August 18th 1951 : Sat Aug 19, 2023 8:57 am  

72 yrs ago August 18th 1951The Dons played their first ever league game their opponents were Wakefield Trinity,the official attendance was given as 7,600 but it was estimated around 10.000 spectators attended the game.The troubles started when the six turnstiles into the ground could not cope with the masses queuing to get in.Some fans in frustration broke down part of the perimeter fencing it is estimated that around 2000 gained easy free access into the ground.
the Dons won the game 10-3 Tries Guest & Tynan 2 Goals Griffiths.

Re: August 18th 1951 : Sat Aug 19, 2023 9:14 am  

Rumours are S-O celebrated his 20th birthday at that game

Re: August 18th 1951 : Sat Aug 19, 2023 10:14 am  

Kick and chase wrote:

Rumours are S-O celebrated his 20th birthday at that game

My father in Law attended the game he was 21.

Re: August 18th 1951 : Sat Aug 19, 2023 12:28 pm  

Did your father in law get into the ground through one of the six turnstiles or via the damaged perimeter fence?

Re: August 18th 1951 : Sat Aug 19, 2023 5:04 pm  

GeoffRoebuck wrote:

Did your father in law get into the ground through one of the six turnstiles or via the damaged perimeter fence?

Why Geoff they are not wanting the missing gate money are they? seriously I will ask him tomorrow.

Re: August 18th 1951 : Sat Aug 19, 2023 7:36 pm  

Wilf Grimshaw wrote:

Why Geoff they are not wanting the missing gate money are they? seriously I will ask him tomorrow.

They want the missing gate money... plus interest...

Unless your dad can provide a receipt!

Re: August 18th 1951 : Sun Aug 20, 2023 5:46 pm  

From what he can recall he got a Morpus's bus into Town and walked to the dog track with a couple of mates. They paid to get in. But he says it was packed to the gunnels. The same group used to cycle to Belle Vue to watch the Rovers leaving their bikes secure at a house adjacent to the ground. When I lived at Scawsby in the mid 60's I used to go to the Greyhound races with my parents, I thought is was great under the floodlights and the sounds and smells and picking dog 4 on a regular basis.

He says he has invested enough in the Dons over the years and if anything for some of the rubbish he has watched they how him a rebate

Re: August 18th 1951 : Sun Aug 20, 2023 8:41 pm  

Wilf Grimshaw wrote:

From what he can recall he got a Morpus's bus into Town and walked to the dog track with a couple of mates. They paid to get in. But he says it was packed to the gunnels. The same group used to cycle to Belle Vue to watch the Rovers leaving their bikes secure at a house adjacent to the ground. When I lived at Scawsby in the mid 60's I used to go to the Greyhound races with my parents, I thought is was great under the floodlights and the sounds and smells and picking dog 4 on a regular basis.

He says he has invested enough in the Dons over the years and if anything for some of the rubbish he has watched they how him a rebate

I went to greyhounds on York Road once as a kid. Loved it - like you say the floodlights, sounds and smells were great. Eee, t' good old days, eh?

Re: August 18th 1951 : Sun Aug 20, 2023 9:43 pm  

I watched Mike & Bernie Winters play in a charity football match there