Our Grand Old Stadium

[Robbie]

I have such great memories of our grand old stadium at Meadow Lane.

I can remember when we played Everton in the FA Cup at home on a wet day in March 1984,  standing on the Cop getting wet through. The ground was absolutely packed with 10K Everton fans. We lost to an Andy Gray header he headed in only a few inches off the ground.

When I was a boy I would stand at the front of the Cop, behind the goal. When I grew taller, I would watch Notts standing on the County Road side or pop side. There was a large step at the back of the lower tier that you could get a good view from standing at the half way line if you got a place there.

Spent many years standing. Never sat down until it became all seater.

How many of you remember our old ground and where did you watch the games.

Did you prefer to sit or stand?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited December 24, 2023 by Robbie__64

[Piethagoram]

My first match 25/3/67, stood with my grandfather on County Road side

When my Grandfather passed, most games were then on the low terrace in front of the old main stand

Nowadays, the Pavis, sitting 2/3rds of the way up, with a great view

 

[Robbie]

7 hours ago, Piethagoram said:

My first match 25/3/67, stood with my grandfather on County Road side

When my Grandfather passed, most games were then on the low terrace in front of the old main stand

Nowadays, the Pavis, sitting 2/3rds of the way up, with a great view

 

I used to go to the matches for a while with my elder cousin. He was a big Notts fan.

It was through him that I became a Notts supporter.

 

 

[liampie]

i have only known meadow to be how it is now, i have seen pictures of how it used to be and it looked very difficult. its hard to imagine so many fans packed into the stands at least in comparison to how much bigger the ground looks to be today. i do have nice memories of the current ground though, i do think we are lucky that derek pavis reinvested into the ground and did such a good job modernising it, it could have very easily become soulless after it, but thankfully i think we have one if not the best lower league grounds.

[super_ram]

My first visit to Meadow Lane was in 1957 with my dad's youngest brother,my Uncle Stan.I can't remember much ,but we sat behind one of the goals and it was very much like the old Baseball Ground.Notts beat my Rams 1 - 0 and the attendance was almost 24000

[Robbie]

@liampie The old ground was past it's best, the meadow lane end terrace was damaged in some areas, the county road side upper tier was made of wood, the Cop was massive.

When we scored, fans in the County Road side would stamp their feet and the wood made such a racket.

Repairs were carried out on the terracing but the wooden stand would never have passed after the Bradford City fire.

The stadium was capable if holding about 35,000 even at that time. I remember the game at home to Scunthorpe in 1971 when we won the league, it was teaming down with rain, but there were over 16,500 in that ground.

 

 

 

 

[super_ram]

My maternal grandparents were from Bradford and we often stayed there during school holidays.If it was in the football season my dad would take me, and until he wasn't well enough,my grandad, to watch  Bradford Park Avenue ,then a Football League side.This was another ground that was very much like the Baseball ground(in need of TLC).In fact there was a time when I thought all football grounds were the same in style.

[Robbie]

Some of the largest and lowest attendances at the old ground since 1925

https://carouseldrivefootballs.on.drv.tw/utm/maggies10.html?20231226H:~19250701

[Robbie]

14 minutes ago, super_ram said:

My maternal grandparents were from Bradford and we often stayed there during school holidays.If it was in the football season my dad would take me, and until he wasn't well enough,my grandad, to watch  Bradford Park Avenue ,then a Football League side.This was another ground that was very much like the Baseball ground(in need of TLC).In fact there was a time when I thought all football grounds were the same in style.

Agree. Seating was an afterthought in those days. I remember the seats weren't seats but benches. Bucket seats were few and far between.