Post by Deleted on Nov 23, 2008 12:13:40 GMT
Taking BBC's thread about "lost grounds" - in the sense they are no longer used for football - I reckon Torquay United has played on around 40 venues of this type since the mid 1960s. This shows just how many clubs have switched - or lost - grounds in that time. This was something that hardly ever happened in my first 20 or so years watching football.
Using the original posting I've pasted the lost grounds on which I've seen TUFC - with a few more added at the foot of the posting.
Additional to my list - and in the time since my first game at Plainmoor - the club would also have played at the former grounds of Millwall, Oxford, Middlesbrough, Wigan, Leicester, Bradford PA, Chelmsford and Canterbury (and others?).
Prior to the mid 1960s - and this might not be a complete list - you could add Gateshead (Redheugh Pk), Clapton Orient (Millfields Road and Lea Bridge Stadium), Norwich (The Nest), Port Vale (Old Recreation Ground, Hanley), QPR (White City - 1930s spell), Southampton (The Dell), Southend United (The Kursaal and Southend Stadium) and Thames (West Ham Stadium).
FA Cup from 1927 - possibly not complete - Accrington Stanley (Peel Park 30/31), Dulwich Hamlet (the original Champion Hill 35/36), Ely City (Paradise Ground 56/57), New Brighton (Tower Grounds 56/57) and Weymouth (Recreation Ground 60/61).
My list (with BBC's date of the ground's demise):
2008........... Colchester United - Layer Road
....................Rotherham United - Millmoor
2007........... Milton Keynes Dons - National Hockey Stadium
....................Scarborough - The McCain Stadium
....................Shrewsbury Town - Gay Meadow
2006........... Doncaster Rovers- Belle Vue
2005........... Swansea City - Vetch Field
....................Coventry City - Highfield Road
....................Hinckley United - Middlefield Lane
2004...........Weston Super Mare - Woodspring Park (friendly)
2003...........Darlington - Feethams
....................Manchester City - Maine Road
2002...........Hull City - Boothferry Park
1998...........Reading - Elm Park
1997...........Brighton & Hove Albion - Goldstone Ground
....................Bolton Wanderers - Burnden Park
....................Stoke City - Victoria Ground
1994...........Northampton Town - County Ground
...................Huddersfield Town - Leeds Road
1992...........Newport County - Somerton Park
1991...........Wimbledon - Plough Lane
1990...........Chester City - Sealand Road
....................Walsall - Fellows Park
....................Yeovil Town - Huish
1988...........Scunthorpe United - Old Show Ground
1986...........Bristol Rovers - Eastville
To this I'd add:
- Maidstone at Dartford. Maidstone's demise led to problems at Dartford FC and the rapid loss of Watling Street.
- Slough Town (FA Cup) - Wexham Park. Slough currently play at Beaconsfield after spending time at Windsor & Eton.
- Enfield (FA Cup) - Southbury Road (lost in 1999). There's now two clubs: Enfield [1893] (playing at Ware) and Enfield Town - a "fan's club" - playing at Brimsdown Rovers.
- AP Leamington (FA Cup 1978) - Windmill Ground. Automotive Products Leamington was a founder member of what is now the BSP. Club and ground went in the 1980s. A well-attended revived club now plays at the New Windmill on the edge of town.
- Forest Green (FA Cup) at the earlier Lawn just down the hill from the present New Lawn.
Sidetracking a little - because football is still played there - I've just remembered seeing Torquay play Chester at Macclesfield (a horrible day) to add to Bournemouth at Dorchester, Bristol Rovers at Bath and Brighton at Gillingham. Consequently, like others reading this site, I can claim to have seen both Brighton v Torquay and Bristol Rovers v Torquay at three separate venues.
Ex-league clubs we've played in the Football League which still play at the same ground: Merthyr, Barrow, Southport, Workington, Boston, Halifax (plus the current batch in the BSP).
Using the original posting I've pasted the lost grounds on which I've seen TUFC - with a few more added at the foot of the posting.
Additional to my list - and in the time since my first game at Plainmoor - the club would also have played at the former grounds of Millwall, Oxford, Middlesbrough, Wigan, Leicester, Bradford PA, Chelmsford and Canterbury (and others?).
Prior to the mid 1960s - and this might not be a complete list - you could add Gateshead (Redheugh Pk), Clapton Orient (Millfields Road and Lea Bridge Stadium), Norwich (The Nest), Port Vale (Old Recreation Ground, Hanley), QPR (White City - 1930s spell), Southampton (The Dell), Southend United (The Kursaal and Southend Stadium) and Thames (West Ham Stadium).
FA Cup from 1927 - possibly not complete - Accrington Stanley (Peel Park 30/31), Dulwich Hamlet (the original Champion Hill 35/36), Ely City (Paradise Ground 56/57), New Brighton (Tower Grounds 56/57) and Weymouth (Recreation Ground 60/61).
My list (with BBC's date of the ground's demise):
2008........... Colchester United - Layer Road
....................Rotherham United - Millmoor
2007........... Milton Keynes Dons - National Hockey Stadium
....................Scarborough - The McCain Stadium
....................Shrewsbury Town - Gay Meadow
2006........... Doncaster Rovers- Belle Vue
2005........... Swansea City - Vetch Field
....................Coventry City - Highfield Road
....................Hinckley United - Middlefield Lane
2004...........Weston Super Mare - Woodspring Park (friendly)
2003...........Darlington - Feethams
....................Manchester City - Maine Road
2002...........Hull City - Boothferry Park
1998...........Reading - Elm Park
1997...........Brighton & Hove Albion - Goldstone Ground
....................Bolton Wanderers - Burnden Park
....................Stoke City - Victoria Ground
1994...........Northampton Town - County Ground
...................Huddersfield Town - Leeds Road
1992...........Newport County - Somerton Park
1991...........Wimbledon - Plough Lane
1990...........Chester City - Sealand Road
....................Walsall - Fellows Park
....................Yeovil Town - Huish
1988...........Scunthorpe United - Old Show Ground
1986...........Bristol Rovers - Eastville
To this I'd add:
- Maidstone at Dartford. Maidstone's demise led to problems at Dartford FC and the rapid loss of Watling Street.
- Slough Town (FA Cup) - Wexham Park. Slough currently play at Beaconsfield after spending time at Windsor & Eton.
- Enfield (FA Cup) - Southbury Road (lost in 1999). There's now two clubs: Enfield [1893] (playing at Ware) and Enfield Town - a "fan's club" - playing at Brimsdown Rovers.
- AP Leamington (FA Cup 1978) - Windmill Ground. Automotive Products Leamington was a founder member of what is now the BSP. Club and ground went in the 1980s. A well-attended revived club now plays at the New Windmill on the edge of town.
- Forest Green (FA Cup) at the earlier Lawn just down the hill from the present New Lawn.
Sidetracking a little - because football is still played there - I've just remembered seeing Torquay play Chester at Macclesfield (a horrible day) to add to Bournemouth at Dorchester, Bristol Rovers at Bath and Brighton at Gillingham. Consequently, like others reading this site, I can claim to have seen both Brighton v Torquay and Bristol Rovers v Torquay at three separate venues.
Ex-league clubs we've played in the Football League which still play at the same ground: Merthyr, Barrow, Southport, Workington, Boston, Halifax (plus the current batch in the BSP).
