Favourite quirks of Scottish stadiums.

[Eednud]

5 minutes ago, HibeeJibee said:

Few more. I should say here that some of these have been found by Googling so if they're not actually true then please shout-out. In particular Aberdeen opening v Luton seems odd. In some cases where a competitive game was the first played under the new floodlights there may also have been an official opening - as with Ayr Utd - so detail of that welcome too.

Aberdeen - friendly v Luton Town, 21st October 1959
Airdrieonians - ? ? 1956
Albion Rovers - ? ? 1968
Arbroath - friendly v East Junior XI, ? ? 1956
Ayr United - Second XI Cup tie v Partick Thistle, 21st October 1970 (officially opened in friendly v Newcastle United, 11th November 1970)
Berwick Rangers - Second Division game v St Mirren, 20th September 1972
Clyde - friendly v Huddersfield Town, ? March 1954
Clydebank - friendly v Sunderland, ? February 1965
Dumbarton - friendly v Celtic, 23rd January 1957
Dunfermline Athletic - friendly v Sheffield Utd, ? ? 1959
Elgin City - Scottish Cup replay v Hawick Royal Albert, Monday 23rd January 1967
Forfar Athletic - ? ? 1972

Luton Town were an English Div 1 (top division) side back then and had made the FA Cup Final a few months earlier losing to Nottingham Forest. 

Edited September 5, 2016 by Eednud

[Davie Bhoy]

Is it the weird men that put you off?

Good spot. Really need to stop expecting the predictive text to sort itself out on here. Will go & edit lol

[Enigma]

I think ICT should have build that main stand facing out to the water.

[conley]

 

Gala Fairydean have a Grade A Listed Building as a stand. 

So do Whitletts Victoria in the Juniors.

[conley]

Dam Park Stadium, Ayr. Home of Whitletts Victoria.

[ayrmad]

7 hours ago, HibeeJibee said:

Few more. I should say here that some of these have been found by Googling so if they're not actually true then please shout-out. In particular Aberdeen opening v Luton seems odd. In some cases where a competitive game was the first played under the new floodlights there may also have been an official opening - as with Ayr Utd - so detail of that welcome too.

Aberdeen - friendly v Luton Town, 21st October 1959
Airdrieonians - ? ? 1956
Albion Rovers - ? ? 1968
Arbroath - friendly v East Junior XI, ? ? 1956
Ayr United - Second XI Cup tie v Partick Thistle, 21st October 1970 (officially opened in friendly v Newcastle United, 11th November 1970)
Berwick Rangers - Second Division game v St Mirren, 20th September 1972
Clyde - friendly v Huddersfield Town, ? March 1954
Clydebank - friendly v Sunderland, ? February 1965
Dumbarton - friendly v Celtic, 23rd January 1957
Dunfermline Athletic - friendly v Sheffield Utd, ? ? 1959
Elgin City - Scottish Cup replay v Hawick Royal Albert, Monday 23rd January 1967
Forfar Athletic - ? ? 1972

I remember watching my dad put in the floodlights at Somerset, can't remember yesterday but I remember that as a 4 years old.

Edited September 6, 2016 by ayrmad

[shootingboots]

6 hours ago, Enigma said:

I think ICT should have build that main stand facing out to the water.

Come on, the games aren't that bad! 

[mizfit]

The muirton park floodlights were installed after we sold Jim Townsend to Middlesborough in the 60's i think, the opening match was against West Ham United.

[CityDave]

Link to an article set out as a time line of the historical development of East End Park http://www.parsdatabase.co.uk/stadium/stadium.htm

Dunfermline Athletic with the largest temporary stand in Scottish Football in the pic. I was looking for information about temporary stands, temporary probably being the inaccurate word when it comes to football clubs, maybe prefab would be appropriate. East End Park has one of the nicest Main Stands as well, built back in the 1960's it has a lot of character compared to many of the stands built over the last 30 years. Nice stands behind the goals, I like these for gradient.

 

Edited September 6, 2016 by CityDave

[CityDave]

Both stands behind the goals at Inverness are are want for a better word temporary stands. I found a photo showing the mainly unused uncovered seating along the west side of the ground.

[shootingboots]

Was watching a couple of old YouTube vids and one included a game at Brockville. Think I was there only once (last game of the season the year we stayed up via the play offs). Was at Tynecastle a few weeks before as well, when it was open terracing at both ends. Was really young so didn't spend much time on terracing. Was at Easter Road too before the stands behind the goal were built. Again must have been about 5 or 6.

Anyway good clips of Brockville, some of Tynecastle and the old terracing at East End Park too. 

 

[TheScarf]

6 minutes ago, CityDave said:

Both stands behind the goals at Inverness are are want for a better word temporary stands. I found a photo showing the mainly unused uncovered seating along the west side of the ground.

Urghh. That's the 3rd last game of 2008-2009 at home to Hamilton IMO.  Winning 1-0 against 10 men after James MacArthur got sent off.  Then they score a last minute equaliser.  A win that would've seen us safe.

[CityDave]

9 hours ago, Davie Bhoy said:

Lovely city but not a stadium I like. That side that is as good as empty then that weird main stand just looks horrid.

I find that 'weird' Main Stand excellent, I nearly always sit in there. You get a very good view of the pitch for a start and plenty of room between seats. Everything is there that you would ask from having a Main Stand, plus there's a bar down the stairs. I would say certainly a superior Main Stand to that at Celtic Park. The temporary stands are not among my favourite stands in Scottish football mainly due to the shallow gradient, its stands you would probably be better of standing. Location, although scenic could have been better thought out but at the time there were limited options for where to build a football stadium and the council were not keen on a stadium being built in or close to the city center. But its out of city center location is no different from many new modern stadiums these days.

 

[GordonD]

 

8 hours ago, Enigma said:

I think ICT should have build that main stand facing out to the water.

1 hour ago, shootingboots said:

Come on, the games aren't that bad! 

The Meadowbank Thistle programme used to include an advert from a local venetian blind shop. There were some games where we were considering asking for a quote for the front of the stand.

[Davie Bhoy]

I find that 'weird' Main Stand excellent, I nearly always sit in there. You get a very good view of the pitch for a start and plenty of room between seats. Everything is there that you would ask from having a Main Stand, plus there's a bar down the stairs. I would say certainly a superior Main Stand to that at Celtic Park. The temporary stands are not among my favourite stands in Scottish football mainly due to the shallow gradient, its stands you would probably be better of standing. Location, although scenic could have been better thought out but at the time there were limited options for where to build a football stadium and the council were not keen on a stadium being built in or close to the city center. But its out of city center location is no different from many new modern stadiums these days.

 

I've never been in it so I'm not knocking it for practicality, just for the look of it alone. I just don't like a part of it being covered then both wings of it, uncovered.

I disagree that it is superior to the main stand at Celtic Park. That's just a crazy comment. Given that the main stand at Celtic Park can accommodate roughly as many fans as the entire Tulloch Caledonian Stadium can, makes it superior already. I agree that 'some' of the seats in our main stand are not great due to the gradient, these are only in some of the front section but about halfway up from the front it is a lot better. The seats in the upper section have no problems at all & offer a fantastic view. So I'd say there are far more good seats in our main stand than is in the main stand at Caley.

Then when you throw in the Sky Box, executive boxes, etc, it makes it a superior man stand. It's all about opinions though.

[Davie Bhoy]

Another main stand that irritates me is the one at Dens Park. I know it's bends in because it takes the shape of the road outside but why did they feel they had to? Could they not have just built it straight? Just another wee curiosity there.

I know there is talk of Dundee moving & TBH it's not a bad idea as Dens Park is a bit of a dump but it would be disappointing to see an end of the two grounds being on the same street. It's a fantastic wee oddity.

[Salvo Montalbano]

1 hour ago, CityDave said:

Dunfermline Athletic with the largest temporary stand in Scottish Football in the pic. I was looking for information about temporary stands, temporary probably being the inaccurate word when it comes to football clubs, maybe prefab would be appropriate.

Not sure what you mean by temporary in regards to EEP? The North Stand is a "proper" stand in that it has solid foundations, proper concrete steps (installed so that the rake is a proper seated rake rather than simply bolting seats onto a standing terrace) and facilities built in. I suppose it could be said to be temporary in that the foundation piles were built in such a way that the roof can be removed and a second tier of seating and cantilevered roof can be added, but that is never going to happen.

The end stands at Inverness are definitely temporary as they were advertised as such at the time and have that scaffolding feel to them. I'm surprised they are allowed to keep them in that state tbh. 

[CityDave]

19 minutes ago, Salvo Montalbano said:

Not sure what you mean by temporary in regards to EEP? The North Stand is a "proper" stand in that it has solid foundations, proper concrete steps (installed so that the rake is a proper seated rake rather than simply bolting seats onto a standing terrace) and facilities built in. I suppose it could be said to be temporary in that the foundation piles were built in such a way that the roof can be removed and a second tier of seating and cantilevered roof can be added, but that is never going to happen.

The end stands at Inverness are definitely temporary as they were advertised as such at the time and have that scaffolding feel to them. I'm surprised they are allowed to keep them in that state tbh. 

I'm not a fan of them and don't sit in the North Stand unless there are no seats in the Main Stand or the weather is very bad where I would relocate. I'm sure they mentioned when the two stands were being constructed what the life span of these were, but I can't remember what it was. Not sure what you mean by that state, are they falling apart?.

btw my mistake, I thought that was stand was temporary, read it on here a while back. East End Park is a one of my favourite grounds in Scotland, I'm not knocking it by any means. The last time I was there the food was excellent enjoyed the pasties. Had one and then went back for another and ended up watching the second half with stomach indigestion, but it was totally worth it.

Edited September 6, 2016 by CityDave

[CityDave]

14 minutes ago, Davie Bhoy said:

Another main stand that irritates me is the one at Dens Park. I know it's bends in because it takes the shape of the road outside but why did they feel they had to? Could they not have just built it straight? Just another wee curiosity there.

I know there is talk of Dundee moving & TBH it's not a bad idea as Dens Park is a bit of a dump but it would be disappointing to see an end of the two grounds being on the same street. It's a fantastic wee oddity.

Please read the thread title and understand!!!

If you want to take pot shots at other clubs grounds, could you start your own fuckin' thread for that, ...please??

[Bully Wee Villa]

Was wondering about Dundee and United being so close. Are their specific "Dundee" and "United" pubs nearby? Or do they all have memorabilia of both or neither teams on the walls?