It was one of the first live games at the New Den. It’s not something that gets spoken about really – with or without the live cameras, we wouldn’t be acting any differently. It was Sunday, 17 April 1994, so we were all going to miss midday mass and head straight to The Tropics for a few drinks before the game, all topped off with a few lines of charlie. The Saturday had been a heavy one; a few pills and plenty of beers the night before. So I woke up needing all the assistance I could get. The charlie and drinking put me on the right track and I was soon looking forward to Forest landing.
We knew they would bring a firm. Before the game, we were waiting in Ilderton Road expecting a show from them. Nothing. We made our way to the ground and went into the East Stand Lower next to the Forest fans. We were looking to get at them but the Old Bill had the situation under control. It was played in front of a hostile crowd. Things were looking good at the new ground as we had managed to bring the hostility with us. Forest had brought about 4,000 that day. It was one of the few times over the years that the Upper and Lower North Stand had been full.
Sure, I remember a good game, but it was one of the hazy days with all the drink and drugs. Around ten pints on the Friday night with a few brandies and whiskies thrown in, all on top of a tablet of Ecstasy and snorted back with a bit of charlie. On the Saturday, I really went for it – about 15 pints with a few brandies plus a couple more whiskies. The tablets weren’t so strong at that stage so I seem to remember a couple going down my neck on the Saturday night, washed down with the obligatory venom of a man who had been snorting cocaine through the day. On the Sunday, it was only a few pints, about three or four with a couple of brandies to liven yourself up and a couple of lines to kick-start you. Yeah. It was a hazy day. Remember it being 2–2 and a good game.
At the end, we left the ground looking to get to the Forest fans. We had to cut through the railway arches to get round to Rotherhithe New Road. As we cut through the Silwood Estate, we heard a big roar. Forest had come out of Zampa Road on to the Silwood behind us. They had attacked some fans about 50 yards away. We sprinted back and, as we arrived, Millwall were backing off. The ones that had been fighting were not our top boys but just stragglers at the back. They were holding their own and, once we arrived, it tipped the balance.
As I got there, this big cunt with long hair was in a stand-off, shouting, ‘Come on then,’ to a Millwall fan. I smacked him right in the side of the face. He had a right good stumble but he didn’t quite topple. People were piling in all over. It looked like a big mass of confusion all around, a big Wild West bar room brawl, fists flying everywhere. I remember thinking we were just starting to get the better. As I threw a punch, this big lump of wood came whistling towards my head. I ducked out of the way and it caught someone on the back. I don’t know if he was Millwall or Forest. The police came wading in with their batons, splitting us up and trying to grab people and nick them. A few of our boys got nicked and taken away. I was mashed but just about had my head together enough to realise it was time for me to get out of there. I was away with a big mass of others so was feeling safe. A couple of quick scans back showed me even more Old Bill had swarmed in and got the situation under control. Forest were herded off towards Surrey Quays station.
Me and the boys headed back to The Tropics. Fighting is quite a sobering experience. Head had been cleared by a bit of adrenalin. A few more pints topped the day and topped the weekend off. Plus we were still in with a good shout of promotion to the Premier League.