Read the other day a story that 20-odd scallies stormed a bus in Sir Thomas Street and battered two lads with a hammer, knocking over old ladies and people as they went. The Echo as usual sensationalised everything, 'blood', 'hammer to head', 'screaming' all that carry on, but at the end the police statement said one person was treated for a swollen lip!!
Someone commented saying the city has gone to the dogs, its lawless, but some other fella said this has been going on for years and that buses/passengers were frequently attacked in the 70s and 80s after the match, it just wasn't reported then.
I read that too. I was expecting attempted murder charges going by the way the story was framed by the Manc Echo, but it appears the 'hammer' only managed to cause a swollen lip. Honestly, the Echo have totally lost the plot in recent years. It's no more than a localish tabloid now. Their website is appalling too.
The buses have always been dodgy. I know a driver who quit decades ago due to the violence. He was dragged out of his seat and had his head kicked in at Mann Island. It pretty much left him with PTSD.
I remember going into town on Saturday nights in the 80s, and that could be dodgy. I remember one night a gang got on in Kirkdale and walked straight past the driver without paying then went upstairs. There was all kinds of noise going on, then they kicked the windows in before all piling off at Juvenal Street. The driver just kept his head down.
A couple of years ago I was at Sir Thomas street waiting for a bus and some fella was there being really aggressive and terrifying a group of girls so much that they were going to not get on the bus because the fella was also boarding. It was night and it was dark, so I said to them to get on and I'd make sure they got home ok and I'd knock the twat out if he started on them on the bus. Anyway, it was fine and they got home ok, but it's pretty dodgy out there on public transport at times. The same could be said of travelling the Northern Line on Merseyrail, especially in summer when the loons were travelling to Formby. I've seen absolute mayhem on the train back in the day.