Going to games in the early 60's

[spyinthesky]

* Look forward to forthcoming home Div 2/3 game all week. Wonder if we will ever get to Division 1.

* Up early on Saturday to do paper round

* Scrape ice from bedroom window

* No breakfast

* Finish paper round. Get warm in front of coal fire.

* No TV programmes available at this time. No phone to contact mates. Probably have to listen to the BBC Light programme on the valve radio

* Light lunch then off to catch 12.10 bus with mate.

* Have to queue at bus stop. Lots of cigarette smoke on top deck of bus.

* Arrive Hants & Dorset bus station at 12.50

* Slow walk up to Dell. Arrive just after 13.00

* Join queue for Boys Entrance. Perhaps buy match programme for 1d (old penny) if feeling flush

* Turnstiles open at 14.00. Front of queue now populated by older boys who arrive late and push in

* Pay 1/- entrance (5p in today's money!!!!!)

* Secure favoured place in lower Chocolate Box

* Get soaking wet if it rains.

* Possibly have to brave very basic toilet in Milton Road end at half time (only 10 mins). Crush and smell are both overpowering and your only pair of shoes now smelling of p*ss.

* Only refreshment available is tea, crisps and small selection of chocolate bars from the Tea Bar or the mobile Bovril man in a white coat who can dispense the hot liquid from a tank on his back (but only available to those close to the running track)

* Back to the Choccy Box to listen to the Albion Band and throw things at the fund raising sheet which is paraded round the running track whist avoiding the Bovril man.

* Running track may also be used by Bill Bray (Saints Cheer leader.. ..2-4-6-8 who do we appreciate etc.....) and occasionally a young lad in washed out Saints kit running round the track with an old air raid rattle.

* Generally see Saints win a high scoring entertaining game on a pitch which was devoid of grass through the middle since early October

* Leave the ground just after 16.40. No added time

* Walk back down towards Bedford Place. Plenty of people on bikes which they had paid to leave in houses around the ground. Corporation Buses are queued in three/four locations around the ground waiting to take local people home.

* If feeling flush, and not too wet, may hang around outside the Echo Office awaiting early edition of the Football Echo.

* Occasionally invest in a Plesteds Pie

*Catch Hants & Dorset bus home

* Watch some Black & White TV on our 14" rented Sobell until bed around 10.00

* Up early on Sunday for paper round. Read any report of Saints games

* Repeat in two weeks time!!

'

In comparison to the experiences of similar aged lads today, my generation led far simpler lives and our expectation level was low so the fortnightly visit to a quite rundown Dell was the highlight of the winter.

I would never have dreamed in those austere days that we would be one of the top clubs in England with a number of international stars and playing in a top rate stadium (and also three divisions above Pompey!!)

[Ex Lion Tamer]

Great post

[steveo]

I went to my first game in the late 60`s, and it was much the same, I could take a small stool in so I could see !! And the crush when we scored:) We were of course a top division team then, so every game was packed and through out the 70`s you witnessed some very unpleasant scenes in both league division 1 and league division 2 as they were called!

[Shance]

Nice post. Raised a smile.

[sandwichsaint]

* Look forward to forthcoming home Div 2/3 game all week. Wonder if we will ever get to Division 1.

* Up early on Saturday to do paper round

* Scrape ice from bedroom window

* No breakfast

* Finish paper round. Get warm in front of coal fire.

* No TV programmes available at this time. No phone to contact mates. Probably have to listen to the BBC Light programme on the valve radio

* Light lunch then off to catch 12.10 bus with mate.

* Have to queue at bus stop. Lots of cigarette smoke on top deck of bus.

* Arrive Hants & Dorset bus station at 12.50

* Slow walk up to Dell. Arrive just after 13.00

* Join queue for Boys Entrance. Perhaps buy match programme for 1d (old penny) if feeling flush

* Turnstiles open at 14.00. Front of queue now populated by older boys who arrive late and push in

* Pay 1/- entrance (5p in today's money!!!!!)

* Secure favoured place in lower Chocolate Box

* Get soaking wet if it rains.

* Possibly have to brave very basic toilet in Milton Road end at half time (only 10 mins). Crush and smell are both overpowering and your only pair of shoes now smelling of p*ss.

* Only refreshment available is tea, crisps and small selection of chocolate bars from the Tea Bar or the mobile Bovril man in a white coat who can dispense the hot liquid from a tank on his back (but only available to those close to the running track)

* Back to the Choccy Box to listen to the Albion Band and throw things at the fund raising sheet which is paraded round the running track whist avoiding the Bovril man.

* Running track may also be used by Bill Bray (Saints Cheer leader.. ..2-4-6-8 who do we appreciate etc.....) and occasionally a young lad in washed out Saints kit running round the track with an old air raid rattle.

* Generally see Saints win a high scoring entertaining game on a pitch which was devoid of grass through the middle since early October

* Leave the ground just after 16.40. No added time

* Walk back down towards Bedford Place. Plenty of people on bikes which they had paid to leave in houses around the ground. Corporation Buses are queued in three/four locations around the ground waiting to take local people home.

* If feeling flush, and not too wet, may hang around outside the Echo Office awaiting early edition of the Football Echo.

* Occasionally invest in a Plesteds Pie

*Catch Hants & Dorset bus home

* Watch some Black & White TV on our 14" rented Sobell until bed around 10.00

* Up early on Sunday for paper round. Read any report of Saints games

* Repeat in two weeks time!!

'

In comparison to the experiences of similar aged lads today, my generation led far simpler lives and our expectation level was low so the fortnightly visit to a quite rundown Dell was the highlight of the winter.

I would never have dreamed in those austere days that we would be one of the top clubs in England with a number of international stars and playing in a top rate stadium (and also three divisions above Pompey!!)

 

And if you told the kids of today, they'd never believe you.

 

 

Nice one spy! Small pedant alert, I remember the gates opening around 1-15 to 1-30, certainly not @ 2-00!

[angelman]

The biggest shame which is also the biggest difference from yesteryear to today at Saints, is that it is an all seater.

 

I asked my nipper (9 years old) whether he would prefer to stand on terraces behind the goal or to sit, and he said the latter. OK, at Saints he has never known any different as he is too young, and I never took him to any away games in the lower leagues (or PL for that matter) but we have a whole generation that supports in a sanitary environment. The terraces brought a completely different view of football rather than it's corporate image of today. Or have I got my rose tinted specs on?

[Shance]

The biggest shame which is also the biggest difference from yesteryear to today at Saints, is that it is an all seater.

 

I asked my nipper (9 years old) whether he would prefer to stand on terraces behind the goal or to sit, and he said the latter. OK, at Saints he has never known any different as he is too young, and I never took him to any away games in the lower leagues (or PL for that matter) but we have a whole generation that supports in a sanitary environment. The terraces brought a completely different view of football rather than it's corporate image of today. Or have I got my rose tinted specs on?

 

Absolutely not.

[spyinthesky]

And if you told the kids of today, they'd never believe you.

 

 

Nice one spy! Small pedant alert, I remember the gates opening around 1-15 to 1-30, certainly not @ 2-00!

 

 

No thanks for that

 

You are probably right about the 1.30 Gate opening time

 

That means we would have only had to wait 30 mins to gain entry to the ground

 

It seemed longer.

 

Certainly can remember for big games the queues seemed to go on for ever

 

Night games used to be special as the smoke from the many cigarette and pipe users was highlighted by the old floodlights on the stand roofs and this mingled with the smell of alcohol which seemed more prevalent on cold winter nights.

 

I can recollect one game in our first season back in Div 2, early 60's, versus Liverpool

 

The club put the boys entry up 50% from 1/- to 1/6d without too much or any prior notice and many of us didn't have the extra money to get in.

 

Fortunately my Dad was a steward at the time and I managed to get a message to him and the stile man let me in for free!!

 

Great as we won 4-1 as I recollect and my Dad and I were at Anfield a few weeks later when we won 1-0.

 

Probably one of the very few Saints fans in the ground as no team really travelled in big numbers in those days but we were in the area on holiday

[Golac's Iron Gonads]

Thanks for the post, I didn't start going until 1979 age 10, but I'll be running through your post with my dad to see what he adds. It's strange as a kid I could give a toss about 'the old days' but as you get older you start to find it interesting, usually at the same time you recognise see the eyes glazing over on a 10 year old you're trying to tell about the days before mobiles.

[spyinthesky]

The biggest shame which is also the biggest difference from yesteryear to today at Saints, is that it is an all seater.

 

I asked my nipper (9 years old) whether he would prefer to stand on terraces behind the goal or to sit, and he said the latter. OK, at Saints he has never known any different as he is too young, and I never took him to any away games in the lower leagues (or PL for that matter) but we have a whole generation that supports in a sanitary environment. The terraces brought a completely different view of football rather than it's corporate image of today. Or have I got my rose tinted specs on?

 

But as a 9 year old I loved the rare opportunity when my Dad would pay for us to sit down undercover rather than stand on a cold and windswept terrace.

 

When I started going to home (and occasional away) games with my mates, first of all we mainly went dressed in our best gear (as this was really the only alternative to school clothes) and I used carry a fairly heavy wooden box which provided space for my sandwiches, decorated rattle, scarf and other odds and ends, plus enable me to actually see on a crowded terrace as I was quite small as a nipper

 

I remember falling off the box at Villa Park in the 1963 Semi final and struggling to get upright.

 

We were actually stood at the Man Utd end at this game (the main body of Saints fans were at the Holte End) but there were no crowd problems in those days as I recollect

 

That was the game were thousands went up to Birmingham in a procession of Special Trains from Central Station

[FloridaMarlin]

My dad first took me in the old Second Division days and probably my earliest memory of Saints games was the 9-3 win over Wolves.

 

Saturday football for us was watching Sam Leitch's football preview on Grandstand before setting off for the game, although more often than not, we might have left in order to start queueing at around 12.45 to get a good spot.

 

Perhaps it's my nostalgia goggles kicking in but you could divide the season into three distinct climatic sections.

 

From August to mid-October, the Saturday afternoon matches were invariably played in bright sunshine to a shirt-sleeved crowd.

 

From our favoured spot under the East Stand, right in the corner against the Milton Road end wall, you could look across the pitch to the West Stand which appeared huge and towering to a small boy looking up at it, but we all know now how small it was compared to other grounds.

 

I distinctly remember the not unpleasant smell of rolling tobacco, and the view of the West Stand was tinted by a blue haze of smoke.

 

There were regulars in that corner, among them dockers who - as I grew older and began to understand what they were saying - had everybody in stitches. Liverpool has a reputation that every member of the population is a stand-up comedian waiting to be discovered, but these guys were among the funniest men I have ever heard.

 

Other regulars in the corner included a couple of fellows who came up from Poole for every home game with their sons.

 

When asked why they did not support Bournemouth, they looked aghast and I think that is still the case with Saints drawing a lot of support from Poole residents who don't want to support Bompey.

 

They worked at Poole Pottery and every home for a few seasons, they would bring my old man up an item of ceramic art, wrapped in newspaper. I am now the proud and lucky owner of a complete vintage 1960s Poole Pottery dinner set and various other Poole Pottery majolicas and vases.

 

The August-September stage of the season was also the time when my dad's season ticket holder mate went on holiday and gave my old man use of it for a couple of home games.

 

Like Spyinthesky, I loved the novelty of sitting up with the nobs, the not having to start queueing at 12.30 to get a good spot, but the sheer joy of being able to swan up at 2.45.

 

The beginning of November signalled a real sea-change in football attending. The temperatures dropped and games which started in daylight finished under lights, which made it all the more exciting.

 

It seemed colder in those days, and certainly three hours stood on a concrete terrace made your young feet numb. I used to judge how cold it had been by which house number on Milton Road we had reached before the feeling returned to my toes.

 

That continued through to March, when matches were completed in daylight again, and those crucial Easter fixtures were nearly always played in bright sunshine, on a pitch where the goalmouths were as dusty as the Veracity Ground.

 

Of course, things look rosier through nostalgia tinted specs, and the whole experience of attending football these days is better, in terms of facilities, safety, refreshments and so many other aspects.

 

But I wouldn't swap those old, formative days at The Dell for anything.

[derry]

When I wasn't playing for the school I sold penny on the ball tickets and in return got in ten mins late after cashing up then given a ticket for the centre west stand. If I paid to get in I used to stand in the box behind the goal. I remember that Liverpool game as I remember their star was the great Billy Liddell. I went to the Man City FA Cup 5-1 win on the train in Jan 1959 and the Villa Park semi v MU spoilt by Denis Law's scuffed goal. In those days we were entertained.

[Fitzhugh Fella]

Growing up in Archers Road I was lucky as I had no travel problems but I still used to queue up on the pavement outside the Milton Rd turnstiles early so I could bag my place at the front on the wall. For the first hour before the big boys turned up we would sit on the pavement backs against the wall of the ground but one day without realising it I had sat on a big mound of chewing gum and when it was time to stand I couldn't budge. Ruined a pair of trousers.

[John B]

Growing up in Archers Road I was lucky as I had no travel problems but I still used to queue up on the pavement outside the Milton Rd turnstiles early so I could bag my place at the front on the wall. For the first hour before the big boys turned up we would sit on the pavement backs against the wall of the ground but one day without realising it I had sat on a big mound of chewing gum and when it was time to stand I couldn't budge. Ruined a pair of trousers.

 

I used to get in the Boys Entrance when I was in the Upper Sixth at St Mary's with a few others my younger brother used to leave after breakfast so it felt to be first in the Q I think the gates may have opened at midday. Even today fifty years later he is always early for functions.

 

There were some great games in the Bates/Paine era before Div 1 but the Man U Semi Final mentioned by Derry was not one of them unfortunately .

[spyinthesky]

Growing up in Archers Road I was lucky as I had no travel problems but I still used to queue up on the pavement outside the Milton Rd turnstiles early so I could bag my place at the front on the wall. For the first hour before the big boys turned up we would sit on the pavement backs against the wall of the ground but one day without realising it I had sat on a big mound of chewing gum and when it was time to stand I couldn't budge. Ruined a pair of trousers.

 

Duncan

 

A bit off topic but do you remember the Brown and Harrisons dairy at the bottom of Milton Road/Hill lane and the horse drawn dairy floats

 

Also the fish and chip shop by the cut through to St Marks Church?

 

We lived at 55 Milton Road for a while and remember the queues past our house for big games at the Dell in the 1950's

[david in sweden]

didn't have a paper round, and lived close enough to The Dell to walk there before kick-off, but remember most of the rest on the OP.

 

First game (that I recall seeing) was FA Cup game v . Blackpool January 1959......lost 2-1 in last 5 minutes... (ah well - what'd you expect?)

 

....which one was Stanley Matthews, Dad?.....

[david in sweden]

When I wasn't playing for the school I sold penny on the ball tickets and in return got in ten mins late after cashing up then given a ticket for the centre west stand. If I paid to get in I used to stand in the box behind the goal. I remember that Liverpool game as I remember their star was the great Billy Liddell. I went to the Man City FA Cup 5-1 win on the train in Jan 1959 and the Villa Park semi v MU spoilt by Denis Law's scuffed goal. In those days we were entertained.

 

 

great memories....except it was January 1960 btw.Derry, although I also suffered through the Villa Park SF April 1963

[John B]

Never saw Stanley Matthews play but I did see him at the Dell in 1963

 

When Stoke were promoted to Div 1 when there was a guard of honour for him at the start of the League game as he was injured he did not play

 

WE won 2 0

[stedje]

Interesting reading. But how common was it to travel to away games back in the sixties?

[BallBoy]

Life was so different then. I started going in 1966 when I was 13. None of my family had ever previously taken any interest in football so I was on my own. Can you imagine parents of a 13 year old these days allowing their child to travel into town on the bus and then to go to a football match all by themselves.

 

I also queued up from 12.30 and used all my hard earned pocket money to get in. The front of a "chocolate box" was the only place for a youngster like me. I even went to reserve games and tracked the career of my hero, Micky Channon, from his youth. I tried the very front behind the goal but soon realised you get a better picture from up high. I dreamed of having seat in the stand!

 

They were innocent days and the game was played with a purer spirit but I still love it with a passion.

[spyinthesky]

didn't have a paper round, and lived close enough to The Dell to walk there before kick-off, but remember most of the rest on the OP.

 

First game (that I recall seeing) was FA Cup game v . Blackpool January 1959......lost 2-1 in last 5 minutes... (ah well - what'd you expect?)

 

....which one was Stanley Matthews, Dad?.....

 

I was at that game too

 

Didn't the Blackpool fans have a duck or chicken as a mascot at the time which was paraded on the pitch before the game bedecked in orange and white favours

 

A few teams had animals as mascots as I recollect and then, later, there were the regular police dog display teams to keep us entertained

[spyinthesky]

Interesting reading. But how common was it to travel to away games back in the sixties?

 

Not that common I think as most people supported their local club and the only options for away travel was train or coach as not many people could travel independently by car.

 

My first away game was at Selhurst Park with my Dad in the early 60's, I think by special train

 

We certainly took big followings away on our cup run in 1963 but cup games always seemed to attract good support which was in contrast to League games

 

I remember being at Burden Park in our first promotion season in 1965/66 and not seeing another Saints fan (won 3-2 I think)

[david in sweden]

I was at that game too

 

Didn't the Blackpool fans have a duck or chicken as a mascot at the time which was paraded on the pitch before the game bedecked in orange and white favours

 

A few teams had animals as mascots as I recollect and then, later, there were the regular police dog display teams to keep us entertained

 

 

Can't recall exactly. It was the one and only time that I stood beneath the clock at Archers Road end ....

good position if you want to see along the goal line, but not so much of the rest of the pitch....

[Give it to Ron]

Duncan

 

A bit off topic but do you remember the Brown and Harrisons dairy at the bottom of Milton Road/Hill lane and the horse drawn dairy floats

 

Also the fish and chip shop by the cut through to St Marks Church?

 

We lived at 55 Milton Road for a while and remember the queues past our house for big games at the Dell in the 1950's

 

My uncle lived at 42 my dad used to ride us to their house on his bike.

I remember a game v Man Utd we lost 2-1 think Ron scored but thing I really remover was David Sadler getting hit in face and covered in blood.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[david in sweden]

Interesting reading. But how common was it to travel to away games back in the sixties?

 

Not so common....not if you were still in your teens.....

I can recall the Villa Park SF fiasco in 1963 .....and a trip to Highbury in 1968 (when we won 3-0) and another to WHam, around the same time ..think we won? .........oh and Steve Williams' debut game at Fratton Park (1976).....also the League Cup final v. Forest at Wembley....but that was much later (1979)

[Trader]

didn't have a paper round, and lived close enough to The Dell to walk there before kick-off, but remember most of the rest on the OP.

 

First game (that I recall seeing) was FA Cup game v . Blackpool January 1959......lost 2-1 in last 5 minutes... (ah well - what'd you expect?)

 

....which one was Stanley Matthews, Dad?.....

 

I still have the programme from that game (price 4d). Blackpool apparently played in tangerine shirts and black knickers. Doesn't mention the stockings and suspenders though!

[Trader]

Sorry white knickers - Saints of course had the black ones on.

[oldsarum]

Interesting reading. But how common was it to travel to away games back in the sixties?

 

I went to my first away game as 7 year old by coach with my Dad to see Saints win 1-0 at Bristol City in our promotion season 65/66

 

Didn't go to another away game until Spurs 72/73 season

 

My Dad went to a few away games including Orient in that promotion season, but most of them were cup games including Forest game at White Hart Lane and Semi in 1963

[Saint Billy]

My dad first took me in the old Second Division days and probably my earliest memory of Saints games was the 9-3 win over Wolves.

 

That was my very first game. My dad somehow took in a beer crate for me to stand on in the choco box.

 

Great post by the op btw, brought back some great memories.

[kwsaint]

Having seen my first game in January 1971 I feel a bit too young to post on this thread. But many of the early memories are the same. Getting to the Dell early to get a place at the front (East Stand - Milton End), the crush to get out of the ground at the end when there was a big crowd in, and the smell of tobacco smoke.

[ecuk268]

Interesting reading. But how common was it to travel to away games back in the sixties?

 

My Dad started taking me to The Dell at the end of the 50's when I was 8.

 

I think it was the early 60's when he decided that we'd go to an away game at Swindon. In those days the team used to go on the train and we were on the same one. It was packed and we had to stand all the way. It seemed to take hours so, to relieve the boredom, we went for a wander up the train. As we walked through the coach where all the players sat, Terry Paine (my absolute hero at the time) smiled at me and said "Alright nipper". I was walking on air for the rest of the trip.

 

Don't remember too much about the match. What I do remember was being allowed to sit on the grass on the edge of the pitch along with a load of other kids.

[mikec]

Some great memories here. Don't forget the half-time scoreboard by the clock at the corner of Archers Road. The scores would only be put up about 10 minutes into the second half and they were labeled A, B, C etc so you had to buy a programme to work out which score was for which game. Alternatively you could try and peer over the shoulder of someone else with a programme.

 

You also needed a programme to identify the players from their shirt number - no names on shirts in those days of course. Obviously you would recognise the Saints players by sight anyway. There was only 1 sub per game so the pool of first team regulars would be smaller than today and it wasnt unusual to see the same 11 play week after week. Occasionally someone would be dropped after a poor game and I suppose there were injuries like now. Suspensions would have been less common as bookings and sendings off (no cards) were rarer then although the play was a lot more physical.

[Lets B Avenue]

Interesting reading. But how common was it to travel to away games back in the sixties?

 

Every fortnight in 1966/67 season.

[Nordic Saint]

Interesting reading. But how common was it to travel to away games back in the sixties?

 

In the late 60s far more common than it is today. Saints used to take 5,000 - 10,000 away fans to London games. I remember us filling the whole of the Park Lane End at White Hart Lane in 1966 and we were packed in like sardines.

[cambsaint]

Brought back memories except we usually caught the train and often walked into town for a Plested's pie and chips before going to match.

In the mid sixties if one of us could borrow our Dad;s car it was find a parking place on Hill Lane and queue for hours to get back to Winchester all the way from the match through Chandler's Ford until Hursley Road-no bypass then.

My worst memory is the Leicester game when it poured so hard that even our underpants were soaked and we were thrashed.

A little later we moved to under the East Stand and well remember all the muck covering us from the stand when the season ticket holders stamped their feet.

[Professor]

One of my 1960's memories is Saint's first ever appearance in a European competition, The Inter-Cities Fairs Cup. In the autumn of 1969 we'd got through the first two rounds on aggregate and I went with a mate to The Dell for the home game in the third round. It was January, so it would have been 1970. I remember the rain pouring down through the glare of the floodlights on the top of the stands on a cold, wet, mid-week night. After drawing the away game, we had all the expectation of more progress in our first European competition, but we drew 1-1 and lost the tie on the away goals rule - against Newcastle.

The other thing I remember about those days was that, living in New Milton, I would join quite a crowd at the newsagents by the station on a Saturday evening for the pink Echo to arrive by train about 7.30pm to catch up on the day's results and read the first match reports.

[Fitzhugh Fella]

Duncan

 

A bit off topic but do you remember the Brown and Harrisons dairy at the bottom of Milton Road/Hill lane and the horse drawn dairy float

 

Also the fish and chip shop by the cut through to St Marks Church?

 

We lived at 55 Milton Road for a while and remember the queues past our house for big games at the Dell in the 1950's

I remember the dairy and of course the cut by the church which was a match day bottleneck. I remember the vicar rev Scarf an apt name considering his church's location but I don't remember a fish and chip shop around there at all?

[Norm]

Spy, many thanks for posting. This brought back many happy memories! My first game was v Bournemouth in 1956, I didn't have far to travel to the Deall from Burlington Road. When I married, I lived in Milton Road, so again I only had to walk down the road on a Saturday.

[derry]

I used to get in the Boys Entrance when I was in the Upper Sixth at St Mary's with a few others my younger brother used to leave after breakfast so it felt to be first in the Q I think the gates may have opened at midday. Even today fifty years later he is always early for functions.

 

There were some great games in the Bates/Paine era before Div 1 but the Man U Semi Final mentioned by Derry was not one of them unfortunately .

 

Looking at your user name and SMC. Not John and David Buckle by any chance?

[Toomer]

First game October 1959 dad took me as a fith birthday present we played Swindon and won 6-2 and Derek Reeves got 4 of them I was hooked 57 years later I am still going.

[derry]

great memories....except it was January 1960 btw.Derry, although I also suffered through the Villa Park SF April 1963

 

Of course it was, it was the January of the 1959/60 promotion season. George O'Brien stuck his head out of the window as we stopped at Southampton Central and shouted "Where's the bloody brass band then" Apart from the perfect game from Terry Paine who turned the full back Cliff Sears inside out and Derek Reeves's four goals and murdering a first division side on their own ground I remember the floor of the carriage being wet from the spilt beers when we got to Southampton.

[derry]

didn't have a paper round, and lived close enough to The Dell to walk there before kick-off, but remember most of the rest on the OP.

 

First game (that I recall seeing) was FA Cup game v . Blackpool January 1959......lost 2-1 in last 5 minutes... (ah well - what'd you expect?)

 

....which one was Stanley Matthews, Dad?.....

 

I think that was the goal when Gordon Birch unnecessarily knocked the ball out for a corner rather than clearing and Blackpool scored from the corner?

[derry]

I had my leg broken playing football in late march 1966. I was on crutches as I had a pin from knee to ankle. The leg was heavily bandaged not in plaster so had to be really careful.

I went to Plymouth on the coach and was allowed to sit on the touchline on a bench and enjoy our win. My father had an automatic so I drove up to Leyton Orient when Paine scored promoting us, using my left foot for everything leaving my broken right leg outside the accelerator. Must have been bloody mad.

[spyinthesky]

The 1966 promotion season burns brightly in my mind

 

Went away to Norwich on the coach (Shamrock and Rambler - orange coaches. Offices next to the Bedford Place coach station)

Won 4-3

Bolton (by myself as we were away on half term holiday in the N west)

Won 3-2

Cardiff (coach with no heating - very cold. Trouble at the game. I got hit in the face with a hot pie thrown in to the crowd. Couldn't get the smell out of the new reefer jacket I had as a Christmas present) Won 5-3

Pompey

Won 5-2 (our reserve CF Norman Dean scored a hat trick)

Wolves (Saints about 10th at the time. Dave Webb made his debut at RB and scored with an overhead kick and we then went 12 games undefeated)

Drew 1-1

Bristol City (went down to Bristol on the Special train. Lots of toilet paper thrown out of the carriage windows going through the viaduct at Bath and then someone setting fire to it)

Won 1-0

Plymouth (as at Bristol lots of Saints fans there. No real segregation in those days. Bloke near us bottled after an argument. Not sure if the victim was a Saints fan)

Won 3-2

Leyton Orient (I organised a coach from school and think the party included our rather corpulent History master. Must have been at least 10,000 Saints fans at Brisbane Road. Big pitch invasion when we all thought the game had finished. Remember a copper trying to stem the tide and got trampled on. However still a few minutes to play and we all had to return to the terraces

 

so I went to 8 away League games and didn't see us lose once

 

We also went to Orient earlier in the season but the game was cancelled due to a waterlogged pitch and our coach driver took us to Griffin park to see Brentford lose to Hull in a 3rd Division fixture

 

A gang of us also went up to Hull for the FA Cup 3rd Rd tie travelling overnight on a Special Train form the old Docks station. Really cold and foggy and we lost 1-0 against a decent Hull side

 

Didn't arrive home until the early hours of Sunday morning and I have to be up at 0700 to do my Sunday paper round in the pouring rain

 

Happy Days!!!

[ladysaint]

Love this post and reading about everyone's experiences. Football was so different in those days we had real players who could take a knock or two. My first game was round about 1957 was about 5 years old at the time, my uncles who were both stewards in the directors box had to look after me as my Mum was ill so they took me with them. I had to sit in the box and be quiet and behave. Sat next to this lady who held my hand so I couldn't run around, was told her name was Mrs Paine and that she was an ice skater. A few years later she was giving me lessons.

 

My first real memory was mid 60's queued up at the Dell from very early morning with my best friend, two young teenage girls who had mad crushes on George Best. We got right to the front of Milton Road, when the ground was filling up we were pushed and nudged by a few nippers to get out of the way but we stood our ground, not many young girls went to football at that time. Remember us losing the game 2-3 and and Best didn't score.

[sandwichsaint]

In the late 60s far more common than it is today. Saints used to take 5,000 - 10,000 away fans to London games. I remember us filling the whole of the Park Lane End at White Hart Lane in 1966 and we were packed in like sardines.

 

We lived in the midlands in the late 60's our dad used to regularly take us to see Saints away at Wolves/West Brom/Stoke/Coventry etc. I don't recall there being any equivalent of the modern away day fans in their own segregated areas at that time. You would sometimes see Saints fans, identifiable by their colours or even rosettes "!" which were popular at the time and sold outside grounds and in the streets. In the grounds we just mingled in with home fans, more in the modern day rugby stylee. People were generally pretty good about it and we (my dad) had regular bantz with the locals and I don't ever recall any trouble although obvs we were a family group of dad and two lads, complete with home made scarves, wooden rattles, and a red and white stool to stand on! We must have just about got in at the end of the 50's-60's golden era of big crowds and brylcreem.

 

The hooliganism probably kicked off in the early 70's and that's when the heavy policing and the segregation started to be brought in.

[Sergei Gotsmanov]

* Look forward to forthcoming home Div 2/3 game all week. Wonder if we will ever get to Division 1.

* Up early on Saturday to do paper round

* Scrape ice from bedroom window

* No breakfast

* Finish paper round. Get warm in front of coal fire.

* No TV programmes available at this time. No phone to contact mates. Probably have to listen to the BBC Light programme on the valve radio

* Light lunch then off to catch 12.10 bus with mate.

* Have to queue at bus stop. Lots of cigarette smoke on top deck of bus.

* Arrive Hants & Dorset bus station at 12.50

* Slow walk up to Dell. Arrive just after 13.00

* Join queue for Boys Entrance. Perhaps buy match programme for 1d (old penny) if feeling flush

* Turnstiles open at 14.00. Front of queue now populated by older boys who arrive late and push in

* Pay 1/- entrance (5p in today's money!!!!!)

* Secure favoured place in lower Chocolate Box

* Get soaking wet if it rains.

* Possibly have to brave very basic toilet in Milton Road end at half time (only 10 mins). Crush and smell are both overpowering and your only pair of shoes now smelling of p*ss.

* Only refreshment available is tea, crisps and small selection of chocolate bars from the Tea Bar or the mobile Bovril man in a white coat who can dispense the hot liquid from a tank on his back (but only available to those close to the running track)

* Back to the Choccy Box to listen to the Albion Band and throw things at the fund raising sheet which is paraded round the running track whist avoiding the Bovril man.

* Running track may also be used by Bill Bray (Saints Cheer leader.. ..2-4-6-8 who do we appreciate etc.....) and occasionally a young lad in washed out Saints kit running round the track with an old air raid rattle.

* Generally see Saints win a high scoring entertaining game on a pitch which was devoid of grass through the middle since early October

* Leave the ground just after 16.40. No added time

* Walk back down towards Bedford Place. Plenty of people on bikes which they had paid to leave in houses around the ground. Corporation Buses are queued in three/four locations around the ground waiting to take local people home.

* If feeling flush, and not too wet, may hang around outside the Echo Office awaiting early edition of the Football Echo.

* Occasionally invest in a Plesteds Pie

*Catch Hants & Dorset bus home

* Watch some Black & White TV on our 14" rented Sobell until bed around 10.00

* Up early on Sunday for paper round. Read any report of Saints games

* Repeat in two weeks time!!

'

In comparison to the experiences of similar aged lads today, my generation led far simpler lives and our expectation level was low so the fortnightly visit to a quite rundown Dell was the highlight of the winter.

I would never have dreamed in those austere days that we would be one of the top clubs in England with a number of international stars and playing in a top rate stadium (and also three divisions above Pompey!!)

 

Enjoyed that

[spyinthesky]

In the late 60s far more common than it is today. Saints used to take 5,000 - 10,000 away fans to London games. I remember us filling the whole of the Park Lane End at White Hart Lane in 1966 and we were packed in like sardines.

 

I was at that game too. Lost 5-3 after Ron Davies put us 1-0 up

 

It would be very difficult to judge away followings at the time as I am pretty sure that almost all entrance to the ground (perhaps excluding stand tickets) were pay at the gate so there were few if any means of recording the number of away supporters

 

However I do agree that it was fairly crushed on the terraces behind the goal where we stood

[steveo]

Best thread on here for a long time. So many great posts. Things were so different then. As posted earlier I started going to the first team games late 60s, had been going since 66 to reserve games, but didn`t really get to an away game until early 70s. Was lucky enough to be there 01.05.76, by which time home and as many away games as possible were being attended. Looking back on it now, if you weren`t there you wouldn`t believe it!! All the smoke from various ciggys, certainly from mid 70s keeping an eye out for the "lads" from the opposition support, the total lack of real thought/planning when going away (get on a train-tickets always seemed available, get a lift sometimes even hired a coach!!), the queues outside the dell, like others can remember queuing from 12-12:30, the time it took to get back home (for me that was Winchester) this whole thread has brought back some wonderful memories, and you just can`t stop smiling whilst reading the posts.

Here`s to some more great memories in the coming seasons!!!

[sadoldgit]

My first game wasn't until 1966 but I remember kids being allowed to go down the front to get a view. I also remember scanning the pages of the papers for a match report when on my paper rounds but because I lived in London there weren't all that many. Unfortunately the 70s came along and ruined the experience for many younger generations.