Sincilbanks
Vital Football Hero
My Dad always called it Sincil Bank (presumably short for Sincil Bank side) so I learned to too...
South Park Stand 13/01/1990 - Memories
- Thread starter Sigiriya
- Start date
My Dad always called it Sincil Bank (presumably short for Sincil Bank side) so I learned to too...
I don’t suppose you have a photo of the St Andrews stand from this match? This was actually my first game. Not that I could pick myself out but would be nice to know a very young me and my old man would be in it
Hi Huntsward. Unfortunately, not a picture of the whole stand. I have one which shows the extreme right hand side of the stand as you would have seen it from the West Bank/Sincil Bank side, but that's about it. I'll see if I can get a decent copy of it posted on here. I was conscious of the fact that a bit of history was about to be demolished and wanted to get a few pictures of the old stand before it got disappeared into history so concentrated on photographing that.
Well remember being stood in the Railway end in the late 60's playing Luton. Most of their fans were in that end by 2:30 wearing their huge hats. Then at ten to three the Clan appeared walking across the Sincil terracing towards us. I don't remember much trouble, both sets of fans separated by a few coppers for the rest of the match.
Favourite song "You'll not see nothing like the City win."
Favourite song "You'll not see nothing like the City win."
Chesterimp
Vital Football Hero
Good point - when it was there to be stood on, I dont' think I ever heard it called "West Bank", it used to be "The Terrace", "The Open Side", "The Sincil Bank Terrace" or combinations thereof, but a few of the more authoritative historical voices on here seem to use "The West Bank", in the absence of a formal name I'm happy to use it. Sponsored names have their benefits!
We all know what is meant, it may not be accurate in my hearing but it's not the most fundamental piece of historical revisionism in our current times.
On the subjects of moving during games and the beginnings of football hooliganism in the modern era, I recall it being relatively easy to move from one end to the other at half-time ( via St Andrews side).
I recall a game possibly in 1968-69 or 1969-70 when Southend had quite a large contingent of what was, at the time, a new phenomenon known as 'skinheads'. They moved ends en masse at half-time with little resistance. There wasn't any serious trouble but it was the beginning of a period when skinheads became synonymous with 'football hooliganism' which morphed into various other styles over the years.
The skinhead movement originated in east London from about 1968 and went national within about a year, with a little help from the media.
I also remember the vociferous bloke at the front of the South Park stand. He seemed like a one man mob at the time.
I recall a game possibly in 1968-69 or 1969-70 when Southend had quite a large contingent of what was, at the time, a new phenomenon known as 'skinheads'. They moved ends en masse at half-time with little resistance. There wasn't any serious trouble but it was the beginning of a period when skinheads became synonymous with 'football hooliganism' which morphed into various other styles over the years.
The skinhead movement originated in east London from about 1968 and went national within about a year, with a little help from the media.
I also remember the vociferous bloke at the front of the South Park stand. He seemed like a one man mob at the time.
Long suffering Imp
Vital Squad Member
I remember getting caught up in the police escort with the Southend skinheads when we played them at the Bank the season we finished 2nd to them in the early eighties. It was the 1st season we'd started following and having parked on South Common, we were met with the Southend fans being marched down the drain having been taken the long way round. Its quite narrow down there and we ended up right in the middle of them with our lads hurling abuse(amongst other things) from the other side of the drain and the skinheads around us getting over excited with no exit available to us. It was a bit of an eye opener for us at the time. I don't miss the agro at all but can't deny watching football back then had a real edge about it, even just getting to the match and back to the car. I wouldn't wish a return to those days, footballs moved on (thank god) but it does stir fond memories.
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Hi Huntsward. Best I could manage, I am afraid. There are a few people in the part of the stand that you can see. Might be you! Interestingly, I had in my notes that the players' changing rooms at that time were in the small building to the right of the St Andrews Stand. This picture appears to bear this out. I believe the team that day was Wallington, Stout, Nicholson, Cornforth, Bressington, Grant Brown, Schofield, Smith, Hobson, Sertori and Putnam, with Carmichael and Phil Brown on the bench. I'm happy to be corrected on that, though.
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Jamesimp
Vital Squad Member
I remember going to Sarfend in the late 70s/early 80s and having them all stood around us on an open terrace, we scored early doors and all of us from the windowlicker express cheered - then started bricking it! All was saved when the Barbican coach turned up and took up there attention. As we were leaving on the coach there was about 20 of the 'suicide squad' in hot pursuit of the skinheads.
GertLushImp
Vital Squad Member
Likewise, that was the season i started. What you describe here stirred a vague memory of seeing opposing fans on either side of the first bridge down the drain lane goading each other. It looked like a strange twist on an It's A Knockout game. I always thought it was the West Ham game but your description makes me now think it could be this vs Southend.
That era definitely had a bit more of an edge to proceedings, which is good when it's confined to sporting matters ,but like you say ,the agro is definitely not missed!
Merthyr Imp
Vital Football Hero
Thanks for that. Just edited the post and added him in so he didn't feel left out!
Thanks for posting. We'd be slightly out of shot closer to the directors box. My Dad used to book seats K56 and K57 which was one of the rows with clearance in front of your seat, so he could stretch his legs out. Mad how I can remember the seat numbers and could name most of that first team ahead of even
our last fixture
Warrington Imp
Vital 1st Team Regular
There was not the away followings in the late 60’s apart from local teams but I always remember 5 Bradford Park Avenue fans been stood behind the goal while we stuffed them 5-1 had the whole terrace to themselves funny how things stick in your mind after all these years!!!
Norfolk Imp
Vital 1st Team Regular
I remember paying 60p for the SE corner terrace in 1977 when we beat Bradford 3-2 as it was my 8th Birthday .... the following season I got in for free as my Great Uncle was on this gate (no turnstile tho)
cherryexile
Vital 1st Team Regular
Been re-reading this old thread. One of my fondest memories is climbing over the wall of the Sincil Bank and walking across the pitch to leave via the exit to Cross Street. I remember asking if we were allowed on the pitch. I don't think we even walked around the edge, just straight across the D and over to the opposite corner. No wonder the pitches were so shocking.
(Sorry, should have posted this in the Sincil Bank in the 1980's thread)
(Sorry, should have posted this in the Sincil Bank in the 1980's thread)
HoofGrantBrown
Vital 1st Team Regular
Was trying to spot myself in that crowd, to no avail!
To date no one has come clean and said "that's me" or "I recognise so and so". There are a couple of people I recognise but I won't say whom in case they are trying to hide a dark and distant past
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