tamthebam Posted January 24, 2014 Share Posted January 24, 2014 Royal Gymnasium ????? There is a small display to St Bernard's in Clerk's Bar, Dundas Street. (fine ales can also be purchased). The gates to the bridge could still be seen (and probably still can- haven't been down that way for a while) a few years ago. the City Cup- as seen at Gretna 2008 this season.. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jagfox Posted January 24, 2014 Share Posted January 24, 2014 Last night of the shed at Firhill in season 93/94. Some Jags fans didn't want to leave. They did eventually. Look out for the phantom fox in this last photo of the shed 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jagfox Posted January 24, 2014 Share Posted January 24, 2014 A few action pics with the old covered North terrace in the background. Donnie McKinnon outjumps a certain Alexander Ferguson in front of a packed crowd against Rangers in the late 60s. A 1969 fixture against Raith Rovers. Slightly sparser crowd but still decent compared to these days. In the picture on the right Jimmy Bone prepares to take a throw-in. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HibeeJibee Posted January 24, 2014 Share Posted January 24, 2014 And here is the old St Bernard's grandstand after being rebuilt at Old Meadowbank... ... and here it is being demolished ahead of redevelopment for the 1970 Commonwealth Games. Open playing fields and a velodrome occupy the site. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HibeeJibee Posted January 24, 2014 Share Posted January 24, 2014 One former SFL 'ground' which still survives is Whitestone Park in Peebles. Was (is) a public park, which I'm surprised was acceptable for SFL even in the 1920s. More work has recently been done on the stand, with 2 dugouts built-in (either side of the central steps) and a 'Peebles Rovers FC' sign on the roof. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Braesoyetts Posted January 24, 2014 Share Posted January 24, 2014 One former SFL 'ground' which still survives is Whitestone Park in Peebles. Was (is) a public park, which I'm surprised was acceptable for SFL even in the 1920s. Underlines the astonishing overreach of the old Third Division. Increasing from 40 League sides to 56? They ended up with teams in places like Shotts, Sanquhar, and Clackmannan. Most of them were barely more than public park sides, and never stood a chance when they had to travel long distance (Montrose and Lockerbie probably the most extreme) and meet matchday guarantees of £15 (the equivalent of 300 paying adults before meeting other expenses like wages and maintenance). Some have survived though, namely East Stirling, Queen of the South, Montrose, and Brechin City (who finished last in the first season of the Third Division but somehow survived, despite an attempt at one point to bring another Brechin team into the League - can you imagine Brechin having more League sides than Aberdeen?) 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WILLIEA Posted January 24, 2014 Share Posted January 24, 2014 Last night of the shed at Firhill in season 93/94. firhillshed1.jpeg firhillshed.jpeg Some Jags fans didn't want to leave. firhillshed2.jpeg firhillshed3.jpeg They did eventually. Look out for the phantom fox in this last photo of the shed firhillshed4.jpeg Saw many a cracking game under that shed when I would sometimes go with a Thistle supporting mate! 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rod Posted January 24, 2014 Share Posted January 24, 2014 Rod, do you know when the last pic was from? Is the No. 4 Tam Forsyth? Nope sorry, it was a google images effort. Brilliant picture. I can just about remember that part before they tore it down for the offices that are no there. It should have been preserved! I can also remember buying tickets from a window next to the main entrance in the Main Stand. Don't know why it wasn't pay at the gate? There were old shirts and pendants in there too. Anyone? 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dirtydave Posted January 24, 2014 Share Posted January 24, 2014 Nope sorry, it was a google images effort. Brilliant picture. I can just about remember that part before they tore it down for the offices that are no there. It should have been preserved! I can also remember buying tickets from a window next to the main entrance in the Main Stand. Don't know why it wasn't pay at the gate? There were old shirts and pendants in there too. Anyone? I can remember the house right next to the main stand (think it may have been the one that stopped the full main stand extension) selling stuff like old programmes, so the club must have owned it at some point. Also there was a portacabin outside the main stand which sold a very limited amount of merchandise. In fact I don't even think they sold the kit. My first motherwell shirt was purchased from the sports shop in the town centre. Then the shop was moved under the stand, just at the entrance to the enclosure underneath the main stand. Also sold tickets. Your right about preserving the old turnstyle entrances . Shame no one at the club had the fore site to keep them and even move it elsewhere at the ground. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WILLIEA Posted January 24, 2014 Share Posted January 24, 2014 Remember that old entrance to Fir Park. Does anyone know if Beith, Arthurlie, Vale of Leven still use the same grounds as when they were league clubs? -1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thisal Posted January 24, 2014 Share Posted January 24, 2014 Taken from David Ross's excellent book "The Road of the Crowd", and presumably quoting some official publication - these are the capacities of Scottish football grounds at the outbreak of the Second World War. How some of those grounds were ever passed for these sorts of crowds is incredible. Any St Mirren fans who attended Spartans v St Mirren a few years ago will no doubt gulp in astonishment at the figure for Edinburgh City's wee City Park. First Division Pittodrie, Aberdeen......... 42,000 Cliftonhill, Coatbridge..... 28,000 Recreation Park, Alloa...... 20,000 Gayfield, Arbroath.......... 15,000 Somerset Park, Ayr.......... 28,000 Celtic Park, Glasgow........ 95,000 Shawfield, Glasgow.......... 55,000 Central Park, Cowdenbeath... 35,000 Brockville, Falkirk......... 35,000 Douglas Park, Hamilton...... 30,000 Tynecastle, Edinburgh....... 60,000 Easter Road, Edinburgh...... 35,000 Rugby Park, Kilmarnock...... 35,000 Fir Park, Motherwell........ 38,000 Firhill, Glasgow............ 70,000 Palmerston Park, Dumfries... 12,000 Ibrox Park, Glasgow........ 100,000 Muirton Park, Perth......... 30,000 Love Street, Paisley........ 50,000 Cathkin Park, Glasgow....... 45,000 Second Division Broomfield Park, Airdrie.... 28,000 Glebe Park, Brechin.......... 5,000 Boghead, Dumbarton.......... 15,000 Dens Park, Dundee........... 40,000 Tannadice Park, Dundee...... 25,000 East End Park, Dunfermline.. 20,000 Bayview, Methil............. 20,000 Firs Park, Falkirk.......... 12,000 City Park, Edinburgh........ 30,000 Station Park, Forfar........ 10,000 Old Forthbank, Stirling..... 10,000 Old Meadowbank, Edinburgh... 22,000 Links Park, Montrose........ 10,000 Cappielow, Greenock......... 25,000 Hampden Park, Glasgow...... 183,388 Stark's Park, Kirkcaldy..... 35,000 Royal Gymnasium, Edinburgh.. 40,000 Ochilview, Larbert........... 8,000 If you want to get an idea of what it was like on a full terrace. When you're sitting in your seat complaining of no legroom imagine two other people sharing the space and the same at every seat round you. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Waspie Posted January 24, 2014 Share Posted January 24, 2014 There is a small display to St Bernard's in Clerk's Bar, Dundas Street. (fine ales can also be purchased). The gates to the bridge could still be seen (and probably still can- haven't been down that way for a while) a few years ago. city cup.jpg the City Cup- as seen at Gretna 2008 this season.. My Grandad worked in Stockbridge and used to tell me about when St Bernard's played in the area. He was a Hibby but he sometimes watched St Bernard's. Recreation Park in 1928 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Waspie Posted January 24, 2014 Share Posted January 24, 2014 Found a pretty recent picture of the Recs here; 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Archie Posted January 24, 2014 Share Posted January 24, 2014 What great nostalgic pictures of fantastic old football stadiums, Archibald Leitch would of been proud. Have been , not of been. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gianfranco Posted January 24, 2014 Share Posted January 24, 2014 Leith athletic seemed to be ground whores hibeejibee mentioned about 4 different ones Speaking of fans on the roof I mind hearing a story of a fan on the roof in the late 90's verses Dunfermline away I think. My memory is sketchy tho any 'Well fans remember? Great thread btw 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larbert_Par Posted January 24, 2014 Share Posted January 24, 2014 Leith athletic seemed to be ground whores hibeejibee mentioned about 4 different ones Speaking of fans on the roof I mind hearing a story of a fan on the roof in the late 90's verses Dunfermline away I think. My memory is sketchy tho any 'Well fans remember? Great thread btw There was a game circa 2004 between Pars and Motherwell at EEP ('Well won 3-0) and a fan somehow clambered up on to the North Stand (the wee one along the touchline) roof. The highlight of the afternoon for the home fans in attendance! Speaking of Leith Athletic, when I lived in Leith I was just on Leith Links and there was a wee pavilion of Leith Athletic's there, though I'm unsure if it is ever used - perhaps HibeeJibee has information about it? 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HibeeJibee Posted January 24, 2014 Share Posted January 24, 2014 (edited) Underlines the astonishing overreach of the old Third Division. Increasing from 40 League sides to 56? They ended up with teams in places like Shotts, Sanquhar, and Clackmannan... Some have survived though, namely East Stirling, Queen of the South, Montrose, and Brechin City (who finished last in the first season of the Third Division but somehow survived, despite an attempt at one point to bring another Brechin team into the League - can you imagine Brechin having more League sides than Aberdeen?) Aye. When formed with 16 clubs it included Queen of the South (Dumfries), Nithsdale (Sanquhar), Mid Annandale (Lockerbie) and Solway Star (Annan) plus Peebles from the Borders, Montrose and Brechin, Galston from Ayrshire, Dumbarton Harp - so thus a second club from Dumbarton in the leagues - and various central belt clubs. There was an application from Arbroath Athletic... but 2 clubs in Arbroath was a step too far!! Leith Athletic replaced Dumbarton Harp, who'd resigned, in the second season. Division then fell apart in the third season. Speaking of Leith Athletic, when I lived in Leith I was just on Leith Links and there was a wee pavilion of Leith Athletic's there, though I'm unsure if it is ever used - perhaps HibeeJibee has information about it? Leith Athletic's youth wing is based on Leith Links. They've nothing to do with the original Leith, they were formed in the 1980s. Leith Athletic of today - they play off Meadowbank 3G which (interestingly enough) is on the site of Old Meadowbank, the rest being under the velodrome - were formed by Leith Athletic youth clubs taking over Edinburgh Athletic in 2008. Edinburgh Athletic played at Muirhouse, beside Civil Service Strollers. Edinburgh Athletic were previously Manor Thistle, who played at what's now Jewel & Esk College out toward Dalkeith. Manor Thistle had origins in a Marchmont solicitors team. Leith athletic seemed to be ground whores hibeejibee mentioned about 4 different ones It was much, much worse than that. None of the clubs could ever settle in one place. Edinburgh City played at: Marine Gardens (Portobello) 1928 - 1931 New Powderhall (Broughton) 1931 - 1934 back to Marine Gardens 1934 - 1935 City Park (Pilton) 1935 on Leith / Leith Athletic played at: Hawkhill (beside Easter Road) 1887 - 1890 Bank Park (?) 1890 - 1894 back to Hawkhill 1894 - 1895 Beechwood Park (?) 1895 - 1899 again back to Hawkhill 1899 - 1900 Chancelot Park (Warriston) 1900 - 1904 Old Logie Green (Broughton) 1904 - 1916 back to Chancelot Park 1919 - 1923 Wardie Park (Newhaven) 1923 - 1924 New Logie Green (Broughton) 1924 - 1926 New Powderhall (Broughton) 1926 - 1928 Marine Gardens (Portobello) 1928 - 1936 Old Meadowbank (Lochend) 1936 - 1947, redeveloped post-war New Meadowbank (Lochend) 1947 on St Bernard's played at Stockbridge Public Park (Stockbridge) 1878 - 1880 Royal Gymnasium (Stockbridge) 1880 - 1889 Old Powderhall (Broughton) 1889 New Powderhall (Broughton) 1889 New Logie Green (Broughton) 1889 - 1901 back to New Powderhall 1901 - 1902 back to Royal Gymnasium 1902 - 1917 Old Logie Green (Broughton) 1919 - 1924 Tynecastle (Gorgie) 1924 ... during autumn Hearts, Hibs and St Bernard's all shared Tynecastle with Hibs playing Friday teatime back to redeveloped Royal Gymnasium 1924 on Post-war plans for a Leith St Bernard's FC would have played out of Woods Park, which I think was out towards Portobello. Edited January 24, 2014 by HibeeJibee 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ICTChris Posted January 24, 2014 Share Posted January 24, 2014 There was a game circa 2004 between Pars and Motherwell at EEP ('Well won 3-0) and a fan somehow clambered up on to the North Stand (the wee one along the touchline) roof. The highlight of the afternoon for the home fans in attendance! Speaking of Leith Athletic, when I lived in Leith I was just on Leith Links and there was a wee pavilion of Leith Athletic's there, though I'm unsure if it is ever used - perhaps HibeeJibee has information about it? I think that there is a current amaetur team called Leith Athletic, playing at the higher end of the Edinburgh amateur leagues. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Radford Posted January 24, 2014 Share Posted January 24, 2014 Hard to imagine now that East End would be used for a Scottish Cup semi final. I imagine it must've been close to a capacity crowd? Official figure was 16,560 for the semi-final. Was my first one and still had the ticket stub up until a few years ago but I've somehow managed to lose it. I saw a few weeks ago the United subscription TV service advertising highlights of it. Would love to see them and was hoping they might find their way onto YouTube. It's almost painful looking at some of these old photos as so many great memories of brilliant grounds. The reasons for redevelopment were well intentioned but we've lost so much from the game. It can't be the same for kids starting out on their football travels these days. You felt so much more part of the action I felt than you do now. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tamthebam Posted January 24, 2014 Share Posted January 24, 2014 that's the reformed Leith Athletic Football team- they started off as amateurs and had youth teams playing at Leith Links. The club were accepted into the East of Scotland League after a merger with the existing Edinburgh Athletic and played at Civil Service's ground at Muirhouse for a number of seasons before conning persuading Edinburgh Council to let them use the new astroturf pitch at Meadowbank and thus 1) going back to Leith Ath's old home and 2) becoming our lovely little neighbours, bless 'em. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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