Help Wanted. Forest Main Stand Fire 24th Aug 1968.

K

Kilburn Red

First Team Squad
Having followed that link to Ken Smales website and those fantastic pictures of the fire which burnt down the Main Stand at Forest, it reminded me of a Forest plaque I purchased off Ebay a while ago.

This is perhaps a question for the over 50's.

I have been told that this wooden plaque was rescued from the remains of the fire.

It certainly looks the part.

Does anybody recognise this item and have any information as to its authenticity? Where was it located etc?

Thought I would pose the question of here first but then Email Ken in addition.
 
Benchwarmer said:
Ive got the same computer chair as you.
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That great, if my wheel falls off I will PM you for a replacement young man. :D
 
It looks the part but it's wooden which suggests that if it was in the 1968 fire, it would have burned. The entire stand burned down.
If anyone will know then Ken will.
 
I was in Portsmouth that day so it could not have been me :wacko:
 
I was actually at the game, I know does not help your quest, sorry...........But although the stand was gutted, was it a complete wreck from Bridgford to Trent End ?, some items must have been either saved or salvaged.
 
I was just a little kid. Unfortunately several adults fancied me and wanted to abuse my young body. I was in the back garden when my brother and father came back from the game. I can remember seeing the smoke. They brought two young prostitutes with them.

I lost my virginity that day.

I may have made some of this up.
 
sedgred said:
I was actually at the game, I know does not help your quest, sorry...........But although the stand was gutted, was it a complete wreck from Bridgford to Trent End ?, some items must have been either saved or salvaged.
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The accounts went up in smoke, apparently!!!!
 
my dad was at that game.... he assured me that he had nothing to do with the fire :D. but he was in the stand and only time he was told to run on to the pitch
 
thesquareone said:
did you get a reply from ken ? if not i can ask him next time i see him.
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Not yet, but then again I have not got round to mailing him yet! :D

That plaque has waited 41 years, a few more days wont hurt.
 
I was there on the day and got a front row view standing on a box at the front of the bridgeford end at the corner next to what is A block now - I was only 3 though so not able to help with the plaque. I can still remember being pissed off though because we were winning and the game got canceled.

this hasn't been much help has it ?
 
Boris Fanta said:
I was there on the day and got a front row view standing on a box at the front of the bridgeford end at the corner next to what is A block now - I was only 3 though so not able to help with the plaque. I can still remember being p**sed off though because we were winning and the game got canceled.

this hasn't been much help has it ?
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I stood in exactly the same place. Went onto the pitch and mucked about in the Bridgford End goal. I thought it was 1-1 when it was abandoned. Dave Hilley scored for us.
 
had a chat with my dad and he can't remember seeing that forest plaque, but like he said, it was a few years ago.

but back to the match, yes he said the score was 1-1 with Hilery getting the equisler. my dad was where the A block is now (seems everyone was in that bit of the ground that day !) he told me that near the end of the first half some had spotted smoke coming over the stand but thought that someone was burning a big bonfire nearby. He went to get an early drink and pie just before the interval and was stopped by a copper, who told him he wasn't going that way as the stand was on fire. They then told everyone in the stand to get onto the pitch.

Seems the forest lads went off to get their cars out of the way. but the changing rooms was now burning nicely with both teams clothes and belongings. the Leeds players was forced to go to one of the local hotels still in muddy kit and wait to get some spare clothes sent to them.

the fans on the pitch stayed there watching the stand burn down
 
northants said:
I stood in exactly the same place. Went onto the pitch and mucked about in the Bridgford End goal. I thought it was 1-1 when it was abandoned. Dave Hilley scored for us.
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It was indeed 1-1 and Dave Hilley had just equalised. I had the pleasure of meeting Dave Hilley a few months ago and he is still unimpressed with the fact that a good goal of his was struck from the record.

I too was at the match but I was in the Trent End - didn't matter though because evryone went on to the pitch ;D
 
There that day too - the day Eddie got engaged and brought wife to be down to celebrate.

PS - plaque looks identical to that hanging in the Forest Club and commemorating its opening - 25.03.70
 
Remember it well, was in Trent End mesen
 
I was in the Trent End that day. We were quite close to the Main Stand and you could feel the heat from the fire. I can't believe they allowed us to stay in the ground watching the fire. These days they would evacuate the ground immediately.
 
In the Bridgford End, first time at the City Ground. 1-1 v Leeds at half time in front of about 30,000 with Dave Hilley scoring on a warm day, so I dont know how the Leeds players got muddy !! I remember seeing a gap in the seats in the Main Stand and thought someone had let off a stink bomb, then smoke appeared and the whole stand evacuated. Seemed like people came on the pitch for all sides and there was a bit of trouble between the Forest fans who had come down from the Trent End and the Leeds fans who were in the East Stand. Took a long time to clear the pitch as everyone stayed to watch the fire slowly take hold.

What I can never understand is that the replacement Main Stand was almost identical to the old one; surely it would have been a good time to upgrade.
 
My brother used to have a scrap book on Forest paper cuttings and the inside page headline was "Leeds to set fire to Forest"
 
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