Stoke v Town 91/92

I was at the home and away games. The atmosphere at both was, shall we say, intense and loud and hot.
I was pretty young and you had to keep your wits about you. The away game was pretty scary for a 17 year old.
You had to know how to defend yourself and keep your eyes open.

It was only 4k Town at Stoke. The home game gets loads of mentions on most hooligan sites probably due to the excellent footage.However anyone around  at the time will confirm the FA Cup game a few years previous at Grimsby was far more violent and very probably the reason Stoke had such a huge turnout of lads. The cup game was around the peak of football violence  86/87  and  the police recommended Town change ends to cut down on trouble at home. The result was serious violence at most home gamesthat season  off the top of my head  WBA,Brum,Stoke, Arsenal  and most notably Hull who relegated us. I can't think of a season at home with so much trouble and sensibly we were soon restored to the Pontoon.
The FA Cup game saw trouble allover Clps from 10am when Stoke started arriving. They weren't organised but the telegraph said on the Friday 3k were coming Gy/Clps where waiting. Individual ca4s and minibuses where targeted  parking up near the ground . Two coaches probably by sheer misfortune parked up in the Dolphin carpark just after dinner a packed Vic emptied rapidly and all hell broke loose. In the ground a mob of Stoke kicked off in the Upper  and finding no opposition they went in the lower which was standing  and they quickly found what they where looking for. After the game a huge Town mob gathered outside St Aidens and when Stoke appeared out of a side st the roar went up and off it went . Two separate minibuses where turned over one of  which had tried mowing down some locals on Brereton Ave. The other got stuck in traffic near Ramsdens and locals surrounded it and relieved it of its windows and the van was left with a house for sale sign through the back window.
People reading this who weren't around back then are probably appalled but this was fairly standard at most grounds. Grimsby were unique in so much they had 4-5k home fans but a good
500  where more than happy to oblige and big teams like Stoke got caught out.Thosd were different times personally I enjoyed the matches better back then with that edge but I  was young.The thought of women and kids being scared  to attend or worse still getting injured makes me glad it's passed . The stuff you see today is laughable in comparison but any Grimsby v Stoke game will always throw up the previous history  .

Quoted from WOZOFGRIMSBY

I know there’s been loads said on this before. But had these photos forwarded on to me via Facebook. The games will definitely be remembered by those that were there, and it’s been written about in many books since.

I’ve also found this snippet too:

https://pyroonthepitch.com/202.....on-three-27-10-1990/

I think if towns main groups (CBP and GHS) hadn’t have already been in the imp then that small show at full time  would’ve been a hell of a lot worse as there had been trouble well before kick off down Grimsby road and at Sidney park.

Those first three were taken by me, I've just dug my album out and they're dated Stoke away May 4th 1991.
Fantastic memories, and now I've about 15 albums to fondly look through

This is a piccy from my album.
The others are Exeter at home, May 11th.

Quoted from 1mickylyons

It was only 4k Town at Stoke. The home game gets loads of mentions on most hooligan sites probably due to the excellent footage.However anyone around  at the time will confirm the FA Cup game a few years previous at Grimsby was far more violent and very probably the reason Stoke had such a huge turnout of lads. The cup game was around the peak of football violence  86/87  and  the police recommended Town change ends to cut down on trouble at home. The result was serious violence at most home gamesthat season  off the top of my head  WBA,Brum,Stoke, Arsenal  and most notably Hull who relegated us. I can't think of a season at home with so much trouble and sensibly we were soon restored to the Pontoon.
The FA Cup game saw trouble allover Clps from 10am when Stoke started arriving. They weren't organised but the telegraph said on the Friday 3k were coming Gy/Clps where waiting. Individual ca4s and minibuses where targeted  parking up near the ground . Two coaches probably by sheer misfortune parked up in the Dolphin carpark just after dinner a packed Vic emptied rapidly and all hell broke loose. In the ground a mob of Stoke kicked off in the Upper  and finding no opposition they went in the lower which was standing  and they quickly found what they where looking for. After the game a huge Town mob gathered outside St Aidens and when Stoke appeared out of a side st the roar went up and off it went . Two separate minibuses where turned over one of  which had tried mowing down some locals on Brereton Ave. The other got stuck in traffic near Ramsdens and locals surrounded it and relieved it of its windows and the van was left with a house for sale sign through the back window.
People reading this who weren't around back then are probably appalled but this was fairly standard at most grounds. Grimsby were unique in so much they had 4-5k home fans but a good
500  where more than happy to oblige and big teams like Stoke got caught out.Thosd were different times personally I enjoyed the matches better back then with that edge but I  was young.The thought of women and kids being scared  to attend or worse still getting injured makes me glad it's passed . The stuff you see today is laughable in comparison but any Grimsby v Stoke game will always throw up the previous history  .

i remember the mini buses. One parked up in a cul de sac off Brereton Ave ,got trapped and was turned over

To be fair it was mad
Not bragging but I was involved in a fair few incidents back then
Not just Stoke but many of the East Midland clubs and many from Yorkshire came and tried to take the urine and got a big rude of wakening when they did
I take my grand children now and I live in Clee but some of the older lads don’t forget when same aged Yorkies start gibbing of in the local pubs UTM

Jeez it was mad back then. I remember Preston away when it went off big. Me and my four travelling buddies were suddenly confronted by a big mob coming down the high street. Luckily a pub landlord saw the inevitable and dragged us in his pub and locked the doors. We watched as steam emitted from the enraged Preston mob as they passed the pub looking for Town fans. It was like watching a herd of wilderbeast rampaging through!

Quoted from wuffing

Jeez it was mad back then. I remember Preston away when it went off big. Me and my four travelling buddies were suddenly confronted by a big mob coming down the high street. Luckily a pub landlord saw the inevitable and dragged us in his pub and locked the doors. We watched as steam emitted from the enraged Preston mob as they passed the pub looking for Town fans. It was like watching a herd of wilderbeast rampaging thruogh!

First game of the 90/91 season - same season as the Stoke pitch invasion. I was at the game and living there at the time. I played cricket in a local league and it was a big talking point. We had a lot more fans there than the PNE crew (and the police) expected. There were rumours that Preston would travel mob handed to Cleethorpes for the return to get revenge. There were a huge amount of police out but PNE were doing badly and they ended bringing very few.

Probably great in its day and and I still speak regular with a lot of work mates (Stoke lads) who where there that day but let's hope people aren't still living in the 80s etc when we go to Spain for pre season it's been a while since we've had the opportunity to do this it doesn't come around too often and we are going to follow our team not our past reputations, from my first game in 1990 i used to see it on the streets walking to the ground and on the way home couldn't really understand it as a 5yr old lad with his grandad just wanting to see my team win football matches, but it happens I get that and over the last couple of seasons sadly it as started again all over the country most weekends, heard rumours it could be cancelled for our supporters to see the game I hope not for everyone who's booked to go etc hopefully only rumours but we shall see UTM

Quoted from WOZOFGRIMSBY

I know there’s been loads said on this before. But had these photos forwarded on to me via Facebook. The games will definitely be remembered by those that were there, and it’s been written about in many books since.

I’ve also found this snippet too:

https://pyroonthepitch.com/202.....on-three-27-10-1990/

I think if towns main groups (CBP and GHS) hadn’t have already been in the imp then that small show at full time  would’ve been a hell of a lot worse as there had been trouble well before kick off down Grimsby road and at Sidney park.

As mentioned, those pics are obviously from the away game.

Me and my mates were stood in the lower section behind the fencing.