[Archived] You can't beat a football ground

[Gav]

I've today found myself driving around Fir Park, Motherwells football ground in Lanarkshire.

Its very much an old site with partially built new stands a bit like the Riverside.

You can clearly make out the old walls on the outer perimeter that show signs off apprentices white washing the old graffiti off and I was struck by how close some of the house back gardens are to the pitch, in some cases no more than the with of a stand.

Driving round you can see the weak points where the club have tried to stop fans climbing in for free with layers of barbed wire and flimsy pallet type fencing (Riverside toilets Darwen End was the place at the old Ewood)

But the main difference between Motherwell and other grounds I've been to are the floodlights, they're on another level, superb design, old school.

So that's the inner geek in me coming out, doesn't happen often, but I love a good footy ground, graffiti and all.

Anyone else still get goose bumps when they see a stadium? Any good 'nicking in places' or classic old school designs?

Albion Rovers and Airdrie just down the road, may nip over for a look if I get the time.

 

 

[Leyland-Rover]

During it's construction, I stopped and got out of the car a couple of times to have a look at the Fylde ground, en-route to the coast. Loved that.

I was also working in Coventry a few months ago, and went out of my way to have a snoop around there too.

 

[Hanks]

I was at the county ground Northampton watching a game against Lancashire in the 80's and they used to share with the football club. During the Lunch break I had a walk around the football part of the ground, The pitch was being used as an overflow car park.. Never been to a football game there but it must have been odd playing in a three sided stadium

[Lancs Rover]

39 minutes ago, Hanks said:

I was at the county ground Northampton watching a game against Lancashire in the 80's and they used to share with the football club. During the Lunch break I had a walk around the football part of the ground, The pitch was being used as an overflow car park.. Never been to a football game there but it must have been odd playing in a three sided stadium 

I taught for a few years in Northampton and took some kids to matches on tickets provided by the club. It was odd as a three sided ground but kind of in keeping with the club in those days, not taking itself too seriously. I went to the game at Shrewsbury on the last day of the1993 season when Northampton came from behind to avoid relegation from the league. Gay Meadow in those days. They remind me of Morecambe whose ground move hasn't enabled them to kick on since leaving Christie Park. Looking forward to checking out Northampton's Sixfields again in December which, ironically, I've heard, also has only three functioning sides - one being 'evidence' in the ongoing legal action against the former owners' alleged financial misdeeds. 

 

[Sparks Rover]

Siena in Italy and Pisa.....been to both for a look round when visiting the cities. Strangely enough you can just walk in and walk around even to the pitch.  Cages for the away fans....

[SIMON GARNERS 194]

The old Ewood floodlights were magnificent,could be seen for miles around.

I'm sure they were sold of to some lower league club when the ground was redeveloped.

[AllRoverAsia]

6 minutes ago, SIMON GARNERS 194 said:

The old Ewood floodlights were magnificent,could be seen for miles around.

I'm sure they were sold of to some lower league club when the ground was redeveloped.

One of the abiding memories of my youth was travelling by train to my Gran's house in Blackburn and seeing those Ewood floodlights appear in the distance and wonder what magic I would see from Douglas & Co.

Goosebumps then and now.

Growing up and travelling a lot I have always kept an eye open for the local football grounds no matter what Country, City, Town or Village I may have been travelling through. Often just for a look.

[Sparks Rover]

2 hours ago, SIMON GARNERS 194 said:

The old Ewood floodlights were magnificent,could be seen for miles around.

I'm sure they were sold of to some lower league club when the ground was redeveloped.

Climbed up them a few times as a young tearaway.....ladders went right to the top. 

[Gav]

29 minutes ago, Sparks Rover said:

Climbed up them a few times as a young tearaway.....ladders went right to the top. 

My dad tells me he climbed the floodlights at Ewood many times late 60's, was a popular pastime back in those days apparently.

Im a bit sceptical myself as he used to get dizzy at the top of the escalator in town, and never came up Bpool tower with us as kids!

The nets at Ewood that sloped down from the crossbar, blue and white halved, do we see nets like that anymore? Classics, much better than the box shape we see now.

What about the old bogs  worst ever away at Oxford, wading through p1ss in the dark and someone peeing down yer leg, happy days!

[bazza]

Regarding Gav's first post, I remember when Motherwell came down to Ewood Park to play us in a friendly game. Was it when Don Mackay was manager?

They all seemed to be well dressed in suits displaying their colours of gold and purple. They seemed very proud of their football club, a bit like Glasgow Rangers where they made all their staff wear the club suits. Needless to say they beat us.

Another memory (from around 1960) is when I and a friend, Geoff, went to a night match at Ewood and took along a mutual friend who was a PNE supporter. Rovers' floodlights hadn't been up long. North End's lights had been up for quite a while.

We were on the Blackburn End about 20 minutes before kick-off. Geoff got this lad to admit that Rovers floodlights were as good as North End's lights; not better but equal. Then, as the teams came out, the other two pylons were switched on making our lights twice as good.    Happy days.

[Sparks Rover]

1 hour ago, Gav said:

My dad tells me he climbed the floodlights at Ewood many times late 60's, was a popular pastime back in those days apparently.

Im a bit sceptical myself as he used to get dizzy at the top of the escalator in town, and never came up Bpool tower with us as kids!

The nets at Ewood that sloped down from the crossbar, blue and white halved, do we see nets like that anymore? Classics, much better than the box shape we see now.

What about the old bogs  worst ever away at Oxford, wading through p1ss in the dark and someone peeing down yer leg, happy days!

I'm more an eighties kid. Circa 1980-84 nicking in under the turnstile exit at the blackburn end and then onto the pitch for a kick about....hoping big nose the caretaker didn't see you or else it was back out and into.the woods behind the riverside....onto the swing that we used to hang off that tree that overhung on the ledge  That swing was there for donkeys

[den9112]

Riverside toilets were the easiest place to get in  ,a very easy climb over , thing is my parents always gave me the money but for some reason we always chanced it,...

Bear in mind i was kid back then..

[windymiller7]

14 hours ago, Sparks Rover said:

I'm more an eighties kid. Circa 1980-84 nicking in under the turnstile exit at the blackburn end and then onto the pitch for a kick about....hoping big nose the caretaker didn't see you or else it was back out and into.the woods behind the riverside....onto the swing that we used to hang off that tree that overhung on the ledge  That swing was there for donkeys

Sorry, but that really amused me!

[AlanK]

I always thought the lamps on the old floodlights looked like they spelt BR, especially when turned on. Not sure if this was by design or my imagination.

[Gav]

Never noticed that Alan but you could have a point.

Great shot of a packed Blackburn End by the way.

[rovgers]

On 20/09/2017 at 22:50, Sparks Rover said:

I'm more an eighties kid. Circa 1980-84 nicking in under the turnstile exit at the blackburn end and then onto the pitch for a kick about....hoping big nose the caretaker didn't see you or else it was back out and into.the woods behind the riverside....onto the swing that we used to hang off that tree that overhung on the ledge  That swing was there for donkeys

I will have to confess that I also did this, i lived on the other side of the fields behind Ewood as a kid, used to climb over between the riverside and Darwen end.

Scoring goals in the Blackburn End pretending I was Simon Garner, minus the fags and pint of mild. Nearly got caught one time by the police who were looking out for the TV cameras, that was on the morning of the last home game against Bury in 1980 when we won promotion.

[SIMON GARNERS 194]

Great pic AlanK!

[Sparks Rover]

http://www.theleaguepaper.com/featured/7986/where-are-they-now-blackburn-rovers-1991-92-division-two-play-off-winners/

 

 

[SIMON GARNERS 194]

You cannot argue against the fact that the old grounds had the atmosphere.

 

 

[Mattyblue]

I'd say Alan's pic was taken in the 91/92 promotion season..

[booth]

I've got a vhs somewhere of a video we did at college, year after we went up. Just montage stuff. Will look crap as it was shot on svhs but if I ever find it I'll isolate the shots and upload them )if the video still plays).

[MCMC1875]

Fantastic floodlights. Lit up Ewood and seen from Revidge and Shear Brow when switched on.

[Gav]

Look at these bad boys:

 

 

[blueboy3333]

Ten years since O'Donnell died. Very sad. Used to enjoy watching him play for Celtic.

[Gav]

9 minutes ago, blueboy3333 said:

Ten years since O'Donnell died. Very sad. Used to enjoy watching him play for Celtic.

Davie Cooper also died at such a young age 39, fantastic players, made his name for Rangers during the 80's and died from a brain hemorrhage.