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    Default Grounds You Miss Visiting.

    Following on from the generic thread around Swinton that then included Station Road, I was pondering which grounds I miss visiting. Obviously super league and clubs either moving grounds or even going to the wall have had an adverse effect on our away day rambles across the north and further afield.

    Number 1. For me was Borough Park Blackpool. Only an occasional fixture in the days of one division and for one season only in the two division era. Just going to Blackpool was in that era was always for most a good day out and the stadium was actually quite tidy and encompassed a dog track to earn the RL club some extra money. The club was shafted by the council and left town to a nomadic slow death.

    Number 2. Keighley. This was even more of a rarefied event and my first recollection was 1971 and us winning 24-4 I can still remember how tiny the ground seemed and the views over what I now know as Ilkley Moor and sitting in what seemed like a huge shed eating hot pork pies, not the nine by Roy Litherland at Swinton but certainly two.

    Number 3. Barrow. They are a club who really suffered from the creation of super league. Throughout the eighties especially at home they were a match for anyone with good knowledgeable crowds who loved the game and Saints to be honest. Roy Heggarty was the man the Barrow crowds loved to hate in a nice way, so much so they signed him. They had a guy called Eddie Sysmala who was as hard as nails. Another benefit was Hartleys beer brewed then in Ulverston for a pit stop going and returning home.

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    In The West Stand saintgeorge's Avatar
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    Mc Laren Field, Bramley was a hoot.

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    In The West Stand Dux's Avatar
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    It didn't used to happen all that often, but winning at Central Park used to feel good (when you could see past the pillars).

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    In The North Stand With All The Old Folk Belgian Saint's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Dux View Post
    It didn't used to happen all that often, but winning at Central Park used to feel good (when you could see past the pillars).
    I think the fact that it always had the largest crowds and the local rivalry always made Central Park special.
    I remember going to Wakey and Cas in the 60's and their grounds being packed. Always remember one time at Cas when they had a fire in a 44 gallon drum and women drying their washing around it while the game was in progress.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Dux View Post
    It didn't used to happen all that often, but winning at Central Park used to feel good (when you could see past the pillars).
    Yep, along with Thrum Hall which was the first away ground I went to, the Boulevard and the Willows. Not sure why but those 3 always stick in my mind.

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    Learning All The Songs roy litherland's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Angry Dave View Post
    Yep, along with Thrum Hall which was the first away ground I went to, the Boulevard and the Willows. Not sure why but those 3 always stick in my mind.
    Thrum hall was a place and a half , it was always cold especially in the fog lol.
    roy litherland it's happened i told you it would

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    Crown Flat, Dewsbury - bitter cold wind no matter what time of year.
    Hilton Park, Leigh - short drawing & usually a tough venue.
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    Quote Originally Posted by Dux View Post
    It didn't used to happen all that often, but winning at Central Park used to feel good (when you could see past the pillars).
    Agreed, Central Park on Boxing Day always a highlight of the year, a pint and a scotch to warm you at the pub I can't recall it's name, on the corner, halfway up the hill then walk down that entry to the turnstiles, an orderly queue to get in, and then a jostle to find a spot where you could actually see all four corners. Then a quick car journey over the hill home for Boxing Day cold turkey and chips. Entirely the opposite, Knotty Ash STADIUM to watch Liverpool City, before they moved to Alt Park at Huyton, when the little lads really meant it when they offered to look after your car for a tanner, heroic efforts by the players there to keep it going, there was a story that even the opposition players paid at the gate!

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    Quote Originally Posted by Dux View Post
    It didn't used to happen all that often, but winning at Central Park used to feel good (when you could see past the pillars).
    You're joking aren't you? We won plenty of times at Central Park and up until the late 80's more often than not in league fixtures Wigan would win at Knowsley Road and Saints would win at Central Park.

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    I do remember losing 53 - 11 Saints players on strike and Green Vigo scored seven tries. I also remember Stuart Evans destroying the pies. Anyone go to Maidstone and Kent Invicta.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Cyprus View Post
    I do remember losing 53 - 11 Saints players on strike and Green Vigo scored seven tries. I also remember Stuart Evans destroying the pies. Anyone go to Maidstone and Kent Invicta.
    I’m sure I remember us beating them 53-11 once at CP.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Cyprus View Post
    I do remember losing 53 - 11 Saints players on strike and Green Vigo scored seven tries. I also remember Stuart Evans destroying the pies. Anyone go to Maidstone and Kent Invicta.
    Yep I went to Kent Invicta who played at Maidstone United FC. Mark Elia played for them that day.

    Been to all of the stadia mentioned by everyone above bar Knotty Ash ( I'm not quite that old!!)
    Got to say dont miss most of the grounds. Whilst they had plenty of history and character much more than the many souless new places they were pretty tired with poor facilities ( see Wakefield for details)
    I have grown to quite like our new ground especially the facilities and location but definitely DO miss the spec and atmosphere of Knowsley Road. Quite miss the away games at Central Park as well. Boxing Day 87 will always be one of my favourite memories of following Saints.

    At one point I had been to every RL ground in all divisions. There are now a few not visited with teams moving and new entrants.

    Anyone remember New Hunslet at Elland Road Greyhound Stadium? They had American Football type posts with a single central upright. May have been 1978 when I went and pretty sure we drew away.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Cyprus View Post
    I do remember losing 53 - 11 Saints players on strike and Green Vigo scored seven tries. I also remember Stuart Evans destroying the pies. Anyone go to Maidstone and Kent Invicta.

    We won 53-11 on Boxing Day 1969. Wigan kicked off, we fumbled the ball and they scored. They thought they were going to thrash us. Half of them walked off at half time.

    Green Vigo scored 7 tries against us in the Lanc's Cup in August 1976 when all our 1st team were on strike.

    I went to Kent Invicta in the John Player Cup
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    Quote Originally Posted by FW de KLERK View Post
    You're joking aren't you? We won plenty of times at Central Park and up until the late 80's more often than not in league fixtures Wigan would win at Knowsley Road and Saints would win at Central Park.
    Okay - let's say that it didn't happen very often when I used to go there (from '92 onwards).

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    Quote Originally Posted by Dux View Post
    Okay - let's say that it didn't happen very often when I used to go there (from '92 onwards).
    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

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    Quote Originally Posted by saintgeorge View Post
    Mc Laren Field, Bramley was a hoot.
    Do anyone remember the cup game with them, most of the locals were in the ground before the Saints fans arrived because they were allowed a cheaper turnstile price. When all the saints fans arrived there wasn't enough space on the terracing and quite a few had to stand on a frosty grassy mound behind the sticks.

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    Quote Originally Posted by STIDDY View Post
    Do anyone remember the cup game with them, most of the locals were in the ground before the Saints fans arrived because they were allowed a cheaper turnstile price. When all the saints fans arrived there wasn't enough space on the terracing and quite a few had to stand on a frosty grassy mound behind the sticks.
    Yep, snow on the ground that day.

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    1974 Yes we won I think it was 30 points to 5 with a good crowd for a ground whilst well appointed was quite small. Maybe some remember perhaps a year earlier when we lost on a Tuesday afternoon in the floodlight cup (power cuts/miners strike) 13-12 and yes I went and we couldn't believe we lost to Bramley "the villagers" They went on to win the floodlight final 15-7 away to a bloody good Widnes team once again on a Tuesday afternoon.

    The back story is the ground was called Barley Mow and a farmers field was bequeathed next door by a Mrs Mclaren hence the stadium name(Mclaren Field) built in the sixties and lost in a dodgy deal in the eighties.

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    In The North Stand With All The Old Folk Buddy's Avatar
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    Not many who miss the visit to Post Office Road I see

    Pitch always seemed to be frozen and 3000 Fev fans all from the same gene pool who considered Peter Sutcliffe to be misunderstood

    Sent from my SM-G960F using Tapatalk

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    Station road. Watching the mud water come rolling into the terracing and around ya feet was memorable as a 9 yr old !

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    Quote Originally Posted by Buddy View Post
    Not many who miss the visit to Post Office Road I see

    Pitch always seemed to be frozen and 3000 Fev fans all from the same gene pool who considered Peter Sutcliffe to be misunderstood

    Sent from my SM-G960F using Tapatalk
    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

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    In The North Stand With All The Old Folk Buddy's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Big Bad Les View Post
    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
    I was at that game, I was amazed they played the second half

    Sent from my SM-G960F using Tapatalk
    Last edited by Buddy; 20th September 2019 at 03:45.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Buddy View Post
    I was at that game, I was amazed they played the second half

    Sent from my SM-G960F using Tapatalk
    Did Connolly get the winner very late on?

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    Didn't Tonga play a test mid season this year, that could prove difficult if they did it again

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