It was one of the worst nights of hooliganism in the club's history
Manchester United fans clash with French police during the notorious 1977 European Cup Winners Cup tie at Saint-Etienne
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Some said Manchester United fans were pelted with stale baguettes and wine bottles. Others insisted it was croissants.
Whatever the truth of it, the upshot was one of the worst nights of hooliganism in the club's history. And it ended with United being banned from playing anywhere within 200 miles of Old Trafford.
At the start of the 1977-78 season United were about to embark on their first continental campaign in a decade. And when the Reds drew Saint-Etienne in the first round of the European Cup Winners Cup anticipation was sky-high.
Saint-Etienne might not have been the force of just a few years earlier, when they were three times French champions and runners-up in the 1976 European Cup, but they were still a major draw. So in September 1977, around 1,000 United fans made the trip across the Channel for the first clash between two illustrious clubs.
The United team line-up before the game(Image: Mirrorpix)
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But the football was relegated to a sideshow before a ball had even been kicked.
"The night before the game, a small group of Manchester supporters, some with knives, broke shop windows, ransacked the hall of an hotel and looted a shop in the city," reported the Times. "Five were arrested and will appear in court."
And when it came to the match itself, it soon became apparent French authorities had also been caught off guard. Despite English hooligans growing reputation for causing havoc across Europe, the game was allowed to go-ahead in an unsegregated Stade Geoffroy-Guichard stadium.
And when a section of United fans positioned themselves behind the goal, on a terrace usually occupied by the home support, trouble seemed inevitable. There were differing accounts of what started what would become known as the 'Battle of the Croissants'.
But amid an ongoing bakery workers' strike back in England, it's claimed a section of Les Verts' fans began lobbing stale baguettes and croissants at the United supporters. It soon turned nasty - bottles were flung, fists were thrown and the riot police moved in. When the dust had settled 33 people were taken to hospital, although no arrests were made.
How the M.E.N. reported the riot
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"United fans had gathered in some strength behind one of the goals," wrote legendary M.E.N. reporter David Meek in his account of the violence. "The trouble started when home supporters threw missiles into the group, and tried to move them from their key vantage point.
"The French pelted the United fans with rolls, jeering: "Here's some bread to take home." The situation was aggravated when the crowd surged forward to escape the fighting and a barrier collapsed
"Spectators poured on to the pitch to bring a halt to a junior game being played before the cup match. At that point the French riot squad dashed in and charged the main body of United fans.
"They hit out indiscriminately at trouble-makers and innocent alike, until they had forced the visitors out of the ground."
"About 100 Britons started a fight behind one of the goals," reported the Times. "Armed with bottles, sticks and knives they went for the supporters of the French team. Panic-stricken supporters rushed down towards the wire netting around they pitch where they were piled up.
"People following jumped over the bodies to the safety of the pitch. The rest of the crowd shouted ‘Les flics, les flics [Cops, Cops!]’ because the riot police on hand were slow to intervene. It took three charges by truncheon-swinging police to clear the battlefield, expelling most of the Manchester supporters."
"Plenty of French were throwing stupid things like plastic bottles of water and even bread, so United whizzed back coins and things built up," wrote notorious United hooligan Colin Blaney, who was attending his first European away game. "Then it kicked off: Reds were pulling the sticks out of their homemade flags and using them as weapons, forcing hundreds of St Etienne to flee and run to the front, where they scaled the wire fence separating the terraces from the pitch."
Manchester United supporters return to Dover after watching their team draw 1-1 with Saint Etienne(Image: Mirrorpix)
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Despite the riot the match went ahead as planned, with United earning a 1-1 draw thanks to a vital away goal by Gordon Hill. With the so-called English disease rife at home and abroad, politicians called for the club to be kicked out of Europe.
St Etienne president Roger Rocher described United fans as the 'worst hooligans I have seen'. But United chairman Louis Edwards refused to condemn the club's support, instead pointing the blame at local police.
"I felt no shame for Manchester United fans last night, only sorrow. I saw innocent people beaten down by police with batons. Their action was totally unprovoked."
Writing in his M.E.N. column the following Saturday, United skipper Martin Buchan described his pity that United's sterling performance 'should be over-shadowed by the senseless violence'. "If we do make the next round of the competition I for one wouldn't argue with a complete ban on United supporters," he added.
Manchester United winger Steve Coppell (right) evades two St Etienne defenders during the European Cup Winners Cup 1st round 2nd leg match played at Home Park in Plymouth (Photo by Bob Thomas/Getty Images)
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Uefa were quick to act. The next day United were unceremoniously booted out of the competition.
But the Old Trafford hierarchy immediately launched an appeal, while Sir Matt Busby led a delegation to Uefa to argue their case. Apparently it worked.
A few days later Uefa U-turned and readmitted United on the condition they pay a fine and play the second leg at least 200 miles from Old Trafford. But the distance didn't leave many options.
"All the boys were saying we better get our trunks on to play as if we went north 200 miles would have been in the North Sea, east would have put us in the English Channel and west would have put us in the Irish Sea," Hill told the M.E.N. in 2017.
Celtic Park was initially suggested but knocked back by the authorities, before Plymouth Argyle's Home Park, 281 miles from the Stretford End, was deemed suitable. Argyle had never hosted a European tie before and has never done since.
But by the time the United team bus reached Home Park, it really did feel like a European tie as 31,000 fervent fans packed into the stadium. And the Reds didn't let their fans down - knocking Saint-Etienne out thanks to goals from Stuart Pearson and Steve Coppell.
It would prove to be a short-lived reprieve, however. United went out to Porto in the very next round, meaning the 1977 European adventure would forever be overshadowed by events off the pitch.