Passion of football fans reflected in photographs

Young fans joined the crowd at the Victoria Ground

The "passion, tension and electric atmosphere'' of football matches in the 1990s are reflected in photographs published in a new book.

Delilah - Stoke Lads 1990-1992 documents match days at Stoke City's former Victoria Ground.

Focussing on the supporters, photographer Tony Davis said he put himself "in the thick of things" outside and inside the stadium.

The photographer is known for capturing British football culture as well as his images of the rave scene around the Midlands.

The Potteries derby drew one of the biggest crowds of the season

The photographer said he was drawn to the pride and passion of the Stoke fans

Originally from Nottingham, the photographer, who at the time was a student, said he wanted to get practice among football crowds ahead of a trip to the World Cup.

“Just before I went to Italia ’90 I went to a few matches around just to get a feel of photographing football fans in the street and dealing with confrontation and aggression and drunk people,” he said.

He recalled how he found himself in Stoke-on-Trent after a night out, and “it all kicked off" outside the ground.

"It was a big riot in the street, there were Birmingham fans coming in one way and Stoke fans coming in the other way,” he said.

"I only had one roll of film, so I would go and look for an image and wait for it and then compress the shutter," he explained.

Stoke and Birmingham City fans clashed ahead of the game in 1990

Fans buying their programmes ahead of the Port Vale match

The Victoria Ground was a "great place for photographs" said Tony Davis

He returned to the city in 1992 to capture pictures of the Potteries showdown with Port Vale

"By then I was in my stride" he said.

"I'd been everywhere - a World Cup, African Nations Cup, the European Championships with England and Scotland."

But he said he had returned to the Stoke ground "because I just thought it was a great place for photographs, and it didn't disappoint".

"That sense of community and that collective thing, and that escapism."

The book is made up of 40 black and white images

Stoke City went on to beat Port Vale 2-1

"At that time it was mainly grown men who would go and have a few drinks and would live and breathe for that team, hoping they would bring them glory.

"And then they could celebrate and rub it into their local rivals.

"Also there's a real strong sense of community," he added, "and a real sense of identity and pride".

"When you look at Manchester United now it's a stadium full of tourists, people taking selfies of themselves, Stoke is not like that."

Delilah - Stoke Lads 1990-1992 is published by Lower Block

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