Best Barratt Stand memories

(1)Running down twice, in different positions, to get a decent large dram form George Kerr's Bells Manager of the Month award. They seemed to have put much of the gallon bottle into loads of white plastic vending cups, and half filled them. Had a great glow on for the kick off!
(2) Everton League Cup win, when everybody was asking the only person with a watch on "how long to go" every minute after half time.
(3) The fans on the roof for the Exeter game at the end of the 71-2 season, the night we were crowned champions.
The general caustic wit and camaraderie that was inherent in that stand. You never got that sat in the Findus.
Great days, great memories.

I remember standing towards the back of the stand (pontoon end) in the late 60's early 70's. The crowd was particually sparse and as the players came out a mate and i were told quite clearly that we couldn't stand there. (more colourful language)

Why? we asked looking around in acres of space

Cos Harold stands there and he will be here in a minute!

Quoted from BIGChris

I remember standing towards the back of the stand (pontoon end) in the late 60's early 70's. The crowd was particually sparse and as the players came out a mate and i were told quite clearly that we couldn't stand there. (more colourful language)

Why? we asked looking around in acres of space

Cos Harold stands there and he will be here in a minute!

Funny how people are like that. Reminds me of a bloke who (used to?) go in the Crows Nest lounge and sit on a stool to the right of the bar. I remember going in with the old man one quiet night on one of my trips home and getting the same message about where I was stood.


As for the Barratt Stand, I remember people pissing up against the crush barrier half way down. And some old guy collapsing one Saturday - thought he was ill then but looking back it may just as likely been drink the amount of sipping at hip flasks that went on in those days.  It's also where I learned that adults swore - shock horror!

Being of rural Lincolnshire stock my Dad didn't take me in with the artisans that occupied the Barratt - Main Stand only for the farmers. Until the terracing was taken out the Main Stand that is -then we had to go in there - one season only 80-81. After that the Barratt came down and there was no terracing down the side of the ground at all for a while. With the Main Stand terrace and the Barratt gone BP lost about 8,000+ standing capacity down the sides - replaced with a mere 2k standing in the Lower Findus - the unique and wonderful atmosphere of BP that I remember was lost forever.

BP must have had one the highest proportion of terracing in any ground int he Football League pre-1980 - capacity 24k and only about 2,500 seats. Grounds like Turf Moor (the Long-side), Maine Road (Kippax) and the Valley had huge terraces down one side but were all seater on the other side. The only ground I've ever been in with similar proportions is Thomond Park in Limerick where Munster Rugby play. They are practically unbeatable at home as Town used to be. Even the struggling mid-70's 3rd division team had a long unbeaten run at home (apart from feckin Gatehead in the FA Cup!).

I remember seeing a black and white picture of the Barratt Stand once.

I can remember two instances, the first, Dave Worthington chasing a winger who had skinned him (not many did that) and a cry from somewhere at the back of "Grass 'im wortho he can't run without legs". The second was Bobby Cummins setting off from the center circle straight towards the Barratt stand and taking out Norman Hunter right on the halfway line to raucous cheers from the crowd....Happy Days.

The tale about the guy collapsing has probably happened on more than one occasion. The amount of drink that used to get passed around in there was phenomenal, and I often used to have a hip flask full of scotch myself. Don't think modern day stewards would have gone down very well in the Barratt?

The other thing that's just come back to me is how it used to shake when people stamped their feet. Very flexible wood! Must have been all the pish!

I went in there once as a very young lad! I think it was against Fulham and it was televised that night too. I rememebr a lad younger than me sat on the fence, back against a stanchion. He was looking round, not really paying attention to trhe game when the ball came flying over to him, twatted him on the head, making him smack the girder behind him.... Happy day!

I used to stand on a milk-crate at the very front. Always remember the atmosphere being really good. They used to erect scaffolding with a little platform for the cameras for televised games. Vague recollection of seeing Martin Tyler up there, and Derek Dougan.