Arsenal v Wolves Jan 1978 - 500 Chelsea Headhunters Invade The Clock End. Here’s What Happened

[@carlroberts8013]

It was Chelsea North Stand not Headhunters in 1978.

[@PaulWalshp-wx4in]

Ere Carl always sat next too you in the benches 😂😂😂💙💙💙💪

[@PaulWalshp-wx4in]

Mr Roberts Tresham Crescent 👌👌👌💙💙💙

[@KryptonitetoallBS]

So by all accounts at least a 300 strong Chelsea firm "paid into Highbury" and then stood around doing nothing, whilst in amongst Wolves and Arsenal fans, then quietly left and went home! Come on who writes this???..... Jackanory!!!

[@ajp8941]

It’s actually pretty much what happened!

[@Timeforafag]

Set the correct parlance for the day - They never called them firms but crews. Arsenals crew was known as the clockend because that’s where they stood. Chelsea were not known as Head-hunters but as Chelsea’s crew and they stood in the North Stand. We had played Wolves the previous week in the league, and they had brought down a coach load of scarfers that sat in the stand. Imagine my surprise when I walked onto the North Bank not long after the turnstiles had opened a week later and saw a massive contingent of 4,000 Wolves fans on the clockend. They were positioned in the middle but occupying the top part of the terrace. This was going to be different from most brawls on the clockend as Arsenal’s clockend crew usually arrived after the pubs had shut and started attacking away fans at 2:50. They started early this time with a mob of about 100 charging into the left side of the wolves fans punching and kicking as they went. They made inroads into the side of the packed ranks of Wolves fans and at the same time some more clockend had infiltrated at the very back and now they came fighting through the wolves fans down the terrace. They ended up at the front and continued to charge up into the wolves fans from this position. At the same time the police on the left had started to gain some control and had managed to push the Arsenal fans back from the position they had taken from wolves. A gap opened between the sets of fans and an Arsenal lad clearly visible from the North Bank could be seen running towards the wolves fans, he launched himself boots first across the gap and landed in the Wolves fans, he got a huge cheer from the North Bank and was promptly arrested by the OB. Then an Arsenal mob bigger than what was on the left announced itself by steaming into the Wolves fans on the right, so now Wolves fans were well under siege by mobs to the sides and below and taking a bit of a hiding. By now nobody was watching the game, we were all transfixed with what was going on in the Clockend. Then what appeared to be for no reason Arsenal’s crew on the right stopped attacking the Wolves fans and went silent while the crew in front and on the left carried on their attack. Unbeknown to me until years later the OB had told them they are about to bring in some Chelsea lads that were heading to Arsenal as their game had been called off and they were going to be positioned near the Arsenal crew. What I saw was in the bottom right-hand corner of the clockend Chelsea scarves held aloft and they started singing Chelsea. Arsenal crew steamed straight into them and started knocking seven bells out of them. The police intervened, but it was no use, Chelsea got run around the Clockend and embarrassingly ended up having to run towards Wolves fans who promptly gave them a kicking as well. The final humiliation came when Arsenal crew broke through police lines again to run them out of the ground. That’s what happened that day.

[@stephenatkinson-vc1me]

Get your facts right.chelsea never got touched.there was no trouble

[@ajp8941]

Pretty accurate account. Close to 50,000 there. Arsenal Wolves had quite a thing going in the ‘70s: the third round FA Cup tie in about ‘75 saw Arsenal try - and fail - to take the Wolves north bank. Plenty of fighting in the south bank. I guess 4000 Arsenal there that day. Then a lot of aggro in the Clock End in about 1980 - I think it was Andy Gray’s debut for them? Big Wolves firm out that day.

[@SteveFraserLewis]

The pitch at Stamford Bridge was waterlogged that day. It didn’t stop raining. There were at least 3-5000 in the Shed when it was called off. I hadn’t gone in so did an about turn and went home. I heard a lot of supporters saying they were going to Highbury. That evening On match of the day the cameras focused on some of the Chelsea fans in the crowd. These were the days of scarves (wool or silk ) being tied round wrists as well as around the neck. It looked like no more than 200-300 maybe not even as many as that.They hadn’t been ejected, and Arsenal hadn’t chased them out. I’ve never heard of any serious trouble that day. The rearranged match versus Burnley was played on a Tuesday evening. I think the following week, and we won 6-2 which then led to the next game versus Orient. Good days when you just turned up on the day and paid. The previous round to this we’d done Liverpool 4-2. Unbelievable to beat them and then lose to Orient after the 6-2 win V Burnley.

[@ajp8941]

I think there were a max of about 100 Chelsea there that day.

[@davidcrabb3967]

Our game called off my mate went while I went to Brentford, he said they were fighting Arsenal one side and Wolves the other side in the ground then his Mum slapped him when he got home as she had saw him fighting on tv

[@markpaulo269]

😂

[@wannazirul1666]

Notorious mom in UK😂

[@raytanner4138]

It was common for away teams to get help from other London clubs when they came to Highbury, sometimes two or three firms, the more the merrier.

[@markpaulo269]

I remember Tottenham fighting Arsenal in the Loft.

[@redflag8970]

They didn’t come to help they came for agro with anyone.

[@ajp8941]

Chelsea were certainly with Arsenal at the Heysel in 1980, ECWC final.

[@medievaljoustingimplement]

The Chelsea boys were coming round to have it off with us 😂😂😂 I bet they were 😂😂

[@rebelcityred1624]

Funny that “Wolves fan Bill” conveniently forgets to mention Forest visiting Moulinex In 77, and again in 78…6/7 thousand Forest and Wolves didn’t move us an inch…Good mate of mine came back with a lovely sheepskin courtesy of a Wolves fan. Also,Wolves (in their own words) took their worst ever away day battering at the City Ground in 76…All the Wolves mob out the ground b4 half time, many running to escape down the players tunnel!…

[@OldWolflad]

No denying that mate - other than the big clubs who brought 10,000 plus (like Man Utd, Liverpool), Forest were the best mob to come to Wolves, both those years other than Chelsea. Forest didn't budge but didn't take liberties either - but credit where credits due it was even stevens with Forest on the South Bank. Everton also good for a smaller mob at Wolves in the 70s. Tough lads too. Yes Wolves did get battered at Forest first away game in Division 2 following our relegation. Not sure how many Wolves were there - 2500? Thing is about Forest back then, they could move around all 4 sides (I think) of the City Ground. Not many police there, so Wolves were split into small groups as they arrived into the ground and attacked by Forest at different points and different parts of the ground. It was very nasty and to be honest Wolves were not expecting that. Wolves took a much better firm there the year after and it was still nasty but we stood our ground that time. As rebelcityred states, Forest brought 5-6000 to Wolves for the return fixture and the year after. It was very hostile on the South Bank but Wolves couldn't move Forest but it was going off constantly both games.

[@richardwatkiss3444]

prob cos it wasnt the george mob that got done 76 ffs n yes wolves got done but a yr or so later when george was up n running not a chance, every single 1 of our lot were nuts n i mean psycho no1 took the george n thats fact, very few tried, blues annihilated, leeds same, west ham was close n i got done b4 the rest got there, my own gobby fault but hey ho a good day n west ham were good n only boro ever came in amongst us on SB n kicked off n respect to them tho they were shifted go tell ya stories to impressionable gullible fools JACKANORY

[@jackmorgan2163]

it was southampton game at chelsea i was there arse had undersoil heating there was least 2 thousand chelsea there

[@philwise872]

Went up to Highbury for a cup game 79-80 with Brighton. Really poor turn out from us that day,due to the fact Arsenal had taken some liberties in an earlier League Cup game that season down at the Goldstone. There were a few Chelsea in with us that day too,must like cup games 😆. Anyway,there was a little skirmish in with us lot after one of Arsenal's goals,nothing major. A real shit day that one,embarrassing turn out and lost 3-0 I think it was

[@bosh5049]

Brighton eh!! Remember going to yours in a cup game I think it was, back to the walls as they say. COYL

[@timphillips9954]

As a Brighton fan Arsenal were a bit of a joke away from home. They would always try and get into the North stand. Most years they would just stand to one side and make some noise. Friday night in Brighton was the same story. West Ham and Millwall were a different story especially West ham who were always well organised,

[@hooligoonerherdeie9682]

​@@timphillips9954 you don't know Arsenal you plum, we used to batter west ham on barking road and hackney road, and we used to choke hold millwall at whitechapel and london bridge, what could you brighton boy's do ??? Throw oyster's at us ??? Stick to drinking cocktail's at your pier, not even Chris Eubank could save you lot😒

[@ajp8941]

@@timphillips9954The league cup tie - see above - was a bit different though….

[@OldWolflad]

Wolves just didn’t have the numbers away from home to take on the big clubs in the 70s. Good at home for a small city/town and I guess back in the 70s Wolves had their hands full trying to cope with the huge invasions of big clubs. It was simply a numbers thing to be honest, away from home Wolves outside the midlands, rarely travelled well. Arsenal had a huge mob that day, many black lads outside who were after Wolves because a few Wolves had worn KKK white hoods at Exeter and it was in the press. At the end Wolves were happy to stand behind the police I think. The following season Wolves smashed an Arsenal mob outside the Holte End in the FA Cup semi-final. Subway Army were not around then, please stop saying 'Subway Army'.

[@markjohn1910]

Leave off !!! You forgot to mention Wolves completely bottled it at Arsenal

[@OldWolflad]

@@markjohn1910 They did bottle it - I said as much. Arsenal had a very tasty crew outside that day. Wouldn't be the only fans reluctant to engage with a much larger body of home fans. I said above that Wolves didn't travel well to London nor the big clubs in the 70s.

[@markjohn1910]

@@OldWolflad ok . I bow to your superior knowledge

[@SM-co3bv]

​@@markjohn1910 Talk crap. Went to the Arsenal match when Chelsea were there. There were a group of Arsenal in with the Wolves and when Arsenal scored a big gap appeared and people were getting crushed. I never saw one thump thrown just people getting crushed. There was no trouble with the Chelsea fans at all. Also the Chelsea fan who said he went in the North bank( at the end of the match), fails to mention that they came through the kids enclosure. Wolves left the South Bank which was now their end and kicked shit out of Chelsea outside saint Peters Church. I went to both matches and saw with my own eyes both accounts. Funny how people can make things up on the Internet.

[@OldWolflad]

@@SM-co3bv Yep Chelsea sort of took the North Bank in 1978 which disappointed me as the Wolves mob were right next to them in the South bank. Why didn't they try and come in the Wolves section of the South Bank, gates were open.? I guess we will never know why.

[@jamesrandle2583]

So I got to the Bridge about 1pm for our game against Burnley but it was called off - we got into the North Bank with about 50 others and stayed there the whole of the game . About a 1000 other Chelsea got into the Clock End but not much happened during the game - after the game a few skirmishes and we were attacked by Gooners but the Old Bill were on there A game that day and soon sorted it out so got back to the Tube station without any more problems. To be honest This is all hype as no serious trouble happened that day.

[@ajp8941]

I don’t recall any Chelsea in the NB that day - you must have been very very quiet….

[@jamesrandle2583]

@@ajp8941 maybe a bit quiet but Arsenals fans new who we were - the Donkey Jackets, Jeans and Doc Martins gave us away - Standard issue for Shed Boys in those days

[@ajp8941]

Except that a lot of Arsenal were also wearing DJs, jeans and boots in 1978 )

[@richardwatkiss3444]

met up with few of yours when we played brentford. stayed in Sunbury. 3 fishes pub. had a great long wk end but the mrs left me lol about 85ish. about 20 yours came to game with us as Steve Fisher who i worked for was an old chelsea lad.

[@markjenner7199]

Sounds like a waste of time showing this as nothing happened all just show and no having a go😮

[@davidthorpe635]

I was there we battered ya ,wolves aywe

[@hooligoonerherdeie9682]

Wolves are fraud's.

[@WWFCINCOG]

@@hooligoonerherdeie9682 chatting out your arse. Arsenal have been finished since about ‘98.

[@johnoriordan5056]

More like 50

[@PaulWalshp-wx4in]

DOES IT MATTER RARSENAL HAD A MAKKER FIRM 😂😂💙💙💙💪💪

[@Stevonthemove]

100000 turned up

[@PaulWalshp-wx4in]

ALWAYS BEEN A WALKOVER RARSENAL 😂😂💪💪💙💙💙

[@bowbutter7608]

The temple boys the subway army the bridge boys some of these stories?

[@richardwatkiss3444]

Temple street mafia was 70s then late 70s to 84 subway and george army. then bridge boys late 80s then yam yam army GS

[@tommybarwick2991]

What a load of cobblers

[@richardwatkiss3444]

thats northampton mate

[@raytanner4138]

Only heard of Gooners and Yid Army in late seventies, Chelsea were known as rent or shed boys. Headhunters was never mentioned until 1990's when they had a lot of Union jack waving, growling tattooed skin heads following them.

[@ajp8941]

Gooners - and the Herd - only existed in the ‘80s.

[@007mrboydy]

Wolves fans taken a away end dont make me fuckin laugh they really went anywere shithouse away firm. Sounds like a bit of enid blyton😂😂 old anfield rd boy. Tried to take arsenal end must of gone in the wrong end and shit themselves😂😂

[@OldWolflad]

Scousers back in them days ran in hordes, not got a reputation for being good in equal numbers though. Everton excepted who were always class.

[@richardwatkiss3444]

abs bs nob. i was in Annie rd as a 15yr old in 73/4 about 50 of us kids u you did what u always did STANLEY, in park n us kids made a stand by cemetary. absolute liberty takers. / i also went in Boothen rd end stoke wth older temple street lads about 73 so yeah we went in their end. shhhhhh ya chattin shyte n prob never thrown ya hands. prob held a blade or 2 nah probs not even the balls to do that bin dipper.

[@richardwatkiss3444]

oh 3 of us wolves went in shelf. now that was a mistake ill hold me hands up to that one pmsl only 15 stitches so walk in the park tbf