had gangs from Lancaster, Garstang, Kirkham, YMCA ( St Annes), Lytham, Thornton, Anchosholme, Cleveleys, Poulton and even Fleetwood!! Going to away games was like the film The Warriors every time. As 13/14 year olds going to places like Blackburn, Burnley and especially Bolton were quite a traumatic experience!! Crazy days
 
Stanmatt said:
The post thread mirrors the exact Graffiti sprayed on Bloomfield road bridge back in 1968/9. As a 13 year old i encountered a day at Bloomfield Road that i still remember vividly. I have lots of memorable moments that have defined my life supporting Blackpool including being at Deepdale when we won promotion. however as a young lad i recall me and my school mates getting off the bus at the bottom of Bloomfield road and walking up and seeing that piece of iconic graffiti. Whats a 'boot boy' we all wondered!. As usual we entered the ground about 2ish , always got there early to savour the build up and atmosphere. Naively we didn't expect many away fans as Portsmouth was such a long distance away. Surely nobody travels that far to watch a football match, do they?. After paying our 1 shilling and 11 pence to get in (poetic license invoked on the exact admission cost), We walked up the back of the Spion Kop , Blackpool fans always seem to favour the right hand stairs back then, or maybe the Junior turnstile was located there. Anyway back in the day , Blackpool fans used to get there quite early to ensure nobody took the 'Kop'. halfway up the stairs we could here lots of chanting and noise, thinking it was our fans. On reaching the of the stairs and entering the Kop, we soon got the answer to what a 'boot boy' was. There in the middle of our Kop was about a hundred lads that might well have landed from another planet. We were mesmerised, just stood there in awe taking in the scene. Big lads everyone of them with a shaved head, big red snarling faces, dressed in grandad vests, levi jeans with turn ups held up with thin braces and steel toe capped boots. obviously we were just a little gang of schoolkids and no threat to them whatsover. they did growl at us though. they all stunk of fags and booze. They were absolutely terrifying. Whenever we got really tough away followings we used to go and stand at the front of the Kop near the pitch. Normally our tough boys used to arrive about 230 and wade in . I dont recall what happened that day though. Back at school on Monday, that,s all we talked about and wanted to be a skinhead boot boy.!! Im expecting a different experience tomorrow when i come out of the Armfield club!!
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Brought back a few memories as well
About half a dozen of us walking up the steps to the back of the cop and like you we heard quite a bit of loud chanting
Sadly it wasn’t our boys but a load of brummies who’d turned up early.
From memory I recall quite a few “charges” by them into the Blackpool fans.
 
Meestar Slime said:
I was there in 1974 when Man United had the whole of the Kop and thousands locked out, I heard there was over 20,000 of them there that day. Good job it was an all ticket game
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I was there as well.

United filled the entire kop with a few sat on the roof girders.

There were quite a lot of spare places in the other 3 sides, occupied by Blackpool fans.

Att: 24,000
 
bleach51 said:
Talking of skin heads.Anyone on here go to the Newcastle away game on our return to the old Division one in 1970/71 season which we won.
Coming out after the game it wasn’t the male skin heads who were scary but the female ones.I though I’d hidden my scarf until my friend pointed out it was hanging down from the waist….it got pulled up sharpish.
Those girls were terrifying with the near bald heads massive doc martens and the short cropped jeans and bracers.🫣🫣
Click to expand...
I went to a game in 1978 ( Blyth Spartans v Wrexham FA Cup 5th round replay ) It was held at St James's Park and drew a crowd of over 42,000. It is the only game I ever remember where I saw Girls getting arrested and thrown out. I saw at least a dozen frog marched out of the old Leazes End by police with their arms up their back or with handcuffs on
 
In the late 60’s and early 70’s it was an honour for the away hooligans to take the home end Kop.
Many battles were fought to protect their holy territory.
Remember when we took Bolton away in 1967 and they threw bricks and coal at the Pool fans.
Right battle back to the station. Pity L.S.Lowry wasn’t there to paint them scenes!
He was still around then.
Segregation was soon introduced including BFC Kop around 1975.
 
Blackpool Are Back! said:
I was there as well.

United filled the entire kop with a few sat on the roof girders.

There were quite a lot of spare places in the other 3 sides, occupied by Blackpool fans.

Att: 24,000
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I was barred from going to that one after what happened at the Bolton game. Villa were in div 2 as well that season and walloped us at home.
 
Meestar Slime said:
I was there in 1974 when Man United had the whole of the Kop and thousands locked out, I heard there was over 20,000 of them there that day. Good job it was an all ticket game
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It wasn’t all ticket. I remember going in the south for that one, payed my bob or two and that was it. The turnstile chap probably just took the money and as they say Bob’s your uncle. 😎
 
SouthCoastTangerine said:
It wasn’t all ticket. I remember going in the south for that one, payed my bob or two and that was it. The turnstile chap probably just took the money and as they say Bob’s your uncle. 😎
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It was all ticket game, the first at Blackpool. So if you paid to go in I guess the gate man kept the money.
 
Mark_GT said:
I was barred from going to that one after what happened at the Bolton game. Villa were in div 2 as well that season and walloped us at home.
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I was only 12 but remember Villa brought quite a few thousand to Blackpool for that match, did us 0-3. Some cheeky Villa scrote tried to nick my scarf as I was coming down the steps from Bloomfield Rd to the South stand until an older Pool fan "explained' to him that it was not a good idea.
 
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GrahamwantshisOates said:
In the late 60’s and early 70’s it was an honour for the away hooligans to take the home end Kop.
Many battles were fought to protect their holy territory.
Remember when we took Bolton away in 1967 and they threw bricks and coal at the Pool fans.
Right battle back to the station. Pity L.S.Lowry wasn’t there to paint them scenes!
He was still around then.
Segregation was soon introduced including BFC Kop around 1975.
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I remember that game we won 2-1. Oates & Green scored. Remember there was a line of coppers between us and Bolton fans. Stand out memory is of a Pool fan sat on his mates shoulder banging a tambourine on a Bolton fans head thats how close both sets of fans were.
 
My first memory of Pompey at home was 1980 aged 14 … Pompey skins was spray painted on a few walls that day and they brought about 2k noisy fans singing Tom hark and the like..they turned us over 2-0 on the pitch but it was a different story off it and it went off big time behind the kop..absolute mayhem and as a young kid I don’t mind saying I was really on edge..I’m sure a few on here remember that game and particularly after the game as it was all a bit messy..it was the Wild West back then
 
Blackpool Are Back! said:
I was there as well.

United filled the entire kop with a few sat on the roof girders.

There were quite a lot of spare places in the other 3 sides, occupied by Blackpool fans.

Att: 24,000
Click to expand...
I was keeping a scrap book then and the Gazette said it was all ticket and tickets went off sale on the Thursday before the match. It said 28,000 tickets were sold and they reported that many Pool fans didn't go probably put off by the trail of violence by United fans the night before in town and the morning of the match. Nowadays all tickets sold would be counted for the attendance. My Dad wouldn't allow me to go that day probably good as we lost 3-0 anyway. I think the Kop held 15k in those days.
 
Beverleypool said:
Went to Blackpool v Portsmouth in April 68 aged 11
Two nil to Pool
Still remember the headline in The Green- ‘ Brilliant White dazzles Pompey’!
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My memory ain't what it was, but I think that I remember a headline in 'The Green' from my youth back in the 60s after a 3-0 away win at Portsmouth going something like...

"Brown, Green and White snooker Pompey!"

Our three goalscorers obviously made Portsmouth feel blue🍊🍊🍊
 
Stanmatt said:
The post thread mirrors the exact Graffiti sprayed on Bloomfield road bridge back in 1968/9. As a 13 year old i encountered a day at Bloomfield Road that i still remember vividly. I have lots of memorable moments that have defined my life supporting Blackpool including being at Deepdale when we won promotion. however as a young lad i recall me and my school mates getting off the bus at the bottom of Bloomfield road and walking up and seeing that piece of iconic graffiti. Whats a 'boot boy' we all wondered!. As usual we entered the ground about 2ish , always got there early to savour the build up and atmosphere. Naively we didn't expect many away fans as Portsmouth was such a long distance away. Surely nobody travels that far to watch a football match, do they?. After paying our 1 shilling and 11 pence to get in (poetic license invoked on the exact admission cost), We walked up the back of the Spion Kop , Blackpool fans always seem to favour the right hand stairs back then, or maybe the Junior turnstile was located there. Anyway back in the day , Blackpool fans used to get there quite early to ensure nobody took the 'Kop'. halfway up the stairs we could here lots of chanting and noise, thinking it was our fans. On reaching the of the stairs and entering the Kop, we soon got the answer to what a 'boot boy' was. There in the middle of our Kop was about a hundred lads that might well have landed from another planet. We were mesmerised, just stood there in awe taking in the scene. Big lads everyone of them with a shaved head, big red snarling faces, dressed in grandad vests, levi jeans with turn ups held up with thin braces and steel toe capped boots. obviously we were just a little gang of schoolkids and no threat to them whatsover. they did growl at us though. they all stunk of fags and booze. They were absolutely terrifying. Whenever we got really tough away followings we used to go and stand at the front of the Kop near the pitch. Normally our tough boys used to arrive about 230 and wade in . I dont recall what happened that day though. Back at school on Monday, that,s all we talked about and wanted to be a skinhead boot boy.!! Im expecting a different experience tomorrow when i come out of the Armfield club!!
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It's all turkey teeth n goat hair transplant now a days with man bags. Don't think there will be any boot boys today.
 
20togo said:
yeah, remember it quite well. Was it first game of the season or near enough anyway? Hot day! Like you i was about 14/15 at the time and always got there early. My memory thinks there were at least 200 or so of them and it was pretty much carnage. I made my way down towards the front of the kop and sort of watched in awe what was going on. I didn't quite go all the way with a skinhead, had a feather cut, but i loved all the fashion and went full on with all the usual gear, Ben Shermans, Levis, Harrington, Crombie with red hanky in the pocket etc, etc. Even had a Lambretta SX 200 with morrors.
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Beverleypool said:
Went to Blackpool v Portsmouth in April 68 aged 11
Two nil to Pool
Still remember the headline in The Green- ‘ Brilliant White dazzles Pompey’!
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The Green came up with some cracking headlines in those days. One that sticks out- ' Points certain thanks to Skirton' .
 
TANGERINETOWERPOWER said:
My first memory of Pompey at home was 1980 aged 14 … Pompey skins was spray painted on a few walls that day and they brought about 2k noisy fans singing Tom hark and the like..they turned us over 2-0 on the pitch but it was a different story off it and it went off big time behind the kop..absolute mayhem and as a young kid I don’t mind saying I was really on edge..I’m sure a few on here remember that game and particularly after the game as it was all a bit messy..it was the Wild West back then
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I remember that game well...

They were in the Scratching sheds and made a hell of a noise.
 
Rochdale v Blackpool 10am KO if I remember correctly, stop off at Bolton v Wigan on the way home, Bolton got the shock of their lives as we came up the hill from the train station at their place, got back to Blackpool it was bank holiday Monday and Leeds service crew were in town, top day, top memories, then we were a top firm who could have it with anyone.
 
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