The North Stand

[Guest Buxtonian]

We always knew it as 'the cantilever' back in the day.

For all you 'youngsters' who sit in the North Stand, a little bit of info -

In the late 1940's and 1950's, Hillsborough was a Four-sided ground - the 'New Stand' with it's accompanying wing stands and in front, a terrace. This was the newest stand at that time and enclosed the Dressing Rooms, Offices and all the paraphanalia required to run a business. This was altered firstly in 1966 when some of the World Cup matches were played at Hillsborough. The terraces were initially uncovered standing, to be replaced by seating for the W.C.

The now West Stand was known as the Leppings Lane end, or usually Leppings Lane, and was terraced standing with a cover at the rear which supported the original scoreboard.

The Kop, or Spion Kop to give it it's full title, was totally uncovered, and was terraced up to the level where the hill reached. There was a mound on the South side which went up further. This can be seen in the building of the current Kop.

With the exception of the 'New' Stand, which had it's own turnstiles, entrance to the ground was from EITHER the Kop, or Lane end. You could entrance either of the two, stand on the 'Lane' for the first half and move onto the Kop for the second (or vice-versa) This was achieved bt going behind what was the OLD STAND. This was the fourth side of the ground, and entrance to this was by transfer, at a small cost, through a second set of turnstiles. The Old Stand consisted of a terrace with seating in an elevated stand behind the terracing. ALL this was covered, and movement between either section was permitted. Somewhere in the late 50's early 60's, at the instigation of the Sheffield Wednesday Secretary Manager, a certain Eric W. Taylor, the Old Stand was demolished, and a unique structure for it's time was erected. This took the form of a Cantilever Stand running the full length of the pitch, the only other exsisting cantilever stand at the time being a small one at Sflaphorpe United, and was a revolutionary idea. Thiswas known as the Cantilever Stand, since the name 'New Stand' already belonged to the main Stand.

Eric Taylor had many ideas, some quite startlingly ahead of their time, not the least of which was the replacement of the then unused Sheffield Victoria-Woodhead-manchester (electrified) line by a Monorail system running to Wadsley Bridge Station from the City Centre, at a time when the much-loved Sheffield Trams were being phased out.

Whilst it is true that E.W.T. was accused of considering the ground at the expense of the team, and to some extent there was truth in this, he was not afraid to break barriers anywhere, breaking the then record transfer fee in purchasing Jackie Sewell (an excellent buy, but much vilified by the press), in breaking the record fee for a Goalkeeper in Ron Springett. He also had some misfortune with some of his 'buys'. He lost Derek Dooley with a broekn leg, subsequently amputated to save his life, he lost what appeared to be an excellent buy in the shape of a superb winger - Eddie Kilshaw, who suffered a broken leg and never played football again.

In EWT's time, 40,000+ gates were a regular feature, and the ground was one of the ones used most for Semi-finals, attracting 65,000 each time.

I believe that I am correct in stating that it was at his instigation that Wednesday joined the original 'Inter Cities Fairs Cup' and attracted the likes of the famous Moscow Dynamos, among many other continental clubs.

I may be wrong, but my honest opinion was that EWT, whilst not a football man, bled ble and white if cut, and still had to suffer the likes of Dr.Andrew Stevens, whose period at S6 was only a stepping stone for higher things.

With regard to the 1966 Final Tickets, I heard from a source at the ground that tickets for the final would be by Postal Application, and that the applications would be collected, the box would be turned upside down so that the first into the box would be dealt with first. I do know that EWT complained to the Wembley authorities that the ticket allocation was nowhere near enough and would cause problems.

End of History lesson for today.

[Guest Buxtonian]

makes me wonder why it was never done before

but can't see it hapening

the club is trying hard to build a future, not cling on to the past

Fully agree with the club building a new future, but don't forget that any building is only as strong as its foundations. By all means keep looking forward to the future, but don't forget the past. After all, if we do forget the past, Wed can't lay claim to 4 x Ist Division Titles and 3 Cup Winnings.

[brian joicey]

We always knew it as 'the cantilever' back in the day.

'the ERIC TAYLOR cantilever' simples

Edited January 22, 2011 by brian joicey

[Dan™]

You've never heard of Eric Taylor?

Are you serious?

What an utterly pretentious thing to say to someone you know nothing about and have probably never met.

Well done.

[Belfast Owl 2]

Stroll on Neil

Danny Dyer?

[wenzdyboy]

What about re-naming the Kop - The Colin West-Bank?

[31Dec1966]

AAAAARH! the "KOP" will not always be the KOP, in fact, to me it's NEVER been the Kop and never will be. East Bank is the name. South Stand is the main stand, North stand is the cantilever, and Leppings Lane. Thats how it should stay. I don't really agree with naming stands in perpetuity after people but if anyone deserved it, that man would be Eric Taylor. Worked in allkinds of roles from office boy, team manager to legendary administrator who was a true visionary.

And, never, never name the ground after a packet of crisps or foreign airline.

[dorian gray]

Correct, it was always known as the Cant to us, same as the kop was always the East Bank, and as for the poster never hearing of Eric Taylor, learne the history of the club and the people involved in that History.

whereas more up to date, jeffers was known as the cant to us... :st2:

[the monk]

Is there anyway the club could break with traditions and rename this after one of the clubs greatest servants and a man who made this club one of the best in the land.

The Eric Taylor Stand

I once asked Eric Taylors son about this and he said it would have been a nice gesture from the club ,but he said by accident or design the gangways on the halfway line are E and T!