Football League One - Pros and Cons

[LlanBlue86]

Maybe I can come and sit by you?

Maybe we can go halves an you sit on my knee

 

[Nugent]

The floodlights were modified way back when. Originally, they were a full bank of yellow bulbs, but at some point around 1970 those bulbs were replaced by half as many (or less) bright white ones. One of my contemporaries might remember when better than I do

@Travis Bickle
@Cyncoedslumdog
@the other bob wilson

as opposed to the non bright bulbs on here?
the tofu twins

 

[Travis Bickle]

The floodlights were modified way back when. Originally, they were a full bank of yellow bulbs, but at some point around 1970 those bulbs were replaced by half as many (or less) bright white ones. One of my contemporaries might remember when better than I do

@Travis Bickle
@Cyncoedslumdog
@the other bob wilson

1000 watt tungsten filament Edisen screw

 

[Nugent]

1000 watt tungsten filament Edisen screw

is that really our old floodlight?

 

[LlanBlue86]

1000 watt tungsten filament Edisen screw

Imagine getting to the top an realising you’ve brought the wrong bulb

 

[Nugent]

Imagine getting to the top an realising you’ve brought the wrong bulb

funny enough, i was on site today, and watched the tower crane driver climb all the ladders to the top, and first thing popped in my ed was "ooo, what if he forgot his sandwich box"

 

[LlanBlue86]

funny enough, i was on site today, and watched the tower crane driver climb all the ladders to the top, and first thing popped in my ed was "ooo, what if he forgot his sandwich box"

That would be a job for Deliveroo

 

[NumberAde]

ah no, i never left early there.

I`d take that ground back in a heartbeat.

those floodlights when lit in a midweek game was something else, just seeing them on route to the ground had you going.

Walking down Sloper Road and seeing those floodlights on opening day after 3 months away was just magic.

I loved NP , but most weeks it was shit there, 2000 and 3000 fans. No cladding at the back of the Bob Bank. Desolate.

 

[Jimmytaff]

Walking down Sloper Road and seeing those floodlights on opening day after 3 months away was just magic.

I loved NP , but most weeks it was shit there, 2000 and 3000 fans. No cladding at the back of the Bob Bank. Desolate.

It was amazing but also terrible. I still remember how cold it could get on the Bob Bank. Could be wearing three pairs of socks and the cold would still get in your bones. Late teens / early twenties heading into the winter would always get a massive headache in the second half as the sun set and blinded you (the multiple pre match beers didn't help).

For all the amazing atmospheres it could also be bloody awful pretty regularly. Was a nightmare getting out quite often especially when hooligans trying to get at away fans or kids throwing coins at what they assumed were away fans

 

[LlanBlue86]

When you walk in the stadium there was that lovely smell of burgers and onions being cooked mixed with the fresh smell of piss from the toilets

 

[NumberAde]

When you walk in the stadium there was that lovely smell of burgers and onions being cooked mixed with the fresh smell of piss from the toilets

In the 80s it was bleak. It would be a smell of pipe smoke on the Bob. My dad and uncle would have a pie, which came in a cellophane bag with the City badge on it. One time, it had ice in the middle.

The funny thing is, because I started in 1987/8, home games and crowds of 2-3k was the norm for about 10 years on and off. 8000 against Maidstone on New Year's Day and it was "Massive crowd". We had 10,000 against Crewe in the promotion game of 1988. I don't think I saw another 10k crowd, except perhaps Swansea, in the league for years.

NP had a capacity of 49,000 in 1988, according to the Rothman's Yearbooks. This was pre-Hillsborough. I never believed it. Then we had QPR in the FA Cup, I think the crowd was 12,000 and there was still bags of room.

For years the Grange and Canton were both closed. Away fans would be in Block A of the Grandstand.

When the Grange was open for away fans there'd be a small line of stewards to stop them getting too far in. If it was Halifax, their fans would just have about 20 yards of the Grange. We played Wolves who were getting back to back promotions, and they had half the Grange, but it wasn't packed.

I loved NP, but I remember it as it was. A pretty depressing shit-hole. Older fans would tell me about Madrid and Spurs, and the crowd may have said 42,000 but they reckoned it was 60. For Spurs, they were adamant it was 60k and we had more than the Welsh Rugby Team who played later that day.

I used to wonder what it was that made some of those old blokes carry on going to matches when the other 40,000 who saw those massive games didn't bother. Then, I'd read the history books and realise that those 40k+ crowds were not regular. Usually we'd get 15-25k, even in the top division.

NP was just unique in everything. As soon as you went in there, you remembered something you'd seen before.

 

[NumberAde]

It was amazing but also terrible. I still remember how cold it could get on the Bob Bank. Could be wearing three pairs of socks and the cold would still get in your bones. Late teens / early twenties heading into the winter would always get a massive headache in the second half as the sun set and blinded you (the multiple pre match beers didn't help).

For all the amazing atmospheres it could also be bloody awful pretty regularly. Was a nightmare getting out quite often especially when hooligans trying to get at away fans or kids throwing coins at what they assumed were away fans

I was sat on the Bob for some Autoglass Trophy thing. Can't have been more than 1000 there that night. Freezing. Went to extra time. And pens. The cold of the concrete just spread up into my feet. That must have been 30 years ago, and my feet have been cold ever since.

 

[TH63]

Maybe we can go halves an you sit on my knee

 

[TDA]

In the 80s it was bleak. It would be a smell of pipe smoke on the Bob. My dad and uncle would have a pie, which came in a cellophane bag with the City badge on it. One time, it had ice in the middle.

The funny thing is, because I started in 1987/8, home games and crowds of 2-3k was the norm for about 10 years on and off. 8000 against Maidstone on New Year's Day and it was "Massive crowd". We had 10,000 against Crewe in the promotion game of 1988. I don't think I saw another 10k crowd, except perhaps Swansea, in the league for years.

NP had a capacity of 49,000 in 1988, according to the Rothman's Yearbooks. This was pre-Hillsborough. I never believed it. Then we had QPR in the FA Cup, I think the crowd was 12,000 and there was still bags of room.

For years the Grange and Canton were both closed. Away fans would be in Block A of the Grandstand.

When the Grange was open for away fans there'd be a small line of stewards to stop them getting too far in. If it was Halifax, their fans would just have about 20 yards of the Grange. We played Wolves who were getting back to back promotions, and they had half the Grange, but it wasn't packed.

I loved NP, but I remember it as it was. A pretty depressing shit-hole. Older fans would tell me about Madrid and Spurs, and the crowd may have said 42,000 but they reckoned it was 60. For Spurs, they were adamant it was 60k and we had more than the Welsh Rugby Team who played later that day.

I used to wonder what it was that made some of those old blokes carry on going to matches when the other 40,000 who saw those massive games didn't bother. Then, I'd read the history books and realise that those 40k+ crowds were not regular. Usually we'd get 15-25k, even in the top division.

NP was just unique in everything. As soon as you went in there, you remembered something you'd seen before.

The capacity back in the 60's was 60,000, but we probably averaged 12,000 - 15,000 most seasons. I think the couple of seasons where we got close to promotion we may have seen an average of more than 20,000.

City fans will always come out of the woodwork for big games - 55,000 for Arsenal in the Cup 1969, 30,000 for Moscow Torpedo 1968, 43,000 for Hamburg the same season. Real Madrid 48,000.

Nothing changes really

 

[TH63]

The capacity back in the 60's was 60,000, but we probably averaged 12,000 - 15,000 most seasons. I think the couple of seasons where we got close to promotion we may have seen an average of more than 20,000.

City fans will always come out of the woodwork for big games - 55,000 for Arsenal in the Cup 1969, 30,000 for Moscow Torpedo 1968, 43,000 for Hamburg the same season. Real Madrid 48,000.

Nothing changes really

I remember going to the game against Hereford in ‘76. I just checked the attendance 35,000. The place was rammed.

 

[TDA]

I remember going to the game against Hereford in ‘76. I just checked the attendance 35,000. The place was rammed.

Yes, that was another of those games where the attendance nearly tripled as a one off. Great night too!

 

[Jimmytaff]

In the 80s it was bleak. It would be a smell of pipe smoke on the Bob. My dad and uncle would have a pie, which came in a cellophane bag with the City badge on it. One time, it had ice in the middle.

The funny thing is, because I started in 1987/8, home games and crowds of 2-3k was the norm for about 10 years on and off. 8000 against Maidstone on New Year's Day and it was "Massive crowd". We had 10,000 against Crewe in the promotion game of 1988. I don't think I saw another 10k crowd, except perhaps Swansea, in the league for years.

NP had a capacity of 49,000 in 1988, according to the Rothman's Yearbooks. This was pre-Hillsborough. I never believed it. Then we had QPR in the FA Cup, I think the crowd was 12,000 and there was still bags of room.

For years the Grange and Canton were both closed. Away fans would be in Block A of the Grandstand.

When the Grange was open for away fans there'd be a small line of stewards to stop them getting too far in. If it was Halifax, their fans would just have about 20 yards of the Grange. We played Wolves who were getting back to back promotions, and they had half the Grange, but it wasn't packed.

I loved NP, but I remember it as it was. A pretty depressing shit-hole. Older fans would tell me about Madrid and Spurs, and the crowd may have said 42,000 but they reckoned it was 60. For Spurs, they were adamant it was 60k and we had more than the Welsh Rugby Team who played later that day.

I used to wonder what it was that made some of those old blokes carry on going to matches when the other 40,000 who saw those massive games didn't bother. Then, I'd read the history books and realise that those 40k+ crowds were not regular. Usually we'd get 15-25k, even in the top division.

NP was just unique in everything. As soon as you went in there, you remembered something you'd seen before.

My first game was 88 I think. Fuck all fans, poor football and the ground was quite shit. For some reason I still thought the fact my hometown had professional footballers was pretty awesome. Went to another game a few weeks after and City got mullered by Sheffield United and the only atmosphere was their fans mocking us all game. Should have known then I was on a hiding to nothing yet here I stand and I shall support no other. Pretty much seen it all with the City and I don't think you could it enjoy it anywhere near as much without the highs and lows or being there for the whole journey

 

[NumberAde]

My first game was 88 I think. Fuck all fans, poor football and the ground was quite shit. For some reason I still thought the fact my hometown had professional footballers was pretty awesome. Went to another game a few weeks after and City got mullered by Sheffield United and the only atmosphere was their fans mocking us all game. Should have known then I was on a hiding to nothing yet here I stand and I shall support no other. Pretty much seen it all with the City and I don't think you could it enjoy it anywhere near as much without the highs and lows or being there for the whole journey

Going up the leagues, getting to major cup finals.

All things we enjoyed more than most fans ever will because, for some of us, we were there when crowds were shit, as was the football, the team, and the ground. And the way we got treated away from home.

We drew 0-0 with Sheff U in 89, and won at their place 1-0 with Gareth Abraham the scorer. I wonder if you're thinking of Huddersfield, who hammered us 5-1 with Craig Maskell getting a hat-trick?

 

[Jimmytaff]

Going up the leagues, getting to major cup finals.

All things we enjoyed more than most fans ever will because, for some of us, we were there when crowds were shit, as was the football, the team, and the ground. And the way we got treated away from home.

We drew 0-0 with Sheff U in 89, and won at their place 1-0 with Gareth Abraham the scorer. I wonder if you're thinking of Huddersfield, who hammered us 5-1 with Craig Maskell getting a hat-trick?

Was sure it was 88 (my first game definitely was) but looking it up it must have been 89.
My memory has clearly played some tricks on me but it was definitely Sheffield United (I had the programme well into adulthood and a young Brian Deane played for them). Like you say the records confirm it was 0-0 but my abiding memory was them mocking us all game for something. Not many of them in the away end in the Grandstand but was all I could hear as no atmosphere from City (I was in the Canton Stand).

 

[NumberAde]

Was sure it was 88 (my first game definitely was) but looking it up it must have been 89.
My memory has clearly played some tricks on me but it was definitely Sheffield United (I had the programme well into adulthood and a young Brian Deane played for them). Like you say the records confirm it was 0-0 but my abiding memory was them mocking us all game for something. Not many of them in the away end in the Grandstand but was all I could hear as no atmosphere from City (I was in the Canton Stand).

I think I missed that game. For some reason Sheff U was one of those teams that I crossed off my "have seen us play" list much later.

The one, long standing, club I've never seen us play is Grimsby. It's amazing how we keep missing those.