Stoke City away FA Cup

Ditto , exactly the same with us , couldn"t believe the score as we actually thought we were losing until we got inside

 

I was one of the early arrivals, having travelled up the M5/M6 from Gloucester. As an earlier poster said, it was odd to see so few in those penned areas down the side of the pitch but thousands were expected so I knew they would fill up. I got myself what I thought was a prime spot near the half way line, right against the back wall. It was fairly shallow terracing with a big seated area above and behind us. Being so shallow I was still quite close to the pitch so I looked forward to the match, pleased with myself for getting there so early.

I couldn't believe how good we were that day and the big Stoke crowd must have been stunned to see their team being outplayed by "little Barnsley". Unfortunately the crowd control was abysmal down that side of the ground where I was and I was getting crushed against that back wall. Luckily I could take it and managed to get out unscathed but I can imagine those much older, and younger, would have had problems. I was a bit scared more than once that it was getting overcrowded but the fact that it was such a short distance from back wall to perimeter wall must have helped prevent a Hillsbrough-style disaster. There was no one behind me so I was never aware of any pushing or surging, but I imagine there must have been some.

The result was so disappointing, especially conceding that late equaliser to Peter Beagrie. I had a short conversation with him a few weeks ago and was about to ask him about that match but unfortunately didn't get the chance. He lives in Harrogate so I hope I get another chance to ask him the questions I didn't ask at that time. I would love to hear his reaction to the suggestion that Steve Cooper's goal celebrations were MUCH better than his

 

I went with lads from Dards in Cudworth. We went to Leek before the match and the pubs were full of reds fans. It was a cracking afternoon.

Police eventually rounded everyone up and back on the buses but it seemed a very slow journey to Stoke.

 

Yes they left an area of the stand free in the corner .. a section they had closed off between our fans and theirs .. they opened the gates to it just before kick off with our fans swarming in .....
Looked like a riot was gonna break out between our lot and theirs ...

We had an entire side (Like their version of the entire brewery) ..
Never understood wtf those pink Panthers were about

 

I'd gone with my Dad, he was 47, I was 14. We got in OK, and we're in a single pen in the corner. Utter chaos outside - 2 turnstiles for 5000 supporters. Just after kick off, a continual wave of supporters suddenly started filling the pen and I have never been as **** scared at a football match. I'm not trying in anyway to compare with Hillsborough but it demonstrated the dismissive complacency shown by football authorities and the police. For 15-20 mins, I literally couldn't move, and just had my dad's hand on my shoulder. I seem to remeber the fences that created the pens at Stoke back then had gates in them and thankfully someone had the sense to open them (or allowed supporters to go via the perimeter track) so the pressure could be relieved by people accessing the adjacent pen. I think Hillsborough was about 12 weeks later?

 

This is the thing about so called safe standing. People weren't in danger purely because they were standing up, it was because it was a different era when too many supporters were not only crammed onto small terraces, but also penned in.

It's difficult to imagine 5000 away fans just turning up these days, but back then if they could squeeze them in, they would. Our own away end was an example of that many times before the seats.

 

Ironically, crowd issues at our replay against Stoke were mentioned in the Hillsborough enquiry. Not sure if it was the Independent panel report, or an earlier report, but due to traffic congestion a significant number of Stoke City supporters arrived at 7:40 resulting in congestion and some minor crushing outside the ground. To alleviate this pressure South Yorkshire Police are on record having opened an exit gate possibly on two occasions allowing supporters on to the Spion Kop.

 

Got into the game just before kickoff. Bit like Liverpool in that people were still coming into the ground after half time. Can hear the after cheers now coming from outside when barnsley fans realised it was us who'd scored. What sticks in the throat is Cooper's goal celebrations in the replay (forward somersault / backwards somersault) were recreated by Beagrie and the media assumed it was his creation. Was so sad to hear of Cooper's passing at the time and at such a young age.

 

What year was this?

 

1989

 

Yes remember that now but our's wasn't: we stopped at Leek.

 

We stopped at leek and then pulled over by dibble

 

Yes it was in Jan & Feb, in season 88-89.
Didn't we have similar stories of fans getting crushed for the home game against Everton in the 5th round, as I think there were 32+ thousand there that day.

 

No recollection of that i'm afraid but if that's what happened then fair enough.
I would have had a fair drink so perhaps that's why.

 

At Leek or for a Leek?

 

Yes that was caused by Everton fans wanting to stand behind the goal .
You could see the problem building .
Overspill through the gaps in the fence and the Stewards finally getting their act together and redirecting to the East end of the Kop .

 

Wow, it makes you wonder doesn't it what could have happened that day had it not been acted on quickly.

 

Quickly is not the word I would use .