All our Sincil Bank Yesterdays continues with The St Andrews Stand ( Now Lincolnshire Echo Stand).
And yes before you ask the picture at the top is The Clanford….we know a song about that don’t we Imps!
In 1892 Lincoln City, AKA the Cits & now The Mighty Imps, were forced to move a few hundred yards down the road. Our third home in 8 years was due to the John O’Gaunts ground, being deemed substandard for League football. We therefore upped sticks (enlarge on that later) and moved to a site on the opposite side of Sincil Drain; and in so doing usurped our posh but amateur competitors Lindum FC. Such was the local pride in being selected as one of the founder members of the Second division (now Championship) that there was no shortage of volunteers when it came to erecting a new stadium. Herein lies the birth, or should we say house move with a difference, that would form the first St Andrews Stand.
We kid you not – and so it came to pass that upon the new shale and mud banking, the John of Gaunts old grandstand was literally moved and reassembled on the St Andrews Road side of the new ground. According to folf lore many fans quite literally carried sections and benches from the old stand on their backs. Others utilised horses and carts. The desire to be ready for the League was something else, the phenominan itself can be likened to the arrival of sliced bread. Sliced not garlic! That, like now, is the commitment the people of Lincoln have for our beloved Imps.
In 1902 the existing St Andrews stand along the eastern side was enlarged and moved again, this time back ten yards, to allow a permanent cycling and athletics track to go around the pitch. The Working Men’s Committee (a forerunner to the Lincoln and district Football Supporters Club) made small improvements every year adding turnstiles, extra banking each side of the stand, and new dressing rooms with all the mod cons including state of the art plunge and shower baths. In February 1908 a section of the stand was uprooted in a terrific storm with five fans hospitalised. With the club relegated that season repairs were made and the stand extended along almost the whole side. Sorry could not get the match as all the old records were destroyed in a fire in 1925.
By 1915 the ground consisted of three covered stands on the St Andrews, South Park, and Sincil Bank sides, with banking around the remaining areas. In 1932 the old St Andrews stand was demolished to be replaced by a fabulous structure with a capacity of 2,250 to celebrate another promotion to Division 2. It consisted of wooden benches and seating in th middle for the ‘posh Lords and Ladies` with an enclosure of concrete terracing at the front. The same was done at the front of the South Park stand. The combination of a low roof, terracing and proximity to the pitch made for a rousing atmosphere. In 1947 the old changing rooms, which had been used as a World War II A.R.P. cleansing station, were transformed in modern dressing rooms – complete with Palm Olive soap (????). In 1955 at the height of our Division 2 powers, the field at the back was purchased for training and the ‘A’ team`s fixtures.
With a ground dating from the 1930s, the tragedy of the Bradford Fire in May 1985 and two stands principally of timber, meant the urgent rebuilding of the stadium. The first stage of this would be a new St Andrews stand. Due to relegation to the conference we ended up with a cut down version that could be extended when funds permitted. Thus the only eyesore of an otherwise tidy modern stadium still seats 1,400 people. It opened in November 1987 with the family or initially The EGT Family stand, appearing alongside in 1994. Bar the stanchions it is spacious, comfortable and affords the best view in League Football. From an aesthetic point of view it makes us look Micky Mouse. Not everyone agrees though, and from a commercial point of view this stand provides us with the biggest part of a match days income through food and hospitality. On Wed 19 Mar 2009 the Lincolnshire Echo renewed their sponsorship of the Echo Stand for a further three seasons.
Here are a few pics of The St Andrews stand in all its glory, thanks again for the pics from Red Wimp
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