Memory Lane Origin of the PAK

[canveyshrimper]

Personally I thought the PAK was at its height during the 70's.
My favourite Gillingham away in 72, complete bedlam from the moment we boarded the Leigh Com coaches outside the Elms pub to arriving back in Leigh late on the Saturday evening.
Did anyone pay to get into the game that day ??

I wrote an article for SZ on the Gillingham game. To answer the question I think everyone did pay to get in eventually, but that was after we'd kicked the gate down. A great day out.

 

[Rob Noxious]

By way of a 'holding' post, I've got a reply from Leasky on this and I'm awaiting his permission to cut and paste it on here as some of the stuff is personal. He states that the origins of the term didn't come from the song* and that it is inaccurate to call him 'the leader' as there were others to fill that role - Charlie Benson in particular.

*It's probably ok to share this bit though ...

"... the name PAK, I think, got invented on a coach to an away game, and refers to the fact that we would pack ourselves pretty tight for acoustic and defensive reasons. I recall that the spelling was my idea and I forced it on everyone."

 

[Chairman Trigg]

View attachment 1196Taken from the ECHO 4th may 72 under heading The Pak go wild on Blues big night Main headline : Wild fans go on a rampage of havoc

 

[Cricko]

I wrote an article for SZ on the Gillingham game. To answer the question I think everyone did pay to get in eventually, but that was after we'd kicked the gate down. A great day out.

I seem to remember Glen Moody being at the front H.

 

[Cricko]

Personally I thought the PAK was at its height during the 70's.
My favourite Gillingham away in 72, complete bedlam from the moment we boarded the Leigh Com coaches outside the Elms pub to arriving back in Leigh late on the Saturday evening.
Did anyone pay to get into the game that day ??

Definitely early 70's rather than late 60's.

 

[canveyshrimper]

Good find mate. :thumbsup:

 

[canveyshrimper]

I seem to remember Glen Moody being at the front H.

I remember we were standing outside getting soaked when someone (Brush I think) suggested we kick the gates down. No sooner said than done, down went the gates and into the ground we went.

 

[Billy Bests boot laces]

Yes he's still around and still in Leigh I think. Billy Best's Boot Laces should be able to confirm. .

Steve is still in the area and i understand he is now involved in the Antiques business. He made an appearance at the Sarah Moore pub in Leigh last december, for a hastily arranged Leigh Comm reunion along with another 20 plus from those 'good old days'. We intend to organise another one this year at the end of november/early december. With more time to track down 'old faces' we hope for a show of 30-40 turning up this time.

 

[Billy Bests boot laces]

Good find mate. :thumbsup:

I've also still got that headline Harry, along with the large photo of the North Bank in front of the players tunnel. I took it to the 'mini' reunion at the White Hart last october, and several 'faces' were still recognised after all this time.

 

[Rob Noxious]

Leasky says:-

"You're right that I'm not so sure about having people reprising my days as the leader of the PAK, since the word 'skinhead' is now associated with right wing nationalists and racists. It's not really accurate to call me the leader, either. There were other lads that filled that roll, including dear old Charlie Benson. You had to appear fearless. That was it. I was afraid the whole time, just didn't show it. One of the reasons I stopped doing all that was because I saw a number of my so-called friends engaging in Packi bashing and the rest of it. I was also a middle class kid and had to get out and make a life for myself. As to the origins of the PAK, it had nothing to do with that idiotic song--in fact that was a greaser song and we hated greasers, rockers and later, Hells Angels (they still annoy me). It came from the fact that we settled on the North Bank at Roots Hall, but there were several other 'choir' venues of the same name; the name PAK, I think, got invented on a coach to an away game, and refers to the fact that we would pack ourselves pretty tight for acoustic and defensive reasons. I recall that the spelling was my idea and I forced it on everyone. The name hung around a long time and I still hear the odd reference to it. It was distinctly Southend, and every football gang in the country knew about it. I think back to those days and wonder how the hell I managed to survive.

-Leasky

Yep, you can post it.

They can see that it did make me stronger and there's a nice little clip of me on YouTube that suggests I have indeed grown up a little."

 

[Cricko]

Steve is still in the area and i understand he is now involved in the Antiques business. He made an appearance at the Sarah Moore pub in Leigh last december, for a hastily arranged Leigh Comm reunion along with another 20 plus from those 'good old days'. We intend to organise another one this year at the end of november/early december. With more time to track down 'old faces' we hope for a show of 30-40 turning up this time.

I thought he was into sign writing big time?

 

[Billy Bests boot laces]

Some memorable trips on LeighComm coaches, notably Cambridge the first time we played them in the League (70/71 I think) and .

The coach to Cambridge was in their 2nd season in the league. The previous season about 20-30 of our lot went there on the train. We won 3-0. Back to the coach we took, and on the walk to the ground Jaffa copped a totally unexpected right hander from a 'hairy' in the high street, and Gary Sexton got nicked for spraying SUFC with an aerosol. We got into their end first, and later all their mob came in and a few plesentries and greetings were exchanged. We stayed in there until half time, then walked round to the allotment end, where the team were attacking in the 2nd half. In 1976 when Paul Crouch ran 2 coaches from the Elms, the old Bill kept us in the ground until 6 p.m. afterwards before the coaches turned up. We won that game 3-2.

 

[Billy Bests boot laces]

I thought he was into sign writing big time?

I believe he used to operate from that shop near westleigh schools, but now he travels to norfolk now and again re the antique trade.

 

[Cricko]

One of the guy's I remember from those day's is still about and works/runs the seamans mission place where Ken and a few drink before a game....I forget his name although it may be Charlie, Ken would be able to tell you.

 

[canveyshrimper]

Leasky says:-

You're right that I'm not so sure about having people reprising my days as the leader of the PAK, since the word 'skinhead' is now associated with right wing nationalists and racists. It's not really accurate to call me the leader, either. There were other lads that filled that roll, including dear old Charlie Benson. You had to appear fearless. That was it. I was afraid the whole time, just didn't show it. One of the reasons I stopped doing all that was because I saw a number of my so-called friends engaging in Packi bashing and the rest of it. I was also a middle class kid and had to get out and make a life for myself. As to the origins of the PAK, it had nothing to do with that idiotic song--in fact that was a greaser song and we hated greasers, rockers and later, Hells Angels (they still annoy me). It came from the fact that we settled on the North Bank at Roots Hall, but there were several other 'choir' venues of the same name; the name PAK, I think, got invented on a coach to an away game, and refers to the fact that we would pack ourselves pretty tight for acoustic and defensive reasons. I recall that the spelling was my idea and I forced it on everyone. The name hung around a long time and I still hear the odd reference to it. It was distinctly Southend, and every football gang in the country knew about it. I think back to those days and wonder how the hell I managed to survive.

-Leasky

Yep, you can post it.

They can see that it did make me stronger and there's a nice little clip of me on YouTube that suggests I have indeed grown up a little.

i

Good work Rob, I can't think that Leasky was afraid, he always seemed pretty fearless to me and others how hung about on the sidelines.

 

[Cricko]

I believe he used to operate from that shop near westleigh schools, but now he travels to norfolk now and again re the antique trade.

He was into sign writing for a long time though.,..he was a very good artist.He used to hang about with Sid Wright.

 

[canveyshrimper]

The coach to Cambridge was in their 2nd season in the league. The previous season about 20-30 of our lot went there on the train. We won 3-0. Back to the coach we took, and on the walk to the ground Jaffa copped a totally unexpected right hander from a 'hairy' in the high street, and Gary Sexton got nicked for spraying SUFC with an aerosol. We got into their end first, and later all their mob came in and a few plesentries and greetings were exchanged. We stayed in there until half time, then walked round to the allotment end, where the team were attacking in the 2nd half. In 1976 when Paul Crouch ran 2 coaches from the Elms, the old Bill kept us in the ground until 6 p.m. afterwards before the coaches turned up. We won that game 3-2.

You're right Tony, the coach trip was made more in way of retribution as I remember the first time Dave Pallet & (possibly) Paul Pacey got separated and were chased and had to jump into the Cam to escape. Later that season Billy Monroe got his revenge by spray painting SUFC on the pristine walls of one of the Uni Colleges.

 

[canveyshrimper]

He was into sign writing for a long time though.,..he was a very good artist.He used to hang about with Sid Wright.

Was that the Sid Wright that went to King John? IIRC he died very young, possibly a car accident.

 

[Billy Bests boot laces]

He was into sign writing for a long time though.,..he was a very good artist.He used to hang about with Sid Wright.

Yep, the same Sid Wright who's now doing a 17 year stretch for drug running.

 

[Cricko]

Yep, the same Sid Wright who's now doing a 17 year stretch for drug running.

Yep ..and it was his brother who died H ..in fact I think 2 of them did....Billy Wright being one of them.