Quirks of the old East Stand

HappyasLarry

HappyasLarry

Well-known member
Anyone who used to go in there remember the quirks of this stand? For instance at half time, two kids would carry a massive hot water container to the front of the stand (God knows how that would get past Health and Safety these days) and serve brews. I can think of loads more but will open it to the floor before I chip in again.
 
As a kid dads would plonk their youngsters on the wall. All very territorial.
Remember trying to grab the match ball to chuck back to whoever was taking a throw in.
 
Pies from a Tupperware cooling carrier.

Ha ha...yes if it was a quiet game it was known for a urine stream to flow from a cat on the roof supports
 
It’ll always be known as the scratching shed to me( no idea of the origin of that) but I rarely frequented as it was initially the Kop,then the west paddock, and then the South near the players entrance( and the smell of green linament) before finally ( before the new builds) the South Stand( sitting that is) with my Dad who I would drive over a pick up from his home in St.Annes to take him to the game as he was starting with dementia.Stayed in the South after he passed away.They were long days out!!Luckily I had and still have,well most times, an understanding wife.
 
I can remember a guy in the early seventies with a megaphone gob who used to badmouth Micky Burns for ninety minutes every home game. You could here him starting up from outside the ground on his way in at about one minute to Three 0’Clock with “you’re bloody rubbish Burns” or something similar, always made us chuckle.
 
The toilets you could see in through the top from the steps

Several of our teachers from School used to be in there, quite something to get an approving nod from them (RIP Toss)
 
It was always known as the East Paddock but it did actually become a stand around 75/76 when shiny tangerines plastic seats were installed. I went in there for the only time for the FA Cup tie with Burnley which we won 1-0 with over 20,000 there.
 
There used to be a gate where you could transfer from the Kop for a nominal sum. Utilised by me when we played United at home in 1971. It seemed marginally safer in there.
 
Yep....was a stratching shed regular from the early 60s. Anyone remember the chap who used to shout out ' we want 6 ' whenever we'd scored
2 or 3. I think it was the same chap who used to shout ' use both eyes ref ' !!
 
We used to frequent the scratching shed end regularly. Anyone else ever go into what we called the cave behind the toilets. Going through the first toilet door there was another small door onthe left hand side. Go into there there was a small rocky passage leading to a massive open space, never knew what it was for., anyone throw any light on this.
 
I remember 2 smells. Firstly, the pleasant smell from all the pipe smokers in the 60s and early 70s. Secondly, the terrible smell in the urinals under the stand, with no fesh air from the minute windows
 
Never used it much remember playing Liverpool and being it that end where both sets of fans and a few punch ups happened.
 
For my first ever BFC game I sat in the scratching shed seats aged 4. A heavy defeat pretty much set the scene for the next 30 odd years; probably the worst period in BFC’s history.
 
Scratching Shed because back in the day the Groundsman at the time kept chickens underneath it and they would cluck about on the bare earth but still have some light - so the story goes.

Seats were installed but didn’t stay in place of course and I was at the Burnley FA Cup match too when they first went in. Unfortunately they didn’t have a “Pie” cutout at the back and no drainage holes so as a consequence when it was damp the seats were flooded or soaked at the least.

Memories for me were all the banter with the linesman as often as not “we’ll shout offside and you flag” was the usual advice, and of course you were so close to the players that many a “conversation” was struck up with the opposition (who generally took it well with a grin and a wink) - and of course encouragement to our own and they would rough the hair of the kids sat on the wall - usually to dry their hands when taking a throw in.

Some great characters in there of course and for many years stood near a bloke who - after a couple of goals - always shouted “we want SIX” never more, never less as 6 was the magic number. Then there was “Chorley” slight little fella who has a transistor radio plugged in and would relay latest “skours” - “Oh Bradfooord are wun dow‘n, Heck Stockpooort winnin” etc. Can’t do the accent sorry!

Queuing at gate 7 of course to get in, you could tell the gate by the length of it, somedays straight up and in, when doing well arrive at same time but queue to Central Drive. Funny but you always managed to get “your” spot on the Terrace no matter how busy. Great sightlines of course with everyone straining to see who was taking the corner from the North East flag and any ball over 15 foot high vanished from sight, we all became (velocity x wind factor) x Goalkeeper Accuracy experts to read where the ball was going to reappear!

Great days, great fans, there was a real community feel about the Scratchers and I for one miss the old place tremendously.
 
Bottle said:
Scratching Shed because back in the day the Groundsman at the time kept chickens underneath it and they would cluck about on the bare earth but still have some light - so the story goes.

Seats were installed but didn’t stay in place of course and I was at the Burnley FA Cup match too when they first went in. Unfortunately they didn’t have a “Pie” cutout at the back and no drainage holes so as a consequence when it was damp the seats were flooded or soaked at the least.

Memories for me were all the banter with the linesman as often as not “we’ll shout offside and you flag” was the usual advice, and of course you were so close to the players that many a “conversation” was struck up with the opposition (who generally took it well with a grin and a wink) - and of course encouragement to our own and they would rough the hair of the kids sat on the wall - usually to dry their hands when taking a throw in.

Some great characters in there of course and for many years stood near a bloke who - after a couple of goals - always shouted “we want SIX” never more, never less as 6 was the magic number. Then there was “Chorley” slight little fella who has a transistor radio plugged in and would relay latest “skours” - “Oh Bradfooord are wun dow‘n, Heck Stockpooort winnin” etc. Can’t do the accent sorry!

Queuing at gate 7 of course to get in, you could tell the gate by the length of it, somedays straight up and in, when doing well arrive at same time but queue to Central Drive. Funny but you always managed to get “your” spot on the Terrace no matter how busy. Great sightlines of course with everyone straining to see who was taking the corner from the North East flag and any ball over 15 foot high vanished from sight, we all became (velocity x wind factor) x Goalkeeper Accuracy experts to read where the ball was going to reappear!

Great days, great fans, there was a real community feel about the Scratchers and I for one miss the old place tremendously.
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Bottle - lovely post and I got a bit teary eyed reading that.

I was late to the East Paddock party as was a West Paddock lad. Only reason I moved over was when they changed the dugouts from glass see through to perspex opaque ones so it made it half the pitch unviewable depending where you were stood.
 
After it was segregated, there were only a couple of yards and 2 iron fences separating the home and away fans so a lot of verbal abuse and small change was hurled back and forth at the half way line.
 
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Excellent post Bottle, brought back a lot of good memories. Also remember a guy who used to shout intermittently, ‘don’t give up Blackpool’ even if we were comfortably winning with 2 minutes to go.
Before I get too dewy eyed I also recall a particularly vile individual, tall, fair hair and in his 30s, that stood near the back in the eighties and thought nothing of engaging in monkey chants and threats of murder to the opposition’s black players, much to the mirth of his cowardly cohorts.
 
Remember the loos in the scratching sheds. Essentially just a wall with a built in gutter at bottom. The stench wasn't great if stood near em. Remember 95/96 season when we were up top end of the league being rammed and couldn't get clear of the loos where the entrance was. I preferred the south paddock, but my Grandad preferred the half way line in the sheds. So we would mainly go in the scratchin sheds and the south paddock here and there
 
C_C_C_Cider said:
We used to frequent the scratching shed end regularly. Anyone else ever go into what we called the cave behind the toilets. Going through the first toilet door there was another small door onthe left hand side. Go into there there was a small rocky passage leading to a massive open space, never knew what it was for., anyone throw any light on this.
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Yeh remember me and my mates messing about under there when we were kids at reserve games In the early 60’s, It was really weird and a bit scary! unfortunately can’t shed any light on what it was used for either, would like to know though.
 
Sounds daft I know, but I've probably been to Bloomfield Rd hundreds and hundreds of times if not even a thousand but I can probably count on one hand the number of times I've been in the Scratching Shed. In fact I can't recall a specific game when I went in. Remember in the old days when you could walk through from the Kop to the South which I did a few times.
 
C_C_C_Cider said:
We used to frequent the scratching shed end regularly. Anyone else ever go into what we called the cave behind the toilets. Going through the first toilet door there was another small door onthe left hand side. Go into there there was a small rocky passage leading to a massive open space, never knew what it was for., anyone throw any light on this.
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I was told that years ago the players had a training area under the East. Maybe that large open space you describe cider was the mystery sportshall?
 
Willie Mcgrotty said:
I was told that years ago the players had a training area under the East. Maybe that large open space you describe cider was the mystery sportshall?
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I used to work on the groundstaff as a teenager and we used to take our rubbish and burn it down there.I was told by the old groundsman Harry Threlfall that there used to be a gymnasium under there.
 
It was the first place I watched a game from and my dad stood in there for about 30 years from the 70's onwards, there were usually the same people in the same places every week, in those days the average gate was about 4000.
I can remember the Man City cup game in about 83 when sections of the roof were being thrown at us amongst a lot of coins. My friend who was with me, simply put his umbrella up and collected all the cash in the space that had been created by people who didn't like being hit with stuff while watching the game. That seemed to enrage them more, they caused a lot of damage in the town that day but ultimately Blackpool beat them with a goal in the last minute I think.
 
ElBurroSinNombre said:
It was the first place I watched a game from and my dad stood in there for about 30 years from the 70's onwards, there were usually the same people in the same places every week, in those days the average gate was about 4000.
I can remember the Man City cup game in about 83 when sections of the roof were being thrown at us amongst a lot of coins. My friend who was with me, simply put his umbrella up and collected all the cash in the space that had been created by people who didn't like being hit with stuff while watching the game. That seemed to enrage them more, they caused a lot of damage in the town that day but ultimately Blackpool beat them with a goal in the last minute I think.
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This was my only time in there...

The police were very slow on the uptake. The roof was raining down on us for ages. Eventually horses went in. Still remember being amazed at seeing horses charging through the City side of the stand.

That and drinking coffee and rum my old man had inexplicably brought for the occasion...
 
Anyone remember when we played Chesterfield and we were squeezed in like sardines - was a terrible performance on a really hot day as well - was a shocking decision by the club!
 
bleach51 said:
It’ll always be known as the scratching shed to me( no idea of the origin of that) but I rarely frequented as it was initially the Kop,then the west paddock, and then the South near the players entrance( and the smell of green linament) before finally ( before the new builds) the South Stand( sitting that is) with my Dad who I would drive over a pick up from his home in St.Annes to take him to the game as he was starting with dementia.Stayed in the South after he passed away.They were long days out!!Luckily I had and still have,well most times, an understanding wife.
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A scratching Shed is used in poultry farming - primarily barn & free-range nowadays. It is designed for the birds to exercise in during winter and other times of inclement weather. The east paddock will have been given this nickname by fans after the roof was added. Actual scratching sheds are typically of a long rectangular design with a low pitched roof.
 
C_C_C_Cider said:
We used to frequent the scratching shed end regularly. Anyone else ever go into what we called the cave behind the toilets. Going through the first toilet door there was another small door onthe left hand side. Go into there there was a small rocky passage leading to a massive open space, never knew what it was for., anyone throw any light on this.
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Indoor gym for training purposes when wet.
 
I probably watched less matches from the Scatching Shed than any other part of the ground. What I did like about it was the stick opposing players got from there. Remember top banter when Neil Ruddock played for Swindon and gave back as good as he got. Also Robbie Savage got severe slanging from the Scratchers.
 
Always used to go in the Scratching Shed as a kid, with my Dad.

I used to sit on the wall, with my legs over on the running track, then just before kick-off the coppers used to come round & make you get back behind the wall.

Early elf n’safety, I guess....!
 
1966_and_all_that said:
A scratching Shed is used in poultry farming - primarily barn & free-range nowadays. It is designed for the birds to exercise in during winter and other times of inclement weather. The east paddock will have been given this nickname by fans after the roof was added. Actual scratching sheds are typically of a long rectangular design with a low pitched roof.
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I love this site. Nice one ☝️
 
I was in there one night when we played Newcastle in the Cup, they had Mirandina a Brazilian big money signing playing, he danced past a couple of our midfielders before Briggsy sent him airborne with a flying tackle and he went sprawling across that red cinder track and smashed into the SS wall.
Some old guy who used to take great pleasure abusing opposition players stared down at him and said "Welcome to Blackpool, you Argentinean tvvat". We told him he was Brazilian but he wasn't having it. Mirandina was nearly crying, think we won 1-0 Tony Cunningham scored.
 
Always got traumatised by the bogs in the east..... Black hole of calcutta springs to mind

Never stopped me having a good drink in the bloomfield before hand!!!
 
I was in the scratching shed when Emlyn Hughes broke Peter Osgood‘s leg, you could here the crack! Here he is being stretchered off!F958A42A-AF75-4CF5-B61F-3CCBC0D535AE.jpeg
 
Always remember the young girls walking across the front of the east after they had finished serving in the kiosk. Better entertainment than the football,sometimes😂
Also, what you couldn't see from the east was the half time scores

Remember they used to have the alphabet pinned on the hoardings and each letter represented a match which was published in the match day programme.

Funny thing was the second half had kicked off before we ever got to see them..

Don't recall the letters ever being put up anywhere else.
 
They were put up over the south west corner stand. They used to hang from the stand and at reserve matches[ Central League] you could hear the phone ring and some-one would come out and amend the first score[letter A] showing as that was our game when we were playing away.
 
HappyasLarry said:
Anyone who used to go in there remember the quirks of this stand? For instance at half time, two kids would carry a massive hot water container to the front of the stand (God knows how that would get past Health and Safety these days) and serve brews. I can think of loads more but will open it to the floor before I chip in again.
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Great days and happy memories from when life was so much more simple.
 
20togo said:
Sounds daft I know, but I've probably been to Bloomfield Rd hundreds and hundreds of times if not even a thousand but I can probably count on one hand the number of times I've been in the Scratching Shed. In fact I can't recall a specific game when I went in. Remember in the old days when you could walk through from the Kop to the South which I did a few times.
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I can only remember one game I went in there which was, to the best of my recollection the game where it was a quid in or something. It was one of Oyston's attempts to raise crowds. I loved the South Paddock and in games where I couldn't get in there usually ended up in the west paddock. Don't really know why I didn't go east!
 
Fargo99 said:
I was in there one night when we played Newcastle in the Cup, they had Mirandina a Brazilian big money signing playing, he danced past a couple of our midfielders before Briggsy sent him airborne with a flying tackle and he went sprawling across that red cinder track and smashed into the SS wall.
Some old guy who used to take great pleasure abusing opposition players stared down at him and said "Welcome to Blackpool, you Argentinean tvvat". We told him he was Brazilian but he wasn't having it. Mirandina was nearly crying, think we won 1-0 Tony Cunningham scored.
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Was gazza playing that night as a17 year old.
 
ansdellmafia said:
It's absolutely true . It could be be heard from the Kop where I was stood . To be fair , our crowd who were obviously partisan, were stunned into silence by it .
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Yep agree I was on the Kop that night and it was clearly heard.
 
If I remember correctly at the time of the tackle there was a lull in crowd noise,thus amplifying the sickening sound of the crack, and yes an eerie silence followed.
 
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