In your experience as a Blackpool fan, which club or clubs have brought the biggest followings to Bloomfield Road. In my experience it was Man United in 1974, must have been about 17,000 of them there that day. I believe they brought even more in 1971 but I wasn't there to experience it
Away followings at Bloomfield Road
- Thread starter Beedar
- Start date
Lewis_Winthorpe
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I hate to say it but PKE in 2000. Brought around 5000 and had the Kop and all the East. Boring 0-0
Blackpoolmad
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15000 Bolton that game.
cleveleysam
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Being a oldie ,I was at the 1971 game v Man u ,we were squeezed into the south that day and had already been relegated so the ground was ninety percent Mancs .
Thing that pisses me off most was catching the 22 bus from cleveleys and the usual pool fans who had supported us all season were all wearing red scarves ,scabs and traitors ,it was not a good day .
Thing that pisses me off most was catching the 22 bus from cleveleys and the usual pool fans who had supported us all season were all wearing red scarves ,scabs and traitors ,it was not a good day .
Tangerine10
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Yeh the Bolton game for me too.
That same season we had 21k against Wolves.
Match suspended as all sorts going off.
Dad wouldn't let me go to ManU game as I was only 9
That same season we had 21k against Wolves.
Match suspended as all sorts going off.
Dad wouldn't let me go to ManU game as I was only 9
bfcfan 1960
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I was going to go to the 71 man u game when i turned up it was just a sea of manure fans so went swimming at lido baths instead then nicked in the south for the last ten mins, apart from that the Bolton game they brought thousands that day.
hampshire_exile
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I really hated being so outnumbered in our own back yard, particularly the 74 United game which was fecking ridiculous. Those days are gone now, whatever of filling the ground, there is no way the Police will allow an allocation of over 3-4K for an away game. Of course that doesn’t account for any turncoats we might have…
BIG_BERTHA_3
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kuriousoranj
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No way was there 15k Bolton, 10K max (which was still huge) and nearly all on the kop. I was in the south and it was silent when they scored. The home side of Kop was pretty full too as was the south and west and the vast, vast majority were Blackpool fans. Blackpool would easily get 16,000-17,000 for big games in the 70s. We had 17,000 for Fulham and 19,000 for Arsenal with hardly any away fans.
I remember Burnley coming in the FA Cup 3rd round around 1976? They easily brought 10K and they did have fans in the south.
Tangerine10
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I remember the Burnley game. I think we won 1 nil and then went out to Southampton who went on to win it.
Burnley were in the old first div if I remember correctly.
Burnley were in the old first div if I remember correctly.
Alfie Conn
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In the 90s the club would maximize income by giving the away team the whole of the East and block E of the West. Burnley,WBA,Stoke and the Nobbers spring to mind,in the 80s Sunderland brought a big following in 87/88 and Bristol Rovers in 89/90 for there promotion party.
onlyonepool
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A big following from Bolton that day but to say there were only 10.000 Pool fans there is pushing it. It was a Boxing day and we were going for promotion as well. Everyone wants to get out the house for a Boxing Day match. I went with my Dad, we tried to get stand tickets but no chance. We queued for the Kop, then 15 mins before kick off it was full and we eventually got in the West Paddock. We were outplayed that day and Bolton fans made all the noise so sounded like a lot more. As a kid at the time it spoiled my Christmas.
Wizaard
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Only time I went to the Dell. Lost 3 1?
GrahamwantshisOates
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Biggest gate I have been to at home is 33,555 in 1966.
Pool v Man United and vastly outnumbered
In 1970 v Everton there were over 30K.
Again it was mainly Everton fans.
Pool v Man United and vastly outnumbered
In 1970 v Everton there were over 30K.
Again it was mainly Everton fans.
Limechase
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I was in there too....
Stony Hill
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Me too. Squeezed into the scratching shed as I arrived late. 1-1 and the only other thing I remember was a screamer from Bobby Charlton that was disallowed.
SeasideMac
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I remember that one. Last game of the season. They had the kop and all of the east. Pitch invasion at the end and they came into the south. Thought it was gonna kick off but they were nice as pie and wished us well for the following season
Wizaard
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Holloway was playing. We lost 3 0.
20togo
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yep two games I remember for different reasons. Was on the Kop for the United game and found a fob watch and for the Everton game was in the small north west corner stand.
There's a good YouTube video of that game, Holloway celebrating in the south west directors box. They pipped Bristol City to the title and he burned a Bristol City shirt on their open top bus hence why they hate him.
Bottle
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That’s the game when I got into the Scratching Sheds to find they had put seats in, plastic chairs really that didn’t have any drainage in them so if it rained you had a nice cost puddle to sit in! They stripped them out again at the end of the season I think!
Was also the game where the Scratchers wound up Burnley’s Houseman (was it? The former Chelsea player?) so much he got himself sent off. Sadly died in a car crash not long after as I recall.
If that was the same season as the Bolton game it was 2-2.....and we beat Bolton 1-0, Billy Ronson scored at the South stand end..... I was sat on top of the pie hut for both gamesYeh the Bolton game for me too.
That same season we had 21k against Wolves.
Match suspended as all sorts going off.
Dad wouldn't let me go to ManU game as I was only 9
Wizaard
Well-known member
Houseman was playing for Oxford when Billy Bentley wound him up.
Burnley had a centre forward sent off. I'll think about that one...
Edit. Was it Paul Fletcher who later was involved in the design of Huddersfields and Boltons grounds?
We had a record for the quickest sending off of a debutant with Kevin Tully getting sent off against Burnley after about 10 seconds, but I don't think it was that match.
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Micky Walsh
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Bolton at home for me, was about 10 years old sat on the wall in the West. I can't remember the official crowd but they lied, it was the jammers everywhere.
20togo
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Tully was sent off in the Boxing day game around 1971. I was at my Dads in Manchester and came over on the X60 that morning and went straight back after the game. Lost 1-0.
Bottle
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Aye see that now Wizz, always been convinced it was an ex-Chelsea player for Burnley that got sent off for some reason, memory plays tricks, especially when it will be the 45th anniversary of that game come January - where does the time go!
Tangerinemoss
Well-known member
I was in there too, you'd have thought they were at home, small pockets of Pool. TBF, they were no bother to us.
That 89/90 season Birmingham brought shit-loads, all the half-kop and crammed in the East. They started 'fighting' each other and when the police moved in they attacked them from both sides. One nutter climbed the floodlight and stayed up there all game. 3-2 to us, inc their centre half nodding over his own keeper.
And Bristol Rovers, when the third went in they went bananas. Had a chat to a few!
And Bristol Rovers, when the third went in they went bananas. Had a chat to a few!
TangeinBurnley
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I was at that Everton game in the South stand, against the wall.
The police picked me and a few other kids up and sat us on the running track to watch the game.
Hertsseasider
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Barnet bought at least 8,000 up. Or am I getting confused?
Ayrshire_Seasider
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My first ever game
Stood on the Kop. My uncle made us leave early to avoid the rush on the way out and they scored their second when we were going down the steps at the back. Lost 2-0 
Largest I can remember was Man City for a Cup game in the early 80’s when they went on the pitch
And Ollie was playing for Bristol Rovers.
hampshire_exile
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I remember seeing Peter Houseman get sent off as one of 3 Oxford players sent off that day.
PH moved to a village near where I now live and there is a Sunday League named after him. Aon reffed in it couple of years ago.
PH moved to a village near where I now live and there is a Sunday League named after him. Aon reffed in it couple of years ago.
premierleaguepool
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Boxing Day 1977, my first pool game, squashed against the wall in the west paddock, the day I fell in love with Blackpool FC, the atmosphere was electric,even though we lost, this was now my team
Tangerinetiltingatwindmil
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Peter Houseman was playing for Oxford that day.
I remember the sending off well.
Levi501
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Yes Paul Fletcher, we signed him from Burnley in 1980 think he played One season for us, good lad.
Tangerine10
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"Top of the pie shed" ... love itIf that was the same season as the Bolton game it was 2-2.....and we beat Bolton 1-0, Billy Ronson scored at the South stand end..... I was sat on top of the pie hut for both games
Yeh that was the same season Ginge.
I was in the funny little North-West stand
They tried to kick the kop partition down then climbed the pitch side fences.
It was autumn and they were throwing lit bangers and sharpened coins over.
Curryman
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I can't remember the exact year or the score, but I think it was early 60's when we played Liverpool. The Kop was absolutely full of well oiled scousers, although I know they don't drink! I arrived fairly early and was surrounded by them, the air was fairly acrid with the smell of fags and booze and I was asked by one rough looking bloke who I supported, Obviously, I said the Pool and he replied 'well done lad'.
I would estimate we were outnumbered that day by about 10 to 1.
I would estimate we were outnumbered that day by about 10 to 1.
L’étranger
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I remember Ray Hankin got sent off for Burnley, possibly 75/76 in my first ever FA cup game.
Wizaard
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That will be the one, not Paul Fletcher.
Stony Hill
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Ha-ha. Sometimes gets too serious on here. Good to have a laugh.
PS: I was there that day too.
kuriousoranj
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or was it Ray Hankin?? I remember hatchet man got the winner!
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kuriousoranj
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Aston Villa in the mid seventies took the Kop without much resistance. It was very late in the season and won 3-0. I'm sure it mean't they were promoted. They had 10k there that day.
fcblackpool
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I would say Bolton had half the crowd. They were in the South as it kicked off near me.
We did. Tony Finnigan hit the bar from about 30 yards.
Rarely post, but i loved this thread. I thought I would jump in and maybe correct a few mistakes (imo). The largest away following was definitely Man Utd in 74. There was about 15,000 of them and all housed in the Kop (although a few elsewhere). Villa also brought about 15,000 for their promotion celebration the following season, but outside of that, I'm not sure I agree. The 30,000 against Everton was pretty much 18,000 Blackpool and 12,000 Everton, and Bolton brought about 10,000 that day mentioned too. Fantastic numbers and not what we were ever capable of taking (although Sunderland away in 75 was pretty impressive), but I'm not sure as many as mentioned. Maybe my old memory is letting me down!
Satsuma
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I was at both the Bolton game(Christmas '77)and Burnley FA Cup(January 1976?).The gate was 25.5k as someone mentioned...and Bolton looked to have about half the crowd, maybe slightly more. They were the good/bad old days... I remember it kicked off at the ice rink on Friday night! Burnley gate was just over 20k. I was stood on the Kop for both those games and I remember the Burnley fans rattling the bars on their side of the Kop and singing... 'we are the Burnley, the Burnley FC' and ours responding with 'Andy Pandy boot boys' cos they all looked to be midgets!
In my time must be the City cup game that we won 2-1. I think that was the biggest home crowd I knew until 2010-11.
Re the Man U game in '74. A room I worked at Norcross in the mid 80,s was populated mainly by the magnificent Civil Service grade of Paperkeeper. They were nearly all ex railway, one of them was working one of the Utd trains that day. Said as they came into Blackpool a warning went through the train that the police would be searching everyone. So they all took the opportunity to lighten themselves - afterwards him and his mate went through the carriages, said the home made weaponry they found was frightening.
Re the Man U game in '74. A room I worked at Norcross in the mid 80,s was populated mainly by the magnificent Civil Service grade of Paperkeeper. They were nearly all ex railway, one of them was working one of the Utd trains that day. Said as they came into Blackpool a warning went through the train that the police would be searching everyone. So they all took the opportunity to lighten themselves - afterwards him and his mate went through the carriages, said the home made weaponry they found was frightening.