My complete life of supporting Bournemouth.

Great read but the level of embellishment is through the roof.

Nobody can remember this level of detail as a 6 year old kid.
 
Great creative writing Al....Ace !
I can't get enough !
The South End catering dits had me on the floor ... poking my ribs back in !
 
dragonm8 said:
Great read but the level of embellishment is through the roof.

Nobody can remember this level of detail as a 6 year old kid.
Click to expand...

None of it is 'embellished'...that's what it was like !
The kids at DC were particularly animated during that period...mainly due to McDougal !
 
Hillviewred said:
He played in goal
Click to expand...
I think you must be around the same age as me, I’m pretty sure Phil Gard went to St Clements and was the same age as me. I remember playing them regularly when I was at St Andrew’s, they played their home games on an awful pitch at Walpole Road. They were a terrible team and we used to thrash them but they had one lad by the name of Martin Jones who was absolutely brilliant for his age, he went on to play with me at Charminster Saints for years
 
glennafcb said:
I think you must be around the same age as me, I’m pretty sure Phil Gard went to St Clements and was the same age as me. I remember playing them regularly when I was at St Andrew’s, they played their home games on an awful pitch at Walpole Road. They were a terrible team and we used to thrash them but they had one lad by the name of Martin Jones who was absolutely brilliant for his age, he went on to play with me at Charminster Saints for years
Click to expand...

Phil was Elmrise I think
 
Chapter 4.
1971/72
Glam Rock and Glam Football

‌The summer of 71 was magnificent.
Most days of the school holiday I played football over Castle Lane, or sometimes I cycled to Queens Park to catch up with my old St Andrews pals.
Football stopped when Hampshire were playing cricket at Dean Park, when we all met up and spent from 11am till 6-30 pm there.

We also had aquired a beach hut, half way between Boscombe Pier and Southbourne, No 645, and afternoons were spent kicking a ball around in the sand.
No longer were the kids Best, Charlton, Law, Pele etc, we were MacDougall, Boyer, Scott, or Fred Davies in goal.
We couldn't wait for the new season to start.
Bond had bought in Micky Cave & Bill Kitchener to bolster midfield and defence.
Chairman Harold Walker had ambitious plans for another promotion, and announced that the Brighton Beach End would be demolished for a 4,000 seat "Walker Stand."
I'm sure we beat Man Utd in a pre season friendly 3-0, tho it might have been the following season.

Grandad was still going, but now 77, he decamped to the Main Stand to watch matches.

Dad had made new friends in West Way. A Welsh chap called Merrion, and living opposite was Colin Legg, a teacher at Bournemouth Grammar School.
They took it in turns to drive to games, and we always parked in Bennett Road and walked the last 10 minutes.
Getting out of the car park by the ground had become a bit of a nightmare when the crowds increased, sometimes taking 30 minutes to get out of the area.

The New Stand was full for the opening game against Shrewsbury. We started where we had left off with a 3-1 win, Ted and Phil both scored of course. The catering in the New Stand was halfway along at the back facing the pitch. The toilets were of similar build, smell, and inept drainage as the South End. Pee up against a wall, and it dropped into a slim channel on the floor to drain away. Once all the fag butts had blocked the drain, you were paddling in pi55 from around 10 minutes before kick off.

We had got off to a cracking start, 6 points from 4 games, and there was a real buzz that we were going to have another promotion season.

When the fixtures came out, another weekend was planned in Nottingham for the County game at the end of September.
But then....Disaster!
An invitation to cousin William's wedding came through the post. The same day as the County fixture.
Dad used the "F" word again. But, it was family, and we had to go.
The reception was at a hotel in Poole, starting around 2pm. Radio Solent was in it's infancy, and had started covering games. There were limits to live football coverage in those days. Solent could have a pre match preview, and two visits to the game in each half. So basically they went to the ground after 15 and 30 minutes before a half time report. Same in the 2nd half, 60th and 75th minute, then full time.
Dad and I nipped out every 15 minutes to the car to get the latest, and soon, several other guests were joining us. Most off putting for those giving speeches.
I am sure we went one up in the first half, and the cheer from the car park attracted the glare of those inside conforming to the wedding formalities.
It finished 1-1. Gutted to have missed the game, but happy that we were still top 2.

Another big game was on the horizon. Aston Villa at home. They were top, we were still 2nd and 3 points behind them.
We had gone to a midweek reserve game a couple of weeks earlier, to gain a voucher to be able to buy a ticket for the game.
We then went back a few days later, queue up at stupid o'clock to get our New Stand tickets.

This was the first time I had been to a home league game with a 20,000 plus crowd. It was loud, it was packed, it was also impossible at half time to change ends to the end Bournemouth were attacking. The toilets must have had it's fill of fag butts by 2pm. I daren't think how deep the puddle of pi55 was. Luckily I had learnt to swim that summer. It was that or go to games in waders!
3-0, "Three bloody nil" my Dad said as we walked back with Colin and Merrion to the car. To celebrate, they went for a beer in The Dolphin, Holdenhurst Road. I was of course on a bench outside with a pint of shandy and a packet of salt 'n' shake.
The Villa fans heading back to the rail station were having running battles with our fans. It was all getting very tasty, then the old bill turned up, and they got a bit of a pasting too.
What an afternoons entertainment for this youngster.

The very next week, I didn't go to school on the Friday, as we were off for that trip to see family in Nottingham, which by sheer coincidence included that nights game in Mansfield.
A 5-0 win. "Five bloody nil." One of the biggest away wins in our history, and I was there.
Promotion was looking nailed on. Us, Villa, Brighton, & County. A 4 way race for 2 places.
Excitement overload.
 
glennafcb said:
I think you must be around the same age as me, I’m pretty sure Phil Gard went to St Clements and was the same age as me. I remember playing them regularly when I was at St Andrew’s, they played their home games on an awful pitch at Walpole Road. They were a terrible team and we used to thrash them but they had one lad by the name of Martin Jones who was absolutely brilliant for his age, he went on to play with me at Charminster Saints for years
Click to expand...
Phil was elmrise,two years older than me
 
glennafcb said:
I think you must be around the same age as me, I’m pretty sure Phil Gard went to St Clements and was the same age as me. I remember playing them regularly when I was at St Andrew’s, they played their home games on an awful pitch at Walpole Road. They were a terrible team and we used to thrash them but they had one lad by the name of Martin Jones who was absolutely brilliant for his age, he went on to play with me at Charminster Saints for years
Click to expand...
Martin played for electric and a bit younger than me,I’m sixty
 
AlGard said:
Chapter 4.
1971/72
Glam Rock and Glam Football

‌The summer of 71 was magnificent.
Most days of the school holiday I played football over Castle Lane, or sometimes I cycled to Queens Park to catch up with my old St Andrews pals.
Football stopped when Hampshire were playing cricket at Dean Park, when we all met up and spent from 11am till 6-30 pm there.

We also had aquired a beach hut, half way between Boscombe Pier and Southbourne, No 645, and afternoons were spent kicking a ball around in the sand.
No longer were the kids Best, Charlton, Law, Pele etc, we were MacDougall, Boyer, Scott, or Fred Davies in goal.
We couldn't wait for the new season to start.
Bond had bought in Micky Cave & Bill Kitchener to bolster midfield and defence.
Chairman Harold Walker had ambitious plans for another promotion, and announced that the Brighton Beach End would be demolished for a 4,000 seat "Walker Stand."
I'm sure we beat Man Utd in a pre season friendly 3-0, tho it might have been the following season.

Grandad was still going, but now 77, he decamped to the Main Stand to watch matches.

Dad had made new friends in West Way. A Welsh chap called Merrion, and living opposite was Colin Legg, a teacher at Bournemouth Grammar School.
They took it in turns to drive to games, and we always parked in Bennett Road and walked the last 10 minutes.
Getting out of the car park by the ground had become a bit of a nightmare when the crowds increased, sometimes taking 30 minutes to get out of the area.

The New Stand was full for the opening game against Shrewsbury. We started where we had left off with a 3-1 win, Ted and Phil both scored of course. The catering in the New Stand was halfway along at the back facing the pitch. The toilets were of similar build, smell, and inept drainage as the South End. Pee up against a wall, and it dropped into a slim channel on the floor to drain away. Once all the fag butts had blocked the drain, you were paddling in pi55 from around 10 minutes before kick off.

We had got off to a cracking start, 6 points from 4 games, and there was a real buzz that we were going to have another promotion season.

When the fixtures came out, another weekend was planned in Nottingham for the County game at the end of September.
But then....Disaster!
An invitation to cousin William's wedding came through the post. The same day as the County fixture.
Dad used the "F" word again. But, it was family, and we had to go.
The reception was at a hotel in Poole, starting around 2pm. Radio Solent was in it's infancy, and had started covering games. There were limits to live football coverage in those days. Solent could have a pre match preview, and two visits to the game in each half. So basically they went to the ground after 15 and 30 minutes before a half time report. Same in the 2nd half, 60th and 75th minute, then full time.
Dad and I nipped out every 15 minutes to the car to get the latest, and soon, several other guests were joining us. Most off putting for those giving speeches.
I am sure we went one up in the first half, and the cheer from the car park attracted the glare of those inside conforming to the wedding formalities.
It finished 1-1. Gutted to have missed the game, but happy that we were still top 2.

Another big game was on the horizon. Aston Villa at home. They were top, we were still 2nd and 3 points behind them.
We had gone to a midweek reserve game a couple of weeks earlier, to gain a voucher to be able to buy a ticket for the game.
We then went back a few days later, queue up at stupid o'clock to get our New Stand tickets.

This was the first time I had been to a home league game with a 20,000 plus crowd. It was loud, it was packed, it was also impossible at half time to change ends to the end Bournemouth were attacking. The toilets must have had it's fill of fag butts by 2pm. I daren't think how deep the puddle of pi55 was. Luckily I had learnt to swim that summer. It was that or go to games in waders!
3-0, "Three bloody nil" my Dad said as we walked back with Colin and Merrion to the car. To celebrate, they went for a beer in The Dolphin, Holdenhurst Road. I was of course on a bench outside with a pint of shandy and a packet of salt 'n' shake.
The Villa fans heading back to the rail station were having running battles with our fans. It was all getting very tasty, then the old bill turned up, and they got a bit of a pasting too.
What an afternoons entertainment for this youngster.

The very next week, I didn't go to school on the Friday, as we were off for that trip to see family in Nottingham, which by sheer coincidence included that nights game in Mansfield.
A 5-0 win. "Five bloody nil." One of the biggest away wins in our history, and I was there.
Promotion was looking nailed on. Us, Villa, Brighton, & County. A 4 way race for 2 places.
Excitement overload.
Click to expand...


The Villa game was my first - stood on the Brighton Beach End
 
AlGard said:
Chapter 4.
1971/72
Glam Rock and Glam Football

‌The summer of 71 was magnificent.
Most days of the school holiday I played football over Castle Lane, or sometimes I cycled to Queens Park to catch up with my old St Andrews pals.
Football stopped when Hampshire were playing cricket at Dean Park, when we all met up and spent from 11am till 6-30 pm there.

We also had aquired a beach hut, half way between Boscombe Pier and Southbourne, No 645, and afternoons were spent kicking a ball around in the sand.
No longer were the kids Best, Charlton, Law, Pele etc, we were MacDougall, Boyer, Scott, or Fred Davies in goal.
We couldn't wait for the new season to start.
Bond had bought in Micky Cave & Bill Kitchener to bolster midfield and defence.
Chairman Harold Walker had ambitious plans for another promotion, and announced that the Brighton Beach End would be demolished for a 4,000 seat "Walker Stand."
I'm sure we beat Man Utd in a pre season friendly 3-0, tho it might have been the following season.

Grandad was still going, but now 77, he decamped to the Main Stand to watch matches.

Dad had made new friends in West Way. A Welsh chap called Merrion, and living opposite was Colin Legg, a teacher at Bournemouth Grammar School.
They took it in turns to drive to games, and we always parked in Bennett Road and walked the last 10 minutes.
Getting out of the car park by the ground had become a bit of a nightmare when the crowds increased, sometimes taking 30 minutes to get out of the area.

The New Stand was full for the opening game against Shrewsbury. We started where we had left off with a 3-1 win, Ted and Phil both scored of course. The catering in the New Stand was halfway along at the back facing the pitch. The toilets were of similar build, smell, and inept drainage as the South End. Pee up against a wall, and it dropped into a slim channel on the floor to drain away. Once all the fag butts had blocked the drain, you were paddling in pi55 from around 10 minutes before kick off.

We had got off to a cracking start, 6 points from 4 games, and there was a real buzz that we were going to have another promotion season.

When the fixtures came out, another weekend was planned in Nottingham for the County game at the end of September.
But then....Disaster!
An invitation to cousin William's wedding came through the post. The same day as the County fixture.
Dad used the "F" word again. But, it was family, and we had to go.
The reception was at a hotel in Poole, starting around 2pm. Radio Solent was in it's infancy, and had started covering games. There were limits to live football coverage in those days. Solent could have a pre match preview, and two visits to the game in each half. So basically they went to the ground after 15 and 30 minutes before a half time report. Same in the 2nd half, 60th and 75th minute, then full time.
Dad and I nipped out every 15 minutes to the car to get the latest, and soon, several other guests were joining us. Most off putting for those giving speeches.
I am sure we went one up in the first half, and the cheer from the car park attracted the glare of those inside conforming to the wedding formalities.
It finished 1-1. Gutted to have missed the game, but happy that we were still top 2.

Another big game was on the horizon. Aston Villa at home. They were top, we were still 2nd and 3 points behind them.
We had gone to a midweek reserve game a couple of weeks earlier, to gain a voucher to be able to buy a ticket for the game.
We then went back a few days later, queue up at stupid o'clock to get our New Stand tickets.

This was the first time I had been to a home league game with a 20,000 plus crowd. It was loud, it was packed, it was also impossible at half time to change ends to the end Bournemouth were attacking. The toilets must have had it's fill of fag butts by 2pm. I daren't think how deep the puddle of pi55 was. Luckily I had learnt to swim that summer. It was that or go to games in waders!
3-0, "Three bloody nil" my Dad said as we walked back with Colin and Merrion to the car. To celebrate, they went for a beer in The Dolphin, Holdenhurst Road. I was of course on a bench outside with a pint of shandy and a packet of salt 'n' shake.
The Villa fans heading back to the rail station were having running battles with our fans. It was all getting very tasty, then the old bill turned up, and they got a bit of a pasting too.
What an afternoons entertainment for this youngster.

The very next week, I didn't go to school on the Friday, as we were off for that trip to see family in Nottingham, which by sheer coincidence included that nights game in Mansfield.
A 5-0 win. "Five bloody nil." One of the biggest away wins in our history, and I was there.
Promotion was looking nailed on. Us, Villa, Brighton, & County. A 4 way race for 2 places.
Excitement overload.
Click to expand...
Didn’t Colin Legg own lansdowne nursing home which is now Nuffield,short chubby man with glasses
 
AlGard said:
Chapter 4.
1971/72
Glam Rock and Glam Football

‌The summer of 71 was magnificent.
Most days of the school holiday I played football over Castle Lane, or sometimes I cycled to Queens Park to catch up with my old St Andrews pals.
Football stopped when Hampshire were playing cricket at Dean Park, when we all met up and spent from 11am till 6-30 pm there.

We also had aquired a beach hut, half way between Boscombe Pier and Southbourne, No 645, and afternoons were spent kicking a ball around in the sand.
No longer were the kids Best, Charlton, Law, Pele etc, we were MacDougall, Boyer, Scott, or Fred Davies in goal.
We couldn't wait for the new season to start.
Bond had bought in Micky Cave & Bill Kitchener to bolster midfield and defence.
Chairman Harold Walker had ambitious plans for another promotion, and announced that the Brighton Beach End would be demolished for a 4,000 seat "Walker Stand."
I'm sure we beat Man Utd in a pre season friendly 3-0, tho it might have been the following season.

Grandad was still going, but now 77, he decamped to the Main Stand to watch matches.

Dad had made new friends in West Way. A Welsh chap called Merrion, and living opposite was Colin Legg, a teacher at Bournemouth Grammar School.
They took it in turns to drive to games, and we always parked in Bennett Road and walked the last 10 minutes.
Getting out of the car park by the ground had become a bit of a nightmare when the crowds increased, sometimes taking 30 minutes to get out of the area.

The New Stand was full for the opening game against Shrewsbury. We started where we had left off with a 3-1 win, Ted and Phil both scored of course. The catering in the New Stand was halfway along at the back facing the pitch. The toilets were of similar build, smell, and inept drainage as the South End. Pee up against a wall, and it dropped into a slim channel on the floor to drain away. Once all the fag butts had blocked the drain, you were paddling in pi55 from around 10 minutes before kick off.

We had got off to a cracking start, 6 points from 4 games, and there was a real buzz that we were going to have another promotion season.

When the fixtures came out, another weekend was planned in Nottingham for the County game at the end of September.
But then....Disaster!
An invitation to cousin William's wedding came through the post. The same day as the County fixture.
Dad used the "F" word again. But, it was family, and we had to go.
The reception was at a hotel in Poole, starting around 2pm. Radio Solent was in it's infancy, and had started covering games. There were limits to live football coverage in those days. Solent could have a pre match preview, and two visits to the game in each half. So basically they went to the ground after 15 and 30 minutes before a half time report. Same in the 2nd half, 60th and 75th minute, then full time.
Dad and I nipped out every 15 minutes to the car to get the latest, and soon, several other guests were joining us. Most off putting for those giving speeches.
I am sure we went one up in the first half, and the cheer from the car park attracted the glare of those inside conforming to the wedding formalities.
It finished 1-1. Gutted to have missed the game, but happy that we were still top 2.

Another big game was on the horizon. Aston Villa at home. They were top, we were still 2nd and 3 points behind them.
We had gone to a midweek reserve game a couple of weeks earlier, to gain a voucher to be able to buy a ticket for the game.
We then went back a few days later, queue up at stupid o'clock to get our New Stand tickets.

This was the first time I had been to a home league game with a 20,000 plus crowd. It was loud, it was packed, it was also impossible at half time to change ends to the end Bournemouth were attacking. The toilets must have had it's fill of fag butts by 2pm. I daren't think how deep the puddle of pi55 was. Luckily I had learnt to swim that summer. It was that or go to games in waders!
3-0, "Three bloody nil" my Dad said as we walked back with Colin and Merrion to the car. To celebrate, they went for a beer in The Dolphin, Holdenhurst Road. I was of course on a bench outside with a pint of shandy and a packet of salt 'n' shake.
The Villa fans heading back to the rail station were having running battles with our fans. It was all getting very tasty, then the old bill turned up, and they got a bit of a pasting too.
What an afternoons entertainment for this youngster.

The very next week, I didn't go to school on the Friday, as we were off for that trip to see family in Nottingham, which by sheer coincidence included that nights game in Mansfield.
A 5-0 win. "Five bloody nil." One of the biggest away wins in our history, and I was there.
Promotion was looking nailed on. Us, Villa, Brighton, & County. A 4 way race for 2 places.
Excitement overload.
Click to expand...
3-1 V Manchester United (see paper)
 

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