We are now accepting pre-orders for the Autumn 2024 (GT118) issue of Groundtastic, due out on 1st September. Features on Cray Wanderers, Goodison Park, Kingstonian, Cathkin Park, Moneyfields, East Thurrock Community and much more. Ordering details here:
Congratulations to Harrogate Town! The Football League looked a long way off when this pic of their Wetherby Road ground was taken by Bob Lilliman in 1979.
Midweek football scores and attendances in March 1986, the point at which English football reached its lowest ebb in terms of public appeal. Relatively cheap to watch, but because of several factors such as hooliganism and crumbling stadiums, a spectator sport for diehards only.
An early preview of the impressive facilities at Cambridge City's new stadium at Sawston. Still some work to do before it's completed, but looking forward to watching football there in the future.
Grays Athletic's Recreation Ground (1906-2010) is one the 350 lost grounds and stands featured in our lavishly illustrated book The Cemetery End. Covering the years 1995 to 2020, the book can be purchased here -
Average attendance tables for the Football League in 1948/49 and 1985/86, the high point and the low point of aggregate Football League attendances since WWII. Tables courtesy of the book Through The Turnstiles by Brian Tabner, published in 1992.
Wigan Athletic's Springfield Park, a Football League venue for Wigan Borough (1921-1931) and Wigan Athletic (1978-1999). These Bob Lilliman pics are from 1975, and were taken prior to Wigan Athletic's FA Trophy Q/F tie versus Bedford Town.
Leytonstone's Granleigh Road ground (1894-1986). the railway arches that abutted the ground were one of amateur football's most famous landmarks. Record crowd 10,500 v Newport County FA Cup 1951/52. Last match 1986, ground sold for housing. Pics Bob Lilliman.
Groundtastic contributor Malcom Dixon was one of many to pay a poignant visit to the The Valley during its wilderness years. Amazing achievement by those involved to rescue and rebuild this much-loved venue.
Bradford (PA) and Bradford Cricket Club both in action on 7 May 1966, with Bradford (PA) losing their Division Four match v Port Vale 2-1 in front of 4,978 (Kevin Hector scoring for Bradford), and Bradford CC winning their Bradford League encounter with Lightcliffe by 113 runs.
The Baseball Ground, as it looked before the Derby County v Plymouth Argyle Division Two match in May 1987. Champions elect Derby won 4-2, with a crowd of 20,798, the second best of the season, watching. Pics Bob Lilliman.
November 22 1952 was a busy FA Cup day in what is now the London Borough of Waltham Forest, with Leyton, Leyton Orient, Leytonstone and Walthamstow Avenue all staging FA Cup 1st Round ties.
Kettering Town's Rockingham Road Ground (1897-2011), is one of the 350 British grounds and stands lost between 1995 to 2020 that are featured in our book The Cemetery End. Available again after selling out in 2020, it can be ordered here -
Nene Park (1969-2012) home of Irthlingborough Diamonds, Rushden & Diamonds and briefly Kettering Town. A Football League venue from 2001/02 to 2005/06, the ground was finally flattened in 2017. Pics Bob Lilliman and Nick Pigott. Buy our book here -
Cliftonville's Solitude ground, as it looked in 1999. As will be revealed in the June issue of Groundtastic, Solitude staged the last FA Cup tie to be played on the island of Ireland, a 1st Qualifying Round tie v Macclesfield, in October 1890.
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228 colour pages | 350 grounds and stands | 1995 -2020 | THE CEMETERY END has arrived!
We are giving away a free copy to the winner of a draw of all the people that re-tweet this by midnight 29 March
For more info, or to buy, visit:
Some 1991 views of Coventry City's Highfield Road ground, which the club left in 2005. (Pics by Bob Lilliman). Highfield Road is one of lost grounds featured in our book, The Cemetery End. Details here -
The Dell, Southampton's home from 1898 to 2001, is one of the lost grounds featured in The Cemetery End, details here: Pics taken by Bob Lilliman in 1989.
Bradford City using Odsal Stadium as a temporary home in April 1986, with City beating Fulham 3-1 in a Division Two match watched by 5,564. Pics by Bob Lilliman.
West Bromwich Albion's Hawthorns ground, as it looked in 1992. (Pics by Bob Lilliman). The Rainbow Stand, which was demolished in 2001, is among the 350 lost British stands and grounds to feature in our book, The Cemetery End, which can be ordered here:
Over 350 lost British football grounds and stands are featured in The Cemetery End, a full colour landscape format book covering the years 1995 to 2020. Details here:
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Brought back from the brink, The Valley as it looked in 1993. Charlton Athletic returned to the ground in December 1992, having spent the previous seven years in exile at Selhurst Park and Upton Park. Pics Bob Lilliman.
The towering East Terrace at Charlton Athletic's Valley (pics Bob Lilliman and Malcolm Dixon), is one of the 450 lost terraces, grounds and stands featured in our book Before The Cemetery End, which covers the years 1970-1994. Ordering details here:
Scenes from Somerton Park in 1985/86, with Newport County taking on Wigan Athletic in a Division Three match. Result 3-4, attendance 1,700. Pics Bob Lilliman.
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Football and cricket at Bradford Park Avenue on 7 May 1966 - Bradford PA 1 Port Vale 2, (Football League Division 4) attendance 4,978; and Bradford CC v Lightcliffe CC (Bradford League Division 1), Bradford CC won by 113 runs.
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Intended as Wealdstone's new stadium, work halted at Prince Edward Playing PF in 2004 when the club's development partners went bust. The site was subsequently acquired by Barnet, who renamed it The Hive and adapted it as their new home upon leaving Underhill. (Pics Bob Lilliman)
Dulwich Hamlet's Champion Hill, as it looked in its previous incarnation. The ground's opening game, an Isthmian League match against near neighbours Nunhead in 1931, drew a crowd of 17,000. (First two pics by Bob Lilliman).
Airdrieonians' Broomfield Park prior to a Scottish League Division match versus Greenock Morton in 1993/94, the club's final season at the ground. Pics Bob Lilliman.
Twice a Football League venue, the Tower Ground in New Brighton (pics Martin Bartley) is one of the 450 lost British grounds and stands featured in our book Before The Cemetery End (1970-1994). Ordering details here -
Oxford United's Manor Ground, which the club left in 2001, is among the 350 lost stands and grounds featured in our full colour pictorial history book, The Cemetery End. Pics Bob Lilliman.
When the original Maidstone United club folded in 1992, they reformed as Maidstone Invicta, starting in the Kent County League Division Four West in 1993/94. Their first home was the former Maidstone United training ground in London Road. Pics: Bob Lilliman.
Walsall's Fellows Park (1896-1990). These views show Walsall hosting Bury in their last home match of the 1985/86 season, with Walsall winning the Division 3 match 3-2 in front of 3,454. Pics Bob Lilliman archive.
Romford's Brooklands (1929-1977). Only non-league ground known to have been designed by Archibald Leitch. Record crowd 17,081 v Southall FA Amateur Cup 4th Rd replay February 1953. Ground sold for housing. Last match April 1977. Pics Bob Lilliman.
Our book, The Cemetery End, is now sold out. Many thanks indeed for those who have bought a copy. We have tentative plans for a companion volume covering grounds and stands lost between 1970 to 1995. Details will be announced in due course. Thanks again for your support.
Dumbarton's Boghead Park, seen here in 1989, is one of the nine former Scottish League grounds to feature in our The Cemetery End book. Pics Bob Lilliman archive.
Heart of Midlothian's Tynecastle Park in April 1991, prior to the Scottish League Premier Division match versus Dunfermline Athletic. Pics Bob Lilliman.
Edgware Town's White Lion Ground, where the club played from 1939 to 2008, is one of the 350 lost grounds and stands featured in our book The Cemetery End (1995-2020). It can be purchased here -
Hendon's Claremont Road ground (1926-2008). Record crowd 9,000 v Northampton Town FA Cup 1952/53. One of the 350 lost grounds and stands featured in our book The Cemetery End (1995 to 2020). Available to purchase here -
The East Terrace at the Valley, which accommodated a good proportion of the 76,031 record crowd that watched Charlton Athletic's FA Cup 5th Round tie v Aston Villa in February 1938. Pic Bob Lilliman.
Some views of Newcastle Utd's St James' Park, prior to the Division One game v Wimbledon in 1987/88. For the record, Wimbledon won 2-1, with 22,684 watching. Pics Bob Lilliman.