NUFC Fans - 1971/72
Context
Heels were getting higher, pants were getting hotter and the first shimmerings of Glam could be seen in the distance. The film Shaft coined a new phrase - "Blaxploitation" - and led to a revival in soul music.
By way of contrast unemployment was rising, miners were striking and the working week was temporarily reduced from five to three. The economy was in turmoil and many an evening was spent by candlelight.
There was a violent backdrop to the early seventies. Films such as Straw Dogs, Dirty Harry and A Clockwork Orange were all released whilst the troubles in Northern Ireland continued to escalate.
The football crisis had continued to intensify with attendances continuing to fall. Lack of entertainment, too much televised football and increased levels of violence both on and off the pitch were seen as the main factors.
Popular no more
With agreement reached with the Council at last it was the end for the 10,000 capacity Popular Enclosure on the Leazes Terrace side of the pitch. The three sided ground made for a bizarre sire although it did allow for some lucky spectators to watch the match free from the balcony along the Terrace.
This was Phase 1 of the ground improvement plan which was scheduled to take ten years and cost approximately £1 million. The end result would be a uniform fully cantilevered concrete stadium with a capacity of 47,340 (22,140 seated).
Many British football grounds had not been improved for decades; SJP was no exception. Clubs had not been willing to put cash into improving their grounds and many were in a dilapidated and unsafe state. Following the Ibrox disaster of the previous season an investigation was commissioned by the Home Secretary.
The Wheatley Report called for much stricter crowd control and for football grounds to be subject to the same safety rules as other places of entertainment such as cinemas and theatres. Unfortunately it would be another three years before the Safety At Grounds Act was introduced and even this could not prevent further tragedies.
Attendances
In 1970/71 average First Division attendances had fallen to 30,205 - which represented a 5.7% drop on the previous season - and there was much soul-searching within the game about what needed to be done.
With the arrival of Supermac, Hibbitt and Green and the better football on offer the average attendance at SJP during the season was 32,398 which was a slight increase on the previous season.
The top crowd was for the home game against League leaders Man Utd; 55,603. The lowest crowd of 18,927 was for the penultimate home game against WBA.
But as The Magpies struggled early doors there was dissension among the fans and the media even suggested that they might start boycotting games. But despite the fact that less than 21,000 turned up to see Palace visit St James' the arrival of Green and the transformation in form soon had them flocking back.
Fans Survey
The renewed optimism was demonstrated by an end of season Sunday Sun poll of supporters views.
When asked if they would rather see attacking football with more risk of defeat rather than defensive football with more chance of success a whopping 79% voted for the attacking option.
50% thought the club wasn't doing enough to attract quality local talent but 64% were "satisfied" with the current squad.
60% thought that United should spend more money on the facilities for fans and players whilst the rest thought it was more important to improve the team. 60% were also happy with the club's expenditure on the ground and the squad during the last 12 months.
Songs of Strife
Older fans were starting to listen to LPs with progressive and heavy rock continuing to lead the way, but the singles market was becoming increasingly tacky. There was a certain yobbish synthesis between the new chart acts and the rise of terrace culture although the harder element refused to wear platformed shoes despite the obvious visibility advantage they could provide.
Pop songs of the time became the inspiration for new football songs; amazingly one of the most lasting has been "Chirpy Chirpy Cheep Cheep" by Scottish band Middle of the Road. It's chorus of "Where's your mama gone.... etc" has proved very useful over the years for taunting opposition fans. United fans used it to good effect to enquire upon the whereabouts of Aston Villa's captain "ooh ah" Paul Mcgrath when the Irish tippler went awol, more recently it has been used regularly to question Leeds fans about their club's financial impropriety.
In contrast it is thought unlikely whether any supporters managed to adapt Benny Hill's Christmas Number One "Ernie (The fastest milkman in the west)" into a terrace anthem.
Trouble.
Northumberland Police launched a special task force to deal with weekend trouble makers using "mobile" squads ready to go to any trouble spot.
Magistrates were also being encouraged to hand out heavier fines and a Liverpool fan was fined £102 after an incident in the game against Man United.
At the match at White Hart Lane a Spurs fan fired staples at Newcastle players with a staple gun. Tottenham received a fine of £2000.
During the Texaco Cup match with Hearts, the supporters from Edinburgh engaged in a spot of bottle throwing at the Gallowgate End.
There was a massive police operation for the visit of Manchester United in October and this helped prevent any major outbreaks of trouble although there were still 13 arrests and 31 people hurt including half a dozen who needed hospital treatment.
George Best was also in need of police assistance and body guards after receiving death threats.
There was more trouble when the blue half of Manchester were in Town. One of the City coaches was attacked by United thugs as it parked in Stanhope St before the match. One wielded an iron crowbar and five windows were smashed. The driver admitted it was the third time that season his vehicle had been attacked.
Rangers won the Cup Winners Cup after beating Moscow Dynamo in the final in Barcelona, however one man died and 150 were injured after Rangers fans repeatedly invaded the pitch. Rangers were banned from European Competition for 2 years.
Borussia Moenchengladbach beat Inter Milan 7-1 in the European Cup but the game was declared void because an Inter player had to be carried off after being hit by a beer can thrown from the crowd.
The Chairman of the National Federation of Supporters Clubs attacked the Football League's ban on flags and banners as "ridiculous and pointless".
Fans of Belgian side Beerschot stole the Belgian Cup in a protest against their sides poor League form.
Lack of entertainment
During 1971/72 there was a slight improvement in the number of goals scored to 2.5 goals per game, Newcastle's average was 2.51.
A new offside rule was piloted in the Watney Cup whereby a player could only be offside in the opponents penalty area. An official report on the experiment was very positive.
TV
Many people were convinced that there was too much football on the television and the League reached a new agreement with the television companies that brought in the following rules.
A reduction in the number of televised midweek games.
A club had the right to opt out of a televised showing if it had been featured in any two of the previous four weeks. Derby actually banned the cameras from an FA Cup Tie claiming that the fee of £87.50 was too small.
Saturday dinner time discussions could not disclose the venue of a game to be shown later that day.
The play-back technique could not be used to "pillory" any of the match officials involved.
Lighting was also an issue. The FA lodged a protest to the BBC about the extra lighting installed at Middlesbrough to make colour transmission possible. "in future they have to put their lights above the existing pylons or stick to black and white" said secretary Hardaker.
Memorabilia and trivia
In the Pre Politically Correct seventies supporters could purchase a mink rosette from the club shop for 75p. The black and white rosettes were made out of real mink and produced at a mink farm in the north of Scotland.
A staff member said "We have always boasted that nothing but the best is good enough for Newcastle fans, now we have Malcolm Macdonald for them to watch on the field and mink rosettes for them to wear. Mink and Mac make a good combination".
Meanwhile the Supporters Club were offering "Dimple Beer Mugs" at 25p (pint size) or 18p (half pint)
In 1971 Esso gifts were "76 beautiful full-colour badge replicas of all leading clubs", everyone with "a shiny metal finish".
In 1972 they celebrated the 100th anniversary of the FA Cup with their Centenary Cup Coins collection; with "a coin for every one of today's professional clubs that has ever won the FA Cup (30 in all).
Meanwhile Shredded Wheat ("Man's natural breakfast") eaters could collect 30 free soccer action pictures to stick in their "Bob Wilson Soccer Action Collector Book" in which "Bob Wilson speaks his mind about soccer".
Roy Blackman became a national superstar as a result of his success on 'The Sky's the Limit quiz show answering questions about football
There were two new crazes for younger supporters: the loud, annoying and - as many a schoolchild was to discover - highly dangerous clackers and the equally bruise inducing space hopper.
Supporters who read football magazines have always been made to feel inferior