Reds v Newcastle 1981 came up on my FB feed this morning

We caught bus opposite the Bell. They were all over the place on crosshill and up Barnsley Rd, in good spirits though tbf. Tranny vans were the transport of choice back then, and they were parked outside every pub and club.

Great times to be a young reds fan.

Another time we played them, I saw someone I had gone to school with, proudly sitting on the bus with his Newcastle scarf on. He looked very worried, and we sloped off upstairs and left him to it. I didn’t fancy being him as the bus filled up, but I never saw him again, so don’t know how he fared.

 

I was there that day and took this photo from the West stand next to the tunnel at half time.



Edit, it's on youtube...

Me and my dad used to stand in the corner of the Ponty/West stand next to a family from the Toon who lived locally. They were still Newcastle fans but Barnsley were their 2nd team (I think they went to more matches at Oakwell than me since I was living in Cambridge at the time). Didn't see them that day, I suspect they went in the away end.

 

They gained revenge though when visiting us the following season, was it 0-5 ?.

 

They gained revenge before then with a 1-0 win in the return fixture at St James' Park lol.
That 5-0 defeat at Oakwell was a reight shock to the system lol. I think it towards end of the season after previously being cancelled?

 

We normally had a good record at home to them in the 80s.
Like against Leeds as well, some 'big' teams who brought a lot of fans, often didn't like visiting Oakwell.

 

Was this the game you had to produce a voucher with/or for a ticket??

 

Which game?
Newcastle you just ramped up.
I think it was the same for the Leeds game too in 82/83.... loads of hype; bouncers on pub doors and small groups chasing each other up and down the bus station until the Magnet opened at 6ish(?)