Things You Miss From 'The Bad Old Days'

[Tuerto]

Talking about the dungeon days, although when we were doing well in the league at 3rd and 4th division levels there were some fine days indeed with some very interesting characters, Royston Vasey Towns and plenty of surreal moments. There's loads i miss simply because it was convenient, like deciding on a Friday Evening with a couple of mates that we'd drive to whatever backwater we were likely to get beaten that saturday. Very strange locals, We're not afforded that luxury to much these days unless we visit Burnley. Being able to wind up opposition players as we were so close to the action in a small crowd, you could see it affecting them, and they'd give it back as well. Another Lower league phenomenon was that every club we seemed to play had a fat bloke who would lift his shirt up and expose his belly while walking menacingly towards the away fans (us) That should be made mandatory at every club! What do you miss?

[life on mars]

Ninian Park atmospheres.

[jon1959]

Ninian Park atmospheres.

The smell of piss at the back of the stand?

[Taffy Blue in Berkshire]

Ninian Park atmospheres.

CCS just doesn't do it and coupled with the crap setup and rubbish football right now and we're not missing much to warrant considering driving down.

In contrast I remember our promotion season from the old 4th division when I only missed 3 home games all season.

I go back to the late 60's and the football of the 70's was something else Tosh, Clark, Peter King, Les Lee, Alan Warboys, Derek Showers, Barry Jones...…...……….

Football has been ruined by the PL and silly money.

[Tuerto]

CCS just doesn't do it and coupled with the crap setup and rubbish football right now and we're not missing much to warrant considering driving down.

In contrast I remember our promotion season from the old 4th division when I only missed 3 home games all season.

I go back to the late 60's and the football of the 70's was something else Tosh, Clark, Peter King, Les Lee, Alan Warboys, Derek Showers, Barry Jones...…...……….

Football has been ruined by the PL and silly money.

There were plenty of piss poor atmospheres at NP, for obvious reasons, but a crowd of 8-10 thousand could really make a noise and get things going at NP, especially on the Bob Bank. We couldn't get that at the new ground.

[goats]

There were plenty of piss poor atmospheres at NP, for obvious reasons, but a crowd of 8-10 thousand could really make a noise and get things going at NP, especially on the Bob Bank. We couldn't get that at the new ground.

Most fans sang and I wonder how many fans we had in say 1988 still go now

[WJ99mobile]

The hope

[blue lewj]

Terracing

[life on mars]

The smell of piss at the back of the stand?

Indeed , and old pie and chips smells , and the waft of split beer .

[light up the darkness]

Indeed , and old pie and chips smells , and the waft of split beer .

The gentle breeze of African woodbines wafting from the grange end

[Hilts]

Transit Van trips.

[Heathblue]

The ability to wake up on a Saturday morning and decide, fuk it 'm going down the City, rock up at the turn styles and just pay to get in.

[Tuerto]

The ability to wake up on a Saturday morning and decide, fuk it 'm going down the City, rock up at the turn styles and just pay to get in.

Yes. Paying cash on the turnstile. There was some serious fiddling going on!

[Culver Blue]

Yes. Paying cash on the turnstile. There was some serious fiddling going on!

Or if you knew the guy on the turnstile, jumping over the turnstile.

[Gofer Blue]

Things that come to mind are:
The "outdoor" gents at the back of the Bob Bank. Particularly when it was raining.
The ability to turn up at 5 minutes to 3 and walk straight in.
Making my way to the corner under the floodlights towards the end of the game to make a quick getaway to get to my car and beat the rush down Sloper Road.
That perpetual "expect nothing and you won't be disappointed" feeling.
The players had that hard-to-define "character", the willingness to have a go, or maybe that's just rose-tinted glasses on my part?

[the other bob wilson]

The ability to wake up on a Saturday morning and decide, fuk it 'm going down the City, rock up at the turn styles and just pay to get in.

I can remember a couple of matches in the late eighties that I had made up my mind not to go to, but then changed my mind at about 2.15 and was able to drive to the ground from Pentrebane, park in one of the factories/car showrooms across the road from Ninian Parkd and get into the ground just as the teams were taking the pitch.

There was also a match with Colchester in Ninian Park's last but one season where relatives I had visiting did not leave until 2.35 - I was able to drive to the ground, park and get in through the turnstiles and only missed the first ten minutes.

[delmbox]

I can remember a couple of matches in the late eighties that I had made up my mind not to go to, but then changed my mind at about 2.15 and was able to drive to the ground from Pentrebane, park in one of the factories/car showrooms across the road from Ninian Parkd and get into the ground just as the teams were taking the pitch.

There was also a match with Colchester in Ninian Park's last but one season where relatives I had visiting did not leave until 2.35 - I was able to drive to the ground, park and get in through the turnstiles and only missed the first ten minutes.

My first game (thank you Divine Wright for the hell you dragged me into) we turned up at half time and they opened the gate and let us sneak in for free. Can't imagine that now

[cardiff55]

Easy parking. Pick you seat. Expecting to be disappointed ( that's still the same). Cheap food and drink. Knowing the players were just making a living, not earning stupid money. The smell of beer and smoke. Players numbered 1-11.

[goats]

Talking about the dungeon days, although when we were doing well in the league at 3rd and 4th division levels there were some fine days indeed with some very interesting characters, Royston Vasey Towns and plenty of surreal moments. There's loads i miss simply because it was convenient, like deciding on a Friday Evening with a couple of mates that we'd drive to whatever backwater we were likely to get beaten that saturday. Very strange locals, We're not afforded that luxury to much these days unless we visit Burnley. Being able to wind up opposition players as we were so close to the action in a small crowd, you could see it affecting them, and they'd give it back as well. Another Lower league phenomenon was that every club we seemed to play had a fat bloke who would lift his shirt up and expose his belly while walking menacingly towards the away fans (us) That should be made mandatory at every club! What do you miss?

Just going spontaneously that day and wandering in to stand wherever I wanted

[blue matt]

the late 80's - early 90's were great times, i guess for people my age, it all clicked, single and the right age to have fun and games at the football, when and where ever we wanted

Of course, we didnt really know it was great times, as the football at times was dire, then of course Eddie May came along and it just kept on getting better

[City123]

Talking about the dungeon days, although when we were doing well in the league at 3rd and 4th division levels there were some fine days indeed with some very interesting characters, Royston Vasey Towns and plenty of surreal moments. There's loads i miss simply because it was convenient, like deciding on a Friday Evening with a couple of mates that we'd drive to whatever backwater we were likely to get beaten that saturday. Very strange locals, We're not afforded that luxury to much these days unless we visit Burnley. Being able to wind up opposition players as we were so close to the action in a small crowd, you could see it affecting them, and they'd give it back as well. Another Lower league phenomenon was that every club we seemed to play had a fat bloke who would lift his shirt up and expose his belly while walking menacingly towards the away fans (us) That should be made mandatory at every club! What do you miss?

Don't forget Wigan and our friends both down west and in the West Country

[NYCBlue]

Terracing. Pay on the day. Unticketed away games. Football specials. Curries and beers all over the west Midlands. A hugely disproportionate away following.

[NYCBlue]

Terracing. Pay on the day. Unticketed away games. Football specials. Curries and beers all over the west Midlands. A hugely disproportionate away following.

Oh, and weird beer. I remember going to a pub in Eccles once before a game against Oldham. Tried everything on tap except the Guinness and it was ****ing horrible. Had my first pint of Guinness that day. And my second. And my tenth. Good times.

[dembethewarrior]

The smell of piss at the back of the stand?

Nah 2000 men spread across 4 stands.

[SydneyBlue]

the Grange End in its heyday, be like something out of a horror movie for this generation