Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Oct 7, 2009 20:58:15 GMT
When in Southampton on Tuesday I took a look at the site of The Dell. It's a large block of flats now and, from what I could see, there's no indication of what once stood there (although I've since discovered some of the apartments are in Ted Bates Court). The "private property" and "no ball games" signs discouraged me from investigating further. I've taken these then and now pictures from an old Aerofilms book and a property website. Note they are taken from opposite directions. The block pretty much approximates to the former playing area:   From The Dell walk along Archers Road, turn left into Northlands Road and within a five minute stroll you'll find the same has happened to the site of the old Hampshire county cricket ground. Here a plaque marks the spot at the entrance of Marshall Square named, I assume, in honour of Malcolm Marshall who died shortly before building work started. |
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Post by crazyfool on Oct 7, 2009 21:39:54 GMT
I might be totally wrong about this, but I seem to recall reading something about them keeping the centre circle. Is this perhaps the green area in the middle of the flats?? Again going from memory a little here, but I believe the properties on the old Dell are at least partially social housing whilst the old cricket ground are all privately owned. I've always liked the look of the cricket ground properties. I just never earned enough whilst down that way to be able to buy one!!
Also I can see a road (Burton Road) that I once lived on in both pictures. It's to the left in the top pic and to the right in the bottom picture.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 8, 2009 6:04:09 GMT
I might be totally wrong about this, but I seem to recall reading something about them keeping the centre circle. Is this perhaps the green area in the middle of the flats?? I was hoping that might be the case. I believe it's been done elsewhere in a fashion - the old Ayresome Park, perhaps, has pitch markings in the road surface? |
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Post by chrish on Oct 8, 2009 18:24:48 GMT
I might be totally wrong about this, but I seem to recall reading something about them keeping the centre circle. Is this perhaps the green area in the middle of the flats?? I was hoping that might be the case. I believe it's been done elsewhere in a fashion - the old Ayresome Park, perhaps, has pitch markings in the road surface? I believe Bernie Slaven also has a piece of Ayresome Park in his back garden. A piece of the perimeter fencing he used to jump upon and rattle when celebrating a goal. |
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Dave
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Post by Dave on Oct 8, 2009 18:41:41 GMT
This uniquely located residential development was on Southampton's most historic landmark the city's own football ground 'The Dell'. We provided the detailed design and construction drawing package for a mixture of 228 luxury apartments and townhouses in the city centre, both private and affordable accommodation. The specific design approach used was to preserve some of the great memories by echoing the layout of the Dell. The four sided arrangement of the homes evokes the spectators stands. These surround a central landscaped courtyard which itself is on the exact site of the old pitch and indeed the old centre spot. Due to its proximity to the city centre we were able to make use of and incorporate the city's district heating systems.    |
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Post by ohtobeatplainmoor on Oct 8, 2009 19:47:02 GMT
When were you living there Crazyfool? I was there as a tax-dodger back in the late 90's into 2001 in Burlington Road (leading off into the top right of the top photo.
I guess that photo must have been taken in the early 90's? They replaced the away-end and the other weird stand was seated around 93......
It's amazing that ground held top-flight football there.
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Post by crazyfool on Oct 8, 2009 23:30:06 GMT
I was there then as well. Although by that time I had done my tax dodging days and was working in town. I lived in a few houses around the Polygon area during my student days ... 92-95. Enjoyed my time down there and might even head back that way at some point.
Cheers for the further information on the development Dave. It appears I might not have got it quite right!! That reads that they landscaped where the centre circle once was. Nothing that states any of the actual pitch/centre circle was retained.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Oct 9, 2009 6:15:19 GMT
The picture is from Aerofilms' first football grounds book published in 1993 just as the two ends were being redeveloped. The new stand at the Archers Road (north) end only seated 1,300; the new Milton Road (south) stand 2,900. Both were in use for eight years until the ground closed in 2001 by which time it had an all-seated capacity of just over 15,000.
The Dell's record attendance was just over 31,000. I was in a 30,000 crowd against Arsenal on Easter Saturday 1971 and can confirm it was rather crowded - prompting a Disgusted (age 15) of Torquay letter to Goal magazine.
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Post by Budleigh on Oct 14, 2009 20:54:24 GMT
This is a great photo of the Mayor of Southampton kicking off on the occasion of the opening of the Dell against Brighton United on the 3rd of September 1898.... |
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Post by Deleted on Oct 15, 2009 19:42:23 GMT
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