STEFF HIRST – BRADFORD OINTMENT

Hi Steff, How did you get into football and when?

I started watching Bradford in 1973 with my brother in law and his pal who was a big city fan, my old fella was a big Leeds fan and never missed a match, the first game I went to was Arsenal away game in the fa cup, City lost 2 nil, but it was a great day out.

What was your first memory of trouble at a football match?

First memory of trouble was in 1975 at Lincoln City, there was a pitch invasion and both sets of fans proper tore into each other, a couple of Lincoln fans got stabbed on the pitch I remember it been in the local paper and the local news on the Monday night. I started getting involved with the lads in 1976 and used to go with the lads off the estate and from school.

When did you become a football casual?

I became a casual around 83 84 after 30 of us bumped into the same number of Boro on Manningham Lane before a league cup game, what I noticed was every single one of em was wearing Patrick cagoules, bleached Levi’s and samba trainers, that was me off over to Halifax on the Saturday buying a cagoule and samba trainers and a le coq Sportif rolled neck.

Who are your main rivals?

Our main Rivals got to be Leeds and Huddersfield umpteen set-to’s with em over the decades.

Who else did you have a big battle with?

Best carry on with Leeds has to be Odsal after the fire disaster they certainly didn’t have it all their own way that day but probably the biggest firm I’ve seen come to Bradford.

Who have you come unstuck against?

Come unstuck over the years a good few times, it was all part n parcel of the game. Probably one of the worst when 30 of us decided to go back over to Huddersfield about 7ocklock in cars n taxis, when we’ve got over there we parked up in Fartown to walk down into town and land straight on their boozer but one of there lads had seen us and ran back down or rang the Cresent up to let them know we were coming when we got there the shout has gone up and Town have come piling out, must’ve been a good 100 plus, all firm as well, to be fair we give it our best shot but sheer numbers just took its toll and we took a good beating that night but it was all part of the game, one thing I will say though is we probably turned out the biggest firm I’ve seen us turn out for the return game but ob had it all sussed.

Name is 5 firms you rate and why?

5 firms I rate simply because we had some proper carry-ons with and not in any particular order but Derby, Leeds, Huddersfield, Hull, and Man Utd but I could go on and on, Oldham, Stockport Sheffield Utd, Everton, Spurs, Millwall, Portsmouth, Man City plus loads more! Aberdeen was another good row in Bradford.

Another good firm we had a cracking row with was Luton away in the league cup and also Bristol City at home in the league cup quarters.

Name 5 firms you don’t rate and why?

Firms I’ve never seen as much as a lad there as to be Wimbledon, Mk dons, Crawley, Orient and Cheltenham.

What clobber do you wear down the match?

My away day clobber was always Stone island loved the old style gear not the stuff off today.

What was your music scene on your awayday?

My music as to be Northern soul.

Probably my favourite song what I used to listen to while I was ironing my clobber on a Friday night or Saturday morning has to be oasis supersonic.

Can you tell us about the book/s you have written?

Our book is called Getting a nasty shock story of the Bradford ointment.

And lastly, tell us what you enjoyed about being a football casual?

Loved every day and every minute of my days as a football casual, great times probably only regrets was getting my door kicked in by the ob in front of my wife daughter n stepdaughter one early morning.