The cricket pavillion

[silentjourneyhome]

Most Blades fans will know that Bramall Lane used to be famous for being a three sided ground. The Cherry Street side comprised a full size (county standard) cricket pitch with a cricket pavilion at the back of it. I seem to remember that during football games you could see people wandering about inside and outside the pavillion. I always assumed they were there to mind the pavilion. I am sure they had not paid to watch the game from a distance.

In the summer we hosted Yorkshire cricket and the benches outside the pavilion were often full.

Does anyone have any memories of the three sided ground and in particular did you sit inside or outside the pavilion to watch cricket/football matches.

I have a specific reason for asking which I hope to add to the posts toward the end of the thread.

[tomytony]

Watched both games from a 3 sided ground SJH.

Saw Yorks beat the Windies there in, I think, 1968, with Fred Trueman captaining the side. Watched it from the Bramall Lane end, just to the side of the away stand. You sat on the actual terrace steps but could hire a cushion, dark green piped with red if I remember rightly.

Also managed to get into the old shed that housed the indoor nets, on a rained off morning, and the Windies players, Lance Gibbs, Rohan Kanhai, Wes Hall, Charlie Griffiths etc were present. Gibbs let me have a bowl at Rohan Kanhai and generously gave him out LBW to my off spinner!

In later times wasn't there a pre/postmatch bar in the pavilion itself?

[RonnieWaldock]

Watched the fabulous 1948 Aussies (Bradman, Miller, Lindwall etc.) from the balcony. Watched many Yorkshire games from that pavillion including all the touring sides up to about 1956 (Walcott, Worral, Weekes, Sobers, Benaud, Len Hutton, Wardle, Trueman etc., etc.). Also, the footbal treatment room was upstairs there. I was treated by Harry Latham during the 70/71 promotion season.

[tomytony]

Watched the fabulous 1948 Aussies (Bradman, Miller, Lindwall etc.) from the balcony. Watched many Yorkshire games from that pavillion including all the touring sides up to about 1956 (Walcott, Worral, Weekes, Sobers, Benaud, Len Hutton, Wardle, Trueman etc., etc.). Also, the footbal treatment room was upstairs there. I was treated by Harry Latham during the 70/71 promotion season.

Ronnie, were the pavilion seats reserved for members?

And I envy you having seen those marvellous cricketers having only seen FS and Sobers out of the ones you name.

[GrayBlade]

All of my early memories of watching United are from the cricket pavilion end some of them sitting on my Dad’s shoulders throughout.

I’ve got to be honest, most of the time I’d no idea what was going on in the distance but I was with my Dad doing what he’d told me about for years so I just rolled with it. I was just happy to be there.

A few years later, I started going regularly, standing on John Street terrace near the players tunnel and the rest as they say is history.

[seanbeanstattoo]

Sat on the kop steps watching Roses games when Boycs and Phil Sharp were our main men and Farook Engineer and Clive Lloyd were Lancys. Got all the autographs in the Pavillion at Tea.
Also an Ahes test but cant remember the year.

Was on the Pavillion terrace for the 1971 games against Hull City and Cardiff.

[RonnieWaldock]

Ronnie, were the pavilion seats reserved for members?

And I envy you having seen those marvellous cricketers having only seen FS and Sobers out of the ones you name.

Yes, I feel very lucky to have seen so many great players, long before we could see them on the tele.

I could get into the pavilion because my father owned an “original” share in the Sheffield United Cricket and Football Club. I’ve still got the silver disc somewhere, with which I could get into watch the football (standing on the terraces) but we had a little booklet issued each year which admitted 1 adult and 2 ladies or children into the pavilion for cricket matches (both Yorkshire’s 4 matches and the Sheffield United Cricket Club games). Once inside, the seats were unreserved so if you wanted to get the best seats (front row on the balcony), you had to get there early - which I usually did. I even went down on Coronation Day as Yorkshire were playing Glamorgan (I think it was) but it peed it down all day so my pal and I had a wasted journey. Although the ground was open, I think us 2 were probably the only customers there!

[rodcurrie]

Yes, I feel very lucky to have seen so many great players, long before we could see them on the tele.

I could get into the pavilion because my father owned an “original” share in the Sheffield United Cricket and Football Club. I’ve still got the silver disc somewhere, with which I could get into watch the football (standing on the terraces) but we had a little booklet issued each year which admitted 1 adult and 2 ladies or children into the pavilion for cricket matches (both Yorkshire’s 4 matches and the Sheffield United Cricket Club games). Once inside, the seats were unreserved so if you wanted to get the best seats (front row on the balcony), you had to get there early - which I usually did. I even went down on Coronation Day as Yorkshire were playing Glamorgan (I think it was) but it peed it down all day so my pal and I had a wasted journey. Although the ground was open, I think us 2 were probably the only customers there!

I recall watchin a Sheff derby game that ended 1-0 to the MIGHTY BLADES,Bill Punton scored from the Pavillion side,i was also on that side when MICK JONES scored the best headed goal i've seen at BDBL against Manure in a 2-1 win,i think it was a boxing day game.I watched a few Yorks games from the pavillion,i also watched Yorks against the Aussies just from the BL upper just after it been opened.I miss Yorks no longer playin in't Sheffield but i have seen em a couple of times at Scarbro.UTCB

[BlockD]

I can remember the Beer Keller under the pavilion ,they did not seem to be bothered about serving a 15 year old who looked about 10,so happy nights.

Criminal that such a fine building was demolished, it should have been used and preserved, alongside the new stand.Somebody should be shot for allowing it.

[FatherKnowsBest]

My memories are a bit sketchy now as I was only a kid. I was allowed (at the age of 11!) to go to games with twomates (also 11, how would you get that freedom today..?), so long as we went on the pavilion side, not in the main crowd. I remember TC's goal from 35yards vs Liverpool, I remember getting piss-wet through in a 0-0 with West Brom (nowhere to shelter...), and being annoyed when the TV cameras were there as their scaffolding obscured where TC usually was. The bloke in the white coat doing the scores on the balcony

I didn't go to cricket much, only a few games. I went to a Roses match, sat where the Copthorne is now. Watched Boycott and Hampshire (I think) open for us, and after I'd eaten my sandwiches thinking how I'd much prefer to be in the park playing than watching.

Later, as a young man, we played 5-a side in the gym on Cherry Street corner for a couple of seasons.

Ronnie. The first Mrs FKB's father had a silver share too. Used to lend it to me, but on strict instructions I went in collar and tie. Looking back I'm still not sure if he was pulling my leg..!