Topic: Very unusual old Kop picture

[RedTriumph]

Black Lace concert finale. The Kop doing the conga. It's part of a set, you should see them all pushing pineapples.

[The Christmas Tree Angel]

You sure?

Don't know where Alloy got the picture from, but it's in this 'Nostalgia' collection on the Echo website. There's one of Shankly on the Kop with exactly the same barriers. The sequence of the pictures seems to suggest it's part of the re-development but there's no caption to it.
http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/multimedia/liverpool-fc/liverpool-fc-news/images/2012/01/20/nostalgia-archive-pictures-of-anfield-football-ground-home-of-liverpool-fc-and-once-upon-a-time-everton-100252-30167417/

Do you really think we dressed like that in the 70's?

[-Q-]

Hats. Everyone wore a hat before the war. I'm increasingly whacked on wine and can't hold the glass and type onmy phone, but I know I'm right.

[stjohn65]

ok, i been doin some sleuthin....
the nets are still up, so it's match day - they wouldn't have nets up all week. the puddle of mud in the goal mouth also suggests a match freshly finished.

what we're looking at is an orderly queue not a publicity shot, otherwise why would it curve round at the back like some misplaced post office arrangement.

the clothes tell you it has to be no later than early 60s...more likely 40s or 50s.

the fact the echo were on hand to photograph it suggests they're queuing for a match that's big enough to be all ticket and news worthy.

so we need an unusually important match in the 40s or 50s.

spring time, or else why would it still be light after full time - so long after full time that the kop is completely clear except for the queue.

therefore, a queue for tickets for the 1950 cup final.

mind you, that could all be bollocks - could be a line of people waiting to give blood....

never sleuth after a skinful...
 

[StuffedAndTrussedByrdz]

Do you really think we dressed like that in the 70's?

Don't know, I was quite small then!
It's winter though and for a formal-ish occasion?

[mikeb58]

Postponed game, orderly exit from the ground?

[Spongebob Redpants]

ok, i been doin some sleuthin....
the nets are still up, so it's match day - they wouldn't have nets up all week. the puddle of mud in the goal mouth also suggests a match freshly finished.

what we're looking at is an orderly queue not a publicity shot, otherwise why would it curve round at the back like some misplaced post office arrangement.

the clothes tell you it has to be no later than early 60s...more likely 40s or 50s.

the fact the echo were on hand to photograph it suggests they're queuing for a match that's big enough to be all ticket and news worthy.

so we need an unusually important match in the 40s or 50s.

spring time, or else why would it still be light after full time - so long after full time that the kop is completely clear except for the queue.

therefore, a queue for tickets for the 1950 cup final.

mind you, that could all be bollocks - could be a line of people waiting to give blood....

never sleuth after a skinful...

Nice one 

[mikeb58]

ok, i been doin some sleuthin....
the nets are still up, so it's match day - they wouldn't have nets up all week. the puddle of mud in the goal mouth also suggests a match freshly finished.

Reckon if a match had just finished that puddle of water/mud would have dispered during it, that's why I've gone for my match abandoned theory.

[RedinExile]

Reckon if a match had just finished that puddle of water/mud would have dispered during it, that's why I've gone for my match abandoned theory.

it looks like a queue though rather than random exiting no?

[StuffedAndTrussedByrdz]

Postponed game, orderly exit from the ground?

There's nobody existing though? The front of the queue is stood there, looking at something. They're not moving. There's someone, possibly in a uniform, stood slightly to the right of the queue, as if stopping them there. Another man is stood a bit further away (on the Kop), with a paper or papers under his arm, also looking the same direction as the queue.

[jaffod]

I think they're aliens.

[Cruiser]

ok, i been doin some sleuthin....
the nets are still up, so it's match day - they wouldn't have nets up all week. the puddle of mud in the goal mouth also suggests a match freshly finished.

what we're looking at is an orderly queue not a publicity shot, otherwise why would it curve round at the back like some misplaced post office arrangement.

the clothes tell you it has to be no later than early 60s...more likely 40s or 50s.

the fact the echo were on hand to photograph it suggests they're queuing for a match that's big enough to be all ticket and news worthy.

so we need an unusually important match in the 40s or 50s.

spring time, or else why would it still be light after full time - so long after full time that the kop is completely clear except for the queue.

therefore, a queue for tickets for the 1950 cup final.

mind you, that could all be bollocks - could be a line of people waiting to give blood....

never sleuth after a skinful...

Pretty impressive analysis, no matter close or far from the truth it may be!

[mikeb58]

There's nobody existing though? The front of the queue is stood there, looking at something. They're not moving. There's someone, possibly in a uniform, stood slightly to the right of the queue, as if stopping them there. Another man is stood a bit further away (on the Kop), with a paper or papers under his arm, also looking the same direction as the queue.

I thought of that, it looks like the queue is waiting to go through the Main Stand and just waiting for an ajoining exit gate to be opened or something that's not in the picture.

I  remember reading once that there was a bizzare exit procedure for postponed games once the crowd were inside and it took hours to take place.

Don't think it was just a case of opening the big exit gates, especially if refunded tickets were being given to fans as they left.

[SportBilly]

It was a queue to meet Jimmy O'Grady, the tallest sports photographer in the world

[BUSHMILLS]

I wonder if it's the club showing off the floodlights for the first time, and inviting people in to see them?

First floodlit game at Anfield was in 1957.

[Yorkykopite]

They are testing capacity. They've volunteered to stay behind after a match (the muddy goal-mouth and the litter on the terrace)

They're wearing demob suits and overcoats and the wide lapels and haircuts suggest the immediate post-war years. It could be after the Bolton Wanderers disaster after the war (1947?) when ground attendances all over the country were revised. Maybe the idea was to test comfort levels on the first few steps and calculate the rest.

[jaffod]

I think they're aliens.

[Timbo's Goals]

[BUSHMILLS]

Knowing our ticket office, the queue's probably still there.

[The Red artist.]

Is it from the opening of the redeveloped main stand in 1973?

Think your at least 15 yrs out mate. I'll av to ask me arl fella for this one.

[Billy1561]

Brilliant

[BUSHMILLS]

Only one toilet in the ground in those days.

[scimitarsam]

This photo has to have been taken before 30th Sept 1955...James Dean died on that day, yet there he is alive and well bottom right!

[Never liked a girl well enough to give her 12 sharp knives]

ahahahahaha

[Acaustiq]

It's from the unaired pilot of 'Erik Meijer's soccer skills' - the attendees are performing the 'how to lose your marker' drill.

[MichaelA]

That is excellent!

StJohn65 is right though, that's what I was trying to say last night, but my motor skills had been impaired by a fine Bordeaux.

[royhendo]

That's brilliant Timbo.

[PJG]

   genius.   

[eirwen]

Very nice

[Ultimate Bromance]

[redtel]

and Timbo is Dr. Watson ?

[gerrardsarmy]

It was a queue to meet Jimmy O'Grady, the tallest sports photographer in the world

[Red Mouse]

I asked the old man and got this reply;

Trying to recall,
I always used to stand IN FRONT OF the barriers a few steps up just behind the Kop goal. If you stood behind you had a good chance of being squashed. The kop used to hold 28,000 spectators, I was at the record L'pool gate in 1952 - 62,000 - and with swaying ended up in the far left hand corner, scary. I think we played Wolves in a Cup game I'm sure we won 1-0. Billy Liddell No.9 swopped positions with Cyril Done No.11. (as in home) Wolves complained to the FA that it was ungentlemany conduct. FA said nothing in the rules, from that day teams began to interchange numbers and not strictly 1-11.

Not sure about the picture either late 40's early 50's. The railings in the foreground were part of the enclosure for the boys' pen which held 3,000. No one under 14 was allowed in the ground, I started off there myself. In the top right hand corner of the Kop viewed from the pitch, 6p. admission  2/6p. 30p. in the ground as the lads got older they would climb out at half time and a few got speared on the rails. Not sure whether one died so the club opened it up and allowed kids in with parents. Not sure whether some sort of memorial before being disassembled.

[mikeb58]

^^
Interesting reply that..nice one mate.

Never had the bottle to bunk out of 'The Pen' myself, did a poem about the Boys Pen in that Spion Kop Booklet I did last year, the last lines were something about the Pen being full at kick off but half empty at the end (due to the amount of kids that had 'escaped') 

[Terrys chocolate orange]

The puddle in the goal mouth is gallons of piss..

[Pilchard]

ok, i been doin some sleuthin...

therefore, a queue for tickets for the 1950 cup final.

mind you, that could all be bollocks - could be a line of people waiting to give blood....

never sleuth after a skinful...
 

Brilliant effort.

I dont think we got floodlights until 1957 so you could be right about the time of year and the lighting.

My own theory is that this is an early pre-SoS match stay behind in protest at the lack of matchshirts at the club shop.

How did you fake your own death by the way? My second theory is that you grew to a massive size (see photo above) and stepped off the building.

[ALANM]

Operation Anfield Exercise?

[ALANM]

Knowing our ticket office, the queue's probably still there.

Nice one!

They didn't qualify for tickets as they'd been to other matches in the past!

[mikeb58]

Some good stuff, but I'm yet to be convinced by any of the theories so far!

[bclfc]

De Anfield Conga Line Club.