Old Everton Pictures

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Off the ESCLA Website. 1975 to Norwich. Looked up the score, lost 4-2 - Latchford and Pearson scored.

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Naughty, naughty


British Railways stops Liverpool football specials
British Railways stops Liverpool football specials

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British Railways announced yesterday that, for the first time, all football specials from Liverpool are to be stopped because, in spite of repeated appeals, hooliganism is still increasing.

The last special trains allowed were run last night to Burslem for the FA Cup replay between Port Vale and Liverpool. The return journeys were uneventful.

It was two hours after leaving Burslem that the final train reached Liverpool early this morning. The train carried 500 passengers. Two earlier trains conveying 1,100 people also had a quiet trip.

Some Liverpool supporters said it was the fault of the Evertonians that the specials were to be withdrawn. “It is not the Liverpudlians. In many years of travelling on specials I have never seen any vandalism. This is just railway prejudice against Liverpool,” said one of them.

Banning threat
Mr George Lambert, line manager for the North-west region - which extends from north of Crewe to the Scottish Border - had [said] earlier that yesterday’s excursion would be the last and that similar action would be taken at other places in the North-west if vandalism did not cease.

Hooliganism on trains returning from the Leeds United v. Everton match on Saturday, he said, was the “last straw.” Every precaution had been taken, including stopping the sale of alcoholic drink. He added:

“Cost is not the major factor leading me to this decision. I feel that British Railways is a great public institution and we have dignity and standards to maintain. I am not prepared to let British Railways become a music-hall joke.”

Mr Lambert thought hooliganism had been increasing for years. We were progressively becoming an ill-behaved nation.

He added that the Cup Final specials would not be affected, whether or not a Merseyside team were involved.

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Damage to a London to Liverpool football special train, 1960s.Photograph: Len Forde/ANL/REX/Shutterstock
Hooligan minority
Apart from the extensive damage done to the carriages themselves, there was special concern over the way communication cords were pulled, holding up following trains and causing inconvenience to ordinary travellers. Most of the cords were pulled in toilets and it was difficult for railway staff to keep watch. Mr Lambert disputed the view that the hooliganism was the work of a small minority. There might be a few ringleaders, he said, but it was plain that many more people were involved than that.

Mr John Moores, chairman of Everton football club, said yesterday that he could not blame British Railways for withdrawing the trains, but he wished the clubs had been consulted first so that a further appeal could have been made. He thought only a few people were causing the trouble. This, however, would act as a lesson to them, not only in Liverpool but in other parts of the country too.

Mr George Bailey, chairman of Everton supporters’ club, disclaimed any responsibility since all their supporters travelled in motor-coaches. He said that Everton supporters’ club had offered to put vigilantes on board the trains, but there had been no response from British Railways.

The decision to stop football excursions from Liverpool is the climax to a series of troubles this month. Hardly a football special from Liverpool on the shorter distances to the Midlands, Manchester, Blackburn, and Leeds has escaped damage this season.
 
Off the ESCLA Website. 1975 to Norwich. Looked up the score, lost 4-2 - Latchford and Pearson scored.

blue-streak.jpg


Naughty, naughty


British Railways stops Liverpool football specials
British Railways stops Liverpool football specials

140.jpg


British Railways announced yesterday that, for the first time, all football specials from Liverpool are to be stopped because, in spite of repeated appeals, hooliganism is still increasing.

The last special trains allowed were run last night to Burslem for the FA Cup replay between Port Vale and Liverpool. The return journeys were uneventful.

It was two hours after leaving Burslem that the final train reached Liverpool early this morning. The train carried 500 passengers. Two earlier trains conveying 1,100 people also had a quiet trip.

Some Liverpool supporters said it was the fault of the Evertonians that the specials were to be withdrawn. “It is not the Liverpudlians. In many years of travelling on specials I have never seen any vandalism. This is just railway prejudice against Liverpool,” said one of them.

Banning threat
Mr George Lambert, line manager for the North-west region - which extends from north of Crewe to the Scottish Border - had [said] earlier that yesterday’s excursion would be the last and that similar action would be taken at other places in the North-west if vandalism did not cease.

Hooliganism on trains returning from the Leeds United v. Everton match on Saturday, he said, was the “last straw.” Every precaution had been taken, including stopping the sale of alcoholic drink. He added:

“Cost is not the major factor leading me to this decision. I feel that British Railways is a great public institution and we have dignity and standards to maintain. I am not prepared to let British Railways become a music-hall joke.”

Mr Lambert thought hooliganism had been increasing for years. We were progressively becoming an ill-behaved nation.

He added that the Cup Final specials would not be affected, whether or not a Merseyside team were involved.

733.jpg

Damage to a London to Liverpool football special train, 1960s.Photograph: Len Forde/ANL/REX/Shutterstock
Hooligan minority
Apart from the extensive damage done to the carriages themselves, there was special concern over the way communication cords were pulled, holding up following trains and causing inconvenience to ordinary travellers. Most of the cords were pulled in toilets and it was difficult for railway staff to keep watch. Mr Lambert disputed the view that the hooliganism was the work of a small minority. There might be a few ringleaders, he said, but it was plain that many more people were involved than that.

Mr John Moores, chairman of Everton football club, said yesterday that he could not blame British Railways for withdrawing the trains, but he wished the clubs had been consulted first so that a further appeal could have been made. He thought only a few people were causing the trouble. This, however, would act as a lesson to them, not only in Liverpool but in other parts of the country too.

Mr George Bailey, chairman of Everton supporters’ club, disclaimed any responsibility since all their supporters travelled in motor-coaches. He said that Everton supporters’ club had offered to put vigilantes on board the trains, but there had been no response from British Railways.

The decision to stop football excursions from Liverpool is the climax to a series of troubles this month. Hardly a football special from Liverpool on the shorter distances to the Midlands, Manchester, Blackburn, and Leeds has escaped damage this season.
I was on the blue streak to Norwich! It was a shock to the system having to drink my cans of cider before getting on the train at about half 8 because they really were super strict about it on that first train. News reel of the train coming into Norwich with loads of lads jumping out of the doors early while the train was still moving was funny. We were rubbish on the pitch that day. Ted McDougall got a hatrick iirc, I think we were 4 down at half time!!!
 

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