The old Longside ...

[Clarets4me]

Can anyone recall roughly which year the Longside was divided off with the Away section and " no mans land " installed ?

[PhiladelphiaChris]

A total guess but around 1976 ?

[Claret]

Possibly started around 1975/76 season?
First, they installed a single fence with gaps in the walkways and no formal segregation. Over the next couple of years I think they filled in the gaps first then introduced no mans land later but not sure of the dates of the extensions

[ElectroClaret]

Possibly started around 1975/76 season?
First, they installed a single fence with gaps in the walkways and no formal segregation. Over the next couple of years I think they filled in the gaps first then introduced no mans land later but not sure of the dates of the extensions

Yes and then didn't they put up netting suspended from the steel rafters to stop fans chucking missiles at each other?

Think those dates will be about right.

[TheOriginalLongsider]

Away fans were still allowed in the BeeHole End, and also the Longside if they so wished

[Cajun]

I'm sure the original fence went up for the start of the 75-76 season following the "stampeding" around the Longside during the Stoke match which was final home game of previous season .

[Inchy]

For those that remember, was there a lot of trouble before the segregation, or was it instigated by a few incidents and issues at other clubs?

[Leisure]

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_ ... 2916625420

[Leisure]

For those that remember, was there a lot of trouble before the segregation, or was it instigated by a few incidents and issues at other clubs?

Yes there was.

[Buxtonclaret]

I'm sure the original fence went up for the start of the 75-76 season following the "stampeding" around the Longside during the Stoke match which was final home game of previous season .

Still have the scar on my head from one of the bricks the Stoke lot were lobbing.

[bfcjg]

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The netting didn't stop the darts though, horrible times looking back.

[Top Claret]

There was loads of trouble in those days, with the police forming a human fence to keep the fans apart in the
longside. Leeds and Man United would bring a following of up to 20,000 so you can well imagine the atmosphere was extremely volatile

[bfcjg]

Some real characters them days, Arnie was a massive man mountain as I recall.

[Clarets4me]

Thanks for the replies all, 1975/76 it is !

[durhamclaret]

I can remember some “great” battles between us as Leeds fans, running battles, charges and pincer movement in the Bee Hole, bricks an all, happy days As always, UTC

[martin_p]

Pretty sure the netting went up as a result of the Celtic match which would make it 1978.

[Cajun]

Some real characters them days, Arnie was a massive man mountain as I recall.

Used to drink with Arnie and other regulars in The Swan pre-matches in the 70s, nice guy. He took up too much space in the back of the vans on away days though

[Stalbansclaret]

Pretty sure the netting went up as a result of the Celtic match which would make it 1978.

For some reason I carry a vague memory of a game v Wolves where there were pool balls being thrown across the divide and that the netting went up following this. I could be wrong !

[randomclaret2]

Puts the " trouble " that sporadically occurs in the Cricket Field into perspective...

[Loyal Supporter]

Who was arnie? Where was he at Sunderland or Boro or Villa or Wednesday or Celtic or many other games where Burnley fans fought against home fans, usually outnumbered but in the fights our group was involved in, we never, evet lost.

[Bop]

I’d guess at 75/76
78 had a clear no man land by my recollection.
77 -? think there was a divide - but certainly only a short throw away.
Nets were not introduced “fully” till much later. I know because I took a brick on the head against Newcastle. That was an experience under the CFS surrounded by big bruised and battered Geordies.

[Quicknick]

Can anyone recall roughly which year the Longside was divided off with the Away section and " no mans land " installed ?

1974

[Quicknick]

I am almmost certain that the first match after the fence was 16/3/74 versus Everton. Wer won 3-1.

[Rileybobs]

Who was arnie? Where was he at Sunderland or Boro or Villa or Wednesday or Celtic or many other games where Burnley fans fought against home fans, usually outnumbered but in the fights our group was involved in, we never, evet lost.

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[Hipper]

Screenshot_20220916-201353_Samsung Internet.jpgThe netting didn't stop the darts though, horrible times looking back.

I don't remember the Oldham dart but this image of a Man Utd fan always haunted me:

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[CaptainKirk]

Who was arnie? Where was he at Sunderland or Boro or Villa or Wednesday or Celtic or many other games where Burnley fans fought against home fans, usually outnumbered but in the fights our group was involved in, we never, evet lost.

Thankfully, most of those “fans” are now pushing up daisies or dribbling in a corner.

[bfcjg]

"Thankfully " bit harsh, at the time you did get caught up in it and like it or not it was the culture.
I'm thankful those times have gone, however I don't wish death or dementia on any Claret.

[Targetman]

Thankfully, most of those “fans” are now pushing up daisies or dribbling in a corner.

That's not very nice at all.

[Dark Cloud]

Possibly started around 1975/76 season?
First, they installed a single fence with gaps in the walkways and no formal segregation. Over the next couple of years I think they filled in the gaps first then introduced no mans land later but not sure of the dates of the extensions

Yes, I agree with this. The original division of a single line of fencing with two gaps where the walk ways were lasted about 1 or maybe 2 seasons, but fans were clearly still too close together and those gaps, particularly the one near the top of the Longside, were simply places where trouble constantly broke out.

[Dark Cloud]

And I remember the Oldham dart incident well as one of my best mates at Uni at the time was an Oldham fan and he was standing on the other side of the fence for that game and witnessed the lad getting hit.