Peel Park

D

DHeatley

Offcomer
Bobbin Winder
Hi guys,

My name is Drew Heatley. I am writing a book titled ‘Lost League Football Grounds’, which will feature a double page spread on Peel Park. I am interested in gathering fan’s anecdotes about the old ground, including things like quirky features, big moments, and recollections of atmosphere etc. It’s an open invitation; feel free to post any memories and reminiscences in the reply. It’d be extremely helpful and would add to the book to have a fan’s perspective.

Cheers!
 
Good luck with the book, sorry I can't help you, just before my time :D
There are a few on here though that will be along shortly I'm sure
 
My most enduring memory of the old ground is of Paul Anka's big hit, "Diana" blaring out over the loudspeakers before every game in the fifties - wonderful! That and my first ever match (I think) when we drew with the Rovers under the floodlights in front of a full house. Oh, and George Stewart banging in his headed goals harder then most players of today can kick the ball.
 
An ex-landlord of the Peel Park pub at the back of the ground was reputed to wash out his empty pale ale bottles and sraighten out the bottletops, these were saved for Stanley home games. The morning prior to a Stanley match the bottles were filled with draught bitter and the caps refitted. Thirsty spectators who fancied a cool refreshing pint of Thwaites were disappointed to be told "Sorry, bitter's off, we've got bottles though." Whether there's any truth in this I've no idea, but it was one of the legends surrounding a certain (now deceased) publican of this watering hole.
 
yerself said:
An ex-landlord of the Peel Park pub at the back of the ground was reputed to wash out his empty pale ale bottles and sraighten out the bottletops, these were saved for Stanley home games. The morning prior to a Stanley match the bottles were filled with draught bitter and the caps refitted. Thirsty spectators who fancied a cool refreshing pint of Thwaites were disappointed to be told "Sorry, bitter's off, we've got bottles though." Whether there's any truth in this I've no idea, but it was one of the legends surrounding a certain (now deceased) publican of this watering hole.
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I remember my Dad telling me about that when I was a kid - East Lancs Pale Ale
 
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I remember a few things from the Peel Park days. I can always visualise how many cars where parked on streets like Manor St, Lodge St when Stanley were at home. This was the 1950s, not many people had cars then.

I also remember the all Scottish Stanley team,George Stewart's goals in particular. Goalkeeper Tommy McQueen talking to crowd behind the coppice goal comes to mind.

One of the games I remember quite well was the cup match against Preston who were then I think I'm right in saying were in the the old first division. Stanley drew away at Preston which was a great result, but lost the replay at Peel Park. A big crowd on that night.
 
I remember as a school boy going to the school next door, nicking over the walls to watch the club training during the day. Can't remember too much about the team pre '63 just a wee nipper then
 
I, too, remember the game against Preston at Peel Park. It was an Fa cup replay. Preston were in the old Division 1 at the time and Stanley had played well to hold them to a draw at Deepdale. I was only a boy and on the night of the replay the ground was packed. I'd never seen it so full, we had to push to the front to get any sight of the pitch. The only player I can remember now from the Stanley team on the night was goalkeeper Alex Smith who made several fine saves but we still ended up losing 0-4 !!

PS records show the date of the game was 09/01/1961
 
Reamer said:
I, too, remember the game against Preston at Peel Park. It was an Fa cup replay. Preston were in the old Division 1 at the time and Stanley had played well to hold them to a draw at Deepdale. I was only a boy and on the night of the replay the ground was packed. I'd never seen it so full, we had to push to the front to get any sight of the pitch. The only player I can remember now from the Stanley team on the night was goalkeeper Alex Smith who made several fine saves but we still ended up losing 0-4 !!

PS records show the date of the game was 09/01/1961
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The Preston goalkeeper I seem to remember was Fred Else, who also played for Blackburn.

There was somethng special about the replay. Was it T.V highlights of the match where shown. Or was 1961 too early for that.
 
Stanley's first match under floodlights was 1954/55 season against East Fife.
 
Bernard Dawson said:
The Preston goalkeeper I seem to remember was Fred Else, who also played for Blackburn.

There was somethng special about the replay. Was it T.V highlights of the match where shown. Or was 1961 too early for that.
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I was at that game Bernard, it was a bloody awful night, it bucketed it down right through the match, I was right behind the goals at the Peel Park School end, Stanley might of got beaten but the atmosphere was great
 
JEFF said:
Stanley's first match under floodlights was 1954/55 season against East Fife.
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Thought Stanley had lights before 1961 JEFF, in fact they were one of the first clubs in the football league to get lights, before Rovers and Burnley, If I remember rightly they were on 8 telegraph poles 4 on each side of the ground
 
I can remember some 5 or 6 years after Stanley folded I had the job of actually dismantling the old Wooden Stand at Peel Park, in fact its not that long ago that some pictures were published in the Observer of the stand being dismantled
 
One of the first games I remember under lights was the 3rd Div North V 3rd Div South game. I also remember the wood hut that sold grand meat pies and cups of tea. Standing outside the ground after a game to get the players autographs, the team -McInnes,Ash,Lord,Hunter,Ryden,Bodle,Scott,Dick,Stewart,Cocker,Anders and the best manager in the league Walter Galbraith. Happy days.
 
Of the players I saw pre-1960, John Ryden, a young Scottish centre half, stands out. he was a class above the rest - not surprising that he was snapped up by Spurs. Les Cocker was past his best when playing for us, but his class was apparent.
It was possibsle to watch the game from outside the ground when standing on the slope of The Coppice a bit higher up than the Peel Park pub.
 
What always sticks in my mind is that small directors' stand in the bottom corner. It had gas central heating, so the bigwigs could watch the game in comfort, while the rest of us froze!
 
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