|
|
Post by Macmoish on Jul 9, 2012 9:20:25 GMT
When we moved to the White City (and when we moved to the White City!): Were we tennants, planning to buy (and from whom)?
|
|
ingham
Dave Sexton
Posts: 1,896
|
Post by ingham on Jul 9, 2012 13:21:36 GMT
The ground was owned by the GRA, the Greyhound Racing Association. To my 10 year old eyes, it looked totally unsuitable (although utterly awe-inspiring, especially at first). One reference (although I've never seen it confirmed elsewhere) said it once held 110,000 (or 120,000).
No atmosphere. And ridiculously small attendances.
So not big enough for Fernandes, but pretty large.
So yes, tenants, Mac. Also interesting is the handbook from 1949 or a little later. Our indefatigable supporter, Vic Gibbons (it came back to me) has a copy, and the Board were talking big plans, expansion of LR, and all that. On the back of the 1948 team's success. Makes startlingly timeless reading (I have a photocopy).
But that never materialised, either. On the other hand, we did get our record attendance of 41,097 at White City, against Leeds United, in the Cup, and won 3-1. 1931-32. One of our longest--suffering supporters might know why (we played there) [Bushman probably has the match programme and ticket stubs!]
So Fernandes is right!
Aha, here it is (all this from memory, naturally). 'Encouraged by the increase in gates and the success of the Club the Board of Directors negotiated to play their home games .... at the spacious [they could say that again] White City Stadium ... accommodation for 60,000 ... 6,000 under cover ... 'the first FA Cup tie there attracted 6,853 (against Barnet, though)' - 8,000 against Scunny, then the 41,000 against top of the Second Division Leeds! But still only two-thirds full.
Got paggered by post-Chapman Huddersfield 5-0 up there in the next round, but Huddersfield were still well up the top half of the First Division, so no shame.
Our local derby at home against top of the table (Div 3 South) Fulham attracted 21,000, just over one-third of capacity (and slightly less than the attendance for the Fulham away game). And the great atmosphere at White City saw us lose 1-6 at home to Northampton in front of 6,444.
Best attendance - another local derby, against Brentford, was 33,000. Just over half full. It was the New Year game, too.
And we lost!
We did better than Thames, though. Our away fixture against the bottom of the table side 'attracted' 1,143 (and they beat us too).
All this from Gordon Macey, of course!
Here's the bottom line. Stayed at WC another season, then, grateful that THEY HADN'T SOLD OFF LOFTUS ROAD, £34,000 in debt (owed to directors although the biggest creditor was the ex-Chairman, and his son WROTE OFF the £20,000 owed to him).
Results, if you know what I mean. We weren't in the bottom three, or two, or one or whatever it was then. And we started off with 24,000 for the home derby against Brentford. 15,000 for Palace soon after. 10,000 for Watford soon after that.
Most attendances at WC in 1932-33 were single figure ones (I mean below 10,000), eg not a single home attendance above 6,000 for the last 8 or 9 games, and the last two matches 2,000 plus and 3,000 plus.
True, they would look better in a 45,000 capacity ground, rather than a 60,000 capacity ground ...
|
|
|
|
Post by Bushman on Jul 9, 2012 14:03:55 GMT
1948  |
|
ingham
Dave Sexton
Posts: 1,896
|
Post by ingham on Jul 9, 2012 15:52:57 GMT
Cheers Bushman.
I'll try to find the copy Vic gave me, as I think it must be the following year. More speculative and less down to earth than this.
Bet you've got all the match programmes for the games I mentioned!
Hittinger is a great name for a Chairman. Be too violently sexist for our more enlightened era, I suppose. Herhittinghimback more like.
The White City Stadium is the star of the first episode of Man in a Suitcase. Much of the story, and all of the climactic final scene, is filmed there. Just before the first World Cup game, I guess.
And, of course, just before the first match of THAT season.
Thank god we weren't still there. But it was nice to see the old place, in colour, and at some length.
|
|
|
|
Post by Bushman on Jul 9, 2012 21:42:48 GMT
|
|
|
|
Post by Bushman on Jul 9, 2012 21:45:46 GMT
|
|
|
|
Post by twohalfs on Jul 10, 2012 8:00:43 GMT
As a kid I remember watching us play Hull at White City. My Dad grew up in Fulham and was a supporter of them from a distance. For some reason he thought he would take me to see what a football match was like at White City. It lacked connection between spectator and game, and atmosphere.
However it was a better advert for football than that Uruguay-France match which we also went to. Whether it was a complete lack of caring who won and how I don't know, but I found that game one of the most boring I have ever watched. So football at White City didn't seem such a great idea.
|
|
ingham
Dave Sexton
Posts: 1,896
|
Post by ingham on Jul 10, 2012 9:29:37 GMT
Lovely stuff Bushman. You should be cast in bronze - with your entire collection - and mounted on Loftus Road, to watch over it forever.
Wondered how many seconds the World Cup film would run before we saw Uruguayans milling around disputing a decision. The dirtiest side in world football without a doubt, I often thought. They seemed to have no conception that anything short of a missile attack was a foul.
Mind you, there was also the Italians ...
|
|
