Third Lanark, a haunting beauty looking at the old terraces as nature takes hold

[LBNo11]

Cathkin Park - home of Third Lanark FC


I was doing some research into vintage Fulham and stumbled across this evocative video about Cathkin Park the old home of Third Lanark 1872 - April 1967, worth a look...

[Lighthouse]

We can romanticize too much I suppose but I always found empty grounds wonderful peaceful places. Supporting Fulham back in the day helped. But there is a beauty in a decaying ground that once saw fans screaming and shouting and crying. Like ruins of a lost City or a the remains of a lost civilisation. It is not depressing (funny from me I know) but almost a reflection of happier times. Times that may not have really exisisted at all. Like watching an old film about the War. We stuck together and were all chums. Were we really?

There is atmosphere in every over grown concrete step and rusted metal barrier. More so than in the clean smooth souless huge stadium we have at some clubs. Or am I romanticizing too much?

[finnster01]

I rather stand at that stadium, get rained at, freeze my bottoms off, watch some terrible football but played by players that cared about their sport and gave it all to their limited abilities every Saturday than sit at Old Trafford eating my plastic prawn sandwich wearing a green and yellow scarf.

[HatterDon]

When standing empty, football grounds and baseball stadiums are like cathedrals. There's something very spiritual about it all.

Oh, and PLUS ONE-HUNDRED to what Mr. Finn just posted.

[NorfolkJim]

This is lovely stuff. Like churches, football grounds have a very special atmosphere when empty. I love getting in early and seeing them fill up, come to life and empty out again - kind of spiritual.

This ground looks like a lovely place to watch football in August, pic nic under the trees and all that.
I love the old stadiums - the modern ones are like breakfast bowls. just add milk, very dull.

[CorkedHat]

Bloody hell - I have played at better football grounds than that, but what a delight it is to see the name Third Lanark again.
I endorse what Finnster says - this is what football is all about. Thanks for showing it LB.

[LBNo11]

...and Scarborough:-

McCain Stadium, Scarborough - 22/03/2009

[Steve_orino]

Neat stuff you guys...

Found this quote on the Wiki page for McCain StadiumOn 13 March 2010 Scarborough Council stated it was about to discuss demolition work at the stadium  Sad really.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/McCain_Stadium

[LBNo11]

...to carry on this thread, anymore pictures on abandoned football grounds?

Here is Feethams:-

[The Doctor]

There are some photos and descriptions of some lost grounds and stands on the Internet Football Ground Guide as well

Fortunately, I've not stumbled across any pictures of what the grounds are now.  Although I can confirm that Plough Lane and Elm Park have been converted to housing that's just as soulless as any modern stadium

[Tonywa]

Marvellous - many thanks.  Very evocative and strangely moving just as I find empty abandoned theatres and cinemas.

TW  With regard to Feethams, I saw Fulham play in the League there some years back and have vivid memories of having to walk through what was then the Durham County Cricket ground in order to enter the football ground.  This was, of course, before Durham's entry into the County Championship.

[CorkedHat]

There are some photos and descriptions of some lost grounds and stands on the Internet Football Ground Guide as well

Fortunately, I've not stumbled across any pictures of what the grounds are now.  Although I can confirm that Plough Lane and Elm Park have been converted to housing that's just as soulless as any modern stadium

When I was in England a couple of years ago, three of my old schoolmates took me to see Plough Lane. Two of us had been asked to trial with Wimbledon and it was a journey of what might have been.
When I saw the housing development on that ground I wanted to weep. I have rarely seen such a heap of ugly rubble pass off as housing. I appreciate that Plough Lane was never a grand stadium as such, but to turn it into a concrete pile of planned vandalism is unforgivable. I know I live in the Bush where my next door neighbour to my left is 40 miles away, but how can people live in those piles?

[The Doctor]

When I was in England a couple of years ago, three of my old schoolmates took me to see Plough Lane. Two of us had been asked to trial with Wimbledon and it was a journey of what might have been.
When I saw the housing development on that ground I wanted to weep. I have rarely seen such a heap of ugly rubble pass off as housing. I appreciate that Plough Lane was never a grand stadium as such, but to turn it into a concrete pile of planned vandalism is unforgivable. I know I live in the Bush where my next door neighbour to my left is 40 miles away, but how can people live in those piles?

I can empathise Mr CorkedHat.  I grew up not far from Wimbledon and we'd usually drive past Plough Lane on the way to or from Fulham games.  Although I never saw a game there or had a particular soft spot for Wimbledon, it was one of those landmarks I always thought would be there forever.  It was just as sad watching it slide gently into dereliction as planning application after planning application was rejected.  Of course, with each rejection came yet more false hope that Wimbledon (and subsequently AFC Wimbledon) would return there.

They have acknowledged the existence of the ground by naming the blocks of housing after Wimbledon legends.  Sadly this means that a certain FA-Cup winning ex-Fulham manager has been immortalised

[WhiteJC]

reading Corked Hat and the Doctor, I take it that one of the blocks is named Sanchez Pile(s)  :005:

[The Doctor]

reading Corked Hat and the Doctor, I take it that one of the blocks is named Sanchez Pile(s)  :005:

I wish I could tell you I was joking.  You don't necessarily have to take my word for it though: Wikipedia link

[CorkedHat]

Thanks for pointing that article out to us, Doc. When I saw one of the Houses was called Stannard I had visions of a somewhat rotund goalkeeper being immortalised in brick, but obviously it isn't our Jim.
When Wimbledon were in the Isthmian League and on their way to League status, their manager was a bloke called Les Henley. He was one of the people who ran his eye over me at the trial I mentioned but as he didn't come wandering up with a contract in his hand I suppose I should be a bit dark towards him.
But if anyone epitomised Wimbledon it was Les Henley and if they build any more bloody flats then they should name it Henley House.

[LBNo11]

...as it's back on topic, I posted this in April and some of the 'newbies' wouldn't have seen it...

[licker]

Shame
Bill.

[alfie]

When I was in England a couple of years ago, three of my old schoolmates took me to see Plough Lane. Two of us had been asked to trial with Wimbledon and it was a journey of what might have been.
When I saw the housing development on that ground I wanted to weep. I have rarely seen such a heap of ugly rubble pass off as housing. I appreciate that Plough Lane was never a grand stadium as such, but to turn it into a concrete pile of planned vandalism is unforgivable. I know I live in the Bush where my next door neighbour to my left is 40 miles away, but how can people live in those piles?

I can empathise Mr CorkedHat.  I grew up not far from Wimbledon and we'd usually drive past Plough Lane on the way to or from Fulham games.  Although I never saw a game there or had a particular soft spot for Wimbledon, it was one of those landmarks I always thought would be there forever.  It was just as sad watching it slide gently into dereliction as planning application after planning application was rejected.  Of course, with each rejection came yet more false hope that Wimbledon (and subsequently AFC Wimbledon) would return there.

They have acknowledged the existence of the ground by naming the blocks of housing after Wimbledon legends.  Sadly this means that a certain FA-Cup winning ex-Fulham manager has been immortalised

We suffered with Mr Sanchez but this is all about Wimbledon not Fulham and he did win the FA cup for them.

I am going to go against the trend here to be honest i would have no pleasure in going to watch a game at third Lanark, i have done my time in pokey out of the way bog pits, there is no romance for me there, i like a bit of comfort now, i don't think i could stand for a whole match anymore, the old bones tell me off.

I have to say one of the best atmopheres was when i worked at Fulham, during night games before the floodlights were turned on we used to do a walk around the pitch with just the stadium lights, it seemed very eerie, but it also made the place look bigger, i do miss doing that nowdays.