Sitting and standing at the Bridge

[bluehaze 1,786]

A couple of posters were discussing in the topic about tickets for the women's match about what parts of the ground they haven't been in and this got me thinking. Most football fans of our age will say they stood on the Northbank, Loft, Shelf etc for years and moved to a seat in the early 90's where they still remain. At Chelsea we're pretty unique that all parts of the ground old and new have been used by fans en masse so here's a list of where I've and I'm sure many others on here have sit and stood over the years my first game was in 1973.

Shed: Before and after the closed off sections, the temporary stand, upper and lower as is now.

West: Benches and concrete slabs, west upper, uncovered. Lower and upper I've never been in the middle as is now.

Northstand, MH. Before and after the closed off sections. Upper and lower as is now.

East: Both lower sections and the upper never been in the middle.

Anyone ever been in the old North and East Stands ?

[nominator 219]

Oi mate - unfortunately with no sound, but may be it helps a little bit to show the atmosphere of the early 70s.

 

 

[bluehaze 1,786]

50 minutes ago, nominator said:

Oi mate - unfortunately with no sound, but may be it helps a little bit to show the atmosphere of the early 70s.

 

 

Yes I've seen that several times although the year is wrong it's 1974.

[nominator 219]

Thx for the correction.

[F1905 267]

Oh blimey ,first game west stand ,then been shed middle ,white wall for a while  but actually ended up on the left hand side for a good few seasons (more room to stretch out when we were crap or I was pissed )

For random games over the years in the seventies if me old man or indeed mum (she was the bigger fan than me dad) came along then west stand ,benches ,east stand lower ,east upper and one day east middle in the directors box.... 

then north stand for odd games ... gate 13 for a season ,back to west stand 

never did the old east stand sadly or the old north stand thing in the corner ...

Ps still can’t get to grips with away fans in the shed end gggrrr

 

 

 

[Richard P 1,936]

Started in the Shed end out to the right 1978 before the closures and new terrace barriers. Went into the middle 1980. Benches 82-86 Cup games gate 13. West Stand 87- knocked down!  Once on the North Stand terrace. Couple of games in the upper tier East Stand. Once in the East Stand Directors box 1984 vs Gillingham ( won a penalty comp pre season!) Been in all three tiers of West Stand. Shed Upper, Directors box for the Europa semi courtesy of Mr Zola! MHU 97/98- now

[Ewell CFC 1,728]

Benches ave 3 times a year 75-78.

Whitewall 78-81, anywhere there was a bit more elbow room in the Shed 81-82 but not down the front.

First time Gate 13 Wolves September 82. West Stand 84-97.

East Upper 98-2001. Went in the middle flanks once can’t remember against who, the temporary Shed “ Sway” a few times.

Since new stands MHL Upper and Lower. Never been in Shed Upper. West Stand Lower and Upper. Once in a West Stand box courtesy of a mate who won a competition on Talksport. Exited at full time pissed as a fart in the lift with pockets full of chicken drumsticks.

[Strider6003 2,356]

When I started going in the late 80's it was the West side of the Shed for a couple of matches and then the Middle of the Shed for most of the time. I did try the West Stand and Benches and found both a bit quiet. One match mid week against Millwall and could only get in the Upper East Stand which had a fantastic view.

When the Shed End was being redeveloped and they had the temporary seating the noise generated from the Shed End got the Mathew Harding stand singing and when the West Stand joined in as well it was impressive.

After the Shed End was redeveloped I was normally found in the MHL for the atmosphere yet was not as good as the Shed for me.

One match in the benches I do remember was against Bruges in 94/95 in the European Cup Winners comp when it was wet and we were trying to overcome a 1-0 deficit and we seemed to stand the whole second half singing and getting wet. I recall as Furlong got the luckiest ricochet to get us the net lead in the match.

Another time in the benches I started up a chant and got the eye of Bobby Campbell and others joined in and a few minutes alter that player came on. We didn't win yet didn't lose either.

 

[chi blue 2,542]

1 hour ago, Strider6003 said:

When I started going in the late 80's it was the West side of the Shed for a couple of matches and then the Middle of the Shed for most of the time. I did try the West Stand and Benches and found both a bit quiet. One match mid week against Millwall and could only get in the Upper East Stand which had a fantastic view.

When the Shed End was being redeveloped and they had the temporary seating the noise generated from the Shed End got the Mathew Harding stand singing and when the West Stand joined in as well it was impressive.

After the Shed End was redeveloped I was normally found in the MHL for the atmosphere yet was not as good as the Shed for me.

One match in the benches I do remember was against Bruges in 94/95 in the European Cup Winners comp when it was wet and we were trying to overcome a 1-0 deficit and we seemed to stand the whole second half singing and getting wet. I recall as Furlong got the luckiest ricochet to get us the net lead in the match.

Another time in the benches I started up a chant and got the eye of Bobby Campbell and others joined in and a few minutes alter that player came on. We didn't win yet didn't lose either.

 

Started going 82/83 season, first game was East Upper, then next season, yes, THAT season went in Shed middle most of the time, remember going Tea Bar side for the infamous Sunderland Milk cup semi final, only because entered via the brittania gate and couldn't move across as Shed rammed (what a night), late 80's went in the East middle quite a few times with my old man and his mates, what a fantastic view, no wonder thats now corporate, early 90's started going benches and also West stand. Late 90' Mathew Harding upper and lower, early 2000's shed upper and then from about 2005 on wards East Lower family enclosure with boys, did once sit in West upper for Zola tribute match where my younger son threw up all game, never again been up there, totally dire up there. Last three years Matthew Harding Lower where me and boys (men now) have season tickets, gone full circle just prefer standing its the only way to watch football, nearest thing to what it use to be like with all the nullified atmosphere of these days.

[The Swan 121]

I started going in the early 80s went in the East Stand adjacent to the away fans. Occasionally I went in the Shed but at the time (I know some may disagree) the main faces went in the East Stand and of course there were those on the opposite side of the ground who were also looking smart and making a noise. When I stated going to the Bridge the trend was to go into the seats and not stand. This was a phenomenon taking hold in many other parts of the country. It was about buying expensive clothes and siting in more expensive areas of the ground as well as confusing law enforcement by adopting middle class traits and then kicking off.

[ilovepatnevin 0]

Perhaps it's in my imagination and I've made the whole thing up but, does anyone else remember something that I think were called "the enclosures" that were reserved for kids? I was pretty young then and only have a hazy memory. It must have been in 68 or 69 but it was at pitch level at the bottom of the East Stand. I seem to remember standing on some metal ladder sort of thing to get a better view. I don't know why I was there, I normally went with my elder brothers under the North East stand.

 

[madmickeyt 4]

My dad and my grandad had terrific seats in the old West Stand 1969-70 season, third row. You would enter the stand from the top and walk down to your seat, that was quite unusual I think, but it was very impressive. Bit like walking up the aisle!

As my grandad got older he didn't go every week so that was my introduction, and we kept those seats for quite a few years.

Then as we started to go downhill a bit my dad stopped going regularly and I would either go in the benches or The Shed. 

Like a lot of fans i expect, i had all sorts of matchday superstitions involving parking/clothes/scarf/crossing legs all that sort of thing so it is weird that i don't remember standing anywhere in particular, it was just a case of getting a space where i could get a decent view. Generally this would be halfway up/halfway down and either "middle" or "west side". The white wall seemed to be for the nutters! Too near the front and you couldn't see the other end of the pitch, too far back and you could only just about see the near side of the pitch! Too squashed in and you couldn't see anything except the bloke in front. But wherever you were, the atmosphere in The Shed was great and I now had a chance of hearing the words to songs that I had vaguely been able to listen to from the West Stand - oh, your old lady is a ....!

Been back pretty infrequently the last 20 years and just think myself lucky to have watched football in the vintage years before all seaters. 

[Ewell CFC 1,728]

On 27/09/2019 at 17:50, ilovepatnevin said:

Perhaps it's in my imagination and I've made the whole thing up but, does anyone else remember something that I think were called "the enclosures" that were reserved for kids? I was pretty young then and only have a hazy memory. It must have been in 68 or 69 but it was at pitch level at the bottom of the East Stand. I seem to remember standing on some metal ladder sort of thing to get a better view. I don't know why I was there, I normally went with my elder brothers under the North East stand.

 

I remember the family section of the North Terrace late 70s- next to the bottom corner of the East Stand, what in 82 became Gate 13.

[MKBlue 611]

On 09/09/2019 at 10:50, bluehaze said:

A couple of posters were discussing in the topic about tickets for the women's match about what parts of the ground they haven't been in and this got me thinking. Most football fans of our age will say they stood on the Northbank, Loft, Shelf etc for years and moved to a seat in the early 90's where they still remain. At Chelsea we're pretty unique that all parts of the ground old and new have been used by fans en masse so here's a list of where I've and I'm sure many others on here have sit and stood over the years my first game was in 1973.

Shed: Before and after the closed off sections, the temporary stand, upper and lower as is now.

West: Benches and concrete slabs, west upper, uncovered. Lower and upper I've never been in the middle as is now.

Northstand, MH. Before and after the closed off sections. Upper and lower as is now.

East: Both lower sections and the upper never been in the middle.

Anyone ever been in the old North and East Stands ?

I'm the same as you in that I've never been in the middle section of the new West Stand, but barring the old North Stand have been in every part of the Bridge since 1970. I didn't start going regularly until Dec 71, but had been taken to one match when I was 9, it was St Patricks Day 1970 and we were playing Stoke at home. I'd been told that I was going to Stamford Bridge before going to school that morning, so you can imagine what a looooooooong day that turned out to be. No real memories of the game, but I was sat in the old East Stand and according to my mum, who was attending the only match she ever went to, I just sat staring at the Shed for 2 hours. Only been in the East middle once, I was a bit flush at the time and decided to splash out for a seat for the evening kick off against City, 92/3 I think, dreadful dull 0-0, and the only thing that stands out memory wise is the fact that I was really impressed by the carpets in the corridors, lovely thick navy blue with the club badge woven in. 

[the real shed end 151]

Started going 78-79 and stood on the old North Terrace with my late brother.

From then it was at the front of the shed with my uncle progressing further back till I was old enough then spent most of my time singing in the middle of the shed or in the early 90''s walking along to the benches for a better view. On the occasions my future wife went along I would sit the old West stand once  i sat in the East middle for Spuds 1990 £15 for the best seats in the house. Since ,sadly all seater I've sat everywhere and for the last five years have a season ticket in the west lower. We need safe standing. Even though the view in the ground is so much better. Those packed terraces and the songs will stay with me forever.

[Ewan Hoozarmi 39]

First went as a 5 year old (I think) around the 80-81 season. The old man took me back then. He had a couple of very plush season tickets in the Executive Club, front row of the East Middle. Never realised how lucky I was! 

Once I was old enough in the early 90's, I sat and stood all over the old ground. In the East Lower, West Stand seats as far North as possible. The freezing Benches (where I once conversed with the famous 'Paperman'. (Remember him!) Even up in the Gods of the East Upper, but there was nothing like the Shed.

Used to favour the West Side, but eventually grew up enough to large it with the big boys in the Middle. Very eye-opening to a 14 year old. Great memories of terrible football, enthusiastic fans and the Old Bill literally pointing out any wrongdoers from their little spotter's box, followed by renditions of 'Knees up Mother Brown' once they waded in - the odd helmet flying about etc.

Since the ground's been redeveloped, I've been in the MH Upper and Lower, as with the Shed, the West Lower and even treated the wife to a binocular view in the West Upper!

Would love to go more, but family and the mortgage have put paid to that.

[bluehaze 1,786]

1 hour ago, Ewan Hoozarmi said:

The freezing Benches (where I once conversed with the famous 'Paperman'. (Remember him!)

Brilliant. Every high street in every town has an oddball he chose to pay to be an oddball in a football ground 😀

[Richard P 1,936]

17 hours ago, Ewan Hoozarmi said:

First went as a 5 year old (I think) around the 80-81 season. The old man took me back then. He had a couple of very plush season tickets in the Executive Club, front row of the East Middle. Never realised how lucky I was! 

Once I was old enough in the early 90's, I sat and stood all over the old ground. In the East Lower, West Stand seats as far North as possible. The freezing Benches (where I once conversed with the famous 'Paperman'. (Remember him!) Even up in the Gods of the East Upper, but there was nothing like the Shed.

Used to favour the West Side, but eventually grew up enough to large it with the big boys in the Middle. Very eye-opening to a 14 year old. Great memories of terrible football, enthusiastic fans and the Old Bill literally pointing out any wrongdoers from their little spotter's box, followed by renditions of 'Knees up Mother Brown' once they waded in - the odd helmet flying about etc.

Since the ground's been redeveloped, I've been in the MH Upper and Lower, as with the Shed, the West Lower and even treated the wife to a binocular view in the West Upper!

Would love to go more, but family and the mortgage have put paid to that.

Is that the old bloke who used to walk round with a over coat folded over his arm!

[Ewell CFC 1,728]

33 minutes ago, Richard P said:

Is that the old bloke who used to walk round with a over coat folded over his arm!

Remember the bloke with the moustache who sold CFC lottery tickets on the main Shed entrance steps for years. Really friendly fella?

What year did the OB observation platform arrive? Cue Laurel and Hardy whistle and the Harry Roberts song

Edited October 13 by Ewell CFC

[Ewan Hoozarmi 39]

5 hours ago, Richard P said:

Is that the old bloke who used to walk round with a over coat folded over his arm!

Yeah, might be! The Paperman was a small fella, probably in his sixties, who used to go in the Benches. He'd sit there with half a dozen newspapers under his arm and watch the game from the opposite end we were attacking.

You'd often see him after the game, wandering along Fulham Road with even more newspapers. Legend!

 

[Strider6003 2,356]

21 minutes ago, Ewan Hoozarmi said:

Yeah, might be! The Paperman was a small fella, probably in his sixties, who used to go in the Benches. He'd sit there with half a dozen newspapers under his arm and watch the game from the opposite end we were attacking.

You'd often see him after the game, wandering along Fulham Road with even more newspapers. Legend!

 

An old CFC friend of mine blamed those concrete benches for giving him piles, perhaps he should have taken a bunch of papers to sit on!

[bluehaze 1,786]

17 hours ago, Ewell CFC said:

Remember the bloke with the moustache who sold CFC lottery tickets on the main Shed entrance steps for years. Really friendly fella?

What year did the OB observation platform arrive? Cue Laurel and Hardy whistle and the Harry Roberts song

In the white wall ?. I started going regularly in 79-80 before then I went with cousins or one off games and I'm pretty sure it was their then. What year was the fence put in all the way along the west side early or mid 80's ?

Edited October 14 by bluehaze

[Ewell CFC 1,728]

4 hours ago, bluehaze said:

In the white wall ?. I started going regularly in 79-80 before then I went with cousins or one off games and I'm pretty sure it was their then. What year was the fence put in all the way along the west side early or mid 80's ?

I started in the Whitewall 78 and pretty sure it was in place. Can’t remember when the fence went in- reckon mid 80’s. Probably after a West Ham showing. Then again the last time they went all across the Shed was 77-78. The night game 78-79 was a token effort, early season 80 they were by the Teabar, don’t remember they having another pop till 84 when they left the West Stands seats and that was mostly down the front.

I think the North Bank Highbury had a fence put down the middle after the pikies got in there with a smoke bomb in 82. Maybe it was a reaction to that? No idea basically...