Old Molineux Photos

[WickedWolfie]

still have a pin badge with the Wolf`s head and Wolves on it

I have one of those somewhere at my mum's in Shropshire.

 

[Air Wolf 90]

One of my earliest Wolves memories is seeing the new stand being built. At what point of the build was the old Molineux Street stand demolished? Are there any photos of the new stand towering over the old one?

 

[Oakhamwolf]

One of my earliest Wolves memories is seeing the new stand being built. At what point of the build was the old Molineux Street stand demolished? Are there any photos of the new stand towering over the old one?

After the last game of the season. The new stand wasn't open for the start of the new season, think 1 game at least was postponed

 

[oldgolded]

My God when you see that Wolves survival fund picture it really makes you thankful for where we are today.

 

[Kebab Warrior]

Anyway, back to old pics

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God I miss it.

I miss it so much it ****ing hurts.

 

[Kebab Warrior]

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I’d love to see that style of box illuminated sign on a newly rebuilt space age Molineux

 

[Kebab Warrior]

Oh to have those seven gables on new Molineux Street stand, even if they would be high in the sky.
Maybe that would end the vicious circle we have endured since it was pulled down in 1978(ish).

Jeff, please sort it out!

I’d love that. Get a world class architect and build a truly unique stand.

 

[Sussex Wolf]

One of my earliest Wolves memories is seeing the new stand being built. At what point of the build was the old Molineux Street stand demolished? Are there any photos of the new stand towering over the old one?

You can see the roof of the old stand in front of the John Ireland stand under construction here…

Pin on 1970s

Nov 11, 2012 - John Ireland Stand being built late 1970s

pin.it

In this photo, you can see the new stand on one side, and the old Molineux Street stand on the other. The new stand is earlier in construction, so you don’t quite get the comparison in scale, but this does show just how far back the new stand was. There are other photos on that thread after the old stand was demolished showing the ground before the pitch was moved.

Post in thread 'Molineux redevelopment'
Molineux redevelopment

 

[Lupus ad Penn]

One of my earliest Wolves memories is seeing the new stand being built. At what point of the build was the old Molineux Street stand demolished? Are there any photos of the new stand towering over the old one?

Yes, the opening game should have been against Liverpool.This was postponed, and was played the night Emlyn Hughes was filmed on “This is Your Life”. Eamon Andrew’s came onto the pitch at the end of our 1-0 win, and the programme was filmed in the gym above the old social club. I was lucky to be in the audience. The Wolves and Liverpool players were sat on stools at the back of the stage, the scousers looking miserable as sin! The final “ special guest” was lead in from The fire escape doors on Molineux alley - Red Rum!
I think the first match played in front of the new stand was a win against Ipswich.

 

[Achilles Last Stand]

Here is a slightly earlier picture from 1931/32 from a souvenir booklet celebrating promotion back to Division 1View attachment 26385

...feeling strange to comment on a post created almost half a year ago, but thanks Croydon for sharing that "lowflying bird" picture of the Mol from 1932ish, that I haven't really noticed previously among all other fantasic pictures on this thread.
Surprised to see that the cowshed only covered half of the width of the pitch, and there's some strange covered corner stand construction towards the Molinuex Street. Or maybe it was a posh pitchside restaurant for the wealthy prawn sandwich brigade of that era ?

 

[Highlandwolf2]

God I miss it.

I miss it so much it ****ing hurts.

When we were hurtling downwards (Sammy Chapman as manager) I stood with a very few others on the South Bank, the crowd being about 3,000. From time to time we randomly acted as ball boys retrieving poor shots at goal over the vast areas of the stand. Memories...

 

[Lou Pine]

I’d love that. Get a world class architect and build a truly unique stand.

I wonder if any architects on here could speculate about the feasibility of a modern gabled style roof? I imagine it would be done (I don’t think it ever will) for purely aesthetic/historic reasons but I love buildings that nod to the heritage of the area.

 

[Newbridge Wolf]

I wonder if any architects on here could speculate about the feasibility of a modern gabled style roof? I imagine it would be done (I don’t think it ever will) for purely aesthetic/historic reasons but I love buildings that nod to the heritage of the area.

It would be feasible, but probably not a first choice. They were being phased out even when the Molineux St Stand was built (Arsenal, Man Utd, Charlton all had similar examples). It would cost more to build and maintain, plus I think it would lose its impact and look out of proportion in the taller stands of today. The closest you’d probably get is a fascia rather than a structure, which even then you’d have to think about the proportions.

 

[Bull Army]

One of my earliest Wolves memories is seeing the new stand being built. At what point of the build was the old Molineux Street stand demolished? Are there any photos of the new stand towering over the old one?

 

[Lupus ad Penn]

The old Molineux St stand was demolished immediately after the last game of the season, a 1-0 win over Forest. Once demolished, huge earthmoving machines took away the old Molineux st hill, and levelled the land to pitch level. The builders were then able to construct the lower tier and extend the pitch, which is why the first match was delayed.

 

[Lupus ad Penn]

Here is the old stand being demolished.

 

[whitnash wolf ex.dewsbury]

Here is the old stand being demolished.

at least they saved the clock

 

[Darvo]

Here is the old stand being demolished.

A sad photo. The smell of tobacco and hip flask refreshment in there was intoxicating.

 

[greco wolf]

 

[greco wolf]

 

[Beeches wolf]

Wow that photo brings back memories, i remember going through those turnstiles on the right for my first match in 1971.

 

[Air Wolf 90]

Great photos. I just remember how huge the new stand seemed compared to the old one. As my Dad worked at the Poly we used to get free tickets in there (very good seats too) so happy memories.

You can see how the lower tier is basically a lean-to with no structural role. Also, if the roof was replaced to match the north bank with the load supported by masts it might be feasible to add a few rows to the back as the concrete structure extends further back than the last row. There might be life in the old girl yet.

 

[wayne-the-wanderer]

View attachment 28329

Never really noticed that the upper tier didn't go all the way to the rear of the stand.
Maybe there could be enough space up there for executive boxes and then have 1 massive single tiered stand

 

[Lupus ad Penn]

Never really noticed that the upper tier didn't go all the way to the rear of the stand.
Maybe there could be enough space up there for executive boxes and then have 1 massive single tiered stand

They would be better off doing what they have in the North Bank. A glassfronted bar/ restaurant and a few rows of padded seats replacing the existing back rows. If you fitted boxes there wouldn’t be enough room behind the boxes for kitchens/ bar etc.

 

[thetwistedsock]

Hey hands off the back rows!

 

[Sussex Wolf]

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Excellent photo. Hadn’t seen that one before. Provides a great insight into what could be done to make better use of the structure.

For instance, the space behind the upper concourse, which could include bringing some natural light in, similar to MK Dons stadium from memory.

Also shows why the lower concourse can only really have exits at the northern end, and why expanding the concourse would require using space under a rebuilt lower tier.

As for the boxes, if they stay where they are rather than moving to the back of the upper tier, then the only way to grow the space at the southern end is by going forwards. If you straightened the front of the hospitality level to run parallel to the pitch, then you’d roughly double the depth of the hospitality level in the middle third. That could allow some reasonable function size room(s) to be created by gutting the old boxes and incorporating the new space in front. Then just below the new expanded hospitality level, you could have a few rows of padded seats, similar to the North Bank, with the new lower tier seats below that stretching down to the advertising boards. All assuming the sightlines for the centre part of lower rows of the upper tier are not affected. As Russell noted, at the northern end, there is a void space above the lower tier entrances which could be built out for a large function space with views to the pitch side and the outside possible.

 

[greco wolf]

Not sure if these were further up too :

 

[TFWanderers]

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This shot really drills home how big a project it was and why it nearly finished us off.

 

[Hot Fuss]

Must be 92/93 when the home and away sides swapped.

 

[greco wolf]

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Must be 92/93 when the home and away sides swapped.

Think you’re right. It was shorter too as you can see et the back as boarded off. Pitch has moved over fully to Steve bull maybe at this point

 

[greco wolf]

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Must be 92/93 when the home and away sides swapped.

Different angle of same game

 

[SingYourHeartsOut]

Different angle of same game

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Is it the same game? No flag in the no mans land? I think this one is the last game played in front of the old SB against Milwall May 1st 93.

 

[ricki herberts moustache]

Different angle of same game

View attachment 30378

Great pic but don't think it is the same game, The advertising hoardings at pitch level are not there for starters

 

[greco wolf]

Is it the same game? No flag in the no mans land? I think this one is the last game played in front of the old SB against Milwall May 1st 93.

Yep think it’s different. Can see stand looks different st the back.

 

[DEVIZESWOLVES]

Is it the same game? No flag in the no mans land? I think this one is the last game played in front of the old SB against Milwall May 1st 93.

Yep, that one was last game against Millwall.

 

[Wandsworth Wolf]

I have one of those somewhere at my mum's in Shropshire.

I had that pin badge too. Back when I was about 11, also in Shropshire (Shifnal).

 

[Wandsworth Wolf]

View attachment 28329

Never seen that photo before, thanks for sharing.
I remember as a boy watching that stand being built and I was awe-struck.
It’s the reason why I’ve had a lifelong fascination with stadium design and construction.
That roof is a bit low-tech though isn’t it? It’s just bolted on to the top of the superstructure. Amazing it’s lasted as long as it has.

 

[SingYourHeartsOut]

Never seen that photo before, thanks for sharing.
I remember as a boy watching that stand being built and I was awe-struck.
It’s the reason why I’ve had a lifelong fascination with stadium design and construction.
That roof is a bit low-tech though isn’t it? It’s just bolted on to the top of the superstructure. Amazing it’s lasted as long as it has.

I was interested as I've never really thought about how that roof stays there. These days they seem to pivot on the stand with the cantilever being steel fixed to the ground behind. This roof is fixed to the concrete putting that in tension. I guess the extra space created by the deeper stand was handy for the office spaces etc, but I thought the basic principle of concrete was brilliant in compression, awful in tension? Also aren't they precast sections, so there must be some serious stuff holding those sections together? Or is all that rubbish?

 

[Norman Bell]

Those superb photos that @greco wolf posted are really something. Not living in Wolverhampton I thought the John Ireland was built directly behind the Molineux Street stand I had no idea it was even further away, as in the other side of the road

 

[Wandsworth Wolf]

I was interested as I've never really thought about how that roof stays there. These days they seem to pivot on the stand with the cantilever being steel fixed to the ground behind. This roof is fixed to the concrete putting that in tension. I guess the extra space created by the deeper stand was handy for the office spaces etc, but I thought the basic principle of concrete was brilliant in compression, awful in tension? Also aren't they precast sections, so there must be some serious stuff holding those sections together? Or is all that rubbish?

I guess whole superstructure would have been poured concrete to give it the vertical strength it needed to carry the roof.

I assume - at the time - it was the most advanced or most cost effective option.

All that concrete and rebar will make demolition and clearing much more labour intensive than a conventional steel-framed structure.