" Memories of old grounds visited "

Whilst we are all kick our heels waiting for Dato Chan and co to make the announcement, I was thinking back to some all the old grounds I’ve visited over the years.

Here’s my list plus a few memories:

Leeds Road – Huddersfield (Cohen Grffiths scoring a belter on his debut)

Manor Ground – Oxford (Jimmy Mullen last minute equaliser in the rain and Frankie scrapping in the home end)

Maine Road – Man City (singing what a waste of money to Trevor Francis before he scored twice to dump us out of the cup)

Old Den – Millwall (tearing them apart 4-0 on a Sunday and getting bricked in New Cross after the game – what a day)

Saltergate – Chesterfield (invading the pitch after Dave Bennett had clinched a winner to all but send us up)

Baseball Ground – Derby (Ian Baird scoring twice and the strip featuring Super Ted on the front)

Wretch Field – Scumsea (going mental on New Years Day after Gilligan scored a last minute equaliser)

Somerton Park – Newport (losing after having two goals disallowed, how did they manage to cram us all into the Cromwell Road end)

Gay Meadow – Shrewsbury (losing to a last minute goal after hitting the woodwork god knows how many times, total bedlam after the game)

Highbury – Arsenal (never saw the City there but did see Villa win the league title in 81, in the biggest away following I’ve ever witnessed for a league game)

Old Wembley – seeing Wales get a goalless draw in 81, no City players in the squad but the entire Wales contingent being all City)

Others include County Ground Northampton, Goldstone Ground Brighton, Plough Lane Wimbledon, Elm Park Reading, Filbert Street Leicester, Fellows Park Walsall,

I missed a few obvious ones like Eastville and the Dell and I wish I had gone to Roker Park before it was bulldozed. One thing in common with all these old grounds is that they all had character (apart from the Wretch!)

Anyway time to put my rose tinted specs back in the glass case for another day.

I have vague memories of Walsall's old groung back in 89, we took the train up and 20mins before kick off I was ejected from the ground for being plastered. Had to watch the match from the bridge by the ground all I could see was the one goal line and the City fans.

Twerton Park-getting piss wet through in Jan 1994-Blakey scored but we lost 2-1. Also remember freezing my bollox off there in a 3-0 autowindscreen trophy thing with about 150 CCFC. Also ended up in their end in 1993 (i think) we went 2 up and drew 2 all. How i didnt celebrate is another story.......


Somerton park-remember the 1-0 defeat. thought we'd effed up promotion after that. How wrong i was

I was lucky enough to go to Roker Park, the papers that day were headlining, Sunderland to go up if they beat lowly Cardiff. We won 2-1 and Ron Healy saved a penalty, along but vey happy trip home and managed to get up in time to watch us on the Big Match. Blackburn 4-1 closely followed by Leicester 2-1(within a few days of each other if I remember rightly) with Phil Dwyer running the lenghth of the pitch when we scored the winner.

I was lucky enough to go to Roker Park, the papers that day were headlining, Sunderland to go up if they beat lowly Cardiff. We won 2-1 and Ron Healy saved a penalty, along but vey happy trip home and managed to get up in time to watch us on the Big Match. Blackburn 4-1 closely followed by Leicester 2-1(within a few days of each other if I remember rightly) with Phil Dwyer running the lenghth of the pitch when we scored the winner.

We were virtually invincible at the end of that season, although we came back down to earth when we lost 4-1 at Notts County on the first day of the following season.

Remember going to Plough Lane mid eighties, 14 of us in a transit van, inevitably we got relegated that day. But was the same day as the Bradford fire which we listened to on the radio as we made our way home. Sad day that was.

charlton athletic around 1976 at the valley, , we came out straight into a massive fight got arrested and missed the coach home and had to catch a train back hahaha sat in the toilet all the way from paddington so not to pay
those were the days lol

I was lucky enough to go to Roker Park, the papers that day were headlining, Sunderland to go up if they beat lowly Cardiff. We won 2-1 and Ron Healy saved a penalty, along but vey happy trip home and managed to get up in time to watch us on the Big Match. Blackburn 4-1 closely followed by Leicester 2-1(within a few days of each other if I remember rightly) with Phil Dwyer running the lenghth of the pitch when we scored the winner.

We were virtually invincible at the end of that season, although we came back down to earth when we lost 4-1 at Notts County on the first day of the following season.

I think we were unbeaten in the last 12, when we started the run we'd just lost 5-0 away to Brighton, 3-0 aawy to Swindon in the cup and 5-0 away to Cambridge, remarkable run really, I managed to get 18 away games in that season

Got me thinking, the Victoria ground, Stoke, Eastville stadium, the Vetch, & old Wembley. Almost forgot, Main rd [fa cup] Old Den [twice] & somerton park.
Shittiest ground i have been to are Kenilworth Rd Luton [shit hole, inc their fans] & Plainmoor, Torquay.

roots hall late 70's cup game arrived just in time to see parker score the winner against us then got left behind what a day

Millwall when we won 4-0, me ane Steven Evans looking forward to a pint when we got home, then our coach got some unwanted ventilation and that was the end of that.

Mansfield in the snow 2-2 late 70s

Everton night game in the league cup, they were not happy to see us after the FA Cup game a little earlier

Elm Park, Reading another night game, police were supposed to hold the train for us!!!!!!!! no chance

Doncaster with Vampy, too much alcohol,

Agree worst grounds Luton & Newport

charlton athletic around 1976 at the valley, , we came out straight into a massive fight got arrested and missed the coach home and had to catch a train back hahaha sat in the toilet all the way from paddington so not to pay
those were the days lol

I was arrested in that fight too, maybe we were in the same cell in Blackheath police station as I remember there were 12 of us nicked, most of them from Barry, we were back up in london for the court case on the monday in Greenwich magistrates, it was adjourned until the following week when they found us all guilty, £10 fine and bound over to keep the peace for 12 months no daft prison sentences in those days.

Cardiff Arms Park - losing to Barry Town in the Welsh Cup Final !....

I'm not sure who the many City fans from Barry were cheering for that day.

Torquay 1980/81,most city fans who went at the time were skinheads including myself,i remember the pitch invasion in the second half,everyone was pissed as a fart

Always enjoyed our trips to Eastville. Diabolical ground, but did have 'a certain charm'. Remember going there in the 70s, giving away a crazy goal in the first half, but Tony Evans getting the equaliser in the second. The terraces were literally crumbling, and bits of stone/concrete were flying back and fore.

Also remember that game at the Vetch when Jimmy Gilligan got the late, late equaliser. New Year's Day, about 1988? We were like sardines behind the goal, at the prison end. The goal was up at the other end, and it took a few moments to realise that it was in Never did see it on telly afterwards ! The Old Bill kept us behind for hours after the game. My dad and me still talk about it today.

Happy days

Plenty of the grounds mentioned documented here: http://www.oldgrounds.co.uk/

Enjoy

Torquay 1980/81,most city fans who went at the time were skinheads including myself,i remember the pitch invasion in the second half,everyone was pissed as a fart

my 1st ever away game that was

My first away game was Fratton Park in the early seventies.

I recall sitting on the terraces at Springfield Park (Wigan) surrounded by weeds, and nearly falling alseep as I had had too much beer and the match was a dull 0-0. Think it was about 1983?

Eating fish and chips in Grimsby after Tarki netted a late winner in 1982 but we still went down.

Missing the first half of Notts County away in 1978 after the train was delayed at New Street. Lost 4-1.

Being marched around and around Eastville by the police before a new years fixture with Bristol Rovers in @1978 as the train special was so early. Lost 2-4.

My first away game at Hereford when Robin Friday was sent off in 1976. Amazed at number of City fans. 2-2.

Getting soaked at Wrexham when we won 2-1 and it was on Match of the Day in 1977.

Sneakily breaking away from the police escorts at Reading and Chesterfield to get on a normal service train home.

Asked politely to move from the home ends at Oxford in 1982 and Orient in 1979 to the away ends.

Watching golf balls and other objects flying back for 90 minutes at Fratton Park in 1983. 0-0.

Plenty more other memories.

These are just a few of mine....
Hereford Uniteds Edgar Street early 80s Welsh Cup semi final game I think? (my first ever away game).
Burys Gigg Lane a very sad day as we got relegated after a 2nil defeat.
Readings Elm Park the Fa cup game that go`s into extra time and pens and a league game when my mate gets nicked up there.
Exeter Citys St James Park I`ve been there many times but the most memorable one was the start of the Sam Hamman era.
Blackpool in the 80s before the new stands were built what a dump and always cold but always a great piss up weekend
Man Citys Maine Road a great football ground but never seen us win there

These are just a few of mine....
Hereford Uniteds Edgar Street early 80s Welsh Cup semi final game I think? (my first ever away game).
Burys Gigg Lane a very sad day as we got relegated after a 2nil defeat.
Readings Elm Park the Fa cup game that go`s into extra time and pens and a league game when my mate gets nicked up there.
Exeter Citys St James Park I`ve been there many times but the most memorable one was the start of the Sam Hamman era.
Blackpool in the 80s before the new stands were built what a dump and always cold but always a great piss up weekend
Man Citys Maine Road a great football ground but never seen us win there

Forgot
Millwalls The Den. Fa cup game went up on the football special a great day out drew the game nil nil .

Brewery Field! makes the old den as hostile as the liberty

Can't remember the year but had the great pleasure of being at the Vetch when the Jacks had a pathetic group on the centre circle singing the new Swansea City song with inflatable Swans either side of them when one of the City fans climbed the fence at the away end, ran half the length of the pitch unnoticed a proceeded to 'shaft' one of the Swans from behind. PRICELESS

charlton athletic around 1976 at the valley, , we came out straight into a massive fight got arrested and missed the coach home and had to catch a train back hahaha sat in the toilet all the way from paddington so not to pay
those were the days lol

I was arrested in that fight too, maybe we were in the same cell in Blackheath police station as I remember there were 12 of us nicked, most of them from Barry, we were back up in london for the court case on the monday in Greenwich magistrates, it was adjourned until the following week when they found us all guilty, £10 fine and bound over to keep the peace for 12 months no daft prison sentences in those days.

yeah thats right mate haha.....small world lol

charlton athletic around 1976 at the valley, , we came out straight into a massive fight got arrested and missed the coach home and had to catch a train back hahaha sat in the toilet all the way from paddington so not to pay
those were the days lol

I was arrested in that fight too, maybe we were in the same cell in Blackheath police station as I remember there were 12 of us nicked, most of them from Barry, we were back up in london for the court case on the monday in Greenwich magistrates, it was adjourned until the following week when they found us all guilty, £10 fine and bound over to keep the peace for 12 months no daft prison sentences in those days.

yeah thats right mate haha.....small world lol

Can't remember the year but had the great pleasure of being at the Vetch when the Jacks had a pathetic group on the centre circle singing the new Swansea City song with inflatable Swans either side of them when one of the City fans climbed the fence at the away end, ran half the length of the pitch unnoticed a proceeded to 'shaft' one of the Swans from behind. PRICELESS

Richie Jones from Merthyr

Can't remember the year but had the great pleasure of being at the Vetch when the Jacks had a pathetic group on the centre circle singing the new Swansea City song with inflatable Swans either side of them when one of the City fans climbed the fence at the away end, ran half the length of the pitch unnoticed a proceeded to 'shaft' one of the Swans from behind. PRICELESS

Richie Jones from Merthyr

Did he get arrested or just ejaculated (Oops meant ejected)!!!!