23 August 2000. A day that will go down in the annals of sporting and North Eastern history. Saint James' Park will hold almost 52,000 souls for the first time in a quarter of a century. Who'd have thought it would have been possible at the beginning of the nineties? Who's going? Also, I'd love to hear recollections from Jonno, Buff and Screacher about what it was like originaly with 50K+ capacity.

-- Anonymous, August 09, 2000

Answers

Dougal dont go there , i can hear it now ... ' Dickmans pies ' ' Peanuts tanner a bag ' , programmee seller hoying you your programme when youre 50 rows back , and trusting you to throw tupence back , nad catching it wherever it landed ' ' kids being passed down the leazes above everyones heed ' ' the auld popular side ' ' Notts forest 4 -3 game when the crowd invaded the pitch ' ' ill name the team of the 55 winning final ' ... theyre masters of the speech man . : - ))

-- Anonymous, August 09, 2000

I remember being in a crowd of 55000+ in the early '70's when Leeds ran away with the title ('72? '73?), they also ran away with the points that day after a 1 - 0 win. The gates were locked at about 2:15 but were kicked down - certainly at the Leazes end anyway - with thousands more getting in for nowt, we could easily have had a Hillsborough before Hillsborough that day. I know it sounds cliched, but I was that small child who was "passed down over the heads of the grown-ups to sit on the cinder track", whenever I attempt to bore my 9 year old nephew with tales such as this he just looks at me as if I'm the biggest twat he's ever come across - doesn't half make me feel old I can tell you.

-- Anonymous, August 09, 2000

Sting

I warn you now that I am in the process of bringing an action against you for plagiarism. You will be hearing from my solicitors.

Dougal I'll put something together on this but I'm busy today so you'll have to wait. I can assure you that it will contain all the phrases mentioned by Sting (which he has evidently cut & pasted from my previous "during the war..." stories) and possibly a few more besides.

Did I ever tell you about the time the peanut seller ... (transmission interrupted due to bandwidth problems)

-- Anonymous, August 09, 2000

It was noisy. It was also very, very cramped. And lots of people had wet pockets. Actually, although I say it was noisy (and it was), I reckon the new SJP will be as loud as it is totally enclosed. The owd place was open on the Popular side (where I used ti gaan) and the Gallowgate. Eeeh - aah cannit wayte lyuke.

-- Anonymous, August 09, 2000

Biggest memories was the lane behine the Popular side (East Stand). Not much different from now, but absoultely heaving before a game. Bliddy dangerous. Narrow, crowded and evrybody was in a hurry. As Dave said, Hillsboro could have happened at SJP - and almost all other top grounds in those days.

-- Anonymous, August 09, 2000

Told ya ... aah nostalgia :- )

-- Anonymous, August 09, 2000

As I was reading this thread this morning - and cotemplating whether to risk the inevitable abuse if I posted on it - they played Tina Tuna's "Simply the Best" on Radio 2. Gave it full blast on the subwoofer and scared the cr@p out of the pigeons outside the window.

Really spooky - made the hairs stand up on the back of neck. Now I AM ready - roll on the 23rd.

No time to look back - lots of great memories: also lots of bad ones: what's past is past. Can't wait for the 23rd.

-- Anonymous, August 09, 2000

I was at the Leeds game in '74 mentioned above - wasn't it Boxing Day? I stood in the East Paddock with me Dad and being a mere 5 ft tall saw bugger all of the game! Dad didn't want to be there becuase he hated football - me Mam made him go with me because I was only 23 at the time!!!!!!

Later that season there was another 55,000 in against Forest in the infamous cup game. I was allowed out to that one on me own! Having learned from previous experience I got meself next to one of the iron railings that went down between sections of the Paddock. I spent the entire afternoon with one foot on the bottom of the railings to hoist me up about 9 inches and me arm wrapped round the pointy sticky out bit at the top so I didn't fall over. By the end of the match - which went on forever you may remember - I had no feeling in me right leg from the knee downwards and it took six weeks to straighten me arm!

-- Anonymous, August 09, 2000

I too was at the Leeds game, in the far too overcrowded Leazes End with my dad and my grandad. We stayed till half time, apparently Paul Madeley scored but I couldn't see, neither could any of my ancestors.

The crush, and part of the corwd problem was that I think it was Boxing Day during the miners strike. All other games at that time had been kicking off at 2 to avoid having to use floodlights, so 90% of the crowd were there for 1 thinking they were an hour early.

-- Anonymous, August 09, 2000

Young Doog

Started in mid 60s so I must have been in some full games. I suppose the highlight was Fairs Cup or possibly promotion v Bolton in 60s.

Atmosphere was awesome then so lets hope we lift the new roof this season.

-- Anonymous, August 09, 2000