Like Father Like Son.....

https://www.thefootballhistoryboys.c...-like-son.html

Giant Canton Stand:hehe:
I guess that is what they call journalistic license.
However, really enjoyed that as it sums up my memory of night time matches at N.P.

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Originally Posted by Majorblue

Giant Canton Stand:hehe:
I guess that is what they call journalistic license.
However, really enjoyed that as it sums up my memory of night time matches at N.P.

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While never giant, it used to be much deeper back in the day.

Also my first game , taken by my dad , stood in gap between grange end and Bob bank .
Hooked ever since .

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Originally Posted by Majorblue

Giant Canton Stand:hehe:
I guess that is what they call journalistic license.
However, really enjoyed that as it sums up my memory of night time matches at N.P.

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Originally Posted by NYCBlue

While never giant, it used to be much deeper back in the day.

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Back 1970-ish, it was as bigf as the old gfrange end, but all seated. I think there was a bar at the back, too.

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Originally Posted by bobh

Back 1970-ish, it was as bigf as the old gfrange end, but all seated. I think there was a bar at the back, too.

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Canton Stand as big as the old Grange End?????

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Originally Posted by splott parker

Canton Stand as big as the old Grange End?????

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To long in the BAR, me thinks :hehe:

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Originally Posted by Pontprennau Bluebird

https://www.thefootballhistoryboys.c...-like-son.html

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Thanks for that - a great read.

Although my first game was on a Saturday afternoon, it was after my second one, a night match, that I was really hooked.

My first two games were the last two League games from 1967/68 so i remember that period well. All of our players then were heroes to me. But I missed the game against Hereford though. I did see John Charles play in his testimonial match v Leeds at Ninian park in 1971/2.

Great read I loved a night game at Ninian as a kid.
Brought back some lovely memories of me and my dad under those brilliant floodlights.

My first game was our first back in division two after being relegated with Chelsea (Liverpool & Leyton Orient went up) ‘62/63 season. Newcastle at home, Ivor’s debut after leaving the Geordies, my son gave me a little present yesterday, the programme, which he’d picked up on eBay. Fortnight’s holiday to Majorca advertised in the centre pages, £40 all in, few bob in those days I s’pose......can’t even go at the moment:hehe:

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Originally Posted by Majorblue

Giant Canton Stand:hehe:
I guess that is what they call journalistic license.
However, really enjoyed that as it sums up my memory of night time matches at N.P.

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It was giant when you were 10 years old.

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Originally Posted by the other bob wilson

Thanks for that - a great read.

Although my first game was on a Saturday afternoon, it was after my second one, a night match, that I was really hooked.

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My first game was a Saturday night, the floodlights the huge crowd, walking home with my dad in the dark, all memories that live for ever!

Thanks for the feedback, glad people enjoyed the article.

"...shaven-headed monsters with giant boots, braces and silk scarves tied to their wrists..."
Yes I remember plenty of Bay City Rollers fans followed the city :biggrin:

Similar first memories of NP to my own.
We had the greenest grass I'd ever seen accentuated by our fantastic flood lights.

Good post thanks for sharing PB :thumbup:

Fading a bit......but attached is photo of John Charles and Gareth Williams on the trip to Huddersfield I think. Those were the days when fans could travel with players on the TRAIN!!

Attachment 3867

Great photo. Do players still have card schools these days?

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Originally Posted by splott parker

Canton Stand as big as the old Grange End?????

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I don't recall that ,old grange was a huge stand.

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Originally Posted by Maurice Swan

Fading a bit......but attached is photo of John Charles and Gareth Williams on the trip to Huddersfield I think. Those were the days when fans could travel with players on the TRAIN!!

Attachment 3867

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Is that “BIG HAND” opposite John Charles ????

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Originally Posted by life on mars

I don't recall that ,old grange was a huge stand.

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Exactly.

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Originally Posted by life on mars

I don't recall that ,old grange was a huge stand.

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It was if you were nine years old.

It also depends on when you were n8me years old.
The Canton used to be larger than the time NP was demolished.
It had quite an overhaul at some point what must have been late 70's early 80's I'd say, probably the latter if it was done when the Bluebirds club was demolished.

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Originally Posted by MacAdder

It was if you were nine years old.

It also depends on when you were n8me years old.
The Canton used to be larger than the time NP was demolished.
It had quite an overhaul at some point what must have been late 70's early 80's I'd say, probably the latter if it was done when the Bluebirds club was demolished.

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It was never larger, it remained the same size, none of it was ever demolished externally to reduce it. Some back rows of seats were most probably taken out to be replaced by those hospitality boxes and the room behind. Did you ever have the chance to stand right at the back of the old Grangetown End and the Canton Stand? Grangetown End dwarfed it.

The roof was erected over the Grangetown End in 1928 and the End could hold 18,000 spectators. 40 odd years later I, and a few more on here no doubt, were among 18,000 + on there in the cup games against Arsenal & Leeds.

At the time the GE seemed like a cave, low lying slopes rising to, who knows what at the back.

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Originally Posted by Pontprennau Bluebird

At the time the GE seemed like a cave, low lying slopes rising to, who knows what at the back.

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Here be dragons!!!:hehe:

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Originally Posted by splott parker

It was never larger, it remained the same size, none of it was ever demolished externally to reduce it.
Some back rows of seats were most probably taken out to be replaced by those hospitality boxes and the room behind.

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I didn't say it was demolished.
After the works, the volume and number of seats for spectators would have been reduced. It's therefore true that prior to the refurb and the introduction of the boxes, the Canton would have looked much bigger.

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Did you ever have the chance to stand right at the back of the old Grangetown End and the Canton Stand? Grangetown End dwarfed it.

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Yes on a number of occasions both, and I agree with you that the GE dwarfed the Canton.
The OP's account though was that the Canton was large not larger than the Grangend.
I should add that I don't agree with bobh's view that both stands were of similar size. Perhaps you thought I was and got our posts confused?

It seems that some people (not you) were questioning the OPs excellent piece based on something that is subjective.

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Originally Posted by splott parker

It was never larger, it remained the same size, none of it was ever demolished externally to reduce it. Some back rows of seats were most probably taken out to be replaced by those hospitality boxes and the room behind. Did you ever have the chance to stand right at the back of the old Grangetown End and the Canton Stand? Grangetown End dwarfed it.

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That's how I remember it, the Canton Stand was the lowest out of the four stands when Ninian Park was used for the last time even with the bit that used to be seating included.

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Originally Posted by MacAdder

I didn't say it was demolished.
After the works, the volume and number of seats for spectators would have been reduced. It's therefore true that prior to the refurb and the introduction of the boxes, the Canton would have looked much bigger.


Yes on a number of occasions both, and I agree with you that the GE dwarfed the Canton.
The OP's account though was that the Canton was large not larger than the Grangend.
I should add that I don't agree with bobh's view that both stands were of similar size. Perhaps you thought I was and got our posts confused?

It seems that some people (not you) were questioning the OPs excellent piece based on something that is subjective.

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You’re right it was bobh who reckoned that back in 1970ish it was as large as the old Grangetown End
but you did state that the Canton used to be larger than it was at the time Ninian Park was demolished, it was the same size structure at the end of its days as it was in the beginning, never larger.:thumbup:

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Originally Posted by splott parker

You’re right it was bobh who reckoned that back in 1970ish it was as large as the old Grangetown End
but you did state that the Canton used to be larger than it was at the time Ninian Park was demolished, it was the same size structure at the end of its days as it was in the beginning, never larger.:thumbup:

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Hmmm. Okay, perhaps I could have chosen better words but I certainly did not mean that the overall footprint of the structure had been altered.
Had it been, then the club shop, Bluebirds club and the house next door would have been seriously impacted :thumbup:

I have been lucky enough to take several people to their first game. Of course, like many Dads I took my own sons to games before they could barely stand or certainly understand the drama of it all. It works best when the person you take is just about old enough to take it in. The look on my nephew’s face as he first saw the NP grandstand illuminated in the floodlights as we climbed onto the Bob Bank will especially stay with me. He was mesmerised.