Remembering Ayresome

Alan_Breck

Alan_Breck

Well-known member
Those of a certain age will have reminiscences of Ayresome which don't seem to have made the transition and travelled across town to The Riverside.

There was invariably a dog running on the pitch at Ayresome which I've never seen at The Riveride. Then there was the caravan selling pies and hot drinks at the gents Holgate stand bogs, the Bovril being so hot at half time it was only cool enough to drink at the final whistle.

Fun days out at Ayresome and The Riverside seems a bit sterile in comparison.

#UTB
 
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I was only just talking to my wife about Ayresome Park & going to the main library to start going through the gazette archives when things open back up
 
We used to try and nick in in the early 90's as we knew one of the staff on the turnstiles. I remember a group of us jumping them and one of us catching his foot in the turnstile and falling flat on his face. We just laughed and kept running down the concourse.
 
The floodlight pylons and lads climbing them

The stamping on the wooden floors from those sitting in upper tiers

the half-time scores being hung on the hoardings

The wall for the boys end and climbing over it

the clock for which time stood still for years

How ridiculously green and even the grass was under floodlights

The Football League Review in the middle of the programme

The goal stanchions (see Erimus 74’s Souness thread)
 
Red_is_best said:
The floodlight pylons and lads climbing them

The stamping on the wooden floors from those sitting in upper tiers

the half-time scores being hung on the hoardings

The wall for the boys end and climbing over it

the clock for which time stood still for years

How ridiculously green and even the grass was under floodlights

The Football League Review in the middle of the programme

The goal stanchions (see Erimus 74’s Souness thread)
Click to expand...
Cracking post red
 
Oddly, It was the sight of all the smokers smoke rising into the floodlights from what seemed
to be zillions of old fellas wearing caps that enthralled me initially.

Yes I was a strange kid :rolleyes:
 
The jump in my heart rate as I saw the pitch when getting into the boys end at 11 years old. That jump in my heart raye has never left me at any Boro match,
As has been mentioned so often- the greeness of the pitch.
On rainy wet nights watching the rain falling down through the lights of the floodlights. ( sometimes more exciting than the game)
Trying to guess what beer the person next to me had been drinking by the smell of his breath -(And that was in the boys end!!!)
My sister complaining that someone had peed in her handbag -( I couldn't look at her for weeks!!).
 
Trug said:
The jump in my heart rate as I saw the pitch when getting into the boys end at 11 years old. That jump in my heart raye has never left me at any Boro match,
As has been mentioned so often- the greeness of the pitch.
On rainy wet nights watching the rain falling down through the lights of the floodlights. ( sometimes more exciting than the game)
Trying to guess what beer the person next to me had been drinking by the smell of his breath -(And that was in the boys end!!!)
My sister complaining that someone had peed in her handbag -( I couldn't look at her for weeks!!).
Click to expand...
Ah the boysend 😁
 
Oh yes, the bogs.
Even after fifty years of living in Oz, I can still remember the smell of them.
The missing bricks in the Kop end bogs.
I wasn't curious enough to have a peek to see what was on the other side, maybe someone
could fill me in on that if they're game enough to be ridiculed for admitting to have taken a peek.;)

Told you I was a strange kid.🤣(y)
 
I started my love of Boro on the Holgate' me and my mates, fish and chips snack (anyone remember them?), Bovril, the Holgate squeeze when Boro scored, the songs, the ritual of always standing in the same place, the FA cup games v Everton, the play-off's v Bradford, then chelsea, and the connection to the team that, if I'm really honest, I've never felt since.

Rioch's team was my team, always will be, it was more than just watching a game of football, its was about belonging and being part of something bigger.

I don't think kids these days feel that same connection sadly, it's more superficial and passive, the sense of tribalism is lost, probably forever I think.
 
Interesting comment about tribalism above, I think the kids these days have a lot of choice in terms of activities. They are also bombarded with Sky football and football is a different experience now but I’m sure the next generation will be coming through.

I‘m probably in the minority of posters who think going to the Riverside was a good move purely because Ayresome was finished and suffered at the death due to lack of proper investment over many years.

My list of favourite Ayresome reminisces-

The Holgate corner turnstiles down the back alley.
The Warwick Street main entrance with hardly enough room for the away team coach - obviously belonged to the stagecoach era!
The Christmas tree lights in the windows of the terraced houses around the ground, I used to love coming out on Boxing Day matches and seeing them.
The clock that never worked.
The Boro bugler who got banned.
Bernard Gent and Radio Ayresome.
Bernie stood on the Holgate fence while the fans went wild.
Fans on the Holgate roof during the Chelsea play off.

No wonder we loved it 👍
 
I remember the first game my dad took me and my brother to at Ayresome Park, I think I was only 7 or 8, couldn't tell you who we played but I do remember us walking with a small crowd after the game down the street to where my dad had parked our car and nearly getting knocked over by a car. A random person dragged me out of the way and my dad smashes the car windscreen with his fist which then speeds off before my dad could drag this lad out of his car. 😂

My younger brother laughing the whole time. One of my earliest memories and that event still so vivid to this day, can still smell the beer, fags and that summer smell you get when the pavements heat up.
 
the walk towards the warwick gates on the cobbled road... peeking in the club shop on the right as you make your way through, few players outside having a drag ( early 70s), grab an autograph, waiting for the away bus to come, the smell of balm rub through the dressing room top windows, passing the little red book to a old guy who tore a ticket from it. as you entered the Season Ticket enterance into the terraced seats.... and yes the bogs.... painted black and even more black... simply brick directing the pee into a huge 1/2 drain pipe size channel and the smell.... looking for the team sheet in the office door window, Boveril,.... the sounds of Fleetwood macs Oh Well and Bernard Gents smoooooth voice over the echo from the tannoys.... wasnt the pitch always in top condition?
 
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