Yes I remember going to Elland Road. It was one of the coldest days ever watching Saints.
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I only went to Post Office Road once. A mid winter match with the pitch white not green - not snow but frost. The match should never have been played. At half time Fev had a very handy lead with Saints seemingly disinterested. At the start of the second half Saints did not come out for what seemed an eternity. We began to pull things back and all the locals who had given us earache all the game were now shouting for the ref to blow for full time. We won. It was the coldest I have ever been in my life and it took me all the way home to thaw out.
My favourite match was always Central Park on Boxing Day. A bite to eat and a few pints at the Brocket Arms Hotel up the road beforehand. Always a full house and a fabulous atmosphere with no trouble, just banter with fierce rivals showing mutual dislike but respect. It epitomised what it was to be a Saints fan, win or lose
Ray French tells a good story about playing at Fartown on a really frosty pitch, both sides only agreed to play because there was a big crowd on. They compromised by agreeing to play on the side of the ground that had thawed, and every time they strayed onto the frozen side the referee gave a free kick to one or other of the sides to get them back onto the sunny side. A bit like Knowsley Road on Boxing Day sometimes when the popular side was always the last part of the ground to thaw
I honestly cant remember winning at Central Park 88-99 the period i started to it closure. seen us draw once 8-8 i think in the CC . I recall some 30k plus attendances in those good Friday games.
I was lucky to have been at the world club challenge 87 wigan V manly i was sat on the old tunnel in a dark damp night under the floodlights . Incredible atmosphere . Great ground but it wont trump knowsley Rd in that popular terrace
I spent a lot of time at Thrum Hall in the late '70s, as my dad was their physio when Maurice Bamford was coach and Mick Blacker captain. Went to all home and away games with him for a couple of years, so experienced most grounds. I remember Oldham's ground being perishing cold and Odsal too. Thrum Hall had a good atmosphere, close to the pitch and it was compulsory for everyone to swap ends at half time. The toilets, and I use the word in it's loosest sense, were bloody Dickensian. I'm surprised people didn't contract cholera or something.
Nobody mentioning the HJones? Nobody is going there again this season......
I seem to recall it was a Lancashire Cup game, either semi or quarter final, we were in the lead and camped on their line at the Kop end and suddenly the lights went out. Uncle Maurice had either forgot to put a shilling in the meter or had a word with the electrician. I'm betting on the latter
Post Office Road and Thrum Hall..... spit n sawdust but some great memories
I always used to enjoy the Willows. Miraculously my car remained unscathed every time I went there. The Railway End at Wilderspool was great if Saints were winning. And from a personal note, because it was my home ground and the first place I saw live RL, Clarence Street
I remember us getting hammered there Boxing Day ‘93 - I could have sworn there were over 30k there that day, but according to Saints Heritage it was 29100.
There was a big crowd at CP in the ‘95 World Cup as well - England v Fiji. Not sure if that was up to 30k but I remember it being very busy.
I've been there when it's been rammed but would be surprised if there was o er 30k
Everyone always claims the numbers were huge when it is busy and the atmosphere is excellent. IME the old ground had a great atmosphere with 10k on as you were on top of the pitch and all rammed together. I don't believe it needs great numbers to be s great atmosphere, Wembley this year was an example of that it was brilliant, well until we fell behind
The 1972 cup semi final replay at Central Park against Warrington had 32,000 on. I was their with my old dad. Won 10-6. Absolutely crammed on the Douglas side and i remember being swept along in the tide coming off with my feet not touching the ground for about 250 yards.
Similar experience at the ‘title decider that decided nothing’ in the 92/93 season (?). There must have been 30k plus on for that game but the official attendance was a ‘surprise’
Highlight of Wigan away back then was a pint in The Swindley Labour club. Got very raucous in there for the 1995 Challenge Cup game.