Proper Rugby League Grounds : Sat Mar 26, 2016 8:43 am  

Having just turned 60 and read the post about the pies at Wakey yesterday I started to wonder about all the RL grounds that have gone and are what we have now any better ??

The other thought is would Fartown have been better with a new side stand and a new rear stand by the supporters club?

The two other areas re terraced so long as they left our barrier in place !!

Knowsley, Road, Central Park, Wilderspool, Hilton Park, Station Road Parkside, Crown Flat (I watched Stevo play there), Borough Park Thrum Hall and several others all had their own peculiar charm.

Yes and the Soup, Pies and tea and coffee were far better.

There was nothing quite like watching Fartown almost reluctantly emerge from the tunnel to face another challenge and kick off towards the Dave Valentine scoreboard.

Then or now for those who also went an interesting conundrum however I wouldn't pine for Alt Park at Huyton where cars occasionally were pushed down the ditch

Re: Proper Rugby League Grounds : Sat Mar 26, 2016 9:19 am  

You might like this then.... http://youtu.be/mT1WILGrOug

You might like this then.... http://youtu.be/mT1WILGrOug

Re: Proper Rugby League Grounds : Sat Mar 26, 2016 9:28 am  

Watersheddings! Mount Pleasant with the longside terrace, McClaren field, lawkholme lane, post office road,Tattersfield ( the scene of my first away game)

There's nothing like the smell of tomato soup, bovril and pipe/cigar smoke to get the memories surfacing.

And yes, having a couple of small covered terraces and a new main stand at fartown would be absolute heaven!

Re: Proper Rugby League Grounds : Sat Mar 26, 2016 1:58 pm  

forget your mcclaren how about barley mow

Re: Proper Rugby League Grounds : Sat Mar 26, 2016 2:02 pm  

golcargiant65 wrote:

forget your mcclaren how about barley mow

I'm not as old as you

Re: Proper Rugby League Grounds : Sat Mar 26, 2016 2:16 pm  

I swear my mouth is still burnt from the soup at Fartown...30 pence for the most gorgeous, creamiest tomato soup i've ever tasted.....definitely needed in those dark winter days of the late 80's !!!

There was definitely more character in those old places than today's modern grounds, and i don't include Belle Vue in that, there is nothing good about that place !

Re: Proper Rugby League Grounds : Sat Mar 26, 2016 2:45 pm  

Well as a Wake fan I love B V and would hate to be playing out of a new stadium. I keep hearing that it's about providing what the fans want but from a personal point of view I find them nothing more than a shell. When developing or re constructing a ground I think we should remember what we had and try to incorporate that in to any new development. It's odd but most of my memories are from the old grounds while the new stadiums don't really feature.

Re: Proper Rugby League Grounds : Sat Mar 26, 2016 6:17 pm  

all well and good but surely as a place where a spectator sport is played you'd think one of the main things would be making sure those supporters could actually see !!!

Re: Proper Rugby League Grounds : Sat Mar 26, 2016 7:06 pm  

Broughy & Jenna are fine, it's your club he wants away from.

Re: Proper Rugby League Grounds : Sun Mar 27, 2016 12:52 am  

Salford - Willows! The smell of Ralgex seeping up from the dressing room onto the terrace. I remember going there once and in the space of 90 minutes (including half time) coming out of the ground and seeing an XR3i parked outside being totally stripped of anything bolted onto it!!
Hull - Boulevard. Local scrotes offering to look after your car for a fiver and the usual loss of wing mirrors etc if you didn't cough up.
Wlderspool - Paul's chippy and the same bloke wandering around with 'The end of the world is nigh' sandwich board year after year! The 'big' barmaid in the pub with a minah bird behind the bar.
Happy memories as a kid selling programmes outside Fartown and fighting for the best position where the odd away coach came to park. Even had the honour of manning the old score board on a few of occasions and getting paid for doing it!!
Happy days. All the new grounds seem sterile and anaemic now with no character.