Darlington at BP for the last time ever.. Anyone got any particularly special memories of the place?.. I'm 23 and my old man started taking me under Hateley (presumably as some sort of punishment) so mine are mainly Whittle and Scunthorpe related. Wary of time passing meaning I over exaggerate certain events but the atmosphere at home games during the run we had to the play-offs under Little was really special.. and Kempton spilling on to the pitch for Eyre's goal against Orient will live me for ever. The KC's magnificent.. but God I miss BP sometimes.
As I put in another thread, pedantic but the last official Hull City game was several months later when the reserves played Barnsley. I was glad I went as it drove home how much the place had been allowed to rot and decay. It wiped out any romantic notions I could otherwise have had about wanting to remain there.
I have as many bad memories as good of BP. Was a big impressive well-appointed stadium with large crowds watching a good side when I first started going. Over the years it became dilapidated, empty-ish, and the scene of countless disappointing defeats against modest opposition. That and countless angry protests against whoever was running the club at the time. The decline of the stadium started when old man Needler died.
Best memory ever of Boothferry Park for me is when we beat Sheffield United 4 - 1 at home in what is now League 1 but was then division 3 in 1983/4 season. It was 1 -1 with 10 minutes left but 2 goals by Brian Marwood and one from Les Mutrie - all in front of bunkers - meant those 10 minutes were just constant jumping up and down.
I stood in the South Stand whilst Kempton was closed and then as soon as it reopened fully was in Kempton. My abiding memory is how odd it was that even though one could stand wherever they wanted you saw the same people in the same places every game. You had an 'area' where you stood and it never seemed to change. Odd. One of my abiding memories of the place was possibly the worst (bad memories always seem stronger) and the infamous Bradford in the South Stand debacle. Still hurts and is a reason I could never join the nationwide ****fest after they beat Arsenal this week. Yes I know we gave them the stand willingley but they didnt half gloat and it was sweet revenge when we went back to Valley Parade and had their side stand in the promotion season. Another strong memory was the home game prior to the Liverpool cup match when due to a voucher scheme an unheard of 13k turned up to see us stuff Shrewsbury. How times change, that sort of crowd would be a disaster nowadays despite being played at the same level.
[video=youtube;bNZ2pmlf5kU]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bNZ2pmlf5kU[/video] Good video of the last match and an interview with TWF's favourite person. Still dunno how we didn't manage to score that day- Anderson's miss was pathetic. It gets worse everytime i watch it. God we were utter ****e back then. I remember getting on the pitch and taking a bit of grass home with me, but my dad made me chuck it away.
Far Far Far Far too many to mention. But my top 3 are easy. Chelsea FAC home replay 1966(sat on my dads shoulders as ground packed), Stoke City FAC qtr final 1971, Sheffield Wednesday home league boxing day 1970 4-4(after being 1-4 down with 10mins to play). By the Darlington game Boothferry Park was more than on its last legs and was a very pale shodow of its former self. Great great memories but glad its now gone totally. We are in a much better place now.
I took a hand full of grass and have it in an air tight sealed vessel. I also took a section of grass from the North stand goal where Ian McKechnie used to drop his bag of tricks and store all his oranges. As a kid i stood behind that gioal before it become a supermarket and the away end.
I was one of the two people left standing on Bunkers Hill and looking like "drowned rats" during a downpour when City beat Bristol Rovers 3-2. Everyone else dashed into the stands for cover but we were protected by our old oilskin bike capes and were actually quite dry and comfy. Story goes that Harold Needler took sympathy on us and decided to go ahead and build the South Stand which, at the time, was absolute state of the art.
Indeed it was. Just like the railway line/stattion at the back of the east stand. Even Frank Bough came up to do a piece on it. When you look back on that clip BP does indeed look smart. I like the prices on the boards actually. Lol.
When I started watching City regularly I think it was "one and six" to get in for under16s and OAPs - 7.5p but when I was a junior school in the 50s we also got complimentary tickets for playing in school teams. I think programmes were 3d and I built up a very big collection at the time (probably still in the loft somewhere!)
Yes my only spend back in the 60's were the programmes which were indeed 3D(old money) and good value they are. Have all my pre-70's progs sealed in air tight containers now. My dad paid for my season tickets until the end of the 1973/74 season. But from the 74/75 season £5 did go along way. Fish n Chips with mushy peas a pre-match meal with lots of S+V from the anlaby chippy on the way to the game.
Food has always been a part of my match day experience home and away. As for the match, well same old same old. Far too many chances missed. Thankfully we won the first KC games.
They went with songs to the battle, they were young. Straight of limb, true of eyes, steady and aglow. They were staunch to the end against odds uncounted, They fell with their faces to the foe. They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old: Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn. At the going down of the sun and in the morning, We will remember them. [video=youtube;bNZ2pmlf5kU]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bNZ2pmlf5kU[/video] Waggy and Chillo helping poor old Jock Davidson on the pitch made me cry that day, it still does now. ps. I still say Stuart Green was the greediest barsteward to pull on the Amber and Black! pps. John Helm........you're a cnut! ppps. I'm a nob for not reading the board before posting!!!
That match was the first time I was attacked by rival fans. I was 13, walking out of the North Stand and the Sheffield ******s started throwing stones at us, then piled in. Most of it I hid behind a police horse, but some old granny next to me took a hit from a stone. I've hated United ever since, and took it out on their fans when I was old enough to defend myself properly. ---- I visited Mutrie's pub near Hartlepool before an away match (Lost 2-4) in the 90's. Top fellow.
Stuart Green was a grade a **** despised by the rest of the team at that time. I saw him celebrate an opposition goal when he had been dropped to the bench. I met him countless times and each one wanted to punch his lights out. And he was fookin ugly.
He was a complete twat. Couldn't believe it when he left for Carlisle then came back and then left for Palace. I also couldn't believe he was shaggin' Taylor's daughter- i always thought he batted for the other team. It's all too similar to the Campbell transfer saga.
Arent you supposed to be in your mid 60's tickles?? Bit strange been sat on your Dad's shoulders at 20 isnt it??
I grabbed a handful too, but all that remained after walking back to the car, driving home and then reaching my bedroom was a single blade. I stuck it in a scrapbook and I last saw it 4 years ago on the night we beat Watford in the Play-Offs. It was shriveled and brown then, so God knows if it's sill there* *No jokes, please
