TOPIC:

Hey Baz I think you will find Perth Oval was offloaded to a mob called Allia owned/run by the former Glory owner Nick Tana.

Yep that would be correct, its a private venue operator.

City of Perth have no role in it any longer.

Perth Oval was a sacred place for most of us EP people. Seems to be an endless run of declining head knocks for our supporters, and it started when we initially allowed Perth Glory in to play those initial games in the NSL. It was told to us it was likely to be temporary but that was short lived. The "temporary" term was actually for EP, we just didn't know it.

I loved the trees surrounding the ground, the smell of cigars bellowing from the Grandstand & the big white heritage entrance gates. It was common to see all 10 or so turnstiles operating on game day, hence the crowds that the ground would attract at times. We usually had to park the car down Smith Street, normally right up the end. You could hear the subtle cheers from outside the ground, when the EP reserves kicked a goal. About then you could feel a sense of excitement about the day. We got our footy budget, which I remember being small enough to fit in your back pocket. It contained all the ladders & scores from the VFL and SANFL as well. Sitting at the back of the grandstand, you could hear the radio commentators who were situated just behind us. Frank Sparrow was usually a voice you could hear, given his dulcette tones & the ability to lift the intensity of his voice during crucial stages of a football game. The scoreboard operator at Perth Oval was probably the best in the business. They had the scores from all the other games updated every few minutes, and they somehow found time to put the Race Results from Belmont up there too. It was not uncommon for us to put a wager on at the races prior to going to the football. We would always wait for the race placing to get posted on the board. Race A,B,C,D etc etc.

After the game we always seemed to venture up to the clubrooms, which was a challenge if you didn't make your way in immediately. The players mingled, kids got autographs, and there was no laws against smoking, which was evident given the room was filled with it. Every man had a beer in their hand. Every table had jugs of beer aplenty. The presentations were great. The presidents usually had a skinfull by 6.30pm, and their speeches contained some slurs & staggers (ie. Mal Atwell, Slim Sommervaile). When we finally left the clubrooms out the back of the Fred Book Stand, it was dark and cold. But there was always a couple of paperboys selling the sunday paper early edition. All of which contained the scores of the WANFL games completed that day in the "green pages" .

The greatest of times, I will never forget it. I will never forget Perth Oval and despite where my beloved club is today in terms of stature, I will never forget East Perth for these great times. If you don't have your memories, you have nothing much at all.

Yep, it was a WAFL Icon, actually my second fav ground after Fremantle to watch footy at.


Those great white entry gates, such a landmark.

The Paper I remember getting was the Weekend News with the green pages plus photo supplement! I think the Sunday Times was printed about midnight, didnt people line up in the middle of the night in the city offices of the Sunday Times for traders mart?

and of course WESTSIDE Footy was available after the game.


A real loss to WAFL and would of made a great venue these days for redevelopment as a new home for WAFL footy.

SC30 wrote: ArkRoyal, from memory although I'm getting on a bit, the members were told by the president and board that Perth Oval was falling down, the drainage needed major works and to "save the club" the Royals needed to go to Leederville. East Perth moved. As we know, the Glory then took over Perth Oval nothing against them. Then after being at Leederville, the members were told in 1999 that to "save the club" we practically had our hands tied behind our backs and sold we were to partner with the Eagles. 2 premierships are won in 2000 and 2001 but as many know those weren't won on our own. The 2002 premiership was won outside of the partnership however the fumes from the lingering eagles agreement was still there. Then to "save the club" once again (it's almost religious like) and without the members vote or anything close to that the president and board agreed to partner up again with the eagles in a fully blown effort to win premierships and nothing more. Well done Subi on Sunday, the real team won and deservingly so.

SC30 were all of those decisions made to "save the club" done under the direction of the same President of EP?

when I started working as a trainer in the early 80's I got given the scoreboard wing, great I thought until it rained and then i found out why!

The really old stand had been on that side, now at a bayswater park (where they play wth a round ball), anyway back to the stand, the drainage for the sewer or septics went down under the ground on that side, once it has rained enough and a puddle formed it was brown and smelly. My wife reckoned I deliberately rolled in the mud but she did not realise.

Lotons Park as it is really called is a deed of trust from the Lotons family and cannot be used for anything other a sport ground, so i beleive!

As for the ground I had many a good day catching the blue buses from scarborough, walking down Pier street to watch the games, then i got the car and drove, Morris 1100 and then an EH with wide tyres and a valve radio. Saw some great players and always remember Phil Tierney taking hangs, syd jackson doing droppies from the centre and so on.

Grump wrote: when I started working as a trainer in the early 80's I got given the scoreboard wing, great I thought until it rained and then i found out why!

The really old stand had been on that side, now at a bayswater park (where they play wth a round ball), anyway back to the stand, the drainage for the sewer or septics went down under the ground on that side, once it has rained enough and a puddle formed it was brown and smelly. My wife reckoned I deliberately rolled in the mud but she did not realise.

Lotons Park as it is really called is a deed of trust from the Lotons family and cannot be used for anything other a sport ground, so i beleive!

As for the ground I had many a good day catching the blue buses from scarborough, walking down Pier street to watch the games, then i got the car and drove, Morris 1100 and then an EH with wide tyres and a valve radio. Saw some great players and always remember Phil Tierney taking hangs, syd jackson doing droppies from the centre and so on.

Having played on that outer wing at Perth Oval in the dead of Winter I am not surprised Grump ..it was literally a bog!

The final game was played on Sept 4th 1999 East Perth v Claremont in front of 1605 fans..was a great venue in the halcyon days and last year when they took down the temporary stands to get ready and build the new ones I went and had a good look around as it was back to what it was for a short period of time (with sandy banks though)before they started building again

Greatest place in footy as a kid for me! I grew up around that place. I miss it and those times so much. Standing at the race with my autograph book. When dad got a job as a trainer and I got carried into the rooms after a game for the first time, I thought I was on another planet. Hearing the song for the first time was brilliant.

Walking through the gates was iconic. The massive trees me and my brothers would climb in at half time. When footy was so much more than just the game!

Walk past it everyday from home to work and back. Everyday I remember those early days. Still remember running up and down those steps annoying the crap out of the oldies.

As a kid it was my MCG I guess.