Season 1974/75 - The Fans
Help Me Make it Through the Fight.
The IRA had moved onto the mainland with avengance and trouble on the terraces was also escalating . Man United fans were causing havoc on their journeys around the Division 2 venues and a Blackpool fan was killed when he was stabbed at Bolton.
There was trouble at many Newcastle games; both home and away.
Thirty fans were arrested when trouble erupted before, during and after the Texaco Cup game at Roker Park. Toon fans attempted to infiltrate the Fulwell End but were escorted to the Roker End by the Boys in Blue
Then just before the start of the game around 200 United supporters marched from the Fullwell to the Roker; headed by a youth wearing "Clockwork Orange" style clothes and eye make-up. As they made their journey they informed the locals that "we'll fight you on the pitch"
I Get a Kick out of You
Chances of a "pitch" battle were severely hampered by the recently excavated four foot deep moats at either end. However this did not prevent two supporters getting on the pitch who proceeded to have a reasoned debate about existensionalism and it's part in modern football stadium design with a couple of the Sunderland players.
They attempted to seek refuge in the Clock Stand paddock but were chased out and arrested.
When United went to Turf Moor in November John Tudor needed 12 stitches in a head wound after Burnley supporters had thrown a heavy stone through the window of United's coach.
The same day saw United fans causing major damage as they ran amok in Burnley town centre.
The authorities still hadn't come up with an answer to tackle the problems although Sports Minister Denis Howell suggested the introduction of ID Cards. League President Shipman thought concentration camps were a more enlightened idea.
Debris in the Sky with Asbestos
When United visited the Baseball Ground in September the wind was decidedly blowy and during the First Half part of the (asbestos laden) roof was blown off. More came down during the half-time interval injuring a number of spectators. As you might expect, the game went on.
Make Me Smile (Sing up and Blaspheme)
When fans arrived at SJP for the third Texaco Cup group match against Middlesbrough they were handed leaflets encouraging them to keep their oratory clean. It didn't work too well as there was obscene chanting throughout the game.
The club also printed a list of "dos and don'ts" in the first home programme. The dont's included running on the pitch, obscene chanting and the more esoteric "don't become involved in crowd hysteria".
You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet
The number of season tickets was increased to 9,800; 7000 of them sitting.
The average attendance of 33,960 was about 1,000 up on the previous season and was the best since the sixties. Top crowd was 43,526 for the visit of then League leaders Ipswich.
Sad Sweet Dreamers
The Supporters Club celebrated it's 20th anniversary in 1975 but it's headquarters remained at the Bridge Hotel. They also had a shop at Number 2 St James' Street and were looking for new headquarters next door. Unfortunately the cost of taking over the Working Man's club was deemed too prohibitive
Membership remained on a season by season basis, cost 20p and and passed the 5,000 mark for the first time.
Autobahn
Coach travel was provided to away games with a starting point of Morden Street. They usually returned straight after the game but occasionally (generally for London games) overnight stays were included.
There was a dress code for "trippers" which included no "half-mast" trousers, no "unfriendly-looking" boots and no alcohol.
They also made use of a 62 seater rail coach for selected games.
The Hustle
The Magpie Mag (the official yearbook) was available for 20p whilst a new club tie was introduced "of modern design (kipper style)".
Get Dancing
This season saw United even more schizophrenic than usual with even the programme getting in on the act.
The first half of the season had a glossy A5 sized version with 22 pages. The front cover paying respects to the fans who saw United's unvictorious 1974 cup losing team home.
But the 1975 version was an inch taller and wider but lost four pages and its gloss finish.
They couldn't seem to decode on the contents either. Gibbo had the "comment honours" throughout but various other articles came and went with no rhyme nor reason. They even had a one-off coaching class in the Man City game.
At the start of the season the club experimented with a strange marketing idea of selling the programme inside the ground only
And during the season the club - along with many others - stopped including "League Football" as a free insert due to "alarming increases in costs".
Reach Out I'll Be There
In the club's never ending quest to make life easier for the supporter they introduced their "latest signing": MABUS. It was a five lined taped information service which could handle 20 calls a minute; but obviously did not have the personality of the current ticket office staff
Can't Get Enough of Football Babe
It was mag eat mag in the world of football literature with many titles being swallowed up by others.
"Scorcher and Score" joined forces with the cross sport "Tiger". Billy's Boots, Nipper, Hot Shot Hamish and Pete's Page were all on the retained list and joined Roy of the Rovers, but it was the end of the road for Jack and Jimmy, Triptoe Triers, Beau Bannion Star Spotter, Lag's Eleven and Bobby of the Blues.
It was a similar story on the monthlies with "Football Digest" (the short lived little son of Football Monthly) and "Football Pictorial" joining forces under the new cut-down moniker of "Football".
Bucking the trend of downsizing was a new monthly magazine "Football News"