Pitch ratings.

[Observerpie]

As I understand it, to gain entry into the EFL a club's ground must be of a certain standard but there's no emphasis on how good the pitch is and it's my view that pitches should be rated game by game as in local cricket. Low ratings and you can't be promoted, which may then make some clubs spend more money on the pitch rather than spend everything on players. To my mind, the two stand out shocking surfaces are Bradford and Mansfield, both unsuitable for league football.

[crazyfists]

****ing joke an hour before the game. Still had some good chats with Bradford fans in the wetherspoons in the centre, what a wasted trip though ha ha.

[applepie2]

I had quite a pleasant time exchanging banter with a few Bratford fans. It’s a good thing I had bragging rights from the first half at Meadow Lane.

[Smigpie]

Beats me how a team like Bradford with excellent income have a pitch only designed for tractor pulling, yes we have had excessive rain but so has every team within this league and most without the resources Bradford have, should be embarrassed.

[SinceSept1959]

Pulled into the stadium at 13.50 same time as the team bus. We thought it was late to be arriving at that time so they must have had an inkling or prior knowledge of thea postponement.
Went to watch BPA v Stafford Rangers at The Horsfall Stadium .BPA won 1-0 , penalty goal.
Announcer thanked the Notts , Bradford City and some German fans for visiting.
Attendance 850 + , about double normal crowd and they had plenty of food to go round. Worthington Creamflow £3.60 a pint.

[upthemaggies]

Pulled into the stadium at 13.50 same time as the team bus. We thought it was late to be arriving at that time so they must have had an inkling or prior knowledge of thea postponement.
Went to watch BPA v Stafford Rangers at The Horsfall Stadium .BPA won 1-0 , penalty goal.
Announcer thanked the Notts , Bradford City and some German fans for visiting.
Attendance 850 + , about double normal crowd and they had plenty of food to go round. Worthington Creamflow £3.60 a pint.

When I was a very young, Park Avenue was the nearest FL ground (or ex FL ground by then) to where I lived. Sad to see they are in real danger of dropping straight through to tier 8, though winning that six-pointer today will give them a much better chance of staying up at Basford United's expense.
They averaged between 10k and 17k for 18 seasons during their time in the FL, Jimmy Sirrel played for them as well and Colin Slater grew up watching them. The 3,137 they were averaging when they got voted out of the FL in 1970 was their then lowest, so they were a bit unfortunate with four clubs in tier 4 averaging less than that at the time.

[SmiffyPie]

When I was a very young, Park Avenue was the nearest FL ground (or ex FL ground by then) to where I lived. Sad to see they are in real danger of dropping straight through to tier 8, though winning that six-pointer today will give them a much better chance of staying up at Basford United's expense.
They averaged between 10k and 17k for 18 seasons during their time in the FL, Jimmy Sirrel played for them as well and Colin Slater grew up watching them. The 3,137 they were averaging when they got voted out of the FL in 1970 was their then lowest, so they were a bit unfortunate with four clubs in tier 4 averaging less than that at the time.

I remember a cold damp day away at BPA when it went round our supporters "Jeff's going!!".

[SinceSept1959]

The game at BPA on Saturday was a bit of a dour affair but a decent referee , much more inspiring than we get at ML.
Like a few other Notts fans , I purchased a match worn , white and green trimmed shirt for a bargain £5 from the club shop !
The shirt was embroidered with Kevin Hector 44 on the right shoulder to commentate his 44 goals in 46 games in 1965/66 season. A further 6 goals in the first 4 games of the following season meant KH had scored 50 in 50 games ,before joining Derby.
I saw them at ML and on one occasion they wore red shirts and white shorts. Jimmy Scoular was player/ manager and I recall Notts beating them 3-2 in a League Cup Tie played on bonfire night 5th November.
BPA were indeed the bigger of the two clubs at the time but suffered financially by a smallpox outbreak lockdown and some very winter weather when they missed out on a number of games causing cash flow issues.

[upthemaggies]

The game at BPA on Saturday was a bit of a dour affair but a decent referee , much more inspiring than we get at ML.
Like a few other Notts fans , I purchased a match worn , white and green trimmed shirt for a bargain £5 from the club shop !
The shirt was embroidered with Kevin Hector 44 on the right shoulder to commentate his 44 goals in 46 games in 1965/66 season. A further 6 goals in the first 4 games of the following season meant KH had scored 50 in 50 games ,before joining Derby.
I saw them at ML and on one occasion they wore red shirts and white shorts. Jimmy Scoular was player/ manager and I recall Notts beating them 3-2 in a League Cup Tie played on bonfire night 5th November.
BPA were indeed the bigger of the two clubs at the time but suffered financially by a smallpox outbreak lockdown and some very winter weather when they missed out on a number of games causing cash flow issues.

BPA shaded the Bradford head to head with 21 wins to City's 20, though City had finished higher of the two for 31 seasons to BPA's 25 up to 1970, City having had a longer spell in the top flight in the early 1900s and winning the FA Cup.

The league position comparison graph clearly indicates that they dragged each other down after a strong start by both, City initially continued to struggle after BPA lost their place but then saw a major upturn in the 1980s.

With auto relegation introduced, it was probably inevitable that one of them would have eventually lost their place had BPA not been voted out, more likely BPA but by no means a certainty.

The graph up to 1970.....