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Eddie B 12:16 Sat Dec 26
The shelf in the north-west corner of the North Bank

Reading Upton Park Memories, it was closed in 1977 for 'safety reasons'.
Anyone on WHO ever stand on it and anyone any idea if there was a specific reason they closed it?

side effect 5:09 Mon Dec 28
Re: The shelf in the north-west corner of the North Bank

Remember the front page of the newham with the captoon space age hammers

Athletico Easthamico 4:34 Mon Dec 28
Re: The shelf in the north-west corner of the North Bank

Early eighties there was talk about putting seats on top of the South Bank.

Fuck all happened.

South Bank Exile 4:26 Mon Dec 28
Re: The shelf in the north-west corner of the North Bank

,
Yes 1-6 was pretty painful to watch. We were taken apart, but Man Utd had a superb team in those days.

side effect 4:24 Mon Dec 28
Re: The shelf in the north-west corner of the North Bank

Goin off topic a bit but why did they never increase the south bank. Twice the size and bigger away support. Wouldnt of cost much and they had the space but not them they lower capacity by seating west side.

, 4:14 Mon Dec 28
Re: The shelf in the north-west corner of the North Bank

Carnage on the pitch too in 67. ManU took us to bits.

South Bank Exile 4:12 Mon Dec 28
Re: The shelf in the north-west corner of the North Bank

Any Old Iron 6:17 Sun Dec 27

AOI, you are right. I was at both games too. '67 was far worse than '75, although not for me as I was slung out of the latter for allegedly throttling a Manc on the South Bank (not guilty your honour). '67 was the first real trouble I had witnessed at Upton Park and it was the first showing of the Mile End. Bethnal Green and Euston stations were pretty lively after the game too.

SDKFZ 222 10:04 Sun Dec 27
Re: The shelf in the north-west corner of the North Bank

There was also a refreshment counter there which was open throughout the match. I can't recall if beer was sold, however.

Any Old Iron 6:17 Sun Dec 27
Re: The shelf in the north-west corner of the North Bank

Annony 1:48 Sun Dec 27

I was at the '75 Man U game, and yes, it was a little tasty. But I was also at the '67 match, and that I can assure you was far worse. I have never seen so much spilt claret at a game in my life.
The problem was that in those days you could carry bottles onto the terraces, and on that day the scum from Manchester started throwing scores of bottles at West Ham fans on the north bank. Not surprisingly, our lot replied. The worst part of it was that loads of innocent fans were led out of the ground with blood poring from head wounds.
I'm sure that so-called football hooliganism was born that day.

eastham75 4:27 Sun Dec 27
Re: The shelf in the north-west corner of the North Bank

Stood in the old shelf cage a few times,steps were really steep,views weren't that good either.

Annony 1:48 Sun Dec 27
Re: The shelf in the north-west corner of the North Bank

A little altercation ag, worst football violence ever seen in and around UP by miles. You are right was 75.

jack flash 1:20 Sun Dec 27
Re: The shelf in the north-west corner of the North Bank

Annony ~ There was a little altercation in the South Bank in 1975 with Manu I seem to recall

I arrived late that day & walked into the South Bank without paying!

jack flash 1:18 Sun Dec 27
Re: The shelf in the north-west corner of the North Bank

I knew it as "The Cage" & stood up there a couple of times. I always thought it was informally an area for youngsters, but I might be wrong ~ anyone could go there

Annony 12:37 Sun Dec 27
Re: The shelf in the north-west corner of the North Bank

Before my time, but according to some old un's on here Man Utd trouble in NB was 67 so remained open for another ten years according to OP. I was in NB Man Utd 74 and trouble was all SB.

boleynkid 12:24 Sun Dec 27
Re: The shelf in the north-west corner of the North Bank

Seem to remember standing there a couple of times and I seem to recall it actually being known as "The Cage" rather than shelf or anything else.

Bom Stickle 12:22 Sun Dec 27
Re: The shelf in the north-west corner of the North Bank

I started going in 1980 with my old man and we started in the north east corner about 20 foot up with all the kids sitting between the front railings and the dads standing behind them, pretty sure health and safety these days would have a heart attack.

I never see the cage in the north west corner open but later read that it closed after it kicked off massively up there with ManU, not sure how true that is though.

Annony 12:14 Sun Dec 27
Re: The shelf in the north-west corner of the North Bank

Remember it early 70's and a bar up there, was steeper steps and didn't like watching through a cage so would go back up behind the goal and join in the kumbs.

ted fenton 8:06 Sun Dec 27
Re: The shelf in the north-west corner of the North Bank

Not sure Keddy my Dad took me to my first game 1958 and when I started going with mates in the early 60's it was established !

keddy 8:01 Sun Dec 27
Re: The shelf in the north-west corner of the North Bank

Was the cage thing made when they put the roof on the North Bank , Does anyone go back that far. Ted??

ted fenton 7:32 Sun Dec 27
Re: The shelf in the north-west corner of the North Bank

Used to call it The Boy's in the 60's was up there with mates when we first started going on our own.
1/-9d I think to get in.

keddy 3:52 Sun Dec 27
Re: The shelf in the north-west corner of the North Bank

There was a caged off section in the North west corner of the North Bank but I never saw it open, from the time I started going (mid 70's) . When and why did they close it off? Was it structural reasons or it because it was a dangerous dead end?
On the other side was the bar, where you could turn your back to the pitch if things got desperate but as people have said, the shelf bit in front was a good place to see the game.

Gentile 2:38 Sun Dec 27
Re: The shelf in the north-west corner of the North Bank

You not talking about the odd curved triangle bit up above?

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