One thing that is sometimes overlooked was those footballs back then, they weighed a ton when wet. To actually kick or head one knocked you backwards and to get hit by one you certainly knew it, and that was just at the schoolboy level. So control of the ball, on pitches that sometimes resembled a quagmire, was a nightmare, leather they may have been but at times they felt like concrete.
Well it's an interesting question John. The 1965 - 66 season must have been fantastic for all the reasons John mentioned, but was it better than the 1948 - 49 season when the amazing Raich Carter era revitalised a bombed out war-weary city, or even 2007 - 2008 when City finally achieved what all of those other teams couldn't? It's one of those questions you can talk about forever.
Mmmm its an intriguing thing, I am firmly in the Boothferry Park camp, but the KC has the greatest glory of the Premier League, or old 1st Division if you like, something the Boothferry boys got so close to on a number of occasions. But the KC seems arid compared to BP, lacking in both atmosphere and passion, maybe because we were sometimes squashed up together on Bunkers Hill and we were as one so to speak. I can only go back as far as 1958, when I was allowed to go on my own, but I was smitten, those stone steps of Bunkers Hill are engraved in my heart. Yes I would do it all again despite never having the pleasure of Div 1 opponents, although we did get to see a few 1st Div matches when Leeds were banned from Elland Rd, Sunderland and Spurs were Leeds opponents at B.Park, the likes of Martin Chivers, Alan Gilzean and Alan Mullery were magic, along with Bremner, Hunter and the rest, all at Boothferry Park.
Although it was way before my time I think the post WW2 era seems to have been the one that really gripped the whole City. There were 70,000 postal applications for the 1948 Christmas day match against Rotherham and the team belied it's Division 2 status because their quality and the leadership of Carter was a match for any team in the country.
Thing is Craig, so much is taken for granted these days, M.O.T.D., the internet, instant on in everything, back in those days a match on a Saturday was always looked forward too in anticipation, and yes the highlight of many peoples week. Its hard to explain to younger folk what life was like when we kicked a ball around in the street, or save up to by a 78/45rpm single for something around a couple of weeks pocket money, they would laugh. IPods, Iphones were the preserve of the Dan Dare comics of the day, more down to earth stuff were the arguments in the pub both before and after a match, not a tweet or facebook. You would go to work and be hassled by the egg chasing fraternity if City lost, they were having some good times then, but it was magic all the same. When I first went away to City match I could not get over the camaraderie amongst some total strangers, just because you had a black & amber scarf or hat, or both, as I say, magical.
I know what you mean C'r. I think the change from terraces to seating has had a massively negative effect on the atmosphere at most grounds too. I remember coming out of the East Stand sometimes feeling like I'd been battered in the 80s, but even though we spent most of the match surging backwards and forwards no one ever seemed to get hurt. It certainly woke everyone up and the level of noise and passion that it created couldn't be achieved today.
Yes - I used to go door-to-door, collecting jam-jars, taking them to the pickle factory by North Bridge, and getting the money for ABC Minors, popcorn and a trolleybus home up Holderness Road. Just like now, it was all you knew,
That's what I call dedication mate. BTW What were ABC Minors? Edit. I think I worked it out. I'm guessing cheap kid's tickets to ABC Cinema hence the popcorn. DUH!!
Slightly off topic but Chris Elton`s book Hull City-A Complete Record 1904--1989 is invaluable for stat`s and records of players,photo`s ,history.Copies pop up on e-bay now and again.The Century of City book 1904--2004 is also worth having.
I was there! one of the 49000 fans at a 3rd division match, what support. We seemed to play Rotherham every Christmas until they got promoted, we were 2nd three times ( I think). Two Christmas scores were 3-2 to City and 5-2 to City, Willie Buchan scoring two penalties. Great times!!! The programme cartoonist gave a sketch with the words" Always the blooming Bridesmaid never the Blooming Bride" I am not too sure of us being 2nd It might have been Rotherham, what does Mrs Blue Mountain bears husband think?
Saturday morning matinee at the ABC Regal. 'Batman', 'Superman', 'Dick Tracy', Three Stooges, Abbott and Costello......
This opens up a can of worms .... they talk today of recycling but it was normal then to collect jam jars, newspapers and take them to a scrap yard but also the rag and bone man, although the rewards were usually between a pad and pencil and a goldfish. But I use to collect beer bottles, take them back to the beer off-licence and get threpence back on each bottle, appox 1 and a half pence these days. It all helped to pay for the Boothferry Park entrance fee and programme, but also in those days Boothferry Park use to open the entrance gates just after half time so you saw at least the last half an hour for nothing. This was especially useful when I was on the dole for a while, you might miss a couple of goals but at least you got there.
Here's some more quotes and memories from the not606 posters: ‘Saying goodbye to Fer Ark’ 1966 6th Rd replay against Chelsea BP a dump? - only in the later years - when I first visited BP on that iconic Thursday night in March 1966 in the 6th Rd replay against Chelsea, it was simply magnificent. It was however left to rot after Harold Needler died. Thank God for the KC. By suttontiger 1966 6th Rd replay against Chelsea I agree, I was there that night, what a great atmosphere, but was even better at Stamford Bridge. What about boxing day the same season against our next opponents, (Edit. Milwall) now that was a great atmosphere. 1966 6th Rd replay against Chelsea John - you got me there only started going after the Chelsea game - went the rest of the season after that though. BP in all its splendour that night was a sight to behold - all the stands immaculately painted green - no advertising hoardings to be seen - Big H funnily enough as a businessman was against it (oh how times have changed) Six pylon floodlights, immaculate playing surface 10,000 seats in three stands - unheard of in those days. Our own gym. Railway Halt. We really were seen as the most progressive club ouside the then First Divison. Sadly it took us 40 years after that to reach the promised land - now the PL. Thank God though we made it. By suttontiger I went to the last ever competitive game at fer ark when City played Barnsley several months after the Darlo game. In a bizarre way it did me good to see how far it had crumbled and rotted. Many of us shared an era and experience of football that others can't begin to imagine, but for so many reasons that era's gone and the days since have been heady in their own way. I wouldn't have missed it for the world, but I wouldn't wish it on anyone else. By Dutch_Mountain_Dog I said Hello in 1946 I don,t feel like saying goodbye after all the money I spent going there. Including keeping Three Tuns open, ( Is it still there?) By Charles stokell A few years ago a mate of mine Keith Brown also known as Hats on Hull City forums, had the idea of playing a match each season called the Kempton Shield. It was fans versus Hull City past players and staff. It's still going to this day although I've been unable to attend them for a few years now. When BP closed Adam Pearson gave permission for the match to be played on the ground and if memory serves me well AP also attended. I was the Manager of the fans side that night and was able to sit in the City dugout where all my past hero's had sat at one time or another. Over the years of watching City at BP, I'd stood in all four stands at one time or another and I made it a point that night to stand in each one again to relive my memories and say goodbye to ''Fer Ark''. I've said my goodbyes, so won't be attending this Saturday, I don't want to see the place in the condition it is today. Thank you ''Fer Ark'' for the joy and pleasure and the memories you've brought me over the years. By rovertiger
'14th December 2002 The Last Game At Boothferry Park' The last City game at Fer Ark: Hull City 0 -1 Darlington. Someone posted on here the other day, about the pitch invasion after the final whistle. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bNZ2pmlf5kU&feature=player_embedded By UnaBomber I was after a panoramic of the pitch invasion at the end. I'm sure the club had posters made of it. I remember getting on the pitch at the end and pulling up some of it. Dad made me chuck it away though. Watching that i can't believe we never scored. Some shocking misses. By Golaccio! Was there, I,m not an emotional kind of bloke, but at the final whistle and the walk across the pitch towards the Kwick Save end, suddenly realized it was the end of an era and all the history of the ground seem to come out at me and only then did it hit me that I will never watch my team in fer ark again, quite sad really. But upwards and onwards an all that. By guitartrax I think that's the video I post yesterday, Una, on Febbos' thread. The part from the final whistle onward makes me feel sick, and it's heartbreaking to think what has now become of the great Fer Ark. I was barely into double figures age-wise at that game, and I'd only been going to Boothferry for about 12 months to 2 years. I'll never forget the walk across the pitch at the end, and picking up a handful of the turf and shoving it in my pocket. I still have a single blade in a scrapbook somewhere. By Vikng Erik Had only been going to city for 3 years when this game was played but was still an emotional day, there were a lot of memories in those 3 years! By Manuel It only feels like yesterday. A lot has happened since. Great Day About time terracing made a comeback. By Cheshireben This was a must see game for us. My husband had seen Hull City play their first league match at Boothferry Park and wanted to be there for their last and I looked forward to my second visit to Hull with him,especially as Darlington were involved as together we had never seen a match between our two clubs. We booked to fly over from here to also take in Xmas with the family in Hull but a couple of days before departure he contracted Psittacosis and the trip was cancelled. About 7 years before we met,we each saw a match from a 1960 2nd round FA Cup tie 'epic' between the 2 clubs which went to 3 replays before Hull City triumphed 3-0. I saw the first game and he saw the last. Mrs.BLUE_MOUNTAINS_BEAR I couldn't get to the last game but I can imagine it was a pretty moving experience, especially for the oldest supporters like Charles who wrote this in the History Thread: "I've been a city fan since 1946 I even rode in the lorries that dumped the pulled down air raid shelter rubble to make Bunkers Hill, which became south stand." There's no doubt BP meant more to Hull than just a football ground. By Craig in Nottingham .....and this is how it ended: R.IP Boothferry Park 04 April 2011 The 2nd April 2011 signalled the end of Boothferry Park with the destruction of the remaining three of six floodlights. This once great ground with a top class football pitch is now nothing more then a pile of rubble and twisted metal. Since the final game in December 2002 against Darlington, Boothferry Park has been largely forgotten about and highly neglected and quickly fell into a state of disrepair. The East, West and South stands have long been demolited with the the North stand following when Kwic Save supermarket went out of business, leaving only the six huge floodlights as a lasting reminder of what once was. The lights were first used in 1964 against Barnsley which resulted in an excellent 7-0 victory for the Tigers and were once the envy of the football league. With the three west standing floodlights taken down the previous day word got around that the east standing lights were to be taken down at 3pm Saturday 2nd April, such an apt time and made even better as City had a 1pm kickoff, meaning it was possible to see City at the K.C stadium, then walk up Anlaby Road to visit Boothferry Park for the final time. We arrived around 3pm expecting the lights to be coming down pretty soon, we had a wait of around an hour before any sign of work, the middle floodlight went first and within an hour the final floodlight had been toppled, marking the end of Boothferry Park and clearing the way for a housing development or supermarket. So, I'll leave you with the footage recorded by RIDINGBITTER from the forum , on the third video you can just make out the old Kempton steps, wouldn't it be nice if the future developers of this land could keep just a small section of the steps? Anyway, enjoy the footage. http://hullcity.comule.com/bpark2011.htm By UnaBomber I remember it very well. 3 generations of my family were there going back to my dad's first game at Anlaby Road in 1928. Managed to keep control of my emotions until the Walk of Legends when first me, then my Dad and then my son burst out in tears. Soft ****s! What a phucking stupid game football is! By StrovolosTiger A week or two after the last game was played I was part of a cup final game for Springhead U13's. It was absolutely incredible to live my dream of playing on the hallowed turf of BP (even though the turf was in a bad way after people had taken chunks of it home!) It was a draw at the end of the game and as it was a momentus day for both teams we decided to share the trophy! I have the game on video and it's something I'll never forget! By kirkellatiger
Clean forgot Ming the Merciless....also Roy Rogers, Lash Larue, Tom Mix, Hopalong Cassidy...... What was Flash Gordon's bird called? Was she Dale?
‘What was your first match?’ Mine was in 79. I can’t even remember who we played, but my family had just come back to Hull after spending 8 years in Oz and I was dying to see my first English footy match. The team had Gordon Nisbet, Paul Haigh, Roger De Vries and Mick Tait in it, but to be honest it was the atmosphere that really got me hooked. The stadium, the bright green pitch, the crowd, the trains of supporters emptying (cheering the City ones and abusing the opposition), the first chants, the hostility between us and them all made it clear that this was much more than a football match. By the time the players ran out onto the pitch the East Stand was heaving and the songs were in full flow. What a build up! Unfortunately from what I remember of the game it hardly deserved it. I think it finished 0-0 and I was really pi55ed off that we hadn’t won, but it didn’t stop me coming back. By Craig in Nottingham November 1958 Tigers V Chester won 3-0 with Bill Bradbury scoring. Got a pass from the School, because I played for the School team, which allowed you to get in for half price 6 old pence rather than a shilling. By John Aberdeen Torquay in 1997 I think. The only thing I can be sure about is that it was 1-1. All I remember is that I was in the Premier Club or whatever it was called back then, and I was probably just a pain the arse to my dad all the way through it, as it was about 3 years before he took me in there again. By TONY_WARNERS_FACE 1983 Boxing Day V Scunny, we won 1-0 from a Brian Marwood pen, Steve Mclaren was playing I remember, and Ian Botham was playing for them, I would have gone a few years earlier than that apart from my dad was scared of football violence at the time, puts the little fisticuffs mentioned on here yesterday into perspective! By Nick HCAFC 1983 Boxing Day V Scunny I was at that game. There was about 18,000 there and I remember it being announced at half-time that the days gate broke the record receipts for the club. Probably about £100K lol. By FLG 1965 v exeter city won 6-1 29,000 fans ,tiger till i die. By shaunindeutschland 77 or 78 can't remember as I would have been 5 or 6. Blackpool at home. Nil nil. ****ing Baltic and incredibly boring. Went on the football special. That is all. By NFUNo1 April 1980 v Plymouth. Free schoolboys ticket. Won 1-0. Sunny day, vivid green pitch. By FLG Can't remember when it was (poss 1988-89?), my uncle loaded up his estate car with me, my 2 cousins and my uncles 2 sons and took us to Stoke's old Victoria Ground. I think we won 2-1 or 3-1? My first home game was a similar era and we stood in the Well of the best stand, we played West Ham and I can vaguely remember someone getting sent off for scrapping. I seem to think it was Steve Doyle(?) and Kevin Keen going for it? I remember the Well being bloody freezing!!! By doggybrown Went to the Stoke game at the Vic. (88 – 89?) It was 0-1 to us Bobby Doyle scored that day with a pearler - a bit like Boateng against Man City. By FLG Mine was on the 3rd of November 1883, in the 1883/84 season FA Cup, we lost 3-1 to Grimsby, it seems such a long time ago now. By originallambrettaman S****horpe, first game of the 65/66 season. 3-2 win. That season it was hardly ever a question of whether we would win, more often it was how many would we win by. By Oregon Tiger Scunny 65/66 Was that the home game, as I went also to Scunny away that season, and all I remember was the pitch was completely covered is sands with no visible grass apart from 4 small corners where the corner flags where? By John Aberdeen Not sure which was my first game but I do remember seeing City play Sheff Wednesday on boxing day 1970. We were 4-1 down with about 8 minutes to play and ended up drawing 4-4. I was on Bunkers Hill and got jostled by Owls fans who came over the little white fence around the pitch. I was only 8 years old....Big hard South Yorkshire twats!! By BlackAndAmberGambler Sheff Wednesday on boxing day 1970 Hey blackandambergambler ..... I remember your first game v Sheffield Wednesday , Wednesday scored , I ran onto the pitch towards the Wednesday fans with s few others and got thrown out ......Of course nowadays it would be 6 months and a life time ban ... By scarborough tiger Sheff Wednesday on boxing day 1970 I remember leaving this one with about 8 minutes to go. Grrrrrrrr. I have only ever left early three times since. Once agen Brentford in the last 16 of the cup in 1971 (I think). Losing 1 - 0 with not long to go. Won 2 - 1. I remember running down North Road with each loud cheer to get to Tempo records to see the BBC scores coming through on the teleprinter on the tele in the wiindow!!! Also 5 - 1 down at Colchester more recently with Iwelumo scoring 4 (I think) on Phil Parkinson's return to Layer Road. And also, away at Huddersfield on a Sunday lunchtime when Peter Taylor was on secondment to England under 21s and we got humiliated 4 - 0. By mussiesredhat HULL CITY 4 Mansfield Town 0 . 26th feb 1966. My dad took me to BP in best seats , west stand ... Hooked ever since ..... By scarborough tiger Crystal Palace @ home this season . Can't even remember the date. 22nd August? We played pretty ****e and lost (You do remember this, do you?). Couldn't wait for next match though By Febbos quite easy for me to trace the season , as i remember watching and having the programmes for City v Spurs and City v Mansfield . I think both were in the 1977-1978 season . I was stood in the well By WhittlingStick Boxing Day 1968 at home against Norwich, just a young kid of 8 at the time ...... Got beat 1-0 but hooked since then . By Onewaggy
1937 my Dad took me to The Circle on anlaby road, almost where city are to day, can't remember a thing about it. but my real match was in 1946 at the half finished Boothferry Park playing Blackburn Rovers FA cup. Me and pal Barry Yates ran from Spring bank after school to get to the match at half time, it was sixpence to get in but the man at the turnstyle waved us through without paying but City lost 3-0. It was an afternoon midweek match no floodlights in those days. I have been almost every year since except three years I was away in 50 to 53. By Charles stokell WOW Charles Barry Yates is my uncle, he is still alive and well and living in Hornsea now, I stayed with him and Marg this summer when I was home. He is still the prankster always a laugh is our Barry although I doubt if he could run very far these days. Bloody small world innit, I will tell him I have spoken with you on this message board, when was the last time you saw him? By johnfirth I can,t remember the last time I saw Barry. It was after I left school in 1947 But this is only my internet name my real name is Charles but he'll know me by another. I think he used to live off Spring Bank somewhere, but more than sixty years have passed and memory doesn't serve me well. I know Mr Edge was our teacher. By Charles stokell Very early 70's, I only remember that every team we played were in all red, oxford, orient etc. I wondered why I was given the tangerines - throw them at the goalkeeper Ian McKechnie - so I did as told!!! Thanks Dad By AlicanteTiger Away at Cardiff in 1966. My dad had moved down south for a few years with his work. City won 4-2 and Waggy scored all 4! Hooked ever since. By Stan The Man 1968. Agen Middlesboro at Boothferry Park. We won 3 - 0. Jarvis, Houghton and Simpkin (I think) By mussiesredhat FA Cup 1970 - 71 Quarter final v Stoke .....Gordon Banks in goal and he more or less repeated the famous world cup save at Boothferry Park. We lost 2-3 . Hope the link works ... http://northy.footballunited.com/2009/06/21/youtube-hull-city-v-stoke-1971/ By Cambridgetiger Mine was in 1960. Millwall at Feethams. Husband's was in 1946. Lincoln City at Boothferry Park. By Mrs.BLUE_MOUNTAINS_BEAR Sad to admit that my dad brought me up to be a man u fan so my first few matches were at OT and one or 2 other grounds including the old wembely but my first city match was the 'last ever' cause of lloydd against cardiff we lost 2-0 and i got my pic in the fail and the old green mail i think avout 3 pic my dad has them somewhere still but after that it was always manu who??? the atmosphere at BP i thought was a lot better and ive never looked back think i went nearly every home game for a few years from then on used to do my paper round then travell straight there with my wages used to love it i do miss BP By DorsetTiger 1992 vs The Udders at BP. Neil Mann scored the winner direct from a corner in front of the South Stand! By Boothferry_Legend Early 70s v Oxford stood in Kempton with my uncles. It was 0-0. Remember the free school tickets in the late 70s early 80s. Good times By Cheshireben v Blackburn 1971 City winning 2 - 0 at the time, match abandoned due to fog - me and my Dad was in the Best/West stand 8 years old and my first match was a mid-week abandonment!! The re-match was 0 - 0 and a contributor to us faltering with our promotion push, Blackburn were relegated, City finished 5th By StuartDunbarCroft 1951....seem to recall being in the North Stand, near the north-west corner, and seeing Raich take corners near me. Who were we playing? Not a clue - can't remember. But I know I went with my grandad on the 69 trolleybus to Meadowbank Road terminus, walked round the corner, under the railway bridge, across the road and onto the cinders. Gramps and I went in through different turnstiles and met up inside. BP was all huge to me as a kid. By UnaBomber Yeah I remember the 69 bus just stopped at Meadowbank Rd for no reason and turned round. I'm a bit younger than you was that as far as the tracks went? I remember the trolley bus depot next to the railway tracks by Wheeler St but I never understood why the regular buses years later terminated there. By johnfirth 1958, We beat Accrington Stanley 2-1. Stood behind the goal at the North Stand End. Nice lady from Accrington kept giving me sweets. Not like that any more is it. By boltontiger I started going in 1958 and always stood behind the North stand goal, maybe we knew reach other? By John Aberdeen John - Its possible, but I could only go with my dad when he was not working so it must have been Easter I think when he had the day off. When I was allowed to go with my mates, we eventually progressed from the North Stand to Bunkers. Always a good laugh on there with lots of banter and comments which would probably get us arrested now for being non PC. Happy days. By boltontiger 1978. City beat spurs 2-0. Think bannister and warboys got them. By billywoofsdog 1962 FA Cup match v Crook Town. My Dad took me and I was standing on a wooden step he had constructed and taken into the ground for me to stand on (those were the days of pre-officious stewards!). The result was a 5-4 win for City, but we were, I think, 1-4 down at one point in the second half. I remember us scoring the winner late on and from that moment I was hooked. It was a roller-coaster of a game that just about perfectly sums up what supporting Hull City has been like since then. By Irememberwaggy
