Elm Park Years

[strap]

Happy times!


Why the Steve Claridge pic? I don't remember him at EP.

He was playing for Aldershit v RFC.

Mildly connected factoid - Steve Claridge holds the record, (with Dele Adebola, Nathan Ellington and Marlon King), of having appeared in a 1st XI match v RFC for the most different number of clubs. To be strictly correct it is 7 different clubs in 8 different spells. He also scored 3 times, but oddly all for the same club, (in 2 spells).

Aside from Aldershit, can you name the other 6 clubs? No prizes, just a bit of fun on an otherwise dingy wet Monday afternoon.

Just noticed that close behind on 6 different clubs is our own Andy Hughes, as well as the pantomime villain Neil Warnock - yes 6 different clubs v RFC as a player to go with his 8 different club s v RFC as a manager. Oddly, he's never faced RFC as a player and manager for the same club, 6 different as a plyaer and 8 different as a manager. If the Claridge question is too easy, what are the 14 different clubs Colin has faced us as a player or manager?

[Mr Angry]

Leicester & Pompey?7

For the Steve Claridge rather than Colin question....

[Uke]

Happy times!


Why the Steve Claridge pic? I don't remember him at EP.

He was playing for Aldershit v RFC.

Yup, but its a picture of him "Showing his joy to the crowd after scoring against Chesterfield"

I suppose the connection with RFC was that this picture appeared in an RFC programme once!

[From Despair To Where?]

I remember seeing him score at Elm Park for Cambridge.

I'd imagine Millwall is another one and maybe Wolves

[The Cube]

Re Claridge - for Bournemouth in 1985 was the first. He looked exceptionally good which is why I remember.

[blindedbythelights]

pfft, not sure I'm interested in the thoughts of some Maidenhead gooner tbh

[SPARTA]

Just out of interest, for the older heads on here - where did you stand at Elm Park and where are you sat now at the Madstad?

I do miss the old girl.


Y25 AA. Almost the same view point, albeit higher in comparison. Football wouldn't be football without the noise and closeness to the away fans.

[floyd__streete]

You stood on the roof

[SPARTA]

Yes Floyd. Thanks for your valuable contribution. At a guess I would imagine you weren't such a grump back then, and were probably somewhere in that third of the South Bank?

[floyd__streete]

Yes Floyd. Thanks for your valuable contribution. At a guess I would imagine you weren't such a grump back then, and were probably somewhere in that third of the South Bank?

Yeah, usually somewhere right of the clock.

Or left of the clock, as you look at that pic.

[Winchester Royal]

Just out of interest, for the older heads on here - where did you stand at Elm Park and where are you sat now at the Madstad?

Interestingly, I'm a similar comparison. Sat on the back wall of Elm Park at a point similar to that which you have indicated, graduating to a season ticket in the back row of Y25. Although not renewed, I try to sit there when possible.

[Royal & Ancient]

First memories are sitting on the wall to the right of the Tilehurst end goal, long before the floodlights! Does my memory fail me but think where you indicate was not originally covered as I remember all turning out in our finery from a wedding and being in the open. Generally stood halfway up to right of clock (per photo) now similar position,Lower West.
Were you there for the inauguration of the floodlights? Game against Racing Club de Paris, won, I think 4-1, in style, and on the telly(for those who had one)

[LUX]

most frequently Tilehurst End, slightly to the right of the goal looking at the pitch, probably halfway up. With Franchise FC, inter alia. Brothers both Southbank bootboys.

[Uke]

Just out of interest, for the older heads on here - where did you stand at Elm Park and where are you sat now at the Madstad?

About 5-6 steps down the South Bank on the right side within range of the smell of the urinals on particularly pissy days

[Muskrat]

First memories are sitting on the wall to the right of the Tilehurst end goal, long before the floodlights! Does my memory fail me but think where you indicate was not originally covered as I remember all turning out in our finery from a wedding and being in the open. Generally stood halfway up to right of clock (per photo) now similar position,Lower West.
Were you there for the inauguration of the floodlights? Game against Racing Club de Paris, won, I think 4-1, in style, and on the telly(for those who had one)

Blimey that was a while back

For me I started in the Tilehurst ennd and then graduated to the right of the clock (as viewed on the photo). Now tend to sit in the North Stand, back to my roots #bloodylovedelmpark.

[From Despair To Where?]

Re Claridge - for Bournemouth in 1985 was the first. He looked exceptionally good which is why I remember.

Playing along side Colin Clarke? Those were the days when seeing someone at the World Cup who had played against Reading the previous season was a genuine shock.

The one thing I remember most about that Bournemouth game, apart from losing 2-0 was very nearly pissing myself near the end because the tide was particulalry high in the South Bank toilets that day and I didn't want to ruin my new trainers

[The Cube]

Re Claridge - for Bournemouth in 1985 was the first. He looked exceptionally good which is why I remember.

Playing along side Colin Clarke? Those were the days when seeing someone at the World Cup who had played against Reading the previous season was a genuine shock.

The one thing I remember most about that Bournemouth game, apart from losing 2-0 was very nearly pissing myself near the end because the tide was particulalry high in the South Bank toilets that day and I didn't want to ruin my new trainers

Wrong game - we destroyed them 3-0 at Dean Court with Claridge coming on as a sub and Clarke still at Tranmere. The wind-assisted Clarke fiasco at Elm Park was a year later (and 2-1 rather than 2-0).

[From Despair To Where?]

Did we score late on? I was concentrating more on the imminent ureic Niagara about to engulf the terracing from the mouth of the South Bank toilets than I was on the game.

[Jackson Corner]

Just out of interest, for the older heads on here - where did you stand at Elm Park and where are you sat now at the Madstad?

I do miss the old girl.


Y25 AA. Almost the same view point, albeit higher in comparison. Football wouldn't be football without the noise and closeness to the away fans.

I was halfway along the Southbank at the back to the left of the fenced walkway. I am now middle Y25.

[Green]

I was ever so slightly more central than that, but still right side enough to join in with the "We're the right side of the bank" chants.

Don't go to the Mad Stad.