I've never liked Redknapp since comments he made about the supporters on Manny Road North during the 95/96 season. Twitching (unt.
What he say?
Wanderers fans furious over 'worst in football' blastFrom the Bolton Evening News, first published Monday 20th Nov 1995.
BOLTON Wanderers' fans hit back today after being branded "wicked", "evil" and "the worst in football".
They denied there was any malice in their verbal assaults on the West Ham manager Harry Redknapp on Saturday and urged him to get his own house in order.
They claimed Rednap had simply been caught in the crossfire as they vented their frustration at their team's performance during Saturday's 3-0 home defeat.
Neil Leonard, spokesman for the Bolton Wanderers Supporters Association and a regular in the Manchester Road Terrace near to the section Redknapp homed in on, said: "He should look at his own fans' behaviour before he criticises others. West Ham isn't the easiest of places to visit, as we discovered last season when we won there in the Coca-Cola Cup and our fans were abused and spat upon as they were leaving.
"And what about the treatment Paul Ince received when he went back ...!"
Redknapp claimed the word is out that Bolton fans can easily be turned against their own team and revealed: "My report said, if you keep Bolton quiet for 15 minutes, their fans will turn on them. And that's what I told my players before they went out." But his main complaint concerned fans in a section of the Manchester Road North Terrace behind the visitors' touchline seats - supporters who were the target of similar accusations by Joe Royle when he was manager of Oldham two seasons ago.
"Blimey! I've never heard so much abuse on the touchline," Redknapp reacted.
"These fans are wicked. "They are the worst I've ever heard since I've been around football. What makes people behave like that?
"As soon as we sat down, we were were being called effing dirty so-and-sos. We hadn't even started. That's not what football's about, surely.
"We go to Liverpool, Everton, Manchester United and you have a laugh and a bit of banter with the fans but you couldn't have a laugh with that lot sitting behind the bench. It was frightening, horrible."
But Mr Leonard said any abuse directed at the opposition bench was "born out of the frustration of seeing such a dismal Bolton performance". He added: "He's a typical cheeky Cockney and, as far as I could see and hear, it all seemed to be good humoured and good natured, although in the second half I think they might have vented their anger on him out of sheer frustration.
"He kept jumping up and they were telling him to sit down but there was nothing malicious."
Wanderers press officer Alan Fullelove said Redknap had made no official complaints to Burnden Park officials and said supporters had been praised by visiting West Ham fans.
"If something did go on we would look at it, but as far as we know Harry Redknap only made the comments to the press and said nothing in Burnden Park," he said.
"We have come in for a lot of praise from Manchester City for the fans' impeccable behaviour at Maine Road, and Sky Sports reported West Ham fans praising Bolton saying they had a superb day out." The BWSA did not condone the post-match demonstration calling for the sacking of the management and the resignation of the board, but Mr Leonard said he fully understood the fans' feelings.
There were no arrests inside Burnden Park, but one West Ham supporter and a Wanderers fan were arrested in the town centre for public order offences and will be appearing before magistrates at a future date. During the match three people were ejected from the ground by stewards for safety infringements.
http://archive.thisislancashire.co.uk/1995/11/20/863664.html
