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All images are now archived again in Harry's vault!
29/ Nottingham Evening Post 9 August 1989
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Four parts today to conclude this little tale from fifty-odd years ago. Thank-you reader for joining me on this journey of discovery and remembrance.
C'mon Notts! HBD
28a/ Nottingham Evening Post 28 April 1976
28b/ Nottingham Evening Post 30 April 1976
28c/ as referred to above, Nottingham Guardian 7 February 1926
28d/ Nottingham Evening Post 12 May 1976
27/ Nottingham Evening Post 12 December 1975
With local residents' concerns over traffic and the council's needs for off street parking, is this where the building developments stopped at Trent Bridge?
26/ Reading Evening Post 14 May 1975
25/ Nottingham Evening Post 23 April 1975
24/ Nottingham Evening Post 12 September 1974
23/ Nottingham Evening Post 27 August 1974
22/ Nottingham Evening Post 28 June 1974
21/ Nottingham Evening Post 24 July 1974
Nottingham Evening Post 19 June 1974 - note the photo of the old then new scoreboard - Mr Gregory's developments progressing...
20/ As MAG revealed yesterday, Jackie Bond's reign wasn't widely appreciated, nor was it successful.
Notts' latest defeat on this day could only fuel the flames...
19/ Nottingham Evening Post 24 May 1974
17/ Nottingham Evening Post 29 January 1974
16/ 1973 doesn't much coverage of Nottingham newspapers online currently so we our saga moves on to the beginning of 1974
Nottingham Evening Post 11 January 1974
15/ Nottingham Evening Post 15 March 1973
14/ Both of Nottingham's newspapers 24 January 1973
13/ Nottingham Evening Post 3 October 1972, John Lawson's debut on this trail
12/ Nottingham Guardian Journal 18 April 1972
11/ Nottingham Guardian Journal 25 March 1972
10/ Nottingham Evening Post 5 February 1972
Nottingham Evening Post 29 January 1972
9/ Nottinghamshire CCC AGM 1972 - Nottingham Guardian Journal 19 January 1972 - Plan B
8/ As we enter a new year, we advance this story to 1972. Mr Gregory submits new plans for Trent Bridge to the council. Nottingham Evening Post 14 January 1972. Happy New Year everyone.
7/ The story continues, in the same year Nottingham Evening Post 13 August 1971
6/ Nottingham Evening Post 6 May 1971
5/ Originally published 30 April 1971 in the Retford, Gainsborough and Worksop Times
4/ Published 20 April 1971 Notingham Evening Post
3/ Plan B, Published 1 April 1971 Nottingham Evening Post
1/ Gregory's Plan A was to develop the Trent Bridge site: Headline news on 26 February 1970
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ReplyDeleteA tremendous story from 50 years ago. Simply amazing that TrentcBridge cricket ground could have so easily have been re-developed. Thank goodness the recruitment drive succeeded. It was very good of Mr Gregory to break into his world cruise invirder to organise the vital meetings to drum up support . I like the fact that the players were instructed to play attacking and entertaining cricket in order to keep the new Members reasonably happy .
Let’s hope history doesn’t repeat itself.1971 my first season as a juvenile member. Let’s hope the current high command at the club realise how important the members are ( or should be)foxy
ReplyDeleteDid you ever wear those green, rubber, spikes batting gloves Foxy that basically gave you no protection whatsoever-remember them ?
DeleteYes I did and I do,state of the art at the time!!
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ReplyDeleteYes Foxy - the long suffering Members - the lifeblood of any Club. So often taken for granted and assume to be passive . Recent developments regarding the unwanted Strauss proposals have shown that Members actually have a lot of power when mobilised into action .
Yes, takes a lot to rattle the collective cage and perhaps that’s as it should be you wouldn’t want an egm called on any old minor disagreement, but this was a big issue for all clubs and supporters up and down the country. Foxy
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ReplyDeleteAmazing article, you can barely believe it now as to just how important basic membership subscriptions were to the club then ? No Trent Bridge business model then with various extra revenue streams to explore and swell the TB coffers and no doubt apart from Sir. Garfield the rest were pretty poorly paid back in that era?
It’s all very well telling that squad to play better, entertaining cricket it’s extremely difficult with such an average bunch of county pros I would suggest.
Thank goodness Derek Randall, Tim Robinson and Bruce French came through and allied to some world class recruitment in Rice & Hadlee, then Chris Broad and Eddie Hemmings from Gloucestershire and Warwickshire(I believe) the rest is history as they say.
Does anybody know if the club achieved they’re membership targets or the club was saved by some other financial ‘intermediary’? It must have been unbelievably difficult without the internet back then.
One thing I can always remember is all the Notts players used Gunn&Moore cricket bats and equipment apart from Clive Rice who wielded that monster Stuart Surridge “Jumbo” bat similar to I.V.A. Richards who to me is still the best batsman I’ve ever seen by some distance.
Well done to whoever researched this article, it’s most interesting indeed.
The membership figures never went up, so Notts had to sell some of their land and also build the TB squash club. The towering Trent Bridge House was built on the sold off land together with the car park. This is also led to the old Aussie style scoreboard being demolished and being replaced by the more simplified one, which was still the best in England!
DeleteMore of Frank Gregory and Co's Notts tour tomorrow, but you've killed the punchline MAG.
DeleteI was away from Nottingham and in my teens then.
ReplyDeleteBut having been a juuior member in 66, 67, did follow it in national papers
Seems , as said above, threat to our club was very real. But there was unity in the fight to survive.
Not the case, now, with cricket, as we know and love it, globably and locally, in mortal danger.
Very interesting. Thanks for posting this.
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ReplyDeleteAs the Post article states , NOTTS ccc were becoming financially unviable.it was reliably reported that at some stage , Notts Life Membership was offered at a cut price rate in order to get some cash in the till very quickly . I knew of at least one Member who took up the offer at a real bargain price . His Life Membership included a seat in the Pavilion for EVERY match played at Trent Bridge , INCLUDING TEST MATCHES ! It turned out to be the bargain of a lifetime - literally. Did any other old timers on here accept the amazing offer . I seem to remember Basher Hassan was involved in promoting it?
I wasn’t in a position to buy one but it would of been a great investment.
ReplyDeleteI do remember a few years later , possibly in the late 80s there was a hoohar when the club tried to welch on the deal and said it no longer included test matches. I don’t know what the upshot was but a group of disgruntled patrons complaining that they had bought life membership on the understanding that it DID include test matches and for life.
The high command wonder why they they are not to be trusted.
Like u say ,there must be people still around who availed themselves to this deal and remember the attempts to later renege. Foxy
Just before the start of the 1976 season, Frank Gregory tragically died. Whilst on a fortnight's holiday in the Mediterranean he passed away in a drowning accident as he dived into the sea to save a woman in difficulties. The original Trent Bridge library which was situated in the Pavilion, opened three years later, was named in his honour.
ReplyDeleteThe life memberships were a bit later on, when basher has stopped playing and was in the commercial dept, I think Mr.E.Ellis and his wife(now very, very sadly departed) would have obtained theirs circa late 1980s/early 1990s and yes, it was basically a take it or leave it offer to the club - every game played on Trent Bridge, or leave it - and the club under Basher, who obviously needed his money accepted his offer, and as he thankfully lived 25-30 years longer took full advantage of all Notts domestic matches plus all 5 days each year of the Test Match, plus all the white ball one day international matches also. As, anyone who knew the ex-minor ‘Eddie’ would say he was an unbelievably loyal and extremely passionate supporter of the club so it was fulfilling and prophectic that he would get his value from such a gamble with his very, very hard earned cash.
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ReplyDeleteThanks to MAG/HBD for the fantastic , illuminating research into the pickle Notts ccc had got themselves into - even though the team contained Gary Sobers - one of the greatest cricketers ever.
Also thanks to ORAC for the information about fanatical supporter Eddie ( and his vocal gang who all sat together on the boundary ropes). Those with long memories will remember the sound of Eddie blowing his very loud “ conch” shell when centuries were scored or vital wickets taken! If anyone ever deserved a bargain life membership then it was ex coal miner Eddie . The decision to buy one when offered at an amazing discount must have saved him many thousands if pounds over the years!?.
Looking back all that time ago its pretty certain that the one day game - in the form of the 40 over John Player Sunday league certainly saved many County Clubs from insolvency. The problem is the one day game has mutated over many years into the unloved ( for many) 100 Ball Comp and its associated unforseen mayhem regarding cricket fixtures and its proper olace in the season .
Yes, wasn’t it ironic that as you state the 40 over John Player Sunday League, that obviously provided a new, vital review stream for the Counties and helped to invigorate cricket to a new audience, I suspect, was actually played on a Sunday afternoon, starting around 2pm when probably 90%(minimum) of your target audience
ReplyDeletehad the day off to attend the games.Even more so back then when Sunday trading was basically non-existent. I know it’s a bit different these days with more working patterns being over 7 days, but it really does help to play games over the weekend when more of your supporters can actually get to the games more easily.
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ReplyDeleteSo many cricket lovers I speak to would love the return of the 40 Over Sunday afternoon league - 2pm to circa 6.30pm . Everyone knew where they were back then , and could confidently plan ahead with their cricket watching .
The season just played and the season ahead seem so dis- jointed- much of it makes no sense. Cricket has somehow GOT TO GET ITS ACT TOGETHER. So many disgruntled fans will lead to loss if support and interest.
Imagine the playing scenario now if Trent Bridge ground had actually been knocked down and the land used for housing. I am sure it actually could have happened without the vital “ save Trent Bridge CCC “ campaign. After all some historic and much-loved institutions were flattened - the fantastic Black Boy Hotel on Long Row ( now Primark) plus the very atmospheric late lamented Flying Horse Hotel in the Market Square . I could go on ...................!
Thanks for posting all this , I’ve found this a very interesting thread.notts view at its best.
ReplyDeletei left Nottingham in 1976 and spent the next 10 years working up and down the country. I visited Trent Bridge whenever I could in that time and of course watched them on the brilliant coverage on bbc2 of the much enjoyed Sunday league.
Pre teletext the scores had to wait for the morning press. Being an out of towner one missed out on a lot of news, chat , gossip and speculation. How sad that mr. Gregory last his life in that way, I didn’t know that for example. RIP.
Can anyone remember, and I don’t think I’ve imagined it , but can’t find any evidence; that there was talk c 69/70 of a joint stadium incorporating the city ground and Trent Bridge? Thank goodness that didn’t happen when you look at the general 1970s seedy eyesores that did go up.foxy
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DeleteYES FOXY - - I have a distant recollection of an idea being bandied about that proposed a shared cricket/ football Stadium for Notts ccc and Nottm Forest FC. Furthermore I think the idea was expanded to include removable seating to increase/ decrease ground capacity . Perhaps the idea was for the cricket to be played entirely on artificial pitches? Anyone else able to throw a light on this
( ludicrous) proposal ?
The era we are discussing involved pretty low wages for the playing staff. Most of them took on casual jobs to get them through the winter months. I know we often slate the Notts ccc top team but over the years they must take credit for turning a decaying Trent Bridge in the 1960s into the world class venue it is today . One of the best loved and most admired cricket grounds in the whole world. Us spectators are pretty fortunate to enjoy such fabulous match viewing points and general facilities .
I think Frank Gregory's 1970 vision of two tower blocks on the Trent Bridge Fox Road side is horrifying, "Sky Flats". The character of Trent Bridge today is shaped by it's architecture and that just about survives in spite of recent developments; namely the The Six edifice and the all at the wrong angle Smith Cooper fridge. We were saved by the Council's planning department on that one but I also find it ironic that once a parcel of the land was sold off to the council that a block of more than 4 storeys was suddenly perfectly acceptable. I assume that there was a bit of an uproar at the time.
DeleteTo be honest I was just into my teens so I can’t say whether there was any uproar. I think the money that came in for the building of Trent Bridge House was seen as a godsend at the time. Foxy
DeleteIt was clearly a blessing in disguise that the club were not able to make changes to Trent Bridge at that time.
ReplyDeleteEdgbaston appeared to steal a march on many of the counties at that time and did.
The main bug bear for me now is that we are all but banned from the ground for some of July and all of August and vanquished to a field in the middle of nowhere with no facilities to watch the club.
The 6 is not for me or many of us on here but it’s days are surely numbered.i look forward to it becoming a cricket supporter facility at some point. Foxy
Yes, name me another restaurant closed over the festive period please( if there is actually one out there). I think that tells you everything.
ReplyDeleteRegarding your earlier point Foxy, I’m 55 in a weeks time and I can clearly always recall going round to my best friends house in a morning and his dad, also a keen cricket supporter who frequented Trent Bridge when he could, would look in the daily morning newspaper for the scores from the previous days play so this must be well before they were available on teletext as you say.
Seems astonishing now that this is the way people kept in touch back in that era. Guessing it would have been around 1978 or thereabouts.
All the best for your 55th.
ReplyDeleteI’m sure we’ll all club together and buy you a life membership for Derbyshire.
BBC 2 may of started in the mid 60s ( I don’t know) but it didn’t land in my parents house till 1973. (A colour TV set the following year ) I remember reading the cricket scores on teletext at my in laws in 1984 , I though didn’t get a tv with that facility on till nearly the end of the 1988 season! Teletext may of been around but not on my stuff.foxy
I guess you could say, out of necessity by the sounds of it, the Notts hierarchy were a bit ahead of their time back then ?
ReplyDeletePresumably, it was either a finance issue or lack of planning permission(or both) that curtailed their full expansion plans outlined in this latest article.
On a similar note, when they erected the new Raddy Rd development years later, the lack of en suite facilities clearly meant visiting teams and opposition supporters were never going to pay to use this facility. I wonder how much in lost revenue this may have cost the club over the years ?
Does anyone on here remember the old scoreboard mentioned in the latest article that was to be replaced for the reasons stated by the club ?
ReplyDeleteThe earliest memory I can recall is the surname of TODD being displayed on the new one that was to be built.
Also, have very early memories on this of the players numbers being along the bottom of this and a corresponding light above each number being lit which informed the audience as to who fielded the ball in the field. Not sure how many years that carried on for but it was certainly around for a while.
Didn't that scoreboard end up at the SCG
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ReplyDeleteNever mjnd the ahead of its time old electronic scoreboard . Who remembers the ancient rickety elevated shedlike scoreboard situated where the Larwood and Voce stand now is . It was very basic and hand operated .. The Club tractor was situated close by to it .I once spent the best part of two or three days sitting on this tractor watching a capacity crowd Test match . A friend with “ contacts “ at the Club promised me a seat to watch the match .But he failed to mention my “ seat” was the one on the tractor! Happy days! R
Great story.
ReplyDeleteAt least you got to sit on the tractor.most of the crowd probably thought you were Ron allsop .
We’ve all been there, friend of a friend, my mates got a mate who’s high up in ( insert your own organisation) etc etc . Foxy
Just researched Bob Cottam, had not heard of him before I don’t think. Assume these intended signings were in addition to what the club were coughing up for Sir.Garfield at the time so it doesn’t surprise you they couldn’t land any of these 3 intended targets ? Reading that Sir. Garfield had injury problems in the season of 1972 due to his workload commitments in captaining a Rest of the World touring side to Australia.
ReplyDeleteCan anyone remember if Notts had another overseas replacement that season or just muddled through. It says Sobers only managed to play 6 championship games that season.
I believe Old Big ‘Ead himself( as he often called himself) used to play squash at the soon to be built courts as outlined in these newspaper snippets.
They muddled through. Nirmal Nanan was the other overseas player. A full review of the 1972 season is given in the 2022 Notts Cricket Annual
ReplyDeleteI’ve just turned to page 134 to review the season.
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ReplyDeleteA GREAT THREAD .
Very entertaining and scarcely believable when you think what might have happened at Trent Bridge if the wring decisions had been made .
The two proposed multi story blocks of flats would surely have cast unwanted shadows onto the playing area and involved even more movement of the ball through the air? The ground could have looked lopsided and lost a lot of its character. But of course most developers only see piles of ££££s to be made .
Regarding the latest superb snippet no.10 today, I’m afraid you’re going to be distinctly average with that squad of players, certainly once Sir. Garfield got injured in mid-June of the coming year of 1972(very good report of the season in the Notts 2022 annual as stated my MAG’s above) and, luckily, a young D.W. Randall coming through the ranks.
ReplyDeleteReassuring to note, just like today, the committee basically put their own ‘spin’ on events and just ignored any awkward questions.
21 y.o. Derek, 78 on his first class debut with 5x6s must have been a real breath of fresh air for the Notts supporters, which as per the above article had waited over 40 years for any first class honours…..and were still to wait another 9 years.
Decide for yourself , Ken Higgs a recent test bowler went on to give many more seasons of service to Leicestershire, bob cottam played a few tests and took a lot of county wickets oh and some bloke called Bob Willis! Foxy
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ReplyDeleteHard to believe a Club like Notts ccc with a ground like Trent Bridge had to wait over 40 years ( 49 years) for any silverware to appear in the trophy cabinet . Something MUST have been wrong somewhere along the line !? Surely Notts were not just going out to play a defensive game that bored the spectators to death - hence the poor crowds over several seasons . Thank goodness the likes of Arkle ( Randall) came along and turned things round . County cricket producing a regular two runs an over is not going to attract crowds . Was their never a note of NO CONFIDENCE PROPOSED by disgruntled Members ?
I think crowds were down across all the counties in the 60s . The Gillette cup and our friend John player and later benson and hedges it is said saved cricket from complete bankruptcy . Indeed you could rock up at the turnstiles and pay on the day to most test matches too , I remember doing it well into the 1980s I think. Foxy
DeleteSnippet no.11 - so - did the WB UDC do a u-turn on the residential dwelling, or did the club scrap these plans as this snippet appears to give the go ahead for the whole project ?
ReplyDeleteCuriosity; what line of work was mr. Gregory in? Foxy
ReplyDeleteHe ran the building consultants gleeds
ReplyDeleteThanks.
Deletetheres some interesting names cropping up in these.
Ron poulton the Secretary, seemed a grumpy old b**** to me as a young autograph hunter;
John Lawson , amongst other things wrote a great book on forest ( history 1865 to 1978) and of course the late great ken Taylor. Foxy
Although not a betting man, myself, the association with Ladbroke’s is interesting. What year was the Ladbroke cabin housed on the ground itself that was near the ‘new’ scoreboard that was to be erected, finally removed does anyone know ?
DeleteI reckon it was still there up to around 1990-ish?
I can remember going in there to collect a winning bet, for someone who regularly contributes on this site with informative and thought-provoking comments, and talking to Johnno’s dad, Don with whom we used to sit with regularly in deckchairs on the grass outfield when the old car park was there, we’ll before the Fox Rd stand was erected.
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ReplyDeleteRef the Ladbrokes cabin .
Famous old wicket keeper Godfrey Evans was employed by Ladbrokes as a promotions man and odds calculator . I can see him now walking around the ground at TB on big match days and chatting to all and sundry . For those of us that liked a bet it was a regular trip into the cabin to check the latest odds of the match in progress. Horse racing commentaries could be heard when sitting in some Raddy Road seats.
I’m not a betting man , so seldom went in , but I can remember watching England beat Scotland 5-0 in the ladbrooks tent in 1975. It was a rectangular shaped marquee type structure that stood on the grass on the fox road side of the ground.cant tell u when the port a cabin structure took over, but remember watching Ian botham hitting the winning runs at the oval v West Indies in there in 1991; then being asked to leave because I had my one year old daughter with me. Foxy
ReplyDeleteAddendum.i owe our friends from north of the border an apology ( this will of course include the Trent Bridge sergeant Wilson) it was England 5 Scotland 1, on sat 24 may 1975.i will now though have to look up who Notts were playing, I would guess a benson and hedges zonal match- I’ll get back to you . Foxy
DeleteIt was the first day of a three day championship encounter versus Derbyshire
DeleteIt was, I looked it up too, well done, foxy
DeleteThat’s interesting Foxy, I can only remember the port a cabin structure myself.
ReplyDeleteAlso, those two sums specified in the article seem unbelievable when you consider it was back in 1974 ?
The tent thing may of only been there that one particular season. I left Nottingham in 1976 ( for ten years) and have no particular interest in gambling. The port a cabin type building presumably went when they knocked down the scorecard stand and Radcliffe road end.
ReplyDeleteAlso next to the port a cabin in the lee of Trent Bridge house there was a small children’s play area. Roundabout, slide ,see saw and rocking horse type thing. All set on solid concrete and without too much thought to heath and safety, my kids or others never met with an accident! Think there may of been a small sand pit too. Foxy
Regarding snippet 17, the lounge bar in the squash complex became Harry's Bar in homage to Harry Dalling
ReplyDelete75,Not Out . The Laddies cabin was painted all white to blend in with surrounding but had a red stripe painted around the top . It occupied the space where the current groundsmen sit below the scoreboard. I often used to check the latest racing results for long serving , white coated steward Les , who operated the old heavy cumbersome site screen in the Rad Road stand . Incidentally Les was a lucky fellow . He had a heart problem and twice collapsed and virtually " died" in his local British Legion Club . Each time he was "saved" by quick action by the same man in the club who knew what to do !
ReplyDeleteWhat different times they were back then .
Better days or not ?
Alec Bedser, obviously, was a top quality Test Match player, but he also hung ex England Captain Ian”Beefy”Botham out to dry on National television but as history would go on to say, it was the best thing that ever happened to Sir. Ian
ReplyDeleteCannot go back as far as Jackie Bond although I am aware of him from his Lancastrian connections.
From looking the the Notts cricket annual for 2022, I note he only was the captain for one year in 1974……to be replaced by the ‘Flashing Blade’ himself Mike Smedley.
Bond was a disaster, the results were so bad that the members called an EGM mid season. Bond left the club at the end of the 1974 season, but he left one massive legacy it was him that got Clive Rice to come to Notts for the 1975 season, the rest as they say is history!
ReplyDeleteThink I was expecting a bit to much of Jack bond at the time. He was in his 40s , never a great player, not even at county level, but an old head who was able to lead lancs and spotted the potential of one day cricket and tactics need ahead of most others at the time.to that end he was a great skipper for them, but his time had come and gone when he arrived at Trent Bridge and the cupboard in terms of talent and certainly trophies was bare.foxy
DeleteKlaxon Mag, spoiler alert! Watch this space in the coming days.
ReplyDeleteOn a totally unrelated NCCC theme, try this good listen https://open.spotify.com/episode/0S3aeaqNVuXpgJcaulZr6I
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ReplyDeleteORAC mentions Mike Smedley . Given the title of Flashing Blade because of his dour playing style and lack of boundaries and general on- field aggression . But a good , solid , reliable County pro( totally unsuited to the one day game) . Think he used to open the innings in the 40 over John Player League which meant Notts always had a slow start !
Just looked at the scorecard from snippet no.20 where Notts lost by an innings and 101 runs against Hampshire
ReplyDeleteIt wasn’t really a level playing field, with or without Jackie Bond as their side had Barry Richards and Gordon Greenidge opening the batting plus Andy Roberts on the bowling front, plus Trevor Jesty who also became an international cricketer.
Surprised to read in the same snippet, bottom of the 3 articles shown, that Sir. Garfield wasn’t pulling his weight for the club ? I always got the impression he did well for Notts, albeit probably being slightly on the decline from his very best days before he joined Notts - or did the members at the time just expect a bit too much from the legend once he had signed for us ?
What a letter by David Lowe to the Notts chairman,Jack Baddiley(snippy no.21 bottom piece, refers)
ReplyDeleteThe legend, the great Sir Garry of Sobers being accused of putting Country before club with his performances and then the one shining star coming through namely Derek Randall being shoved in at the difficult position of no.3 when trying to transition into the first team. Some things never changed for the willing Rags, as I can remember him having to open the batting for England in a Test Match whereas the ‘golden boys’ would nicely be dropped down the order. Guess Rags, being that sort of bloke volunteered for anything just to play in the team, whereas Sir Michael of Gatting always seemed to get an extended run in the National side even if he wasn’t scoring the runs expected of him.
Also, Notts being compared to Gloucestershire in terms of resources for players really indicates just how the game has changed since this article was written.
Forgot in the mists of time that folk were critical of sobers, perhaps people expected too much, certainly people thought he saved himself for the big occasions ( tests) but his stats stand up very well for Notts.those in the team around him were inconsistent at best. Derek I think batted in every position for England from 1 to 7 ! Foxy
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ReplyDeleteThanks to HBD and MAGS for all the work, comment and research that has gone jnto this fascinating thread . Reading all the Press comments and spectator and Club comments brings it all home- the mess Notts got themselves into - on and off the field . I saw Sobers play many a fine innings for Notts. Too much was perhaps expected of him and from all accounts he was literally worked to death what with his other international commitments and duties . What support did the other senior members of Notts first 11 give Sir Gary ? Not a lot , looking at scorecards from the time. One man , no matter how good , can continue to carry a whole team. It sounds like two or three underperforming Notts batsmen were automatic choices , regardless of form !? This of course was repeated in the recent past when Notts had an embarrassing run of bad results and no 4 day wins for a very long time . I remember at the time , Peter Moores would not drop the first teamers who were pretty useless and give one or two promising youngsters a chance who were shining in the Second 11.
I well remember the semi deserted Trent Bridge all those years ago . It certainly was a lifeless and depressing place to visit on many occasions . Thankfully the Committee got their act together and good signings were made which produced the wonderful 1981 Championship winning side , full of high quality , charismatic , international cricketers . To me , that side was the best ever Notts Eleven - a once in a lifetime line up .
Well, Jackie Bond certainly wasn’t signed for his performances on the field.
ReplyDeleteIn this year, he played 17 F/C, 24 innings total runs = 245 with a highest score of 65no that, unbelievably, would have swelled his average to 12.25
I don’t know if he bowled in his Lancashire days, but doesn’t appear to have bowled in this season of 1974.
Astonishing to think at that point in time, Notts only had the one international player as mentioned in snippet no.22
Yes , great thread .
ReplyDeleteI don’t remember jack bond bowling for lancs , think he pulled off an astonishingly good catch in the Gillette cup final 71 to get rid of Kent’s asif Iqbal ( but I’d be happy to be corrected on that).
I would of read all the above articles at the time and certainly delivered all off them as I was a paper boy from 1971- 75. I don’t remember them though.
I remember being disappointed that mike Taylor left, I don’t know the reasons . He went onto win the championship with hants and give years of service both as a player ( good bowler, handy batsman) and as an administrator. Foxy
Very interesting comment Foxington, the mere mention of Pakistani batter/spin bowler Asif Iqbal takes me back to my young days. From memory, he used an SP(St.Peter) bat, which was popular around then, but seemed to go out of fashion in in the 1980s. Do you remember Aussie Dean Jones with the first, unheard of, Kookaburra bat ?
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ReplyDeleteThank you Jack Bond for spotting Clive
Notts signing of Clive Rice turned out to be a very shrewd and beneficial decision .
How fortunate Notts Members were to witness Rice and Hadlee playing in the same side for so many games . Both were individual match winners in their own right . Two of the worlds great all- rounders displaying their talent and helping to transform Notts ccc fortunes after years of playing dull cricket and subsequent poor results leading to a dangerous level of spectators for many games.
Yes it was fabulous. And , it wouldn’t of happened without Jackie bond and Kerry Packer! Foxy
ReplyDeleteWith South Africa being in International exile at this time, does anybody know how well(or not well at all) Clive Rice was at this time when Notts offered him a contract, or merely an inspired gamble by Jackie Bond that paid off more than anyone could ever have expected at the time.
ReplyDeleteFrom what have read he’d played a couple of games for lancs seconds. which is where jack bond knew him from. He may not of walked into the lancs side but was guaranteed to play and establish himself quickly at Trent Bridge ( because a notts were ahem, useless)
ReplyDeleteI’d never heard of him but he must of been known on the circuit to some degree. Self doubt I don’t think was ever an issue with Clive rice was it? I reckon he knew he’d play straight away and therefore make it immediately.
A little curio; my 3 kids were brought up on the grass in front of the scoreboard at Trent Bridge. The names of the players were slotted in when when a player was batting, on the piece of wood with “ rice “ on it , you could see where the name “ sobers” had been painted over, indeed you could see it for the next 13 summers. Clive rice- corner stone it the modern club . Great batsman, bowler , fielder and leader from the front. Foxy
That’s a lovely post, Foxy. Why do the ‘old’ days always seem better than today - or was it just simply, they were?
DeleteThank you orac.
DeleteThat’s an interesting question.i don’t really know the answer to that, things go round in circles I suppose but it’s great to look back and through gold and green coloured glasses.foxy .
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ReplyDeleteYes great days - great days . A must less complicated life for all of us back then . Things seemed more relaxed and we literally had more free time to enjoy our cricket . I purchased one of the first VHS video cameras that was sold in Nottm( at great expense) . I took loads of footage of Trent Bridge games at the time and managed to record some great moments . They were recorded on the big tapes , the size of a small book . I have had all the old tapes transferred onto modern DVD discs which of course I can play back through my wide screen TV . Lovely to see the ground as it was back then , complete with the Ladies only mini Pavilion , two old Scoreboards ( a battered one in the old Parr Stand) , the old uncomfortable bench seating and “open air” toilets ! Plus of course literally hundreds of sadly now departed players and spectators.
A totally different era . Much better in some ways - but much worse in others . Its all very debateable!?
Brilliant you recorded it, I suspect you already have, but do tell Steve le mottee the heritage officer, it would be great to see it . Foxy
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ReplyDeleteYES FOXY - I dont know him personally but I have heard him speak at the Cricket Lovers meetings . Will mention the old footage next time I see him . The old white coated silver haired scorecard seller is featured ( shouted out 10pence scorecard as he toured the ground!) . Someone told me if did it for 50 years!
Plus glimpses of the old Ground Superintendant - follically challenged Ted. Also an old battered ride - on grass mower ( like a go- cart) touring a wet outfield pulling the big heavy rope to smooth out wet patches of turf . The various tempory stands , errected on the Fox Road car park make interesting viewing . I seem to remember a famous old England Test player owned the hospitality Company who errected them
( who was it?) . Everyone back then seemed to wear enormous glasses and have masses of flowing locks ( a haircut once a year? )
And so life goes on .. And on ..........
Brilliant stuff 75 not out. Going to be tied up for a bit today , but you’ve jogged many memories which I’ll pick up on, I’m sure others will too. Foxy
DeleteCould we say the Notts hierarchy were ‘a bit ahead of their time’back in 1974 with regard to wanting TB to become an all year round sporting venue ?
DeleteSome other Counties have not only caught up with us, they have now completely overtaken us with corporate, hospitality and Hotel facilities on their grounds.
We are now being left behind as a Test venue somewhat and, instead, opened the finest fine dining establishment this side of Pluto where it’s only open Friday and Saturday nights, plus Sunday lunchtimes then a few extra Thursdays in December.
Guess around 1974 must have been the height or the start of the squash era craze whereas nobody really seems to play it much thesedays ?
75 not out
ReplyDeleteYour video sounds great, my thoughts.
The scorecard seller.
As you described ; you said he was there for 50 years I’m sure he probably was, certainly he was there when I first went in the 1960s until I think the 90s . He didn’t exactly die with with his satchel on but had a funny turn and left. ( he was replaced for a few seasons by a bloke who looked like Jim Royle)
His voice echoed round the ground for decades and was as welcome as the first cuckoo of spring. He always make his sales pitch scan whatever the increased cost or additional sales of handbooks and of course safely negotiated decimalisation.you sometimes wonder what folks do in the winter, not him, he sold programs at forest.i knew nothing about him, where he lived ,what his name was or ever had a conversation with him.
To to continued. Foxy
His name was John Cockayne and he lived in Sherwood near the old bus depot (now Wetherspoons). He died in 2009.
DeleteMag
DeleteRIP John .
DeleteAnd thanks for the “ up to date scorecard “
Part 2
ReplyDeleteTed; the ground superintendent.
Always looked smart in his suit that gave him an air of authority and dignity and was a personable face of the club around the ground. Again, I never spoke to him but someone said he had been a chief in the fire service, but I can’t confirm the accuracy of that.
My 2 sons and the other kids at Sunday league games used to call him “ the manager “ “ the managers coming, look out the manager is coming “ . There’s a debate to be had whether he was a better manager than Mick Newell.
I think his name was ted Carlin. At one point Philip carling was also around as the chief exec. I don’t think they were related and as I’ve indicated I don’t think their surnames were spelt the same. Some of the taverners used to call Philip carling “ carling “ and ted Carlin “ not Carlin “. So a conversation would go something like “ I’ve just seen carling “ “ what carling carling or not Carlin “ “ no, not not Carlin, carling carling “
The corporate boxes , outside lords and Wimbledon the hospitality trade was in its infancy, I think the boxes may of been something to do with peter parfitt though it could of been Fred rumsey or neither. Would very much like to see your video.Foxy
His name was Ted Cowling, he worked for the fire service. He used to wear and immaculate blue suit. I remember one Sunday game when somebody poured a pint over his head in the old West Wing!
ReplyDeleteMag
ReplyDeleteSo he was indeed not Carlin.
ReplyDeleteWhat brilliant memories this Nottsview theme is bringing everyone.
ReplyDeleteI can remember the 10p scorecard but am told he started with the 5p scorecard?
Also remember Ted in his suit as covered earlier. Does anyone know what era this would have been ? I would hazard a guess at late 80s/early90s ?
Was there not(as Graham Taylor would say)an elderly steward called Cyril who wore thick bottle rimmed black glasses who used to travel from Sheffield every day ? And of course, people must recall the legendary ‘Yorkie’ in that long coat of his?
What brilliant memories, as Foxy has said previously, of those black pieces of wood with the batsman’s name on them that were inserted into the new scoreboard from this year. On todays picture, snippet no.25 you can make out that latest feature, installed with the new office block pictured.
Yes Cyril the steward AKA The Killamarsh Kid
DeleteYorkie.
ReplyDeleteSurprised he hasn’t come up on here before, perhaps he has and I’ve not spotted it.
Lived in the musters hotel, real name was Lawrence. Another resident of The musters told me, and I’m prepared to believe it and it would explain a lot, was that he suffered badly in a prisoner of war camp, poor bloke. Foxy.
Very sad to note the negativity towards the SIX restaurant from ORAC and other Notts view contributors. I dine there every weekend and you must come too, even if you have to work a few extra hours to exist in those surroundings. The club could offer some free Trent Rocket merchandise when you visit which would integrate the two finest things Trent Bridge currently has to offer.
ReplyDelete75 NOT OUT
ReplyDeleteOld rotund Steward Cyril was a real character - a doppleganger for long departed comedian Cyril Fletcher . He always sat in the same spot checking Membership cards - and indeed he did a daily lengthy bus journey every day from Up North . Another well known Steward was a slim silver haired guy called Alan with a proud badge which said Steward No 2 . They put him in charge of the newly formed Trent Bridge juniors . On one day weekend match days Alans job was to allocate a seat on the boudary rope all around the ground to one of the juniors . A lot sat there looking a trifle bored all afternoon with very little to actually do.
Ground Inspector Ted , always seemed to be immaculately turned out and tanned( a generous Fire Service pension no doubt allowing overseas travel to sunny climes). Ted was no doubt a ladies man and made a beeline for any female apparently sitting in the stands alone!
The Sunday afternoon attendance was I believe swelled by Notts ccc having a licence to sell alcohol after the pubs closed at 2pm ( with 10 minutes extra for “ drinking up time”
Looking back , with fond memories , it was a totally different world with the likes of eccentric spectator Yorkie repeatedly touring the ground in his long black ex military overcoat . When some of the old stands were demolished I seem to remember some of the old green painted heavy bench seating being sold off to Members . Anyone still using one?
“ my thanks to the gentleman known as 75 not out for his epistle , here is my response; pin back your lug holes” as Cyril fletcher may of said on that’s life .
ReplyDelete(Yes he did look like him)
Steward no 2 , Crickey, forgot all about him, slim, short, chatty, especially accommodating to day trippers, small moustache, not an old chap by any means, but he would be now,he and his family were around for years then gone !
Trent Bridge juniors , my son was a ball boy for many years at tests , he loved it, best seat in the house and saved me a small fortune. He reckons if he wins the lottery he’ll sponsor them on the proviso the name is changed back to Trent Bridge juniors. Strange the club have got a truly world renowned name ( as it said on the TBI and then abandon it for daft names like rockets or outlaws!)
“A lady’s man” great saying and yes I’d forgotten but u are right. There was one woman in particular he seemed to enjoy Social intercourse with , she’s still an occasional visitor but not as much as in seasons gone by. Never knew her name but tall , slim , long hair ,a shift worker so she was there a lot. Better not say too much more . She walked past a restaurant I was in in Scarborough once! Foxy
75 NOT OUT ( soon to be 80 n.o.)Great posting Foxy ! A nice bit of harmless witty banter. The young lady shift worker that Ted was seemingly attracted was a Royal Mail postwoman . She was always on her own and usually sat in the old William Clarke stand - .One or two of the blokes I used to sit with also found the postwoman an alluring prospect - but Ted got there first!
ReplyDeleteReference old Yorkie - slightly menacing appearance and manner . He used to shout out comments foghorn style during the match on a regular basis.
Years ago a nurse in full uniform used to sit close to the Pavilion doors- she never missed a match .
The small LADIES ONLY mini pavilion was a two story building , with the top deck open to the elements . It was adjacent to the main Pavilion seating where the Randall Banqueting suite is now situated . It had a large stainless steel Burco Boiler type tea urn in it which enabled the female occupants to mash endless cups of tea.
I ever Foxy , Orac and myself got together we would end up swapping stories for hours on end ( and miss all the cricket action !?!?)
I think it’s highly likely we know that each other by sight. Be good to actually say hello sometime this season.Yes , that’s her , I forgotten but after years of seeing her at Trent Bridge I was coming back from a meeting and offered to drop someone off in the meadows and I saw her on her rounds. Foxy
ReplyDeleteAnyone know the name of the ‘old boy’ that used to move the white sight screen in front of the old RaddyRd and if so, when would he have started working as a steward anyone hazard a guess ?
ReplyDeleteI don’t think this was Cyril, I think it was a different person entirely but one’s memory plays tricks from time to time.
75 NOT OUT
ReplyDeleteSIGHTSCREEN STEWARD WAS LES .
Lovely humouress bloke - military British Legion type - no nonsense.
Just reading the latest brilliant snippet, no.26
ReplyDeleteI believe, Mr. line & length himself Kevin Cooper took 100 wickets for us once in a season ? If he didn’t, he got very close to it, I’m sure ?
Of all the young names mentioned in these newspaper snippets of young players coming through, is it fair to say only Cooper and Randall “made it” in the game?
Paul Todd had a career with us but was replaced with Tim Robinson and Chris Broad a few years later than these snippets.
Would we say Pete Hacker made it ? I guess he probably did also ?
Cooper took 101 first class wickets in 1988. Hacker claimed 126 fi4st class wickets for Notts, he also played for Derbyshire and Orange Free State
DeleteThe nurse’s name was Val , not seen her for years.Bloke on the sight screen was his surname Baylis?foxy
ReplyDelete75 NOT OUT
ReplyDeleteSorry Foxy - dont know any further details of Raddy Road long time sightscreen operator LES . Very likeable bloke , smooth backed silver hair , glasses , a little portly, a shirt and tie type.
Always thought yorkie deserved a chapter in his own right, but he did have , or at least a good few pages anyway.was in a book called “3 men at the match” by J S Finch. The book was a journey through the 1988 county championship season.I haven’t got it anymore, it went the same way as yorkie’s overcoat and departed for the charity shop a long time ago.foxy
ReplyDeleteI guess that’s around the same time I first encountered “Yorkie”
DeleteAnother “great” character, anyone also recall Chris from Bottesford ? He was known by 75no as “Pullover” as no matter how hot the conditions were, he always wore a Notts old style woollen cricket pullover
I think I would have encountered him around the 1980s/1990s and he always had “some news” from the dressing room that nobody else knew. He was always very friendly with Keith who always sat in the Raddy Rd, next to Geoff&June, if that narrows it down but “Pullover” rarely sat he was alway circling the ground. Always remember he’d seen Francoise du Plessis play for the Notts 2s on Lady Bay back in the day, we’ll before the WWW became common useage to us all. Yet another, TB legendary character,
75 NOT OUT
ReplyDeleteYes - Chris - the thick white Notts cable knit pullover was never off his back .Great bloke to talk to but pretty cynical after watching years of Notts ccc playing “ dull” cricket in previous years . Chris seemed to know everybody and started many a rumour about players and staff coming and going - some of it even turned out to be true . Its as if he had planted a listening device in the Notts dressing room . Chris became very ill with cancer during one season and evidently his condition just got worse and subsequently his visits to the ground ceased.
I also remember legendary suppoerter Geoff and his wife . One season Geoff told me he saw every single ball bowled at Trent Bridge that year . He just stopped coming to the ground after a bust up with stewards over his tendancy to bring cans of beer into the ground with him. He refused to pay the ground bar prices. Probably about two quid a pint back then ! Now look at last seasons price . £5.50 !
Can honestly say, I had never heard of Mr. Frank Gregory before these brilliant newspaper snippets from the archives.
ReplyDeleteHe certainly left his mark on TB and it seems truly unthinkable now that Notts would be playing all of our home games away from TB, if the essential revenue streams had not come to fruition.
These articles have also stirred many memories from the past for the Nottsview readers, some of which had been almost forgotten with the years passing ?
It must be the most popular theme ever covered by Nottsview?
Certainly the post with the most interaction with Orac- which is most welcome, thankyou gents for the 100+ comments. At this point this post lags behind several four day matches in terms of reads / hits (esp in 2019) and the post 2021/22 about redundancies at Trent Bridge.
DeleteI think everyone has learnt something about the goings on at Trent Bridge half a century ago, I know that I have and I will be be following-up on another theme in a similar fashion before the season starts, I just need to find some more articles from the old newspapers.
I’ll second everything you have said.. foxy
ReplyDelete75,NOT OUT
ReplyDeleteYes this has been a very informative and entertaining thread . Just what avid cricket fans want in the middle of a long winter.
The death of Frank Gregory . Sounded a great guy . What a tragic loss to Nottsccc , Nottm in general and of course his stunned and heartbroken family .Trying to save someones life but losing yours as a consequence.An unselfish local hero . This thread has highlighted the thanks that we owe to Frank Gregory.
Just a word for Mike Smedley.
ReplyDeleteIn very difficult times, his batting was a pleasure to watch, particularly his cover drive.
Many county players struggled to adapt to limited over cricket. Derek loved it.
75 NOTOUT
ReplyDeleteRich - I saw Mike Smedley bat on numerous occasions . A good solid reliable four day man ( 3 day even) . But his style was totally unsuited to the short game . Mike needed several overs to play himself in - a luxury not a positive in limited overs cricket . To be honest there was often a groan around the ground when he came into bat in the 40 over stuff. It was almost a relief when he was dismissed cheaply so that the newer breed of faster scorers could come to the wicket .
T.L.
DeleteTodays’ brilliant snippet no.29 from 1989.
Are we pretty much back to where we were back then in guaranteeing Test Cricket at TB?
As well as Lords and the Oval, Old Trafford and Edgbaston have both overtaken us and are light years ahead both in terms of facilities and capacity.
Ms. Pursestrings can pretend all she wants, the club just cannot be happy with this years international match allocations and with the England test team’s incredible resurgence missing out on a mens Ashes test must be a real shocker to the club ?
Obviously with TB being such a great facility we will always get our fair share but I wonder if this year is a bit of the shape of things to come for us ?
Ha, councillor petitt , forgot about him! There was a councillor ( may have been him or another bloke) who used to go in the taverners bar ( who used to have the piss taken out of him) I pointed him out to a friend once, his comment “ he looks the sort” he can’t still be around can he ? foxy
ReplyDelete75 NOT OUT
ReplyDeleteIts vital that Trent Bridge increases its ground capacity to as near to 20,000 as possible. Bold decisions will have to be taken concerning the William Clarke stand . Other Test Match grounds are now well ahead of TB regards capacity. We all know cricket is now all about money and ticket sales and the max number of bums on seats.