The smells of Rugby League

[meast]

Nicked this idea from a football forum I sometimes visit, what smells do you associate with RL, as an earliest memory of attending games, or something more recent, a smell that defines a certain ground, game, place etc.

I'll start off with my first memories of attending games at Fartown- Pipe tobacco, Bovril and boiled onions from the hot dog/catering van.

Fire away and keep it civil please.

[Dave W]

The smell of hot pork pies, mushy peas and mint sauce on a cold winter's day at Bramley, Batley and Odsal

[The Phantom Horseman]

13 minutes ago, meast said:

 

I'll start off with my first memories of attending games at Fartown- Pipe tobacco, Bovril and boiled onions from the hot dog/catering van.

 

All those, but mingled with Wintergreen.

[Dunbar]

The smell of wintergreen immediately takes me back to a changing room pre-game with the nerves rising.  A very powerful recollection.

[Andy JG]

Definitely the smell from those 1970s & 80s hot dog/burger trollies outside grounds. 

Cigarette smoke.

The smell of soup from the refreshment kiosk under the scoreboard at Leigh.

 

[Shaggy]

Not smells, really but more an atmosphere.

I didn't play much as I wasn't built for the game but after one of my better matches I came off the field covered in mud, sat down in the changing rooms completely worn out and said to myself: "I love this game." That moment with the steam of the showers and the pile of dirty kit is what comes back to me when these sorts of questions are asked.

[Barry Badrinath]

Walking past the front of the bevan stand pre match at wilderspool where the changing rooms were the smell of wintergreen was pungent, great memory

[graveyard johnny]

putting your head in the scrum as loose forward and hoping the 5 lads in front of you hadn't been on the beer and curry the night before

[Expatknight]

Didn’t matter which ground you were at you could always smell the wintergreen as the players went onto the field, I wonder what they rub on themselves these days if anything. 

[meast]

1 hour ago, The Phantom Horseman said:

All those, but mingled with Wintergreen.

 

1 hour ago, Dunbar said:

The smell of wintergreen immediately takes me back to a changing room pre-game with the nerves rising.  A very powerful recollection.

 

46 minutes ago, Barry Badrinath said:

Walking past the front of the bevan stand pre match at wilderspool where the changing rooms were the smell of wintergreen was pungent, great memory

Wintergreen is the same as embrocation/deep heat style stuff I presume?

Yeah used to get that smell at Fartown as the players got ready!

[Coggo]

The smell of aftershave on Wembley Way as you come out of the tube on Challenge Cup final day.

[longboard]

The subtle aroma of the bog roll soup served from the kiosk at the open end at Fartown.

What did they put in that stuff?

[ATLANTISMAN]

At Russia v Georgia in Moscow behind me they were smoking dope and doing nazi salutes during the national anthem horrible bunch of cretins:(

 

Paul 

[Dunbar]

1 hour ago, meast said:

Wintergreen is the same as embrocation/deep heat style stuff I presume?

It is yes.

The olfactory triggered memories are the strongest, no doubt.

This thread reminds me of Perfume by Patrick Süskind but slightly lighter reading. 

[graveyard johnny]

the smell of embalming fluid at belle vue after 6 rounds of the SL era and everyone conceding the season was dead already

[meast]

1 hour ago, longboard said:

The subtle aroma of the bog roll soup served from the kiosk at the open end at Fartown.

What did they put in that stuff?

Only ever had the tomato soup and I thought it was fantastic as a young lad!

[lemmy xaan]

Strong sweet pipe tobacco smell at the back of the South Stand at Headingley, late 60s. Strong sweet urine smell at the back of the main Odsal stand, late 60s.

[Just Browny]

2 hours ago, Barry Badrinath said:

Walking past the front of the bevan stand pre match at wilderspool where the changing rooms were the smell of wintergreen was pungent, great memory

This was by far the most pleasant smell at Wilderspool; the less pleasant being those encountered in the Fletcher St end toilets (a brick wall) and on the terraces themselves after a few locals had clearly eaten and drunk well on the preceding Saturday night.

Historically a trip to Widnes was always an olifactory safari, not so much nowadays.

[M j M]

I remember going to Widnes during the foot & mouth outbreak 

[Fly-By-TheWire]

It's funny but I smelled that 'second-hand' cigarette smoke smell in my hotel room the other night.  It was either the previous occupant or someone down the corridor, but my throat was red raw the next morning.   How did we get used to it for so long before the year 2000?   It must have been pretty damaging, even second-hand when in a pub or restaurant.

[Fly-By-TheWire]

58 minutes ago, M j M said:

I remember going to Widnes during the foot & mouth outbreak 

One breath of the air and you were instantly cured of any biological pathogen. 

[daz39]

Definitely wintergreen, as a young lad who volunteered around the Fartown ground and in and around the changing rooms the smell wafted around the inside and outside.

[Leyther_Matt]

Wintergreen. Always wintergreen.

In the summer era I suppose I’d have to suggest stale lager!

I also assume you mean the Non League Football forum @meast that I’m sure @Hopping Mad also frequents?

[meast]

18 minutes ago, Leyther_Matt said:

Wintergreen. Always wintergreen.

In the summer era I suppose I’d have to suggest stale lager!

I also assume you mean the Non League Football forum @meast that I’m sure @Hopping Mad also frequents?

That's the one, pretty much the same answers on here as on there.

[creditwhereitsdews]

Maurice Bamford's cigars while passing the dugout at Crown Flatt.