http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PkfvJp5awJc

1 hour ago, Stig said:

Interesting watching back on these early Reebok Stadium games as the fans look miles away from the pitch. Am I remembering right here that the opening capacity was 25k? So I'm guessing from the look of the stadium now, we added rows at the front to bring the fans closer to the pitch to get to the 28.5k capacity we have now?

And I seem to remember Gartside having some plan to up it to 31k - does anyone know where those additional seats would go?

No rows were added, it’s just the absence of the second level of advertising boards that make them look far away (plus the camera angle changed in later years)

There original safety certificate was for 25,000 but the actual seats were there for the current capacity. We lost a few seats in segregating the South, but it never seemed like there 2,500 empty seats every week…

1 hour ago, Stig said:

Interesting watching back on these early Reebok Stadium games as the fans look miles away from the pitch. Am I remembering right here that the opening capacity was 25k? So I'm guessing from the look of the stadium now, we added rows at the front to bring the fans closer to the pitch to get to the 28.5k capacity we have now?

And I seem to remember Gartside having some plan to up it to 31k - does anyone know where those additional seats would go?

From memory, I think another two rows can be added at the low level of each lower stand plus areas in each corner behind the corrugated cladding can accommodate extra seats.

21 minutes ago, MickyD said:

From memory, I think another two rows can be added at the low level of each lower stand plus areas in each corner behind the corrugated cladding can accommodate extra seats.

This is what I recall. I'd not fancy being front row in that case, you'd see nowt of the rest if the pitch.

I recall Hargreaves, being interviewed before our final Burnden game v Charlton & asked if the capacity wasn't a bit shy. He said that if you looked at our history & crowds and taking modern tre nds it would possibly be challenged a few times v. the Stretfords or Liverpools but generally it should be adequate.

He also pointed out that the seats, compared with other new grounds, were quite spacious and if need be they could squeeze a few extra each row but they felt it wouldn't be necessary. 

He also said that if, week after week it was proving inadequate they knew how they could add extra height by raising the roof, but it'd be expensive. I must admit I don't see how they could but I'm not a civil engineer.

tbf. I think overall he's been proven right.

49 minutes ago, Dr. Feelgood said:

This is what I recall. I'd not fancy being front row in that case, you'd see nowt of the rest if the pitch.

I recall Hargreaves, being interviewed before our final Burnden game v Charlton & asked if the capacity wasn't a bit shy. He said that if you looked at our history & crowds and taking modern tre nds it would possibly be challenged a few times v. the Stretfords or Liverpools but generally it should be adequate.

He also pointed out that the seats, compared with other new grounds, were quite spacious and if need be they could squeeze a few extra each row but they felt it wouldn't be necessary. 

He also said that if, week after week it was proving inadequate they knew how they could add extra height by raising the roof, but it'd be expensive. I must admit I don't see how they could but I'm not a civil engineer.

tbf. I think overall he's been proven right.

Seem to recall Sunderland were building there's around the same time and going for 43k or whatever it is

Some of our fans were questioning why we weren't doing the same 

3 hours ago, Leyther_Matt said:

No rows were added, it’s just the absence of the second level of advertising boards that make them look far away (plus the camera angle changed in later years)

There original safety certificate was for 25,000 but the actual seats were there for the current capacity. We lost a few seats in segregating the South, but it never seemed like there 2,500 empty seats every week…

Ah ok, that makes sense and I've just googled it and found this:

https://www.theboltonnews.co.uk/news/6024194.reebok-set-for-increase/

Apparently it was limited to 25k first year (and possibly longer, article doesn't say) because the roads weren't sorted. Similar to you I didn't think there looked like 3k empty seats each week so thought they must have added some somewhere. 

Rate it's going we might need the extra rows to get to 31k though.

I remember going to the viewing platform as the Reebok was being built , then going to the mini tour of the design & architecture plus Q&A's (run by Scott Talorys girlfriend at the time , yes she was stunning).

It was said to us all at the time that there will be 28000 seats in the ground but capacity will be limited to 25000 by the highways commisssion until it could be demonstrated that the Motorway junction could cope with the extra traffic. 

And that the capacity could be extended to 30,000 by putting in 2 extra rows of seats. When we started to fill the ground in the Prem Phil Gartside was asked about the extended capacity to which he said it wouldnt happen as the club got more money from extra sponsorship boards than they would do from the extra 2,000 fans. 

He didnt reply when asked then why not reduce the capacity by 5,000 and fill the seats with more sponsorship boards. 

6 hours ago, Krimzon said:

He didnt reply when asked then why not reduce the capacity by 5,000 and fill the seats with more sponsorship boards. 

Neil Hart's ears just pricked up

If its been posted before please delete . 

I watched this on telly an made my 9 month old daughter cry cos of the cheer/rage I let out ...

 

 

Another for the younger ones ....

Ive got the whole game and Dave Higson filming the squad on the coach back , on dvd . Apparently the chairman wore a wig ! 

 

Hope the guy who had to go get his face stitched and was asking for his mate , was ok . Strangest tannoy announcement ever ! 

No recollection of this game at all . 

 

Pity there wasnt more of this , This was the Ruud Gullit match .

 

 

Early Reebok ...

 

 

Still trying to figure out how to upload the Andy Todd / Stan Collymore fight and the Battle of Burnden . Had all the official stuff converted to DVD all thats left is about 30,  3 hour vhs tapes to do LOL 

 

7 hours ago, Krimzon said:

If its been posted before please delete . 

I watched this on telly an made my 9 month old daughter cry cos of the cheer/rage I let out ...

 

 

Great away day that

Two goals in two minutes stood right next to the away fans, hadn't finished celebrating the first when the second went in

Sunday 4pm so went Saturday and had cracking night on the toon 

6 hours ago, Krimzon said:

 

ian greaves sacked after this

11 hours ago, Krimzon said:

If its been posted before please delete . 

I watched this on telly an made my 9 month old daughter cry cos of the cheer/rage I let out ...

 

 

Anelka, Diouf & Davies up front. How shit must we be...

31 minutes ago, Traf said:

Anelka, Diouf & Davies up front. How shit must we be...

Unplayable that day.

13 hours ago, Krimzon said:

If its been posted before please delete . 

I watched this on telly an made my 9 month old daughter cry cos of the cheer/rage I let out ...

 

 

What a header on that was from Super KD for Dioufy to score the second. We never score like that now from set pieces because nobody wins headers like that for us any more sadly.

14 hours ago, Krimzon said:

Another for the younger ones ....

Ive got the whole game and Dave Higson filming the squad on the coach back , on dvd . Apparently the chairman wore a wig ! 

 

Hope the guy who had to go get his face stitched and was asking for his mate , was ok . Strangest tannoy announcement ever ! 

Try watching that winning goal without smiling or laughing.  Its impossible.

1 hour ago, Whitesince63 said:

What a header on that was from Super KD for Dioufy to score the second. We never score like that now from set pieces because nobody wins headers like that for us any more sadly.

It was a brilliant assist, and so was Anelka's.  JDB is more than capable of winning headers, not to SKDs standard obviously, but he is more likely to be 35 yards from goal when flicking it on not near the 6 yard box.

If that same free kick was being taken now it wouldn't be put in the box, it would be passed along the ground.

Just now, Johnnyrotten said:

It was a brilliant assist, and so was Anelka's.  JDB is more than capable of winning headers, not to SKDs standard obviously, but he is more likely to be 35 yards from goal when flicking it on not near the 6 yard box.

If that same free kick was being taken now it wouldn't be put in the box, it would be passed along the ground.

backwards

6 minutes ago, Johnnyrotten said:

Try watching that winning goal without smiling or laughing.  Its impossible.

I love watching this back - the first of my 6 or 7 promotions, however many it is since 1980 anyway

1 hour ago, Johnnyrotten said:

Try watching that winning goal without smiling or laughing.  Its impossible.

The sight and sound of that away end and Dave Higson's wild cheer is perfection! Think there's a clip with sharper sound somewhere on YouTube. 

 

Edit - that's the badger

 

Edited January 22, 20242 yr by Marc505

2 hours ago, Johnnyrotten said:

Try watching that winning goal without smiling or laughing.  Its impossible.

The limbs are as good as you'll see.

Best ever.