1960maaan Posted April 26, 2020 Report Share Posted April 26, 2020 While I was looking through he box of old programmes, I came across an old Green Un that I didn't know I had, July 23rd 1977 to be precise. No reports obviously, but some might find bits interesting, and a piece on the lovely Gerry Gow. Anyone from on here in the letters page, long shot that one Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lanterne Rouge Posted April 26, 2020 Report Share Posted April 26, 2020 That article on safety restrictions with the capacity reductions for Cardiff & Wrexham. I remember both those grounds being utter tips at the time but to reduce them by that much, wow! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1960maaan Posted April 26, 2020 Author Report Share Posted April 26, 2020 12 minutes ago, Lanterne Rouge said: That article on safety restrictions with the capacity reductions for Cardiff & Wrexham. I remember both those grounds being utter tips at the time but to reduce them by that much, wow! Grounds in general were holes, when you think what the Gate was like when we were getting towards 40,000 for the Liverpool Cup game a few years earlier. Just looked , we still managed over 32k for the League game Vs Liverpool. I wonder what the actual allowed attendance for that Cup game in'74 was. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
REDOXO Posted April 26, 2020 Report Share Posted April 26, 2020 23 minutes ago, 1960maaan said: Grounds in general were holes, when you think what the Gate was like when we were getting towards 40,000 for the Liverpool Cup game a few years earlier. Just looked , we still managed over 32k for the League game Vs Liverpool. I wonder what the actual allowed attendance for that Cup game in'74 was. Remember the Cup game very well. Spent the evening with a load of scousers in a boozer out Frenchay way. However I thought the home game in 77 was a whole lot tighter. Although in 77 I was in the EE for the cup game I was in front of the dolman. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
archie andrews Posted April 26, 2020 Report Share Posted April 26, 2020 First time I've heard len bond called lenny :laugh:...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bristol Oil Services Posted April 26, 2020 Report Share Posted April 26, 2020 2 hours ago, 1960maaan said: While I was looking through he box of old programmes, I came across an old Green Un that I didn't know I had, July 23rd 1977 to be precise. No reports obviously, but some might find bits interesting, and a piece on the lovely Gerry Gow. Anyone from on here in the letters page, long shot that one Very interesting, thanks for putting up. Any more Green uns from the 70s, please share. I note the comment on "some licencing authorities" being "over-zealous" and have long wondered why our East End was divided up into several individual sections, with a passage for access either side (which will have reduced capacity considerably), when much, much bigger "ends" around the country never had this, ie the Kop, the Stretford end, North Bank, the Kop at Hillsborough, the Holte end was split only down the middle (for cup semis), and many more. It did make it easier (and probably safer) to get in and out but when you look at film of a rammed East end prior to this safety work, ie before promotion, the East end looks a fantastic, atmospheric place to watch a game. How our East End required this work but the Kop at twice the size did not (and how the East end was bolted with crappy seats before Liverpool - Liverpool ffs! - put an end to standing on the Kop) I struggle to understand. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1960maaan Posted April 26, 2020 Author Report Share Posted April 26, 2020 22 minutes ago, Moments of Pleasure said: Any more Green uns from the 70s, please share. Sadly no, I didn't know I had this one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
East End Old Boy Posted April 26, 2020 Report Share Posted April 26, 2020 1 hour ago, archie andrews said: First time I've heard len bond called lenny :laugh:...... Same here! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
East End Old Boy Posted April 26, 2020 Report Share Posted April 26, 2020 47 minutes ago, Moments of Pleasure said: have long wondered why our East End was divided up into several individual sections, with a passage for access either side (which will have reduced capacity considerably), when much, much bigger "ends" around the country never had this, Do you know what year this happened, as I’ve got no recollection of this at all! Or is when “safety” fences were added? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bristol Oil Services Posted April 26, 2020 Report Share Posted April 26, 2020 11 minutes ago, East End Old Boy said: Do you know what year this happened, as I’ve got no recollection of this at all! Or is when “safety” fences were added? If you look at film of games at AG before '77, such as the Leeds or Liverpool cup games in 74, the East end is a mass of faces left to right, not broken up into sections. Following the safety work, in 77, there were parallel barriers running back to front behind each upright roof pillar. But not on the 27,000 capacity Kop. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
East End Old Boy Posted April 26, 2020 Report Share Posted April 26, 2020 8 minutes ago, Moments of Pleasure said: If you look at film of games at AG before '77, such as the Leeds or Liverpool cup games in 74, the East end is a mass of faces left to right, not broken up into sections. Following the safety work, in 77, there were parallel barriers running back to front behind each upright roof pillar. But not on the 27,000 capacity Kop. @Moments of Pleasure Appreciate the explanation. I would have been in there during that period, but have absolutely zero recollection of this! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bristol Oil Services Posted April 26, 2020 Report Share Posted April 26, 2020 22 minutes ago, East End Old Boy said: @Moments of Pleasure Appreciate the explanation. I would have been in there during that period, but have absolutely zero recollection of this! You were cidered up, mate. And drunk on life. And City. And not especially observant of the varying safety barriers in ends around the country. You will though, have nipped out for a slash or hot drink at half-time via these "alleyways" back then, by moving to your left or right, stooping down under the aforementioned barriers to leave your section and enter the empty steps betwixt sections, skipped effortlessly to the top, then turnt either left or right and used the "lane" running horizontally near the back/top. Unless you were one of them that just turnt around and pushed past everyone to get to the back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1960maaan Posted April 26, 2020 Author Report Share Posted April 26, 2020 1 hour ago, Moments of Pleasure said: have long wondered why our East End was divided up into several individual sections, with a passage for access either side As far as I remember there were always gangways from back to front in the EE, I have a book and I'll tr and look tomorrow. This is the only image I can find at the moment, not sure when this is from though. You can see gangways fairly clearly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
City Cat Posted April 26, 2020 Report Share Posted April 26, 2020 I liked that the article talking about a crowd reduction referred to "spectators" rather than customers. Shows that despite boardroom chaos and bizarre goings on, the club didn't treat us on the terraces purely as a component part of a business Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bristol Oil Services Posted April 26, 2020 Report Share Posted April 26, 2020 2 minutes ago, 1960maaan said: As far as I remember there were always gangways from back to front in the EE, I have a book and I'll tr and look tomorrow. This is the only image I can find at the moment, not sure when this is from though. You can see gangways fairly clearly. It might be then, prior to the Safety of Sports Grounds Act (1975), and the licence required in summer of '77, that on big occasions with 30k plus crowds, people stood in and filled those gangways and there were no "stews" to enforce the requirement to keep these access lanes clear. I don't know. My first game was '78. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
East End Old Boy Posted April 26, 2020 Report Share Posted April 26, 2020 15 minutes ago, Moments of Pleasure said: You were cidered up, mate. And drunk on life. And City. And not especially observant of the varying safety barriers in ends around the country. You will though, have nipped out for a slash or hot drink at half-time via these "alleyways" back then, by moving to your left or right, stooping down under the aforementioned barriers to leave your section and enter the empty steps betwixt sections, skipped effortlessly to the top, then turnt either left or right and used the "lane" running horizontally near the back/top. Unless you were one of them that just turnt around and pushed past everyone to get to the back. Haha, I wish I knew! Probably just never gave it any thought! I do remember gangways, as visible in the picture @1960maaan posted, but can’t remember them being fenced off though! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DingleRed Posted April 26, 2020 Report Share Posted April 26, 2020 Blimey, that's my Letter of the Week! I think I still have that copy in the loft!! Only ever wrote a couple of letters - and both got Letter of the Week. I got a call from Stephen Kew after the second letter. He asked me to meet with him to discuss. Was offered some youth director position, or something, but turned it down. Ended up with free seats any time in the Directors Box and lounge. All very political at the time - so I stayed out of it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bristol Oil Services Posted April 26, 2020 Report Share Posted April 26, 2020 24 minutes ago, East End Old Boy said: Haha, I wish I knew! Probably just never gave it any thought! I do remember gangways, as visible in the picture @1960maaan posted, but can’t remember them being fenced off though! Not fenced off, just parallel barriers, about waist high, running up the terraces. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nogbad the Bad Posted April 26, 2020 Report Share Posted April 26, 2020 58 minutes ago, 1960maaan said: As far as I remember there were always gangways from back to front in the EE, I have a book and I'll tr and look tomorrow. This is the only image I can find at the moment, not sure when this is from though. You can see gangways fairly clearly. 3 hours ago, Moments of Pleasure said: Very interesting, thanks for putting up. Any more Green uns from the 70s, please share. I note the comment on "some licencing authorities" being "over-zealous" and have long wondered why our East End was divided up into several individual sections, with a passage for access either side (which will have reduced capacity considerably), when much, much bigger "ends" around the country never had this, ie the Kop, the Stretford end, North Bank, the Kop at Hillsborough, the Holte end was split only down the middle (for cup semis), and many more. It did make it easier (and probably safer) to get in and out but when you look at film of a rammed East end prior to this safety work, ie before promotion, the East end looks a fantastic, atmospheric place to watch a game. How our East End required this work but the Kop at twice the size did not (and how the East end was bolted with crappy seats before Liverpool - Liverpool ffs! - put an end to standing on the Kop) I struggle to understand. Only either side of the central section. Installed after the Peter Mellor darts incident at the end of the 74-75 season iirc., and in place for the promotion season. The police could then stand either side and keep a very close eye on the more vociferous young fans in the middle section behind the goal as a deterrent and move in quickly to sort out any troublemakers. Before the days of CCTV don't forget. It may well have been ordered by the FA. Fulham - including the likes of Bobby Moore and Alan Mullery - were due to play in the F.A. Cup final the week after visiting AG, so the incident with Mellor had made the national news. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
East End Old Boy Posted April 27, 2020 Report Share Posted April 27, 2020 8 hours ago, Moments of Pleasure said: Not fenced off, just parallel barriers, about waist high, running up the terraces. Ah, okay, thank you! I was thinking of something different, maybe memory isn’t so bad after all! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1960maaan Posted April 27, 2020 Author Report Share Posted April 27, 2020 8 hours ago, Nogbad the Bad said: Only either side of the central section. Installed after the Peter Mellor darts incident at the end of the 74-75 season iirc., and in place for the promotion season. The police could then stand either side and keep a very close eye on the more vociferous young fans in the middle section behind the goal as a deterrent and move in quickly to sort out any troublemakers. Before the days of CCTV don't forget. It may well have been ordered by the FA. Fulham - including the likes of Bobby Moore and Alan Mullery - were due to play in the F.A. Cup final the week after visiting AG, so the incident with Mellor had made the national news. Really, can only remember those gangways being there. When I started going down, 1970 , we stood just to the left of the main centre bit as you looked at the pitch. The middle bit was for the older/madder lot. Not saying you're wrong, strange how memory works. I thought the bit at the front , like a mosh pit barrier , was put in after Mellor to keep fans a little bit away from the goal, that may well have been later then. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
handsofclay Posted April 27, 2020 Report Share Posted April 27, 2020 12 hours ago, DingleRed said: Blimey, that's my Letter of the Week! I think I still have that copy in the loft!! Only ever wrote a couple of letters - and both got Letter of the Week. I got a call from Stephen Kew after the second letter. He asked me to meet with him to discuss. Was offered some youth director position, or something, but turned it down. Ended up with free seats any time in the Directors Box and lounge. All very political at the time - so I stayed out of it. This is my nomination for Post of the Week. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clutton Caveman Posted April 27, 2020 Report Share Posted April 27, 2020 Great read thanks for posting Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bristol Oil Services Posted April 27, 2020 Report Share Posted April 27, 2020 14 hours ago, DingleRed said: Blimey, that's my Letter of the Week! I think I still have that copy in the loft!! Only ever wrote a couple of letters - and both got Letter of the Week. I got a call from Stephen Kew after the second letter. He asked me to meet with him to discuss. Was offered some youth director position, or something, but turned it down. Ended up with free seats any time in the Directors Box and lounge. All very political at the time - so I stayed out of it. Please say more. There must be more? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sweeneys Penalties Posted April 27, 2020 Report Share Posted April 27, 2020 17 hours ago, Moments of Pleasure said: Very interesting, thanks for putting up. Any more Green uns from the 70s, please share. I note the comment on "some licencing authorities" being "over-zealous" and have long wondered why our East End was divided up into several individual sections, with a passage for access either side (which will have reduced capacity considerably), when much, much bigger "ends" around the country never had this, ie the Kop, the Stretford end, North Bank, the Kop at Hillsborough, the Holte end was split only down the middle (for cup semis), and many more. It did make it easier (and probably safer) to get in and out but when you look at film of a rammed East end prior to this safety work, ie before promotion, the East end looks a fantastic, atmospheric place to watch a game. How our East End required this work but the Kop at twice the size did not (and how the East end was bolted with crappy seats before Liverpool - Liverpool ffs! - put an end to standing on the Kop) I struggle to understand. the largest "end" was reputedly the South Bank at Molineux Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sweeneys Penalties Posted April 27, 2020 Report Share Posted April 27, 2020 16 hours ago, Moments of Pleasure said: If you look at film of games at AG before '77, such as the Leeds or Liverpool cup games in 74, the East end is a mass of faces left to right, not broken up into sections. Following the safety work, in 77, there were parallel barriers running back to front behind each upright roof pillar. But not on the 27,000 capacity Kop. https://www.lfchistory.net/SeasonArchive/Game/791 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bristol Oil Services Posted April 27, 2020 Report Share Posted April 27, 2020 1 hour ago, Sweeneys Penalties said: https://www.lfchistory.net/SeasonArchive/Game/791 Some great stuff on there, thanks for putting up. Just been reading about the "heroic Wedlock" from some Scouse newspaper reporting on our 1910 FA cup win over Liverpool at AG, and "Bristol is a delightful city to visit but Ashton Gate is not the finest ground in the country." Bloke goes on to say the dodgy pitch suited us more than them....hope he wasn't still around in 1994 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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