Millwall v Hibs 1990

[Lancs Harp]

Recently obtained a programme for this match which was obviously more infamous for off the the field activities than the actual game.

Firstly can tell me what the score of the game was (all internet coverage seems to revolve around off the field activities) and what are peoples memories of said day if you were there :greengrin

No I'm not working for the Crown procesution service

[tanfield]

Game finished 1-1 I seem to recall

[Cod Boy]

Keith Houchen equalised for Hibs

[Logie Green]

Recently obtained a programme for this match which was obviously more infamous for off the the field activities than the actual game.

Firstly can tell me what the score of the game was (all internet coverage seems to revolve around off the field activities) and what are peoples memories of said day if you were there :greengrin



No I'm not working for the Crown procesution service

It was a 1-1 draw and part of a three match tour which included Swindon Town and Watford. Watford’s fans were slightly friendlier than Millwall’s.

The game was originally scheduled for the Saturday but was moved to the Friday as Liverpool were playing Manchester United at Wembley in the Charity Shield and the police apparently thought having both games on the same day might not be a good idea. Thankfully some of the local bams went to White Hart Lane as Spurs were playing West Ham United in a testimonial and must’ve thought they’d get more action there.....

I travelled by Tube from west London. When the train pulled into one of the central stations about 5.30 dozens of CCS tried to get on much to the astonishment of the bowler hat brigade. As they couldn’t all get on those who did got off so by the time the train trundled out towards New Cross it became obvious that most of those not dressed for office work left on it were going to the game.

The walk to the ground from the station took me along tight, narrow streets full of terraced houses. It was ok on the way there as it was light, a bit scarier on the way back.

I bought a ticket for the main stand as I didn’t fancy getting herded back to Kings Cross post match if it all kicked off. A few others did the same but any recognition within the ground was mostly done by a nod of the head so you didn’t give your accent away. An Arsenal fan who just happened to be on the train decided he fancied a game but he didn’t last long as I saw him being huckled by the polis inside the ground before the game began.

The Den was intimidating although there was only about 6,000 there. As I got in sharpish I didn’t see any real bother but could hear it going off outside as sirens wailed, windows were smashed etc.

The locals didn’t take kindly to the presence of around 500-600 Hibs fans in the pen behind the goals and regularly chanted ‘You Scotch C***s’ throughout the game.

I sneaked out at the end with the locals and got back to west London safe and sound but I was always on edge as it’s just one of those places where you’re always looking over your shoulder.

I think it’s safe to say Hibs won’t be asked back which is a shame as I fancy visiting the New Den but it was one of those ‘you had to be there’ type of occasions.

The off field activities are well covered in Andy Blance’s book ‘Hibs Boy’.

[tanfield]

I was always kinda glad in a way that I couldn't get time off for the game

[Kato]

Someone recorded the outside the ground mayhem on a cassette recorder, which I've heard. Like Assualt On Precinct 13.

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[Logie Green]

Someone recorded the outside the ground mayhem on a cassette recorder, which I've heard. Like Assualt On Precinct 13.

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Apparently some of the ‘non CCS’ related mayhem took place when Hibs fans were waiting outside the turnstiles. The story I heard was that once word got round among their support that all hell was breaking loose in various places in the area locals decided to head for the ground and do what comes naturally to them.

The Den was a bit like Murrayfield in that once you got through the turnstile you could walk around the back of the ground at will though I’m not sure you could get into the away section. It was all very ‘relaxed’ considering the reputation of the place.

[Kato]

Apparently some of the ‘non CCS’ related mayhem took place when Hibs fans were waiting outside the turnstiles.


Was told about that too. The tape I heard was from the main drag where the cars and boozers things were going off.

EDIT My pal ran a bus down and they went straight to ground. Someone came out to greet them thinking it was the team bus. When the guy was told they were fans he asked how many more were coming. He went pale when told 5-6 hundred and ran back into the offices.

[Itsnoteasy]

I was always kinda glad in a way that I couldn't get time off for the game

I must admit as a 19 year old at the time I was **** scared to go so didn't bother.

I went to Oldham with my dad on a bus from Tollcross, it turned out to be the Hibs baby crew. I knew as soon as I got on the bus this would be chaos. I said to my dad just look ahead & don't say a word.

Aston Villa was also interesting.

[tanfield]

I must admit as a 19 year old at the time I was **** scared to go so didn't bother.

I went to Oldham with my dad on a bus from Tollcross, it turned out to be the Hibs baby crew. I knew as soon as I got on the bus this would be chaos. I said to my dad just look ahead & don't say a word.

Aston Villa was also interesting.

Think I was probably on the same bus as you for the Villa and Oldham games 👍

[Lancs Harp]

Think I was probably on the same bus as you for the Villa and Oldham games 👍

Villa was that a famous encounter with an ice hockey team?

[Hibrandenburg]

I arrived at the gates just as it was kicking off. I was living down there at that time and many Millwall fans didn't know there was a game on until the day of the match.

[HUTCHYHIBBY]

My first ever visit to London, a female pulled a knife on us before we even got off the platform at King's Cross 😲, pretty much set the tone for the weekend.

[Itsnoteasy]

Think I was probably on the same bus as you for the Villa and Oldham games 👍

I can't remember what bus I went to Villa.

Oldham was my first experience of being penned in. My dad was always one for leaving bang on the whistle or just before. This may be slight exaggeration but the exit gates which were wooden at Oldham must have been 15-20 ft high. We left to be met with these gates closed. Next minute the gates were pushed & pulled & came crashing down. The casuals then proceeded to chase the other mob doon the street.

[Killiehibbie]

My first ever visit to London, a female pulled a knife on us before we even got off the platform at King's Cross 😲, pretty much set the tone for the weekend.

I was working in King's Cross at that time. It certainly wasn't a place for the faint hearted. I went to a Millwall match not long after the Hibs game and the boy I went with told me told me if anybody asked what team I supported i'd be safer saying West Ham than Hibs:greengrin

[EI255]

I arrived at the gates just as it was kicking off. I was living down there at that time and many Millwall fans didn't know there was a game on until the day of the match.Always found that difficult to believe. How would you not know if your football team were playing or not? I certainly knew when Hibs played any kind of game at ER. Not convinced about the Meel Wall excuses.

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[Iggy Pope]

Always found that difficult to believe. How would you not know if your football team were playing or not? I certainly knew when Hibs played any kind of game at ER. Not convinced about the Meel Wall excuses.

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To be fair Hibs v Man United in 1981 went right under a lot of radar and there was a lot of word of mouth.

[Logie Green]

Always found that difficult to believe. How would you not know if your football team were playing or not? I certainly knew when Hibs played any kind of game at ER. Not convinced about the Meel Wall excuses.

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The crowd of 6,000 or so was decent for a Friday night pre-season ‘friendly’ against a Scottish team most of them probably don’t know much about.
Factor in those on holiday with their brats in Margate etc and it wasn’t a low crowd. If the game had been at Easter Road we’d have done well to have got 6,000.

I’m sure if the bams that didn’t turn up or went to White Hart Lane instead had realised Hibs would have a decent crowd more of them would’ve turned up. Thankfully they didn’t.

[He's here!]

To be fair Hibs v Man United in 1981 went right under a lot of radar and there was a lot of word of mouth.

Yeh, younger fans would be bemused by how limited communications were back then. There was a friendly v Celtic a few years after the Man U game (Benny's hat-trick!) which must have been arranged pretty much the night before yet a few thousand (including a respectable away support) turned up. As you say, word of mouth, Radio Forth or possibly a late edition of the Evening News were pretty much the only source of info.

When was the Oldham game that I see being referred to? The only time I recall playing them (I think) was at the Isle of Man tournament in the 70s or 80s. Think we maybe bought Joe McBride jnr from them (or did he move to them after us?). I know Bobby Johnstone remains a legend there.

[HUTCHYHIBBY]

Yeh, younger fans would be bemused by how limited communications were back then. There was a friendly v Celtic a few years after the Man U game (Benny's hat-trick!) which must have been arranged pretty much the night before yet a few thousand (including a respectable away support) turned up. As you say, word of mouth, Radio Forth or possibly a late edition of the Evening News were pretty much the only source of info.

When was the Oldham game that I see being referred to? The only time I recall playing them (I think) was at the Isle of Man tournament in the 70s or 80s. Think we maybe bought Joe McBride jnr from them (or did he move to them after us?). I know Bobby Johnstone remains a legend there.

I'm sure that Oldham game must've been either 85 or 86.

[Itsnoteasy]

I'm sure that Oldham game must've been either 85 or 86.

Saturday 6th August 1988 3pm ko

To be precise 😉

[tanfield]

The Oldham game was around 1989/90. Goram had been signed and we won 1-0 through a Paul Kane goal

[Itsnoteasy]

In August 1988 Hibernian played*Oldham Athletic*at*Boundary Park*and the majority of the CCS made their way there by train whilst the HBC hired a coach with the intention that they all meet up in Oldham. As the train crew arrived in Manchester they were met by two of Oldham's Fine Young Casuals who asked them if they would like to take on a mob of*Manchester City*hooligans who were in a pub, the Brunswick Cellar, close to the Arndale Centre. The Hibs boys duly obliged and after attacking the Manchester City boys and wrecking the bar there were further street battles as more Manchester lads appeared on the scene.

Whilst all this was happening the HBC had arrived in Oldham and ended up fighting with the FYC mob that proved to be too strong for the Hibs youngsters. The Oldham boys thought that was it for the day until the remainder of the CCS turned up belatedly due to their earlier exertions. When it was discovered what had happened prior to their arrival the Hibs mob anger was tangible enough for the police to attempt to contain them within the away terracing. This section of the ground was enclosed by a series of metal pens and the police tried to lock the gates on them but were met by resistance from the Hibs boys throughout the game. Eventually the police abandoned this plan and then relied upon securing the huge wooden gates at the perimeter of the stadium. Even this didn't stop the rampant CCS who after the final whistle managed to crash open this last obstacle between them and the FYC. The raging Hibs mob quickly overcame the police lines outside the ground and steamed into Oldham's mob.[8]

[ano hibby]

In August 1988 Hibernian played*Oldham Athletic*at*Boundary Park*and the majority of the CCS made their way there by train whilst the HBC hired a coach with the intention that they all meet up in Oldham. As the train crew arrived in Manchester they were met by two of Oldham's Fine Young Casuals who asked them if they would like to take on a mob of*Manchester City*hooligans who were in a pub, the Brunswick Cellar, close to the Arndale Centre. The Hibs boys duly obliged and after attacking the Manchester City boys and wrecking the bar there were further street battles as more Manchester lads appeared on the scene.

Whilst all this was happening the HBC had arrived in Oldham and ended up fighting with the FYC mob that proved to be too strong for the Hibs youngsters. The Oldham boys thought that was it for the day until the remainder of the CCS turned up belatedly due to their earlier exertions. When it was discovered what had happened prior to their arrival the Hibs mob anger was tangible enough for the police to attempt to contain them within the away terracing. This section of the ground was enclosed by a series of metal pens and the police tried to lock the gates on them but were met by resistance from the Hibs boys throughout the game. Eventually the police abandoned this plan and then relied upon securing the huge wooden gates at the perimeter of the stadium. Even this didn't stop the rampant CCS who after the final whistle managed to crash open this last obstacle between them and the FYC. The raging Hibs mob quickly overcame the police lines outside the ground and steamed into Oldham's mob.[8]

Aye but did your programme get home intact? 😂

[bigwheel]

In August 1988 Hibernian played*Oldham Athletic*at*Boundary Park*and the majority of the CCS made their way there by train whilst the HBC hired a coach with the intention that they all meet up in Oldham. As the train crew arrived in Manchester they were met by two of Oldham's Fine Young Casuals who asked them if they would like to take on a mob of*Manchester City*hooligans who were in a pub, the Brunswick Cellar, close to the Arndale Centre. The Hibs boys duly obliged and after attacking the Manchester City boys and wrecking the bar there were further street battles as more Manchester lads appeared on the scene.

Whilst all this was happening the HBC had arrived in Oldham and ended up fighting with the FYC mob that proved to be too strong for the Hibs youngsters. The Oldham boys thought that was it for the day until the remainder of the CCS turned up belatedly due to their earlier exertions. When it was discovered what had happened prior to their arrival the Hibs mob anger was tangible enough for the police to attempt to contain them within the away terracing. This section of the ground was enclosed by a series of metal pens and the police tried to lock the gates on them but were met by resistance from the Hibs boys throughout the game. Eventually the police abandoned this plan and then relied upon securing the huge wooden gates at the perimeter of the stadium. Even this didn't stop the rampant CCS who after the final whistle managed to crash open this last obstacle between them and the FYC. The raging Hibs mob quickly overcame the police lines outside the ground and steamed into Oldham's mob.[8]

It’s a long-standing myth ( now in Hibs hooligan folklore) that Hibs fought with Man City in Manchester that day. I was in the Brunswick Cellar. The CCS and some of the young boys were there in good numbers. The only fighting happened when the group moved from the pub to the train station. Immediately outside the arndale a fight with a few local youths kicked off. There were a handful from each side that went toe to toe. They may have been City fans, who knows..but it was just a group that happened to be there at the time the Hibs mob moved towards the station, and there was only three or four of them . There was a Man City dresser who turned up in the cellar that day . But he had his young kid with him and was there to see some Hibs boy who he was mates with. I recall speaking with them as I knew the Hibs guy.

The Hibs boys won tbf…with the result being the train with all of us in it being held back as the police and the Manchester youths involved coming in to the train to point out who was involved. Iirc at least one Hibs boy was lifted.

The rest of the stuff written is spot on tbf.

[HUTCHYHIBBY]

Saturday 6th August 1988 3pm ko

To be precise 😉

I thought I was a lot younger when I attended it! 🤔

[Itsnoteasy]

It’s a long-standing myth ( now in Hibs hooligan folklore) that Hibs fought with Man City in Manchester that day. I was in the Brunswick Cellar. The CCS and some of the young boys were there in good numbers. The only fighting happened when the group moved from the pub to the train station. Immediately outside the arndale a fight with a few local youths kicked off. There were a handful from each side that went toe to toe. They may have been City fans, who knows..but it was just a group that happened to be there at the time the Hibs mob moved towards the station, and there was only three or four of them . There was a Man City dresser who turned up in the cellar that day . But he had his young kid with him and was there to see some Hibs boy who he was mates with. I recall speaking with them as I knew the Hibs guy.

The Hibs boys won tbf…with the result being the train with all of us in it being held back as the police and the Manchester youths involved coming in to the train to point out who was involved. Iirc at least one Hibs boy was lifted.

The rest of the stuff written is spot on tbf.

I just took that extract from Wiki. I don't know about the CCS fighting, but I can guarantee the rest is spot on. As said above I travelled on the baby crews bus with my dad, that was an eye opener.

[Itsnoteasy]

I thought I was a lot younger when I attended it! 🤔

You had a hard paper round.

[bigwheel]

I just took that extract from Wiki. I don't know about the CCS fighting, but I can guarantee the rest is spot on. As said above I travelled on the baby crews bus with my dad, that was an eye opener.

I agree. Everything else happened …the Man City bit didn’t ….

[HUTCHYHIBBY]

You had a hard paper round.

Aye, those Sunday supplements were a nightmare! 😀

[judas]

Went to school with many if the CCS.

1 of them was hard and mental.
1 was very game but not hard.
The rest a bunch of pavement dancing pussies
Some of their exploits have been exaggerated so many times over the years that they don’t remotely resemble the truth.
The Russian thugs would absolutely annihilate every one of them with ease.

[Iggy Pope]

Went to school with many if the CCS.

1 of them was hard and mental.
1 was very game but not hard.
The rest a bunch of pavement dancing pussies
Some of their exploits have been exaggerated so many times over the years that they don’t remotely resemble the truth.
The Russian thugs would absolutely annihilate every one of them with ease.

It’s a collectors forum my friend, your thoughts would be more than welcome on some other pages mind you where people might be watching :aok:.

[Itsnoteasy]

Went to school with many if the CCS.

1 of them was hard and mental.
1 was very game but not hard.
The rest a bunch of pavement dancing pussies
Some of their exploits have been exaggerated so many times over the years that they don’t remotely resemble the truth.
The Russian thugs would absolutely annihilate every one of them with ease.

And your point is?

You are a super hard man who wouldn't be seen with them, and whose pavement dancing wasn't up to much.