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Millwall, last game of the season.
Posted: Fri May 02, 2025 7:00 pm
by Aclaret
Millwall away, last game of the season, mid to late 1970s ?
As far as I can recollect we took 1 coach (viscount central) .. ..during the game and ht break Millwall fans dressed in KKK headgear clashing with the local constabulary .
After the game Millwall fans trying to board our coach to shake our hands and wish us all the best for the Summer break.....I wish.....anyone else on that coach to Millwall back on the 70s ? Those were the days

Re: Millwall, last game of the season.
Posted: Fri May 02, 2025 7:08 pm
by Dazzler
14th May 1977 it was. Lost 2-0
Re: Millwall, last game of the season.
Posted: Fri May 02, 2025 7:19 pm
by Aclaret
Cheers Dazzler......long time ago, couldn't remember the result.....Another 2-0 home win will be just great

Re: Millwall, last game of the season.
Posted: Fri May 02, 2025 7:43 pm
by sjb
I was on that coach. It got stuck in traffic after the game and a group of Millwall started smashing the rear lights & tried to get on - Simmy was driving & opened the door for a load of Clarets to get out and have a go back! The police arrived & Millwall melted away. Like Dazzler said a 0-2 defeat on a warm day.
Re: Millwall, last game of the season.
Posted: Fri May 02, 2025 8:17 pm
by Claret
I was at the game but not on the coach. Two of us ended up on that side terracing, right in front of the Millwall v Police battles. A copper's helmet flew down the terrace and hit me on the back. Those coppers were just as thuggish as the fans.
Re: Millwall, last game of the season.
Posted: Fri May 02, 2025 8:29 pm
by Dazzler
Claret wrote: ↑Fri May 02, 2025 8:17 pm
Those coppers were just as thuggish as the fans.
Fight fire with fire
Re: Millwall, last game of the season.
Posted: Fri May 02, 2025 8:31 pm
by Aclaret
Claret wrote: ↑Fri May 02, 2025 8:17 pm
I was at the game but not on the coach. Two of us ended up on that side terracing, right in front of the Millwall v Police battles. A copper's helmet flew down the terrace and hit me on the back. Those coppers were just as thuggish as the fans.
We were sat in the Main Stand right across from you. It was quite a battle. !
Re: Millwall, last game of the season.
Posted: Fri May 02, 2025 8:35 pm
by Claret
Aclaret wrote: ↑Fri May 02, 2025 8:31 pm
We were sat in the Main Stand right across from you. It was quite a battle. !
We heard you singing!
(Needless to say, we kept quiet)
Re: Millwall, last game of the season.
Posted: Fri May 02, 2025 9:07 pm
by Aclaret
sjb wrote: ↑Fri May 02, 2025 7:43 pm
I was on that coach. It got stuck in traffic after the game and a group of Millwall started smashing the rear lights & tried to get on - Simmy was driving & opened the door for a load of Clarets to get out and have a go back! The police arrived & Millwall melted away. Like Dazzler said a 0-2 defeat on a warm day.
.. Was Simmy the driver called Alan, from Padiham, if so took us to many away days in the late 70s.....Great days.
Re: Millwall, last game of the season.
Posted: Fri May 02, 2025 9:21 pm
by sjb
Aclaret wrote: ↑Fri May 02, 2025 9:07 pm
.. Was Simmy the driver called Alan, from Padiham, if so took us to many away days in the late 70s.....Great days.
Yes that's the man. Proper character. As you say great days with Viscount Central trips to such places as Millwall, Orient, Southampton etc. We always seemed to stop on the way back at a one horse town called Penkridge in Staffordshire. Some real characters on those trips!
Re: Millwall, last game of the season.
Posted: Fri May 02, 2025 9:32 pm
by Aclaret
...and was probably on a few of those trips with you sjb with Viscount Central..and Intack Hire

Re: Millwall, last game of the season.
Posted: Fri May 02, 2025 9:37 pm
by dougcollins
Never had many issues in Bermondsey, I always thought trips to Tottenham and Chelsea were way worse.
Re: Millwall, last game of the season.
Posted: Fri May 02, 2025 9:45 pm
by ClaretTony
Aclaret wrote: ↑Fri May 02, 2025 9:07 pm
.. Was Simmy the driver called Alan, from Padiham, if so took us to many away days in the late 70s.....Great days.
Simmy was driving coaches to away games when I first started going in the late 60s. I was on the coach for that game in 1977 too.
Re: Millwall, last game of the season.
Posted: Fri May 02, 2025 10:03 pm
by FCBurnley
Top man was Simmy. I remember one match where our coach only arrived at West Ham only about 30 mins prior to kick off and Simmy was adamant that they would not kick off until we got there. Many years later I found out we had the players boots on our bus. They had accidentally been left at the Turf the day before !!!
Re: Millwall, last game of the season.
Posted: Fri May 02, 2025 10:06 pm
by JohnDearyMe
Aclaret wrote: ↑Fri May 02, 2025 7:00 pm
After the game Millwall fans trying to board our coach to shake our hands and wish us all the best for the Summer break.....I wish.....
Great turn of phrase there, made me laugh! Glad you came through the experience ok
Re: Millwall, last game of the season.
Posted: Fri May 02, 2025 10:22 pm
by Cajun
It's weird the odd things you can remember. That game is 48 years ago, and sat here thinking I can recall just a few flashes of things in my memory. First trip to the old Den, and went by car with four friends; parked somewhere in outskirts of north London and then on by Tube; I had an old-style silk scarf rolled up in the back pocket of my jeans where it stayed all day

, sat in stand; I was wearing a mainly black rugby shirt and some guy asked me what team it was and of course when i replied my accent revealed I wasn't local; no problem, just bit of banter. And that's all, no memory of match at all.
Re: Millwall, last game of the season.
Posted: Fri May 02, 2025 10:57 pm
by sjb
dougcollins wrote: ↑Fri May 02, 2025 9:37 pm
Never had many issues in Bermondsey, I always thought trips to Tottenham and Chelsea were way worse.
Tottenham away 75/6 was a bit hairy. Coach was parked a fair way away from the ground on some waste land and the local gentry were anxious that we shouldn't leave without a few close encounters.
Re: Millwall, last game of the season.
Posted: Fri May 02, 2025 11:01 pm
by sjb
Cajun wrote: ↑Fri May 02, 2025 10:22 pm
It's weird the odd things you can remember. That game is 48 years ago, and sat here thinking I can recall just a few flashes of things in my memory. First trip to the old Den, and went by car with four friends; parked somewhere in outskirts of north London and then on by Tube; I had an old-style silk scarf rolled up in the back pocket of my jeans where it stayed all day

, sat in stand; I was wearing a mainly black rugby shirt and some guy asked me what team it was and of course when i replied my accent revealed I wasn't local; no problem, just bit of banter. And that's all, no memory of match at all.
I think it was 81/2 season when I sat in the stand about 3 rows in front of a guy called Vernon - he was from Leyland/Preston way but went everywhere with the Clarets - he was a bit of a loudmouth - I'm sure CT will remember him - and he was there with his Burnley scarf on being very vocal in his support whilst my mate & I were doing our best not to open our mouths! I was worried for his safety but I remember a Millwall fan just saying to him 'you're a brave man' and laughing!
Re: Millwall, last game of the season.
Posted: Fri May 02, 2025 11:38 pm
by Blue Skies
Remember it well. In main stand with some good mates and four of Accrington's finest ladies. All was well 2 0 down and one of the ladies screamed "Come on Tony (Morley) sort this lot out!". All eyes upon us. Luckily the end came quite quickly and they all piled on the pitch, while we went down the steps like rats down a drainpipe.
Re: Millwall, last game of the season.
Posted: Sat May 03, 2025 7:50 am
by Les latcham fan club
I was there in a home stand with my new girlfriend recall a fat guy behind us working out I was a claret he spent most of the match eating shelled peanuts and throwing the shells at us. Atmosphere was so intimidating especially when some nice chaps put on surgical masks, we just sat said nowt and left before full time covered in said shells
Last time that girlfriend attended football with me.