Jon
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Post by Jon on Jan 8, 2012 20:22:55 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Jan 9, 2012 17:28:00 GMT
Would anyone like to hazard a guess at which year saw the first ever floodlit football match in Newton Abbot? No idea! I would suspect that we're either talking about a competitive fixture at some stage from the 1950s onwards. Or a much earlier "novelty" fixture with very rudimentary, temporary lights: Heathfield Pottery Ladies v Newton Shop Girls? Railwaymen v Jockeys? There often seems to be a hiatus in these first floodlit games between the late 19th century and the post-war era. |
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Jon
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Post by Jon on Jan 9, 2012 22:19:38 GMT
I'll give you a clue.
It was in the seventies.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 10, 2012 0:18:13 GMT
I'll give you a clue. It was in the seventies. Which code, old boy - rugger or association? Did they have lights at Rackerhayes in the 1970s? How about Newton College Outcasts v GWR Porters playing the bastard soccer code under gaslight at Courtenay Park, November 3 1879? Either that or my trawl of the online newspaper archives is producing random nonsense. Where are the Newtonians on this site when you need them?
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Post by Deleted on Jan 10, 2012 8:45:35 GMT
I'll give you a clue. It was in the seventies. An old Newtonian of my acquaintance tells me of a set of lights that were used for the stock car racing at the racecourse. Prior to that he vaguely remembers seeing them laying in the grass at the Rec. Might they have been used there - by that time very much second-hand he suggests - before being passed on to the bangers? |
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Jon
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Post by Jon on Jan 11, 2012 0:00:18 GMT
Well the year in question was '79.
I'll post up a match report soon.
Anyone else want to share any Newton Abbot floodlit memories?
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Post by stefano on Jan 12, 2012 22:18:06 GMT
Friday 24 January '79  I take it that is 1879! We didn't use language like that in 1979 and we didn't have vicars playing in goal!  |
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Jon
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Post by Jon on Jan 12, 2012 22:24:16 GMT
It was indeed. Did you go? Chelston was going to go until he realised it meant venturing beyond the Penn Inn roundabout. |
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Post by Deleted on Jan 14, 2012 9:20:25 GMT
Friday 24 January 1879? I'd suspected Jon had been rooting around those online newspaper achives again.
It's usually said the first floodlit game took place at Bramall Lane in 1878 so maybe there was plethora of similar games throughout the country over the next year or so? Or perhaps Newton Abbot saw one of just a few? Either way, from dynamos at Sheffield organisers started using oil-fired lights within just a few years. All games were exhibitions and it was a long time before any competitive game was played under lights.
Oh bugger, I seem to have accidently deleted Jon's press cutting ...
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Jon
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Post by Jon on Jan 16, 2012 22:43:33 GMT
deleted Jon's press cutting ... Is that repressive, authoritarian, dictatorial over-moderation or failure to spot the difference between the quote and modify buttons?    |
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Post by Deleted on Jan 16, 2012 23:52:32 GMT
Is that repressive, authoritarian, dictatorial over-moderation or failure to spot the difference between the quote and modify buttons? The latter. To be on the safe side I have used "reply" on this occasion. Many thanks, sir. |
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