Re: This is the end, beautiful friend, the end : Fri Sep 24, 2010 1:49 pm  

J20 wrote:

Just manged to get a ticket for tonight and really looking forward to sending Knowsley Road off! I maybe a Widnes fan but I was brought into the game watching Saints on TV and some of my best memories stem from Knowsley Road watching Widnes there and also a few side Saints games.

Though it was needed will be a shame to see KR go (definately need a final wee on the wall tonight ) and I am sure it will be an emotional affair for a lot of you and then I welcome you to the Stobart stadium next year

Saints, Cunningham, Gidley... let's go out in style!

Cheers mate I have always had a soft spot for Widnes which stems from the 70s/80s when they where the cup kings.
Anyway we will see you lot soon in the Superleague and hopefully you will beat Wire on a regular basis like we do.

Re: This is the end, beautiful friend, the end : Fri Sep 24, 2010 1:58 pm  

My Dad is 86 and a season ticket holder for 50 years, Im 52 and my lad is 24. My lad is the 4th gen of Saints fans and a whole clan is coming to the game tonight. My dad had a mild heart attack last November so I am just hoping he hangs on for the new ground especially as its only 1/2 mile from where he lives.

Re: This is the end, beautiful friend, the end : Fri Sep 24, 2010 2:25 pm  

Even as a wigan it was my favourite ground to visit, the atmosphere, the banter but most of all the great rugby league matches witnessed here, enjoy tonight and good luck !.

Re: This is the end, beautiful friend, the end : Fri Sep 24, 2010 3:18 pm  

The noise that used to come out of the place on Derby days while walking up Knowsley Road/Alder Hey Road/ Millfields/ Dunriding Lane/ wherever I'd parked/ been dropped off is something I'll always remember. Really got the heart rate going and the hairs on the back of my neck standing on end.

Re: This is the end, beautiful friend, the end : Fri Sep 24, 2010 3:37 pm  

Enjoy the memories, I certainly will.
Some strange ones for me, a folded chair as a ringside seat, the Harlem Globetrotters playing there, the 5 -4 game, the 75 - 0 defeat and the masterclass Wigan display in the Challenge Cup replay.

Have a great night, I'm sure there'll be a tear in the eye for many tonight.

Goodnight god bless old girl.

If you would only have played that U20 final on Sunday I would have come and said goodbye in person.

Re: This is the end, beautiful friend, the end : Fri Sep 24, 2010 4:44 pm  

Even though one of the bitterest memories of my childhood was Saints fans wearing Tesco bags at Central Park and all the associated songs being sung, I still feel for you Saints fans as I know how much you'll all miss it. Hell, I'll miss it, derby day will never be the same again.

Thanks for the good and bad memories.

Re: This is the end, beautiful friend, the end : Fri Sep 24, 2010 5:18 pm  

Farewell KR. A great old ground full of character & atmosphere. Some fantastic memories of watching Wigan there over the years starting with a Brett Kenny inspired win on Boxing Day 1984. No finer place in the world to get behind Wigan than the away end at KR.
Glad to see Saints get the new ground as well. Good for RL.

Re: This is the end, beautiful friend, the end : Fri Sep 24, 2010 5:42 pm  

As with other fans, ive had some good memories of KR. Good & Bad. God bless you KR

Re: This is the end, beautiful friend, the end : Fri Sep 24, 2010 6:02 pm  

Didn't have the most pleasant first trip to KR - Boxing Day 92 - I was only a young un, and it felt like walking into the enemy's castle. I think Wigan went 6-0 up and the rest is history!

75-0 was a strange one. Despite the thrashing there was a great feeling of togetherness, very few did 'the Walk'. Had some great memories to balance that one out, the Kev Brown / Luke Robinson show being particularly sweet and of course Good Friday 2010

Funnily enough I was pleased that Saints beat Cas the other week and a fitting tribute that one of the modern greats scored the last try.

Will miss that feeling of walking up the side of the Eddy End into the ground on derby day, stomach churning with nerves, the defeaning roar of both fans giving each other hell at least an hour before kick off, it just made you walk that little bit faster into the ground to get amongst it. Unique.

Enjoy the game and savour the moment

Re: This is the end, beautiful friend, the end : Fri Sep 24, 2010 6:30 pm  

I'd rather visit the old grounds than the new ones, more atmosphere and more history.

But hey, everything has to change, and we all have some very good (and some bad) memories of Knowsley Road.

It'll be gone soon, but even as a Bradford fan, it won't be forgotten!