Fulham FC's thoughts on hooliganism - in 1968 - a letter to the authorities...

[LBNo11]

...an archive document from yesteryear:-




With thanks to Fulham fan Peter Proverbs for his permission to copy and post...

[mr-ska]

Little did they know what was coming....

[In the Enclosure]

True we didn't have a bad hooligan problem but I can remember a couple of bad incidents in 1966/7/8 against Sheffield United, Wolves and Stoke when beer bottles being thrown made a night game look like a shower of crystal. Also knives being produced in the Hammersmith end and wooden poles being used to fight with. Not to mention West Ham wrecking the floral garden in Bishops Park.
For years after that the park gates were locked at one end meaning a  hike if you were coming from Putney.

Gangs were not organised in the 60s but there was always an attempt by away teams to occupy the Hammersmith end which always succeeded when Man Utd were in town as about 5,000 of them seemed to be there just after the gates opened.

[Sir Alec of good Stock]

Club Secretary Graham Hortop

[Burt]

For years after that the park gates were locked at one end meaning a  hike if you were coming from Putney.

I remember that... We used to climb over. Being a tiddler at the time, Brother Burt had to hoik me over.

[keith]

Good one.Love the telegram address.

[Mr_Moon]

True we didn't have a bad hooligan problem but I can remember a couple of bad incidents in 1966/7/8 against Sheffield United, Wolves and Stoke when beer bottles being thrown made a night game look like a shower of crystal. Also knives being produced in the Hammersmith end and wooden poles being used to fight with. Not to mention West Ham wrecking the floral garden in Bishops Park.
For years after that the park gates were locked at one end meaning a  hike if you were coming from Putney.

Oh God, not the floral garden!

[carol]

I typed this letter!  I was secretary to Graham Hortop and Bobby Robson at that time having joined the club in 1965.  I left in 1969 to return to the FA where I had previously worked.

[In the Enclosure]

Good typing Carol - what a connection !

[Rupert]

I typed this letter!  I was secretary to Graham Hortop and Bobby Robson at that time having joined the club in 1965.  I left in 1969 to return to the FA where I had previously worked.

Did the FA reply with anything constructive (assuming you can reply without betraying any confidences, of course)?

[MasterHaynes]

Knowing how slow the FA are to repond to everything when y

I typed this letter!  I was secretary to Graham Hortop and Bobby Robson at that time having joined the club in 1965.  I left in 1969 to return to the FA where I had previously worked.

It would be a great tale if on your return to the FA in 69 you typed the reply to it as well all authorities then rarely resonded to anything quickly 065.gif

[LBNo11]

Knowing how slow the FA are to repond to everything when y

I typed this letter!  I was secretary to Graham Hortop and Bobby Robson at that time having joined the club in 1965.  I left in 1969 to return to the FA where I had previously worked.

It would be a great tale if on your return to the FA in 69 you typed the reply to it as well all authorities then rarely resonded to anything quickly 065.gif

...now that would be a turn up. Thanks for posting that Carol, a happy connection to the past...

[domprague]

True we didn't have a bad hooligan problem but I can remember a couple of bad incidents in 1966/7/8 against Sheffield United, Wolves and Stoke when beer bottles being thrown made a night game look like a shower of crystal. Also knives being produced in the Hammersmith end and wooden poles being used to fight with. Not to mention West Ham wrecking the floral garden in Bishops Park.
For years after that the park gates were locked at one end meaning a  hike if you were coming from Putney.

Oh God, not the floral garden!

Maybe it was Dennis Wise and Les Ferdinand. They've got form in doing over West London gardens.

[beijing ben]

Rowdyism. My new favourite word..