WHAT WAS IT LIKE TO STAND ON THE NORTH BANK?

Post by **flash gunner** » Tue Mar 16, 2010 7:41 pm

merson_is_god wrote:Please can we keep the subject off Hillsborough and back to the North Bank memories please...

Thanks...

It is related because this is why the North Bank doesnt exist anymore, therefore you missed out

merson_is_god · Post by **merson_is_god** » Tue Mar 16, 2010 8:19 pm

But if we have peoples opinions on Hillsborough it is not really related to the North Bank is it?
Yes to be fair without Hillsborough the North Bank would have been around longer but I was hoping to hear memories and what it was like on the terrace.

Thanks

Post by **flash gunner** » Tue Mar 16, 2010 8:21 pm

Not sure if youre aware but threads on this forum often go off on a tangent and (not this time) often its a totally unrelated tangent..... Think you have plenty of memories to go on so far

norfbankN16 · Post by **norfbankN16** » Tue Mar 16, 2010 8:31 pm

i was just revealing my memories too and remember why it changed so much. You will never be able to recreate that atmosphere in todays namby pamby health and safety state

charliegeorgewhocanhitem · Tue Mar 16, 2010 8:56 pm

I stood on the NB and CE from 72 til the end of the NB. The first thing I remember is entering through the Gillespie Road gates and seeing "Danger Arsenal North bank keep out" sprayed in red paint on one of the white pillars that used to hold up the roof. The next real memory for me is just the sense of excitement it gave you being among 1000s of other gooners, swaying, singing, jumping up and down and surging on that big old terrace. You felt part of something and almost invincible for a couple of hours, hard to explain the real feeliing exactly tho. You also made lifelong mates with others who stood on your particular little patch, something that I really can't see happening too much at the concrete bowl we call home nowadys. Somtimes the atmosphere could be absolutely electric and so crowded you could hardly move, like the night we played chelsea in and fa cup quarter final replay in 1973, I queued up, almost up to Finsbury park from about 5.30 and only got in dead on ko time, at 7.30 in those days. How I did'nt get crushed to fuck trying to get through the Gillepsie road gates I don't know but I was too young to be scared. When we got in we literally could'nt move, just stood at the top by the stairs. The atmosphere was unbelievable and hardly a chav in sight, think they had a few 100 in the ce but were'nt really making themselves heard. We won the game 2-1 and I think that night defines what it was to be on the NB. Worst time on the NB was when the whammers payed us a "visit" in the fa cup in 75, an awful day. There were rather more succesful defences of our end in the early 70s tho, I remember the **** trying it a few times about 73/ 75 and getting well and truly shown the door. As most have mentioned, the old green hut down the back was legendary, think they sold bitter in pints but if you wanted lager they poured a can of fucking Skol into a flimsy plastig mug and if you were hungry you could have some awful pie with rubber meat in it or if you were feeling unadventurous then you stuck to the crisps and wagon wheels. Thinking back to those days just makes me realise how much we've lost and exactly why football now does'nt feel the same. Those days can never come back, I'm just glad I experienced what I did when I did, would'nt swap that for a 100 years at the concrete bowl.

Chips and Chocolate · Post by **Chips and Chocolate** » Tue Mar 16, 2010 9:23 pm

My penis has just grown 15 inches... Thank you all who posted

hugh jardon · Post by **hugh jardon** » Tue Mar 16, 2010 9:51 pm

The smell of beer and fags. A thick blanket of cigarette smoke.

The noise bouncing back off the underside of the roof.

Giving away keepers the bird "WOOOOOOAAA YOU'RE SHIT! AAAARRRRGGHHH!!!!!!!!" for goal kicks

I remember one game probably late eighties v Coventry City keeper Steve Ogrizovic was game for a laugh in goal doing all these energetic excercises during the game to keep warm. NB wolf whistling him and cheering him every time he did a burst of star jumps or a long sprint followed by a series of jumps.

He got his biggest cheer from the NB after selling us a dummy, he did a massive run up and the NB cheered in anticpation of the forth coming jump only for him to stop dead still and look behind at the NB with a grin on his face.

Spending Saturday morning hoping Dad would finish work early so he'd come home and ask surely the stupidist question ever "Wanna go to Arsenal today son?" Don't know why he's always ask, the answer was always Yes.

Turning up and paying on the day - sadly missed.

Singing chorus to Suzanne Vega's 'Tom's Diner' de de dada de de dada as quick as possible.

Feet going numb with cold from the concrete jumping up and down to keep warm

greatgooner · Post by **greatgooner** » Tue Mar 16, 2010 9:59 pm

I have to admit that i didn't go in the North Bank a great deal as we had to sit due to my dad's dodgy knees. But the times i had on there were magical.
The most wonderful time i had was that day in May 91 before the Man Utd game. I got there about two hours before kick of and the atmosphere listening to Liverpool at Forest, (i think), on the radio was amasing...no incredible.
In fact jut typing this out has made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up.
I think we were finally turfed out of the ground about three hours after the final whislte. I couldn't talk for days after all the singing.
Anyone else remember the:
At Number one weve got David Seaman, David Seaman
At Number two weve got Lee Dixon, Lee Dixon
Etc Etc.
One of the best days of my life.......

merson_is_god · Post by **merson_is_god** » Tue Mar 16, 2010 10:07 pm

Its so great hearing all the memories, keep them coming...

It would be great to see some pictures of the old terrace, I've googled it for hours but not found many decent pics

greatgooner · Post by **greatgooner** » Tue Mar 16, 2010 10:10 pm

merson_is_god wrote:Its so great hearing all the memories, keep them coming...

It would be great to see some pictures of the old terrace, I've googled it for hours but not found many decent pics

I think in those days people didnt take cameras to football as they were likely get broken. The closest thing i can suggest to watch is Fever Pitch for an idea of what the surge was like. Great if you were part of it and knew it was coming but bloody terrifying if you were an 8 yr old who had no idea of what was happening.
Got to say though i loved every minute of it.

potter · Post by **potter** » Tue Mar 16, 2010 10:27 pm

First stood on the North Bank in 1957. I was passed over the heads of the crowd much to my mothers concern who was stuck at the back. It took her 20 minutes or so to find me . I was 9. The next year I saw the Busby Babes just before they died. That game typified The Arsenal at the time losing 5 -4 having been 3- 0 down at half time, always the bridesmaid. The Inter cities win was just amazing in 1969. I don't think my feet were on the floor for more than 5 minutes. You met your mates on the north bank and despite being moved all over , mainly everybody started out in the same area every week. We often picked our Sunday team before games. As you entered there was a long toilet ( no more than a drain ) you started on end and hardly stood still before you were ejected at the other end , then it was up the steps past the tea 3d and cheese roll 4d or a cheescake ( the one with coconut ) that cost about 6 d. I too stood there until the seats came along and spoilt it. However I have to say at my age I appreciate the chance to sit down at half time I suppose that by now I would have graduated to the east or west stand upper where I could have slept in peace.

merson_is_god · Post by **merson_is_god** » Tue Mar 16, 2010 11:00 pm

Thank you all so much for giving me an insight on what it was like on the North Bank...

Keep the memories coming, really appreciate them!

Just out of interest can anybody recall the following games from the North Bank...

1. Anderlecht 70
2. Chelsea 73
3. Aston Villa when they won the league 81
4. Mc Clair misses a penalty 87
5. 88/89 season Norwich, Derby, Wimbledon 88/89
6. The last game of the North Bank, Southampton 92

greatgooner · Post by **greatgooner** » Tue Mar 16, 2010 11:11 pm

potter wrote:First stood on the North Bank in 1957. I was passed over the heads of the crowd much to my mothers concern who was stuck at the back. It took her 20 minutes or so to find me . I was 9. The next year I saw the Busby Babes just before they died. That game typified The Arsenal at the time losing 5 -4 having been 3- 0 down at half time, always the bridesmaid. The Inter cities win was just amazing in 1969. I don't think my feet were on the floor for more than 5 minutes. You met your mates on the north bank and despite being moved all over , mainly everybody started out in the same area every week. We often picked our Sunday team before games. As you entered there was a long toilet ( no more than a drain ) you started on end and hardly stood still before you were ejected at the other end , then it was up the steps past the tea 3d and cheese roll 4d or a cheescake ( the one with coconut ) that cost about 6 d. I too stood there until the seats came along and spoilt it. However I have to say at my age I appreciate the chance to sit down at half time I suppose that by now I would have graduated to the east or west stand upper where I could have slept in peace.

Blimey You're nearly as old as Oldgitgooner

Only One Tony Adams · Post by **Only One Tony Adams** » Wed Mar 17, 2010 2:51 pm

hugh jardon wrote:The smell of beer and fags. A thick blanket of cigarette smoke.

The noise bouncing back off the underside of the roof.

Giving away keepers the bird "WOOOOOOAAA YOU'RE SHIT! AAAARRRRGGHHH!!!!!!!!" for goal kicks

I remember one game probably late eighties v Coventry City keeper Steve Ogrizovic was game for a laugh in goal doing all these energetic excercises during the game to keep warm. NB wolf whistling him and cheering him every time he did a burst of star jumps or a long sprint followed by a series of jumps.

He got his biggest cheer from the NB after selling us a dummy, he did a massive run up and the NB cheered in anticpation of the forth coming jump only for him to stop dead still and look behind at the NB with a grin on his face.

Spending Saturday morning hoping Dad would finish work early so he'd come home and ask surely the stupidist question ever "Wanna go to Arsenal today son?" Don't know why he's always ask, the answer was always Yes.

Turning up and paying on the day - sadly missed.

Singing chorus to Suzanne Vega's 'Tom's Diner' de de dada de de dada as quick as possible.
Feet going numb with cold from the concrete jumping up and down to keep warm

Yeah singing Suzanna Vega, i was never sure why we did that, but it was fun.......christ i miss tho's days..........

Only One Tony Adams · Post by **Only One Tony Adams** » Wed Mar 17, 2010 3:11 pm

Sorry to bring up Hillsborough again but i'm sure we were home to Newcastle that day, can't remember the score but sure we won. Anyhow it was kenny Sansom 1st time back at Highbury, kenny ran over to the North Bank in his Newcastle shirt....... the NB went mad, i mean fucking mad singing his name jumping up and down "ONE KENNY SANSOM THERE'S ONLY ONE KENNY SANSOM"
The look on kenny's face, i think he was a bit shocked at the roar we gave him. I was so proud to be a gooner that day..........