WHEN WE SAID FAREWELL TO the BASEBALL GROUND

TWENTY five years ago this week, Derby County bid farewell to the Baseball Ground and what had been their home for 102 years. The result of that final match on Saturday, May 11, 1997, did not really matter, the Rams fans who were lucky enough to get a ticket were there for a celebration of one of England’s great football grounds.

For Rams fans of a certain age, there was and never will be anywhere like the Baseball Ground – the Pop Side, the Normanton and Osmaston Ends, the Ley Stand or the more sedate Main Stand – each had their devotees and its own special atmosphere.

And the Baseball Ground roar was the equal and more of any crowd at Old Trafford or Anfield, especially the night matches. With high stands on all sides and terracing only feet from the pitch, the atmosphere could be both electric and intimidating.

So many memories – heady night games against the European giants of Real Madrid and Juventus, the Championshipwinning glory years of the 1970s, the promotion seasons from Divisions Two and Three, and who could forget the infamous old muddy pitch?

The ground was created to host baseball – hence the name – because Francis Ley, owner of foundry Ley’s Malleable Castings had been impressed with the sport during a visit to America in the 1880s. When he returned, he laid out a baseball pitch on the sports ground he had created for his employees.

In 1897, his baseball team won the English cup with a certain Steve Bloomer, probably the greatest of all Rams players, at second base.

Derby County actually played their first match at the Baseball Ground against Sunderland in March 1892 because their usual home, the County Ground, was needed for a race meeting.

Three years later, the Baseball Ground was to become their permanent home, and Mr Ley arranged for stands to be transferred from the County Ground and spent about £7,000 improving facilities for the club.

The first match at the Rams new home, on September 14, 1895, was again against Sunderland and that man Bloomer starred again, as his two goals gave the Rams their first victory.

It wasn’t until 1924 that Derby bought the Baseball Ground outright, for £10,000. In the close season of 1926, a new stand was built along the Shaftesbury Crescent side, increasing the ground’s capacity to 30,000. In 1933, a new double-decker stand followed at the Osmaston End, and the same again was added in 1935 at the Normanton End.

Then in 1969, after promotion from Division Two under Brian Clough, the Ley Stand was built over the old Popular Side.

For the record, the Rams lost that final match at the Baseball Ground, 3-1 to Arsenal.

The ground that had once hosted almost 42,000 fans ended its years with a capacity of less than 19,000. But it didn’t stop most of the 18,287 people from invading the Baseball Ground pitch for one last time.

The old ground had seen generations come and go, but it was finally time to move on to a new era...and the newly completed Pride Park was waiting.

Ashley Ward celebrates a goal with Ron Willems - but the Rams lost 3-1 Rams players line up before the match

Some fans celebrated the day by wearing fancy dress Best view in the house

Legends from the 1970s glory years: Charlie, George, Alan Hinton and Des Anderson

One last time on to a pitch that had seen so much over the years

Thumbs-up from chairman Lionel Pickering

A new generation of Rams fans

Loyal supporters soak up the atmosphere The T-shirts say it all

A bird’s eye view of the action Robin van der Laan leads the Rams out alongside Arsenal’s David Seaman

A final Baseball Ground salute from Dave Mackay Alone with the memories

Should auld acquaintance be forgot...

Fans passionate to the end

Queueing for a ticket