Last week somebody shared a status update I did in 2017 listing 30 things that I miss in Walsall, to the Brownhills Bob Facebook group. I hadn’t seen the list since posting it. Needless to say Fellows Park was number 1. Fellows Park was the home ground of Walsall FC from 1896 until 1990, and as we approach Bescot Stadium’s 35th birthday I thought it was high time I shared some thoughts and memories of the old place. Or “the proper ground” as former player and Manage Alan Buckley repeatedly referred to it as at a long awaited guest appearance a few years back.

At this point I have a few skeletons in the closet to unleash. I didn’t get into football until the 1986 World Cup, so missed all of the Alan Buckley goodness. My first two football matches, despite me already deciding that I was a Walsall fan were actually at The Hawthorns in 1986. My then next door neighbour had the job of recording the games for them and a couple of times his normal helper couldn’t go so I helped set up the camera and carry stuff. I didn’t go to a Walsall game until 1987.

My actual first visit to Fellows Park was a guided tour with the primary school around 1983-4 at a guess. I don’t recall this. It did nothing for me, and like most school day memories has been completely expunged from my memory. I only know of it because it made the Walsall Advertiser and on the group photo I was on the far right, not front and centre like I position myself nowadays. It’s only because my mom kept the picture out of the paper in a phto album that I recall it. The picture that is not the tour.

So my first match was the big FA Cup 4th round tie against Birmingham City. Glory hunter, I know yeah. Swill asked if I wanted to go and it’s fair to say I didn’t need asking twice. We went in what was called the popular side, near to the players passageway from the dressing room. No tunnels in those days. We were stood by a lively old lady who we got to know over time and found out she was legendary Saddlers fan Kitty Lyons. Anyway, walking into Fellows Park on a match day that first time was amazing. Looking over to the bursting Hillary Street End and hearing the noise coming out of it was epic. I knew there and then I wanted to be coming here for the rest of my life. I got just over 3 years but you get the drift.

We won that day, beating a bigger neighbouring club from a higher division in a bit of a grudge match as we had been primed to be moved out of our ground and into sharing Birmingham’s just a year or so earlier. My next match was a defeat against Wigan Athletic. I must have got a taste for losing to those that day as we have done it regularly ever since.

I only went twice that first season. But this was it. I was now a Saddler for life. I wanted a replica kit. I wanted a programme from every game. I wanted to win the “10 pence on the ball” draw. I wanted all of the players autographs. We used to get there as the turnstiles opened so could watch the players warm up and the first time I was brave enough to call a player over for his scribble it was top scorer David Kelly. I handed him my autograph book and asked nicely. “Where’s your pen?” he asked. I hadn’t thought of that. I’d just assumed he’d have one on him. Probably the first embarrassing moment of my life. I was armed with two pens the next home game and got it then.

I was so much more of a regular the following season. The promotion season. Glory hunter I know yeah. This would be my first taste of midweek games, starting with a League Cup (then sponsored by Littlewoods) first round. 2nd leg tie against West Bromwich Albion. We’d already won the first leg away 3-2 and a 0-0 draw that night saw us through.

A big change came in the November of 87, as Swill and I moved into the Hillary Street End. Coming through the turnstiles, walking up those steps and then the ground just opening up in front of you was spine tingling, that first time and all the times afterwards. I never tired of that initial walk up the steps. Our first game in here was another Tuesday night cup tie. This one an FA Cup 1st round replay against Southend. We won that one 2-1 with two penalties from Paul Jones, and it was great being a Streetender and joining in the chants. A totally different experience from on the side.

By now, Swill and I had totally got the bug and looked for any excuse to attend Fellows Park. Reserve games, charity matches, schools finals the lot. One charity match involved two teams. not Walsall FC related but our current goalkeeper Fred Barber, probably my first Saddlers hero was named as sub for one of the teams and he came on in the second half as a striker and scored and it was brilliant to watch.

Reserve games were great too as you could go anywhere in the ground. Sometimes we’d sit in the main stand, as we couldn’t afford to for first team games, mingling with first team players and local journalists. Most times though we’d stand on the Street End. Swill started bringing his school friends and I became mates with them all but mostly Steve Stuart who remains a mate to this day.

Memorable games that first full season of attending that spring to mind were a 5-2 win against Rotherham, with Nicky Cross scoring a hat-trick before being substituted to his absolute disgust . which led to his departure shortly afterwards. This was the first season of two substitutes and his replacement that day was future legend Chris Marsh from the youth team making his first senior appearance with the novel number 14 shirt on. He “scored” with his first touch only for the effort to be disallowed.

Other games at home that spring to mind that season were a 2-1 win over Doncaster as the club celebrated our 100th birthday and the next one was a crucial win by the same score against promotion rivals Notts County. The home draw in the second leg of the play off semi final against Notts was absolutely joyous as we won 3-1 on aggregate.

I was late getting up when the tickets went on sale for the second leg of the play off final, and the queue was massive when I arrived. I got the prize ticket and just as I got to the road a wedding car pulled up. A newly married couple were stopping off to get tickets. A photographer from a local paper was nearby and he clocked an opportunity. I was asked if they could borrow my ticket for a picture. I stared anxiously at my ticket throughout and must have looked so relieved when it was handed back as I got comments. Someone remarked I should have insisted on being in the picture. Nowadays I’d be standing right next to the bride. It made the paper and was a great shot.

The 2-0 home defeat in the second leg of the play off final against Bristol City after a 3-1 win away in he first was a shock but we won the penalty shoot out to bring the replay to good old Fellows Park.

My mom wouldn’t let me go to the replay (I’d turned 14 on the day of the 1st leg semi final against Notts County so I couldn’t argue). We listened to it on the radio in our caravan at Bewdley We won 4-0 to seal our first promotion in 25 years and it must have been an amazing occasion. The footage looked brilliant and I can only imagine the scenes in The King George V pub across the road. I’ve never spoken to anyone who was in there that day but I’d love to hear anecdotes.

Digressing slightly but when we moved to Bescot several people said it was in a crap location which always puzzled me. Only round the corner from Fellows Park, on a bus route with a train station opposite but over the years I’ve figured it out. There is nothing round Bescot really but Fellows Park? King George V and a chip shop (Andy’s?) opposite and within a 15 minute walk you had The Fullbrook, The Royal Oak (Pleck and Palfrey variants), Bradford Arms (Pleck and Palfrey variants) Brown Lion, New Inns, 4 Horseshoes and what ever the pub that became Raffles Club (then a pharmacy, now a brightly lit up 24 hour shop). You could have had a right pub crawl pre (and post) match.

Following a Summer of washing cars, delivering the Walsall Advertiser and having a little help from the Bank Of Mom & Dad I had my first season ticket for the Barclays League Division 2 (now Championship, kids) campaign. I was away for the first home game, a 2-2 draw with Plymouth but I don’t think I missed another home game all season. Early memories include a Tuesday night 5-0 win against Birmingham with all the goals in the second half. The place was bouncing that night night. I’d gone to Anfield for the second round 1st leg tie against Liverpool in the Littlewoods Cup We came away that night with just a 1-0 defeat and I couldn’t wait for the second leg. I’m sure we had an early goal from Craig Shakespeare disallowed and eventually Liverpool won the tie 4-1 on aggregate.

As season ticket holders, Swill and I were allowed into the members enclosure, situated in the “Cow Shed” stand. We started to go in there first half and stand right next to the away end. This led to some epic banter. The one that still sticks in the mind was during a lull in one game, a voice rang out from behind us “hey Watford?”. Cue lots of heads looking round in the away end. “Yer shit.” Watford won that game 1-0.

The early season promise quickly evaporated after the injury to new midfielder Alex Taylor. The two stick in the memory games later that season at home were the visits from the top two Chelsea and Manchester City. Chelsea won 7-0 and with a bit of gallows humour normally only emanating from the terraces, stadium announcer David Bathurst announced “a reminder that videos of this game are available to purchase, though this may be of more interest to the Chelsea fans.”

Against Man City we raced into a 2-0 lead, away goalkeeper Andy Dibble got injured and had to be replaced by outfield player Nigel Gleghorn (I think), – no sub keepers in those days and before we knew it we were 3-2 down. A last gasp equaliser from Andy Saville gave us a deserved point but this was one of very few home highlights that season. Late home wins against Brighton and Stoke giving us a bit of pride but we were relegated easily.

I did however get to see Dale Banton’s only Fellows Park goal in a Walsall shirt though in a 3-0 reserves win over Tranmere.

So for the final season at Fellows Park we were back in the third tier. I thought we had a strong squad. I was confident. I was also young and foolish.

The season started with a 1-0 win against Northampton at FP with Stuart Rimmer on the score sheet. The promotion campaign was underway. Not quite. We hit rock bottom of the table on 30th December and stayed there.

During the Spring I was doing a football hooliganism project as part of my Sociology coursework for my GCSE’s. I wrote to the club and recived a letter back inviting me to interview Roy Whalley, club Secretary and one of the Directors. This was exciting. I got to go in his office and taped a great interview. He was very welcoming, answered my questions, and told me about how great and safe Bescot Stadium would be. I enclosed the tape in with my project and never got it back. Another reason why I hated school.

I got near to Roy again not too long after. A 1-0 home defeat to Birmingham in March saw a demonstration outside the main stand. This was my first taste of crowd fury, so me and Swill were interested onlookers but somehow as the crowd moved we ended up at the front. Roy Whalley came out to address the disgruntled fans. I remember someone shouting “hey Roy, do you want us to pay you Poll Tax too?” which got a big cheer. It all ended peacefully though.

We were relegated quite early on if I remember correctly. Fellows Park deserved a far better send off than the final season it got. After many famous cup victories there, the last FA Cup win on the ground was a 2nd round tie against Roterham, Rimmer again on target. Rotherham also provided the opposition for the final league game, on a Tuesday night May 1st 1990. The club made an occasion of it with certificates provided on the turnstiles, former players and a marching band in attendance. Andy Dornan scored the final Walsall league goal (his only one for the club) in a 1-1 draw. The crowd that night was 5697 where it had only been 3287 for the final win at FP against Tranmere 3 days earlier.

Before the move the club did a couple of tours of Fellows Park and I attended both This meant I got to go in the Saddlers Club for the first time, although it was blackcurrant and lemonade for me in those days.

The final final Walsall match at Fellows Park was a testimonial for defender Peter Hart against West Brom, which finished 1-1 with Gary Shaw equalising for us and thus scoring the last ever goal at Fellows Park. I remember walking out the ground and getting down to the traffic lights and having one last look at the lit up floodlights and got really emotional.

I was excited about the move to Bescot. I was just a kid, I had no concept of history or character. I learned too late the Joni Mitchell wisdom. “Don’t it always seem to go, that you don’t know what you’ve got ’till it’s gone?” The place was showing its age at the end, but it was magical. A proper ground. To a lot of fans it will always be the proper home of Walsall FC. A lot of my friends have only ever known Bescot. As soon as Doc Brown brings those time travelling DeLoreans to mass production, I’m going back to watch that 4-0 win over Bristol City, and I’m taking some mates too. Actually Doc, could you make it a 52 seat Central Coaches time machine please?

Fellows Park was soon gone. The Saddlers Club was torched, part of the Cow Shed roof collapsed during a bout of snow, then the bulldozers arrived. I was working for Corroy Products in Darlaston at the time and lifts home passed the site so I got a day by day account of the demolition. The time I saw stuff being burned on the pitch really hit me hard. I vowed then not to ever set foot in the Morrisons supermarket that was to replace it. Of course, with me being the massive hypocrite that I am, I applied for a job there while it was being built. I smashed the interview (imo), got a letter a few weeks later saying they were still considering my application then I never heard from them again. Most blokes get ghosted by the ladies. I get it from major supermarket chains.

To be fair, I did go in the store. There was lots of pictures of Fellows Park around the walls which was a nice touch. Not sure if they are still there though. Not been in in decades.

So Bescot Stadium is 35 this year. For my 35th birthday I had a go at the London Monopoly pub crawl and you know what? I might just do it again for Bescot’s same landmark.

In hindsight, I wish that on that primary school tour I’d have bumped into Alan Buckley and he’d have said “not impressed today young man? Get down here on Saturday and see the real Fellows Park.” Dunno why but I had Brian Clough’s voice in my head as I typed that. Fellows Park, I only knew you for a short time but my God you certainly changed my life for the better.

Big thanks to David Evans from the Fellows Park Facebook page for use of the pictures on here and his help with a memory or two.

And if you’re wondering, here is the list of 30 things that I miss in Walsall, as referenced in the first paragraph. 1 – Fellows Park.

2 – Fitters Arms.

3 – Highgate Brewery (especially Saddlers Bitter)

4 – Sundown Records.

5 – Planet Spice.

6 – The Black Swan.

7 – The Brewery Stores (especially the downstairs bar).

8 – The Imperial.

9 – Mr Yips.

10 – The clock on NatWest. (Especially when running for a train.)

11 – Protection from the elements in the bus stations.

12 – The 3 Men In A Boat clock in The Saddlers Centre.

13 – Walsall FC shop in town.

14 – The shopping trolley escalator in Presto.

15 – Basil Of Anatolia.

16 – ABC cinema.

17 – Harley’s.

18 – The indoor market in the Quasar Centre.

19 – The double chance urinals in the Pen & Wig.

20 – The Sarawak.

21 – The Fullbrook pub as it was in the 1990’s.

22 – Fibber McGee’s.

23 -The secret passage from by The Fountain to Lichfield St.

24 – The town with the power station cooling towers looming over it, making it feel like the opening credits of The Simpsons.

25 – The amusement arcade in Caldmore (now Daves Cafe). Update – now Caldmore Fish Bar.

26 – The Stag in Bloxwich.

27 – The sign on the old Sainsbury’s that said “Do not even think about parking here.”

28 – The 339 bus. (It’s now the 39, with a bizarre route which doesn’t help me)

29 – Those concrete blocks outside Woolworths.

30 – Lee Garden Chinese on Stafford Street. (It’s still there, I just don’t live 3 minutes walk away anymore).

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