why is the south stand not the east stand/end

[The Humble Realist]

This must have been asked before but why is this ?

 

Alternatively why was the east end not called the south end ?

[Steve Watts]

The real question is why the South end was ever called the East End!  

It's now called the South Stand because that's where it is and always has been!

[Guest]

The east end name came from the supporters who stood in the EAST corner of the stand (by the dolman.)  The stand became later known entirely as east end when it was never anything of the sort.  When I first started going it was always the covered end 

[EnclosureSurge]

Geographically the old East End was never facing or in the east. Behind the East End/South Stand are the Mendips, which means the south is out there somewhere. The Dolman is on the eastern side of AG, the Atyeo the northern side and the, er, West Stand, the western side (trace a line on a map out from the West/Lansdown out through Ashton Court and on west towards the USA).

As Tomarse says, people congregated at the east end of behind that goal, where, for the last time, home fans were allocated before it was rebuilt 2 years ago. Little sections of the ground had names like that originally, like Crackers' Corner in the former Open/Park End (where the home fans are now in the Atyeo).

Seems daft that it is still the South Stand. How implausibly silly to have Dolman, Atyeo and Lansdown name-checked and not have a name for the remaining stand. Are Bristol Sport waiting until we don't notice and then name it after one of the netball players or a go-kart rider on their 'roster' or 'portfolio'? If it's going to be a City player/person to complete the set, get on with it. Never has the Colin Loss Stand been more ready to be unveiled.

[Cider red]

Exactly as Tomarse has put it, so the East Enders, are still at the East end of the particular stand they are in.

[cidered abroad]

Many people are deceived about directions. I used to live in a village in Portugal in a valley with hills either side. On the map the valley seems to be running east to west whereas it actually runs from north north west to south south east.

Ashton Gate stadium is the same. Look on a google map of the stadium and pan out so that the River Avon from Cumberland Basin to Suspension is in view. Everyone knows that the River Avon flows from east to west, but that particular stretch is flowing almost due north.

Then pan out and find Hartcliffe which is due south from the ground. I've been going to Ashton Gate for sixty odd years and it was only when this rebuild started that I realised the the Wedlock is the south end.

[Offside]

Giving the South Stand a proper name seems way overdue. I'd be happy if they called it the Wedlock Stand like they did with the old EE. 

[slartibartfast]

You want the real reason?

Until 69-ish there was no EE or EE'ers. It used to be called the Winterstoke Rd end or Stokers End.

When the club decided to build a new stand it was (for some bizarre reason) called the prospective new North stand ! If you don't believe me ,look in some programs around that time.

So then, if THAT was the North Stand ipso facto, we must be the EAST end....QED !

[EnclosureSurge]

19 minutes ago, slartibartfast said:

You want the real reason?

Until 69-ish there was no EE or EE'ers. It used to be called the Winterstoke Rd end or Stokers End.

When the club decided to build a new stand it was (for some bizarre reason) called the prospective new North stand ! If you don't believe me ,look in some programs around that time.

So then, if THAT was the North Stand ipso facto, we must be the EAST end....QED !

And the Raynes Road end. Take your pick.

[Trueredsupporter]

Because fans have relinquished the fans name of East End and gone along with the BS name of South stand,

[City Rocker]

7 hours ago, Tomarse said:

The east end name came from the supporters who stood in the EAST corner of the stand (by the dolman.)  The stand became later known entirely as east end when it was never anything of the sort.  When I first started going it was always the covered end 

The terrace was popularly known as the East End from the early 70s onwards.

This explanation about the lads gathering in the east corner has been much repeated in recent times, but I have to say I'd never heard this until about 3 or 4 years ago. The old explanation used to be simply that we needed a name for our end, because everyone else had one, and those who came up with it weren't the most clued up, geographically speaking.