The North Stand at Maine Road?

[Bill]

the scoreboard end was rough as fuck but as an 11 year old lad I didn't give a fuck. we got soaked and the tea trolley had always sold out by the time it got to us but it was all about the blues and I loved going with mam and dad.

r.i.p. two very very keen blues.

 

[Blueles61]

My first season ticket was in the North Stand. Junior seat for £8. Not much has changed has it?

 

[Ardwick Green Blue]

The no-Seats North Stand was brilliant & I was gutted when it was seated. For me, as someone who grew up watching from the old scoreboard end, it seemed the perfect place to watch a match and nothing since has ever been as good as far as atmosphere is concerned.

 

[silverback]

Just a couple more memories about the old gaff.. the old, wide open scoreboard end was our preferred viewing point and our little band of blue brothers used to meet up there every other week. One particular match against Arsenal was a little bit testy and my mate D.B threw half a pie at Jack Kelsey, their keeper. It was reported in that nights Pink that a brick had been thrown, I know the pies were bad but that was ridiculous.
The second memory and the most personal was when I had to call in Maine Road one afternoon during the close season to see my Ma ( she worked there for years). Security was non existent and I was wandering around looking for her when they started testing the new P.A system. They were playing "Guantanamera" by the Sandpipers and to hear that music echoing around the empty stadium is something that still gives me shivers to this day whenever I hear it. It was only a couple of weeks after we had won the Jules Rimet so it gives you an indication of the year.
Right where's my Horlicks.

 

[droylsdenblue]

What was it like in that season when it was standing? Was it like a Kop End type stand?


Not sure what you mean there as it was always a standing area.... cold wet concrete....... with no roof......... and the wind always coming in. It was shite. But I think you mean the final season before they redeveloped it. As I remember the lads who sang decided to finally have an 'end' rather than a 'side (the Kippax) so they gave up there relative comfort and went out into the wilds. To be honest I don't really remember it being a cauldron of noise and not sure what Tony Book is refering to.

Your thinking of the scoreboard end.
When it was ripped out and the north stand was built it was standing for 1 maybe 2 seasons.And if i am not mistaken it was split down the middle and housed the away fans aswell.

You are correct! (and it did have a roof on it!). The City 'bovver boys' of the time (me included!!!) adopted the North Stand for 2 seasons - for the exact reason it was in with the away fans - hence the excellent opportunity to get some 'aggro' in on a Saturday afternoon. Everyone then moved back to the Kippax. The atmostphere in the North Stand was pretty good to be fair! Always packed and when we scored at that end it went truly mental!! Happy days!

I only remember standing in there for one season with the roof on and I'm sure it was City fans only.

 

[manclad]

Your thinking of the scoreboard end.
When it was ripped out and the north stand was built it was standing for 1 maybe 2 seasons.And if i am not mistaken it was split down the middle and housed the away fans aswell.

You are correct! (and it did have a roof on it!). The City 'bovver boys' of the time (me included!!!) adopted the North Stand for 2 seasons - for the exact reason it was in with the away fans - hence the excellent opportunity to get some 'aggro' in on a Saturday afternoon. Everyone then moved back to the Kippax. The atmostphere in the North Stand was pretty good to be fair! Always packed and when we scored at that end it went truly mental!! Happy days!

I only remember standing in there for one season with the roof on and I'm sure it was City fans only.

100% this.
As I said earlier in the thread,away fans were sent to stand in the Kippax.
And Middlesborough tried to storm into the new North Stand from the Kippax,but were soon repulsed by the City mob.
I can remember this happening like it was yesterday,whereas in fact it was over 40 years ago.

 

[urmston]

When we left Maine Rd in 2003 I still regarded the North stand as new-fangled.

It was, and still is, the scoreboard end to me.

 

[TGR]

tHE SEASON IN THE nORTH sTAND WAS awesome, we should have won th league that year, I think 58,000 for Marsh`s debut against chelsea, such a shame they put seats in it. Always remember `Son of my Father` by Chicory Tip being played before the game and at half time !!
WE are the North Stand BOOT BOYS. Crazy days indeed.

Crazy it was! Most towns had 'boot boys' (would be called a 'crew' these days I think) the 'Claytoners' be the most notorious. Failsworth lads were handy as well. The atmosphere was terrific and the thing I remember about those days was that the nets in the goals were blue! A small thing but I still remember it and think we should do it at the Etihad. I remember being in the north stand when Franny Lee broke the record for the number of penalties scored by one player in a season. Can't remember the opposition but I think it was 11 pens! Great days.

 

[gordondaviesmoustache]

I've always liked the fact that the North Stand development meant that we were the only major English club in the late 70's and 80's with an entire terrace along the side of the pitch.

That is very much part of our identity as a club.

 

[cibaman]

You are correct! (and it did have a roof on it!). The City 'bovver boys' of the time (me included!!!) adopted the North Stand for 2 seasons - for the exact reason it was in with the away fans - hence the excellent opportunity to get some 'aggro' in on a Saturday afternoon. Everyone then moved back to the Kippax. The atmostphere in the North Stand was pretty good to be fair! Always packed and when we scored at that end it went truly mental!! Happy days!

I only remember standing in there for one season with the roof on and I'm sure it was City fans only.

100% this.
As I said earlier in the thread,away fans were sent to stand in the Kippax.
And Middlesborough tried to storm into the new North Stand from the Kippax,but were soon repulsed by the City mob.
I can remember this happening like it was yesterday,whereas in fact it was over 40 years ago.

71/72 wasn't it? The year of Wyn Davies and Lee Won Pen.