Harriers Chatter

As I understand it, the timeline of the Cowshed (East) side is roughly as follows:

1890: Aggborough opens as a 15,000 capacity football and athletics ground with two grandstands (source: Birmingham Daily Post) including one on the east side.

1920s: East grandstand replaced by first 'Cowshed', so named because it was made by Dales of Leominster who manufactured sheds for farms. (Source: History of Non-League Football Grounds by Kerry Miller)

1970s: Second cowshed / Bill Greaves stand is built, replacing the previous one.

2003: New all-seater East Stand opens, replacing the Bill Greaves stand.

Two questions arise:

1. Are the 1920s and 1970s dates/details about right?

2. Was the Cowshed name really derived from Dales of Leominster? I've read other theories that it was due to the east side's proximity to the old cattle market, or because the original 1920s structure was recycled from materials from said cattle market. Can anyone shed light on this?

Just found this - which is interesting on the Cowshed.

https://www.worcesternews.co.uk/news/7649188.13203-history-of-terrace/

What's the reason for the research?

I've followed the Harriers since the mid-1980s and am researching an article on the club. I have most of the key historical details covered off but the provenance of the Cow Shed was always been a bit of a mystery.

(Aggborough also features in a book I'm writing about Britain's must-see football grounds, so any information would be useful for this project too)

Photo's of the new stand construction here if your'e interested. Feel free to use or if you want better copies then just ask.

http://www.harriers-online.co.uk/images/east_stand/east_stand.shtml

Phil wrote: ↑

Mon Feb 11, 2019 2:36 pm

Photo's of the new stand construction here if your'e interested. Feel free to use or if you want better copies then just ask.

http://www.harriers-online.co.uk/images/east_stand/east_stand.shtml

Cheers, Phil!

'After the first World War the Committee got to work and many repairs and renovations were carried out at Aggborough including the replacement of the old wooden structure on the railway side of the ground by a fine new metal structure which was henceforward known as 'The Cowshed'. This was probably due to the fact that it was built by a Leominster company called F. H. Dale & Sons who specialised in the construction of farm buildings and was indeed exactly the same structure as many cowsheds in the area.'

'The new railway stand which came into service on 10th April 1979 was named 'The Bill Greaves Memorial Stand' as the late Chairman had been a prime mover for its construction.'

Excerpts from The Centenary History of Kidderminster Harriers Football Club - Colin Youngjohns.1986.

It seems that this book preceded the Kerry Miller book.

Thanks for that really useful bit of information. Having exchanged emails with Kerry in the past, I know some of his research was based on talking to club historians etc, so it's quite possible his book reflects the information in Colin Youngjohns' book.

I need to track down a copy of the KHFC centenary history. There's quite a few on Amazon and eBay but the £44 asking price is a little steep.

Also from Colin's book...

'A combined Kidderminster team had been assembled to play Walsall 1st Team to mark the opening of the new ground at Aggborough (the present ground). This match took place on Monday evening May 24th 1890'

(Combined being Harriers and Olympic)

From 1890/91

'The Aggborough ground was refurbished with two new Grandstands and held a capacity of 15,000.'

(One of these grandstands would have been demolished around 1935 when the old main stand was built.)

Cal's Spongebag wrote: ↑

Mon Feb 11, 2019 3:12 pm

Also from Colin's book...

'A combined Kidderminster team had been assembled to play Walsall 1st Team to mark the opening of the new ground at Aggborough (the present ground). This match took place on Monday evening May 24th 1890'

(Combined being Harriers and Olympic)

From 1890/91

'The Aggborough ground was refurbished with two new Grandstands and held a capacity of 15,000.'

(One of these grandstands would have been demolished around 1935 when the old main stand was built.)

PS - I am happy to provide any other info from the book, but couldn't face parting with my copy.

Cal's Spongebag wrote: ↑

Mon Feb 11, 2019 3:12 pm

Also from Colin's book...

'A combined Kidderminster team had been assembled to play Walsall 1st Team to mark the opening of the new ground at Aggborough (the present ground). This match took place on Monday evening May 24th 1890'

Thanks again for this. I was aware of the Walsall game but my own primary source research presents a slightly confusing picture.

The Walsall game

Both the County Advertiser & Herald for Staffordshire and Worcestershire and County Express have reports of the (amalgamated) Kidderminster v Walsall Town Swifts game on 24th May 1890, though neither mention the new ground or that it was the opening game at Aggborough.


Official/Formal Opening (?)

The Birmingham Daily Post, 21st July 1890 has the following report

“Since the two chief football clubs of Kidderminster decided to combine their forces for the purpose of making one thoroughly representative team, they have lost no time in getting everything into order for the approaching season. Within the last few, months they have acquired possession of a new ground at Aggborough, not more than a mile from Kidderminster Station, and at considerable expense and trouble have converted it into one of the best appointed athletic and football grounds in the kingdom. The land, some five or six acres in extent, has been boarded round, new turf has been laid, a grand- stand, dressing pavilion, and other necessary offices have been erected, and last, but not least, an excellent cinder track for cycling-slightly over four laps to the mile, has been laid down, and, when properly matured, promises to be one of the best tracks so the Midlands. The opening of the new ground was celebrated on Saturday under the most favourable circumstances by the annual sports of the Kidderminster Harriers. The attendance must have numbered close on six thousand, and the grand stands and reserved enclosures were all well filled.

First football match at Aggborough (?)

The Birmingham Daily Post, 04th September 1890 has the following report:

"Kidderminster opened their new ground at Aggborough last night, Oldbury (Town) being their opponents. The carpet people played their Scotch importations (Campbell and Shields), and they created a very good impression. The home team eventually won by 3 goals to 0”



Of course, none of the above means that the Walsall game wasn’t the first to be played at Aggborough, but it seems odd that the opening of the ground isn’t referenced where you would expect it to be.

Does Colin's book provide a source for the Walsall match being the first at Aggborough?

I'm looking forward to being able to use the word 'kingdom'. God save the Queen and all that....

thought I might be able to help here with a couple of pictures of the Bill Greaves Stand and The Cowshed (although not very good) plus also the first game at Aggborough.

Sorry unable to put in pics, if i can and anybody knows hoe please let me know.

S2RKK wrote: ↑

Mon Feb 11, 2019 8:11 pm

thought I might be able to help here with a couple of pictures of the Bill Greaves Stand and The Cowshed (although not very good) plus also the first game at Aggborough.

Sorry unable to put in pics, if i can and anybody knows hoe please let me know.

I'd love to see/hear more on what you have, especially with regards the first game at Aggborough. If you can't attach them to a post, could I send you my email via private message?

@London Harrier (or anyone)

If you go to the 'Full Editor & Preview' button then to that posting page towards the bottom you should be able to see a button that says 'Attachments'. Click on that and follow the instructions to upload an image to the page. 3 images allowed per post.

(Don't use the drag and drop. It doesn't work too well)

With the East Stand being built in 2003, am i right in saying the Main Stand was built around 1994?

Also, could anyone be good enough to share when the North/South terraces were rebuilt? I have only been attending Aggborough for 3 seasons and they look relatively new.