Filbert Street - The Legendary Home of Leicester City Football Club

[Fox You Forest]

You mean missed?

Blame the Carlsberg Export not me.

[SOCCERROO FOX]

I Wish i got to see a game at FS i love seeing pictures of the staadium and hearing stories from my Grandfather of alll the times he went there and the noise and atomosphere, The surge of the crowd in the Stand area behind the goals when there was a goal scored it sends chivers down my spine how vividly my Grandfather tells these stories with such pleasure 50 years on and with such detail from a guy who can hardly remember what he did 10 minutes ago.

[Simi]

Apart from so many special matches as a fan my enduring memory is of training around the cinder track at Filbert Street and firing shots at Peter Shilton in the little gym under the main stand.

We used to gather every Tuesday and Thursday night after school in the 60's when I was 14/15 under the guidance of Geroge Dewis.

Sessions used to begin on the main tarmac car park outside the ground when we'd do a whole lot of ballplay exercises before rounding off with a game.

Then it was onto the track which ran around the ground - never the pitch itself - when we'd do a whole lot of shuttle running and sprinting routines.

In the gym we'd play small-sided games and afterwards Peter Shilton would ask a couple of us to help improve some aspects of his play by shooting at him.

I knew Shilts quite well because we were in the same 60th Leicester scout troop and the guy who often joined us was Tony Mathers who was later hurt in a car crash.

Even then, though Shilts was six months younger than me, you you not just that he would play for Leicester but that he'd play for England. He was extraordinarily dedicated - totally single minded - and the most marvellous goalkeeper.

I remember seeing him hanging on the school-style wooden wall bars in the gym stretching himself because there were some concerns he wouldn't be tall enough or big enough at the time.

Another memory was the smell of linament in the changing room. Even now I love it and many footballers say the same.

A few team-mates reckoned I loved it so much I spent half my life in the treatment room getting a massage as a means of missing the training but in reality I loved the work-outs and dreamed of playing on the Filbert Street pitch.

It was never to be and in the end the only League grounds I ever played on were at the then rather dingy outposts of S****horpe, Grimsby and Hereford.

Happy days though.

That's a nice little piece Thrac.

I remember seeing Shilton on Soccer AM not long ago and he commented on when he tried to make himself bigger as he wouldn't think he'd make it. Amazing that you were around to witness that also the way you trained there is something I'm sure if well and truly gone from the game now.

[longy]

Remember playing Arsenal once .. was maybe the final season .. finished 2-1 too them .. But the Noise that was generated back then was unreal .. Wont forget what little memories i have a Filbo.

Magic little ground.

[Ashley]

Didnt we have the loudest fans at some point?

[shrood]

Didnt we have the loudest fans at some point?

Yeah I remember before one game they announced that Snickers (or someone similar) had taken a measurement at every ground in the league and ours was loudest.

[sdb]

i remember reading on teletext around '97 that we were as loud as an f1 car! it was deafening as a wee kid and i loved it. aparently the walkers is as loud as a giant falling over and screaming

[GavinWardmeLord]

Remember when the scoreboard was above the East Stand - it used to flash up LATEST SCORES then tease us for a few seconds until a score appeared. Always bought a great cheer and laughter if Forest, Derby, Cov etc were losing and a big BOO if one of the above were winning.

My fave game was the league game vs Cambridge on Easter Tuesday during the first Little season. Queued for what seemed like hours to get into Pen 2 with my dad, brother and mate. We got into different lines and me and my dad somehow ended up in Pen 3 and the others in Pen 2. Rumoured to be hundreds locked out due to size of crowd (probably about 22,000). Anyway Tommy Wright and Phil Gee scored awesome goals before they scored a late one (Claridge I think). They battered us for about the last 10 mins but we held on - the shrills of people whistling for full time was loudest I ever heard. BRILLIANT. Seem to remember laughing at Cambridge fans when they did a silly crocodile impression with their arms !!! Even when we were poor or lost that season you never heard a single boo !!

RIP FILBO

[Chapstar37]

We really did generate one hell of an atmosphere down there didn't we. Leicester 3 Arsenal 3 immediately springs to mind. Unforgettable evening.

Nostalgia rules when it comes to threads like these... and so it should.

Drove up from Portsmouth with My Mate to watch the Arsenal Game

The Bergkamp Hatrick

The Walshy and Matty Head Tennis

The Late Late Equaliser

And even the Wright Walsh disciplinary hearing afterwards where they stuck up for each other.

What a night - made up for Horrible athletico Madrid Night, or even worse Shearer Kicking the Son of God in the Grid.

He would be stoned in some countries for such blasphemous behaviour.

[purpleronnie]

Anyone remember parts of the kop and the away end emptying as fans fought outside, not that was a good thing but......

I also remember one game the police piling into the kop with batons, I was only 10 that was pretty scarey.

Others offf the top of my hat:-

Steve walsh scoring an own goal against newcastle on the last day of the season with 1000's of fans surrounding the pitch who promptly invaded it. (newcastle almost got relegated...how times have changed)

Beating Cambridge 5-0 in the first leg of the playoffs - possibly the best performance I had seen from us for many years. (cambridge are a non league team now...how times have changed).

Also memories of being happy when we were losing near the end becasue we always seem to score late on to win.

Port vale (I think) scoring after just a few seconds and the defending for 90 minutes to win 1-0.

Many many memories are hazy or fogotten due to alcohol consumption.

[purpleronnie]

Filbert street 1902, losing 3-1 to small heath (brum city).

filbert street 1978

Edited 1 March 2008 by purpleronnie

[Rincewind]

FILBERT STREET PICTURES

[Matt]

I was just sorting some drawers out in my room earlier and found 2 packs of Photo's from Filbert Street, Made me sad thinking of all the memories.

Pictures of a sunny Filbert Street, Pictures of the last match (The last competative match - Tottenham, and the last match - Legends).

Then I come across a few ticket stubs from old Filbert Street.

[Corky]

7 years ago today we played our last league match at the old place.

Can't believe it's been that long since we left.

[Granno]

7 years ago today we played our last league match at the old place.

Can't believe it's been that long since we left.

Time flies, so to speak. Miss that place like crazy.

[Hitesh]

Time flies, so to speak. Miss that place like crazy.

Defo! Ill always remember the buzz around the place and the great memories as a kid sitting in the double decker!

[lcfcadam]

First of all, I'd like to state that I've got nothing against a bit of nostalgia and reminiscing about times gone by.

I believe I went to Filbert St. twice: once to see the reserves from an executive box, and again to see us play Everton in November 2001 (0-0 draw I seem to recall).

So whilst I can't exactly remember the experience and probably didn't appreciate it at all at the time (I could have only been about 8 or 9), I can now certainly understand the advantages of a 'proper' old football ground, having visited such places as Hereford, Southend and Crewe etc this season.

HOWEVER... I cannot stand it when people endlessly complain about the move to the Walkers, in several respects.

Firstly, practicalities. Do you really believe that in today's world of football, it would have been sustainable for a club that wanted to consistently finish in decent 1st Division positions, to stick with what in fairness, was far from a top-quality stadium? Look at the Prem nowadays: the only club which manages to keep on in an older, undeveloped stadium is Portsmouth, and they're desperately trying to escape from it. And they need to - just think about their gate sizes compared to, well, even ours for many games this season.

Secondly, the stadium itself. Okay, I admit that it takes a lot more effort to create any kind of atmosphere in a big, modern stadium, and you do feel somewhat removed from the action. That's exactly why I enjoy going to older grounds on away-days, to recreate that experience. But if people are just going to sit/stand around and moan about the move from Filbo to the Walkers, how on earth do they expect a decent atmosphere to be formed?

I think many people will agree that going to the Walkers this season has often been much more enjoyable - the fun when Cheltenham visited, the atmopshere towards the end against Bristol Rovers and of course, that magical moment against Leeds - but it should be clear now that a stadium is what you make it. I enjoyed those particular moments as much as I would have in any stadium, and atmosphere-wise, it wouldn't be a problem if everyone was up for it and took part in trying to create it.

I suppose what I'm saying is a stadium is defined by the football played in it, and the fans who populate it. As followers of the world's greatest spectator sport, we should be able to cope with any changes that the modern world brings and still enjoy it.

This season has shown that it can be done - we just need to do it more often...

[Ultra]

First of all, I'd like to state that I've got nothing against a bit of nostalgia and reminiscing about times gone by.

I believe I went to Filbert St. twice: once to see the reserves from an executive box, and again to see us play Everton in November 2001 (0-0 draw I seem to recall).

So whilst I can't exactly remember the experience and probably didn't appreciate it at all at the time (I could have only been about 8 or 9), I can now certainly understand the advantages of a 'proper' old football ground, having visited such places as Hereford, Southend and Crewe etc this season.

HOWEVER... I cannot stand it when people endlessly complain about the move to the Walkers, in several respects.

Firstly, practicalities. Do you really believe that in today's world of football, it would have been sustainable for a club that wanted to consistently finish in decent 1st Division positions, to stick with what in fairness, was far from a top-quality stadium? Look at the Prem nowadays: the only club which manages to keep on in an older, undeveloped stadium is Portsmouth, and they're desperately trying to escape from it. And they need to - just think about their gate sizes compared to, well, even ours for many games this season.

Secondly, the stadium itself. Okay, I admit that it takes a lot more effort to create any kind of atmosphere in a big, modern stadium, and you do feel somewhat removed from the action. That's exactly why I enjoy going to older grounds on away-days, to recreate that experience. But if people are just going to sit/stand around and moan about the move from Filbo to the Walkers, how on earth do they expect a decent atmosphere to be formed?

I think many people will agree that going to the Walkers this season has often been much more enjoyable - the fun when Cheltenham visited, the atmopshere towards the end against Bristol Rovers and of course, that magical moment against Leeds - but it should be clear now that a stadium is what you make it. I enjoyed those particular moments as much as I would have in any stadium, and atmosphere-wise, it wouldn't be a problem if everyone was up for it and took part in trying to create it.

I suppose what I'm saying is a stadium is defined by the football played in it, and the fans who populate it. As followers of the world's greatest spectator sport, we should be able to cope with any changes that the modern world brings and still enjoy it.

This season has shown that it can be done - we just need to do it more often...

This.

If anyone says that a modern stadium cannot generate a decent atmosphere, I have a two-word reply for them - Stoke City.

[davieG]

This.

If anyone says that a modern stadium cannot generate a decent atmosphere, I have a two-word reply for them - Stoke City.

Yes, but isn't that a new stadium based on the traditional 4 sides closer to the pitch. It's not them being new thats the problem it's the design, a bowl design automatically puts the fans further away from the pitch.

[lcfcadam]

Yes, but isn't that a new stadium based on the traditional 4 sides closer to the pitch. It's not them being new thats the problem it's the design, a bowl design automatically puts the fans further away from the pitch.

Absolutely - I completely agree that it's a somewhat different experience in a stadium such as the Walkers, being a bit more detached from the action.

However there is a definite advantage that no one seems to (want to) mention - when you get the majority of the fans in a big, bowl stadium singing in unison (which to be fair I have experienced only towards the end of Scunny on the trophy night) , the uninterrupted style allows the sound the reverberate fully and create a cracking atmosphere (which can't happen nearly as much in a ground with 4 separate stands).

So as I said before, I accept that most match-days the atmosphere won't live up to smaller / older / more traditionally designed grounds, but if the fans work hard enough and everyone gets involved, it's certainly possible to create one.

In terms of soul and character, that comes with time as with ANY new stadium (do you think people immediately fell in love with Filbert Street and considered it to be full of passion and soul when it was built?)

Moments such as Howard's header against Leeds, the Cheltenham fans earlier this season etc, are what contribute to a stadium being developed psychologically - in 75 years when almost all the people who enjoyed Filbo in its prime will have passed on, I somewhat doubt there'll be many complaints about the Walkers lacking passion / soul / character...

[Ultra]

Yes, but isn't that a new stadium based on the traditional 4 sides closer to the pitch. It's not them being new thats the problem it's the design, a bowl design automatically puts the fans further away from the pitch.

If anything, the stands at the Britannia are actually further away from the pitch than they are at the Way.

[Wycombe Fox]

The old Wembley Stadium was a bowl and that didn't do too badly for an atmosphere.

[davieG]

http://thefoxfanzine.wordpress.com/2009/11...filbert-street/

[tylesta]

when i go to the walkers i can only just hear the kop from the east stand......yet filbert street i could hear the kop from the rocket pub up stevo drive amazing ground t was.... i thik t was middlesbough we was playing a week or tw beore the coca cola cup final and we was losing, yet i ould cleary hear the songs being sang and very clear to. i lost intrest in watching leicester now (play saturdays) and been once this year.. i miss filbo to much the walkers dont have the same feel after 6/7 years...i always remember being a kid at filbo i could fit my hand behind the gate and push the push bar down at the back of the kop followed by about 20 others running in.

can any one remember leicester trying to buy the east stand houses (think they owned all but 2) a asian couple and a old lady who wouldnt budge for double there house price, yet two weeks later the asian couple are in the mercury moaning about the drainage from th east satnd leaking in there gardens. i will never forget filbert st like the sit in v man city the whole cop stayed. pierpoint out v liverpool (was on the front page of the mercury) southampton game with the sack the board banners even the saints fans pulled them out to a big cheer... and never to forget the don't go martin v spur sheer quality.......

[davieG]

Filbert St Main Stand

...like this?