County Ground photos

[Peter Venkman]

That's later than I maybe thought. Didn't catch a glimpse of it in 6 days till Saturday I don't think, unless it didn't occur to me. Were the cameras on the north stand side previously on the rare occasion tv was there?

I am sure one of the older chaps can help with that as my first game was in 1974.

I am pretty sure matches were filmed from the top of the Shrivenham Road Stand always though.

Like this one was in 1969, there was always a part of the Shrivvy stand seperate for the cameras in the 70s.

[Ƭ̵̬̊: The Artist Formerly Known as CWIG]

Just me not paying attention to the ground looks like.

[Peter Venkman]

Some more games from back then.

[Ƭ̵̬̊: The Artist Formerly Known as CWIG]

I think I just assumed it was the Shrivy Road stand bottom tier as you don't get much of a good look at the top.

[Bedford Red]

Here is a page from the first home programme of the 1970-71 season, giving details of the new stand being built.

More pictures to follow, I'm having problems loading them all on one reply.

[Bedford Red]

2nd Picture is of the home match against Luton that season and you can see the stand starting to appear behind the old stand.

[Bedford Red]

3rd Picture (well 2) are from the home Liverpool cup match

[Bedford Red]

4th Picture from the Bolton Home match

[Bedford Red]

And finally the last home programme of that season had a picture of the new stand towering over the old stand. Not fully finished but well on the way

[Peter Venkman]

Some very good pics there BR, thanks for sharing them.

[Ƭ̵̬̊: The Artist Formerly Known as CWIG]

All good stuff this.

[Wormholes of Time]

I remember Reg telling me of his excitement watching the floodlights erected. My 90 year old brother-in-law has great memories of the stand arriving from the Aldershot Tattoo (I think) in the mid 1950s. I'm visiting him tomorrow - he might just have some photographs.

[NotHarryAgombar]

I've joined this thread a bit late - hopefully the info will be helpful.
My first game was in January 1967. As others have said, the Arkells was built in 1970/71. at that time we were upwardly mobile, having won the League Cup/Promotion in 1969 and narrowly missed a second promotion in 1970.
Originally the terrace in front of the old North stand was known as "the Enclosure" and was slightly more expensive than the terraces on the other 3 sides of the ground. There were also benches in from of both the Arkells and Shrivenham Road terraces - it was possible to upgrade from the enclosure terrace to a "ring seat" as they were called - both sides were accessed from the Enclosure you walked behind the Stratton goal to access the Shrivenham Road ring seats. The ring seats disappeared when the construction of the new North Stand current Arkells stand began if I recall correctly. The old stand was demolished in the 1971 close season once the new one was completed.
When the new stand was open, there was a gap between the stand and the pitch - this remained for 20 odd years - what is now the lower Arkells (basically the uncovered section at the front - from the wall in front of row AA down to the pitch level - was added when we were promoted to the PL in 1993. it's worrying to think that the DRS opening in 1974 is the last improvement to the stadium - virtually nothing done in 30  years since!

As an aside, until about 1974 (approximately) it was possible to enter the ground on the corner which is now Arkells/Stratton bank and walk all the way round the terrace to the Town End - we used to stand on the end Town were attacking in those days and move at half time. What was referred to as "crowd trouble" led to the terraces being sectioned off (fences at the front of terraces followed after some pitch invasions in other places).

[Frigby Daser]

I've joined this thread a bit late - hopefully the info will be helpful.
My first game was in January 1967. As others have said, the Arkells was built in 1970/71. at that time we were upwardly mobile, having won the League Cup/Promotion in 1969 and narrowly missed a second promotion in 1970.
Originally the terrace in front of the old North stand was known as "the Enclosure" and was slightly more expensive than the terraces on the other 3 sides of the ground. There were also benches in from of both the Arkells and Shrivenham Road terraces - it was possible to upgrade from the enclosure terrace to a "ring seat" as they were called - both sides were accessed from the Enclosure you walked behind the Stratton goal to access the Shrivenham Road ring seats. The ring seats disappeared when the construction of the new North Stand current Arkells stand began if I recall correctly. The old stand was demolished in the 1971 close season once the new one was completed.
When the new stand was open, there was a gap between the stand and the pitch - this remained for 20 odd years - what is now the lower Arkells (basically the uncovered section at the front - from the wall in front of row AA down to the pitch level - was added when we were promoted to the PL in 1993. it's worrying to think that the DRS opening in 1974 is the last improvement to the stadium - virtually nothing done in 30  years since!

As an aside, until about 1974 (approximately) it was possible to enter the ground on the corner which is now Arkells/Stratton bank and walk all the way round the terrace to the Town End - we used to stand on the end Town were attacking in those days and move at half time. What was referred to as "crowd trouble" led to the terraces being sectioned off (fences at the front of terraces followed after some pitch invasions in other places).

Great detail, thank you. I had thought the lower section of the Arkells pre-dates the Premier League and went in during Hoddle’s promotion season - due to be used for the first time v Birmingham at home between Christmas and New Year in ‘92, which was then frozen off.

[jayohaitchenn]

it's worrying to think that the DRS opening in 1974 is the last improvement to the stadium - virtually nothing done in 30  years since!

Umm 1974 was 50 years ago