Happy 99th birthday Maine Road

[Gary James]

I’ve always wondered why the Platt Lane end was called that? Loads of streets nearer to the ground than the actual road. Even Kippax Street was a bit odd. Would have made a bit more sense to name the North Stand that going off where it is.

I remember Monty’s commentary once calling the North Stand the Claremont Road End. It drove me mad! Years later I had to pick him up from Manchester and take him to the new stadium for his first visit (he was helping us with some commentary for the museum). He drove me mad again asking question after question on City’s tactics, formations etc.

 

[Stephen230]

I remember Monty’s commentary once calling the North Stand the Claremont Road End. It drove me mad! Years later I had to pick him up from Manchester and take him to the new stadium for his first visit (he was helping us with some commentary for the museum). He drove me mad again asking question after question on City’s tactics, formations etc.

It’s another thing I’ve always thought odd. I can understand them naming one stand The Main Stand. But why would you name two of the other stands after nearby streets and then call the other one The North Stand?

 

[Gary James]

It’s another thing I’ve always thought odd. I can understand them naming one stand The Main Stand. But why would you name two of the other stands after nearby streets and then call the other one The North Stand?

Especially when before it became the North Stand it was known as the Scoreboard End. The episode of Corrie filmed on that end in the 60s called it the City End. In some plans, club material the Main Stand was known as the Grand Stand.

 

[Franny Ypres]

I sat next to a chap in the North Stand for a game and he told me that we were never the same once we left Hyde Road! Also sat next to a Cardiff supporter in Ninian Park who, once he realised I was a City fan, told me he had travelled as a boy to Manchester along with his father for a City v Cardiff game. I was a bit puzzled when he said the game was not at Maine Road until he remembered the ground was called Hyde Road. He said the atmosphere was brilliant. If I had a time machine, I would take in a game at Hyde Road for sure.

 

[J.G.Blue.]

Thats amazing, I remember my old nan & grandad telling me about a city keeper who used to play in glasses & to be honest I never really believed them, & there he is near the start of the film!

 

[Citizen of Legoland]

There’s a few myths out there about where the name Maine Rd came from, so I’ve posted a free article on the latest research. It may be of interest:

Maine Road’s Name

On this day (25 August) in 1923 Manchester City’s Maine Road Stadium opened. In 2003 I wrote “Farewell To Maine Road” and at that time I revealed that the actual street Maine Road had origina…

gjfootballarchive.com

Cheers (relevant when you look at the reason the name was chosen!).

Very interesting. I did a quick search of the British Newspaper Archive and found an advert from The Manchester Evening News, Saturday 6th July 1878 which is the earliest reference I can find to Maine Road on that site ...

GREENHEYS. Splendid HOUSES TO BE LET in Ridgway-street, Maine Road and Upper Lloyd-street: rent from 6s 6d per week : convenient for bus Apply to Mr Noble on premises.


EDIT:

In a reference to Dog Kennel Lane from The Athletic News, 27th Sept 1882, there's a small piece about Mr A N Hornby, as president of the Manchester Association Football Club, late Manchester Wanderers, looking for soccer players to practice "hard on the ground in Dog-Kennel lane, Greenheys".

I wonder where that was.

Mr A N Hornby was an all-round sportsman ...

Lancashire Cricket Club

Official site for Lancashire Cricket Club includes fixtures, news, tickets, memberships and more.

cricketarchive.com

Captain of England when the Aussies beat us for the first time to start "the Ashes".

 

[Stephen230]

It’s why I, irrationally probably, get slightly miffed when people go on about the greatest players of all time. Virtually nobody alive has any idea about how great these players were before television was invented.

 

[Stephen230]

Very interesting. I did a quick search of the British Newspaper Archive and found an advert from The Manchester Evening News, Saturday 6th July 1878 which is the earliest reference I can find to Maine Road on that site ...

GREENHEYS. Splendid HOUSES TO BE LET in Ridgway-street, Maine Road and Upper Lloyd-street: rent from 6s 6d per week : convenient for bus Apply to Mr Noble on premises.

And then they move there and find out how shit that 111 bus is that goes down Upper Lloyd Street is. Bet Mr. Noble never mentions that. Too busy thinking of his next venture opening a load of arcades probably.

 

[i kne albert davy]

Was there anyone who went to both the first and last games at Maine Road?

My Grandad was at the first one(so he always told me) and I was at the last one so close. :-)

 

[Cotontoquinn]

Left Manchester in 2007.
Was anything saved from Maine Road? If so….where is it now?
Great ground….great memories