Recently, we were made aware of an exceptional collection of photographs from the late Scottish photographer Iain S. P. Reid. The images capture the vibrant energy of young fans and the atmosphere of Manchester United and City home matches at Old Trafford and Maine Road stadiums circa 1977.
Photo © Iain S P Reid.
John Williams, “We were all from Wythenshawe. I’m the first one from the left. We are all Reds, apart from the lad on the right. He’s a lifelong Blue!”
We featured a selection of the images on our Instagram page; the images stirred up some magical memories about the football culture of previous decades, the fashions, the atmosphere, and what it was like to be a match-going fan long before big-money takeovers.
Photo © Iain S P Reid.
The photographs are a vivid piece of British football history when music and fashion spilt onto the terraces. The late seventies saw Punk and Perry Boys emerge within a couple of years, changing the style and attitude of fans across the North West of England.
Photo © Iain S P Reid.
Dress
Reid said, “The chief interest in the whole body of work was how Manchester United and Manchester City football supporters dressed and treated the whole match as if it were a carnival. Despite all the press reports, there was very little violence, and the fans were the most helpful in assisting with the project. They were always aware of the angle I was taking with the work. I carried around copies of the photos I would use to show them that I was not exploiting them by misrepresenting them.”
Gallery
Photo © Iain S P Reid.
Photo © Iain S P Reid.
Photo © Iain S P Reid.
Photo © Iain S P Reid.
Photo © Iain S P Reid.
Photo © Iain S P Reid.
Photo © Iain S P Reid.
All Images © Iain S P Reid, all rights reserved.
To view the collection and find out more about Iain’s incredible work please visit the Iain S P Reid Facebook page.
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