The old rec hanley actual location?

[CambridgeDon]

Only just come across this thread and what an enjoyable read it's been. Used to play on the old Vale ground in the fifties with my brother and our mates. In those days the main stand and the terraces were intact but of course there was no longer a proper pitch just ash and dirt. I used to wonder why the Vale had left and what it must have been like when there were games being played.

My old dad, bless him, used to take us to the new ground, as it was known, when we used to live in Hanley. We lived in Windsor Street (now built over by a road), off Lichfield Street, and he would come home on a Saturday at midday, have his dinner and get ready for the match. We used to walk up to Hanley Station, by what used to be the Grand Hotel, and we'd get on the train to go to Vale Park on the old Loop Line. Took ten minutes. Then we'd enjoy the match (usually!) and come home for tea.

Those were the days when midday finishing on a Saturday and the 3 o'clock kick-off were a working man's right. That's why I prefer lower league football to the premier - it's our heritage. Fantastic days - just a pity Dr Beeching closed the Loop Line - just think of all the CO2 we'd have saved!

[RailwayRowdy]

19 hours ago, geoff1 said:

100pc agree steele is an amature compared with Gerry, is he still about????

Pretty certain Gerry passed away a number of years ago, but not before he appeared on TV’s Stars In Their Eyes. 

[Old fort]

7 hours ago, RailwayRowdy said:

Pretty certain Gerry passed away a number of years ago, but not before he appeared on TV’s Stars In Their Eyes. 

Yes, he did unfortunately pass away a few years ago and he did appear on Stars in their eyes. Bizarrely didn't win it though. 

Was fortunate to have seen him a number of times,  the first time being when I was only a lad, where he played a gig at my sister's wedding. I believe he also met Orbison at least on one occasion, maybe more, during one of his many UK visits. I think that you can YouTube the Stars in their eyes performance,  but the quality isn't great, the sound's OK.

[geoff1]

probably met him at the old gaumont   (regent) when he appeared there in the sixties!

[geoff1]

On 22/02/2020 at 22:23, CambridgeDon said:

Only just come across this thread and what an enjoyable read it's been. Used to play on the old Vale ground in the fifties with my brother and our mates. In those days the main stand and the terraces were intact but of course there was no longer a proper pitch just ash and dirt. I used to wonder why the Vale had left and what it must have been like when there were games being played.

My old dad, bless him, used to take us to the new ground, as it was known, when we used to live in Hanley. We lived in Windsor Street (now built over by a road), off Lichfield Street, and he would come home on a Saturday at midday, have his dinner and get ready for the match. We used to walk up to Hanley Station, by what used to be the Grand Hotel, and we'd get on the train to go to Vale Park on the old Loop Line. Took ten minutes. Then we'd enjoy the match (usually!) and come home for tea.

Those were the days when midday finishing on a Saturday and the 3 o'clock kick-off were a working man's right. That's why I prefer lower league football to the premier - it's our heritage. Fantastic days - just a pity Dr Beeching closed the Loop Line - just think of all the CO2 we'd have saved!

3.15 kick off-civilised

[Fosse69]

46 minutes ago, geoff1 said:

3.15 kick off-civilised

Could be 2.15 or earlier during the winter so that the game finished before it got dark. 

[geoff1]

28 minutes ago, Fosse69 said:

Could be 2.15 or earlier during the winter so that the game finished before it got dark. 

and theres me remembering how we had an extra 15 mins in the park inn for more bass before the game! and we didn't notice the dark in the social club after having a pint with tommy mac.

[pensioner]

On 19/02/2020 at 14:34, jp3 said:

Just wondering if anyone knows the names given to the ends and paddocks of the old rec

Main Stand was the Bryan Street Stand - To its left was Hanover Street Stand - this had a very small covered section thad had Port Vale Supporters or something similar written on it. Opposite the Bryan Street main stand was the Swan passage covered stand (This stand is the one that was moved to the New Vale and Became the Family and Bycars Stands - Also affectionately called the Slabs (Slobs) stand.  Swan Passage run from Market Square Hanley to the St Johns grave yard and from there to the top Of Hanover Street it was "The Slabs" and was basically an entry . The stand to the right of the Main Stand was I believe , though I am not 100% certain on this, called Swan Square end, but was affectionately know by at least my family as the "cemetery end" as its wall was also the wall to St John s cemetery extension. 

 

[RailwayRowdy]

I’d not seen the photo posted by Geoff before, or indeed any photo at all of the Old Rec. But goodness it was crammed in between terraced housing and industrial buildings wasn’t it.

It makes Kenilworth Rd look quite spacious !

 

[melv]

On 19/02/2020 at 19:35, JohnJames said:

Did you go to Isle of Man on their camp?

Never been Isle of Man

[jp3]

On 24/02/2020 at 19:08, pensioner said:

Main Stand was the Bryan Street Stand - To its left was Hanover Street Stand - this had a very small covered section thad had Port Vale Supporters or something similar written on it. Opposite the Bryan Street main stand was the Swan passage covered stand (This stand is the one that was moved to the New Vale and Became the Family and Bycars Stands - Also affectionately called the Slabs (Slobs) stand.  Swan Passage run from Market Square Hanley to the St Johns grave yard and from there to the top Of Hanover Street it was "The Slabs" and was basically an entry . The stand to the right of the Main Stand was I believe , though I am not 100% certain on this, called Swan Square end, but was affectionately know by at least my family as the "cemetery end" as its wall was also the wall to St John s cemetery extension. 

 

That's great. Very interesting.