Was talking with a mate about an FA Cup semi-final replay Skunks v York City,it was a midweek game (1955?) and we both think that the crowd was well over 70,000. Were we dreaming?
Our official record is 75,118 for a cup match against Derby in 1930-summat. Iknow many people think this was exceeded a few times, but they can't count people climbing over the walls! Newcastle's official is 68,386, vs Chelsea Hope this helps!
Here you go, mate! This match was staged at Roker Park on the afternoon of Wednesday 30th March when 58,239 including 12,000 from York saw City's Wembley dreams end with a 2-0 defeat.
I was collecting train numbers on the end of Platform ??? that day. The first game (at Hillsborough, I think) ended very controversially. York had a late winning goal disallowed which, to this day, many swear went in and should have counted. The scorer was a little left winger called Sid something (Barrett?). He ended his working life as a bus driver in York. I met him in 1969 - he was still a local hero then. The saddest addition to Beak's figures I know is that Chelsea's record crowd is a few hundred bigger than ours - 75,600 or thereabouts - also in the 1930s ...... against Grimsby Town, a great club then.
Maine Rd held the record for both league and FA Cup. Soemthing like 83,000 against Arsenal in the league in 1948, and 84,000 in 1930-something in the cup against Stoke. There have been some amazing crowds - one that always sticks in my mind and would astonish people today is Easter Rd., where the record is about 68,000 for the Hibs v Hearts derby in 1950. Today, Hibs capacity is around 22,000.
You'd think Hearts and Hibs would be able to bring in a massive crowd considering the population. 99.3% of them seem to be American like.
I seem to remember the homecoming of the FA Cup when it was paraded around Roker Park was exceptionally high, don't think it was officially recorded either as the gates were open to all at the time. Wasn't a match but the crowd was massive.
Things were a little different then. Between about 1950 and 1953, Hibernian had the finest side in Europe. Even in 1956, when the European Cup started, Hibs went to the semi-final - and they were two years in decline then. They played in a friendly one Monday night at Roker Park - I remember it was a Monday because I skipped Wolf Cubs to see them. Awesome forward line - Smith, Johnstone, Reilly, Turnbull and Ormond. One of the best club sides I've ever seen. Shack turned on an act and grabbed two goals, otherwise we'd have got stuffed. 2 - 2 it was. That team deserved 68,000 every Saturday.
I was at roker for a League Cup quarter final against the Palace (lost 1-0). We climbed over the wall and the place was rammed. The crowd was at capacity for the year, but there must have been loads more there than was officially advised. Shame we lost - dirty cockneys. Lol Bart - 1-9 what a scoreline!!!!
