Saltergate 10 years on: Chesterfield fans share favourite memories of old stadium and win in final match against Bournemouth

Robert Sheriff

I attended my first football game at Saltergate as a young 11 year-old on August 19, 1989. Chesterfield v Colchester which ended in a 1-1 draw. It was my uncle who took me along. He had been going to Saltergate for the past 24 years at the time.

I remember it well and I was instantly hooked, not simply on the game, but the ground and the atmosphere (little did I know at the time how much I would end up loving the place).

One of my earliest memories was with only a few games into the 1989-90 season when Dave Waller come up to me before kick-off and handed me a signed football. I will never forget that moment and I still have the ball to this day.

I enjoyed being a season ticket holder at Saltergate for a total of 21 seasons. My seat for all these years was A5, Wing Stand of the Main Stand. The seat has been proudly hung on the wall at home in the ‘mancave’ ever since my wife had it framed for me as a birthday surprise shortly after that last match on the 8th May 2010.

There are so many memorable memories I have of Saltergate to mention them all, but here are a few personal ones:

- Chris Beaumont’s goal against Wrexham in the FA Cup Quarter Final in 1997

- Glynn Hurst’s last-minute winning goal against Bury to keep us up in 2004

- Any win against Mansfield - especially the 5-2 play-off win in 1995 and the 4-0 win in 2000

- Trevor Hebberd lobbing Bruce Grobbelaar at the Cross-Street end against Liverpool in the League Cup to put the Spireites up 1-0 in 1992

- Derek Niven’s screamer against Manchester City in the League Cup in 2006

- Derek Niven’s last-minute winner at the Kop end in the last ever game at Saltergate against Bournemouth to give the Spireites a 2-1 win (the end of football at Saltergate could not have been any better if I’d have written it myself).

- Playing on the hallowed turf myself shortly after the last game in 2010 (still got the football boots I played in and they have not been worn or cleaned since).

I have many favourite players from watching Chesterfield at Saltergate, but I would say that the top ones would include: Steve Norris, Dave Waller, Jack Lester, Tony Lormer, David Reaves, Tony Brien, Kevin Davies, Lee Turnbull, Ryan Williams, and my all-time favourite Chesterfield player is and always will be Andy Morris (aka Bruno). Oh, and of course, Derek Niven for that goal – providing us with a moment in the last game against Bournemouth that will be remembered forever.

There have been some very decent home shirts during the Saltergate years, however, if I had to select a favourite from this period, it would have to be my first ever shirt I got. I must get it framed one day. I sponsored a couple of home shirts along the way too, including Jamie Ward, Lloyd Kerry and David D’Auria’s – The Ward one is framed and on show in the mancave.

During the 21 years of being a Spireite, my passion and love did not only grow for the football club, but also for the ground itself – and my memories of Saltergate have lived on for the past 10 years right at home.

As soon as I heard about the Saltergate auction which took place on Sunday, June 13, 2010, I had no option but to go along and try and purchase something from the old girl that I could keep forever. I couldn’t let this opportunity pass me by, it would haunt me forever.

I attended the auction with a nervous but exciting feeling of the anticipation of walking away with something special, and due to my excitement and stubbornness to come away with some prized possessions of the old girl at almost any cost I ended up coming home with the Chesterfield Football Club sign which was above the main entrance doors; the match ball from the last game against Bournemouth; the blue welcome to Chesterfield Football Club sign which was positioned just through the main entrance lobby; a corner flag; a bar stool from the sponsors lounge;tThe home changing room tactic board; a mirror and a couple of other little items.

In April 2012 I had heard that the demolition was underway, and it was only a matter of time before the ground would be completely no more, therefore, I had to pay one last visit just before it was gone.

I am sure like many other Spireites, I have often stopped the car when close by to Saltergate (or even just gone there because I wanted too) and had a walk around the housing estate which is called Spire-heights which is now situated at the site of the old ground – and wondered around thinking of past times along with trying to figure out where the centre spot would have been etc.

Even though we moved to an amazing new ground down the road with all the trimmings, it just isn’t Saltergate (and If you stand there long enough and close your eyes for a while, I am sure you can hear chants of - ‘comeeeee onnnnnn youuuuu Blueeeees / Chester-field, Chesterfield FC…we’re by far the greatest team, the world has ever seen / from Saltergate to Wembley, we’ll keep the Blue flag fying high / and Bruno, Bruno, Bruno, Brunooooo ’ from the kop).

Like many of other Spireites, I still miss the place and it will live on forever and never be forgotten by the Spireites faithful who spent many of hours watching their beloved Chesterfield at Saltergate.

Saltergate was ours; the hard to push turnstiles, the concrete terraces, the metal barriers, the floodlights, the rusty cladding, the wooden seats, the loud cranky tannoy system, the leaking roofs, the open air toilets, the tobacco smell rising from the smokers below and the regulars who also attended every game – not only were we Spireites, we become friends.

It’s gone, and even after 10 years on match days, it still feels wrong to continue straight down the A619 towards Tesco and not turn left on to Brimington Road and head towards the town centre where Saltergate once stood.

Howard Borrell (stadium announcer)

To sum up........memorable and emotional.

From the morning production at the Pomegranate Theatre that had set the scene nicely with lots of great memories to the injury-time winner that finished the day off perfectly as if it had all gone to script.

The game was, for the most part, a flat affair. Drew Talbot's headed own goal had given already promoted Bournemouth the lead and they had looked comfortable until Jack Lester's sweetly struck shot in the 80th minute brought us level. As the game drifted into injury time a draw looked inevitable. However, Derek Niven had other ideas as his 96th minute low shot from just outside the area sneaked just inside the post and sparked off some wonderful celebrations.

Almost the entire crowd came on to the pitch, they took some clearing for the game to play out one more minute only for them to pour on once again at the final whistle - this time they stayed on.

I remember I'd saved the song Perfect Day by Lou Reed for just such an ending and it got an immediate airing before playing Simply The Best (that I'd played in every cup tie up to our run up the quarter final v Wrexham in 96/7).

Heaven knows how long it took to clear the pitch as the players were swamped and most lost the majority of their playing kit.

Eventually an impromptu Q&A too place in the directors’ box as I interviewed first a very emotional chairman Barrie Hubbard and then the two scorers, Jack Lester and Derek Niven. I'm not sure if many actually heard what was being said because the incessant noise from the crowd on the pitch dominated.

I stayed until the crowds had departed and eventually walked on to the pitch to the centre circle and just took in the full 360 degree view....the place where all of us came every fortnight to escape and dream; on that day the ending was as Lou Reed sang......just perfect.

Next followed a few drinks and more reminiscing. Friends from Belgium had visited for the game so what could be more English than to finish with a curry enjoyed with good friends and non-stop footballing recollections.

Paul Goodwin (Bridge Inn Blues Away Travel Club organiser)

In the period leading up to the game against Bournemouth I had many mixed emotions thinking about all of the memories of my visits to Saltergate from the mid-sixties onwards when my grandad first started taking me to games.

Thoughts about the big games like the FA Cup quarter-final but also the many other crucial games, in particular the many local derbies and the fantastic atmosphere that was generated.

There was also the memories of relegations and the disappointment of missing out on promotion to the Second Division in the 1979/80 season by the narrowest of margins which all of my generation have long hoped for.

From our point of view the game was only relevant due to the fact that it was to be the last one ever at Saltergate; this fact obviously made it a very emotional day for our supporters but the fact that we managed to win the game with a fantastic goal made it very much a celebratory and upbeat atmosphere that carried on long after the game had finished.

There were tremendous scenes on the pitch at the end of the game and there was a new future to look forward to at the B2Net stadium. The fact that the new ground was relatively close to the town centre and with all the businesses nearby for me personally made the wrench of leaving Saltergate a little easier.