Question for our older supporters 1958

[RoversDave]

When Rovers played Fulham on 15 March 1958 they kicked off at 6pm, was this because of horse racing or was there some other reason? It was 6-1 to Fulham, Jimmy Hill scored 5 if that helps jog the grey matter.

[The Red Baron]

I don't know the reason in that specific case. However I was looking at some old programmes from the early 70s and kick offs at 6.30pm on a Saturday evening were not unusual. I suspect this was on racing days.

[newyankee]

 It may have something to do with Rovers having floodlights if you can call them that. I remember standing on the one at the Rosso end and adjacent to the racecourse side. Bedford Jezzard scored Fulham's sixth goal.

[newyankee]

I have just googled that game and it says the Kick off was 1 pm not 6 pm. When you look at the Programme cover it does not give a time only the date.

[The Red Baron]

 It may have something to do with Rovers having floodlights if you can call them that. I remember standing on the one at the Rosso end and adjacent to the racecourse side. Bedford Jezzard scored Fulham's sixth goal.

We weren't allowed to use the floodlights for League matches then.

[The Red Baron]

I have just googled that game and it says the Kick off was 1 pm not 6 pm. When you look at the Programme cover it does not give a time only the date.

Newyankee- I've seen the image of the programme cover which as you say doesn't show a kick off time. Where did you find the actual KO time please? 1pm sounds very early. I suspect most games in the winter months would kick off at 2pm. Any earlier and people would still be travelling from work.

[RoversDave]

The teamsheet says 6pm


https://scontent.fman1-1.fna.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xap1/v/t1.0-9/12310653_1177269352303089_3682010677396877384_n.jpg?oh=305cbdc331a55e363edbe404491995ff&oe=56EAE23C

[Donnywolf]

Too early for my memory bank I'm afraid

My comment was going to be that sometimes Rovers DID play when Racing was on. I seem to remember watching the Races from the Kop and one was I am pretty sure The Great Yorkshire Chase - but don't know when that is run

It was odd watching the Football and seeing the Horses galloping past and though I don't always accurately remember everything THAT did happen !

EDIT : Seems GYC is held around the 24th of January and a quick squint showed we played at Home to Swansea in the FA Cup (lost 0-2) 27th Jan 1968. That puts me at around the age I thought of AND it "fits" because they probably arranged fixtures not to clash with Racing and of course with the FA Cup it was pot luck - and it looks like it was Round 3 being held late which maybe forced it to be played

[newyankee]

 Hey Baron

 I googled the game and date and several things came up. In fact the front of the rovers programme was very similar to the Fulham one, maybe same printeThe time was given as 1 pm BST on one of those leads.

[wilts rover]

 It may have something to do with Rovers having floodlights if you can call them that. I remember standing on the one at the Rosso end and adjacent to the racecourse side. Bedford Jezzard scored Fulham's sixth goal.

We weren't allowed to use the floodlights for League matches then.

I believe floodlights were allowed from the 1956 season onwards.

[The Red Baron]

They were, but the League didn't consider ours up to standard.

[wilts rover]

I will have to take you word for that TRB but Tony Bluff's book seems to indicate they were allowed?

[sheffield exile1]

I don't know the reason in that specific case. However I was looking at some old programmes from the early 70s and kick offs at 6.30pm on a Saturday evening were not unusual. I suspect this was on racing days.

If I remember it was because there was an experiment whereby people could come to the match and stay in town and still have a night out at the pub etc as the end would be around 8.10-8.15pm. Don't forget some pubs didn't open until 7pm on a Saturday night, certainly in Mexborough.

[newyankee]

The original lights were in use then as that is when we played the friendlies against the foreign sides. At that time we were the only team in the North ( I think) that had lights.

 As lights they were a waste of time, also, they could only be a certain height because of the Airfield next to the ground being still operational for small aircraft.

[Bentley Bullet]

I remember the old lights but never saw them switched on.

I first saw Belle Vue lit-up on the 24th Aug 1965, against Hartlepools United on a tuesday night. It was the start of the promotion season when we finished as Champions of division 4.

There was a loud cheer from the crowd when they were switched on, as Belle Vue was seen under bright floodlights for the first time ever.

Rovers won 4-0 !

[RoversDave]

I remember the old lights but never saw them switched on.

I first saw Belle Vue lit-up on the 24th Aug 1965, against Hartlepools United on a tuesday night. It was the start of the promotion season when we finished as Champions of division 4.

There was a loud cheer from the crowd when they were switched on, as Belle Vue was seen under bright floodlights for the first time ever.

Rovers won 4-0 !

Just read those new lights cost £15,000. It had also rained heavily for three hours up to ko time. Have you dried out yet BB?

[Bentley Bullet]

I was in the Pop side stand Dave,  so was dry during the match.

The rain enhanced the occasion  by causing the whole ground to glisten with the brilliant (at the time) lights!

[Donnywolf]

The original lights were in use then as that is when we played the friendlies against the foreign sides. At that time we were the only team in the North ( I think) that had lights.

 As lights they were a waste of time, also, they could only be a certain height because of the Airfield next to the ground being still operational for small aircraft.

Yes and later on the new Lights had Red Lights on the top so as to be visible to Doncaster Airport traffic

In addition Bob Monkhouse on Celebrity Squares was asked " Which is the only Football Club that has Red Lights on its Floodlights" and the bugger got it ! As usual he was allowed a joke answer or two beforehand and of course referred to the Red Light angle

[Bentley Bullet]

Yes Wolfie, I remember falling out of my cot laughing at that!

[wilts rover]

Interestingly that reading the report on the Hibs game, we appear to have played in orange.

[Dagenham Rover]

"Gordon Smith dropped out of Scots side as the result of a knee twist he suffered at Newcastle the previous afternoon"

Two games in two days!  just imagine the modern footballers being made to play 2 in 2 days   

[wilts rover]

The first competitive game under lights should have been a Third Round FA Cup tie against Forest on 7th January 1956. However despite the FA giving the go ahead, it was Forest who refused to play, as they had only ever played two games under lights, whereas we of course had been playing floodlit matches for four years.

[Donnywolf]

Yes Wolfie, I remember falling out of my cot laughing at that!

I also seem to remember a joke answer to the question of "who stops 1 in 2" and he said Doncaster Rovers goalkeeper .. and at the time we had Dennis Peacock Super Keeper but I don't remember any more than that

I did laugh at one other question .... Which Country has the worlds largest Airline ? easy BM said ... Russia which is ironic because nobody is allowed to go anywhere !!! 

[Sammy Chung was King]

Jimmy Hill, i remember watching him on match of the day, not being very impressed, he seemed out of touch with the game at the time he was commenting.
But since they i have learned that he had a big hand in player wages rising, he was a good footballer, had a decent career, and also ran the line at a game when the reserve linesman was injured, as well as the original linesman, if i am remembering right?.
It sounds like he had a good career in football, very sad for him to be ill like he is now.

[NickDRFC]

Joining you in going off on a tangent, I read this a couple of weeks ago, an excellent article:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/12007208/Jimmy-Hills-heartbreaking-battle-with-Alzheimers-brings-tears-and-laughter.html

[Donnywolf]

Jimmy Hill, i remember watching him on match of the day, not being very impressed, he seemed out of touch with the game at the time he was commenting.
But since they i have learned that he had a big hand in player wages rising, he was a good footballer, had a decent career, and also ran the line at a game when the reserve linesman was injured, as well as the original linesman, if i am remembering right?.
It sounds like he had a good career in football, very sad for him to be ill like he is now.

My Dad had several "sayings" "edicts" on Football that he rolled out at every opportunity

Never judge a Player on one appearance

If a Penalty taker misses the  target I would fine him a weeks wages

... but the one I will always believe in was "when they take the Maximum wage away in Football it will ruin the game" Jimmy Hill helped do that as you say and my Dad would not have been happy because although his view was a little simplistic I think by and large I could say he was right !

[Iberian Red]

I met Jimmy Hill at Darlington (late 80s/early 90s?) in the players lounge after Darlo had played Fulham. I'd gone up to see a mate (local lad/ex Rover,see if you can guess who), and we chatted together for about twenty minutes.
Here's the clue to the identity of the player...
Jimmy Hill had all of us in stitches when he swore that the player in question was an absolute double for Stanley Baxter!

[The Red Baron]

Jimmy Hill, i remember watching him on match of the day, not being very impressed, he seemed out of touch with the game at the time he was commenting.
But since they i have learned that he had a big hand in player wages rising, he was a good footballer, had a decent career, and also ran the line at a game when the reserve linesman was injured, as well as the original linesman, if i am remembering right?.
It sounds like he had a good career in football, very sad for him to be ill like he is now.

In the 70s he was very much at the cutting edge of how football was shown on TV. He left Coventry City, where he'd been arguably their greatest manager, to work for ITV and he revolutionised their coverage.

The 1970 World Cup, where he gathered together a panel of opinionated ex-pros like Derek Dougan and Paddy Crerand really marked the birth of the football pundit.

But he was of his time and by the 80s his style and opinions on the game had become outdated and that's probably when you saw him, Sammy. Football pundits, like managers, have a shelf life. That's why Gary Neville was right to turn down a five year deal with Sky and have a crack at management. In five years his schtick would have been as wearisome as Alan Hansen's became.

[graingrover]

I think the previous maximum wage ( prior to the J Hill George Eastman breakthrough) had been £20 a week at a time when my parents bought a semi in Boundary Avenue Wheatley Hills for £2,000.

[ravenrover]

It was sad  in the end watching him chair Morning Supplement on Sky as 1 of the reporters acted as his prompter. In the end they stood him down