Yes, when the South Stand was new; there were four proper covered stands; and it was freshly painted green.
How Hull City used to postpone the turkey and crackers for action on Christmas Day The Tigers drew 1-1 with Gateshead on December 25, 1957 please log in to view this image Hull City supporters pictured at Boothferry Park in 1957-58, the last season to play host to a Christmas Day fixture Presents in the morning, turkey and trimmings for lunch and then what? Hull City supporters can slump into the sofa this afternoon with a drink in hand but 62 years ago their forefathers might well have been considering a trip to Boothferry Park. December 25, 1957 was the last time City were in action on Christmas Day. A 1-1 draw with Gateshead in Division Three (North) lured just under 9,000 supporters out of their homes but those hardy souls can claim the honour of seeing a red letter day in City’s history. As preposterous as it might sound in modern times, Christmas Day used to play host to a full round of fixtures in England and Scotland. Burslem Port Vale were City’s first opponents on the sacred day of 1905, before the likes of Lincoln City, Bradford Park Avenue and Birmingham City all provided Christmas Day opposition during the Tigers’ first decade in the Football League. Geography was no consideration in those early days either. Chelsea were visitors to East Yorkshire in 1906 before City headed to West London three years later to face Fulham. No one could even blame Sky Sports for the inconvenience back then. please log in to view this image Boothferry Park, Hull City's former home, under deep snow in 1947 (Image: Hull Daily Mail) City were back in the capital for a Christmas Day game away to Tottenham in 1919 but that was just the start of it for David Menzies’ men over those festive days. Spurs accompanied the Tigers home to Anlaby Road for the Boxing Day game before City were back in action again on December 27. Did fatigue become a factor? A 10-3 win over Wolves would suggest not. Sixteen of the next 20 Christmas Days saw City in action before World War Two interrupted all walks of life but football’s boom of the late 1940s soon drew huge crowds to the Tigers’ festive fixtures. A remarkable attendance of 49,655 saw City beat Rotherham United 3-2 at Boothferry Park on Christmas Day of 1948. The two Yorkshire rivals were battling for promotion out of Division Three (North) and a City side aiming high under Raich Carter would draw the return leg 0-0 at Millmoor on Boxing Day. Over 70,000 supporters clicked through the turnstiles of both games in a season that concluded with the Tigers claiming a place in Division Two. please log in to view this image Harold Needler (left) and Raich Carter worked together to draw a crowd of almost 50,000 to watch Hull City on Christmas Day in 1948 But Boothferry Park would not open its gates again on Christmas Day until 1957, the final year of a full schedule in English football. A 1-1 draw with Gateshead ensured David Fraser was the last City player to score on Christmas Day, with the likes of Andy Davidson, Bill Bradbury and Paul Feasey also in action for Bill Brocklebank’s men. Plenty of footballers up and down the land will either be travelling or training today but supporters will have to wait until tomorrow’s visit of Nottingham Forest to get their fix.
Is it my eyesight or is that a wooden fence between the South and the East stands? They were way ahead of their time.
