: Tue Jul 14, 2009 9:53 pm  

Pantherman wrote:

Although I would have loved for CP to have been redeveloped, you can only paper over the cracks so much. Look at Knowsley Hole these days. Better to remember it for what it was and move on with the times.

Correct. Like anything you're fond of, it gets better as time goes on.

CP's terracing was flat, so shortarses like me couldn't see. Even if I was tall, there would be several big red pillars in the way. Could anyone make out what the bloke on the tannoy was saying, and how long did it take to queue up and get in?

I'm recounting all those faults with a smile on my face, and I loved the place, but it still got old, it still got past it, and it was still time to move on.

: Thu Jul 16, 2009 11:06 pm  

I loved cAntral Park me

: Fri Jul 17, 2009 9:32 pm  

Bilko wrote:

I'm reminded of a game at Central Park in 1999 when a referee called Nick Oddy reduced Wakefield to at one point 9 men!!!! He sin binned Glen Tomlinson, Willie Poching, Andy Fisher and Paul March for professional fouls. I don't think that ref was ever seen again after that game.

He refereed in the then-NFP for a couple of years after that. Good old Noddy, second only to Colin Morris in the "what a tool" competition.

Ken Barlow wrote:

does anyone remember the flag? in bad weather if the match was on the flag was up if the flag was down or not there it meant the match was off.

Now you mention it, it they used to do exactly the same thing at Leigh at the back of the Chaddy End.

: Fri Jul 17, 2009 9:59 pm  

Used to have a season ticket in the Whitbread Stand as a kid and there were two fellas who must have also had season tickets. They were the most vocal two in there. One was skinny and I'm sure he had a tattoo on his arm saying 'Wigan' over a Lancashire rose. The Other had a blonde perm, a tache, a gold ear ring and was often sporting a blue Ellgren jacket.
When Central Park was sold to Tesco and then TESCO rubbed it in by sponsoring our collars these two must have picked out the stitches because when my 1998 shirt had TESCO on the back of the collar, theirs said 'Save Central Park' on.

[DaveO]

: Sat Jul 18, 2009 12:04 am  

ROBINSON wrote:

The new grounds are far better, with great facilities, the ability to see no matter where you are stood, or sat, but all too often there's one vital thing missing. Atmosphere. Central Park had masses of it, even there was only 12,000 on - a third full - it was great..

Spot on.

I have great memories of CP. When I get a suitable scanner I will post a link to photos I took on at the last game there once I have them digitised.

I would have loved to have seen CP upgraded but really even if it had been it could not match modern stadia.

But just think, had DW succeeded in buying it when Jack Robinson sold it to Tesco where would be now? Well my guess is DW would be donating CP to Latics as he has done the JJB!

Could anyone live with that!?

Dave

: Mon Jul 20, 2009 4:52 pm  

Watching Wigan v Halifax, going to the toilet at half time, coming out after about one minute and finding that it was foggy and the match was abandoned. Couldn't believe it. It was about 1964.

: Thu Jul 23, 2009 8:08 pm  

Went to CP loads of times,and even as a Leeds supporter it was by far the most exiting ground in the RL(apart from Headingley of course)
My endearing memory would have to be the WCC against Manly in '87.
36K in that night if memory serves.Electric atmosphere and a titanic game!

: Thu Jul 23, 2009 8:18 pm  

DaveO wrote:

Spot on.

I have great memories of CP. When I get a suitable scanner I will post a link to photos I took on at the last game there once I have them digitised.

I would have loved to have seen CP upgraded but really even if it had been it could not match modern stadia.

But just think, had DW succeeded in buying it when Jack Robinson sold it to Tesco where would be now? Well my guess is DW would be donating CP to Latics as he has done the JJB!

Could anyone live with that!?

Dave

If DW had bought Central Park, we would still be at the JJB / DW stadium at Robin Park.

The only difference would be that Whelan would have sold Central Park to Tesco and pocketed the extra £6million for himself.

Don't forget Whelan offered £6million for Central Park, Robinson sold it for £12milion.

And whilst we're on the point I see Whelans puppet Mr. Ernie Benbow has come crawling out of the woodwork after going into hiding for some time.

: Fri Jul 24, 2009 4:13 am  

Rogues Gallery wrote:

If DW had bought Central Park, we would still be at the JJB / DW stadium at Robin Park.

Spot on - wouldn't have been able to develp CP owing to the mine/water workings

: Sun Jul 26, 2009 1:56 pm  

Nobody else will remember the time in the 1980's when I was the only one to turn up to watch a game against Bradford! I turned up and approached CP at the Kop end. I thought it was a bit unusual that nobody else was walking to the ground. I thought it even more unusual to find the gate open at the Kop end. So I walked in to find nobody in the ground!. I must have been the only person in Wigan not to have heard that the game had been called off because of a severe frost. I was convinced the game would still be on because of the underground heating system. I bought an evening post on the way home which confirmed that the game had been called off. Actually the pitch wan't too bad. The reason the game was called off was because the terraces were covered in ice.