Newmarket Park - nostalgia.

Thanks dairy and Enzo.  Good read.

I never went to Newmarket Park although I was a youngster watching Hamilton FC at Muir Park from time to time in the era.  I even vaguely remember the TV news story about the slip. 

Losing Newmarket Pk was probably the biggest tragedy to happen to Kiwi football. Nowhere has replaced it for atmosphere. The last BW pic - Eastern Subs v Mt Wngtn, 1971 shows it all.

Has anyone got some aerial photos of Newmarket park (or drawings) as someone who was too young to go to there I am having trouble picturing how it worked in the landscape and really keen to know more.

Chopah if you follow the link I posted in the comments section of the post there's an aerialish photo of it in its speedway days... That's the best I've been able to find.

Thanks for the plug Dairyflat!

I missed that one somewhat suprisingly being a Speedway nerd.

Also, I highly recommend going and having a look. You can totally visualize what it was probably like and imagine Glen Hoddle scoring for Spurs vs Auckland there with the massive bank covered in concrete terracing and packed with people. It's pretty cool.

yeah i was going to have a look one weekend before Christmas - being a architect geek I was hoping for some plans to help me visulise but i will make do. 

I can recommend Terry Maddaford's 1987 book: The First 100 years, Official centenary history of Auckland Football Association, for a selection of photos of the park, both on matchday and after the landslip. Includes one shot from high on the terraces...

There is a copy for sale here (it was a limited edition)....

http://waikatofootballprogrammes.weebly.com/for-sa...

Think of it like this: short walk down from opposite the Blind Institute on Parnell Rd then cross over railway tracks and turn left to pay at gate to see spread below in all its glory 42 tiers of white concrete terrace spilling down to the sideline of a pretty green pitch, the far side having a long low stained wood stand running its entire length, left end having main entrance plus short stubby stand, right end having nothing except mown grass and a high clay tree-covered bank. Beyond, a view of Okahu Bay, harbour, Rangitoto, Coromandel if you were lucky. So if the game was crap you could sit back and enjoy a pie, a drink and the view and think about where you were going to hit the town that night.

You forgot to mention--- it was a small walk from the 'Royal George '

The park was a running (athletics) track around 1950. Somewhere I have a photo

of myself holding the tape at the universities Easter tournament.

Nice one. Post here plz.