BFC floodlights history

I'm trying to find out BFC first floodlit home league game can anyone help.Date and opposition please.

 

Unfortunately l can't give you an answer to that but l helped build the current ones we have at Oakwell, well by build l mean, l had to put the screws, washers & nuts together for the steel workers and put them into a bag. I was about 11/12 at the time and sat under the West Stand doing it, l was paid £20 for the day which, considering my paper round only fetched in £3, l was over the moon!

 

Hang on, maybe Big Lil was there, looking like when they do a flashback to Homer Simpson in his younger days....

Apologies Big Lil.

 

Everything was psychedelic in those days, mate

So we didn't need floodlights, as this photo of Crystal & myself proves!!
<img src ="http://wallpaperfreehd.com/thumbnails/large_young_marge_and_homer_simpson_9275.jpeg">

 

Re: Everything was psychedelic in those days, mate

that's just mental pic l have!

 

Re: Everything was psychedelic in those days, mate

 

From another website.
The world's first ever floodlit match was at Bramall Lane on 14 October 1878. It was a friendly involving local sides in front of an attendance of 20,000, to 'enliven the dull winter afternoons'. The floodlights were powered by batteries and dynamoes, and further use of floodlights proved so unreliable that it wasn't until 1956 that the first floodlit Football League match took place, between Portsmouth and Newcastle at Fratton Park.
My dad used to tell me that games in the 50's used to kick off earlier in winter because of the light. So I'm guessing late 50's.

 

Sure I heard recently it was around 1962 :S

 

It was a specially arranged friendly between the Reds and First Division Bolton Wanderers. Barnsley had two guest internationals - Tom Finney and Jimmy Hagan and Bolton had the great Nat Lofthouse playing centre forward. I have a programme as I was there but I cannot, right now, give you the exact date as my programme collection is elsewhere. It was in the winter of 1961/62 season if my memory serves me well

 

I think it was 1962, and the Tykes played Greenock Morton, the Scottish Club.It was freezing. My wife went with me and we left long before the end because she couldn't stand the cold!!!

 

Our first game with the floodlights was a friendly against Bolton, when Tom Finney guested (and scored) for us. It was in 1962, but I'll have to check the programme when I get home to give you the exact date (unless somebody else knows in the meantime). We should be able to work out the first league game from that.

 

Barnsley FC should have a page like this

http://www.stokecityfc.com/page/Records/0,,10310~401936,00.html

Every record and every "First" by the club including "first game under floodlights" & "first game under fixed floodlights". Brilliant page which BFC would do well to copy. Looked on the BFC website and it's basically a summary of a few relevant seasons plus a bit of a spreadsheet with the record goalscorer in a season etc on it which is same as the Wikipedia page.

Doesn't help with the first home league game under floodlights after they were opened in 1962 in a friedly against Bolton but thought it might give you a few more ideas for research.

 

Re: Barnsley FC should have a page like this

Not sure of the exact date but it was shortly after we sold John Beresford to Portsmouth.

 

Re: Barnsley FC should have a page like this

That's wrong mate. first game under floodlights was definitely 1962 - I was there. Beresford wasn't even born until 1966. Unless you mean the first game that you saw personally under floodlights in which case you've got the wrong end of the stick (or are attempting a bit of humour.)

 

I know about the friendly between us and Bolton its the first home league game I'm after.

 

I remember the current floodlights being erected during Allan Clarks 2nd spell as manager. I clearly remember him moaning at the fact that they cost £150,000 and that the cost had made a huge difference to his transfer kitty. He did acknowledge though that the work was absolutely necessary.....I think the Reds beat Stoke 3-0 in that game.

 

I remember us getting those "V" shaped floodlights, used to like the look of those when I got off the bus on Ponty road and walked up through the car park.

 

I liked to watch them come on one by one until you couldn't look at them anymore. Bloody big improvement on the old ones.

 

Sorry BMW all I can tell you is the date of the Bolton friendly, 23/01/62.