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Ive been looking what seems like ages for pics of this former ground.I found plenty of action shots of games played at the venue,but nothing of the actual ground..Finally...here it is....!!!
For those who dont know,the Sydney Sports Ground was situated on the current site of the SFS.It was a popular venue that hosted NRL Grand Finals,Bledisloe Cup games,32,000 for a world boxing title between Curruthers and someone else....and also hosted the FIFA Youth World Cup Final way back in 1981....
That's her alright. The old Sports Ground. You also forgot to add Dan that it hosted many cycling events (you can see the track) and was the home of the Eastern Suburbs (Sydney) Roosters.
And just for some more clarification. The ground didn't totally stand on the current SFS site. Only the Eastern side of the ground (the far side in the pictures above) covered the present SFS site. The Western side of the ground (near side) was located where the current SFS/SCG Gold Members Carpark is. In other words, when they knocked this ground in 1986 to build the SFS, they not only chaned the direction of the goals, but they moved the location east about 100 metres.
you forgot to add that the SFS not only takes up a portion of the original Sports Ground site,but also the old Sydney Cricket Ground No2 oval....Yes...there were 2 Sydney Cricket Grounds!!!!..It was used for many NSW Shield Games and obviously for nets and football practice..
Check out the old stand!!!,with the "real" SCG (members stand)in the background
Fantastic pictures guys! These should be in the Sports Ground section of the website. It was a great old ground. I've been trying to find more info on the old girl. Any clues? Would love some photos for my collection.
I remember hearing at one stage it had the fastest grass sprint track of anywhere in the world.
We really did blow it when we ripped this down. Originally the SCG Trust was going to replace it with an 60-80 000 super stadium but the government of the day stuffed it and settled for 40 000 ish. When the SFS was opened in 1988, it did not even have private suites. It was rushed before an election. If only, we could of had a venue of 60 000 within walking distance of the city.
Oh well...love the forum as this is my first venture.
dragons11 wrote:Fantastic pictures guys! These should be in the Sports Ground section of the website. It was a great old ground. I've been trying to find more info on the old girl. Any clues? Would love some photos for my collection.
I remember hearing at one stage it had the fastest grass sprint track of anywhere in the world.
We really did blow it when we ripped this down. Originally the SCG Trust was going to replace it with an 60-80 000 super stadium but the government of the day stuffed it and settled for 40 000 ish. When the SFS was opened in 1988, it did not even have private suites. It was rushed before an election. If only, we could of had a venue of 60 000 within walking distance of the city.
Oh well...love the forum as this is my first venture.
Dragons 11
Dragons....
Cam does have a section on the Sydney Sports Ground.Im sure we will see him adding some of our pics as soon as he can!!!
Yeh..It was pretty cool that the Sydney Showground,Sydney Cricket Ground,SCG No2 and the Sydney Sports Ground were all located back to back of each other!!
I remember that proposal for the 60,000 seater back in the mid 80s.It will be awesome if anyone stumbled upon those pics and proposals.I think the Moore Park residents were instrumental in giving that idea the kyber.
I also remember hearing storys how Doug Walters smashed a 6 into the Moore Park lakes from SCG No2 back in the 70s.It was before my time,but I remember the story quite clearly!!
And I did know about the SCG No.2. But the SFS doesn't occupy much of the No. 2 site. The no. 2 site is more the current SCG nets, the cricket centre and the big entrance path to the Western Side of the SFS. Hence I didn't mention it.
If they had done it right maybe we could have held the olympic in this area well at least the major stadium. and it would have been sensational to have the main stadium so close to the centre of sydney imagine the rents in houses during the olympics. Hmm alot of ppl could have made some major money. If only ...........
As a matter of fact, Egan, the Moore Park/Centennial Park area of Sydney was originally the proposed site for what is now at Homebush. However, political maneouvring and public outcry shot the idea down in flames (apparently, Sydney didn't want to lose one of its lungs, the area surrounding was too urban ) & Homebush was then proposed in the hope of clearing up an ugly waterfront site.
That's right. The Centennial and Moore Park complex is a huge and welcome area of parkland next to the city. Homebush Bay at the tim was home to a bunch of old factories (many abandoned) and an abbitoir on the site of Telstra Stadium. The Australia Centre Business Park, State Sports Centre and Bi-centennial Park were the only decent land uses on the site before the successful bid for the Olympics and they were only built in 1988.
It made sense to use Homebush Bay. More centralised, cheaper land that local residents and the green lobby wouldn't care about developing and close to excellent transport facilities.
..and also hosted the FIFA Youth World Cup Final way back in 1981....
