-
All - as you will understand, the forum is exceptionally busy at this time. The admins and moderators simply don't have time to read every post in every thread. Could you PLEASE use the "Report" option below a post to flag any content that you feel we need to be aware of. We'll review everything reported as a priority and deal with it accordingly. Thank you.
The World Famous City Ground - Home of the PROPER WORLD‘S OLDEST LEAGUE CLUB
- Thread starter donny
- Start date
I'm Red Till Dead
Stuart Pearce
If that picture was taken in 1898 it wasn't staying that way for long -The main stand is basically a concrete replica of the previous wooden stand that burnt down.
That's what I've read and pictures suggest too.
1898 to modern times
(Bolton Evening News, Saturday, February 28, 1903)
FOOTBALL STANDS UNROOFED.
Stands in football and cricket fields suffered much damage...FOOTBALL STANDS UNROOFED.
The Nottingham Forest Football Club’s long stand on the six-penny side of the ground was totally wrecked. A large portion of the extensive
structure was lifted bodily and carried, with the fencing behind, into the adjoining field.
(Derby Daily Telegraph, Monday, July 4th 1904)
BIG FIRE AT NOTTINGHAM EXHIBITION.
FOREST F.C. STAND DESTROYED.
BIG FIRE AT NOTTINGHAM EXHIBITION.
FOREST F.C. STAND DESTROYED.
A serious fire occurred at Nottingham on Saturday evening, by which the greater portion of the Midlands Exhibition and the main stand of the Nottingham Forest Football Club, on the City Ground adjoining, were destroyed. Information of the outbreak was received at the Central Fire Station about nine o’clock and three steamers attended. The fire broke out near the fairy river, at the rear of the exhibition, the scenery from some unexplained cause getting alight. The flames spread with startling rapidity, the American toboggan, the switchback, and the circular railway quickly becoming involved, and defying all the efforts of the brigade, although a copious amount of water was obtainable from the river Trent adjoining. The heat from the flames was so intense that the boundary fence separating the exhibition from the Nottingham Forest Football
Ground got alight, and despite the efforts of the brigade, the flames spread to the main stand, which in a very short space of time was reduced to a smouldering wreck. The Canadian water chute was also completely destroyed, and the heat of the flames distorted the iron work into all sorts of shapes. Fortunately the efforts of the firemen, which were principally directed towards preventing the spread of the flames to the main buildings at the front of the exhibition, proved successful, and in an hour’s time the fire had been got well under. There were a few hundred people in the exhibition at the time of the outbreak, but only a few were at the rear part, and all got out without any trouble whatever to join the many thousand sightseers who thronged Trent Bridge and the banks of the Trent. It is impossible to ascertain the exact amount of the damage at present, but it must amount to several thousand pounds. The principal losers are the Nottingham Forest Football Club, the damage to their stand being between £3,000 and £4000, which is only partially covered by insurance. Coming on top
of a bad season, this is very unfortunate for the club.
It is supposed that the fire originated through someone throwing down a lighted match or cigar or cigarette end.
Ground got alight, and despite the efforts of the brigade, the flames spread to the main stand, which in a very short space of time was reduced to a smouldering wreck. The Canadian water chute was also completely destroyed, and the heat of the flames distorted the iron work into all sorts of shapes. Fortunately the efforts of the firemen, which were principally directed towards preventing the spread of the flames to the main buildings at the front of the exhibition, proved successful, and in an hour’s time the fire had been got well under. There were a few hundred people in the exhibition at the time of the outbreak, but only a few were at the rear part, and all got out without any trouble whatever to join the many thousand sightseers who thronged Trent Bridge and the banks of the Trent. It is impossible to ascertain the exact amount of the damage at present, but it must amount to several thousand pounds. The principal losers are the Nottingham Forest Football Club, the damage to their stand being between £3,000 and £4000, which is only partially covered by insurance. Coming on top
of a bad season, this is very unfortunate for the club.
It is supposed that the fire originated through someone throwing down a lighted match or cigar or cigarette end.
Ashley
Steve Chettle
Also saw moaning about Graham Potter from some of their fans, which is bonkers when you consider how well he's done there.
REDDERS78
Jack Armstrong
Jesus, that scarey when you weigh it up. Pure greed.
How do they know the person not attending isnt the person actually attending though, some sort of photo thing?
If that how the game is going then I'll be glad to get out.
Steve B
Jack Armstrong
Exactly
Redemption
Chief Eye Roller
All clubs report attendances based on tickets issued and not on people through the gate.
I suspect that a lot of clubs do deals that are dependent on these 'attendances' so there would have motive for clubs to issue tickets that are never used at the gate.
I suspect that a lot of clubs do deals that are dependent on these 'attendances' so there would have motive for clubs to issue tickets that are never used at the gate.
uredsuns
Rice 13
I work with a Leeds season ticket holder and they now send you your ticket to add to your phone wallet which works on NFC so you cant give it too anyone else. Clubs have obviously seen the resale market as something to tap into to get more money, so the way they are operating stops this to a extent
Homer is a Red
First Team Squad
Wow, that's a really interesting read and very well written! Unfortunately it shows that the writing on the wall for the casual supporters is, stay at home!
Sent from my SM-A326B using Tapatalk
Last edited:
Quntib Hollox
Jack Armstrong
Apologies for not being born before rationing ended.
Thomas
AMERICAN IDIOT
/thread
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Quntib Hollox
Jack Armstrong
They certainly built things to last in the good old days 
I'm Red Till Dead
Stuart Pearce
Forest's offices were still at Maypole Yard until at least 1908. The records were lost in th 1968 fire I believe.
This is the former stand which was constructed after the fire at the Nottingham Exhibition of the early 1900’s resulted in the main stand, offices & more importantly records & memorabilia being lost.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Attachments
The main offices were at Maypole Yard but with the speed in which the blaze gutted the stand, I’m certain some relics from our foundation would have been lost. The narrative below is from an article regarding the exhibition https://www.exhibitionstudygroup.org/sites/default/files/130 Autumn 2018-2.pdf
The sight, on a pleasant midsummer Saturday evening, of the three steamers galloping through the Old Market Square towards the river, would help explain the size of the crowd that followed them, the trams becoming full to bursting. By the time the brigade arrived, the fire was well alight. The River Styx, Water Chute, Toboggan, and part of the Switchback were ablaze. The fire, driven by a south westerly breeze, had also ignited Nottingham Forest’s main stand (Figure 2). After the alarm was raised, exhibition staff had tried to fight the blaze, but with the largely wooden constructions and painted canvas screens they had little choice but to call the fire brigade and clear the site. They were helped by police from the Trent Bridge police station across the road.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
The sight, on a pleasant midsummer Saturday evening, of the three steamers galloping through the Old Market Square towards the river, would help explain the size of the crowd that followed them, the trams becoming full to bursting. By the time the brigade arrived, the fire was well alight. The River Styx, Water Chute, Toboggan, and part of the Switchback were ablaze. The fire, driven by a south westerly breeze, had also ignited Nottingham Forest’s main stand (Figure 2). After the alarm was raised, exhibition staff had tried to fight the blaze, but with the largely wooden constructions and painted canvas screens they had little choice but to call the fire brigade and clear the site. They were helped by police from the Trent Bridge police station across the road.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Frank Clark’s Tash
Jack Burkitt
I believe it's called 'Alan Curbishley Syndrome'.
I'm Red Till Dead
Stuart Pearce
From a report on the fire in the Nottingham Evening Post, Monday, July 4, 1904
"There was a quantity of stock in the dressing rooms in the matter of training appliances, rubbers, &c., all of which have to be replaced, but, as is well known, the Forest Directors have their offices in Maypole Yard, so that none of the important books and records of the club were lost, a circumstance upon which the members are to be congratulated. What is gone, however, is serious enough in all conscience."
Just how limited are we in upgrading the Brigeford stand in terms of light allowance?
I heard Forest bought all those houses behind the stand over the years in preparation for such an upgrade?
I too think we're limiting ourselves with a maximum of 35k and then 38k in a few years after that.
I believe we'll start planning to move in a decade or two if we sustain ourselves in the Prem.
The population is growing exponentially, as is the desire for top flight football. Furthermore in my experience Notts residents are often descendents from other locations. Cotgrave for example when I was growing up was full of 2nd generation Newcastle fans. Now the majority of kids are Forest. There's also fewer plastics compared to when I was a kid. I put this down to the ease of watching Forest on the TV in the last 5 years and the good community work EM brought over from Oly.
This club has seen nothing but disappointment for over 20 years. Now the f***er is lit, it's about to explode. Even if we flop the first season (which can be excused), 35k would be hit most games in the Championship in 2 years time under Cooper hypothetically if the stand was ready.
I heard Forest bought all those houses behind the stand over the years in preparation for such an upgrade?
I too think we're limiting ourselves with a maximum of 35k and then 38k in a few years after that.
I believe we'll start planning to move in a decade or two if we sustain ourselves in the Prem.
The population is growing exponentially, as is the desire for top flight football. Furthermore in my experience Notts residents are often descendents from other locations. Cotgrave for example when I was growing up was full of 2nd generation Newcastle fans. Now the majority of kids are Forest. There's also fewer plastics compared to when I was a kid. I put this down to the ease of watching Forest on the TV in the last 5 years and the good community work EM brought over from Oly.
This club has seen nothing but disappointment for over 20 years. Now the f***er is lit, it's about to explode. Even if we flop the first season (which can be excused), 35k would be hit most games in the Championship in 2 years time under Cooper hypothetically if the stand was ready.
sammy the snake
Jack Armstrong
Yes Garibaldi. I can't believe it'll ever be the intention to move when you consider the scope of the City Ground even if the Bridgford end cant be sorted.
There's huge space at the BC stand for development. A new 3 tier would add anothr 5 to 7.5k so we're then at 43k ish capacity? Should be suitable and sustainable. Yes, Nottingham is expanding and growing again...but you you'd be looking an overall demographic change that'll be a couple of decades.
There's huge space at the BC stand for development. A new 3 tier would add anothr 5 to 7.5k so we're then at 43k ish capacity? Should be suitable and sustainable. Yes, Nottingham is expanding and growing again...but you you'd be looking an overall demographic change that'll be a couple of decades.
Otis Redding
Try A Little Tenderness
I'm afraid a lot of falsehoods have existed about the houses on both Colwick Road and Rosebery Avenue for years.
The only property the club has owned is the old apprentices digs next to the Colwick Road turnstiles, as mentioned earlier.
I heard someone a few weeks ago in my local claiming that EM purchased EVERY property on Rosebery Avenue at the same time he bought Forest. A quick glance at Land Registry records confirms that as the total bollocks it is. Similarly, the nonsense doing the rounds that he acquired all of the Colwick Road properties in anticipation of the work required on the Bridgford End .
Rzar
Bob McKinlay
You can see here how tight it is behind the Bridgeford stand, would have to buy up half the street.
Morpeth
John Robertson
This is a pretty good video. Some bloke with a drone taking a few shots of the ground on Friday. 85 seconds in is where it starts.
Morpeth
John Robertson
Why is there only half the badge on the Trent End? I've always wondered that.
It was like a reverse Spinal Tap, but the other way round, with the club getting the measurements too big, so the whole thing didn‘t fit.
I would have thought improving the BC stand for supporters would be higher priority than Bridgford, it still looks great but is horribly congested behind the upper tier seating and there are not enough turnstiles, for the upper tier. I don't see any situation now after getting that planning through that we will ever move.
congo_red_49
Ale Ape
I wouldn't normally link to anything the excuse for a local paper puts out, but there's a good collection of old photos of the City Ground here:-
For those not old enough, or who haven't previously seen pictures, and have no concept about how things have changed over the years.
For those not old enough, or who haven't previously seen pictures, and have no concept about how things have changed over the years.