Do you miss town centre football?

I was thinking about the old days earlier and wondered how everybody's match day experience differs when comparing a trip to the Reebok to a trip to Burnden Park.

One of the things I quite liked for some reason was parking (I was a kid) the car down a dark bumpy road near the tip (Raikes Lane?) and walking from there with the swarms of other fans. The atmosphere used to start on the walk to the ground. It was great.

Now I just park on Asda and it's not the same.

Got plenty of good memories of Burnden but it's time was up, now i like going to the Reebok.

I only went to burnden when i was little but from what i remember it was awsome. Getting to the reebok can be ball ache

Wonderfull memories of Burnden a short walk from home via the pie shop and King Bill.

Todays announcement that the matchday bus fares increase to £3 return from the next home match does not sweeten what is a crap journey

jayjay23 wrote:I was thinking about the old days earlier and wondered how everybody's match day experience differs when comparing a trip to the Reebok to a trip to Burnden Park.

One of the things I quite liked for some reason was parking (I was a kid) the car down a dark bumpy road near the tip (Raikes Lane?) and walking from there with the swarms of other fans. The atmosphere used to start on the walk to the ground. It was great.

Now I just park on Asda and it's not the same.

Why not park a bit further away and walk?

It just shows what the passage of time can do.

The last few years at Burnden were an embarrassment. The embankment end with the supermarket was shameful. We were ridiculed by away fans. The pitch was often a mud heap with poor drainage. The seats in the stands were small with inadequate leg room. The whole place was in need of major structural investment. Apart from the few spaces at the front, parking was in side streets (admittedly cheaper than) and I had to pay some lads to look after the car (or?).

Special bus fare to the ground, non existent.

If the situation was reversed and we had to go from the Reebok to the old Burnden, there would be mass demo's.

chipbutty wrote:It just shows what the passage of time can do.

The last few years at Burnden were an embarrassment. The embankment end with the supermarket was shameful. We were ridiculed by away fans. The pitch was often a mud heap with poor drainage. The seats in the stands were small with inadequate leg room. The whole place was in need of major structural investment. Apart from the few spaces at the front, parking was in side streets (admittedly cheaper) and I had to pay some lads to look after the car (or?).

Special bus fare to the ground, non existent.

If the situation was reversed and we had to go from the Reebok to the old Burnden, there would be mass demo's.

Of course you are right... But it's not so much about facilities and quality of pitch, it was about being younger and excited... The floodlights over the terraced houses and the smells you don't get anymore..

Now I take my lad, and so experiences are different. Not better, just different.

No doubt about it that Burnden needed updating and/or demolished and starting again, but there is no way that I will ever be convinced that the Weebok (shite name!) could not have been built where Burnden stood. I remember getting the promise of the fans consultation and I'm still waiting. There is still something decidely fishy about the the move to a registered swamp in Horwich from a central 'Town' location. When the truth comes out 'll wager there were backhanders aplenty going around with that deal. We we are a 'town team' the fans came in from all over radially converging on Burnden, now its a case of treking en masse from Bolton to Horwich on crappy buses or in cars so the trip is a pain in the arse getting there and away again, and the Weebok has never come close to the atmosphere that Burnden could generate for a night cup match. Everton league cup semi-final anyone?

No, I don't miss it. I went to Burnden Park twice, both times arriving at Bolton train station and walked to the ground. Both times I had nightmares about the place.

The first time I went I walked to the ground and this massive white American car drove past (did anyone else ever see this car), inside looked like a family of zombies/albinos and they all stared at me as they slowly drove past. I absolutely shat myself. I thought jesus, what sort of place is this?

And the next time I went I was walking down the platform and suddenly I heard someone sprinting behind me, towards me and I thought shit I am going to be murdered right now. When I turned round it was a man who was in his 80s running the speed of Linford Christie, it totally freaked me out.

So I don't miss the ground being in town, but the fact is I haven't been to the Reebok since the late 90s, I tend to watch games from the comfort of my armchair now, I find I get a better view of the game from my telly.

Michael Bolton wrote:No, I don't miss it. I went to Burnden Park twice, both times arriving at Bolton train station and walked to the ground. Both times I had nightmares about the place.

The first time I went I walked to the ground and this massive white American car drove past (did anyone else ever see this car), inside looked like a family of zombies/albinos and they all stared at me as they slowly drove past. I absolutely shat myself. I thought jesus, what sort of place is this?

And the next time I went I was walking down the platform and suddenly I heard someone sprinting behind me, towards me and I thought shit I am going to be murdered right now. When I turned round it was a man who was in his 80s running the speed of Linford Christie, it totally freaked me out.

So I don't miss the ground being in town, but the fact is I haven't been to the Reebok since the late 90s, I tend to watch games from the comfort of my armchair now, I find I get a better view of the game from my telly.

So you saw two games at Burnden and haven't been to The Reebok since the 90's?

What's your point Whittam?

Michael Bolton wrote:What's your point Whittam?

Why do you support BWFC?

Natasha Whittam wrote:

Michael Bolton wrote:What's your point Whittam?

Why do you support BWFC?

I have to support someone.

Michael Bolton wrote:

I have to support someone.

Why did you chose Bolton?

Natasha Whittam wrote:

Michael Bolton wrote:No, I don't miss it. I went to Burnden Park twice, both times arriving at Bolton train station and walked to the ground. Both times I had nightmares about the place.

The first time I went I walked to the ground and this massive white American car drove past (did anyone else ever see this car), inside looked like a family of zombies/albinos and they all stared at me as they slowly drove past. I absolutely shat myself. I thought jesus, what sort of place is this?

And the next time I went I was walking down the platform and suddenly I heard someone sprinting behind me, towards me and I thought shit I am going to be murdered right now. When I turned round it was a man who was in his 80s running the speed of Linford Christie, it totally freaked me out.

So I don't miss the ground being in town, but the fact is I haven't been to the Reebok since the late 90s, I tend to watch games from the comfort of my armchair now, I find I get a better view of the game from my telly.

So you saw two games at Burnden and haven't been to The Reebok since the 90's?

Christ i never knew mich and nat had so much in common!

Hipster_Nebula wrote:

Christ i never knew mich and nat had so much in common!

Mich is a woman?

Natasha Whittam wrote:

Michael Bolton wrote:

I have to support someone.

Why did you chose Bolton?

Because I bought the shirt in the early 1990s and just started looking out for the results.