The old Central Ground

Wayne Porter asked me last night some questions about the old ground that I simply could not answer, my memory is not that good. Perhaps others on here remember. Where were the baths situated at the old ground/ I seem to remember that the changing rooms did have them but cannot for the life of me remember exactly how the changing rooms and the baths were configurated. Also, before the brick club was built (in 1963 I think) what was there before it? Again I think it was a wooden building that originally was the changing rooms before the stand was built and for a time was a Tea Hut but I am not sure. It is for a book on Witton’s early years so answers tome or Wayne to be passed on to the author.
WHS.

Think your right WHS. There was a wooden hut quite a large hut that served as a tea bar and board room type thing. I remember staring with awe as the new brick club house was built round 1963 I think and indeed I liked the old social club mant happy memories in there of chatting to people like Ken Barnes Denis Law and someone I was talking to quite extensively the other day one Mr Brian Booth happy days!!
But there again the Happy Days have returned Thanks to Superhuman Brian Pritchard and Co!!

Thanks for that MONA. I played at the old ground on at least 3 occasions, once for Rudheath Juniors when we lost a semi final to Rudheath Youth Club containing a certain Gil Prescott; once for Lostock Boys Club in a winning semi final against Weaverham (I think) and once in a Junior League trial match. I missed the chance to play in a final there, I was dropped, but I did go up the steps to collect a league winners medal on that semi final day,the highlight of my footballing life, but I still cannot remember what the changing rooms looked like!
WHS.

Not like you to miss a game at Witton WHS :laugh:

The HOME dressing room was to the left as you went down the tunnel. The ceiling was sloping and the baths were at the far end. The treatment room was tucked right under the stand. Ken Barnes used to put liniment on his legs and then what was left on his hands he put on his hair.

The tea hut at the old Gladstone Club End was right in the corner and was made of concrete sections.

[quote=“eligorton” post=43806]The HOME dressing room was to the left as you went down the tunnel. The ceiling was sloping and the baths were at the far end. The treatment room was tucked right under the stand. Ken Barnes used to put liniment on his legs and then what was left on his hands he put on his hair.

The tea hut at the old Gladstone Club End was right in the corner and was made of concrete sections.[/quote]

Time your Witton scarf came out of mothballs this coming season Eli…

If the price is right he’ll come on down.

I was fortunate enough to play on the Central Ground as a wee nipper in a junior cup final and I remember the baths being at the far end of the home dressing room too. Does anyone remember the shed behind the goal at the far end ie the end going out of town that sold old programmes and souvenirs? I’m sure there was a t-shirt hung up in there with the words “Vics make me Puke” on the front. That still makes me giggle and i often wonder if it is still in existence and where it originated from.

Was speaking to Nigel D a few years back and he described the CG in a few simple but very true words that have stuck with me ever since and describe it perfectly - a special place. Will always remember it as the place that got me hooked on football and also where I met many good wittoners past and present.

Can only concur with your sentiments here Paul. The Central Ground was brilliant and its even more brilliant to still see many people who frequented the place frequenting at Wincham Park too.
Happy memories I think Deels best game for us was at the Central Ground versus Yeovil in a cup game I think we won 3 1 from memory!!
Sainsburys don’t know how lucky they are to have a business on hallowed ground!!

Johnny Goryl once told me that whenever he goes to Sainsburys he always trys to visualise which part of the old pitch he’s walking on and thinks to himself “this is the spot where I tackled… whoever”!

Though I would have thought anywhere on the old pitch would mark a spot where Johnny once tackled somebody!

I played on the Central Ground in a junior cup final many years ago. I remember counting the days from when we won the semi until the day of the final. We had the home dressing room which was to the left, a long narrow room with the bath at the end. My main memory of the ground was standing in the same place every game, on the far side by the middle floodlight, and the little teahut under the main stand , run by that lovely lady Mrs Redmond, reading this blog has brought back many happy memories.

Yes, good old Gladys (I’d get another clip 'round my ear for calling her old!) - her & Fred were brilliant Wittoners.
Good memories Charlie - do you still watch the Albs. If not it’ll be a pleasure to invite you down and show you around. We’ve got a fantastic museum and loads of old photos of the Central Ground. Give me a call & you can come as a guest on one of the home games. And then you’ll get the bug again…

My number’s in the phone book (to the younger fan that’s reading this it’s a big book with lots of numbers in!!)

Graham Edgeley

Now it’s been mentioned I do remember the sloping roof. I am still a bit vague about the tea hut, but then again I am a bit vague about most things!
WHS.

How amazing was the drainage at the Central Ground too, i’m sure there must of been plenty but i can’t remember a game ever being called off! I remeber going to a game on a cold, wintery midweek night (seem to recall it was Macc in the Cheshire Cup) and it had been steaming down with rain for days on end and was on the night. Still the game went ahead without hardly a puddle on the pitch.

That great FA Trophy game against Yeovil that someone mentioned earlier was one of the few games to be played that day. There were a lot of Kettering Town fans there as their game at Altrincham had been called off. We even had the bloke from the Football Pink (was his name Peacock?) there and he didn’t normally set foot outside Manchester because it was the only game on in the area.
The pitch was a little heavier and muddier than usual but no more than that.

The Central Ground pitch drained so well because it had ashes from ICI as drainage.

In the Good Old Days before mobile phones and PC the local press kept the Manchester papers updated on match days. George Newman and Alick Day aka Mike Talbot-Buler were in the press boxes and a young Pete Cain was the runner back and forth to the Guardian office which was situated where Poundstretcher is now. By 6pm Saturday night the local newsagents were full of fans waiting for the Manchester Evening News Green and the Manchester Evening Chronicle Pink as well as the Stoke Sentinel.

Witton since 1952

It used to amaze me that my dad would pick up a pink on Saturday night and it had all the scores in. Who needs twitter?

Had this same conversation with my Dad a couple of weeks ago.

We would stop off at Mace newsagents in Rudheath (now Happy Chef!) on our way home from Wincham Park to see how other teams had done.

“The Good Old Days”. Mind you, these days seem to be “The Good Old Days” too!!!
WHS.

My grandad used to sit and tell me of the good old days, he told me all about his favourite player Alf Ashley whenever he could, he always said the biggest mistake we made was moving from the Central Ground, cant wait to bore the grandkids with the story of the day we all went to the Tameside Stadium ha ha :laugh: