The Clock End thread

[BournemouthRED]

I would love to hear some stories about the clock end, some brilliant stories came out the North Bank thread but to me the clock end was always special. My first game at highbury my dad took me to we sat in the clock end, we played man city and the guy next to me was really grumpy and just sat there swearing under his breath. turns out he was a man city fan, when we scored i jumped around and went mental and he just sat there, i accidently jumped on his feet and he just got up and left

[flash gunner]

I used to mix my time in the NB or the CE, standing next to the away fans used to crank the atmosphere a bit.... One of my most vivid memories was standing there when David O'leary broke the games played record it was against Norwich. For a start it was a really strange game 1-0 down then 2-1 up then 3-2 down eventually winning 4-3 (i think) there was a mass brawl and O'leary even got on the scoresheet!!!!

The atmosphere was amazing and after the pitch brawl it did turn a bit nastier although nothing happened i remember the police coming into us and one of them took his helmet off and smacked a black lad on the head with it, it was disgusting this poor kid was nearly knocked out

[mrgnu1958]

well ya got wet alot.

[Henry Norris 1913]

during the all seater days it was the loudest part of highbury , remember standing up at highbury in the CE in 2005 when we beat the totts 1-0. probably the loudest I ever heard the place

[Reg Niseth]

Progressed to the CE in 78/79 only going back on the NB for the **** etc when they would try and take it or for the usual end of season CE taking the NB excursion.

Back then most away fans congregated around the tunnel if in large numbers. No Fences back then so very easy to get in amongst them. That was always fun tapping them on the shoulder and putting a finger to ya lips and asking them to ssshhhh.

Remember kicking off bad against Leeds in 82.

On the late 70s we experienced some games where the **** and mancs turned up after their games were postponed. Think mancs were on the CE when we beat the geordies 5-3 and **** against Walsall.

Think the chavs and mancs turned up against Barnsley but my memory is going a bit.

Took my future missus on the CE against Gothenburg in 79/80 she hated it and thankfully has never wanted to return.

Moved into West Lower in about 84

[alanalansunderland]

We get cold we get wet but we aint been taken yet were the clock end!

My mate used to stand on a stool that his dad had made for him to be able to see more easily. Quite often the stool was borrowed when it went off and then safely returned once everyone had calmed down.

Not sure if it was the same game as Reg mentioned but I remember one time the Salford Reds came into the Arsenal section of the Clock End. They came in giving it large about 100 strong and they were soon surrounded by Arsenal. The Arsenal kept very silent and I mst admit in my youthful innocence I thought maybe they were going to get away with taking a liberty.

Next thing I know there is a massive surge into the United and yours truly finds himself pushed right into the middle of all the Mancs. They soon sussed i wasn't one of them (better dressed) and it was a case of having to fight my way back out to safe ground.

The poor Mancs did not know what hit them after that as it seemed like the whole of the end wanted blood. Lots of so called tough guys wer eliterally pleading to get out, absolute carnage.

As Reg says the annual Clock End visit to the North bank was fun as well.

Many memories of the Clock End, including my first encounter with 'The Bear' but thats another story.

[Eboue-Why?]

[quote="Reg Niseth"]
Back then most away fans congregated around the tunnel if in large numbers. No Fences back then so very easy to get in amongst them. That was always fun tapping them on the shoulder and putting a finger to ya lips and asking them to ssshhhh.

Yep remember that very well Reggie. The tunnel was the 'segregation' but it never did work and the Old Bill never really knew who was who and in the 70s it was great to stand on the NB and sing 'Clock End Clock End do your stuff.....'
Vivid memories of Forest when they came up in '78 and Arsenal piled in and you could see all the pints of beer being thrown across at them! I also remember Arsenal storming the turnstiles when The Chavs were there but they were beaten back but the numbers were probably 500 to 1 so a bit stacked against The Gooners that day!

[charliegeorgewhocanhitem]

First time on the CE was about 76, against Coventry in the FA cup, felt sorry for them a wee bit as they got completely scattered well before ko. In those days there was no segregation at all and I'd witnessed quite a few offs there from the NB, notably us getting stuck into Leeds about 1975, one of the ugliest atmospheres I ever experienced at Highbury, during and after the game with the NB clearing out early to get up to Highbury Hill and Drayton PK to help out. Spent quite a few seasons swapping between ends. One of the funniest nights on the CE was again against Leeds, on the night we beat them 7-0 in the league cup, no trouble but standing on the other side of the tunnel to them, the whole night was spent taking the piss Another memorable night for me on the CE was the home leg against Juventus in the 1980 cup winners cup semi, we drew 1-1 but had a great night with a great atmosphere from all sides of the old girl Got soaked on there a few times sun burnt on there a few times but would give anything to go back to the days when I could choose between there and the NB, they were *our ends* in *our* ground and everyone felt glad and proud to stand on them and defend them if the need arose.

[afchackney]

CLOCK END DO UR JOB
CLOCK END
CLOCK END DO UR JOB

CLOCK END DO UR JOB
CLOCK END
CLOCK END DO UR JOB

was only around for all seater clock end unfortunately

[highburyJD]

my favourite clock end story is a boxing day game
went to Highbury with my mum as we always do on boxing day - think it was still standing
there was a bloke behind us who was just moaning on and on
basically giving a running commentary that was beyond negative
this dude would make augie and gallasvoice look like swales and kenneth the page's lovechild
he simply wouldn't shut up
"adams - shit touch, punts it clear, dixon can't pass loses it, davis doesn't know where he is, winterburn rubbish over runs ball etc etc"
admittedly it was a dreadful game (think it was 0-0 with ipswich) but this guy was such a miserable bast he really began to get on our nerves
halftime my mum said to me she'd had enough
we tried to move away from him but somehow he ended up behind us again
and his 2nd half whining was just as bad if not worse - relentlessly slating each player

eventually my mum decided she'd had enough, turned round and said "obviously you hate the team but the rest of us are here to enjoy the game, why don't you just shut up?"
everyone turned round to see what was happening
the bloke replied "well I can't shut up, because my friend here is blind and he won't know whats going on"
ever seen somebody try and hide in a crowd?
was hilarious, even I turned round and blanked her
she felt so guilty, could hear people nearby saying why is that woman being horrible to that nice man looking after his blind friend
now a classic family story
she's basically never lived it down

[I Hate Hleb]

[xDAVEYx]

there's a blind guy behind my dad and when his audio commentary doesnt work, the foreign guy next to him mates motson sound talented

my first game was in the clock end too, but on a tiny plastic seat

[flash gunner]

my favourite clock end story is a boxing day game
went to Highbury with my mum as we always do on boxing day - think it was still standing
there was a bloke behind us who was just moaning on and on
basically giving a running commentary that was beyond negative
this dude would make augie and gallasvoice look like swales and kenneth the page's lovechild
he simply wouldn't shut up
"adams - shit touch, punts it clear, dixon can't pass loses it, davis doesn't know where he is, winterburn rubbish over runs ball etc etc"
admittedly it was a dreadful game (think it was 0-0 with ipswich) but this guy was such a miserable bast he really began to get on our nerves
halftime my mum said to me she'd had enough
we tried to move away from him but somehow he ended up behind us again
and his 2nd half whining was just as bad if not worse - relentlessly slating each player

eventually my mum decided she'd had enough, turned round and said "obviously you hate the team but the rest of us are here to enjoy the game, why don't you just shut up?"
everyone turned round to see what was happening
the bloke replied "well I can't shut up, because my friend here is blind and he won't know whats going on"
ever seen somebody try and hide in a crowd?
was hilarious, even I turned round and blanked her
she felt so guilty, could hear people nearby saying why is that woman being horrible to that nice man looking after his blind friend
now a classic family story
she's basically never lived it down

Very funny

[hugh jardon]

Classic - even the blind man's commentator is a realist

[mikeyb772001]

the season after the north bank was pulled down, i started standing in the clock end, loved being near the away fans as it was pure banter and it vamped up the atmosphere! I was only about 15 and a little gobby bastard at that haha. Best memory u have was when we played the spuds , i was standing near the fence which seperates us from the away fans and i got in an argument with the most freaky ugly spud fan ever, he was older than me and should of known better but fuck was he ugly! I told him how ugly he was and before i knew it i had the nearly the whole clock behind me singing "he is ugly, he is ugly" to the tune of we are sailing! fucking classic, the guy run off and hid!