dolphin stadium

[Amber Rebel]

i only remember wexham park, when i was young,

does anyone on here remember the dolphin stadium what it was like,

your thoughts appreciated.

 

 

 

 

pics would be even better

[mrgh]

If we still had The Dolphin it would be the best ground in the league. Then if we still had The Dolphin we probably wouldn't be in this league.

[Guest Anonymous]

been in there with crowds of 9,000 odd-what did u want to know

[Amber Rebel]

Originally Posted By: Anonymous

been in there with crowds of 9,000 odd-what did u want to know

just wanted to know what the atmosphere was like in those days,also what the ground was like regarding stands terracing etc
thanks

[Guest Anonymous]

Hello

 

Sorry for being anon , but Ollytheowl login doesn't work.

 

The Dolphin was a large ground , but was a purpose built dog track. The dog track surrounded the pitch and the only time that a crowd was allowed beyond the dog track was as per anon's comment of 9,000 attendance. (It also had a large car park.)It was actually 8,000 for an Amateur Cup 1/4 final against Skelmersdale ( I also went to the replay). Crowds of 2,000 were quite common.

 

Floodlights were installed about 1967 , until then the winter games had varied kick-off times ( 2-15pm).

 

regards

[Guest Anonymous]

re ollytheowl.

 

facts slightly wrong old chap, the first skemesdale game 9,000 tickets were printed and SOLD, the replay by the way had a 7000 sell out.Other games at the dolphin included Chelsea days after they won the European Cup Winners Cup( they fielded a full first team against SLOUGH)THOUGH THIS WAS NOT ALL TICKET it is believed around 9,000 paid to get in.F.A. Cup first round proper against Wycombe and also the old famouse Hillingdon Borough ( nothing like the present Hillingdon)it is estimate these crowds were between 8-9000.But the biggest Dolphin crowd( according to my old dad)was in 1953 against the mighty Pegasus where the crowds who could not get in, stood on the roofs of the shops opposite.

Also when we played teams like Dagenham or a local xmas derby against Maidenhead or Wycombe 4,000 was the order of the day.

So you can see how far this once great Footballing Town has sunk,

mainly through bad management off the field-i can assure you that when Sunday park football started up in the 60's, teams made up of mainly local lads played in just the one league, in that league this and last seasons Slough side would have been BOTTOM.

[Guest Anonymous]

ANON

 

Ollytheowl again

 

Bow to your superior knowledge on the gate. Wasn't the Chelsea visit linked to Micky Droy joining Chelsea from the Rebels?

 

Your local football comment - when I started at Slough most of the team were local - Bernie Gogan taught me at Warrenfield , John Delaney , Terry Reardon , John Ford - even the manager (Bob Gibbs ) was local. Players like Reardon and Delaney used to play Sunday mornings for the White Horse pub team

 

Agree with your sentiment about the decline.

[GarySTFC]

Sadly, football has changed so much since those great days (before my time admittedly) where the power has now changed from the clubs to the players and all the money which has gone into the top level of the game has soured everything beneath it.

 

It's no longer about pride representing your local club, determination to do well and play at the highest level, it's all about who can offer the most ££££.

[Guest Anonymous]

ollytheowl,

 

lol sounds like your as old as me-you are right Chelsea came to pay us back for Mickey Droy.What a finder of talent Tommy Lawrence was, Mickey Droy Peter Cruse and the indisputable great striker John Ritchie came from nowhere and went to Chelsea and Arsenal.John Ritchie came scored over 40 goals in one season and left for Arsenal.

Its very hard to explain to later generations how high the standard of amateur ( non league )football was.

Incidentally the old Hillingdon Borough who use to play at Falling Lane West Drayton had the best playing surface in southern England, now its a housing estate.

Yes Sunday footie the other great side apart from White Horse was Oxley who I believe were the printers of the Windsor and Eaton-they were made up mostly of Slough Reserves and Windsor Players-there goalie was Alan Sprately who went on to play for QPR( when QPR were a decent side ).

Ah! such good times,lost now in the mists of indifference.

[coupwotcoup]

I went to the Dolphin in '71 with Romford in the FA Cup. We scored early doors then held on for the rest of the match. Think I can remember the clubhouse being sponsored by Scotch Tartan bitter and all the staff and stewards had ludicrous-looking tartan trimming to their attire.

One of our coaches got stuck in traffic outside the ground after the game and a few bricks were aimed our way. We exited said coach and a quality slugfest ensued. It lasted all of ten seconds as the traffic suddenly cleared!

[Guest reading]

anyone have any pics they could put in here of the ground ?

[Harmston Rebel]

There were some 7,000 paying customers against Wycombe but the main gates were broken some time before kick-off and a lot of people poured in to the ground. I did not see the pitch until half time. Joe Adams scored the winner from a penalty late in the second half. League attendances averaged 1,000 or more from 1967 until 1971, falling steadily in the last few years at the Dolphin. Lowest attendance for competitive match was about 450.