Places you are glad you stood Old Compton Street side
#1
Posted 11 August 2008 - 03:28 PM
The migration from the kop to the Cross Street end of the Compton...the atmosphere especially at local derby games was pretty unique having been to a lot of other grounds.
When I was a kid at Saltergate I think the ground was segregated 2/3'rds of so up the pitch on compton street side allowing away fans to take a 1/3rd or so to away fans.
Games that spring out...Carlisle United in 95 and the following season when we beat them...Mansfield 5-2, Forest at home..Wrexham at home...Mansfield 4-0....special moments as a Spireite.
The current Compton isn't bad...a decent job really on a budget and fair play to CFC on that. But I do miss the old atmosphere...being able to migrate depending which way town were kicking...and mostly the banter.
#2
Posted 11 August 2008 - 03:35 PM
Spired, on Aug 11 2008, 04:28 PM, said:
The migration from the kop to the Cross Street end of the Compton...the atmosphere especially at local derby games was pretty unique having been to a lot of other grounds.
When I was a kid at Saltergate I think the ground was segregated 2/3'rds of so up the pitch on compton street side allowing away fans to take a 1/3rd or so to away fans.
Games that spring out...Carlisle United in 95 and the following season when we beat them...Mansfield 5-2, Forest at home..Wrexham at home...Mansfield 4-0....special moments as a Spireite.
The current Compton isn't bad...a decent job really on a budget and fair play to CFC on that. But I do miss the old atmosphere...being able to migrate depending which way town were kicking...and mostly the banter.
Originally it was split half way with a no mans land under the tv gantry i think.
Then it got extended to be level with the goal line at the Cross Street end, roughly where the seats come up to now.
#3 Guest_spireiteblue_*
Posted 11 August 2008 - 03:59 PM
Spired, on Aug 11 2008, 04:28 PM, said:
The migration from the kop to the Cross Street end of the Compton...the atmosphere especially at local derby games was pretty unique having been to a lot of other grounds.
When I was a kid at Saltergate I think the ground was segregated 2/3'rds of so up the pitch on compton street side allowing away fans to take a 1/3rd or so to away fans.
Games that spring out...Carlisle United in 95 and the following season when we beat them...Mansfield 5-2, Forest at home..Wrexham at home...Mansfield 4-0....special moments as a Spireite.
The current Compton isn't bad...a decent job really on a budget and fair play to CFC on that. But I do miss the old atmosphere...being able to migrate depending which way town were kicking...and mostly the banter.
I used to stand on both ends in my earlier days....
#4
Posted 11 August 2008 - 04:20 PM
#5
Posted 11 August 2008 - 04:25 PM
I stood about an inch to the left of some dog dirt this morning. Better then an inch back to the right!!!!
This post has been edited by Tonycfc: 11 August 2008 - 04:26 PM
#6
Posted 11 August 2008 - 05:17 PM
kevspireites, on Aug 11 2008, 05:20 PM, said:
I liked standing in the paddock in front of the wing stand
#7
Posted 11 August 2008 - 05:23 PM
#8
Posted 11 August 2008 - 06:27 PM
D Loizou, on Aug 11 2008, 06:23 PM, said:
I am sure when I first went to Saltergate over 50 years ago,we used to stand behind what ever goals we were attacking and walk round to the other end at half time.Can any one confirm this as the old memory is not what it used to be.
#9
Posted 11 August 2008 - 07:08 PM
daveblakey, on Aug 11 2008, 07:27 PM, said:
yes , fans used to swop ends at one time can just about remember doing it showin me age
#10
Posted 11 August 2008 - 07:09 PM
kevspireites, on Aug 11 2008, 05:20 PM, said:
I stood there for the rangers game, surrounded by jocks. good job I was only a kid at the time..........
#11
Posted 11 August 2008 - 08:43 PM
daveblakey, on Aug 11 2008, 07:27 PM, said:
Was certainly possible, and by no means limited to here, either. The last time that I recall this happening was in the last game of 84-5, at home to Rochdale, when their smattering was put in the stand and the Pop Side fence (that ran up halfway, at the time, I think) was opened. We have stood on the Cross Street end since, but the Kop has either been closed (Halifax, 2001,) or fans were kept in that end only (overspill in FA Cup "voucher" games, etc.)
#12
Posted 11 August 2008 - 09:26 PM
daveblakey, on Aug 11 2008, 07:27 PM, said:
You remember correctly. Home and away fans stood behind the goal their team was attacking, and at half time everybody changed ends. Both sets of fans passed each other on the half-way line with only a bit of friendly banter - there was no aggression of any kind. I reckon anybody trying to turn nasty would quickly have found themselves outside the ground, put there by their own fellow supporters.
It's a long way from the neanderthals today, giving it large with the obscenities from a safe distance.
#13
Posted 11 August 2008 - 09:33 PM
The best place of all was the centre of the kop just in front of the kop choir, when in the good old days we had a crowd sway to match the Anfield kop. Today which should scrap all seater stadiums they are crap. ( Wembley and old Trafford included lol.) Long live the Saltergate terraced kop.
#14
Posted 11 August 2008 - 09:38 PM
#15 Guest_djs_*
Posted 11 August 2008 - 10:20 PM
This post has been edited by djs: 11 August 2008 - 10:20 PM
#16 Guest_spireiteblue_*
Posted 11 August 2008 - 10:25 PM
h again, on Aug 11 2008, 10:26 PM, said:
It's a long way from the neanderthals today, giving it large with the obscenities from a safe distance.
H from when i started going in 69/70 not one opposing fan passed me as i went round to cross street,not many came what few did were in the wing stand,i used to go in at that end cross st because like today we usually kicked that way first half ......
#17
Posted 12 August 2008 - 11:28 AM
spireiteblue, on Aug 11 2008, 11:25 PM, said:
My old man always says if we kick to the Kop in the first half we'll lose.
I'd be interested to know what the stats are on that, though from my own memory of watching Town for more than 20 years more often than not hes right.
#18 Guest_spireiteblue_*
Posted 12 August 2008 - 11:41 AM
JohnnyUtah, on Aug 12 2008, 12:28 PM, said:
I'd be interested to know what the stats are on that, though from my own memory of watching Town for more than 20 years more often than not hes right.
When we kick to the kop first we all groan and say oh no we have lost before we start,we have lost and we have won,i don't know the full facts,did we beat Sheff Wed after kicking towards the kop first half in the recent friendly ?
#19
Posted 12 August 2008 - 11:41 AM
JohnnyUtah, on Aug 12 2008, 12:28 PM, said:
I also hate it when we kick that way in the first half. Superstitions heh.
There was a poorly lit "rat run" at the back of the Compton - just enough room to pass the fans coming the other way. Always thought it must have been like changing shift down the pit!
2007 open day I spent twenty minutes on the Cross Street end quietly reminiscing. If I closed my eyes to slits I could just picture Johny McCann putting the ball in the net. Lady friend thought I was barking...
#20
Posted 12 August 2008 - 01:47 PM
I was a ballboy when we played Aldershot and Maidstone in 89ish (maybe 90) and that is a brilliant memory for me. Aldershot are back now but I guess i'm not that lucky an omen for opposition clubs.
Chesterfield FC deserve credit for this and why not break a habit of recent times of not saying much praise for them (well on the pitch at least)... ...and so do the Chesterfield Co-Op. The Family Stand deal!!!!
It cost a pittance for me to go to games with my dad and my younger bro as a result of this...and the obsession with CFC is now embeded. That stand and the kids in it...perhaps a hundred or so...some went to my junior school as town fans back then and they are still town fans now. I think basically if my dad purchased a season ticket it cost merely a quid eventually going up to £4 then £6...i still have the old family stand cards. We spent on matchdays on programmes and stuff from the clubshop...but those days are really what has led to me sticking with town over the others from up the road.
So my childhood memories of players like Steve Cherry, Tony Brien etc....all are down to CFC and Co-op getting it right and making it affordable. And enjoyable.
Anyhow....this is an enjoyable thread. Too much bickering goes on on here and we don't seem to look back with smiles at some better times.
sherbet fountain, on Aug 12 2008, 12:41 PM, said:
The groans when we kick the 'wrong way' are always there. I hate kicking towards the kop first.
This post has been edited by Spired: 12 August 2008 - 01:49 PM