gary walker wrote:

The Chelsea wasn't bad on Saturday Chris the highlight watching the Arsenal fans fighting each other at 3 - 0 .
Even the East Stand was singing 🎤

We watched it in the bar at Herne Bay albeit on Michelle's phone as the club was showing Motherwell v Hearts. I know an Arsenal fan who was very fond of a punch up, they aren't civilized like us Gary. I don't think I've ever heard the East Stand sing !

I was up 'til half past one last night reading Jeffb's book, it is absolutely brilliant, brings back so many memories of the special old place. 
 

Edgeoftheb ox wrote:

I think I can remember staying on at Sandy Lane after the main match and watching our 3rd team play (against teams like Frinton Rovers)  Would that have been in the fifties?

I can recall attending a third team (A Team) game against Frinton Rovers after a first team game, towards the end of a season in the late 50,s. There were not any floodlights then, but a 5pm kick-off allowed the game to  finish due to  the daylight hours getting longer. I can also recall a healthy attendance.

He could probably tell you who Frinton Rovers kit man was !

Jeff B,

A couple of years ago  Sarah from  the Merton Library Heritage section was enquiring if you had any copies of your excellent book,  If not are you intending to  go into reprint? The price of your book when you first published was a bargain price, I  cannot see you being able to repeat this price?.  

The 1959 photo of the Possibles V's Probables match does reveal how times have changed, and what was to  be the last but one final upgrade and  development of the Sandy Lane ground before the gradual decline of this fine old stadium.

  Not in any particular order:-

1. In the background you can see the Royal Arsenal Cooperative Society ( RACS)Dairy and the  Pascal factory site. Without the RACS good will the new stand would not have been  possible.  The RACS leased a strip of land to the club at the  rear of the stand to  use as access for fans. Without this gesture the local Authority would have made the club build a walkway under the new stand to provide access. The amenities   planned would have been severely curtailed. I  can only recall a handful of occasions the leased strip of land was used on match days. !    

2. The Wooden shack to the right of the stand used to be the members club, and finally became a tea bar.  Our famous President Jack Beard would be seen supping a pint outside.

3. The unoccupied new left hand side extension (front on view) to the stand was not open to the fans, as the finishing touches were being made before the official opening.

4. The new left hand extension incorporated the atmospheric  bar ( together with sloping ceiling) and Toilets.

5. A new right hand side extension was  envisaged with the stand running the whole length of the ground.  You can just see the bricks jutting out on the brickwork under the last iron support girder, ready for the retaining wall to be completed. .Unfortunately never to  happen with the gradual drop in attendances.

6. The Iron pillar in front of the players tunnel just about hides the (You can just see the white face) clock which  was donated to the club and I  it think survived until the ground was demolished. Whatever happened to  it? Arsenal still have their "Clock End."

7. You can see an  hedge to  the left of the players tunnel. There was also one to the right side which was ripped out when the new Stand was built.  The hedges were always a major  feature in front of the old wooden stand for many  along year.

8. The photo shows an excellent playing surface, but towards mid winter it became a mud heap.

9. As mentioned in another posting, the picture  was taken just in front  of the Tea Bar, I think Ian Bullock and  Co took over a few years later, when  you were able to purchase  nuclear burgers and sausages, plus a friendly chat. ... Those were the days!

10. Some fans are seated on the terracing, this was often the case on warm, dry days. at this corner of the ground. Also you were in a perfect position to  beat the very long tea bar queues at halftime.

11. The pitch is surrounded by concrete posts and iron tube railings,  with a wooden stick fencing attached. The wooden fence was eventually removed, and the Concrete posts and iron railings were covered in concrete to  make  a solid wall.  when the ground finally deteriorated  it was really sad to  see the partial collapse of this wall

12. As casual wear had not been introduced until a few years later,  most fans turned up in suits, jackets and ties.  Flat Caps were still the rage,  Jeans, beanie hats and nerdy anoraks still had to  become the  fashion.

13. the hooped shirts in the photo are the first team change kit, the colours were Red and White.

14. Although the players are not easily identifiable, I think I  can recognise Alan Viney, Tony Slade and Albert Grainger.  Can anyone identify other players?

15. No Floodlights.  The erection of the Floodlights  in 1961/62 were the last major addition to the ground.
 
 
 

Gary,
There are quite a few others in the club who have similar stories,  but they never go to  "Press".  The Football Club has a great history, not only about the teams and players, but also the fans, volunteer officials and helpers which made this one of the great clubs in Non League Football. There many great stories out there, but are never recorded.  There are always the basic historical notes on how the 3 clubs were formed, but these vary a lot.

The research required  is horrendous which  Jeff Brooks will qualify with his excellent book Tooting on the Move.   I am looking at the history of Mitcham Wanderers and accumulated a vast amount of information and facts and figures. Getting all of this into  one volume is a huge task. Already this has taken a huge amount of my free time which is at a premium and proved costly as well.  Hopefully  this will get published one day.

There are a few familiar faces you know at the club, they will be able to  give you similar stories