WILLIEA Posted January 23, 2014 Share Posted January 23, 2014 Isn't Shawfield still going strong although just no longer for football? Still going for the dogs yes, but it's a dilapidated sorry looking place! 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tree house tam Posted January 23, 2014 Share Posted January 23, 2014 I remember as a young teen being at East End Park , on the terracing at the segregation fence and the netting above was empty before the match , by half time it had darts , golf balls and all sorts in it . Tyncastle was a particularly dodgy away day back then as well i thought . 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Laird Posted January 23, 2014 Share Posted January 23, 2014 I remember as a young teen being at East End Park , on the terracing at the segregation fence and the netting above was empty before the match , by half time it had darts , golf balls and all sorts in it . Loved going to East End Park - great atmosphere. Seem to remember the uncovered terracing behind the goal being ultra steep. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Braesoyetts Posted January 23, 2014 Share Posted January 23, 2014 East stand with optional roof seating. All there to see the Pride of Lanarkshire. To be fair, some of them were probably there to see Motherwell.... 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sjc Posted January 23, 2014 Share Posted January 23, 2014 Ibrox - at the back - and the 2 stadiums which used to stand beside it. Don't know much about Glasgow, so no idea what the other 2 got used for. Anyone elaborate? One is now the (extortionately over-priced) Rangers matchday car park. The two stadiums (not Ibrox (yet)) are gone.......the near stadium is where the M*8 now runs and the other is where there was a high rise until recently. Check it out on google satellite maps.....you'll see the gas holder is still there. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Braesoyetts Posted January 23, 2014 Share Posted January 23, 2014 This photo is apparently from 2 January 1956, when Hibs & Hearts drew 2-2. It was the last time Easter Road accommodated over 60,000, with 60,812 in attendance. Remarkably, the highest attendance was before the east terracing was expanded, with 65,840 attending on the 2 January 1950. Compare that with Hibs' finally selling out the newly completed stadium, with 20,106 in attendance on 2 January 2014. Easier to fill a stadium at a time when both Hibs and Hearts had great teams. I'd love to go see a game then, even if it meant being half-suffocated and getting my leg pissed on.... 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jagfox Posted January 23, 2014 Share Posted January 23, 2014 Mags, out of interest have you any/can you link to old pics of Firhill? My grandfather talked about going 'tae the dugs' at Firhill but that was aeons ago. No pics Kincardine but some news clippings regarding the dugs at Firhill. http://partickthistleahistory.wikifoundry.com/page/Greyhounds 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pozbaird Posted January 23, 2014 Share Posted January 23, 2014 Fans on the roof of the stand - holy shit, can you imagine that these days with H&S, no smoking, no drinking, no standing, no enjoying yourselves rules, overseen by yellow jacketed stewards and plod in a control box with CCTV at their fingertips? Well, I say overseen, unless it's Celtic visiting in which case they can do what the fcuk they want. I digress though - in all seriousness, imagine that these days. Say you're a, oh, let's say a St Mirren fan, sitting in our West Bank, looking directly across to the main stand and player's tunnel. Suddenly you spot a bloke on the main stand roof - you'd be pointing and saying to your mates 'Fcuk sake, there's a bloke on the roof!' - the game would be stopped, players taken off. Plod would have a helicopter overhead in jig time and the fire and rescue service would send a high reach appliance. In the photo above there's hunners' of folk up there - probably having a puff and pulling a half-bottle out of their hip pocket. My, how times have changed. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sjc Posted January 23, 2014 Share Posted January 23, 2014 To be fair, some of them were probably there to see Motherwell.... Fans on the roof of the stand - holy shit, can you imagine that these days with H&S, no smoking, no drinking, no standing, no enjoying yourselves rules, overseen by yellow jacketed stewards and plod in a control box with CCTV at their fingertips? Well, I say overseen, unless it's Celtic visiting in which case they can do what the fcuk they want. I digress though - in all seriousness, imagine that these days. Say you're a, oh, let's say a St Mirren fan, sitting in our West Bank, looking directly across to the main stand and player's tunnel. Suddenly you spot a bloke on the main stand roof - you'd be pointing and saying to your mates 'Fcuk sake, there's a bloke on the roof!' - the game would be stopped, players taken off. Plod would have a helicopter overhead in jig time and the fire and rescue service would send a high reach appliance. In the photo above there's hunners' of folk up there - probably having a puff and pulling a half-bottle out of their hip pocket. My, how times have changed. Check out the guy nonchalantly stood on the roof! 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pozbaird Posted January 23, 2014 Share Posted January 23, 2014 Check out the guy nonchalantly stood on the roof! Green Brigade IMHO. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sjc Posted January 23, 2014 Share Posted January 23, 2014 Green Brigade IMHO. Without his political banner and smoke bomb?! 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Desert Nomad Posted January 23, 2014 Share Posted January 23, 2014 EEP with terracing was magnificent. As a wee boy, I used to stand at the front of the terracing near to the cage at the halfway line. Even with a crowd of 4-5000, the place could look full and produce a superb atmosphere. I still dearly love the old place but, back then it was magnificent. With the slight curves behind each goal, I used to compare it to Wembley when I was 7 I liked the old East End Park as well. The open terrace for away fans was a joy in the sunshine and United usually took a decent support there.The best atmosphere would've been the Scottish Cup semi against St Johnstone. United had the home end that day and the place went wild when Big Dunc slammed in the winner. Arguably his finest moment in a tangerine jersey. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pozbaird Posted January 23, 2014 Share Posted January 23, 2014 'Old school' grounds - I love Somerset Park in Ayr for cup ties with a good crowd in there. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larbert_Par Posted January 23, 2014 Share Posted January 23, 2014 I liked the old East End Park as well. The open terrace for away fans was a joy in the sunshine and United usually took a decent support there. The best atmosphere would've been the Scottish Cup semi against St Johnstone. United had the home end that day and the place went wild when Big Dunc slammed in the winner. Arguably his finest moment in a tangerine jersey. Hard to imagine now that East End would be used for a Scottish Cup semi final. I imagine it must've been close to a capacity crowd? I remember particularly the games with United in the First Division of 95/96 - big crowds at both with excellent followings from Tannadice. Though whenever United (and Dundee for that matter) have visited EEP they've always brought a good support with them. I don't care if it's misty eyed nostalgia, the football just seemed much, much more fun with the older style grounds. I must confess going to places like Arbroath and Brechin this year, which I doubt have changed In many years, has been a big reason as to why I'm enjoying watching the Pars as much as I am presently. I loved ICT and Ross County's grounds (I still enjoy the chance to go to both) but they just don't seem anywhere near as good now they've had to put seats in. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
7-2 Posted January 23, 2014 Share Posted January 23, 2014 Still going for the dogs yes, but it's a dilapidated sorry looking place! No change there then. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HibeeJibee Posted January 23, 2014 Share Posted January 23, 2014 Taken from David Ross's excellent book "The Road of the Crowd", and presumably quoting some official publication - these are the capacities of Scottish football grounds at the outbreak of the Second World War. How some of those grounds were ever passed for these sorts of crowds is incredible. Any St Mirren fans who attended Spartans v St Mirren a few years ago will no doubt gulp in astonishment at the figure for Edinburgh City's wee City Park. First Division Pittodrie, Aberdeen......... 42,000 Cliftonhill, Coatbridge..... 28,000 Recreation Park, Alloa...... 20,000 Gayfield, Arbroath.......... 15,000 Somerset Park, Ayr.......... 28,000 Celtic Park, Glasgow........ 95,000 Shawfield, Glasgow.......... 55,000 Central Park, Cowdenbeath... 35,000 Brockville, Falkirk......... 35,000 Douglas Park, Hamilton...... 30,000 Tynecastle, Edinburgh....... 60,000 Easter Road, Edinburgh...... 35,000 Rugby Park, Kilmarnock...... 35,000 Fir Park, Motherwell........ 38,000 Firhill, Glasgow............ 70,000 Palmerston Park, Dumfries... 12,000 Ibrox Park, Glasgow........ 100,000 Muirton Park, Perth......... 30,000 Love Street, Paisley........ 50,000 Cathkin Park, Glasgow....... 45,000 Second Division Broomfield Park, Airdrie.... 28,000 Glebe Park, Brechin.......... 5,000 Boghead, Dumbarton.......... 15,000 Dens Park, Dundee........... 40,000 Tannadice Park, Dundee...... 25,000 East End Park, Dunfermline.. 20,000 Bayview, Methil............. 20,000 Firs Park, Falkirk.......... 12,000 City Park, Edinburgh........ 30,000 Station Park, Forfar........ 10,000 Old Forthbank, Stirling..... 10,000 Old Meadowbank, Edinburgh... 22,000 Links Park, Montrose........ 10,000 Cappielow, Greenock......... 25,000 Hampden Park, Glasgow...... 183,388 Stark's Park, Kirkcaldy..... 35,000 Royal Gymnasium, Edinburgh.. 40,000 Ochilview, Larbert........... 8,000 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lonewolfie Posted January 24, 2014 Share Posted January 24, 2014 Royal Gymnasium ????? 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tamthebam Posted January 24, 2014 Share Posted January 24, 2014 Never a Scottish League ground, but an interesting story from Edinburgh. In Victorian times there was a gasworks between the Royal Mile and Calton Hill. It closed and on the site a football ground was built - notably used by Edinburgh Emmet Juniors. Big crowds were attracted, courtesy its city centre location. In 1926 it was compulsory purchased and turned into the corporation bus garage, latterly the Waverley underground carpark. A few years ago this was demolished, and after much legal wrangling is to be used for the 'Caltongate' development. Today the site is bordered by: the Royal Mile (S); Council HQ beside Waverley station (W); East Coast Mainline (N); and Canongate kirkyard (E). 'Tight' fans used to watch for free from the curve of Regent Terrace on Calton Hill. In those less PC times, it was known as the "Jews Gallery". Edinburgh Emmet were successful Juniors averaging 2000 in the years before they lost Bathgate Park (named after a bailie - councillor - who helped them obtain the gasworks site). a Victorian print - the Gasworks site was where that hooer of a chimney is... after the New Street bus garage was demolished excavation work revealed parts of the old gas works and archaeologists did a dig there. Funny to think that tow Edinburgh football pitches made way for bus garages- Marine Gardens and Bathgate Park. Having left Bathgate Park the Edinburgh Junior FA made its home at Meadowbank on the site of the current pitch and grandstand. The tradition of crude amateur football on the site is continued to this day by the famous Edinburgh City FC... 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tamthebam Posted January 24, 2014 Share Posted January 24, 2014 I spotted this old "welcome to Dens Park" at the back of a dugout at Dundee Violet a few years ago Seats from the old Love Street being reused at Threave Rovers. Is that your old seat in the pile?! Love Street seats have also been recycled at Meadowbank Stadium. Structures from Hamilton Accie's Douglas Park were also re-erected at Glenafton and Auchinleck Talbot. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HibeeJibee Posted January 24, 2014 Share Posted January 24, 2014 (edited) Royal Gymnasium ????? It was originally a Victorian version of Alton Towers, located in Stockbridge, an affluent area of Georgian and Victorian houses north of the New Town. When did you last ride a Giant Sea Serpent? Take a swing on 'Chang', the giant seasaw? Or escape the Prince Alfred Wreck? http://www.scotsman.com/lifestyle/heritage/lost-edinburgh-the-royal-patent-gymnasium-1-2937055 http://gillonj.tripod.com/ Later the ground was cleared and a football stadium built for St Bernard's. They rotated the pitch 90 degrees after WWI by shifting the earth banking. Site was sunk below street level. Latterly the grandstand was accessed by a small bridge. http://kgvsy.wordpress.com/history/ After St Bernard's folded during WWII the grandstand was sold to Leith Athletic and re-erected at Old Meadowbank. http://www.scotsman.com/sport/final-curtain-st-bernards-fc-play-their-last-match-edinburgh-16-may-1942-1-1135514 Royal Gymnasium was turned into a public park, although part of it became industrial ground of some kind and is now an RBS car park (IIRC). Fact for the day: during the Second World War the East of Scotland Cup, colloquially known as the City Cup, was stolen in a burglary at St Bernard's ground. In 1947, when workmen were clearing the terracing, it was found buried in the embankment. It is still in competition today, and currently held by Gretna 2008, who defeated Berwick Rangers in last season's Final. Edited January 24, 2014 by HibeeJibee 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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