Heroes & Villains, the Aston Villa fanzine
Heroes & Villains => Villa Memories => Topic started by: TopDeck113 on September 22, 2010, 06:54:03 PM
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Inspired by the Favourite Away Days thread, what was your favourite away ground that is no longer with us?
I used to really look forward to our trips to Maine Road.
I would imagine that lots of people will say Highbury, if only for one glorious Saturday in May almost thirty years ago.
I don't miss Ayresome Park one jot.
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Maine Road without a doubt, I had a soft spot for the Baseball Ground although it was a shit hole.
I dont miss Ayresome, Highfield Rd or the Dell of the ones I went to that are no longer there, Doncasters old ground wasn't bad and I didn't really form an opinion of the Victoria Ground as there were that many VIlla there all I sae was someones back.
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Ayrsome Park was a real dump as is Selhurst Park, Maine Road was good fun, but Highbury obviously is the one I remember the most!
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Highfield Road - horrible supporters but we always won there between 94-99 ish
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Supermarket Bolton.
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The Dell for me because once I no longer worked Saturdays in the 90s, it was one of the games I could get to easily living down here. I always enjoyed that pub on the corner down to the ground and then piling into the cage in the away end before we got put down the side of the pitch. Results didn't always go for us there (just how many times did Le Tissier win it at the death?), but it was always a big day out for me and the first fixture I looked for at the time...
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The Old Den without a doubt. A day out like no other.
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Plough Lane - enjoyed a 2-0 win there more than any other outside of a derby.
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Highfield Road. Good hunting ground during the 90s.
Have anyone been to Ricoh Arena?
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Baseball Ground, crap view on the Pop side, but good atmosphere
Filbert Street, I think Health & Safety would now close that corner that we used to get herded into, better when we had half the other end.
Victoria Ground, 1976, Balloons , everywhere in a good sized away end, &
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oops , Hostile Locals
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I always thought Highbury was the most special ground in the league after Villa Park. I've got great memories of Villa and some gigs at Maine Road and the old Wembley. l always thought Filbert Street and The Baseball Ground had a good atmosphere. The old Gay Meadow was so bad it was good and The Old Den was an interesting place! I didn't shed any tears when Oxford, Huddersfield, Reading, Southampton, Coventry, Boro, Sunderland or Stoke moved though.
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Have anyone been to Ricoh Arena?
Yeah, I saw Oasis there.
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My 1st away game was Highfield Road and we won. Of the other extict grounds, I enjoyed Maine Road but hated The Baseball Ground and Filbert St as I never saw us win there.
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Has to be Highbury, happy, happy memories :)
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Another one for Highbury. Arsenal don't carry the same aura now they have moved, and sold the naming rights in particular. The move was inevitable but they could've made more of an effort to make the new ground a bit different and retain something of the old ground. Just a little bit of individuality of the sort Highbury demonstrated and why it is still held in high regard by opposition fans.
I beleive that they have recently tried to improve the atmosphere by introducing a "Clock End" and "North Bank". Too late boys, you sold out and you can't go back.
I pray, whatever the circumstances, that we don't do the same.
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Highbury, Baseball Ground, The Dell had a charm to it as well...
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Have anyone been to Ricoh Arena?
Yeah, I saw Oasis there.
I saw Take That there, my missus made me go..honest.
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Have anyone been to Ricoh Arena?
Yeah, I saw Oasis there.
I saw Take That there, my missus made me go..honest.
I actually seen some football there, England u17's wasnt anything decent but wasnt expecting too much anyway. When our Wigan game got called off last year we went to Cov to watch em play Barnsley. Got outta the car and my girlfriend shouts on the top of her voice in the middle of a car park: DAD YOU'VE GOT A VILLA COAT ON! Game was freezing and the atmosphere is awful with horns blowing all the way through, since been banned
You do get 5k there though so would be an interesting away day...
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Oxfords old Manor Ground was good day out. Either standing on the steep banked terracing behind the goal you almost felt you were on the pitch, or sitting in a rickety little wooden stand on the corner. I can remember we had a few trips there in the late 60s/early 70s and of course with no M40 then you had no choice but to drive down the "pretty route". My last trip there was for the league cup game when we absolutely crucified their keeper. 45 minutes of incessant chanting, "No hair, the goalies got no hair".
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The Old Den without a doubt. A day out like no other.
A unique experience. Went there in 1969 we won 1-0. We were standing up and I cheered when we scored, not a problem for me as I was only 11 at the time and even the Millwall fans have some code of ethics (this Millwall feller in his 60s gave my older brother the kicking instead ). Thinking back Im surprised our Mom allowed us to go, she probably hadnt heard the previous season down there when we also won, there was a riot, pitch invasion and the referee being knocked unconscious.
Next trip there was in 1975 for a midweek game when we were on the run in to getting promoted. This time we were in the seats, again we won. My memory this time was of some Villa fans hiding at the the back of the stand behind us, they had climbed in off the terracing because some of the Millwall lads wanted to introduce themselves.
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Baseball Ground as we won every time I went there. Plus the car park for visting supporters had a good quality playpark in it with one of those tyres where you swing on a rope - excellent fun.
In my defence, I was only twenty-seven at the time.
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My last trip there was for the league cup game when we absolutely crucified their keeper. 45 minutes of incessant chanting, "No hair, the goalies got no hair".
I remember that game, his confidence was shot, he looked petrified.
On the way there everyone had had a few and no-one had a clue where the ground was, someone spotted an Oxford sticker on the back of a car so we decided that we would follow the driver to the ground, twenty minutes later he parked...on his driveway in a suberban estate with a van load of pissed, hysterical Villa fans howling with laughter as he walked through his front door with a bemused look on his face.
Less amusing was our van being towed away from where we had parked it during the game.
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Definitely highbury. I used to love the trips there.
Burnden Park was a right pigsty
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Another one for Highbury. Arsenal don't carry the same aura now they have moved, and sold the naming rights in particular. The move was inevitable but they could've made more of an effort to make the new ground a bit different and retain something of the old ground. Just a little bit of individuality of the sort Highbury demonstrated and why it is still held in high regard by opposition fans.
I beleive that they have recently tried to improve the atmosphere by introducing a "Clock End" and "North Bank". Too late boys, you sold out and you can't go back.
I pray, whatever the circumstances, that we don't do the same.
Have you seen what remains of the ground?
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Another one for Highbury. Arsenal don't carry the same aura now they have moved, and sold the naming rights in particular. The move was inevitable but they could've made more of an effort to make the new ground a bit different and retain something of the old ground. Just a little bit of individuality of the sort Highbury demonstrated and why it is still held in high regard by opposition fans.
I beleive that they have recently tried to improve the atmosphere by introducing a "Clock End" and "North Bank". Too late boys, you sold out and you can't go back.
I pray, whatever the circumstances, that we don't do the same.
Have you seen what remains of the ground?
this is how highbury looks now
highbury stadium square (http://www.sir-robert-mcalpine.com/projects/?id=3659)
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Gay Meadow, Shrewsbury 15 March 1972 on our way to the Third Division Championship. 16,336 packed into the old ground with 3 sides taken by Villa fans and one bloke in a corical retrieving the balls from the River Severn. Result 1 - 1.
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Another one for Highbury. Arsenal don't carry the same aura now they have moved, and sold the naming rights in particular. The move was inevitable but they could've made more of an effort to make the new ground a bit different and retain something of the old ground. Just a little bit of individuality of the sort Highbury demonstrated and why it is still held in high regard by opposition fans.
I beleive that they have recently tried to improve the atmosphere by introducing a "Clock End" and "North Bank". Too late boys, you sold out and you can't go back.
I pray, whatever the circumstances, that we don't do the same.
Have you seen what remains of the ground?
this is how highbury looks now
highbury stadium square (http://www.sir-robert-mcalpine.com/projects/?id=3659)
Some of that looks quite tasteful.
I suppose it should at £245,000-£425,000 per flat during a recession.
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Highbury, and Filbert Street odly enough.
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Leeds road Huddersfield Town.Proper old school ground.
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All of them - they all had character. I can't think of one new ground that I enjoy going to more than that club's previous ground.
The old Wembley was a shithole for a long time before it was knocked down but even then it had far more magic about it than what they've put in it's place. And a much better atmosphere.
As for league grounds Maine Road and Highbury were special places and The Baseball Ground was pretty unique. Who remembers the Boxing Day game there when we first came up in 75-76 - Villa everywhere, and not a inch to spare as about 35,000 squeezed in. Derby were reigning champions then if I remember right.
But what about grounds that are still in use but have changed beyond all recognition? Old Trafford was much better in the 70s and 80s than it is now, and standing in Liverpool's old Anny Road end, packed in like sardines and looking across at the old Kop swaying is a memory I hope I never lose. Even though they always seemed to beat us 3-0!
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....But sticking to the theme of the thread - it has to be Highbury - scene of two of the greatest days/nights of my football watching life. 1981 of course ("Win the league, win the league, win the league"), and the 1977 league cup semi-final replay when Brian Little scored a hat-trick to beat QPR 3-0 ("Oh we're all pissed up and we're going to Wemberlee, WEMBERLEE..."). At least 20,000 Villa there for each of those games.
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There are only a few grounds that I've been to which aren't there anymore.
Coventry City - Highfield Road
Hamilton Accies - Douglas Park
England - Wembley (Old)
So based on that I'll go for Hamilton, as the other 2 were crapholes
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I have fond memories of Sealand Road 74/75 League cup semi final.
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Highfield Road, shit ground but nearly always won there
The Dell, another shit ground but great atmosphere
Highbury, some great memories
Fellows Park, used to go if villa not playing, always easy to get in
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Just walking up a North London street and then, seeing a turnstile area apppear and behind this a football stadium. Highbury is the one place i'll miss most.
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Upton Park? Don't suppose we'll be playing there again.
Filbert Street, even tho we never did any good there when i went.
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Baseball ground was always a nice one to go to.
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Roker Park, 1920's facilities, surrounded by friendly pubs. Stadium O L is ok but you can't talk to anyone over the wall whilst your'e having a jimmy!
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The Dell
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Roker Park, 1920's facilities, surrounded by friendly pubs. Stadium O L is ok but you can't talk to anyone over the wall whilst your'e having a jimmy!
Good shout, proper old football stadium!
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All of them - they all had character. I can't think of one new ground that I enjoy going to more than that club's previous ground.
The old Wembley was a shithole for a long time before it was knocked down but even then it had far more magic about it than what they've put in it's place. And a much better atmosphere.
As for league grounds Maine Road and Highbury were special places and The Baseball Ground was pretty unique. Who remembers the Boxing Day game there when we first came up in 75-76 - Villa everywhere, and not a inch to spare as about 35,000 squeezed in. Derby were reigning champions then if I remember right.
But what about grounds that are still in use but have changed beyond all recognition? Old Trafford was much better in the 70s and 80s than it is now, and standing in Liverpool's old Anny Road end, packed in like sardines and looking across at the old Kop swaying is a memory I hope I never lose. Even though they always seemed to beat us 3-0!
I was there - balloons and all ! - full of optimism as well - we'd beaten West Ham 4-1 at home the day before (Derby away was a Saturday and the day before was Boxing Day) - Two league games in two days - Have I just walked into another life ?
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There are only a few ex-grounds that I've been to:-
Highfield Road (Coventry)
Wembley (England) - An absolute dump
Douglas Park (Hamilton Accies)
I quite liked Upton Park, or the Boleyn Ground and as Wet Spam are moving, I'll say that is my favourite one. Helps that we won 2-1 when I went there.
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Always found the baseball ground interesting - that 3 tiered end behind the goal. Also remember getting crushed there once as well, not long after Hillsbrough.
I'd go for Highbury and Maine Road.
Worst I've been to have to be Ayresome Park
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Always found the baseball ground interesting - that 3 tiered end behind the goal. Also remember getting crushed there once as well, not long after Hillsbrough.
(http://images.cdn.fourfourtwo.com/sites/fourfourtwo.com/files/styles/inline-image/public/11_1.jpg?itok=elZhh90t)
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Two I really liked were the aforementioned Roker Park and also up that way Darlington's ground at Feethams.
Up in Scotland the travesty that is the franchise Inverness Caledonian Thistle were responsible for the demise of two excellent old school Highland League grounds in Inverness, both demolished to pay for that soulless out of town shite hole built on a rubbish dump.
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Looking forward to my last ever visit to Upton Park. In a "Thank God I'll never make this journey again" style.
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The Den. Only went once and that was for a midweek match in 1975, we won 3-1 and me and my mate had ended up in amongst the Millwall fans. When we scored our first we both let out a strangled "yesss" two blokes standing next to us looked at us and one said 'don't worry we're Spurs we've come to see who we've got to play next season.' Fair play to them they even saw us safely back to our coach down that scary barely lit road.
Needless to say, we were just thinking we'd got away with it when about a mile from the ground the coach was bricked and two windows went in.
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The best one they raised was Maine Road, pity the Citee fans weren't all in there when the bulldozers did their job, never liked them.
Funny enough for pure atmosphere we played Southampton at the Dell in a midweek and it was tremendous.
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Indeed JD favourite away ground has to be Highbury.
Worst extinct away ground? Tough choice between Ayrsome Park or Plough Lane?
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Baseball Ground, crap view on the Pop side, but good atmosphere
Filbert Street, I think Health & Safety would now close that corner that we used to get herded into, better when we had half the other end.
Victoria Ground, 1976, Balloons , everywhere in a good sized away end, &
Regarding the Victoria Ground, does anyone remember being severely crushed in a pen in the mid-late '80s? Was all the more bizarre as the rest of the ground was nearly empty.
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Maine Road or Highbury.
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Not a favourite ground, but it was pretty unusual. Bramhall Lane in the 1960's. Quite amazing in that it also doubled as a cricket pitch. In fact it started life as a cricket club and they allowed the footballers to use it a few decades later. In those days it was possible to change ends at half time by walking around the boundary of the cricket pitch. My only visit there in the '60's saw Villa win. Sheffield had a player called Keith Kettleborough sent off (an extremely rare occurrence in those days) for flooring Ron Wylie with a shocking tackle.
(http://i841.photobucket.com/albums/zz337/glencoehouse/bramalllane1_zpsjtbcapyr.jpg)
(http://i841.photobucket.com/albums/zz337/glencoehouse/Bramhall%20Lane2%20_zpsnp0hpzty.jpg)
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Baseball Ground, crap view on the Pop side, but good atmosphere
Filbert Street, I think Health & Safety would now close that corner that we used to get herded into, better when we had half the other end.
Victoria Ground, 1976, Balloons , everywhere in a good sized away end, &
Regarding the Victoria Ground, does anyone remember being severely crushed in a pen in the mid-late '80s? Was all the more bizarre as the rest of the ground was nearly empty.
If it was our visit to the Victoria Ground in our 2nd division season of 1987/88 then yes, my only ever visit there and my feet hardly touched the ground for 90 minutes.
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Would have been quite cool watching footy and having the cricket ground next door.
Suppose Leeds has a similar thing with the rugby ground being next door to Elland Road.
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Always found the baseball ground interesting - that 3 tiered end behind the goal. Also remember getting crushed there once as well, not long after Hillsbrough.
I'd go for Highbury and Maine Road.
Worst I've been to have to be Ayresome Park
I was at the game at the Baseball ground, I think it was Cascarino's first game, baking hot.
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Great pics of Bramhall Lane EIA!
It was the first ground/away game I went to on my own in about 1966/7...paid to get in at one end and walked all the way round the cricket pitch to get to the other end...I was very relieved when a few thousand Villa fans turned up to join me later! So, fond memories!
The Dell (and Fratton Park) - the atmosphere always seemed to be intense and intimidating - my older cousin took me several times on the Lions' Club coaches when I was about 9/10/11...it always seemed to be Easter-time...and I thought I was the luckiest boy in the world...my ManU/ManC/Leeds supporting schoolmates had never been to a proper game, never mind exotic away games!
Highbury had proper ends and was a special place to be on a certain day in May 1981...Baseball Ground - we always took a good following and it was only a few stops up the line from my home at the time in Tamworth.
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Great pics of Bramhall Lane EIA!
It was the first ground/away game I went to on my own in about 1966/7...paid to get in at one end and walked all the way round the cricket pitch to get to the other end...I was very relieved when a few thousand Villa fans turned up to join me later! So, fond memories!
The Dell (and Fratton Park) - the atmosphere always seemed to be intense and intimidating - my older cousin took me several times on the Lions' Club coaches when I was about 9/10/11...it always seemed to be Easter-time...and I thought I was the luckiest boy in the world...my ManU/ManC/Leeds supporting schoolmates had never been to a proper game, never mind exotic away games!
Highbury had proper ends and was a special place to be on a certain day in May 1981...Baseball Ground - we always took a good following and it was only a few stops up the line from my home at the time in Tamworth.
Well, apart from The Sty and The Hawthorns, Bramhall Lane was my first away game as well, I guess it was probably 1963. Five of us mates crammed into an ancient Morris Minor which took us hours to reach Sheffield (no motorways in those days) and two of them although they were Baggies fans cheered for the Villa as much as the rest of us. Happy days.
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I can remember going to the three sided Bramhall Lane in the late 1960s for a Villa game. Very unusual.
Another 3 sider was Northamptons old ground. We played there in the run to the 1971 League Cup final, 1-1 draw then brought them back to Villa Park.
Bramhall Lane was completely open across to the cricket pavillion with no spectators. At the Northampton v Villa game, there were spectators packed along the open side that night. Don't know if they always did this or if it was because the Villa were in town and so a much bigger than normal crowd.
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This may sound like a daft question but which cricket team played at Bramhall Lane at that time?
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This may sound like a daft question but which cricket team played at Bramhall Lane at that time?
Yorkshire !!!
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Would have been quite cool watching footy and having the cricket ground next door.
Suppose Leeds has a similar thing with the rugby ground being next door to Elland Road.
The rugby ground is at Headingley - It's the Rugby League and Cricket grounds that back onto each other.
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Would have been quite cool watching footy and having the cricket ground next door.
Suppose Leeds has a similar thing with the rugby ground being next door to Elland Road.
The rugby ground is at Headingley - It's the Rugby League and Cricket grounds that back onto each other.
Yeah but rugby union is rubbish, so that doesn't count.
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I went to Bramall Lane in the mid 70s, we were on a geography field trip to the peak district for a few days and some of us decided to spend our Saturday off watching a game. They played Ipswich but the only thing of note I remember of the game was Tony Currie blowing kisses to the fans after chesting a long cross from the wing back to the keeper.
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This may sound like a daft question but which cricket team played at Bramhall Lane at that time?
Yorkshire !!!
I see, I thought Headingley had been Yorkshire's ground for a long time.
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This may sound like a daft question but which cricket team played at Bramhall Lane at that time?
Yorkshire !!!
I see, I thought Headingley had been Yorkshire's ground for a long time.
Yorkshire play most of their home games at Headingley Stadium in Leeds. Another significant venue is at North Marine Road Ground, Scarborough, which houses the annual Scarborough Festival. Yorkshire has historically used other locations including Bramall Lane, Sheffield, which was the club's original home; Horton Park Avenue, Bradford; St George's Road Cricket Ground, Harrogate; The Circle, Kingston upon Hull; and Acklam Park, Middlesbrough.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yorkshire_County_Cricket_Club
The above Bradford venue was another shared cricket/football venue having been the home of Bradford Park Avenue back in the day. Never saw a game there but we did go there accidentally when trying to find the ground for Bradford City v Villa in 71/72, I guess the floodlights were still up. (That's how we used to find an away ground pre SatNav kids !)