Space behind the goals at 1960's football grounds?

[cricketfield73]

I'm sure that this will have been covered before, but it's always puzzled me - why did certain football grounds in the 1960s and well into the 1970's have a big space behind the goal? When I was probably about 6, someone told me that it was for photographers at the 1966 World Cup so, as is often the case when one is told something as a child, that's what I've always believed, but in the picture of Brazil in action at Goodison Park that's clearly not the case nor the fact that White Hart Lane had the same feature despite not being a World Cup venue.
I'm sure, as ever, that someone on this board will know all about it and hopefully be kind enough to share!

[lakedistrictclaret]

I think it was because some grounds had problems with fans throwing things from right behind the goals, so space was created so that the fans weren't quite as close to the goals.
I thinks that's Goodison in the photo.

Burnley had part of the terracing closed off, certainly at the Cricket Field End and possibly thr Bee Hole as well

[dibraidio]

Is it not purely about angles and being able to see the goals? If the stand went right up to the nets you wouldn't be able to make out the players for the people standing in the front row.

[Goddy]

...and while we're on the subject of 'goals' (as in goalposts), why have we moved away from the idiosyncrasies of each club having it's own style goalposts/nets to the now ubiquitous super-springy nets which we see everywhere? Nets like at the Boleyn Ground and QPR which had a depth of about two feet (ha ha) right through to those at Stamford Bridge or, indeed, Wembley's iconic goal posts.

Sorry to be such a football nerd but I'm not a fan of the current nets where the ball pings straight back out of them to the half way line. I quite liked the old days at the Turf where (hopefully the opposition ) goalie, literally, had to get the ball out of the back of the net.

[Sausage]

The gap at Goodison was created for the 1966 World Cup and removed immediately after. I've been told - but can't verify - that it was created because FIFA had a regulation requiring a certain distance between the back of the net and the nearest supporters.

As for White Hart Lane, I've never seen any photographic evidence showing the Paxton Road and Park Lane ends with anything similar to Goodison but, as stated above, some grounds had areas of terracing closed because of missiles being thrown. I think part of the Cricket Field End was once closed during a European tie for that reason.

Also echo Goddy's sentiment about each football ground having their own style of goalposts.

[ClaretTony]

The gap at Goodison was created for the 1966 World Cup and removed immediately after. I've been told - but can't verify - that it was created because FIFA had a regulation requiring a certain distance between the back of the net and the nearest supporters.

Don’t know when they first appeared at Goodison but it was nothing to do with the World Cup.

It was due to people throwing missiles at the goalkeepers and it was like that for years at Goodison. It was the same at Burnley but rather than move the walls back we just fenced off areas at the front behind board goals. It was also for a good number of years at Burnley too.

[ClaretTony]

Just to add, I think we might have done it after a game v Arsenal when Jim Furnell, then their goalkeeper, was hit with a number of things including a gold watch which flew off someone’s wrist as he threw something.

[Buxtonclaret]

Think those crescents behind the goals at Goodison Pk went in the mid/late 70s. Remember they'd built the triple stand in the early 70s, then had to spend loads again because they had their capacity reduced for safety reasons.
But pretty sure the cescents had nothing to do with the world cup.

[Claret]

The Bee Hole End definitely had a section of terracing cordoned off immediately behind the nets for a while in the late 60s

[Bfc]

I always thought Goodison was designed at both ends in the way shown.
The game featured is one I attended, USSR v Brazil, with Pele and Yashin(goalkeeper) in the picture. I was behind the goal, so I enlarged the picture to look unsuccessfully for myself. What I did notice, was the vast majority of supporters were wearing a collar and tie.

[South West Claret.]

Just to add, I think we might have done it after a game v Arsenal when Jim Furnell, then their goalkeeper, was hit with a number of things including a gold watch which flew off someone’s wrist as he threw something.

[Vino blanco]

I remember going on Goodison before they changed the shape of the wall behind the goals. It happened at several grounds in different ways and was, as stated above, because of missiles being thrown.

[JohnMac]

The one that always springs to my mind was Stamford Bridge, it looked about a 9 iron from the Shed to the Goal

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pl4RDVgv-N8" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[CaptJohn]

It was all to do with stuff being thrown onto the pitch. I remember one goalie at the Cricket Field end being pelted with all sorts of nasty objects including a snooker ball. It might have been a match with Leeds which was always nasty.

[wilks_bfc]

...and while we're on the subject of 'goals' (as in goalposts), why have we moved away from the idiosyncrasies of each club having it's own style goalposts/nets to the now ubiquitous super-springy nets which we see everywhere? Nets like at the Boleyn Ground and QPR which had a depth of about two feet (ha ha) right through to those at Stamford Bridge or, indeed, Wembley's iconic goal posts.

Sorry to be such a football nerd but I'm not a fan of the current nets where the ball pings straight back out of them to the half way line. I quite liked the old days at the Turf where (hopefully the opposition ) goalie, literally, had to get the ball out of the back of the net.

Didn't we also use to have "coloured" nets as well?
I'm sure I recall the netting being claret & blue at some stage

[Vino blanco]

Stamford Bridge was home to the London Athletic Club, before Chelsea started using it in 1905, hence it always had the running track round the pitch, which meant the spectators were at a distance.

[Claretforever]

Didn't we also use to have "coloured" nets as well?
I'm sure I recall the netting being claret & blue at some stage

Late 80’s early 90’s for 2-3 seasons.

[cricketfield73]

Thanks for the information everyone, missiles it is then!
It was after stumbling on this footage of the League Cup semi-final from 1977 at White Hart Lane that the question came to mind.

https://youtu.be/2EhkxNlvqHA?t=1320" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I also found this captioned photo on the Liverpool Echo website regarding Goodison.

[South West Claret.]

Thanks for the information everyone, missiles it is then!
It was after stumbling on this footage of the League Cup semi-final from 1977 at White Hart Lane that the question came to mind.

https://youtu.be/2EhkxNlvqHA?t=1320" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I also found this captioned photo on the Liverpool Echo website regarding Goodison.

Just listening to the Pat Jennings interview on there about how he was treated after 13 years of service at Spurs, he was treated disgracefully so he got his own back by signing for Arsenal.

[FCBurnley]

Just to add, I think we might have done it after a game v Arsenal when Jim Furnell, then their goalkeeper, was hit with a number of things including a gold watch which flew off someone’s wrist as he threw something.

Where can I claim my watch ?

[South West Claret.]

Where can I claim my watch ?

To late I’m wearing it.

[wilks_bfc]

Late 80’s early 90’s for 2-3 seasons.

Thought so

I can remember colouring in my Subbuteo nets to replicate them

[Thickneck]

I always thought Goodison was designed at both ends in the way shown.
The game featured is one I attended, USSR v Brazil, with Pele and Yashin(goalkeeper) in the picture. I was behind the goal, so I enlarged the picture to look unsuccessfully for myself. What I did notice, was the vast majority of supporters were wearing a collar and tie.

Brazil didn't play the USSR in the 1966 World Cup. They played Bulgaria, Portugal and Hungary (all at Goodison) and were then knocked out. Yashin played for the USSR v West Germany in the semifinal at Goodison.

[Bfc]

My mistake Thickneck, thanks for putting me right.

[evensteadiereddie]

Thought so

I can remember colouring in my Subbuteo nets to replicate them

I didn't colour the nets but hacksawed the long stanchions off the back and created those neat little angles that let the nets hang free - very snazzy !

A bit like these but better - and smaller, obviously.

goal.jpg (7.97 KiB) Viewed 5272 times

[Tricky Trevor]

I didn't clour the nets but hacksawed the long stanchions off the back and created those neat little angles that let the nets hang free - very snazzy !

The story goes that Ray Pointer had a goal disallowed at Filbert St. The goal was scored but the ball hit through the net onto the surround wall and came out that quick the ref missed it. Older fans will confirm or deny.

[gawthorpe_view]

http://www.sportingpasttimes.co.uk/cgi- ... /index.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

You can just about see the fencing behind the goal on this photo.

And the legendary Longside toilets!

[Malvern claret]

I was at the game shown in post 1, the picture shows the Brazilian right winger Garrincha scoring direct from a free kick in their opening game against Bulgaria. Garrincha had developed the technique of bending the ball by striking it with the outside of his right foot. Brazil won the game 2-0 but then lost thir other group games at Goodison against Portugal and Hungary.

[Malvern claret]

Tricky Trevor is partly correct. The referee did disallow the goal originally but then did award it.burnley won 6 -2 having won by the same score at Birmingham a few days earlier. It was in 1961 and amazingly the first time I could find the result of a midweek match was to read the national newspaper the following morning!

[Royboyclaret]

Tricky Trevor is partly correct. The referee did disallow the goal originally but then did award it.burnley won 6 -2 having won by the same score at Birmingham a few days earlier. It was in 1961 and amazingly the first time I could find the result of a midweek match was to read the national newspaper the following morning!

Aye Malvern, September 1961.

Will always remember that month as the time our great team peaked. Played 7, 3 at home and 4 away, won the lot scoring an incredible 27 goals with 20 of those from the 4 away games.

Heady days, indeed.

[cricketfield73]

What I did notice, was the vast majority of supporters were wearing a collar and tie.

Haha! Great observation. I only ever once wore a tie to a football match and that was after I'd sneaked away from a wedding to drive to Edgeley Park in September 1993. We were 1-0 up when I left The Kierby and 2-1 down when I arrived there in time to catch the last 4 minutes. The Clarets playing in green and black halves just added the final touch of crapness to our trip.