Which was better - then or now

Carrying on from the "where did you stand in the ground" thread It seems most of us are old enough to have sampled both new and old Oakwell.

Obviously todays ground is a massive improvement but in terms of atmosphere and general enjoyment which do you prefer?

 

No contest

Now without a doubt - loved the ground when I first started going in '78 but it doesn't compare with now. Don't think i'd enjoy going backto standing - been to a fewer lower league gameswith my mate who's a Carlisle fan and I can't say I enjoyed it

 

Got to say now.

I understand what some may say about atmosphere, but when the team are on form and a decent sized crowd are up for it, then it can still rock at Oakwell, even with the seats. And, getting on a bit now, I admit I prefer to sit down.

Conversely, when crowds were piss poor at Oakwell, the atmosphere could be as dead stood up as it can be now we are sat down - I seriously don't think seats make a difference.

Never go back.
(blagger)

 

RE: No contest

No I wouldnt like to go back to all standing but Im ok with standing areas. Seats arent as good for goal celebrations though. Kids are growing up without knowing what its like to be squashed against a crush barrier. lol

 

agreed, this atmosphere thing is a myth. The atmosphere in 96/97 and 97/98 was electric, by far the best I've known and I've been through the Clarke/Hunter years.

 

Not a wind up but the people who voted for 'then'

please share..why ?

 

Now.......................................................

I don't get back pains when I'm sat down.</p>

I use to be in agony at times in the Ponty with freezing cold wind blowing through the gap at the back.</p>

 

RE: Not a wind up but the people who voted for 'then'

Pure Nostalgia mate.

 

I just remember looking through the gap in the brewery and seeing the floor

Wondering when it was going to collapse - then peeing up a brick wall at half time ( which they still do in the West Stand I believe!) - oh how I miss that!

 

RE: Not a wind up but the people who voted for 'then'

better atmosphere mate, the ground is better now but the atmosphere was better, the seating is not safer either, I nearly get killed everytime we score, falling over the back of the seats, at least you could get out of the way before, unless you liiked getting crushed that is.
Its still as fecking cold now as well.

 

RE: I just remember looking through the gap in the brewery and seeing the floor

Funny thing is, If I ever dream about being at a Barnsley match the grounds always as it was then. Strange int it after all these years?

 

For some of the games it was better

Man City in the league cup was great but I'd say the atmosphere in the premiership was just as good and it was all seating then

 

Much better ground these days.............

without a shafow of doubt. But i think the atmosphere was much better in the old days - mind you that's when we had an entertaining side and the noise used to echo from three sides of the ground. I can also recall around 2,000 in the mid 70's and the atmosphere was ***** to say the least.

 

Round the miner's strike was dire

remember under 3,000 for a game against Wimbledon . Took a while to recover after that

 

RE: Round the miner's strike was dire

We possibly had about 11 years of low gates following the miner's strike. Then the promotion season came along

 

Exactly....

People are fondly remembering times like the early 80's when it used to be rocking at Oakwell. Some of the matches were fantastic atmospheres back then. BUT, and it's a big but, we were regularly averaging 15k at times back then, and the big games, like the Man City game, were well over 20k, sometimes more. The **** crowds in the 70s were **** atmospheres as well. Nothing has changed.

The thing is, a 15k+ crowd now, and especially a 20k crowd, on form, when the team is doing well, and the atmosphere is electric. I thought that the last 2 games, when fans started getting a good feeling about things, the atmosphere, especially after we scored, was spot on. And there was only 9k there last Tuesday.

It's just as good now as it was back then.

 

But even now its a ***** atmosphere.

In the Prem, we could have played in Monk Bretton park and the atmosphere would have been electric.
The games when the crowds flocked in were awesome, Man City, Wednesday matches, all local derbies, the feeling in amongst the crowds was a unforgetable experience.
Yes in the dark days, when there was only a couple of thousand there , it was shabby, but there was still as much noise from those fans as there is now.

Maybe I am just getting senile tho` (blagger) (blagger) (blagger)

 

RE: Exactly....

Methinks it's the old rose-tinted spectacles mi owld mucker? And i hold my hands up as guilty on that factor too!
Can anyone recall the (in)famous chant of "You can shove your fecking cameras up your arse!" ? When they showed the game on the Sunday you could clearly hear the chant from the Ponty.

 

One thing about the new ground......

You don't get the old 'end-taking', or attempts at it, due to the seats and cctv. Mind you; thinking back, i can't recall many opposition in the Ponty End? For some reason i can recall Sheffield United being in there for the Barry Murphy testimonial. It was bloody freezing that night - snow etc!!