Despite all its ills and woes, leaving Kenilworth Road, when Power Court is finally built, will be hard.
Like many who visit this site, I have been going to Kenilworth Road for several decades and have had the pleasure to watch the action from all corners of the quaint old ground.
As a youngster, I started off, being taken by my dad, in the Bobbers Stand, slotting in down the front and peering through the railings at the bottom, whilst the adults congregated behind me on the wooden steps.
The first few visits, with school friends, were spent on the vast Kenilworth Road terrace, stood right behind the goal before venturing into the Oak Road Stand and as I got older and wiser, I edged closer and closer to the middle.
But then things changed, that teenage testosterone kicked in and I re-located into the Maple Road Stand standing on the triangle adjacent to the away fans. Occasionally, when bravado kicked in, I was tempted by a few mates to enter the away terrace, something fraught with danger but something that got the Adrenalin going. (Anyone else guilty of having a mis-spent youth?)
Nowadays, with shift work preventing me from attending every game, I am just grateful to get a ticket for any part of the ground but, given the choice, I would pick the Kenilworth Road end.
How about you?
What has been your story when it comes to Kenilworth Road, where did you start and where is now your favourite stand?
The First Stand I Used Was?
The Oak Road End
The Bobbers Stand
The Kenilworth Road End
The Maple Road Stand
Please feel free to have your say in the comment facility beneath this article.
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Hi mh, my first visit to the Kenny was with my dad an uncle. They stood with there mates under the old skefco clock an I an a mate stood right down by the bobbers stand corner at at the front. Like you me an my mate graduated to the oak road an joined with the Farley Hill boot Boys who we ran with for years occasionally creeping on the Kenilworth road to ambush away supporters. Then we moved to the triangle on the maple road. And finally onto nutters corner in the maple. Now in my dotage I scream and shout from the Kenny with my grand kids lol nothing changes
I used to love the triangle, you’d keep quite until just before kick-off then start singing and surprise the away support, it was never too far away from what they used to call an ‘incident’ especially when the away side brought loads of supporters. Although I do remember us getting a few surprises of our own when the away support infiltrated us.
Hi mh, you got that right lol. My best memory is the league Cup game against arsenal. Walking onto the oak road with my mate an our girlfriends an pushing my way down to the front. When I turned round I nearly fainted with shock as it was awash with arsenal fans. My mate Billy an his girlfriend had disappeared (he got gone by them as they entered) later we saw the bear as the oak road leader was known then wearing arsenal colours!!! Later when it kicked off me an the girlfriend a right bovver girl stood an pulled luton fans out of the oak road to get them across to the maple stand while trying to fight off arsenal fans. Kath was as hard as nails a match for many bloke 😁 we got pulled away by the police in the end. You should read mig down if you can find a copy excellent truthful account of those days
I have that very book somewhere, will have to dig it out and read it again.
Hi MH,
My first visit was with my father in 1948, we travelled from Bletchley in an Austin 7.
We were in the Oak Road end and I was handed through to the front and allowed to sit on the track leaning against the wall.
We used to visit when he was off duty from the Police Force, but he only had one weekend of in 7 so not many matches per season.
I have sat or stood in all stands over the years and had a season ticket for many years.
I am now in my 72nd year as a supporter and have so many happy memories both home and away.
I hope to have many more including some at our new home PC. COYH
Lovely post and I bet you have so many wonderful memories 🙂
we must have been close to each other for the Millwall game, that was certainly an experience and a half, Millwall fans in the Bobbers throwing seats at their boss, George Graham, an hour before kick-off. When that final whistle went I don’t think I’ve ever walked such a long way home, to avoid town, than I had ever done before.
certainly a few folk taking the long way home that night i suspect
COYH
Danny, I have not received anything, not sure the ‘Submit an Article’ feature works, submit it as a comment and I’ll cut and paste and then delete the comment.
is that the long one about the Newcastle game?
yes please, thanks
done
Hi m h what lovely tales I am 73 and been coming to watch the hatters all my life I can remember my dad lifting me over turnstiles in the bobers stand I to have stood or sat in all parts of the ground can anybody remember Ron Baynham playing centre forward against Sunderland Charle Hurley was there centre half. I can also remember when Gorden Turner used to hit the ball over the top of the oak road end me and my mates would try and get the ball.
I’m not as old as you Les, I am a mere 59, my first memories were the promotion season from Division 4, still got most of the programmes, my dad took me. Although he did tell me all about Gordon Turner and his scoring prowess.
My first visit was with my dad and brother in 82 when we played Newcastle. We were in the enclosure opposite the halfway line. The 3-2 victory that day and Stein hat-trick from being 2 down still ranks as one of my top 3 games, little did i know that the 3-2 scoreline would yield some very memorable moments in the coming years 🙂 By some very good fortune a lad in my class at school his dad was the vice president of Luton at the time (Brian Cole ) who briefly went on to be chairman, so for the next 4 years i would be watching from the directors box several times a year. Looking back i was so lucky to be up and close to the players on a match day and have some very good memories. When i wasn’t jammy enough to be in the directors box i’d be watching from the front of the Oak Rd pen by the railings to the bobbers. I was also stood there for the Millwall cup game which is also firmly etched in the memory. Upon becoming a season ticket holder i’ve stood in J block and sit watching from the kenny end now for the improved view but i do miss being nearer the away fans and the errr banter that goes with it 🙂
Never a dull moment being a hatter 🙂
* RIP Sir Captain Tom Moore – Bedfordshire’s finest
COYH
thanks MH,
my pleasure 🙂
Does anyone else recall the days when you could watch the 1st half at one end the walk through the bobbers to the other end for 2and half, depending on which end we were attacking. I like most on here, have watched from all corners of the ground. Starting in november 66 in the bobbers…funny how a lot of us ventured into the oak road and slowly but surely moved into the middle… dont know if anyone else can recall a game watching from the triangle against sheff wed and some of their fans decided to hurl bricks etc from the rail track behind us….oh happy days….think new ground should have an oak road stand…happy memories…
Indeed I do remember going one from end of the ground to the other via the Bobbers! There was also a gate beneath the Kenilworth where you could get into the Maple Road stand if I recall correctly.
As for Power Court, naming the stands would make an ideal article, leave it with me, although it may be a couple of days as I am back at work tomorrow 🙁
Mh, I think your right there was a gate…not sure if you could get all the way through to the oak that way tho…..
I doubt whether Power Court will have such a maze complex linking all the stands together lol
Ha ha, I’m sure it wont…
As an ex-pat I only get over every now and then but recent visits have been either to the disabled enclosure or the director’s box! The director’s box has terribly obscured views (it wouldn’t be KR without those) but you do get a real feel for the age and history of the ground from back there. If you do the hospitality package then it is well worth it, a great day out and the staff really look after you.
My Dad is in a wheelchair so we’ve been in the disabled enclosure a few times. Great view of the Oak Road goal, but the Kenny end is a distant blur (fortunately they make some noise down there, which comes in handy).
Last time we were in the wheelchair enclosure was for the Oxford match, when we won the Div 1 Champioship. At the end of the match, a couple of lads decided to take the direct route onto the pitch, tumbling over the wall from the main stand with one of them landing squarely on my Dad. I’m amazed my Dad wasn’t hurt – and even more amazed that the lad stopped to say sorry.