Following the Champions League Qualifier Draw, BigBananaFeet remembers going to see the glorious Glasgow Celtic played Cliftonville in 1984.
His recollection paints quite a picture:
Dear E-Tims,
I thought I would put down a few words on the last time I went to see Cliftonville and Celtic in a friendly match in Belfast. It was probably the most exciting game I have ever been at. Exciting, nerve wrecking, tense are just some of the adjectives I could use to describe it. It was also the only sporting event I have ever been at in my puff when I thought I wasn’t going to live to see the end of the day. This all had nothing whatsoever to do with what was happening on the pitch, although I do remember a final scoreline of 4-0 to Celtic but then again I didn’t stay until the end of the game.
What I do remember about the match most clearly was running to the exit as the British soldiers were attacking us. A riot of some sort had kicked off due to the crowd chanting the name of Séan Downes and the police and army entered stage right. As we ran to the exit I looked around panic stricken trying to find my younger brother who had come along with me and my mates to the game. The plastic bullets were being fired behind us and whizzed over our heads as I thought if one of those yokes doesn’t get me my ma will, for losing the brother in all this mayhem.
We got out relatively unscathed, brother and all, but I remember looking to the jungle as we forced our way onto the street, and seeing the RUC baton charge the supporters and thinking of a friend of mine who had been at the front line (well actually hanging from the meshing behind the goals). As it turned out he only needed 20 stitches as his head made contact with an RUC baton. When we got out onto the Cliftonville Road the whole thing had kicked off. There were fires, bullets, baton charges and we just wanted to get away out of it.
Fortunately my mate’s da was there to collect us and as we were going to Andersonstown he decided to go back into the city centre and go up the west link. We got about 100 metres down the Cliftonville Road when an army jeep pulled out of nowhere and forced us off the road, up onto the pavement and almost into a collision with a rather permanent looking wall. This was before anyone had ever heard of seatbelts in the rear, so the four of us in the back all went spilling forward trying desperately to break the launch. My mate ended up through the two front seats but fortunately his father’s elbow broke his fall and split his lip.
In one split second the soldiers had surrounded the car and with their rifles raised and pointing at the car they asked us politely if we would mind exiting the vehicle in order for them to verify who we were. My mate’s father, who was an invalid, had on the car electric windows, and fortunately had the presence of mind to have his finger on the button and wind the window down without making any sudden movements. He was able to shout at the army “They’re children, they’re children for God’s sake” and even the British army will respect that and maybe also an invalid sticker on a car, so thankfully they lowered their weapons and then politely asked us all to get out of the car for a thorough search of us and the car.
Anyway it was a hectic experience and when me and my brother got home my mother asked how was the match and my brother looked at me and said “I think it was 3-0 to Celtic and Tommy Burns had a good game.”
Anyone else there? Let us know your memories at etims.contact@gmail.com
Cover and Piece Picture courtesy of Victor Patterson site
Desi
Very interesting and frightening post. I was not at the Cliftonville game but did have a sort of similar military/police experience in Colraine one time and Celtic were not playing. I am baffled by the notion that football is a source of rebellion and disruption and that is not limited to Northern Ireland and days gone by – ask the GB. Is it simply an easy option for forces to reach targets or is there a more subtle underhand purpose? Surely it could not possibly be that the “boys in blue” are in it all together? No, it couldn’t. Could it?
H H
Good point Arthur, was thinking of a GB angle here but left out. Is it a sign of things to come ( hopefully not of course) or a perspective reminder..compare and contract style.
Trust your well and okay for your wee blue pills!
I see the comparison you two are trying to draw with recent events but take a step back for a second. The trials and tribulations of the GB can never be compared to the plight of Catholics in the 6 counties over the years. These type of happenings were practically a daily occurrence in them days.
Lest we forget. See, we can use that slogan too.
Indeed Frank, hence i said just an angle but not the same of course but could be an argument for a case of relativity
the STENCH OF THE FUCKING R U C
I was at the game with my father years ago, even before the game had started you could feel the tension in the air, while walking up the Cliftonville road the RUC/ Brits were harassing people, searching / and mocking the death of Sean Downes looking for a reaction,as for the trouble in the ground there was no need for security forces to be there, the way they attacked the fans with their batons and the firing on plastic bullets wouldn’t have happened anywhere else in the world . N Ireland is the only place it is allowed to happen in , the only surprise was that no one was killed, and for the comment by Frank McGarvey made the other day about being chased off the pitch by a fan carriying a brick well I can’t remember that I also asked my father and he z the same, why would a fan want to do that when all the fans were surporting the same teams, I’m not saying it didn’t happen but we didn’t c it, looking forward to the up coming games
Dirty rotten black bastard’s that’s what they were known as by us the people of west belfast,a bunch of bigoted orange scum who joined the ruc for 1 reason to harras imtimadate and murder catholics
I,m glad you were all ok,your Da seemn like a true hero to me.Ghod bless yeez all.