Kevin Davies' Top Ten Football Grounds

The Newcastle game where we look to be certain for relegation 1-0 down with a few minutes to go. For the only time I have ever heard an announcer came on and stated 'will the fans in the Archers sit down' the Archers in their defiance stood up and started to sing, it I seemed to energise the whole stadium and Newcastle just froze. Neil Heaney scored an equaliser, and my brother got up and walked out saying 'too little ,too late' before we scored another couple to win.

Pas for SMS I thnk it has a fantastic atmosphere, when the games are big or important t enough. The Norwich game in our relegation season was special.

as we get older I'm sure our memories become fonder, but the Dell before the seating on the terraces could be an awesome place

He would then dip his fingers in the Vick's vapour rub and rub it into his 'nads.

 

As the Vick's began to take effect on his tender parts, he would let out a huge roar like a bull, and charge out of the door and down the tunnel to play.

Jeez, McGrath was obviously more of a man than me! I remember accidentally splashing Sloan’s liniment on my ‘nads once – the pain was so bad I had to dangle the flaming things in a mug of ice cold water for a couple of hours.

The thing that always struck me about evening games was coming in off a dark wet Milton Road and always being surprised at how green the pitch looked under the lights.

Other memories for the oldies: the Albion Band and that big canvas pocket thing that they carried round the pitch at half time for the crowd to throw coins into. And waiting for them to hang the half-time scores on the board between the West Stand and the Archers, then you had to look in the programme to decode them.

That was my first proper Saints game too, Pahars scored the goal IIRC. Sat in the Kingsland/Chapel corner right up in the gods - those stairs felt huge going up them!

 

That was our first league win at SMS as well, so quite a history one for us to have seen!

Yep - I was pleased I was there for that - my Dad got two season tickets, one for him and one to share between three of us brothers so I selected that game well! As it happens I was also pretty high up and towards the kingsland/chapel corner. I'm pretty sure it was MM something!

I used to go over and stand in the kids section when they built that stupid upper stand on the Milton. Being considerably taller than my Dad, I used to stand right back against the barrier with him directly behind me so once the game started I'd "smuggle him in so he could see". Before that I can't remember where we were, halfway line I think but back then, I remember wearing a Steve Williams shirt and was gutted when he left for Arsenal. Don't think that that was the happiest of moves either.

So were you a going 'down the Dell' or a going 'up the dell person'? I was the latter.

UP THE DELL

Lots of great memories

Bailey baiting

Horne's shot

Channon's hat trick against the skates

but one that just sticks with me was Chivers down the wing , crosses and Paine turns it into the net against Charlton, to make the trips to Leyton Orient and Man City meaningful. Still one of the loudest cheers in the history of the dell, along with Le Tiss against the Arse

The real atmosphere at The Dell was before seating was enforced. 25,000 and more standing, singing, shouting, cheering, within no distance of the players. RIP Dell

Anyone know what the highest ever attendance at The Dell was?

The real atmosphere at The Dell was before seating was enforced. 25,000 and more standing, singing, shouting, cheering, within no distance of the players. RIP Dell

 

Anyone know what the highest ever attendance at The Dell was?

Officially 31,044 v man united in the 60s. Although I've been told there were other games where more were there but the official attendance was less.

Officially 31,044 v man united in the 60s. Although I've been told there were other games where more were there but the official attendance was less.

My first ever Saints game. There were def more there for Mick Channon's testimonial against QPR. Started that on top of the turnstile at The Archers then the Police moved us and sat on the side of the pitch for the rest of the game. I believe they stopped counting at about 28k but I'm absolutely convinced there were over 33,000 in there that mad Monday evening.

What year was it when we tore the pitch up at the end of the season?

March 63' , evening FA cup replay versus Forest , 3-0 down I think and ended 3-3 , stood on the wall in front of the railings beneath the clock/scoreboard (dockers corner) , unbelievable night .

The abuse you could give the linos was sensational and Keegan reckoned he saw a little old woman trip one up with a brolly

I sat in the East stand for a few seasons and there was a chap that sat in the front row, dubbed 'Mr Naughty' by my neighbours son, as he was always getting reprimanded by the stewards for doing stuff like pushing a player or pulling their shorts just as they were about to take a throw in. He never got thrown out though even though it was a regular occurrence. ?

If any opposing subs that the fans weren't too keen on happened to run past, they would get a shed load of abuse on the way to the corner flag and on the way back again .... Happy days ?

I sat in the East stand for a few seasons and there was a chap that sat in the front row, dubbed 'Mr Naughty' by my neighbours son, as he was always getting reprimanded by the stewards for doing stuff like pushing a player or pulling their shorts just as they were about to take a throw in. He never got thrown out though even though it was a regular occurrence.

 

If any opposing subs that the fans weren't too keen on happened to run past, they would get a shed load of abuse on the way to the corner flag and on the way back again .... Happy days

Or the old getting the attention of an opposition player by calling out his name (easily done as you were so close), and when they looked over, everybody would jeer and give him the whanker sign. Fair dues most players managed to laugh it off, but I remember Phil Pinnochio Thompson in the dug out not being too amused as Liverpool chucked away a 3 goal lead as we fought back to 3-3.

Don't know why but one game that i always think of was the 0 0 littlewoods cup semi final against Liverpool. Some guy ran on the pitch and gave mark wright a jacket and he threw it back at him. Was funny at the time. Barry hornes screamer

, doing united 6 3, Liverpool 4 1, constantly getting done by Leeds, le tiss debut. Was a magical place but was overdue to move.