I believe this was taken in 1950 for the visit of Man Utd. I'm led to believe that the attendance was just over 32,000. Could you imagine getting that size crowd at Vicarage Road now? Would any of the more 'mature' posters have been at the game? please log in to view this image
If this is the game, the attendance was approx. 32,800. http://www.aboutmanutd.com/man-u-matches/28-01-1950-watford.html For some reason, they don't quote actual attendances. Just over 19 years later, on 3rd Feb 1969, they were once again the visitors for our record attendance of 34,099.
I was too young for that game, but was at the 1969 one. On the way home I met a wall of snow and what should have been an hour and a half drive turned into four.
The game was 28th Jan 1950. FA Cup 4th Round. Att: 32,384. Man Utd won 1 - 0. Apparently Taffy Davis 'scored' for you with a shot that bounced down off the bar, but the ref didn't see it cross the line. Good job we don't have that problem nowadays eh? Also, apparently the old rookery stand was built in 1959, and the roof was paid for with money raised by the supporter's club. No doubt if any of my information is incorrect, some kind soul will be able to put me right
I went to the 1969 game. The crowd coming out was so packed that my feet barely touched the ground going down Vicarage Road. I was suspended above the ground by the press of the crowd. If, for some reason I had fallen, that would have been it.
I was at the 1969 game (must have been 15). Was standing top right corner in the picture and could not see a thing so I managed to get up on the wall near the bogs and sat on the glass bits stuck into wall. Very muddy pitch as I recall. It always amazed me that very few if any injuries/casualties were reported when massive crowds on terraces surged out of the stadiums but then there was very little room to actually fall over. Quite an experience a moving sea of people with its own momentum.
It's unbelievable looking back - when you watch the old footage it's a miracle that there weren't more disasters.
I remember being allowed to stay up to listen to the commentry on the radio for the 1969 match as I was deemed too young to go with my Dad - bl***y Dennis Law - still Luther got revenge years later at their place! Is that the old stand that's just been pulled down in the picture?
Yes that is the old stand before the extension was built. You see Vicarage Road at the top of the picture and in those days there was a corrigated iron fence along the boundary. A number of bits had rusted away and you could peer through if you didn't have the 1/-d to get in.
I was at the 1969 game as well, was about 14 at the time and round about the mid left of the picture. A year later another 34,000 + game for the Liverpool match and this time on the Rookery - great days never to be forgotten.
And thanks to YouTube never will be... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M1k4quJGIVY One of my favourite games - can still see Endean's bullet header coming straight at me. Can still spot myself in the crowd too.
Thanks BB. That always makes the hairs on the back of my neck stand up and even now 43 years later I was still willing the ref to blow the final whistle! Was it really 43 years ago?
