East End memories?

[EssexFlan]

Thought I'd ask as the long-memory fans usually post here. Having read the "History of Enfield FC" book three names occur frequently - Leytonstone, Walthamstow Avenue and Ilford.

 

Do any fans with memories going back to the 60s/70s remember where their grounds were and where Redbridge Forest played before they squatted at Victoria Road?

 

 

[coupwotcoup]

Granleigh Road, Green Pond Road, and Ley Street..Think RF were at Walthamstow before the cuckoos found their new nest...

Flan? was that a freudian slip?

[Hookey]

Granleigh Gardens actually. Played a few games for Leytonstone there myself in 78/79.

[Steph]

The Leytonstone pitch was raised around 1.25 metres above the level of the bottom of the terraces so youngsters saw legs running round and round that is when they weren't looking at the trains going in and out of the station.

 

Green Pond Road had high terracing beneath a beaten up old stand with a superb sitting stand opposite. It really was a great view of a game.

 

Ilford was an attractive ground which I cannot remember very well except the coach used to have to park in the road next to the ground. A large stand but without much cover, as I recall, around the pitch. (Very reminiscent of Barking except that the terracing at Barking was always overgrown)

 

Hookey if you played at Leytonstone 78/9 wasn't that around the time they teamed up with Ilford? So you were to blame!!!!

 

Redbridge Forest did squat at Green Pond Road before going to Dagenham. The name change came about because they teamed up with Walthamstow. (Leytonstone/Ilford to Redbridge Forest).

 

I understand that Cheshunt are now in the developer's sights. Lazerou has been going to their ground. An awful lot of houses can be built there and with the development on the A10 it is clear that part of the Green Belt is under threat.

[Hookey]

Originally Posted By: Steph

Hookey if you played at Leytonstone 78/9 wasn't that around the time they teamed up with Ilford? So you were to blame!!!!

I believe the hook up with Ilford was the very next season (or possibly the season after that). I left in the summer.

[EssexFlan]

Thanks for the responses. Did the individual clubs lose their identity due to lack of funds/grounds requiring too much work/property developers, etc?

 

I remember Redbridge Forest being turned down for promotion before they moved to Dagenham due to their ground at the time.

[Steph]

It was my understanding, and this is only rumour obviously, that Ilford sold their ground to developers and could not then develop a new ground as they were liable to CGT which had not been budgeted for.

 

I just think that it was the greed of the various boards who realised that they were sitting on gold mines with inner city grounds.

 

There are many clubs who have suffered as their land became more valuable than the value of the history and reputation of the clubs. It has happened not only in London.

 

Weymouth, in my view, sold out and obtained a ground at the back end of beyond in return for a club ground right in the middle of the town.

 

Yeovil and Wycombe lost something when they moved from their old homes. It is extremely difficult to get out of their car parks.

 

Obviously Wealdstone have struggled since they sold Lower Mead.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[The Amber Bamber]

The Ilford and Leytonstone grounds features in 'Groundtastic' about a year ago. The colur pictures of Leytonstone were superb.

You can use the website (which isn't very good) to order back issues (which are)

[TheGeneral]

This site doesn't feature the grounds mentioned,but has some great photos of grounds from around the Pyramid (if slightly favouring sussex and south coast clubs).The photos of Harlows old ground are poignant.

 

http://www.pyramidpassion.co.uk/html/ground_guide_a-z.html