Bar BS3 Posted October 2, 2017 Report Share Posted October 2, 2017 Now, I knew that Rovers played an unpopular 5 game stint of "home" games at Ashton Gate in 1980, after the Eastville fire. I did not however know that in 1987/88 season, their first of 10 seasons at the relatively (compared to the Mem today) plush surroundings of Twerton Park, Rovers played one "home match" at Ashton gate! It was Vs Swindon, in a move to raise much needed cash for Rovers. A crowd of 8,196 attended. I have no idea how many were locked out. Is this common knowledge that I had missed..? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DKM Len Posted October 2, 2017 Report Share Posted October 2, 2017 Remember the day,it was the day of the bar pentathlon up the CEGB club. That was messy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bar BS3 Posted October 2, 2017 Author Report Share Posted October 2, 2017 8 minutes ago, DKM Len said: Remember the day,it was the day of the bar pentathlon up the CEGB club. That was messy. That would explain the low attendance then. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kmpowell Posted October 2, 2017 Report Share Posted October 2, 2017 "The nomads of football" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Calculus Posted October 2, 2017 Report Share Posted October 2, 2017 I believe that the City and Rovers Boards agreed a permanent ground share sometime in 1982/3. At the time we were struggling and Rovers were the higher placed, more stable club. Am told that both Boards shook hands on the deal, which then blew up the day after once Rovers' lawyers got involved. My source is someone who was in the room at the time and, imo, very reliable. Anybody else heard this? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hampshire Red Posted October 2, 2017 Report Share Posted October 2, 2017 It's only a matter of time until they are consumed into that great concept called Bristol Sport:, otib for football and the same for rugby That means no more BRFc!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Homer Simpson Posted October 2, 2017 Report Share Posted October 2, 2017 I was there. Only time I have supported the away team at Ashton Gate. A few groups of City there that day. Remember one group in particular got a bit enthusiastic in the Enclosure, don't think they watched the match. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bar BS3 Posted October 2, 2017 Author Report Share Posted October 2, 2017 3 minutes ago, Hampshire Red said: It's only a matter of time until they are consumed into that great concept called Bristol Sport:, otib for football and the same for rugby That means no more BRFc!!!! I don't think so. What was SL's quote..? "Soon nobody will even talk about Bristol Rovers" It'a no coincidence that they are nothing to do with us/Bristol Sport. and they still claim he's a gashead..! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bar BS3 Posted October 2, 2017 Author Report Share Posted October 2, 2017 12 minutes ago, Calculus said: I believe that the City and Rovers Boards agreed a permanent ground share sometime in 1982/3. At the time we were struggling and Rovers were the higher placed, more stable club. Am told that both Boards shook hands on the deal, which then blew up the day after once Rovers' lawyers got involved. My source is someone who was in the room at the time and, imo, very reliable. Anybody else heard this? On that occasion, they played 5 "home" games. 3 league & 2 cup matches. Low crowds present at all the games, so they moved back to Eastville, for low crowds..! Was it 3k at their last ever game there..?! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Red34 Posted October 2, 2017 Report Share Posted October 2, 2017 Phew the title made me think the blue few were going to darken our door again - maybe trying to sneak in overnight when the Mem gets sold for housing. The thought of them sullying the beloved new Gate had me worried! It'd be confusing for them though - "What are those seats for? Why is your roof not made of tarp?" - bit like a Stone Age man entering an electronics store... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1960maaan Posted October 2, 2017 Report Share Posted October 2, 2017 18 minutes ago, Homer Simpson said: I was there. Only time I have supported the away team at Ashton Gate. A few groups of City there that day. Remember one group in particular got a bit enthusiastic in the Enclosure, don't think they watched the match. I think this was the one me and about 40 others were thrown out of the Dolman, some paid to get back in, I didn’t bother. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
City exile 79 Posted October 2, 2017 Report Share Posted October 2, 2017 1 hour ago, Bar BS3 said: Now, I knew that Rovers played an unpopular 5 game stint of "home" games at Ashton Gate in 1980, after the Eastville fire. I did not however know that in 1987/88 season, their first of 10 seasons at the relatively (compared to the Mem today) plush surroundings of Twerton Park, Rovers played one "home match" at Ashton gate! It was Vs Swindon, in a move to raise much needed cash for Rovers. A crowd of 8,196 attended. I have no idea how many were locked out. Is this common knowledge that I had missed..? I was actually at that game with a few Swindon mates. There were more Swindon fans there than rovers. Also a pretty big group of city fans in the Dolman. Swindon had the Dolman & the open end. Rovers the rest. As soon as Swindon started singing the city fans made them feel very unwelcome & chased them across the stand. There were pockets of city in the Williams & Eastend all match. I think rovers were three nil up at halftime in gale force winds but lost 4-3. Memory not what it was though Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bar BS3 Posted October 2, 2017 Author Report Share Posted October 2, 2017 11 minutes ago, City exile 79 said: I was actually at that game with a few Swindon mates. There were more Swindon fans there than rovers. Also a pretty big group of city fans in the Dolman. Swindon had the Dolman & the open end. Rovers the rest. As soon as Swindon started singing the city fans made them feel very unwelcome & chased them across the stand. There were pockets of city in the Williams & Eastend all match. I think rovers were three nil up at halftime in gale force winds but lost 4-3. Memory not what it was though Even against Rovers, I'd struggle to get much enjoyment out of a Swindon victory, but watching the gas lead 3-0, to lose 4-3, sounds like a cracking day out to me..! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wendyredredrobin Posted October 2, 2017 Report Share Posted October 2, 2017 Don't let them anywhere near the gate or they would try to steal it as they did in 82/83. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slartibartfast Posted October 2, 2017 Report Share Posted October 2, 2017 See, I don't remember that at all.......weird! Yes I remember the few games they played at AG, but not that one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
h hills left shoe Posted October 2, 2017 Report Share Posted October 2, 2017 1 hour ago, Homer Simpson said: I was there. Only time I have supported the away team at Ashton Gate. A few groups of City there that day. Remember one group in particular got a bit enthusiastic in the Enclosure, don't think they watched the match. So was I.yes there were quite a few of us in the enclosure that day and you are right to say that we didn't watch the match.your memory serves you well! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
In the Net Posted October 2, 2017 Report Share Posted October 2, 2017 I was there, watched from the Williams Stand - it was confusing working out who was chasing who at some points. I can only assume that the police personel who decided that it would be it would be less problematic for Rovers to play Swindon at Ashton Gate, rather than at Twerton Park, knew very little about football. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NOTBLUE Posted October 2, 2017 Report Share Posted October 2, 2017 1 hour ago, h hills left shoe said: So was I.yes there were quite a few of us in the enclosure that day and you are right to say that we didn't watch the match.your memory serves you well! We were very enthusiastic neutrals. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super Posted October 2, 2017 Report Share Posted October 2, 2017 2 hours ago, Red34 said: Phew the title made me think the blue few were going to darken our door again - maybe trying to sneak in overnight when the Mem gets sold for housing. The thought of them sullying the beloved new Gate had me worried! It'd be confusing for them though - "What are those seats for? Why is your roof not made of tarp?" - bit like a Stone Age man entering an electronics store... I heard we will only accept them if they bring their tents. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bar BS3 Posted October 2, 2017 Author Report Share Posted October 2, 2017 27 minutes ago, In the Net said: I was there, watched from the Williams Stand - it was confusing working out who was chasing who at some points. I can only assume that the police personel who decided that it would be it would be less problematic for Rovers to play Swindon at Ashton Gate, rather than at Twerton Park, knew very little about football. From what I've read, so it could be wrong, the match was played at Ashton Gate to help Rovers raise more money. Kind of like similarly nice gestures from Rovers to help us out during our financial plight. Oh no, that's not what happened was it. You just tried to "steal" our ground to finish us off! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Babbacome Dave Posted October 2, 2017 Report Share Posted October 2, 2017 Regarding the ground sharing situation in 82/83, I was told that although both boards were in general agreement it was alleged at the time that the then Rovers chairman (Mr. Dunsford senior) stated he would rather see the City "Go to the wall before he would have any ground sharing". i may be wrong with this but I was at the ground at the time when the discussions callapsed and this story was flying around at the time. Thank goodness it never happened!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lanterne Rouge Posted October 2, 2017 Report Share Posted October 2, 2017 10 minutes ago, Babbacome Dave said: Regarding the ground sharing situation in 82/83, I was told that although both boards were in general agreement it was alleged at the time that the then Rovers chairman (Mr. Dunsford senior) stated he would rather see the City "Go to the wall before he would have any ground sharing". i may be wrong with this but I was at the ground at the time when the discussions callapsed and this story was flying around at the time. Thank goodness it never happened!!! If Leroy Rosenior gets his way it will. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedM Posted October 2, 2017 Report Share Posted October 2, 2017 I remember going to watch City away that day, went on CATS so parked in the Williams/Winterstoke Car park, told our cars would be ok there. I can't remember where we went to but when we came back our car and quite a few others had damage, our windscreen wipers were all twisted up and wrecked. #Scumbags Im pretty sure it was that day, if not it was another time when they got in as they later claimed they had done it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lanterne Rouge Posted October 2, 2017 Report Share Posted October 2, 2017 6 minutes ago, RedM said: I remember going to watch City away that day, went on CATS so parked in the Williams/Winterstoke Car park, told our cars would be ok there. I can't remember where we went to but when we came back our car and quite a few others had damage, our windscreen wipers were all twisted up and wrecked. #Scumbags Im pretty sure it was that day, if not it was another time when they got in as they later claimed they had done it Boro away I think. Our car got done as well and it bloody snowed on the way back to Taunton, not fun. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ashdangate Posted October 2, 2017 Report Share Posted October 2, 2017 I was there in the dolman...Swindon lads came up to us and said are you Swindon we all stood up and started singing city.we where also in the Williams as well. I think we get a mention on Htv news ..also went off outside as well! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Norn Iron Posted October 2, 2017 Report Share Posted October 2, 2017 IIRC, the official attendances for Rovers brief stay at the Gate, after the fire (Der Kommissar), dropped by 2000 a game. Apparently hard core Rovers fans boycotted the games because they were playing at the Gate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1960maaan Posted October 2, 2017 Report Share Posted October 2, 2017 8 minutes ago, Norn Iron said: Apparently hard core Rovers fans boycotted the games because they were playing at the Gate. They seem to do that a lot Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrahamC Posted October 2, 2017 Report Share Posted October 2, 2017 I vaguely remembered it but as it is 30 years ago now in truth not too well. It looks like it was played on the Saturday around Easter, so although this was their first season at Bath this wasn't early on that year. Looking at the footage of the postponement they had the previous week, Twerton Park looks like a bog, so as their gates had often dropped below 3000 that season they were probably in serious trouble (again) with their cash flow, so I guess that was why we let them use our ground. Typical (naive?) of us to try and help us our poor relations, eh? Even when those thieves had tried to steal our ground only five years previously... Match footage on YouTube suggest Rovers were 2-0 and then 3-1 up before finally losing 4-3, but as the game didn't involve us I have honestly no recollection of it at all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ashdangate Posted October 2, 2017 Report Share Posted October 2, 2017 8 minutes ago, GrahamC said: I vaguely remembered it but as it is 30 years ago now in truth not too well. It looks like it was played on the Saturday around Easter, so although this was their first season at Bath this wasn't early on that year. Looking at the footage of the postponement they had the previous week, Twerton Park looks like a bog, so as their gates had often dropped below 3000 that season they were probably in serious trouble (again) with their cash flow, so I guess that was why we let them use our ground. Typical (naive?) of us to try and help us our poor relations, eh? Even when those thieves had tried to steal our ground only five years previously... Match footage on YouTube suggest Rovers were 2-0 and then 3-1 up before finally losing 4-3, but as the game didn't involve us I have honestly no recollection of it at all. It involved us of the pitch trust me,we got kicked out of the Williams and ended up in the dolman...getting kicked out eventually Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
handsofclay Posted October 2, 2017 Report Share Posted October 2, 2017 I recall around that time that City bought Trevor Morgan from them and Bobby Gould put it in the deal that City would give over Ashton Gate for the day to Rovers to stage Rovers home game against us as obviously Rovers would make about double the money on that fixture compared to staging it at Twerton. Both clubs agreed but the league forbade it citing that City would have an unfair advantage over all the other Div 3 teams by playing one extra home match, and thus, one less away than the other clubs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.