When comedy turned to violence

Last updated : 21 April 2002 By Rob Stanway
Ashton Gate taken Last Year


Word has got back to Stoke City MAD HQ from a local resident who claimed that the scenes outside his house were an absolute bloodbath when Bristol City and Stoke City fans met in the local area near the ground.

In fact, scenes got so ugly that the man was forced to dial 999 when he saw terrible injuries to some of those who were fighting.

As a traveling supporter on that day, I can assure those who didn't go - Stoke fans were not even winding the opposition fans up - there was a great atmosphere inside the ground and Stoke fans were on the slow walk out when the Bristol City fans on the pitch (the annual invade the pitch at the final game) ran towards the away end and excellent stewards reacted quickly and bravely to form a line to prevent the Bristol City fans from getting to the away end.

Stoke fans stood watching in disbelief and even I found the scenes inside the ground quite amusing, it was something that you just didn't expect at all.

I, luckily, was not caught up in what happened outside as my father and I made a quick exit and did not even see any actual fighting between sets of supporters.

It is unknown why the Bristol City fans started the trouble, one simple answer is those that did it were absolute pillocks but the Stoke fans were just there for a nice day out, and thats what most people got.