What happened to England's lost football grounds?
Discussion
Yeovil Town's old ground was Huish, now sadly a Tesco. Clearly remember the smell of the Bovril from the tea huts, the liniment wafting up from the dressing rooms and the most ludicrous scoreboard ever. Every week, there would be 12 fixtures listed in the programme from A to J and there were two hooks under each letter to hang the scoreline from. Ha ha, it really was the most basic thing you've ever seen.
The move to the new ground almost put us out of business. Two years after we moved in, fans were rattling buckets outside the ground on matchdays, collecting to keep us afloat. We beat Hereford in the second round of the FA Cup with a last minute winner; the third round paired us with Arsenal. Match of the Day, around £100k in TV money and we were saved. Two seasons ago, reached the Championship, that was a hell of a journey.
The move to the new ground almost put us out of business. Two years after we moved in, fans were rattling buckets outside the ground on matchdays, collecting to keep us afloat. We beat Hereford in the second round of the FA Cup with a last minute winner; the third round paired us with Arsenal. Match of the Day, around £100k in TV money and we were saved. Two seasons ago, reached the Championship, that was a hell of a journey.
I actually got to play at Highbury when I was a youth team player, it really was something going through to the changing rooms when you're 16! Loftus Road was the first away match I went to, the atmosphere was actually bouncing although I may have just been a bit overawed by the occasion.
I have very fond but faded memories of Bristol Rovers former stadium Eastville.
This was a proper old style football ground where Saturday afternoons were spent if you came from the north of Bristol.
Great video here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sBkEdBCppk0 which may stir a few memories.
A fellow Gashead (Rovers fan) is credited with writing a fantastic book called 'Bovver http://www.amazon.co.uk/Bovver-Chris-Brown/dp/1903... which is thought to be the best look at the seventies football scene ever written. It was also updated and released as Booted and Suited http://www.amazon.co.uk/Booted-Suited-Chris-Brown/...
Eastville became very run down in it's later years and was finally demolished and replaced with an Ikea. Chris sums up in Booted and Suited with these lines....
"The Tote End (a large and foreboding terrace at Eastville) itself was demolished in the nineties. Sadly a monstrous Ikea store now stands in it's place. Where once tribes of youths performed their rites of passage and bodily fluids flowed in the name of love, hate and pride. Justin and Kate bicker over which wood flooring they should choose........it f
king kills me. The Tote and it's inhabitants may have long gone but it, and they, will never be forgotten."
Goodnight Eastville, goodnight Irene.
This was a proper old style football ground where Saturday afternoons were spent if you came from the north of Bristol.
Great video here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sBkEdBCppk0 which may stir a few memories.
A fellow Gashead (Rovers fan) is credited with writing a fantastic book called 'Bovver http://www.amazon.co.uk/Bovver-Chris-Brown/dp/1903... which is thought to be the best look at the seventies football scene ever written. It was also updated and released as Booted and Suited http://www.amazon.co.uk/Booted-Suited-Chris-Brown/...
Eastville became very run down in it's later years and was finally demolished and replaced with an Ikea. Chris sums up in Booted and Suited with these lines....
"The Tote End (a large and foreboding terrace at Eastville) itself was demolished in the nineties. Sadly a monstrous Ikea store now stands in it's place. Where once tribes of youths performed their rites of passage and bodily fluids flowed in the name of love, hate and pride. Justin and Kate bicker over which wood flooring they should choose........it f
king kills me. The Tote and it's inhabitants may have long gone but it, and they, will never be forgotten."Goodnight Eastville, goodnight Irene.
stuartmmcfc said:
Never been able to go back and have a look at what Maine rd's like now.
Last time I went was for the last match againt Southampton when i left with tears in my eye, unable to look back.
Are you getting confused with nearly every game you left? Last time I went was for the last match againt Southampton when i left with tears in my eye, unable to look back.
Often drive down the Parkway and glance across. Still seems weird not seeing the old ground. Sad in a way.
I've been watching Brentford a bit this season who play at Griffin Park, a proper old school ground surrounded by Victorian terraced houses and has a smashing feel about it. However planning permission has been granted for a brand new ground by the canal (can't remember the timescale to develop) which will be a shame in many ways. You can still get a traditional football day out, a pub on every corner of the ground with great banter and fans mixing from both sides. However, to be successful you need cash and a 10,000 capacity stadium with limited opportunity to sell corporate packages/ maximise alternative revenue streams etc will hold a team back. I hope I still want to go when it changes and will make the most of the old ground for now. Must be getting old.
truck71 said:
I've been watching Brentford a bit this season who play at Griffin Park, a proper old school ground surrounded by Victorian terraced houses and has a smashing feel about it. However planning permission has been granted for a brand new ground by the canal (can't remember the timescale to develop) which will be a shame in many ways. You can still get a traditional football day out, a pub on every corner of the ground with great banter and fans mixing from both sides. However, to be successful you need cash and a 10,000 capacity stadium with limited opportunity to sell corporate packages/ maximise alternative revenue streams etc will hold a team back. I hope I still want to go when it changes and will make the most of the old ground for now. Must be getting old.
I've been a couple of times to Brentford with Yeovil and love the ground. Usually go "upstairs" in the away end and it's very atmospheric. Shame we won't be playing you again any time soon (cups permitting) but I guess the new ground will be worth it. GloverMart said:
truck71 said:
I've been watching Brentford a bit this season who play at Griffin Park, a proper old school ground surrounded by Victorian terraced houses and has a smashing feel about it. However planning permission has been granted for a brand new ground by the canal (can't remember the timescale to develop) which will be a shame in many ways. You can still get a traditional football day out, a pub on every corner of the ground with great banter and fans mixing from both sides. However, to be successful you need cash and a 10,000 capacity stadium with limited opportunity to sell corporate packages/ maximise alternative revenue streams etc will hold a team back. I hope I still want to go when it changes and will make the most of the old ground for now. Must be getting old.
I've been a couple of times to Brentford with Yeovil and love the ground. Usually go "upstairs" in the away end and it's very atmospheric. Shame we won't be playing you again any time soon (cups permitting) but I guess the new ground will be worth it. 
truck71 said:
GloverMart said:
truck71 said:
I've been watching Brentford a bit this season who play at Griffin Park, a proper old school ground surrounded by Victorian terraced houses and has a smashing feel about it. However planning permission has been granted for a brand new ground by the canal (can't remember the timescale to develop) which will be a shame in many ways. You can still get a traditional football day out, a pub on every corner of the ground with great banter and fans mixing from both sides. However, to be successful you need cash and a 10,000 capacity stadium with limited opportunity to sell corporate packages/ maximise alternative revenue streams etc will hold a team back. I hope I still want to go when it changes and will make the most of the old ground for now. Must be getting old.
I've been a couple of times to Brentford with Yeovil and love the ground. Usually go "upstairs" in the away end and it's very atmospheric. Shame we won't be playing you again any time soon (cups permitting) but I guess the new ground will be worth it. Gassing Station | Football | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff