Cafe chaos

An outbreak of hooliganism at a Paisley cafe in 1959 left many people injured – and four young thugs in court.

Two young women had been preparing to leave a go-as-you-please concert in the Town Hall when they were approached by one of the neds.

She said she wanted nothing to do with him but later that evening in a cafe in the High Street, while the girls were seated with male companions at a table, the young man and three others entered.

The thug asked a male companion of the girls if he was looking for trouble. He said he wasn’t, and asked the men to go away.

Douglas then attacked another male member of the party, and one boy was punched and head-butted.

The other three neds joined in the fight and one young man was hit over the head with a chair, and required four stitches.

The neds were picked out after an identification parade and the ringleader was fined £7, with the alternative of 30 days. The three others were fined £5 each, or 30 days.