I don't want to be contoversial but I can remember going down Ashton Gate when it consisted of the Cow Shed, Williams , Open End and the 'Glorious East End', we had some great days, really enjoyable, the barriers , the surge, the tabacco stink, the old alphabet cards for half time scores, bus drivers watching the football sitting in front of the Williams, Bovril, Tea and Coffee 6d a cup from the mobile vans, crisps 3d per pack, burgers, bacon rolls or hot dogs 1/6d, 2/6d entrance fee, freezing cold, wet and muddy, piss poor gents, cigarette smoke plumes evaporating into a darkening sky and the bloody awful PA, it was all we had, we didn't know or expect any better. Brilliant today, progress with the times and far better than tent city. please log in to view this image please log in to view this image please log in to view this image
Bit before my time Wiz but I take your point My first season was the one before the Dolman was built and all I remember is huge mounds of earth on that side of the ground But also RR, that’s brilliant !
you forgot the pies open end always had a pie mobile serving hotpies not sure if they were clark's but were locally made in Bedminster. Thats when you had to have a stout belt and trouser pockets were really thick "calico" as change even from a ten bob note was quite heavy
Those photos reminded me of my youth and my Uncle Bobby, who was my hero. He worked for the Bristol Steam Navigation Company on board the Cato which plied it's trade between Bristol and Dublin, and several other ports. I was lucky enough to spend weekends aboard with him and he would take me to see both City and Rovers depending on who was playing at home on any given weekend. Those matches made me a lifelong City supporter because I hated going to Eastville and although Ashton Gate was somewhat dilapidated I chose it over what I considered to be a dump. We have moved on in the stadium department but those on the other side still play at a disjointed facility which always looks like it needs to be put back together. My fond memories of those days of bliss were brought back by the photos of various parts of the ground, all of which bore my young footprints, and all of the developments have brought us up to date in our ancestral home. When I was bold enough to go on my own I would get a free ride on the #23 bus from Highbridge and would be dropped off by my dad at the end of Bedminster Down (he was a conductor for Bristol Buses) and then took the short walk down to Ashton Gate. I can remember as we went along the Down I would always get excited to see the sign on the top of the East Stand (Georges Beer?) that told me it wouldn't be long before I was sheltering from the rain under it's roof. Oh dear I'm getting emotional from the memories of those wonderful days with my Uncle Bobby during my formative years.
I remember the urinal (for want of a better word) in the corner of the East End which absolutely STANK of piss , but at least you could look over the top of the wall and see the game whilst relieving yourself!!
That was the days of the oversized polo mints ... didnt really help the ammonia smell... but sort ort of strengthened it to even more distasteful aroma that seemed to hang around your nasal passage for hours!!!!! [ and no, not due to sniffing it up close! ]
