There's a video on YouTube about how the Salford lads took over the door of the Hacienda by force, which brought back a memory of them causing trouble at the Angels in the mid 90s.
Tales of guns being fired and the bouncers locking the clubbers in for safety.

At the time I just presumed they had been turfed out by bouncers for trying to sell drugs, but that video got me wondering if they were trying to take over the door by force like the Hacienda?

Anyone remember?

MC Cockle have you got the bottle!!

Don’t remember this incident although a few locals didn’t like us Bury lads and got a bit arsey in the car park one night.

Had some good nights in there, Paul Taylor, Marcus K on the decks. MC Doyle. Think a couple of those are sadly no longer with us.

There was a story about a good few years ago that there was trouble regarding the Sidewalk between Manchester "doormen " and some of Burnley's finest who were brought in to assist the local security company who had been muscled out by the Manchester crew. If I recall it didn't end well for the Manchester lot.

bfcjg wrote: ↑

Thu Dec 05, 2024 5:14 pm

There was a story about a good few years ago that there was trouble regarding the Sidewalk between Manchester "doormen " and some of Burnley's finest who were brought in to assist the local security company who had been muscled out by the Manchester crew. If I recall it didn't end well for the Manchester lot.

I remember the Manchester doorman on Savannahs upstairs. They was alright unless you played up. The stairs in Savannahs were too dangerous to be getting chucked out of though.
The head bouncer got shacked up with a local lass who worked there and got a flat in Padiham.
He chucked a lad from Padiham out with other bouncers that was a bit over the top.
The lad went round to his flat a couple of days later but he wasn't in. So he left an axe hanging out his front door as a message.
He wasn't seen again.

Angels before my clubbing days but I remember the Manchester (Middleton) doorman from The Works fronting the Mean Cats doorman.

There was a period in early 2000's when the Salford lads, who were connected to a Burnley chap, made the bars and clubs uncomfortable. In the end the police manned the doors of XS (or whatever it was called at the time) and turned them away eventually.

Does anyone remember a Roger Cook documentary in the early 90s when they took over on a pub down near Agecroft. First night a group of lads had a fight in there and next night some locals came in to offer to do the doors, if they didn’t the violence would continue and the place torched.

I Remember that Night, I went down the Angels every Week, The Bouncers thought it was gonna kick off So they Stopped the Salford Lads Getting in, So the got back in there Car and took a pot shot at the Doors, One window in the door was smashed, if I remember right

I once met a famous Hacienda bouncer "Little Bobby". He had a huge scar across his neck, under his chin, where someone had tried to cut-off his head.

If they have got his head off he'd be called Tiny Bobby.

John Turners the builders built a pub in Salford a number of years ago for JW Lees, the licencee under pressure from the brewery refused to pay protection so the vandalism started, still no money paid so it was torched, lasted about a year. Turners paid security whilst it was built. Rough place,almost lawless in.places.

I used to work in Manchester and was quite involved with the underground music scene - it was not for the faint hearted.

There's a rewally good podcast series on BBC sounds called Gangsters (also on other podcast services too)... the first season is all about Paul Massey who was the head of the Salford Lads. It's quite an interesting listen, from various perspectives.

Think there's about 8 series now, but for me, they tailed off after the first 3, which were all brilliant.

dandeclaret wrote: ↑

Fri Dec 06, 2024 8:18 am

There's a rewally good podcast series on BBC sounds called Gangsters (also on other podcast services too)... the first season is all about Paul Massey who was the head of the Salford Lads. It's quite an interesting listen, from various perspectives.

Think there's about 8 series now, but for me, they tailed off after the first 3, which were all brilliant.

There’s a very interesting book by Bernard O Mahoney, The Salford Lads, the rise and fall of Paul Massey.

I used to work next to Ordsall in Salford for a few years - you tended to avoid going out for a leisurely stroll !! For years that place was lawless.

Remember a certain local Italian doing the doors on the Angels for years.

Don’t remember the Salford lads but do remember that generally doors would be run by lads who were connected to the same group. I don’t believe there was much by way of a tendering process for the business !! Used to be a bit like that for the window cleaning rounds too - and there was a bit of crossover to the local bouncers.

Around 2005 I was working in Manchester rewiring council houses. One estate in Harpurhey was essentially run by the Noonans. I don’t think they were at the heights of power but they still ran everything that went on. All the work on the houses had to go through them. Was a weird place

NL Claret wrote: ↑

Fri Dec 06, 2024 10:21 am

There’s a very interesting book by Bernard O Mahoney, The Salford Lads, the rise and fall of Paul Massey.

If you have a look on BBC sounds under the gangster stories it features him & the likes of Curtis warren/john palmer. if you are into that sort of thing it’s not a bad listen.

Quickenthetempo wrote: ↑

Thu Dec 05, 2024 5:52 pm

I remember the Manchester doorman on Savannahs upstairs. They was alright unless you played up. The stairs in Savannahs were too dangerous to be getting chucked out of though.
The head bouncer got shacked up with a local lass who worked there and got a flat in Padiham.
He chucked a lad from Padiham out with other bouncers that was a bit over the top.
The lad went round to his flat a couple of days later but he wasn't in. So he left an axe hanging out his front door as a message.
He wasn't seen again.

He was also on the doors of the Sidewalk he talked a good game until he upset some of our more notorious supporters.
Needless to say his attitude changed especially on match days. He actually got on with most match going people after that.
He moved upstairs not long after.

No but i was there on the closing raid at Monroes - and saw every weapon you could ever want to see on the carpark floor outside when it was cleared out

NL Claret wrote: ↑

Thu Dec 05, 2024 5:13 pm

MC Cockle have you got the bottle!!

Don’t remember this incident although a few locals didn’t like us Bury lads and got a bit arsey in the car park one night.

Had some good nights in there, Paul Taylor, Marcus K on the decks. MC Doyle. Think a couple of those are sadly no longer with us.

There is a folder of all the live recordings online - i've got it (Quality is questionable but some good listens)

MK-Claret wrote: ↑

Fri Dec 06, 2024 11:45 am

He was also on the doors of the Sidewalk he talked a good game until he upset some of our more notorious supporters.
Needless to say his attitude changed especially on match days. He actually got on with most match going people after that.
He moved upstairs not long after.

And what a place upstairs was
Big Tashy Kev

Tashy kev was sound as a pound

Paul Massey and his crew also took over the illegal Blackburn rave scene in the late 80's. They ran the local Blackburn bouncers/gangsters off the scene and took over the doors and supplying. If it is the MC Cockle I am thinking of, I think he ended up being good mates with Massey from the 90's onwards.