Thursday 4 January 2024

"WHERE WAS 'YOUR' GREAT GREAT GRANDFAATHAA ON GOOD FRIDAY 1901!???

Re-posted 'high noon bells' Thorzday 4th January 2023
FROM THE 'RONNY-GILL' ARCHIVES (Copyright? wot does that meeen?)
THE OLD POPULAR SIDE *** LEAZES TERRACE IZ IN THE BACKGROOND


Much haz been written aboot wor forthcomin' derby against the mackems this Saturday, with yet again a very heavy presence from the local 'dibble' to try and stop any trouble! (And of course 6,000 Toon fans forced to travel there on 120 'bubble' buses!)
But did yi naa that a major riot, 123 YEARS AGO on Good Friday 1901 @ St James' Park, prevented THAT derby match gannin ahead aaltogether!?

Extracts below are from: 'The Football Grounds of Great Britain'

"Some 35,000 squeezed into St James' Park with as many more outside, desperate to gain entry. Fences were trampled down and before long the pitch became a battleground between rival fans!"

'Athletic News' reported that: "The club flag was torn from it's staff and riven into shreds, the goal nets at one end shard like a fate!" It added: "We are delighted to hear that the cross-bar in falling fetched one or two of the rioters a reverberating 'sock' on the headache department!"
SOMEWHERE ON GALLOWGATE---GOOD FRIDAY 1901
"GRANMAR!--IZ THAT MEE GREAT GREAT GRANDAAA

HAADIN HIZ LEG?"


 

The match never started , and it took until 5 o' clock for the police to clear the pitch, which resembled a ploughed field by this time!---And there were riots aroond the groond in the aftermath, az fightin' fans spilled oot onto the streets!

Nine people were sent to hospital, including one Newcastle fan, who was SO drunk he fell oot of the grandstand which nearly collapsed!!!---and in the aftermath, a sund'lind supporter, who was beaten up by half crazed rival fans, sued Newcastle for his money back!
He lost the case and had to pay expenses of £70! (a considerable sum in 1901!) It wasn't until a riot occurred at Goodison Park a few years later that clubs began posting up signs warning that 'in NO circumstances' 'would money be refunded'!

"AAH!---THE GOOD OLD DAYS!"  

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