Quote Originally Posted by splott parker View Post
We used to walk under there, looking up through the slats in the timbers without a care in the world. Fans bouncing up and down on the timber terracing, never a thought of how strong the structure was. I wonder if it was ever tested/checked for stability and if it was, how often over its life? Amazing how things were just accepted, the crowds, I and you were in, against Leeds & Arsenal in the cup particularly were water off a duck’s back to us. Looking back, the place was an accident waiting to happen. Thank God we got away with it down the City, unfortunates at other grounds didn’t. RIP.
I mentioned Ibrox earlier, I watched what might have been a fiftieth anniversary documentary about it quite recently. It was a real eye opener - the stairway that was the scene of the disaster had seen earlier deaths and was deemed not fit for purpose some eight years I think it was before sixty six died in 1971. The accident happened because people who were leaving by the stairway turned back when a late goal was scored and created a crush with those coming down the stairs. It’s not the same thing, but I’d say there was the potential for something similar to happen under the Grange End if, say City had scored late on in that 1969 FA Cup game with Arsenal.

Yet, nobody gave anything like that a second thought until that Safety of Sports Ground inspection in 1977 which signalled the end of the old Grange End - despite it all though, it was by far the best and most atmospheric location I’ve ever been in watching City play at home.