God I could write a book on this

Started going in the late 60's standing on The Fletch about 10 years old.

The Popular Side

The Railway End we called The Cow Filed. No roof, crappy crumbling terraces, and our under soil heating was straw we put on the pitch. They took the roof off the Popular side and put it on The Railway end.

Being in Wilderspool with 15,000 people in there in the early 1970's

Wintergreen

Mick Hennigan flying down the wing

Joe Price laying people out every week

Winning the league in 1973 I think parading the trophy in the last home game against Wigan

We have had the smell of pipe tobacco;
We have had the smell of wintergreen,
We have had the aroma of fried onions,,

No what we have not had a bad fart,
Think i use to call them a rugby trump......
picture the scene fletcher end 10 minutes into a game then BANG someone drops one (s.b.d.)usaually,
Then someone always asks that question"whos done that" you look round to see a great big bloke with a red face stood there with his shoulders jigging up and down with a greasey burger in one hand and a pint of bitter in the other looking all smug with himself...................rugby trumps not smelt one for ages..

graham steadman cacking himself everytime jiffy put an up n under on top of him. don't think he caught one all afternoon. the noise from the fletch when one went up, knowing what was gonna happen was immense

Serving pints in the little kiosk and not been the best at maths undercharging most of you lot.The tills didnt add up the price as typed the cost in so most of time i just made it up.It had taken me afew games to figure the prices out.15 mins after half time when we shut going to sit in stands to watch the rest of the game.Then heading down to the smallest bar you will ever see, i cant remember the name of it to carry on serving the beer.
The wintergreen smell.
Going to watch the Aus game with my grandad in 1990.

Listening to the noise walking down Fletcher Street.
Shuffling through the tunnel from the turnstiles trying desperately not to think of anything remotely claustrophobic.
The momentary sense as you walked up the steps and looked at the stadium in all it's glory of anticipation for the match to come. The feeling replaced rapidly by one of being "home".
Squeezing through the crowd in the Fletcher Street End wondering where to take your chance to stand.
Cursing those who squoze past you having chosen your spec.
Trying to hear the team announcement before the players came out - usually accompanied by "Why is he playing Rocky Turner?"
The steam off Ocker's mug of tea as he appeared just before the players came out of the tunnel.
The roar at kick off.
Straining for half the first half to see if the gate was open allowing ends to be changed or hearing the dreaded announcement "There will be no changing ends on police advice".
When Hull were in town everyone ignoring the no changing ends & walking over the pitch anyway.
Trying to pick your moment to leave early to change ends & get a decent spec for the 2nd half or leave late & risk seeing little of the 2nd.
Being carried along with everyone else moving at half time.
Wintergreen & straining to hear any sounds of half time tactics from the changing rooms.
Trying to be in place before the 2nd half kicked off having lost half of mates in the scrum at half time to change ends.
Wondering if the scoreboard clock was actually working.
The sense of elation or disappointment at full time.
Walking out of the ground with sadness that you wouldn't be back for 2 weeks. At the end of the season wondering what you would do with yourself for the summer & working out how long until the pre-season friendlies would start.
The echoes of the fans leaving the ground and giving the tin sheds one last bang as they walked out.
The queues for the chippy & the long walk home.
Tea in the oven with mum knowing there would be no conversation until voice was back or next morning depending on result.

Specific matches, players & incidents yes - but a sense of the feeling of going to any match at Wilderspool.

I'm from the same generation as Wirral Wire, hence the early-mid 70's i recall most fondly(i'm sure my dads generation would go on about the 50's, but there you go!)

Late 60's losing at home to Salford 50-0 then beating Blackpool Borough same score
John Bevans debut.He scored then got stretchered off.
Derek Whitehead sidetepping half the Dewsbury team then passing to Dennis Curling who went in under the sticks.
Cas Relay 72, played on a Wednesday afternoon due to power cuts
Fev beating us in 73 QF, all their village turned up.
Murphys testimonial week after the cup final, Brian Bevan scored
Charity football that got abandoned mid 70's when thje crowd mobbed Rod Stewart
The bloke with the religious banner outside the ground
The old wooden stand, stank of fags. Wonder how itgot burnt down!

I remember both of these games.

Actually ended up in the changing rooms after the Murphy testimonial sat between Murph and Brian Bevan - No idea how I got in there but I got a programme signed by both of them, I have hunted high and low to find it without success

It was weird to see Wilderspool with footie posts for the Rod Stewart game

I also remember it costing 20p to get in as a lad

Best thread in ages

Off the top of my head.

Nigel Vagana hat-trick against Wigan my first ever game and with Cullen as stand in coach

Watching Kevin Walters in his first game warm up thinking he doesnt look ar$ed

Blowing a massive half time lead against Hudds

Giving the mightly Paul's brothers Bradford a first defeat of the season and the Penny side step

The result which meant we stayed up announced over the tannoy

A home and away season ticket for like £20

Playing Wigan in a really early kick off

Pan face pointing to where his wife was

Briers at fullback

Being under dogs and looking forward to taking on the "big" teams

The sound of the back of the Fletch being hit

Another great night game - I was just looking at my programme from that game last weekend. There was some class in that Aussie midweek team, a young Brad Fittler played that night!

think that ones on youtube now called warrington vs wigan world war 3

So many good memories, forgot about the night matches and
also the friday night reserve matches and then into town.

Seem to remember a lot of biff

Not forgetting Phil Ford, absolutely leathered in Fiesta at 2.00am on a Sunday morning then trotting out at 3.00pm on a Sunday afternoon, looking right as rain!

Running on the pitch at full time to get autographs and tie ups. I've still got my autograph book, my Leeds program signed by Les Boyd, Phil Blake and Andy Gregory and Dane O'Hara's tie ups from a NZ game.

Hull '83 cup game when the barrier in the Fletcher St End collapsed. Looking down Wilderspool Causeway and seeing Hull coaches 2 abreast.

Mark Jones (Hull) punching Gary Tees in front of the ref and getting a red

Fozzard vs Leeds, on our try line, taking the ball up but dropping the ball in front of Barrie Mac so he could lamp him one.

A Bradford Northern game when Parry Gordon and Ken Kelly both had their jaws broken in the same game

Gary Van Bellen dislocating his fingers and the physio popping them all back in on the half way

Standing under the Leigh Concrete sign watching Richard Henare running down the wing towards me against Cas on a sunny Saturday evening

John woods kicking a goal. He's put the ball down, turned round and kicked it even before the team had crossed the half way

Steve Hesford being the first goal kicker to use sand

Ronnie Duane, in a testimonial, taking a goal kick when the ball fell off the tee, kicking it from where it lay and it going over

Th HJ for me has been the best thing that's happened to the Wire but I pity the youth of today not being able change ends at half time or to run on the pitch at full time. Happy days.

That, along with Scully putting one on Terry Newton in an Academy final/semi, was the finest single punch I have ever seen on the pitch at Wilderspool.

There are a lot of Johnny Warbo memories. What was the deal - autistic or just a bit mongy/special? Honest question. He seemed unaware of his surroundings/other people's feelings which lead me to the former. Does he post on here (headstalk or not).

Happy days, I guess.