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Worst Ground


giles_23_bcfc

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I remember looking across from our position on the large side terrace before kick-off to see these groups of lads, grown men in fact and a really motley crew, appearing and then gradually swelling in numbers in the unsegregated open end to our left.

Really nasty looking bunch and not what I for one was expecting from the followers of our non-league opponents with a long-standing reputation for "fair play."

Some of the City "lads" obviously were expecting it though and were getting quite excited as they looked across. As soon as the Millwall fans had grouped they started to move across to our section and the City fans fairly hurtled down the terrace straight into them and it was bedlam.

The fans were eventually separated, but the Millwall fans regrouped and stayed for the match, not good news for some late arriving City fans who were apparently unaware of what had happened and the EP reported that two 15 year olds were badly beaten up in the only available toilet on the side opposite us after they innocently ventured past them.

You had to really watch yourself outside afterwards - the atmosphere was plain nasty, made worse because it was a small crowd, making it difficult to avoid the groups hanging around.

And we were expecting our only concern to be how many City would score that day....... :innocent06:

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Sort of my recollection of the day. Even in the seventies i do not think i have seen so many people fighting in one place at the same time all made worse by the utter dilapidation of the ground which as i remember was railway sleepers and rubble.

That was worse than going to the Old Den.

Some of the grounds mentioned like Twerton, the County ground and Somerton Park were Palaces compared to Dulwich.

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The fans were eventually separated, but the Millwall fans regrouped and stayed for the match, not good news for some late arriving City fans who were apparently unaware of what had happened and the EP reported that two 15 year olds were badly beaten up in the only available toilet on the side opposite us after they innocently ventured past them.

I was unaware the ground had toilets and you simply went at the back of the ground against the rusty corrugated fencing.

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the manor is mine(oxfords old place) qued up for ages to get in crammed into cucko lone (i think ) at the back of the stand and went on to see flapper phillips be at fault for 2 maybe 3 of the goals remember tinnion taking the ball of him every time he got it to save him kicking it !

also kettering went there in pre season game when pulis was in charge was just as bad

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Nobody metioned Swanseas old ground. That was a bit of a hovel and coupled in with having to go there quite a few times and having to pee into a hole in the ground in the loos. Then looking up the other end to see their unique half stand.

Always have fond memories of the Vetch after Super Bob's hat-trick.

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Its got to be aldershot stood on a grass bank in the wind and rain for a f.a cup replay! froze my bits off couldent see a thing because the rain was horizontal into my eyes and then kept falling over as the grass got wetter!

I'd agree with Aldershot... although didn't you have to walk through the local park to get to it - so maybe with all the flower beds it had the nicest entrance? Exit was a nightmare from memory, a difficult climb up a grass/mud bank.

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also kettering went there in pre season game when pulis was in charge was just as bad

I've actually played a game there and the facilities are awful! The dressing rooms were so small there was hardly enough room for 14 players, let alone a full squad! Main stand wasnt the best either.

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Aldershot is a good shout and Newport on the day of City's "last ever match" was grim but the passion of the 3,000 City fans made it memorable.

Wrexham always seemed rainy and bleak especially when we went there twice within a few weeks to get knocked out of both the Cups. :doh:

I'll always remember going to Norwich in the late 70's in the old First Division.

About 10 of us went up but only me and 1 other decided to go in the City end, the rest dispersed themselves in the comfort of the seats at the side. Others must have made the same decision.....

It was around Christmas time, freezing cold, windy and dark. When we got into the 'City end', we realised we were entirely alone apart from 3 other City fans who had London accents. No coachloads, or even carloads of fellow City fans whatsoever. On the other side of the fence on the huge divided covered end, just a couple of yards away, were hundreds of young Norwich fans with their faces pressed up against the partition snarling at us, shouting and gesturing for the entire 90 minutes.

City lost, we were chilled to the bone, hundreds of miles from home and we wondered why the hell we had bothered.

The ground was ok in fact, just goes to show it can be the circumstances rather than the facilities that can taint your view of a particular venue.

Oh, and Corinthian Casuals had it all, non - league ground, 0-0 bore draw and Millwall decided to pay us a visit. :noexpression:

Yes i was at corinthian casuals as well, about 1984, millwall fans with newspapers rolled up as tightly as possible to hit you with, known as a "millwall brick" the old den was grim as well, but i also have to say without doubt it was newport county, what a hole

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I'd agree with Aldershot... although didn't you have to walk through the local park to get to it - so maybe with all the flower beds it had the nicest entrance? Exit was a nightmare from memory, a difficult climb up a grass/mud bank.

Yup, Aldershot for me too. The entrance was in a Public park with pathways leading to each side of the ground (which the Army also used). Coming out was a complete bloody shambles - up a mud bank and through a field (in pitch dark) led by the Hants Constabulary. It was like going on a nature ramble... not appreciated by any City fan at all.

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Yup, Aldershot for me too. The entrance was in a Public park with pathways leading to each side of the ground (which the Army also used). Coming out was a complete bloody shambles - up a mud bank and through a field (in pitch dark) led by the Hants Constabulary. It was like going on a nature ramble... not appreciated by any City fan at all.

A park was it? I thought it was allotments in the dark! I'm sure I fell down amongst some cabbages!!!

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Port Vale was bad.

The surrounding area is appalling,loads of boarded up buildings and tiny terraced houses.

The veiw from the away stand is awful,very low down.

MK Dons old stadium not good either.Found it really windy as one side of the stadium has that stupid stand that only takes up about a quater of the touchline.

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In no particular order:

Wimbledon (Plough lane)

Newport

Heybridge

Harrogate Railway

Wigan ( Springfield Park)

Derby ( Baseball Ground)

Chesterfield

Colchester

Shrewsbury ( Gay Meadow)

Blackpool

Hereford

Walsall (BOTH of their grounds, old and new!!)

Brighton

I'll stop there !

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Can remember going to St Andrews in the late '70's in the first division days, it was in need of re-building back then and was in a right state. Bill Tovey ( the then kit man) came over to the railings before we went in and passed two complimentary tickets to us, different era, good memories though.

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For me the worst ground would probably be one of the horrible new things that have been built....maybe the new Northampton ground?

You should have seen the old Northampton ground... I think that was the worst... open on 1 1/2 sides, howling wind and rain came through the gap,,,.. but Rob Newman still banged one in for us and we were in heaven... albeit drenched and bitterly cold.

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