Billy Bremner and the Belle Vue pitch

[VivaRovers]

A very specific question to help with an article I'm writing about Belle Vue for a national magazine.

I know that Billy Bremner had the Belle Vue pitch made smaller, but was this during his first or second spell as manager?

And, can anyone confirm whether it was made shorter or narrower?

[drfchound]

To try and answer one of the questions, I’m sure it was made shorter.

[Armthorpe mickler]

Think it was in the 70's when Bremner first took over.

[knockers]

I think it was made narrower.

[roversontheup]

I’m certain it was narrowed.

[bradford exile]

Hi Glen I'll check my scrapbooks . Regards.  Ray

[Bristol Red Rover]

"At one time the pitch was the biggest in the football league, measuring 119 yards by 79 yards, but it was reduced under the management of Billy Bremner in 1981."
https://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/news/housing-developer-to-reveal-plans-for-former-football-stadium-1864288

So that's the date, and pretty sure it was made narrower, possibly a tiny touch shorter.

[bradford exile]

Hi Glen.......

The plans for the Belle Vue playing area were approved approximately round about February 1979. It was reported in the press around that time.

The changes though would not be brought into effect until the forthcoming close season. The report by a Mr Jim Fergusson stated ("Quote") "The ground alterations have been approved ,but it may be the close season before they go ahead"

I hope this helps, but if you need to see the newspaper article let me know. raymond.jest@gmail.com

Regards

Ray Jest (Bradford Exile)

[BobG]

I thought narrower too.

BobG

[drfchound]

I seem to recall that the goals were moved further away from the walls behind them too.

[DonnyBazR0ver]

Pretty sure both narrower and shorter. You can see from this vid (8 mins in) there's loads of turf behind the nets. A good 2 yards each end at least. Both touchlines brought about a yard in.

https://youtu.be/zGk0nKvYTmY?si=2yRF3_yPu_eSM2-H

[VivaRovers]

Cheers folks, much appreciated

[Donnywolf]

I thought both but I had in my head 119x72 so looks like memory failed there

Are there any regulations going forward to standardize Pitch sizes as newer Stadia are built

It would have been hard to do in the "olden" days but surely now the new Grounds emerge they could have a standard pitch size built in ?

[selby]

  An interesting one is when Scunthorpe moved to their new stadium from the old Ground.
   There was a mix up with the builders or planners who asked what size the pitch needed to be and were given the dimensions of the old playing surface.
    They took them to be the dimensions of the surrounding walls hence a narrow playing area.

[VivaRovers]

After all this, I ended up having to trim this bit off to make the word count. But again, thanks all for the info.

Piece should be in next month's When Saturday Comes as part of their 'Lost Stadiums' series for those interested.

[streathamdave]

Probably both, but certainly narrower