Against Derby in 1976, we had the Leppings Lane and half the Kop end but you're right about the Leeds match. We were jammed in tight and the coppers were none too friendly on the way to the ground or in in. I suppose the Yorkshire plod had a fair few Leeds fans amongst them. Coppell's goal was brilliant though and I had a good view of that. I just saw the net bulge when Greenhoff got the first. I tried to shift round towards the corner flag from where I was behind the goal because the crush was too much.You're right. I was thinking about it again last night and I remember it being the day that Red Rum won the National for the 3rd time and us all laughing at the mad radio commentary of that. I also remember the song on the Stretford End about Nationwide.
Incidentally, you mentioned that semi-final against Leeds. That was at Hillsborough and I was in one of those notorious pens they had there. I can tell you it was the nearest to death I have ever been. The crush was unbelievable. My feet were off the ground it was so tight. When tragedy did occur there with Liverpool, I remember thinking that place was a disaster waiting to happen.
What got me is that the police arranged the whole thing to make the traffic situation convenient and to stop fans from clashing. No thought of capacity and crowd numbers was ever considered. I could see the Leeds fans in that massive Spion Kop end sitting on the terraces in acres of space drinking coffee and eating burgers. While we were having the breath crushed out of us. It was pretty obvious in that season that United would have twice as many fans as Leeds and we should have been that end of the pitch.
It was the same situation with Liverpool v Nottingham Forest. Liverpool were bound to have more there. Looking at the geography of the ground it wouldn't have been too much of an ask to have put the more numerous fans at the most capacious end of the ground. Police back then didn't give a toss about football fans. All were tarred with the same hooligan brush and treated like cattle.
All together now!There was a time in the early 70s when it was pretty much every week. You could guarantee trouble when we went to places like Liverpool, Leeds, West Ham, Spurs, or Chelsea. The result didn't seem to matter half of the time. Some lads just went for the aggro and nothing else but I never knew anyone personally who was that way inclined.
If I die on the Kippax Street, whoa-oh whoa-oh,All together now!
To the tune of Gary Glitter’s Hello! Hello! I’m Back Again
“Whoa-oh, Whoa-oh,
United Aggro, United Aggro,
Whoa-oh, Whoa-oh, Whoa-oh!”
Yep - agree with every word of that. I'd never seen the Law clip before - he actually seemed quite angry that someone was suggesting he was responsible for relegating us - very striking.Really good watch and spooky parallels with recent times.
A great Scottish manager, very successful, maybe allows his last team to get too old, doesn't replace players quick enough, almost impossible for immediate successors to succeed.
Second half about Docherty was great... probably the only manager between Busby and SAF who coped with the expectation and pressure. Had to cope with Best decline/disappearances, player power, an aging team and despite relegation, turned it round and other than Stepney, rebuilt the team and that mid/late 70s team remains one of my favourites today.... a great CH, two great wingers, Pancho and his one armed salute and fast attacking football. Good times.
(P.S..... I've never seen that interview with Law in 74 before. Most United fans know that "Law relegated us" is a myth but he looked absolutely desperate to make it clear to the interviewer that it wasn't down to him. Always loved United.)
Same for Spurs Wolves in 81 too. They were lucky that some gates were opened and some had just enough room at the front to climb the fence - broken arms and stuff but could have been a lot worse.Against Derby in 1976, we had the Leppings Lane and half the Kop end but you're right about the Leeds match. We were jammed in tight and the coppers were none too friendly on the way to the ground or in in. I suppose the Yorkshire plod had a fair few Leeds fans amongst them. Coppell's goal was brilliant though and I had a good view of that. I just saw the net bulge when Greenhoff got the first. I tried to shift round towards the corner flag from where I was behind the goal because the crush was too much.
Looking back on it, you're right in thinking that the Leppings Lane was a death trap. There was nowhere to go. I thought about that when it happened to the Liverpool fans. What a horrible way to die and, as you say, it was preventable but to the police and authorities back then, football fans were little better that dirt.
I went there for the 4-4 draw with Wednesday but, if memory serves, the fences weren't up at that time. Miserable place it was too with crumbling terracing and loose crush barriers. Villa Park was much better but we always seemed to have to play in Sheffield. Bramhall Lane wasn't that bad but not really a great place for a cup semi. If memory serves, the 1979 semi was originally scheduled for Hillsborough too but it was switched to Maine Road. They should have pulled the place down after 1989 and built a new and safer ground there.Same for Spurs Wolves in 81 too. They were lucky that some gates were opened and some had just enough room at the front to climb the fence - broken arms and stuff but could have been a lot worse.
For years, they arsed up how many went into the central pens but the FA were determined to use it. They should have got done too
Hill was indeed an arse and Malcolm Alison was a tool tooJust watched it all the way through. Talk about a parallel universe. Somebody once said 'those who can't remember the past are condemned to repeat it' or something like that. How true. I remember now why I hated Jimmy Hill. The man was an utter shit where United were concerned. If you think Lineker is a sanctimonious git, listen to Hill for a while.
Hill was into the commercialization of football long before the modern era. He always had some crappy gimmick up his sleeve. He was advocating all-seater stadiums in the 70s so that only the 'right sort of people' would come and watch. If memory serves, he did introduce that at Coventry. He also gave them a gimmicky all-brown away kit. They looked like ten turds and a goalie on the pitch.
Just watched it myself - it was like being transported back in time to 1974. All the memories came flooding back, not just the football but the 3 day week, great music (Sweet, Slade, T-Rex, Gary Glitter, Suzi Quatro, Bay City Rollers etc) and the power cuts - especially when the TV cut out just as it got to a good bit during The Tomorrow People! Glad to see the Doc still alive and well and fascinating to hear the background behind his decision making which was pretty decisive especially concerning Law, Best and Morgan. Loved the interviews with the old players (I was hoping Gordon Hill would do his famous Norman Wisdom impersonation) and the thing that stood out immediately was the incredible team spirit and determination to return to the top division following relegation which they did at a canter and then 3rd place followed by 2 consecutive Cup Finals. The decision to sack the Doc must have been a difficult one especially as he had transformed the side but United in those days had a moral code and he had to go. A great shame as he could have gone on to great success instead of us ending up with Mr Mogadon Dave "Interesting" Sexton!Just watched it all the way through. Talk about a parallel universe. Somebody once said 'those who can't remember the past are condemned to repeat it' or something like that. How true. I remember now why I hated Jimmy Hill. The man was an utter shit where United were concerned. If you think Lineker is a sanctimonious git, listen to Hill for a while.
Hill was into the commercialization of football long before the modern era. He always had some crappy gimmick up his sleeve. He was advocating all-seater stadiums in the 70s so that only the 'right sort of people' would come and watch. If memory serves, he did introduce that at Coventry. He also gave them a gimmicky all-brown away kit. They looked like ten turds and a goalie on the pitch.
It was all a bit mental in the early 70s. I looked at that footage of what looks like Salford 7 and it was like being transported back. All the buildings in Manchester were covered in a thick black layer of corrosive soot, chimneys belched out toxic smoke and fumes, car strikes, miners' strike, rail strikes, go-slows, and everything in-between.Just watched it myself - it was like being transported back in time to 1974. All the memories came flooding back, not just the football but the 3 day week, great music (Sweet, Slade, T-Rex, Gary Glitter, Suzi Quatro, Bay City Rollers etc) and the power cuts - especially when the TV cut out just as it got to a good bit during The Tomorrow People! Glad to see the Doc still alive and well and fascinating to hear the background behind his decision making which was pretty decisive especially concerning Law, Best and Morgan. Loved the interviews with the old players (I was hoping Gordon Hill would do his famous Norman Wisdom impersonation) and the thing that stood out immediately was the incredible team spirit and determination to return to the top division following relegation which they did at a canter and then 3rd place followed by 2 consecutive Cup Finals. The decision to sack the Doc must have been a difficult one especially as he had transformed the side but United in those days had a moral code and he had to go. A great shame as he could have gone on to great success instead of us ending up with Mr Mogadon Dave "Interesting" Sexton!
I think the bandwagon jumping/snowflake/millennial generation of fans should watch this as a reminder of what it was to be a United fan in the 70s - the agony and the ecstasy, the ups and downs, the pain and pleasure and the brilliant attacking football which I really miss.
Oh yeah and I remember the Coventry City "Excrement" away kit with the white stripes - it was like they were running around wearing a soiled nappy!