115 replies to this topic

[audois]

Gordon, you are surely older than you look!!

( BTW, how did it go?)

JS was right at the end of his career then 1970.I saw him register three against Tommy Voll at Knowsley Road in his pomp. No mean feat. I had just a cameo role at the Chemics as a stop gap. Funny in those days nearly every worthwhile Lancashire footballer finished their days at either Blackpool or Knotty Ash. As well as Stopford, Billy Boston and the immortal Brian Bevan finished up there.

[Bleep1673]

Yes, they played at Stainforth for a while after Tattersfield was sold.

Other missing off the list include :-

Gillford Park, Carlisle

Fylde RUFC (Blackpool Panthers)

McCain Stadium (Scarborough Pirates)

Springfield Park, Wigan (Springfield Borough)

Moss Lane, Altrincham (Trafford Borough)

Deepdale (Lancashire Lynx)

Canal Street (Runcorn Highfield)

Valerie Park (Prescot Panthers)

Sedgely Park (Swinton)

ah, but as the thread suggests, how many did you visit?

[Bleep1673]

Made alterations.............

My List:

Station Road (One of the biggest playing surfaces I have ever seen)
Gigg Lane (Our temporary home, where we scared Sintelins in a cup game)
Moor Lane (A truely dreadful surface that must have made the previous players turn in their duvets)
Borough Park (Right next to Blackpool FC, and the Greyhound Stadium)
Alt Park (One of the worst places I have ever visited)
Wilderspool (Don't wear away colours, said my cousin, how right he was, violent thugs)
Central Park (A superb arena, one of the best for watching RL)
Knowsley Road (I Cycled here to watch Swinton @ Sts to start my speccy career in 77, a Lancs cup defeat, 49-3, but they never gave up)
Thrum Hall (Then back to Colin Dixon's pub)
Fartown (where I played in 1979, Colleges Cup Final, Salford Tech v Hudd Uni)
Most of the London Grounds (See another thread)
The Willows (See another thread, RIP, at least we got closure here)
Tattersfield (A dreadful, sh1thole of a pitch, I remember going here after playing on Station Rd, and wondering, why the hell?)
Brunton Park (My Mam's Mam died when we were returning from the game here in Ladywell Hospital)
The Brewery Field (I was delayed getting there due to a "Passenger Incedent" at Swindon)
Cardiff City's Ground (Forgive me I forget what it was called) (Saw 1984's Kangaroos v Wales here)
Victory Park, Chorley (I had an Epileptic fit on the way back from here)
Athletic Grounds (One of my first away games, in the Cup)
Watersheddings (Almost my 3rd ground I used to spend so much time here, I saw a Wire fan throw an Oldham fan off the top tier of the double stand and then throw his crutches after him in a Lancs Cup game)
Hilton Park (I remember Hull KR winning the Championship here, and celebrating in the main stand before their game was over because the 2nd place team had lost by radio - those were the days)
Elland Road (When New Hunslet used it as their home ground)

[fieldofclothofgold]

JS was right at the end of his career then 1970.I saw him register three against Tommy Voll at Knowsley Road in his pomp. No mean feat. I had just a cameo role at the Chemics as a stop gap. Funny in those days nearly every worthwhile Lancashire footballer finished their days at either Blackpool or Knotty Ash. As well as Stopford, Billy Boston and the immortal Brian Bevan finished up there.

Leeds had a player Eddie Ratclffe never a regular in the first team,but he always and particularlly in the 1961 season he was put in against Vollenhoven with the orders to mark him closely,and he stopped the great man.

[Geoff Lee]

I once played soccer at the City Road ground, the home of St Helens Recs in the late 50s. It felt great to be getting changed in the same dressing room as the members of their Mangling Machine once did: Smith, Fildes and Mulvaney.

[Jill Halfpenny fan]

Often visited Knotty Ash home of Liverpool City. The Chemics played a memorable Cup tie there. It was the first ever away game for me. Bought a Yates coach ticket for 3s-9p and had it on the mantle-piece in the living room for a week checking its validity each morning. A bit later re-visited on my bike going up to Rainhill and on via Prescott. Mike Brocken's book on Liverpool City a great read.

Yates Tours, that takes me back.

Used Yates myself back in the early seventies for some away games.

Not unknown for someone having to tell the driver how to get there.

Depo was Kent street way from memory.

[audois]

Yates Tours, that takes me back.

Used Yates myself back in the early seventies for some away games.

Not unknown for someone having to tell the driver how to get there.

Depo was Kent street way from memory.

JH wasn't Kent St. I was brought up in Dickson St. It was the next one down with Piles Butchers on the corner! Cream charabanc with green flash. One day we arrived at Keighley at half time when the driver got us lost on the moors and we couldn't cross a stream as the bridge on this remote short cut was too narrow.

[Jill Halfpenny fan]

JH wasn't Kent St. I was brought up in Dickson St. It was the next one down with Piles Butchers on the corner! Cream charabanc with green flash. One day we arrived at Keighley at half time when the driver got us lost on the moors and we couldn't cross a stream as the bridge on this remote short cut was too narrow.

Agree it wasn't Kent St, just know it was in the vicinity.

Remember going to Hull for the cup tie in 1975, everywhere we went in Hull there was a coach going in the opposite direction.

Those were the days.

[Derwent]

ah, but as the thread suggests, how many did you visit?

All of them. And I never paid to get in at any of them either

[Bartholemew Smythe]

Couldn't you say the same about Leigh? The stands have changed and the lines might not be in exactly the same place, but isn't it basically the same bit of earth underneath it all?

Err NO............... unless by NOT in the same place you mean 1/2 mile away.

[Cliff Spracklen]

This was my list submitted a year or so ago to a similar thtread. Apologies for not taking out the exiasting grounds.:

Bramley(pro club): Barley Mow
McLaren Field
Clarence Field, Kirkstall
Hunslet: Parkside
Ladbrookes Greyhound Stadium
Elland Road
South Leeds Stadium
Mount leasant Batley
Fulham/London : Craven Cottage
Chiswick Poly
The Valley,Charlton
The Stoop
Griffin Park
Hull KR: Craven Park
New Craven Park
Trafford Borough: Moss Lane Altrincham
Springfield Borough: Springfield Park
Huyton: Alt Park
Runcorn Highfield: Canal Street, Runcorn
Highfield: Hoghton Road, St Helens
Horwich Mechanics Institute
Prescot Panthers; Hope Street, Prescot
Carlisle: Brunton Park
Gilford Park
York: Wigginton Road (aka Clarence Street)
Huntington Stadium
Dewsbury: Crown Flatt
New Crown Flatt
Batley: Mount Pleasant
Blackpool Borough : Borough Park
Blackpool Mechanics FC
Blackpool Gladiators: Blackpool Mechanics FC
Scarborough Pirates: Seamer Road (aka McCain Stadium)
Cardiff Blue Dragons: Ninian Park
Mansfield Marksman: Field Mill
Sutton Town FC
Alfreton Town FC
Nottingham City Outlaws: Harvey Hadden Stadium
Kent Invicta: London Road, Maidstone
Southend Invicta : Roots Hall
Lancashire Lynx: Deepdale, Preston
Doncaster: Tattersfield
Greyhound Stadium, Stainthorpe
Belle Vue
Sheffield Eagles: Owlerton
Bramall Lane
Saltergate(Chesterfield FC)
Don Valley
Wakefield Trinity: Belle Vue
Featherstone: Post Office Road
Castleford: Wheldon Road
Huddersfield: Fartown
Galpharm
Leeds Road (HTFC)
Halifax: Thrum Hall
The Shay
Bradford: Odsal
Valley Parade
Keighley: Lawkholme Lane
Gateshead Thunder: Thunderdome
Wigan: Central Park
JJB Stadium
Widnes: Naughton Park
Halton stadium
Warrington: Wilderspool
Hallewell Jones
St.Helens: Knowsley Road
Workington Town: Derwent Park
Whitehaven:Recreation Ground
Barrow: Craven Park
Swinton: Station Road
Gigg Lane

Oldham: Watersheddings
Boundary Park
Salford: Willows
Leigh: Hilton Park
Leeds: Headingley
Hull FC: Boulevard
KC Stadium

Rochdale: The Athletic Grounds
Spotland

[Padge]

Yes, they played at Stainforth for a while after Tattersfield was sold.

Other missing off the list include :-

Gillford Park, Carlisle

Fylde RUFC (Blackpool Panthers)

McCain Stadium (Scarborough Pirates)

Springfield Park, Wigan (Springfield Borough)

Moss Lane, Altrincham (Trafford Borough)

Deepdale (Lancashire Lynx)

Canal Street (Runcorn Highfield)

Valerie Park (Prescot Panthers)

Sedgely Park (Swinton)

Glad you mentioned that, I was about to. Went to quite a few games when Blackpool upped sticks and moved in on Wigan's turf. A cracking set of supporters and thoroughly enjoyed their company at every game I went to.

[MidlandsRugbyLeague]

Owlerton Stadium is still open for Greyhound Racing and Speedway - but the infield hasnt been used for sport for many years.

[Methven Hornet]

Owlerton Stadium is still open for Greyhound Racing and Speedway - but the infield hasnt been used for sport for many years.

Wow! I had just assumed that it had long gone. I was at the first rugby league game against Hornets.

Is it still in a decent state?

[moorman]

Nostalgia is a wonderful thing , and many of these grounds referred to in this thread are sadly missed by those of my generation , but having looked at this photostream on

makes you think ! maybe time has clouded our view of them

Edited by moorman, 30 December 2011 - 12:49 AM.

[The Parksider]

Nostalgia is a wonderful thing , and many of these grounds referred to in this thread are sadly missed by those of my generation , but having looked at this photostream on

makes you think ! maybe time has clouded our view of them

Thank you - That was great. Was York on there??

The Boulevard was awful. Bramleys Daisy stand was moved to cover the teraces but actually only covered the walkway at the back - it was bonkers.

Nostalgia is wonderful - all my 70's trips to these grounds were great days out. but yes the grounds themselves weren't that great, but many were historic.

I guess some you showed were the "nomadic" grounds that the small "new" clubs of the 1980's inhabited, I didn't go chasing to those grounds as many weren't RL grounds from the birth of the game.

In order I did not recognise 15, 16, 18, 19, 21.....

Anyone oblige??

Thank you again for that..............

Edited by The Parksider, 30 December 2011 - 09:20 AM.

[bearman]

I lined up one day opposite the great winger John Stopford at Borough Park.
Never visited Blackpool's earlier home of St Annes Greyhound Stadium further down the coast.

Often visited Knotty Ash home of Liverpool City. The Chemics played a memorable Cup tie there. It was the first ever away game for me. Bought a Yates coach ticket for 3s-9p and had it on the mantle-piece in the living room for a week checking its validity each morning. A bit later re-visited on my bike going up to Rainhill and on via Prescott. Mike Brocken's book on Liverpool City a great read.

As an old pedant can can I point out that the fare would have been . 3s-9d (3/9d.) d not p

3/9d bus fare
1s boys entry
programme 3d
bovril 2d
total 5/2d .
So at 5 bob pocket money + 3d for bottle return -that leaves 1d for either 4 blackjacks or if it was near bonfire night a penny Cannon to chuck at your mates. Happy days!
Note to younger readers 5/2d equals 26p

Edited by bearman, 30 December 2011 - 09:56 AM.

[marklaspalmas]

Nice one Moorman. Great memories of some shocking facilities. We just didn't care back then, eh?

[Bulliac]

Err NO............... unless by NOT in the same place you mean 1/2 mile away.

Ah, my mistake.
I visited the old Hilton Park ground many times over the years but haven't been to Leigh for ages, well since they dropped from SL. There used to be an amateur ground somewhere between a quarter and half a mile further out of town from HP(leigh Miners?) which we always used to pass on the way in, is that where it is?

[fieldofclothofgold]

Thank you - That was great. Was York on there??

The Boulevard was awful. Bramleys Daisy stand was moved to cover the teraces but actually only covered the walkway at the back - it was bonkers.

Nostalgia is wonderful - all my 70's trips to these grounds were great days out. but yes the grounds themselves weren't that great, but many were historic.

I guess some you showed were the "nomadic" grounds that the small "new" clubs of the 1980's inhabited, I didn't go chasing to those grounds as many weren't RL grounds from the birth of the game.

In order I did not recognise 15, 16, 18, 19, 21.....

Anyone oblige??

Thank you again for that..............

I thought the old PARKSIDE ground was wonderful .Wish some one could post a pic of that place