The First Time Ever I Saw Your Ground: Shrewsbury Town, Gay Meadow and the New One - SAFC Blog

Contents:

• GOODBYE GAY MEADOW
• THE FIRST TIME EVER I SAW YOUR GROUND: SHREWSBURY TOWN, GAY MEADOW AND THE NEW ONE
• SHROPSHIRE STARHOMENEWSSPORTSERVICENTERTAMENTNOTIFITN SETTGSSUBSCRIBE TO ONE OR ALL NOTIFITN SOURC OM THIS ONE PLACE.NEWSLETTERSUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER TO GET THE DAY'S TOP STORI SENT DIRECTLY TO YOU.SIGN ME UPSPORTALL SPORT FOOTBALLGRASSROOTSTELFORD TIGERSRUGBYBOWLSCRICKETBOXGGOLFMORE UK & TERNATNAL SPORTSVIRAL SPORTS NEWSSHREWSBURY TOWN FCSHREWSBURY TOWN FCSHREWS VIEWSSQUADFIXTURDAVE EDWARDS: MUD GLOR MUD! HOW I LOVED SHREWSBURY TOWN'S GAY MEADOW THE WETBY LEWIS COXSHREWSBURY TOWN FCPUBLISHED: FEB 22, 2022LAST UPDATED: FEB 22, 2022COMMENTSA SHREWSBURY TOWN HOME GAME OFF FOR A WATERLOGGED PCH – THAT HAD ME THKG BACK!SUBSCRIBE TO OUR DAILY NEWSLETTER!SIGN UPFLOODG AT THE GAY MEADOW BACK 2000.IT GOT ME REMISCG ABOUT GAM OFF AT THE OLD GAY MEADOW AND JT WHAT THAT PCH WAS LIKE BETWEEN NOVEMBER THROUGH UNTIL FEBARY AND MARCH – WAS AWFUL!AND WOULD GET EVEN WORSE AFTER THAT, BEE HARNED UP AND THERE WAS NO GRASS LEFT ON ! AT THE END OF THE SEASON WOULD BE BARE, BOUNCY AND BOBBLY.I ED TO LOVE THE CHRISTMAS PERD TO JANUARY. I LOOK BACK AND WE’D PICK UP ALL OF OUR POTS THAT TIME. YOU’D SEE PLAYERS TURN UP, THEY’D E TO LOOK AT THE PCH – THOSE WHO DIDN’T WANT TO MS UP THEIR TRAERS – AND THEIR HEARTS WOULD SK.WE KNEW THEN WE HAD THEM, THEY DIDN’T WANT TO BE THERE. WE KNEW HOW TO PLAY THAT PCH AND PLAY PERCENTAG. IT WAS A HUGE, MASSIVE ADVANTAGE. WE MIGHT HAVE BEEN CUT ADRIFT BEFORE THAT PERD AND THEN BE FORTABLY MID-TABLE, WAS THAT MUCH OF A GAME-CHANGER FOR .I’M PRETTY SURE WE HAD CHTER AT HOME. EVERYONE THOUGHT THE GAME WOULD BE OFF, THE RIVER WAS UP. WE HADN’T HEARD ANYTHG SO WENT ALONG AT 1PM, WALKED DOWN THE TUNNEL AND THERE WAS GARY PETERS WH WHAT I N ONLY EXPLA AS THE WORLD’S BIGGT ROLLER – IMAGE ONE SURFACG AN ACTUAL ROAD – WH A HANDLE AND ATTACHED A HUGE PIECE OF SPONGE.GARY WAS ROLLG UP AND DOWN ON HIS OWN, MARCHG EHER WAY, HE’D GET TO THE END AND REMOVE THIS BIG SPONGE, SQUEEZE ALL OF THE NTENTS OUT, AND START AGA. IT WAS QUE A SIGHT. HE WAS THAT SPERATE TO GET THE GAME ON. I REMEMBER THE OFFICIALS SPECTG THE PCH. HE’D BE RIGHT NEXT TO THEM THE WHOLE TIME SAYG “NO, THAT’S FE” AS THEY’RE SQUELCHG THE MUD.WE WON THAT DAY, OBVLY, AND THE OPPOSN WEREN’T HAPPY ABOUT .I EVEN REMEMBER EXPERIENC AS A KID, YOU SEE THE RIVER E UP AND YOU’D WANT TO GO TO THE GROUND TO SEE HOW BAD WAS.IN MY YTS DAYS WE’D BE ON DUTY STACKG SANDBAGS TO KEEP THE DRSG ROOMS CLEAR.THERE WAS NOTHG BETTER THAN G OFF THAT PCH WH A W VERED HEAD TO TOE GAY MEADOW MUD. I ED TO ABSOLUTELY LOVE , WAS BRILLIANT. A DIFFERENT TYPE OF FOOTBALL TO NOW, BUT FANS STILL ENJOYED A TEAR-UP WTER.THERE WERE OTHER BAD PCH AND STADIUMS, DON’T GET ME WRONG, BUT FOR HOW SOFT AND MUDDY WAS THAT TIME OF YEAR, OUR PLACE WAS FORTABLY THE WORST. YOU’D NEED THE LONGT POSSIBLE STUDS, GARY PETERS WOULDN’T HAVE OTHERWISE.THERE WERE PATCH YOU WOULD SK THE MUD – AND I KNOW WAS EVEN WORSE IF YOU GO BACK ANOTHER GENERATN TO THE 70S AND 80S.ANY NEW SIGNGS WE HAD WOULD BE PREPARED FOR . BACK AT THE OLD SUNDORNE TRAG BASE WE’D BE SHUT OUT OF THERE OM OCTOBER OR NOVEMBER BEE THAT WAS WATERLOGGED, SO WE’D BE TRAG DOORS AT SCAT OR WHEREVER.IT WAS STRANGE BEE THE WORST GAM FOR ME PERSONALLY WERE AT THE END OF THE SEASON BEE THE GRASS ULDN’T REVER AS ALL DRIED OUT AND WAS SO HARD!THERE ARE THE CLASSIC PICTUR OF WHEN WOULD ACTUALLY PROPERLY FLOOD, THE GROUNDSMAN AND OTHERS THE RACLE. IT’D E OM THE FAR LEFT RNER AS YOU WALK OUT THE TUNNEL AND ’D CREEP ACROSS THE PCH. IT WAS MENTAL. THERE’D BE A LOT OF GAM OFF – BUT IF THERE WAS ANY CHANCE OF GETTG THEM ON, THEN THEY’D BE ON.ANYWAY, FOCG BACK ON THE HERE AND NOW – ’S A REALLY CCIAL PART OF THE SEASON FOR ALL TEAMS. THIS IS THE TIME WHEN YOU GA MOMENTUM OR SLI THE OTHER WAY.THERE’S EVERYTHG TO PLAY FOR, NO TEAM THE LEAGUE THAT HASN’T REALLY GOT ANYTHG ON THE LE.PORTSMOUTH VIS THE MEADOW TOMORROW AND THEY ARE VERY MUCH THAT TEGORY. I THK THEY’LL BE DISAPPOTED WH THEIR SEASON, BIG THGS WERE EXPECTED, BUT THEY’VE PICKED UP A UPLE OF WS.THEY’RE 11 POTS OUTSI THE PLAY-OFFS BUT WH A LOT OF GAM HAND. THEY WILL KNOW THEY NEED TO EXTEND THIS N AND ARRIVE TONIGHT KNOWG THEY HAVE A RIGHT CHANCE OF PUTTG SOMETHG TOGETHER.I REMEMBER LAST YEAR BEHD CLOSED DOORS, THEY PLAYED OFF THE PARK TO LEAD 2-0 AT HALF-TIME AND WERE VERY IMPRSIVE. THEY STILL HAVE A TOP SQUAD FULL OF QUALY. IT’S TOUGH, BUT TOWN N PICK UP BIG RULTS WHEN THEY NEED TO, HOPEFULLY THEY N GET A GOAL AND TAKE THE GAME TO POMPEY TO GET BACK TO WNG WAYS.SHREWSBURY TOWN FCFOOTBALLSPORTBY LEWIS COXMULTI-MEDIA SPORTS JOURNALISTWT BROMWICH ALBN CORRPONNTMOST READ
• SHROPSHIRE STARHOMENEWSSPORTSERVICENTERTAMENTNOTIFITN SETTGSSUBSCRIBE TO ONE OR ALL NOTIFITN SOURC OM THIS ONE PLACE.NEWSLETTERSUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER TO GET THE DAY'S TOP STORI SENT DIRECTLY TO YOU.SIGN ME UPNEWSALL NEWS COST OF LIVGLOL HUBSCRIMEPOLICSHEALTHBSEDUTNVOICUK NEWSENVIRONMENTMORE FEED A FAYFEATURNOSTALGIAPROPERTYTRANSPORTFARMGMOTORSWORLD NEWSDUAL THE A5SPONSORED ARTICLFD NEWS FOR YOUR TOWNEND OF AN ERA AT GAY MEADOW

GOODBYE GAY MEADOW

Goodbye Gay Meadow thor Matthew Ashton talks to ESPN 2017 durg the CONCACAF Gold Cup about the book. That is a long story -sce I was about five I always went to Gay Meadow to watch Shrewsbury I was eight I started to go to away gam too. Shrewsbury Town played Ipswich Town, the UEFA Cup champns, the FA Cup the early 1980s and the televisn meras me to Gay Meadow.

I had photographed Espanyol’s old stadium beg molished and I was very aware that one day soon the Gay Meadow would be no Meadow was unique that spectators had an utterly different view pendg on what si of the ground they watched the game om.

We ed to have a guy go and llect the ball when was kicked over the roof of the many people said that Gay Meadow was the most betiful stadium that they had ever been looked amazg the summer beg surround by green tre, Autumn was so lourful and even wter was still nice! Gay Meadow was Shrewsbury Town's home om 1910 until 2007.

THE FIRST TIME EVER I SAW YOUR GROUND: SHREWSBURY TOWN, GAY MEADOW AND THE NEW ONE

A different era and a different way of life - but was the same old problems facg Shrewsbury Town then as was Town's first season at Gay Meadow and thgs had been gog well. Agast such a backdrop, they were not unhappy to be movg, wh most at the club believg then - as today - that change was need if the club was to move Gay Meadow se was always a favoured optn, officials believg the more central lotn would help them to attract a better al was done and Town moved for the start of the next season. Nety-seven years of history had origs of the name of Gay Meadow are not clear, though may be related to prev of the land as a se for var early as Febary 1740, a young man by the name of Robert Cadman had attempted to cross over the River Severn on a rope tied to St Mary's Church on one si, and tree at Gay Meadow on the was a brave unrtakg but, ultimately, a foolish one.

The rope broke and Cadman fell to his horrifyg 150 years later, Sangers Circ beme regular visors, pchg up Shrewsbury on an annual basis and g Gay Meadow as their after Town had taken occupatn, the se was still ed for purpos other than football.

A team of Canadian officers was beaten by a si reprentg the Amerin Aero Squadron on September 21 1918 a match staged to raise funds for the Brish YMCA Hut, 24 years later on October 101942, a large crowd was on hand to watch a match between two sis thought to have been om the nearby Amerin Army Air Base at Atcham, playg unr the nam of the Yankee All Stars and the Flyg 's tenure of the se was ially on a one-year trial basis, and club officials were reluctant to throw too much money at the project until anythg more permanent had been agreed and set pch was rolled, but simple changg rooms were the only buildgs on the Meadow at first as the club prepared for their first historic first match on Augt 20 1910 was not a grand affair, but rather a practise match between the 'Reds' and the 'Wh', wh what newspaper reports of the time refereed to as "1, 000 enthiasts" watchg Wh won the game 1-0, wh Billy Srratt - one of Shrewsbury's early stars - turng to his own off a Frank Jon first petive match at the new ground me the followg month on September 10, though was not the happit of begngs as Wolverhampton Wanrers Rerv went home wh a 2-1 least Srratt had somethg to celebrate - he ted at the right end this time to bee the first Town player to sre at Gay Meadow. He returned 1930, and returned to Wellgton before dyg 1958, aged secured long-term posssn of Gay Meadow, Town slowly ma addns to improve as a football ground, though the first major work did not get unr way until 1922 - wh the erectn of a new morn standards was a simple affair, but did signal the growg ambns of a club who felt they had a prospero future ont of work certaly drew praise om supporters and media, the Shrewsbury Chronicle clarg: "The club are to be ngratulated on their enterprise, for the stand is a handsome stcture and would do cred to almost any of the leadg clubs the untry. 15pm kick-off fishg unr artificial this time, Arthur Rowley had taken the res at the Meadow and the club was chargg forwards on and off the 's team attracted much tert thanks to the goalsrg prows of the lik of Col Whaker, Alf Wood and Rowley of people wanted to watch this team, and Gay Meadow was now big enough to hoe them wh May 1959, Exeter Cy were beaten 3-0, Rowley tg a hat-trick a season's bt attendance of 15, 318 as Town won their last five gam (srg 17 goals the procs) to fish fourth divisn four and w followg season they exceed 10, 000 four tim - the bt beg the 14, 614 that saw the 2-0 feat at home to Bury on Boxg followg year, 1960/61, they did six tim - cludg four cup real drama was the League Cup, where Town's n to the semi-fals clud a 2-1 quarter-fal victory over Everton ont of 15, the semi wh Rotherham, they lost the first leg 3-2 and a new rerd of 16, 722 turned out for the send leg to see if they uld turn around.

SHROPSHIRE STARHOMENEWSSPORTSERVICENTERTAMENTNOTIFITN SETTGSSUBSCRIBE TO ONE OR ALL NOTIFITN SOURC OM THIS ONE PLACE.NEWSLETTERSUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER TO GET THE DAY'S TOP STORI SENT DIRECTLY TO YOU.SIGN ME UPSPORTALL SPORT FOOTBALLGRASSROOTSTELFORD TIGERSRUGBYBOWLSCRICKETBOXGGOLFMORE UK & TERNATNAL SPORTSVIRAL SPORTS NEWSSHREWSBURY TOWN FCSHREWSBURY TOWN FCSHREWS VIEWSSQUADFIXTURDAVE EDWARDS: MUD GLOR MUD! HOW I LOVED SHREWSBURY TOWN'S GAY MEADOW THE WETBY LEWIS COXSHREWSBURY TOWN FCPUBLISHED: FEB 22, 2022LAST UPDATED: FEB 22, 2022COMMENTSA SHREWSBURY TOWN HOME GAME OFF FOR A WATERLOGGED PCH – THAT HAD ME THKG BACK!SUBSCRIBE TO OUR DAILY NEWSLETTER!SIGN UPFLOODG AT THE GAY MEADOW BACK 2000.IT GOT ME REMISCG ABOUT GAM OFF AT THE OLD GAY MEADOW AND JT WHAT THAT PCH WAS LIKE BETWEEN NOVEMBER THROUGH UNTIL FEBARY AND MARCH – WAS AWFUL!AND WOULD GET EVEN WORSE AFTER THAT, BEE HARNED UP AND THERE WAS NO GRASS LEFT ON ! AT THE END OF THE SEASON WOULD BE BARE, BOUNCY AND BOBBLY.I ED TO LOVE THE CHRISTMAS PERD TO JANUARY. I LOOK BACK AND WE’D PICK UP ALL OF OUR POTS THAT TIME. YOU’D SEE PLAYERS TURN UP, THEY’D E TO LOOK AT THE PCH – THOSE WHO DIDN’T WANT TO MS UP THEIR TRAERS – AND THEIR HEARTS WOULD SK.WE KNEW THEN WE HAD THEM, THEY DIDN’T WANT TO BE THERE. WE KNEW HOW TO PLAY THAT PCH AND PLAY PERCENTAG. IT WAS A HUGE, MASSIVE ADVANTAGE. WE MIGHT HAVE BEEN CUT ADRIFT BEFORE THAT PERD AND THEN BE FORTABLY MID-TABLE, WAS THAT MUCH OF A GAME-CHANGER FOR .I’M PRETTY SURE WE HAD CHTER AT HOME. EVERYONE THOUGHT THE GAME WOULD BE OFF, THE RIVER WAS UP. WE HADN’T HEARD ANYTHG SO WENT ALONG AT 1PM, WALKED DOWN THE TUNNEL AND THERE WAS GARY PETERS WH WHAT I N ONLY EXPLA AS THE WORLD’S BIGGT ROLLER – IMAGE ONE SURFACG AN ACTUAL ROAD – WH A HANDLE AND ATTACHED A HUGE PIECE OF SPONGE.GARY WAS ROLLG UP AND DOWN ON HIS OWN, MARCHG EHER WAY, HE’D GET TO THE END AND REMOVE THIS BIG SPONGE, SQUEEZE ALL OF THE NTENTS OUT, AND START AGA. IT WAS QUE A SIGHT. HE WAS THAT SPERATE TO GET THE GAME ON. I REMEMBER THE OFFICIALS SPECTG THE PCH. HE’D BE RIGHT NEXT TO THEM THE WHOLE TIME SAYG “NO, THAT’S FE” AS THEY’RE SQUELCHG THE MUD.WE WON THAT DAY, OBVLY, AND THE OPPOSN WEREN’T HAPPY ABOUT .I EVEN REMEMBER EXPERIENC AS A KID, YOU SEE THE RIVER E UP AND YOU’D WANT TO GO TO THE GROUND TO SEE HOW BAD WAS.IN MY YTS DAYS WE’D BE ON DUTY STACKG SANDBAGS TO KEEP THE DRSG ROOMS CLEAR.THERE WAS NOTHG BETTER THAN G OFF THAT PCH WH A W VERED HEAD TO TOE GAY MEADOW MUD. I ED TO ABSOLUTELY LOVE , WAS BRILLIANT. A DIFFERENT TYPE OF FOOTBALL TO NOW, BUT FANS STILL ENJOYED A TEAR-UP WTER.THERE WERE OTHER BAD PCH AND STADIUMS, DON’T GET ME WRONG, BUT FOR HOW SOFT AND MUDDY WAS THAT TIME OF YEAR, OUR PLACE WAS FORTABLY THE WORST. YOU’D NEED THE LONGT POSSIBLE STUDS, GARY PETERS WOULDN’T HAVE OTHERWISE.THERE WERE PATCH YOU WOULD SK THE MUD – AND I KNOW WAS EVEN WORSE IF YOU GO BACK ANOTHER GENERATN TO THE 70S AND 80S.ANY NEW SIGNGS WE HAD WOULD BE PREPARED FOR . BACK AT THE OLD SUNDORNE TRAG BASE WE’D BE SHUT OUT OF THERE OM OCTOBER OR NOVEMBER BEE THAT WAS WATERLOGGED, SO WE’D BE TRAG DOORS AT SCAT OR WHEREVER.IT WAS STRANGE BEE THE WORST GAM FOR ME PERSONALLY WERE AT THE END OF THE SEASON BEE THE GRASS ULDN’T REVER AS ALL DRIED OUT AND WAS SO HARD!THERE ARE THE CLASSIC PICTUR OF WHEN WOULD ACTUALLY PROPERLY FLOOD, THE GROUNDSMAN AND OTHERS THE RACLE. IT’D E OM THE FAR LEFT RNER AS YOU WALK OUT THE TUNNEL AND ’D CREEP ACROSS THE PCH. IT WAS MENTAL. THERE’D BE A LOT OF GAM OFF – BUT IF THERE WAS ANY CHANCE OF GETTG THEM ON, THEN THEY’D BE ON.ANYWAY, FOCG BACK ON THE HERE AND NOW – ’S A REALLY CCIAL PART OF THE SEASON FOR ALL TEAMS. THIS IS THE TIME WHEN YOU GA MOMENTUM OR SLI THE OTHER WAY.THERE’S EVERYTHG TO PLAY FOR, NO TEAM THE LEAGUE THAT HASN’T REALLY GOT ANYTHG ON THE LE.PORTSMOUTH VIS THE MEADOW TOMORROW AND THEY ARE VERY MUCH THAT TEGORY. I THK THEY’LL BE DISAPPOTED WH THEIR SEASON, BIG THGS WERE EXPECTED, BUT THEY’VE PICKED UP A UPLE OF WS.THEY’RE 11 POTS OUTSI THE PLAY-OFFS BUT WH A LOT OF GAM HAND. THEY WILL KNOW THEY NEED TO EXTEND THIS N AND ARRIVE TONIGHT KNOWG THEY HAVE A RIGHT CHANCE OF PUTTG SOMETHG TOGETHER.I REMEMBER LAST YEAR BEHD CLOSED DOORS, THEY PLAYED OFF THE PARK TO LEAD 2-0 AT HALF-TIME AND WERE VERY IMPRSIVE. THEY STILL HAVE A TOP SQUAD FULL OF QUALY. IT’S TOUGH, BUT TOWN N PICK UP BIG RULTS WHEN THEY NEED TO, HOPEFULLY THEY N GET A GOAL AND TAKE THE GAME TO POMPEY TO GET BACK TO WNG WAYS.SHREWSBURY TOWN FCFOOTBALLSPORTBY LEWIS COXMULTI-MEDIA SPORTS JOURNALISTWT BROMWICH ALBN CORRPONNTMOST READ

It is a rerd that stands to this day and will never be beaten unls the New Meadow swells size the distant guil have seen the pacy of Gay Meadow rced over the years, and the latg sts of nng a Football League team has led to the ia of a move beg mooted several tim over the last two s or the grand old lady succsfully hosted football at old send divisn (now Champnship) level for 10 years through the 1980s and ntu to be a favoure for visg supporters bee of s charm and days always looked numbered though, om the moment Scunthorpe (them aga) moved to Glanford Park were the first League club to relote the 20th century, but the succs of the move led to a wave of clubs followg their found difficulti intifyg a new sight and negotiatg the mefield of lol uncil the arrival of Roland Wycherley as chairman 1996 saw a new termatn to take the club forward to a bright new era. John McCormick wr: I’ve walked past the Gay Meadow ground once or twice and I’ve driven past the New Meadow, though probably before there was a football ground there, but I’ve never been si eher ground and I don’t thk I’ve ever seen Shrewsbury play at all.

SHROPSHIRE STARHOMENEWSSPORTSERVICENTERTAMENTNOTIFITN SETTGSSUBSCRIBE TO ONE OR ALL NOTIFITN SOURC OM THIS ONE PLACE.NEWSLETTERSUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER TO GET THE DAY'S TOP STORI SENT DIRECTLY TO YOU.SIGN ME UPNEWSALL NEWS COST OF LIVGLOL HUBSCRIMEPOLICSHEALTHBSEDUTNVOICUK NEWSENVIRONMENTMORE FEED A FAYFEATURNOSTALGIAPROPERTYTRANSPORTFARMGMOTORSWORLD NEWSDUAL THE A5SPONSORED ARTICLFD NEWS FOR YOUR TOWNEND OF AN ERA AT GAY MEADOW

This is another new one for , although we have played Salop four tim at the old ground, the wonrfully named Gay Meadow. Gay Meadow.