‘Hooligan firm came at us with chains and sticks for 60 vs 60 fight’

The Hibs Casuals were once one of the most feared hooligan football gangs in Britain – but Rangers were up for a scrap.

Among the most well-known faces in the Hibernian firm, also known as the Capital City Service or CSS, was Bobby Lipscombe – who relished the harrowing violence that would follow.

The recalled event between gangs of 60 men took place back in 1994 according to the account of Lipscombe, who once admitted to kicking a rival fan unconscious – described as cabbaging.

Speaking to The Scottish Herald back in 2000, he said: "One mass battle I remember well is when we arranged to fight Rangers casuals in Slateford Road around 1994.

READ MORE: Fans glassed and 30-man hooligan mobs – unruly chaos of England's last match in Scotland

"It is miles from the Hibs ground at Easter Road. Actually, it's far closer to Hearts' ground. When we saw them they were carrying chains and sticks and all that stuff.

"We just had our fists and boots. Occasionally, you would get some guy with us who slashed somebody. But as a rule, it was strictly toe-to-toe.

"I remember that day well. There was about 60 on each side and it was nasty. Real, bloody nasty. One guy, a Rangers bloke got caught, and cabbaged. Absolutely cabbaged.

"Head hanging all bloody. By the time we had finished with him, he was barely conscious.

"One of the CCS boys said that he'd had enough. I disagreed and kicked the guy's head again. He went out cold. He would have done the same to me."

Lipscombe spoke of the violence he saw at Euro 2000, saying it was expected with hooliganism on the rise across Europe.

Sky Sports is bringing you 500 live football games to watch, as well access to Cricket, Golf, F1, Boxing, NFL, NBA and more across eight dedicated channels. Sky Sports is the only way to watch all the action this year.

£22 a month

Although group meet-ups are far less common more than two decades later, violence still leads to weekly arrests around Europe.

In October of 2022, seven Rangers fans were arrested by Merseyside Police for affray as well as being drunk and disorderly.

After the 2019/20 Premier League season, figures released by the Home Office showed Leeds fans had the mosts arrests, including 10 for violent disorder.

Source: Read Full Article