Sea Of Faces: 25 Excellent Black-And-White Photos Of Football Fans Packed Into English Terraces

Chris Wright

13th, September 2018

4 Comments

With the entirely alarming revelations today that Premier League teams might be *gasp* padding their attendance statistics, Pies thought we’d hark back to a time when football stadiums were legitimately filled to bursting point.

Not that we yearn for the halcyon days of routine discomfort and restricted views, but still – you can’t fault this lot for enthusiasm…

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Thousands of fans at the Saturday football, 1900

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Flat caps galore as Brighton & Hove Albions congregate behind a picket fence at the Goldstone Ground to watch their side play Coventry City, 1911

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Tottenham fans brave the January chill at White Hart Lane, 1912

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Hats are raised as fans enjoy a spiffingly good game between Swindon Town and Everton, 1912

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Hull City fans stand in front of the newspaper booth as they take in an 8-2 victory over Huddersfield, 1913

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An ambulanceman give out drinks of water to fans watching Tottenham and Man City play amid sweltering temperatures, 1913

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Expectant Southampton fans await the start of their side’s game against Millwall at The Dell, 1914

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Brighton fans again, this time watching a game against Chelsea, 1920

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Cardiff City fans go to extreme lengths (or heights) to improve their view of a game against Chelsea, 1921

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Tottenham fans find a perch to watch the FA Cup semi-final replay against Cardiff at White Hart Lane, 1922

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A vastly overcrowded stadium forces droves of fans onto the Wembley pitch during the 1923 FA Cup Final (see more photos of the infamous ‘White Horse’ final)

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Droves of Manchester United supporters watch their team play Fulham in London, 1926

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Local bobbies keep young Arsenal fans in check during an FA Cup match against Aston Villa at Highbury, 1928

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A bustling crowd scene from the 1928 FA Cup final between Blackburn Rovers and Huddersfield

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A Hull City fan jangles his umbrella before an FA Cup tie against Arsenal, 1930

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An absolutely huge turn out is recorded at Highbury for a match between Arsenal and Aston Villa, 1930

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West Ham fans have a jolly old time during an FA Cup semi-final match against Everton at The Hawthorns, 1933

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St John’s Ambulancemen attend to fan who fainted during the derby between Arsenal and Tottenham, 1934

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Chelsea fans cram (some incredibly precariously) into Stamford Bridge to watch the local derby against Fulham, 1935

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Determined Chelsea fans peer over the perimeter fencing to watch a match against Arsenal at the Bridge, 1935

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Thousands of Tottenham fans watch their team in action at White Hart Lane, 1937

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Another truly vast crowd at Highbury, this time for a game against Charlton, 1938

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Wembley fills up once again, this time for an international match between England and Scotland, 1942

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Young Chelsea fans are passed to the front of the crowd to avoid the crush during a game against Arsenal, 1947

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Just a section of the 99,000 fans who travelled to Wembley to watch the 1948 FA Cup final between Manchester United and Blackpool

At this point, we’d forgive you a nostalgic sigh.

Posted in Featured, Photos, Retro

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4 Comments

  1. jackie wilshere says:

    these pics are incredible and great to see, especially with all the change thats happened in the world between then and now. can you imagine waking up, putting on your suit (formal dress by todays standards) and saying goodbye to your wife to get down to stamford bridge early to secure a spot and spend the afternoon peering over the perimeter fence? haha

  2. VieuxSang says:

    Surely, Hammers and Everton would not play at the Hawthorns.

  3. Jules says:

    Good times.

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