England fans have come a long way since hooliganism was running riot throughout the country in the 1980s.

Luckily we don’t see those scenes of destruction any more, but one night in July 1990 after England’s World Cup exit at the hands of West Germany, violence spread through Sussex like a plague.

More than 500 youths ran riot through the streets of Brighton, as police struggled to cope with the violence.

Outnumbered ten to one, it took officers almost three hours to finally break up the trouble, only starting to take control of the situation when reinforcements were drafted in from other parts of the county and riot police were deployed.

Vengeance

Almost every shop windowin the Lanes area, East Street and Preston Street was smashed, causing damage estimated at £150,000.

Brighton resembled a battlefield, and amongst the destruction and violence, came the news of the death of landlady Jackie Penfold.

As gangs of youths smashed the windows of Regency Tavern in Russell Square, Mrs Penfold, 60, who had run the pub for nearly 20 years, collapsed behind the counter after the bar was showered with flying glass.

She died soon after at Royal Sussex County Hospital.

Her only son Mark, 38, said: “I do not want to call anyone a lout. She has died, and all I feel is pain and sorrow. But why should vengeance be taken on people for no reason? I do not understand it.”

Neighbour Peter Lewis, 63, of the Willow Guest House, said: “We could hear the windows of the pub smash and all the shouting and roaring.

“At one time I feared for myself and my wife. It was disgusting. A woman is dead today because of it.”

A group of youths had attacked and injured a news photographer in Churchill Square and Radio Sussex producer Mark Coles, who came to his aid, was also hurt.

Mr Coles said: “The photographer was trying to take pictures of the trouble when he was set upon.

“He was pushed to the ground and kicked. I tried to save him but was hit in the face about four times for my trouble.”

Tony Tree, an Evening Argus photographer for 15 years, said the violence was the worst he had seen in Brighton.

He added: “I was threatened several times while I was just trying to do my job. I was lucky not to have been hurt.”

At least eight officers were injured and cars were left overturned, as police attempted to contain the marching crowd.

Superintendent John Albon, from Sussex Police, said: “It is a very sad day.

“There were as many as 300 youths grouped together and there were smaller groups scattered around the town. Containment became very difficult.”

Conservative Brighton Kemptown MP Andrew Bowden said he was very angry about the violence, and that the hooligans had brought shame on Brighton.

He said: “I hope the courts will deal very severely with those convicted of violence and criminal damage.”

Such was the level of destruction that images of gangs rampaging through Brighton made the front pages of the world’s newspapers.

But Brighton tourism director Bill Burnett doubted the images would last long in readers’ minds.

He said: “I don’t mean to sound flippant but it is incredible how short people’s memories are.”

 

ON THIS DAY

 

1798: Giovanni Casanova, Italian adventurer, lover and romancer, died.

1913:  Suffragette Emily Wilding Davison was trampled at Tattenham Corner, Epsom, during the Derby.

1940: The evacuation of Dunkirk which had begun on May 27 was completed.

1944: Rome was liberated by the Allies.

1977: Damage estimated at £15,000 was caused when fans dug up the Wembley pitch after Scotland beat England 2-1.

1989: More than 2,000 people died in Tiananmen Square, Peking, when troops opened fire on protesting students.