mark st1
Plastic Manc
- Location
- Leafy Berkshire
Today's fixtures look good on paper anyway. Bet the atmosphere in Wales is a bit tense atm 
The Football.....
- Thread starter Spartak
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i hate hills
Its my day to be brilliant
Smokie bar stewards 0 Brechin City 2. Turned up at Gayfield in monsoon conditions powered by by an easterly sea gale. Nipped up to the bar and had a pint before ko. City comfortable winners in the end. Roll on the draw on Tuesday.
deptfordmarmoset
Full time tea drinker
- Location
- Armonmy Way
OP
OP
Spartak
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- Bristolian
[QUOTE 2746139, member: 1314"]Mate of mine from Liverpool went to Arsenal today. He supports Liverpool. He tweeted:
At emirates. Bloke next to me is eating olives with a cocktail stick. Christ
[/quote]
Crikey !!! How much do they charge for them
At emirates. Bloke next to me is eating olives with a cocktail stick. Christ
[/quote]Crikey !!! How much do they charge for them
deptfordmarmoset
Full time tea drinker
- Location
- Armonmy Way
And don't cocktail sticks count as offensive weapons at Arsenal?Crikey !!! How much do they charge for them
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Spartak
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The rumours are starting to circulate regarding the future of Chris Hughton at Norwich.
http://www.norwich.vitalfootball.co.uk/article.asp?a=337638
I hope he & his team are given more time, 2 bad results in a week ( against Man Utd & Man City ) don't justify his sacking, I know presently Norwich are in the bottom 3 but I'm certain the team will start to gel soon.
OTBC
http://www.norwich.vitalfootball.co.uk/article.asp?a=337638
I hope he & his team are given more time, 2 bad results in a week ( against Man Utd & Man City ) don't justify his sacking, I know presently Norwich are in the bottom 3 but I'm certain the team will start to gel soon.
OTBC
i hate hills
Its my day to be brilliant
Next Saturday sees Brechin in another derby against the cousin marryers from Forfar. This game is being played in Forfar so if i survive the third world countryness of it all i'll report how we got on when i return, pray for me............
- Location
- Essex
Well i'm still waiting for east fife 4 forfar 5 ?
deptfordmarmoset
Full time tea drinker
- Location
- Armonmy Way
Bookies are only offering 5/4 on for East Fife 4 Forfar 5 next weekend....
mark st1
Plastic Manc
- Location
- Leafy Berkshire
Just watched a video of the fire at Bradford City back in the 80's what a horrible experience that must have been. Does anyone know why so many people didnt get out ? Details seems a bit sparse online. Or can someone point me to a reliable article if they know of one.
deptfordmarmoset
Full time tea drinker
- Location
- Armonmy Way
I can't remember the details, Mark, but it was the speed at which the fire was able to spread, the density of supporters and the size of the exits. Sometimes, and luckily, health and safety goes sensible.
mark st1
Plastic Manc
- Location
- Leafy Berkshire
Thanks DM the vid isnt the best quality but then it is getting on for nearly 30 years old. Shocking how quick it all went up within 5-7 minutes the whole thing was ablaze. Agreed with the health and safety thing quite bad that you could still smoke though in grounds up until the smoking ban. Ive also been in the last 2 seasons and smelt someone having a sly one during the game,never been able to see it just smell it.
The stand was built onto a steep earth bank. You walked down a steep slope to the rear of the main stand and as you entered through the turnstiles at the rear, you entered at the highest point of the stand and into a narrow corridor running it's entire length. At spaced points there were openings (doorways) to walk through and down into the seated areas. The entire structure was made of steel and wood with a double canopy roof, patched and bodged umpteen times with felt/bitumen. Under the seats, some of the kick-boards opened, this enabled rubbish and food debris post-game to be simply swept under the stand rather than cleaned up, decades worth. There were a lot of cats living under that stand.
Once the fire emerged, I say emerged because it had already taken hold under the stand, it very quickly raged, people who were to die within 3 or 4 minutes were still looking around wondering what the fuss was about. I was very familiar with that stand and knew exactly what was going to happen, I went forwards, many more people started to panic and go backwards, up the stairs towards the corridors and exit doors (human nature, doing what they always did), the heat went crazy, like a flashover, the canopy began to drip molten bitumen onto those trying to escape, it was hell. Once the people got back into the narrow corridor, they found the sliding wooden exit doors locked, with padlocks, these would normally open 20 mins before the end of the match, but it was still before half time. By now they were in an inferno, that's where they died.
A sad fact is that the roof enabled the fire to move so rapidly and it was due to be removed entirely the very next day.
It was a beautiful football stand, I loved it, Simon Inglis (Football Grounds of England and Wales) described it as his favourite, like watching football from the cockpit of a Sopwith Camel.
mark st1
Plastic Manc
- Location
- Leafy Berkshire
Thanks Mark sounds like a harrowing experience appreciate you sharing it. The video i saw on You Tube shows exactly how you say it. It looked to be raging in the bottom stand pretty quickly so i assume that as you say it was already well under way but out of sight. Within 6 minutes though the whole length top to bottom is alight. Terrible
Thanks Mark sounds like a harrowing experience appreciate you sharing it. The video i saw on You Tube shows exactly how you say it. It looked to be raging in the bottom stand pretty quickly so i assume that as you say it was already well under way but out of sight. Within 6 minutes though the whole length top to bottom is alight. Terrible
At one point the fire moved faster than you could run, incredible, what the video can't show is the flames above, inside the roof canopies, many didn't even notice them till it was too late. I've never been in an enclosed place with lots of people since, I won't go into an old concert hall, cinema or similar. On the other hand, it had very positive influence on my life, I don't get remotely bothered about what other people do "normally", money, job security etc etc.
BTW The lovely fans of Crewe Alexandra seemed to get enormous pleasure singing songs about the fire on Saturday when we played there. Unbelievable.
