Goldstone Ground Question.

[Return of the Rev]

I'm a bit young to remember the Goldstone in too much detail, but what was the general demographic of the east stand? (if north were the ruffians, south was the family, west were the moaners and expensive seats...)

moaners, ruffians,west street firm by the away fans early eighties,recall having a knees up east terrace half way line against rochdale 34,760 several thousand locked out i think east terrace regulars can cope best with withdean southstand probaly had more trouble than the north with away fans using it and southstand having a mob of it own it got quite interesting

 

[Since1982]

and that funny bit of terracing between the North and West Stands.

That was my favourite spot for a while - for a time in front of the Lego stand. Started in the East Stand and ended up in the North Stand although I watched the Donny game from a seat in the West Stand.

 

[bhaexpress]

The thought of The Goldstone being all seater is quite amusing. I think it would have reduced the capacity to less than 12000. I wonder how many people know that Mike Bamber was trying to build a new stadium at Waterhall back in the 70s ? The shortcomings of the Goldstone would have been badly exposed if we were still there now. I would rather have not gone through what we went through to get Falmer but most people who knew The Goldstone would accept it wouldn't be much good now.

 

[BensGrandad]

One idea that was thrown about was for the club to buy all of the houses overlooking the East Terrace for club/player use and then there would be nobody to object if they applied to go up higher to increase the capacity.

I used to always park on Chrome Productions having written a letter to them and receiveda reply then copied my own letter of permission using their letterhead, the last of the big forgers

 

[bhaexpress]

One idea that was thrown about was for the club to buy all of the houses overlooking the East Terrace for club/player use and then there would be nobody to object if they applied to go up higher to increase the capacity.

I used to always park on Chrome Productions having written a letter to them and receiveda reply then copied my own letter of permission using their letterhead, the last of the big forgers

Even if the houses behind the Chicken Run had been bought and the factory behind the South Stand likewise you couldn't expand the North Stand unless the pitch was physically moved South and the West Stand didn't have a lot of potential either. I see to recall that Bamber's plan was to have a small retail park at Waterhall to offset costs but unlike Falmer that was a genuine AONB.

 

[Brovion]

The thought of The Goldstone being all seater is quite amusing. I think it would have reduced the capacity to less than 12000. I wonder how many people know that Mike Bamber was trying to build a new stadium at Waterhall back in the 70s ? The shortcomings of the Goldstone would have been badly exposed if we were still there now. I would rather have not gone through what we went through to get Falmer but most people who knew The Goldstone would accept it wouldn't be much good now.

I think it was quite common knowledge for those of us who were around at the time. Indeed for almost all of my Albion-supporting life there was a general acceptance that the Goldstone wasn't a good ground and it had extremely limited potential for expansion, so if the club were serious about progressing we'd need a new ground. Waterhall was one suggestion, Hove Dog Track kept coming up and of course there was Bamber's plan to build a stadium near Gatwick Airport and share with Palace! Bamber also once mentioned Shoreham Airport when there were doubts about its future.

 

[Stat Brother]

There was something in the planning that stopped the East being covered, due to the houses behind.
Any seating area there, would have had to remain lower than the road, behind, which just wasn't practical.

Obviously the West and North could have been upgraded, but as said what was the point in having 3/4er's of a stadium.

 

[Gilliver's Travels]

I well remember how, when the various new ground schemes came up for discussion - as they did regularly - no-one ever took them seriously. In my family, the greatest hoots of derision and rolled eyes were always reserved for the oft-mooted Sheepcote Tip. But Waterhall was treated far more seriously, probably because no-one had any idea back then of minor issues like AONB designation.

But... just how speechless would all those 'seen-it-all-before, sonny' doubters be, had they managed to stay alive long enough to see what we'll be getting in just seven months' time...

 

[Voice of Reason]

I'm staring at a framed photo of the Goldstone on my office wall - fact is there appears to be very little room to develop it, other than in the Gillingham style. No thanks. What has happened, shouldn't have happened; but it did. I still think Waterhall would have been a better option (AONB? Are you having a laugh?) I played Sunday football there, and it was a dump. Fact is that Falmer is truly wonderful and we are very lucky to have it. Let's make sure we go up this year and grace it with some fine teams from the Championship. I really don't fancy playing the Daggers there next year.

 

[gullshark]

I think we'd end up something similar to blackpool, 3 sides of a 'bowl' and the east side left as is.

 

[Questions]

I remember when you could get a sixpence, or was it a shilling transfer to the North stand ? from the chicken run when it rained. Christ you got an atmostphere at night games in the North when that happened.

 

[Dave the OAP]

my infamous claim to fame was that I was told by the great Ron Pavey that it was me that caused the closing of the East Terrace bit in front of the Blue Wooden barriers, down the front!

We were playing Blackburn at home, and when the second goal went in, we were all jumping about and I fell down a piece of crumbling terrace and broke my ankle. The Albion didn't have the money to repair the crumbling terracing so they took the decision to close that bit.

If that would have happened in these litigious days, I would have been chased to sue them no doubt. Funnily enough over the years I have had dreadful problems with that ankle too!!

 

[Return of the Rev]

One idea that was thrown about was for the club to buy all of the houses overlooking the East Terrace for club/player use and then there would be nobody to object if they applied to go up higher to increase the capacity.

I used to always park on Chrome Productions having written a letter to them and receiveda reply then copied my own letter of permission using their letterhead, the last of the big forgers

mark lawrenson lived in goldstone lane later on in 85 i bought the same house and lived next door to george aitken

 

[Return of the Rev]

I remember when you could get a sixpence, or was it a shilling transfer to the North stand ? from the chicken run when it rained. Christ you got an atmostphere at night games in the North when that happened.

5p i recall

 

[Pretty pink fairy]

moaners, ruffians,west street firm by the away fans early eighties,recall having a knees up east terrace half way line against rochdale 34,760 several thousand locked out i think east terrace regulars can cope best with withdean southstand probaly had more trouble than the north with away fans using it and southstand having a mob of it own it got quite interesting

anyone itk always went east terrace down the front towards the pen and some times in the pen

 

[nawtygully]

been in the pen !!