Thin Lizzy t-shirts Image via Wikipedia
My Thin Lizzy t-shirt saved me from Thin Lizzy!
I was having a bit of a clear out during the Summer and found my old Thin Lizzy t-shirt it reminded me of the day I went to watch Manchester United and nearly got in a punch up with Thin Lizzy front man Phil Lynott
Back in the day when, if you wanted a t-shirt with your favourite Football team or band on, you would have to go to the t-shirt printers shop to get thick rubbery one inch high letters ironed (heat pressed)on to your garment of choice. I made a point of wearing the t-shirt to a football match because there was a tube strike in London and I didn’t want to wear anything that would let any hooligans know I was a Man United fan. My t-shirt didn’t have the Thin Lizzy Logo or the Thin Lizzy style text, No, just plain block typeface and the words Thin Lizzy on one line across the chest.
“It’s the Tin Lizzy man.. over dare”!
It was 1975-76 English football season and we had just watch QPR play Manchester United at Loftus Rd home of Queens Park Rangers football club. There was a tube strike on and we would have to walk back to Paddington Station after the match.
I had travelled up to London with Kevin a friend of mine and fellow United fan. Football hooliganism was at its peak in the mid 70’s and we decided not wear anything that would identify us as United fans knowing that we had a long walk through QPR fans territory. We both wore denim jackets and jeans. It was a cold day and I only had my Thin Lizzy t-shirt on under my jacket and I was freezing. We circled the stadium after the game trying to get some ideas on how to get back to Paddington station. Eventually I asked a policeman for directions and Kevin waited by the main entrance to the football ground.
When the policeman finished telling me the way to go I ran over to Kevin and he looked as if he had something or someone exiting to show me. “Look who’s behind me” he said. I didn’t see anyone I could recognise so he said it again in a strange and not very good Irish accent and then added “It’s yer man” tipping his head up and down as if to give my a clue to the direction I should be looking. I was looked around but still had no idea who “Yer man” was. Then in quite a loud voice Kevin said “It’s the Tin Lizzy man.. over dare”!
Lynott quickly dropped my friend to the floor
Looking over my mates shoulder I recognised Phil Lynott Thin Lizzy front man and fellow band member Brian Downey. Phil Lynnott must have heard what was said and was angry at someone who he thought was making fun of his broad Dublin accent.
“Are you taking the ****ing piss”? he said as he grabbed Kevin by the collar and got ready to punch him. I ran forward to try to intervene and explain we were Thin Lizzy fans but seeing this Lynott quickly dropped my friend to the floor, turned to me with both fists raised and shouted “Keep coming and I’ll break you in half”.
Rather than try to explain I unbuttoned my denim jacket and pulled it open in a Superman sort of way and my would be attacker saw my t-shirt stopped, lowered his hands and said “Ah sorry lads, I thought youse were taking the pi**!”
The two Thin Lizzy men helped my friend get up off the floor and everyone dusted themselves down. “Can we have an autograph”? asked Kevin and the musicians nodded agreement. The only thing we had to write on were our match programmes which were fine but we had nothing for them to write with. A van pulled up which was the lift that they must have been waiting for, me and Kevin were desperately trying to borrow a pen from the small crowd that had gathered around. “We have to go lads” shouted Phil Lynott as he jumped into the tatty looking transit van, with that the van eased through what was left of the crowd. The whole incident probably lasted about 10-15 seconds but I will never forget it
I still have my Thin Lizzy t-shirt, I still have my (unsigned) QPR v Man United match programme which for obvious reasons will remain unsigned, but I can console myself with the knowledge that I nearly had a fight with Phil Lynnott from Thin Lizzy
Click the following link to buy Thin Lizzy t-shirts they are available from UK-based Sumo Sam t-shirts
It's all about the t-shirt 