At last were safe, so we can now look forward to next season and a new beginning. Hopefully. That wasn't the case though 42 years ago this week. Airman has already told the story of the 1971/72 season in the latest Voice of the Valley so I thought I would tell the story of the intrepid few who decided it would be a great idea to travel to the match leaving the Valley club at 11.30 on the Friday night.
Mick Walker arranged the coach, the fare was £1.50. I met Kev Costello, fellow Eltham boy and off we went. The signs were not good from the start because as we got down to the corner of Floyd Road, some of the other lads were already there. There was Mick and Steve Rogers with some others from Orpington and Billy Martin, Les Waugh, "Hartlepool Gerry" and others from Welling and Johnny Welsh. There was a scuffle outside the Offy and I remember a drunken Jock getting a right hander from Les. I cant remember too much about the trip up there but I know we arrived at Blackpool on the seafront about 8 am.
To say it was bleak would be an understatement. It was freezing and blowing a gale and completely deserted except for a lone newspaper seller. We got dropped off on the front and 30 mins later around 20 of us we were all in police custody. What happened was some 'erberts' decided the didn't want to pay for their papers and robbed the poor sod. Next, me and Les heard a rumpus down a side street and as we turned the corner some others were gathered outside a clothes shop where the window was about to be removed by a brick. Kev Hopkins still denies it was him but poor old Les got the fine in court. £70 I think. That's when the Lancashire Constabulary turned up and lined us up along the street, some scarpered including" lucky bollox Hopkins". Smashing lad though {window that is}. Any way, this copper asked us remove any weapons and other items we shouldn't have and then announced that we could go off in two's and if we met up in a group again we would all be nicked. That's when his boss turned up and a said run em all in. So into the back of the black Maria we got and down to the station we went where we were processed and detained until 7 o'clock that Saturday night. Billy Martin actually escaped the police station via a side door. All of us were put into two cells and all through the afternoon the copper on duty would kindly pop down and let us know about the latest goal we had conceded only to be met by a torrent of abuse about all things Norvern.
All I can remember next was being let out early evening and Mick Walker standing at the side of the coach demanding another 25p each for the coach drivers inconvenience.
I think we got back to Charlton about 2/3am ish. As I was only just sixteen at the time I had to be accompanied to court by my father. Lucky for me my parents had already booked our summer holiday for when the court case was due so I couldn't go with the others. When I did eventually go Steve Dobson was there also with his dad. Steve wasn't on our coach but got nicked for something in the ground. Luckily we both got let off. But some of the others were not so lucky when they went as they got fines.
Billy Martin went up on the coach with the others to court as a character witness and got some funny looks from the arresting officer who thought he had recognised him but nothing came of it. So here we are 42 years later and Me, Steve Rogers, brother Mick, Johnny Welsh and Kev Hopkins all approaching our 60's and my father who is now 86 and still a season tkt holder still travel regularly to away games. Home games we are always in the Lib Club. If anyone reading this who was also on the coach or at the match let me know. COYR
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