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'NINIAN PARK - YEAR UNKNOWN '

Sat May 21, 2022 6:28 pm

Haven't seen this one before, anyone know what year this could be?

FB_IMG_1653157473849.jpg
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Re: 'NINIAN PARK - YEAR UNKNOWN '

Sat May 21, 2022 6:33 pm

Looking at picture and what's in it it looks as if it was a cricket ground at time?

Re: 'NINIAN PARK - YEAR UNKNOWN '

Sat May 21, 2022 6:39 pm

I would guess late twenties or early thirties. The Grange End was built in the mid late to late twenties and there are no houses around the ground which given their style were probably built in the thirties when builders and local authorities were encouraged to build houses with plenty of garden.

Re: 'NINIAN PARK - YEAR UNKNOWN '

Sat May 21, 2022 7:10 pm

JJ1927 wrote:I would guess late twenties or early thirties. The Grange End was built in the mid late to late twenties and there are no houses around the ground which given their style were probably built in the thirties when builders and local authorities were encouraged to build houses with plenty of garden.


It is definitely before 18th January 1937 because that is when the wooden grandstand shown in the picture burned down.

I think you are right and it is some years before then.

Re: 'NINIAN PARK - YEAR UNKNOWN '

Sat May 21, 2022 7:23 pm

I'm sure I seen that photo before and it was being set up for a boxing match.

Re: 'NINIAN PARK - YEAR UNKNOWN '

Sat May 21, 2022 7:25 pm

There was a big fight there in 1933 looking on Google. Boxers not supporters

Re: 'NINIAN PARK - YEAR UNKNOWN '

Sat May 21, 2022 8:25 pm

So late 20's/early 30's by the sound of it. I don't know when the first floodlights were installed but the FA were late to officially adopt them until 1950. Some clubs were using them for friendlies before then so the FA were forced to do it, I believe Highbury was one of the first in 1930.

Fascinating to think that's how the ground looked around the time we won the FA Cup. The foundation of the pitch was clinker waste from the factories along Penarth Road and players often cut themself on glass which was under the pitch when it was first built. I still find it odd seeing the houses there even now.

Re: 'NINIAN PARK - YEAR UNKNOWN '

Sun May 22, 2022 6:20 am

GrangeEndStar wrote:So late 20's/early 30's by the sound of it. I don't know when the first floodlights were installed but the FA were late to officially adopt them until 1950. Some clubs were using them for friendlies before then so the FA were forced to do it, I believe Highbury was one of the first in 1930.

Fascinating to think that's how the ground looked around the time we won the FA Cup. The foundation of the pitch was clinker waste from the factories along Penarth Road and players often cut themself on glass which was under the pitch when it was first built. I still find it odd seeing the houses there even now.


Sounds like the years I played on Pontcanna and Ely Racecourse pitches! :laughing6:

I love to see the old photos of Ninian Park :bluescarf:

Re: 'NINIAN PARK - YEAR UNKNOWN '

Sun May 22, 2022 9:18 am

This site says 1933.

https://www.britainfromabove.org.uk/en/image/WPW041269

And this would therefore be the fight.
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Re: 'NINIAN PARK - YEAR UNKNOWN '

Sun May 22, 2022 11:36 am

Wayne S wrote:This site says 1933.

https://www.britainfromabove.org.uk/en/image/WPW041269

And this would therefore be the fight.


Cheers Wayne. The wooden grandstand was eventually burned down, thieves were suspected of causing it when they were after the matchday takings.

Re: 'NINIAN PARK - YEAR UNKNOWN '

Sun May 22, 2022 11:42 am

OriginalGrangeEndBlue wrote:
GrangeEndStar wrote:So late 20's/early 30's by the sound of it. I don't know when the first floodlights were installed but the FA were late to officially adopt them until 1950. Some clubs were using them for friendlies before then so the FA were forced to do it, I believe Highbury was one of the first in 1930.

Fascinating to think that's how the ground looked around the time we won the FA Cup. The foundation of the pitch was clinker waste from the factories along Penarth Road and players often cut themself on glass which was under the pitch when it was first built. I still find it odd seeing the houses there even now.


Sounds like the years I played on Pontcanna and Ely Racecourse pitches! :laughing6:

I love to see the old photos of Ninian Park :bluescarf:


I played on some dodgy pitches too! You've probably got a fair few City books like me, but the Fred Keenor one is excellent and talks about how NP was first developed, the other nice one for photos is 'Our Ninian Park' from its final year.
:ayatollah:

Re: 'NINIAN PARK - YEAR UNKNOWN '

Sun May 22, 2022 2:06 pm

GrangeEndStar wrote:So late 20's/early 30's by the sound of it. I don't know when the first floodlights were installed but the FA were late to officially adopt them until 1950. Some clubs were using them for friendlies before then so the FA were forced to do it, I believe Highbury was one of the first in 1930.

Fascinating to think that's how the ground looked around the time we won the FA Cup. The foundation of the pitch was clinker waste from the factories along Penarth Road and players often cut themself on glass which was under the pitch when it was first built. I still find it odd seeing the houses there even now.

I think we were one of the last big stadiums to get floodlights and as a result ours were one of the biggest and best in the country as technology had improved. I will never forget as a kid the thrill of seeing those lights on as we approached the ground for a night game, especially on the rare occasions when we came in the car, the view as we came over the top of Leckwith Hill.

Re: 'NINIAN PARK - YEAR UNKNOWN '

Sun May 22, 2022 4:24 pm

GrangeEndStar wrote:Haven't seen this one before, anyone know what year this could be?

FB_IMG_1653157473849.jpg


In the book "Farewell to Ninan Park" by Dennis Morgan, the same picture says 1930.

Re: 'NINIAN PARK - YEAR UNKNOWN '

Sun May 22, 2022 6:20 pm

GrangeEndStar wrote:
OriginalGrangeEndBlue wrote:
GrangeEndStar wrote:So late 20's/early 30's by the sound of it. I don't know when the first floodlights were installed but the FA were late to officially adopt them until 1950. Some clubs were using them for friendlies before then so the FA were forced to do it, I believe Highbury was one of the first in 1930.

Fascinating to think that's how the ground looked around the time we won the FA Cup. The foundation of the pitch was clinker waste from the factories along Penarth Road and players often cut themself on glass which was under the pitch when it was first built. I still find it odd seeing the houses there even now.


Sounds like the years I played on Pontcanna and Ely Racecourse pitches! :laughing6:

I love to see the old photos of Ninian Park :bluescarf:


I played on some dodgy pitches too! You've probably got a fair few City books like me, but the Fred Keenor one is excellent and talks about how NP was first developed, the other nice one for photos is 'Our Ninian Park' from its final year.
:ayatollah:


Cheers mate.
I’ve read a few football autobiographies/biographies over the years but never the Fred Keenor one.
I’ll look out for it :notworthy:

Re: 'NINIAN PARK - YEAR UNKNOWN '

Sun May 22, 2022 6:55 pm

OriginalGrangeEndBlue wrote:
GrangeEndStar wrote:
OriginalGrangeEndBlue wrote:
GrangeEndStar wrote:So late 20's/early 30's by the sound of it. I don't know when the first floodlights were installed but the FA were late to officially adopt them until 1950. Some clubs were using them for friendlies before then so the FA were forced to do it, I believe Highbury was one of the first in 1930.

Fascinating to think that's how the ground looked around the time we won the FA Cup. The foundation of the pitch was clinker waste from the factories along Penarth Road and players often cut themself on glass which was under the pitch when it was first built. I still find it odd seeing the houses there even now.


Sounds like the years I played on Pontcanna and Ely Racecourse pitches! :laughing6:

I love to see the old photos of Ninian Park :bluescarf:


I played on some dodgy pitches too! You've probably got a fair few City books like me, but the Fred Keenor one is excellent and talks about how NP was first developed, the other nice one for photos is 'Our Ninian Park' from its final year.
:ayatollah:


Cheers mate.
I’ve read a few football autobiographies/biographies over the years but never the Fred Keenor one.
I’ll look out for it :notworthy:


Its a great read Paul, he was some guy. It also describes how the top brass in WW1 thought it was a good idea to form a football battalion,of pro players, similar to how brothers were placed in the same unit as a form of comfort. The results were beyond tragic of course. A great book that also gives a window on how extremely tough it was back then. If I've got my dates about right, the photo would be how a young Roald Dhal would have seen NP when his parents gardener used to walk him down from Llandaff and what an amazing guy he was too.
:ayatollah:

Re: 'NINIAN PARK - YEAR UNKNOWN '

Sun May 22, 2022 7:04 pm

JJ1927 wrote:
GrangeEndStar wrote:So late 20's/early 30's by the sound of it. I don't know when the first floodlights were installed but the FA were late to officially adopt them until 1950. Some clubs were using them for friendlies before then so the FA were forced to do it, I believe Highbury was one of the first in 1930.

Fascinating to think that's how the ground looked around the time we won the FA Cup. The foundation of the pitch was clinker waste from the factories along Penarth Road and players often cut themself on glass which was under the pitch when it was first built. I still find it odd seeing the houses there even now.

I think we were one of the last big stadiums to get floodlights and as a result ours were one of the biggest and best in the country as technology had improved. I will never forget as a kid the thrill of seeing those lights on as we approached the ground for a night game, especially on the rare occasions when we came in the car, the view as we came over the top of Leckwith Hill.


I always came in by train but that view of Cardiff from Leckwith Hill was and still is for me the best view of the city and especially by night. I'm sure that I've read that the floodlights were the best in the country at that time too.

Re: 'NINIAN PARK - YEAR UNKNOWN '

Sun May 22, 2022 7:05 pm

RICK+CCFC wrote:
GrangeEndStar wrote:Haven't seen this one before, anyone know what year this could be?

FB_IMG_1653157473849.jpg


In the book "Farewell to Ninan Park" by Dennis Morgan, the same picture says 1930.


Cheers Rick, nice to have put a date to it.

Re: 'NINIAN PARK - YEAR UNKNOWN '

Tue May 24, 2022 8:03 am

Wayne S wrote:This site says 1933.

https://www.britainfromabove.org.uk/en/image/WPW041269

And this would therefore be the fight.

Best fight at Ninian park til that pro boxer (can't remember name) took out about 8 jack fans in the 'no man's land' between the cardiff and swansea fans on the bob bank during the Swansea v Palace cup replay. :lol: