Famous Stadiums

[johnh]

Goodison Park, my second home. I was there when it recorded the record crowd, which still stands, of 78,299 against Liverpool. 1948/49 season. Not a lot of elbow room that day. Looks like it will be coming to an end as a new ground, at the docks, is planned. The 'old lady' will not be sold off for housing or office blocks as is usual in these situations, but will be developed as a 'community resource' for the area.

[Davycc]

Goodison Park, several times. In the late 90s early 2000s about 12 of us used to hire a minibus, ferry over and watch 2 sometimes 3 games over the Fri-Sun this always ruled out London games etc due to the travelling. Amongst the group there were Scum, Villa, Wolves Everton and Newcastle fans and of course myself .There was also a Stockport County fan probably the only one in NI

We used to love going into the club shop at Goodison, we used to take the pee out of the Everton supporter as then it was just like someones front room in a two up two down. Must say though always had a good day at Goodison.

St James a few times as well. On one occasion one of the Scum fans missed the whole game as we were seated right at the top of the main stand and he couldn't walk out of the tunnel to his seat for fear of heights. Had absolutely no idea who was on the ball as it was like watching ants.

[NottinghamWhite]

Goodison Park
Another dodgy away fixture could get quiet tasty there. Have only been a couple of times & both of those visits were back in the 70’s. Proper football ground though.

St James Park
Only been the once but we won 1-0 never seen a crowd become so silent after the away team scores.

St Andrews
My favourite Birmingham ground. Home fans create a great atmosphere.

Stamford Bridge
Never a good ground to go to as a Leeds fan but I always enjoyed my visits to The Bridge.

[johnh]

How times change. In the late 1940's people couldn't afford the match ticket and train fare so you didn't get many travelling supporters. At Goodison, whenever there was a small contingent of 'away' support, they always got a round of applause. Never saw any trouble or fighting. At Everton v Liverpool games the fans intermingled, no 'away' end. Lot's of banter but never any trouble. Those were the days.

[Selby White]

Had my 18th birthday at Goodison Park many years ago.

It was always one of my fav away days, cracking old stadium.

[NottinghamWhite]

Just seen Everton are building a new stadium by the River Mersey looks very impressive indeed.

[Selby White]

Last time I was at St James Park was around 2002 and had got a ticket through a company a dealt with (perks) but had to sit with the Barcodes so knew I would have to sit on my hands.

Had a few beers before and was just arriving at my seat as the teams kicked off, stone the crows before I'd got comfy we scored just a few seconds in thanks to Alan Smith. Reflex action I jumped up to celebrate before realising my cover was blown and the locals were glaring at me.
Fair pay to them all I got was banter through the game and a lot of Mickey taking when they eventually beat us 3-1.

[Selby White]

St Andrews - cracking atmosphere but the walk back to New Street station through the Bull Ring scared me to death.
Remember one night match back in the day when there wasn't too many Leeds fans and most in cars and coaches. 4 of us got a Police escort including a horse and dog handler all the way back to the station

Stamford Bridge - Never liked us down there but the feeling is mutual. Awful stadium but easy to get to on the tube.

[Saxon]

Goodison Park and St James Park, two of the 'Football grounds', along with their clubs and the great players my father would talk about.As a boy I would listen to him talk about the great Dixie Dean or Jackie Milburn, imagining I was there and seeing these players run out onto a misty pitch with 60,000 crowd cheering.So in later years when I went to these stadiums I was seeing history, I would feel the atmosphere, as well as the game that I was attending that day. Same goes for my Grandfather who would talk about the great team at Huddersfield in the 1920's or Bradford City goalie Hardy.So to my days of supporting Leeds at these grounds, Goodison Park the place where the 'Dirty Leeds' name started,we were storming the 1st div under Don Revie in our first year back. The game at Goodison was nearly abandoned, rough play and fights, the ref took the players off for 20 mins to cool things down, Everton continued without Sandy Brown. My own memories of players of the caliber of the 'Golden vision' Alex Young, Both Everton and Newcastle fans adored their own gods, their goalscorers.Ray Wilson the world cup full back,Brian Labone, Roy Vernon[did he get caught up in some bribe investigation?], Temple,Bob Latchford, later on Joe Royle,midfield of Ball, Kendall, Harvey. I always thought Everton supporters were a fair lot, only once in the late 70's did I have any problem at Goodison. St James Park, in the old days before rebuilding, again I could feel my fathers words, but I don't care much for Newcastle fans they have an arrogant chip on their shoulder, thinking that they are 'The People',they got to move on into this century. Was there one Boxing day, started snowing before the game,ended up about 3 inch by final whistle, Albert Johannson ran the full length of the field to score, not sure if that was winning goal but we won the game.There was an old Scotsman we called 'Jock', a Celtic fan but supported Leeds in those days, he had a photo of Jim Storrie pinned inside his flat cap, we were on the same bus that day and celebrated with some fine Scotch on the return journey. Another game we were in the leazes end and received a battering from the Newcastle fans. A fine striker from those days, welshman Wyn Davies, never seen anybody jump that high, should have been in the olympics, captain bobby Moncur marshalling the Newcastle defence, later on Malcolm Macdonald becoming the new god of St James Park.

[NottinghamWhite]

I was at Wembley in 1975 when Malcolm MacDonald scored all 5 goals against Cyprus in a 5-0 win.