Are there any pitches worse than Barnsley's Oakwell? Yes - just been watching the Wendies against Rotherham at Hillsborough - what a **** pile, a disgrace to the game. Rotherham deservedly stuffed them 2-0 today. A few of names from our recent past involved. Patterson and Mendez-Laing up front for Wednesday trying to knock everyone over, and Jordi Osei-Tutu now playing on loan at Rotherham. Hope the Wendies don't get back up unless they rip up that cabbage patch. Always remember it being a poor playing surface in years gone by and it's probably worse now than I recall back then - or are we spoilt now by the vast general improvements at modern grounds like our own?
You rarely see a bad pitch even down to non-league. Its a shame as that was what the FA cup was about. Prem / old div 1 teams having to try and play on a bobbly surface while having their ankles kicked. Even Yeovil have had their slope leveled. Seriously though, you see better football right down the leagues given the better surfaces.
Watching Blackpool on Quest today which wasn’t in good condition. But like a bowling green compared to Ninian Park in the early 70’s after a downpour. Anyone remember Don Murray’s back pass getting stuck in the mud
It was a very wet day and there was standing water. Might be old age but I seem to remember the ball did pull up. Not saying Lamour wasnt complicit though. Edit - hmm, maybe more Lamour than the pitch. It was a state though.
The old Baseball Ground and Filbert St were always terrible at this time of year, more sand on them than Pendine. We were one of the first sides to have under soil heating so that helped a lot.
Did you ever see Ninian Park in the 60's and 70's Robbie? Everyone wondered where all the sand had gone from Barrybados. It's no wonder hoof ball became our style after that. You could only lump it from one end to the other as passing through the middle was impossible through wet sand. Then when the pitch dried out in March and April a beachball was more use than a football.
Any younger fans watching the Big Match Revisited would wonder how on earth those players were able to plough through gluepot pitches let alone dribble and pass. Highbury and Maine Road were on recently as extreme examples.
The only time my missus went to a City match with me (apart from when Barry played Cardiff in the Welsh Cup Final at the Arms Park, or whatever it was called then). I don't think she was too pleased when someone set fire to the rubbish that used to collect under the Grange End and I didn't save her from being overcome by smoke
That says more for your relationship than knowing you for 40 years. My wife has staunchly refused to attend any football match with me for the nearly 50 years we have known each other. Saved me an absolute fortune.
