The Grand Old Lady, July 10th 1964

[beechesk]

As an athlete and former club secretary of Sutton & Cheam Harriers, I can confirm that

- Sutton United and the Harriers shared the ground, the football club having use of ground on Sat/Tues/Thurs with the athletics club having Sun/Mon/Weds. I recall a discussion with Paul Doswell who asked me why we played home midweek matches on a Tues as I think he was looking to change nights

- the Harriers merged with Mitcham AC to form Mitcham & Sutton AC, now Sutton & District AC at the track opposite St Helier's hospital.....mid 80s when the all weather track was laid.....slightly better than the cinder track at GGL!!

- the track at GGL was under 400m but certain competitions were held there from time to time

- Clary was the superb groundsman together with his assistant Ted and I recall Clary often sceaming out "Get off my pitch!" to the athletes...particularly the discus and hammer throwers, of whom I was one!

- on one occasion, we actually held demonstation races during half time of a Sutton league match. I was the commentator from the press box!

- the old wooden stands bring back memories as my dad and I sat there for many years from 1959, and they were, of course, the changing rooms for the Harriers until they moved

- there was an entrance to the ground just behind these stands, but rarely used.

I hope some people might find these historical musings of interest.

[vinyl]

Those 2 wooden stands were still up and functioning as stands in the mid 1980's.

I used to take the money in one of them and Ian Thomson took the money in the other. If I recall it was an extra 10p and often only one or two people would pay (unless it was raining)

[markf]

Hope, for your sake, you weren't on a percentage of sales only deal!

I think they were up for about a year as condemned before being demolished.

[davethegrave]

Would that be around the time of the Bradford City fire?

[cheshire]

The Bradford fire occurred in May 1985. The new rec side enclosure was certainly in place before that season. I think that the 2 wooden stands disappeared around 1982

[markf]

The rec side covering was erected in the summer of 1986 to coincide with the club's move up to the GMV Conference.

I don't think the old stands were demolished much before then as I don't recall an empty void during the 85/86 season. They just remained unused and condemned.

[jr]

Aug 29, 2023 8:03:13 GMT cheshire said:

The Bradford fire occurred in May 1985. The new rec side enclosure was certainly in place before that season. I think that the 2 wooden stands disappeared around 1982

They certainly didn't disappear in 1982 as I sat in one of them in November that year watching Joycey score 9 goals against Leatherhead.

As Mark says they went around 1985.

[davef]

I was Supporters'Club Secretary at the time. I remember standing in front of the wooden stands with Peter Molly as he explained the plans for the new covered terrace, and why it would be so far from the pitch (to avoid the cost of having to relocate two floodlight pylons)

[cheshire]

Actually yes those dates make sense now...somehow i got it in my head that that we were promoted in 1985 but it was the following year wasnt it? Also I think that the old stands ceased to be used in the early 80's but probably stood there a little longer.

[sallycat]

Aug 29, 2023 11:55:46 GMT cheshire said:

Actually yes those dates make sense now...somehow i got it in my head that that we were promoted in 1985 but it was the following year wasnt it? Also I think that the old stands ceased to be used in the early 80's but probably stood there a little longer.

You probably thought that because we did win the league in 1985. Wasn't it issues with the ground that stopped us accepting promotion that year?