Old Meadow Lane Ground Improvements

[upthemaggies]

Intriguing photo of the Meadow Lane end in 1934, looks like the entire roof was replaced that summer. Other similar photos taken the same day show that only the skeleton structure is in place and you can see through the top of it to the terraces underneath. Old scoreboard is on the left (I think a bigger one might have replaced the version seen here at some stage before the Shipstones one went up on top of the Kop in 1963).

Other work carried out in 1934 included 'tip-up' seats in the main stand replacing existing seats which must have been fixed and difficult to move past other people sat on the same row, apparently Arsenal were the only other club had this new type of seat at the time. A new directors room was also built.

We'd just finished level on points with Forest in the 2nd tier but then appointed the worst manager of all time - worse than Fullarton, - Charlie Jones, an ex-Fword player who was in charge for 17 games, he won 1 Drew 4 and lost 12 before he resigned in December 1934 with the club rock bottom and destined for the 3rd tier South.

Have also put a date to seats first being installed on County Road (at the back in the center), it was November 1974 in time for the game against Millwall.

[Riverleeno]

Intriguing, looking at the top left corner of the photo it looks like buildings or yards where the junction is now - or did the club have to buy some land to expand the ground?
Charlie Jones - did he jump or was he pushed!

[LaxtonLad]

Charlie Jones - did he jump or was he pushed!

There's some on here who'd give him two seasons at least before giving him the push.

[irishpete]

There's some on here who'd give him two seasons at least before giving him the push.

Give us a clue LaxtonLad
LOL

[upthemaggies]

The allotments are still behind "County Road" at this time (so despite the new Triangle gabled stand being 9 years old, it was still "The Steinton Side" here). The new road was proposed in 1930, I think I saw something about it mentioned in relation to the abattoir in 1935 so it was probably built very soon after this photo was taken.

Charlie Jones (100 apps for Fword before joining Arsenal) resigned. IIRC a director had resigned just before he came in, Horace Henshall - the previous manager - became "secretary" but then he only lasted another year in that role, so it was a pretty turbulent period for the club. Fword were not doing much better and struggled to avoid joining us in D3 South pre-war and eventually did so after it was over.
We had a really good manager circa 1937 in Jimmy McMorran, a Scot who had a very good record indeed, missed promotion by losing our final home game but were top again the following Xmas and then he got poached by Sheff Wed (similar to Wilkinson... and Sewell. Sheff Wed have got a lot to answer for, in fact Sheffield in general as United poached Sirrel).

Can anybody confirm whether or not that scoreboard is the same one that stood there pre-Shipstones/Kop scorebaord or was there another one in that spot?

Slightly different angle of 1934 pic....

[irishpete]

The allotments are still behind "County Road" at this time (so despite the new Triangle gabled stand being 9 years old, it was still "The Steinton Side" here). The new road was proposed in 1930, I think I saw something about it mentioned in relation to the abattoir in 1935 so it was probably built very soon after this photo was taken.

Charlie Jones (100 apps for Fword before joining Arsenal) resigned. IIRC a director had resigned just before he came in, Horace Henshall - the previous manager - became "secretary" but then he only lasted another year in that role, so it was a pretty turbulent period for the club. Fword were not doing much better and struggled to avoid joining us in D3 South pre-war and eventually did so after it was over.
We had a really good manager circa 1937 in Jimmy McMorran, a Scot who had a very good record indeed, missed promotion by losing our final home game but were top again the following Xmas and then he got poached by Sheff Wed (similar to Wilkinson... and Sewell. Sheff Wed have got a lot to answer for, in fact Sheffield in general as United poached Sirrel).

Can anybody confirm whether or not that scoreboard is the same one that stood there pre-Shipstones/Kop scorebaord or was there another one in that spot?

Slightly different angle of 1934 pic....

At a guess, I'd say a different scoreboard. If I remember rightly the one on the kop had glass front top to bottom, that one is only glass top half, maybe it is the same & they did modifications to it?

[upthemaggies]

Top - Close up of the scoreboard in 1934, you can see a clock on the right hand side.

Bottom - Same corner taken in 1962, shortly before the floodlights were upgraded.

[SwalePie]

There's some on here who'd give him two seasons at least before giving him the push.

Thank goodness

[upthemaggies]

From the excellent "Notts County History" Twitter account, the Director's suite under the old main stand....



Captioned "Inside the Directors suite in the old Main Stand at Meadow Lane Circa mid 1980s. Apparently it had a stairway leading straight upto the Directors Box to watch the Match."

The mention of stairs straight to the directors box matches the description of the plans being put in place in 1934.

The scoreboard as pictured in 1934 was definitely still being used in 1950 and its' probably the same one on the 1962 pic. I think they had a scoreboard in place for the very first ML match in 1910, could it have even been floated over from Trent Bridge (along with the ML end stand?) The first one we ever had was first used on 3rd December 1898, so maybe the original lasted for 65 years. In 1966 the HT scoreboard operator claimed to be the longest serving member of staff having had the role since 1932, apparently he got the job because he knew how to use a telephone (No sports news on BBC radio until 6:25pm in 1932).

[Biker9999]

From the excellent "Notts County History" Twitter account, the Director's suite under the old main stand....



Captioned "Inside the Directors suite in the old Main Stand at Meadow Lane Circa mid 1980s. Apparently it had a stairway leading straight upto the Directors Box to watch the Match."

The mention of stairs straight to the directors box matches the description of the plans being put in place in 1934.

The scoreboard as pictured in 1934 was definitely still being used in 1950 and its' probably the same one on the 1962 pic. I think they had a scoreboard in place for the very first ML match in 1910, could it have even been floated over from Trent Bridge (along with the ML end stand?) The first one we ever had was first used on 3rd December 1898, so maybe the original lasted for 65 years. In 1966 the HT scoreboard operator claimed to be the longest serving member of staff having had the role since 1932, apparently he got the job because he knew how to use a telephone (No sports news on BBC radio until 6:25pm in 1932).

During the Jack Dunnett, Bill Hopcroft Era I was lucky enough to watch quite a few games from the Directors box and whilst I don’t have a clear recollection of a spiral staircase what I do remember is what I have always thought was a real oddity and that was the gents toilet attached to the Director’s room. It was dark wood panelled with the urinals down one side sinks on the other but the toilet was at the end of the room and open with no cubicle, I never saw anyone use it!! It definitely had a very dated feel and 1930’s or earlier would have been a real possibility. As to the spiral staircase I have a vague feeling it was possibly on the left side when facing the pitch as I seem to recall entering the room from that area but could be completely wrong. Don’t know if that contributes anything to this discussion but thought some might find it interesting