Where are the lost playing fields of Leeds?

godfather · Post by **godfather** » Mon 15 Sep, 2008 1:47 pm

i remember a few, around elland road was the Holbeck Cricket ground. wellington foundry ground. leeds lics. whitehall printers ground. york road area. Osmondthorpe ymca. back of dog and gun ground. the pit hills. snake lane. cross green school. leeds civil service. yorkshire switchgear sports ground at side of bus vale. football pitch in meanwood park, you got changed in a barn. highbury cricket ground. do you remember any.

FLOJO · Post by **FLOJO** » Mon 15 Sep, 2008 2:28 pm

godfather wrote: i remember a few, around elland road was the Holbeck Cricket ground. wellington foundry ground. leeds lics. whitehall printers ground. york road area. Osmondthorpe ymca. back of dog and gun ground. the pit hills. snake lane. cross green school. leeds civil service. yorkshire switchgear sports ground at side of bus vale. football pitch in meanwood park, you got changed in a barn. highbury cricket ground. do you remember any. I can remember the playing fields in Manston Park, and on Sunday mornings lots of local football, but I have not been since 87 so do not know if it is still used.

Brandy · Post by **Brandy** » Mon 15 Sep, 2008 3:32 pm

anybody got any ideas what this ground is about??i live pretty close to this and i have often wondered what went on in here!it seems to have been 'enclosed' behind a decent sized perimeter wall for some reason? ps/ i forgot to add that its just off ozzy lane near york road.

Post by **tyke bhoy** » Mon 15 Sep, 2008 3:42 pm

Deja vue time again. Question about that particular sports ground has appeared in another thread Brandy. I guess you are probably aware and are hoping some of our newer vistors know more than the blind alley we ended up down last time

Brandy · Post by **Brandy** » Mon 15 Sep, 2008 4:07 pm

tyke bhoy wrote: Deja vue time again. Question about that particular sports ground has appeared in another thread Brandy. I guess you are probably aware and are hoping some of our newer vistors know more than the blind alley we ended up down last time

yes tyke bhoy i thought we'd been here beforebut like you said we now have fresh blood lol,they might be able to shed some light on this?wasn't there like a covered seating terrace in here as-well??Heres something for you to mull over,i was walking around harehills park a couple of Sundays ago (down near the tennis courts)and the football pitch and basketball court was rammed with people from every ethnic background you could think of!there was polish,Jamaican,African,Iranians,and many many more all getting along playing together and it got me me thinking about the local problem we have of all our local kids hanging around on street corners saying "there's nowt to do" and here we have all these facilities that upon till we had our influx of immigrants never got touched!i remember when they first re-furbished the tennis courts and you would drive past on a lovely sunny day and the place would be abandoned??now ive heard rumers that the local scumbags have been going up to cause trouble and coming out with stuff like"them courts and pitches got put there for us not you" i myself were happy just to see em all getting on and actually using the things instead of them just laying there vacant!

Reginal Perrin · Post by **Reginal Perrin** » Mon 15 Sep, 2008 4:49 pm

Brandy wrote: anybody got any ideas what this ground is about??i live pretty close to this and i have often wondered what went on in here!it seems to have been 'enclosed' behind a decent sized perimeter wall for some reason? ps/ i forgot to add that its just off ozzy lane near york road. i used to kick a ball abou there in the 70's but can't remember who played there, maybe St Pat's? As for lost pitches, I could weep every time i pass the old Yorkshire Copperworks Ground. It was the best pitch in Leeds. There wa a rugby pitch, and cricket pitch in the summer. The training pitch is still there but overgrown and not in use.

Loiner Paul · Post by **Loiner Paul** » Mon 15 Sep, 2008 5:13 pm

Wasn't the ground highlighted in the picture the ground of Leeds Ashley Road? I was told at one time that they had ambitions to be Leeds' second club after Leeds United, something like Farsley Celtic in recent times.I also remember some family member that saying Sir Stanley Rous who had something to do with the FA opened the stand many years ago.

godfather · Post by **godfather** » Tue 16 Sep, 2008 12:29 pm

If that picture is behind the shaftesbury pitches, it will be the old skelton road ground which belonged to Leeds uymi. in later years was bought by East End Park wmc. they built a stand in the 70s. but through time was wrecked by local hooligans. the pitch itself is well maintained by a mr. Rotherforth and is one of the best pitches in leeds.

godfather · Post by **godfather** » Tue 16 Sep, 2008 12:30 pm

Yes Manston Park is still there with two pitches.

godfather · Post by **godfather** » Tue 16 Sep, 2008 12:35 pm

Leeds Ashley Road played there games at the pavillon pitch at Temple newsam it was surrounded by the athletics track. they were sponsored for many years by leeds businessman Eddie Joyce and through the years produced players for the pro clubs, including Jackie Overfield to Leeds United.