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View of the South Stand November 1913


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Always fascinating to find a photo I have never seen before - this appeared in the Sheffield Telepgraph as the stand neared completion.

 

I still can't undestand why they didn't position the tunnel in the centre? ;-)

 

SDT%2017-11-1913_zpsgwjxv2bz.jpeg

 

Here a couple of oft seen photos of the actual construction phase!

 

South1_zps15a7edbf.jpg

 

South2_zps8e2d790f.jpg

 

 

 

 

Edited by dunsbyowl
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This is purely a guess @dunsbyowl but perhaps the reason the entrance to the baths etc under the stand was down to sensibilities of the age? When reported the design of the stand was said;

 

"The basement of the stand is to be used for a gymnasium, billiard room, gymnasium, team accommodation, baths and offices and the clubs refreshment room and the upper storey for distributing passages, kitchens, stores, refreshment rooms etc. Things are so designed that both teams enter the field from the same passage but without passing between the spectators..."

 

He also said;

 

"The whole of the seats are to be numbered, and those in the central position will be of the tip-top variety."

 

Like I said, purely a guess, but did he not want the higher class clientele in the centre of the Grandstand having the players come out underneath them? Or was it a structural reason? After all, the terrace below the Grandstand would have been filled with the cheap ticket buyers perhaps? Hmmm...

 

Anyway. This made me laugh, that age old problem for Sheffield United.

 

IMG_3750.PNG.db42a2ee4c64cf52e2278afa9fb2e9a2.PNG

 

Regardless, the players seemed to enjoy the new dining arrangements in the stand when it was finished.

 

IMG_3751.thumb.PNG.f74d2b30213d3660133b235a2d258652.PNG

 

But the directors and officials of the club began the media offensive, transforming Owlerton into Hillsborough in name and spirit for all concerned. The new stand signalled a new start for the club at the stadium.

 

IMG_3752.PNG.37a7d345d9b80fb416a15b5f6062206f.PNG

 

Thanks for posting as always Dunsby. Very interesting.

 

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I imagine the tunnel was built off-centre because the dressing rooms are maybe towards the Kop end.  

 

I've been on a stadium tour of Hillsboro in about 2005 but I can't recall.

 

I do remember that in the late 50's/early 60's there was a very large refreshments area under the South stand at the Kop side.   Accessed from the lower terrace.

I used to go in, in winter, and pretend to queue just to keep warm for 5 minutes.

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Am I right in thinking this stand has never been knocked down but has been redeveloped right up until today? 

 

Tunnel is in the same place. 

 

Did they build the lower tier seats on top of the terrace? Leaving that trench concourse thing that used to run along the stand in between the top and bottom tier? Still there today isn't it? Just fenced off. 

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3 hours ago, Ben-owl said:

Am I right in thinking this stand has never been knocked down but has been redeveloped right up until today? 

 

Tunnel is in the same place. 

 

Did they build the lower tier seats on top of the terrace? Leaving that trench concourse thing that used to run along the stand in between the top and bottom tier? Still there today isn't it? Just fenced off. 

yeah i think thats correct, the trench is just next to the toilets on either side of the ground and the gated off area can be seen from the kop.

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1 hour ago, Birley Owl 1867 said:

yeah i think thats correct, the trench is just next to the toilets on either side of the ground and the gated off area can be seen from the kop.

Surely this is one of the oldest stands in the country??

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9 minutes ago, Ben-owl said:

Surely this is one of the oldest stands in the country??

 

Not even close.

 

Great Yarmouth Town have a Grade II listed grandstand that is over 120 years old and still in use, for example. Lots of small, old grounds are littered around the UK that have escaped the modernisation process of the Taylor Report era.

 

IMG_3755.JPG.edca5710a9abb32956875fae27ffa67e.JPG

 

IMG_3754.thumb.JPG.cdcc908853980e8e891fd6d2c998141b.JPG

Edited by Guest
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14 hours ago, Ben-owl said:

Am I right in thinking this stand has never been knocked down but has been redeveloped right up until today? 

 

Tunnel is in the same place. 

 

Did they build the lower tier seats on top of the terrace? Leaving that trench concourse thing that used to run along the stand in between the top and bottom tier? Still there today isn't it? Just fenced off. 

That one?

 

s02509.jpg

 

Installing the seats !

 

s28976_zps998ff2f5.jpg

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On 3/25/2017 at 16:48, Lincs Owl said:

I imagine the tunnel was built off-centre because the dressing rooms are maybe towards the Kop end.  

 

I've been on a stadium tour of Hillsboro in about 2005 but I can't recall.

 

I do remember that in the late 50's/early 60's there was a very large refreshments area under the South stand at the Kop side.   Accessed from the lower terrace.

I used to go in, in winter, and pretend to queue just to keep warm for 5 minutes.

This is a plan of the South Stand from 2009 (and the WC2018 improvements), seems like the Directors facilities is why the tunnel is off-set.

 

 

Hillsborough development 2009 - south stand ground floor plan.pdf

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9 minutes ago, cactus said:

This is a plan of the South Stand from 2009 (and the WC2018 improvements), seems like the Directors facilities is why the tunnel is off-set.

 

 

Hillsborough development 2009 - south stand ground floor plan.pdf

 

The area S-G-41 to S-G-46 (near the top right of plans, down player's entrance), was used as a gymnasium back in the 50s, and maybe early 60s.

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Guest Grez Bez
On 26/03/2017 at 12:36, Wild Will Smith said:

 

Not even close.

 

Great Yarmouth Town have a Grade II listed grandstand that is over 120 years old and still in use, for example. Lots of small, old grounds are littered around the UK that have escaped the modernisation process of the Taylor Report era.

 

IMG_3755.JPG.edca5710a9abb32956875fae27ffa67e.JPG

 

IMG_3754.thumb.JPG.cdcc908853980e8e891fd6d2c998141b.JPG

 

Thats amazing

 

Any more oldies?

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