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Post by Topper Gas on Mar 15, 2024 20:47:01 GMT
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Post by Gasshole on Mar 15, 2024 21:07:32 GMT
My dad was on the turnstiles, so i would be at the ground hours before kick off. I used to roam around the empty stadium looking under the seats for treasure.
Always a good haul If there was a Speedway meet the previous night. Being dark and noisy, they couldn’t hear their pockets empty every time they leapt from their seat to see Crump or Gresham take the flag. $$$$$$$$
I knew every inch of Eastville, watching it slowly fill up on Matchday days as I read my programme twice and did my rounds. I can remember watching people use the pull down access ladder near the back of the South Stand to get into the Commentary box.
I used to squander my I’ll gotten gains in the glass fronted bar at the far end of the South Stand.
To this day if I ever get a whiff of old wood and tobacco……it takes me back to my happy place.
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Post by Gasshole on Mar 15, 2024 21:13:38 GMT
To be followed by the history of the flower beds at the Tote end.Unique.  Magnifico, that was my end of the SS. Where I could keep a close eye on the Tote End shenanigans. |
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Post by Colyton Gas on Mar 15, 2024 21:17:03 GMT
Description:Stoke City FC played at the Victoria Ground for 119 years, until May 1997. This is the view from the Boothen End towards the Stoke End of the ground. The Stoke End was open until a stand was built in 1979. Stoke market clock tower can be seen beyond the highest part of the terraces. The Main Stand (or Boothen Stand) is to the left and the Butler Street Stand to the right. A standing area at the front of the Boothen Stand was called The PADDOCK. Spent many happy hours in the Paddock at Stoke's Old Victoria Ground.Jimmy Greenhof,Alan Hudson ,John Ritchie, George Eastham et all.Once reffed a Central League game there and the Stoke skipper was none other than Paul Randall but don't think he ever settled in the illustrious Potteries. Attachments:
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Post by gasheadontour on Mar 15, 2024 22:34:49 GMT
When living up that way my Dad would take me to Stoke or Crewe home matches when we couldn't get to see Rovers. On one occasion Gary Mabbutt was playing for Spurs against Stoke. He was very close to me at the side of the pitch so I shouted to him that I used to watch him for Rovers. He looked around, a Stoke player crashed into him and he was out injured for ages. Carl Saunders became my favourite Stoke player. He was a great striker for Stoke before becoming injured and then played as a fullback for their reserves. I moved back to Bristol, told Gerry Francis about him, who then signed him.
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Post by greciangas on Mar 16, 2024 8:22:37 GMT
It was the hospital commentary box, my father used to do the commentary’s 💙 my mate told me his dad use to do hospital radio commentaries at rovers...maybe you two are related? |
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Post by CheshireGas on Mar 16, 2024 9:19:03 GMT
To be followed by the history of the flower beds at the Tote end.Unique. The flower beds remind me of a match at the end of the 1969/70 season. The World Cup was going to be held in Mexico. Oscar had been selling his tickets and walked across the back of the goal between the flower beds and the half time scoreboards and a cry went up front the Tote - 'Oscar for Mexico, Oscar for Mexico' The smile on his face was a real picture, loved it! |
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Post by curlywurly on Mar 16, 2024 10:29:50 GMT
I'd understood that this was constructed as a press box, specifically for the greyhound racing as the structure provided a clear view of the finish line on the opposite side of the track.
This picture of Eastville from 1926 - before the dog track was constructed shows the South Stand without the box.
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Post by returngas on Mar 16, 2024 12:09:10 GMT
I wonder what the real history actually is as it seems the stand was built for Bristol Harlequins RFC before Rovers moved into the ground years later, it seems odd a regional rugby club requiring a two storey press box, when the stand itself only held 500 fans. The old wooden 500 seater rugby stand was demolished in 1924 and in the summer of that year a 2000 seater stand including a paddock,dressing rooms and club offices were built. The ground at that time was rectangular and the layout was changed to an ovoid type in 1932 to accommodate a greyhound track. Thanks...I was sure it sat more than 500 and was beginning to think my memory was going. |
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Marshy
Proper Gas
Posts: 14,391 
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Post by Marshy on Mar 16, 2024 12:21:19 GMT
I'd understood that this was constructed as a press box, specifically for the greyhound racing as the structure provided a clear view of the finish line on the opposite side of the track.
This picture of Eastville from 1926 - before the dog track was constructed shows the South Stand without the box.
Who’s stolen the M32? Thanks for this curly it’s really interesting to see the original footprint 👍. |
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Marshy
Proper Gas
Posts: 14,391
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Post by Marshy on Mar 16, 2024 12:22:21 GMT
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Post by Colyton Gas on Mar 16, 2024 13:28:58 GMT
 To those who rarely go further north than Yate,'Paddock' is/was a very common term in the Midlands at grounds for the area where terracing was infront of a seated area.Another idiosyncrasy is the option that is Half way line flags.Don't think any clubs have 'em now but they were always optional.Sidmouth Town still have 'em down here. Once refereed at the Michelin Ground in Stoke and a half way line flag was actually on the touchline.Pointed it out and was told no-one else had ever noticed it!!! |
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Post by greciangas on Mar 17, 2024 9:48:46 GMT
View AttachmentTo those who rarely go further north than Yate,'Paddock' is/was a very common term in the Midlands at grounds for the area where terracing was infront of a seated area.Another idiosyncrasy is the option that is Half way line flags.Don't think any clubs have 'em now but they were always optional.Sidmouth Town still have 'em down here. I never knew that half way line flags were optional. Out of interest, did you ever go to the old Lympstone ground?(I think they may have had 2 different pitches)My mate played in goal for them many moons ago and told me they had a tree on the edge of the pitch with the touchline going around it! Would love this to be true but he may have been pulling my waterer! |
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Post by Topper Gas on Mar 17, 2024 11:12:13 GMT
View AttachmentTo those who rarely go further north than Yate,'Paddock' is/was a very common term in the Midlands at grounds for the area where terracing was infront of a seated area.Another idiosyncrasy is the option that is Half way line flags.Don't think any clubs have 'em now but they were always optional.Sidmouth Town still have 'em down here. I've been to plenty of away grounds north of Bristol and can never recall standing in a "paddock" that term must have mainly disappeared years ago, I can recall half way flags but not really sure why it was decided the were no longer needed. |
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Post by Colyton Gas on Mar 17, 2024 12:12:22 GMT
View AttachmentTo those who rarely go further north than Yate,'Paddock' is/was a very common term in the Midlands at grounds for the area where terracing was infront of a seated area.Another idiosyncrasy is the option that is Half way line flags.Don't think any clubs have 'em now but they were always optional.Sidmouth Town still have 'em down here. I never knew that half way line flags were optional. Out of interest, did you ever go to the old Lympstone ground?(I think they may have had 2 different pitches)My mate played in goal for them many moons ago and told me they had a tree on the edge of the pitch with the touchline going around it! Would love this to be true but he may have been pulling my waterer! Can find no evidence of your tree which would have been deemed dangerous but here is a pic of LYM  PSTONE FC. |
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Post by gasheadontour on Mar 17, 2024 15:37:26 GMT
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