By Chris Wright
We’ll be bringing you a few of these over the next week-and-a-bit in the run-up to Euro 2012; vintage images plundered from the archives of European Championships past – the first being a great shot of the crowd disturbance at the Stadio Comunale in Turin during England’s (surprise surprise) game against Belgium in the group stages of Euro 1980 (as ever, click through for the full-sized images)…
The Italian police used tear gas grenades to disperse the English hooligans in the terraces, but obviously didn’t consider that the noxious cloud may affect the game – with play having to be stopped for a considerable amount of time while both sets of players attempted to douse their burning corneas…
The game eventually ended 1-1, with Belgium then going on an incredible run to the final of the eight-team tournament, only to lose out to West Germany at the final gate; Horst Hrubesch scoring twice (including an 88th-minute winner) in a 2-1 victory at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome.
(Photos: Peter Robinson/EMPICS Sport)