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/2021/10/22/people-on-the-pitch-18-grimsby-town-vs-stoke-city-division-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.

What a day that was! Half the Imp lads had left a bit early ( in order to engage stoke lads on their departure from the ground)but had realised what was going on at f.t. and found a convenient builders skip ,which they emptied n launched over the wall into the stokies.
We seemed to be on the pitch for ages before the horses arrived . There were then running battles in the streets, esp. Round Brereton Ave where many of em had parked up.
Aah the good old days!

The photos are from the game at Stoke the season we were promoted, not from the game at Blundell Park.
There's a video on YouTube of the battles on the pitch after the game at Blundell Park. The trouble continued into the streets around BP after the pitch was cleared.
When we played them away we needed to win to be promoted. We took over 8,000. The Stoke hooligans were out in force looking for revenge.

Bumped into nick Hancock down the main Rd with some of there more serious players shall we say. Tbf they protected him cos some of our group went straight for him, a long violent day

Quoted from mimma

The photos are from the game at Stoke the season we were promoted, not from the game at Blundell Park.
There's a video on YouTube of the battles on the pitch after the game at Blundell Park. The trouble continued into the streets around BP after the pitch was cleared.
When we played them away we needed to win to be promoted. We took over 8,000. The Stoke hooligans were out in force looking for revenge.

I always thought it was about 4000 tbh. I remember the fire breaking out directly behind us in the seats.

The link that I put up has all the info about the home game. Just a shame it doesn’t mention the shot from Micky Thomas knocking the coppers helmet off!

Quoted from WOZOFGRIMSBY

I always thought it was about 4000 tbh. I remember the fire breaking out directly behind us in the seats.

The link that I put up has all the info about the home game. Just a shame it doesn’t mention the shot from Micky Thomas knocking the coppers helmet off!

think there were several fires that day! think we all met in Buxton ( seemed to remember a leather n suede shop getting emptied!) and had a huge convoy into Stoke. we then found we were going west to east across the car park to get to the away stand, whilst they were coming north south. Needless to say mayhem ensued!

They were definitely out for revenge at their place. You’d have thought I’d learned after going to Chesterfield the year before. Completely out of my depth.

ooh, a whole website dedicated to morons kicking ten bells out of each other. Remind me not to make it a favourite.

I was at Stoke away and it was f*cking horrible. I do not miss those days one bit. I like walking to the ground chatting to opposing supporters and seeing little kids dressed up in their kits enjoying the match with their mum and dad.

And to go 'full emotional' - I was at university in Nottingham and used to go and watch Forest a lot. I never want to pick up the phone again and have to hear the sense of relief in my mum's voice like I did on the day of Hillsborough when she found out I was at home.

(I know Hillsborough was not directly related to fighting on the day but the cages and the set up of the stand were absolutely a response to historical trouble).

I thought it was only 4000 at the Victoria ground too.

Was anyone on the train home that stopped at uttoxeter ?!

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/2021/10/22/people-on-the-pitch-18-grimsby-town-vs-stoke-city-division-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/2021/10/22/people-on-the-pitch-18-grimsby-town-vs-stoke-city-division-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.

Quoted from arryarryarry

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

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

I’ve never seen any footage of that game. Quite possibly the only town game I’ve been to that I haven’t seen the highlights!

Loads sticks out from that day. We never stopped singing all game, I couldn’t get a programme (I was gutted at the time), the aforementioned fire in the seats and the Stoke supporter throwing the corner flag into the away end!

Quoted from WOZOFGRIMSBY

I’ve never seen any footage of that game. Quite possibly the only town game I’ve been to that I haven’t seen the highlights!

Loads sticks out from that day. We never stopped singing all game, I couldn’t get a programme (I was gutted at the time), the aforementioned fire in the seats and the Stoke supporter throwing the corner flag into the away end!

For the record...It wasnt a fire..it was a couple of smoke bombs....Old fashioned plumbers flu testers.

Quoted from WOZOFGRIMSBY

I’ve never seen any footage of that game. Quite possibly the only town game I’ve been to that I haven’t seen the highlights!

Loads sticks out from that day. We never stopped singing all game, I couldn’t get a programme (I was gutted at the time), the aforementioned fire in the seats and the Stoke supporter throwing the corner flag into the away end!

The guy that threw the corner flag was a work colleague at the time, it was so funny talking about the game the following Monday like mates, it really amazes me how some people will act on a match day.

I was at both games and was 15-16 around that time .
The home game it had already kicked off big time before the match outside the Imp with around 200 a side going mad at each other.
We went on the pitch after final whistle and was on for about 10 minutes with 100s of Town fans taunting the Stoke end without them joining us on the pitch .
I actually had a full video of this for years and you see most of the Town fans leave the pitch at the Constitutional corner .
Once they’d left Stoke fans then got into the pitch and chased a handful of Grimsby that were still on the pitch .
We was outside the Imp and heard they’d got on the pitch and everyone raced back into the ground from the Imperial corner end and went straight back into the Stoke mob .
The clips on YouTube have been edited and lose about 10 minutes of the full video that I used to have .

The away game we went on the train with all the young Grimsby lads ( 14-17 years olds )
After the game we was put in police Horse vans which stunk and taken to the station .
A lot of Stokes mob was on our train in the front two carriages and they came steaming into our carriage , we was scrapping back and forth for about 3 stops when most of them got off at Uttoxeter.

We also played them a few other times in the 90s , around 93 was the first time we’d played them since the riots and Grimsby had 100s waiting in Cleethorpes but apart from a few Stoke on Darleys they never brought many .

Also early 2000s it kicked off at the Queens down Seaview Street

A lot of the lads I know, grew up with, went to school with, were into all that and got a buzz out of it, but it never did anything for me, so I would take myself to one side and let them get on with it.

I was at those games, but just stood back and observed the mayhem from afar.

They sometimes go on about those days, but most of them now are grand dads and full of arthritis. A few of them are no longer with us. I never did get it myself, but what I would say is that those involved would be fighting with other willing participants from the opposing team. I say fighting, but there was a lot of gesticulating and monkey walking involved.  ::)

Was that the0-0 game?  Fairly sure I was at that one, was only about 17 and can remember the fans on the pitch at the end.  i was a bit wet behind the ears then so had no idea what was going on ;D

Quoted from ginnywings

A lot of the lads I know, grew up with, went to school with, were into all that and got a buzz out of it, but it never did anything for me, so I would take myself to one side and let them get on with it.

I was at those games, but just stood back and observed the mayhem from afar.

They sometimes go on about those days, but most of them now are grand dads and full of arthritis. A few of them are no longer with us. I never did get it myself, but what I would say is that those involved would be fighting with other willing participants from the opposing team. I say fighting, but there was a lot of gesticulating and monkey walking involved.  ::)

We certainly were not willing participants when three of us were attacked making our way back to the car from the Baseball Ground and one of us spent three weeks in hospital in Derby. When people say  we don’t need a bigger ground now because we only attracted 4 or 5 thousand when in the championship you need look no further then this thread to understand one of the reasons why and why this is thankfully irrelevant today.

Quoted from HerveJosse

We certainly were not willing participants when three of us were attacked making our way back to the car from the Baseball Ground and one of us spent three weeks in hospital in Derby. When people say  we don’t need a bigger ground now because we only attracted 4 or 5 thousand when in the championship you need look no further then this thread to understand one of the reasons why and why this is thankfully irrelevant today.

This…all mobs including Grimsby had a few who would look for an easy target who had little chance of defending themselves.
It was part of the culture but let’s not pretend it was honourable

I'm not defending anyone here. It was stupid then, and it's stupid now.

I've got no time for violence, especially unprovoked and meted out on innocent passers by.

Quoted from HerveJosse

We certainly were not willing participants when three of us were attacked making our way back to the car from the Baseball Ground and one of us spent three weeks in hospital in Derby. When people say  we don’t need a bigger ground now because we only attracted 4 or 5 thousand when in the championship you need look no further then this thread to understand one of the reasons why and why this is thankfully irrelevant today.

I nearly got a hiding off Town fans at Derby in 1981after being asked how the Rams had got on. I said they had won two one and got called a Derby b*****d  before a Grimsby lad recognised me and saved me from a kicking. Must have been twenty of them.

Back to Stoke and I remember both games that season. Never quite seen anything like it but winning at Port Vale the last day of 1991-92 was more hairy. We went through the home end to get back to the car. Didn't fancy our chances outside and I'd already been hit by a coin.

I went to see Brentford at Port Vale last year and a Bees friend had put on a GTFC hat I'd bought him. He was asked to please take it off by a steward because GY colours weren't liked around there.

Quoted from 800

I nearly got a hiding off Town fans at Derby in 1981after being asked how the Rams had got on. I said they had won two one and got called a Derby b*****d  before a Grimsby lad recognised me and saved me from a kicking. Must have been twenty of them.

Back to Stoke and I remember both games that season. Never quite seen anything like it but winning at Port Vale the last day of 1991-92 was more hairy. We went through the home end to get back to the car. Didn't fancy our chances outside and I'd already been hit by a coin.

I went to see Brentford at Port Vale last year and a Bees friend had put on a GTFC hat I'd bought him. He was asked to please take it off by a steward because GY colours weren't liked around there.

I remember that port vale game. Some bright minded steward decided to lead those fans in wheelchairs in front of the away end. So they were caught up in the middle of the vale fans trying to get at us on the terrace.

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 through!

I had similar when we (my local team including me) had played at Deepdale - the lads plus me were targeted in somewhere near the Main Street   by some highly fired up lads and attacked us totally unprovoked.
This was midweek and I didn’t run. The attackers went after my team mates that ran. Pheww!