Disappearing World #1: Half time scoreboards

A 1-1 B 1-0 C 0, what’s that? A 2?! The crowd gasps. That’s a shocker. Who’s D again?

Long before even the most basic of electronic scoreboards were invented, people relied on the old traditional manual method of score updates. From people putting up numbers. Who needs computers or Caroline yelling them at you?!!

I’ve always felt that the half time scoreboard at Bayview Park was one of the most characteristic features of the old ground. It used to have pride and place beside the advertising hoardings at the School End of the ground. Right by the corner flag. I seem to remember it moving into the far corner of the away end later on, which may just be my memory playing tricks on me, but then one day it was gone, never to be seen again.

It was nothing fancy, but I always felt an important and charming feature of Bayview was missing. For those of you who have no idea what I’m slavering about, check out the photo. For those that do remember it, check out the photo and remember!

They were at all grounds and for them to have any meaning, you, or someone near you, had to have a copy of the programme at hand. Listed in there were all of the day’s fixtures and each fixture had a letter assigned to it. The old Bayview scoreboard had 15 spaces on it. No I or O or Q to avoid confusion, just a straight A to R.

Every half time, a couple of lads would trot round to the scoreboard and put the numbers up against each letter to let you know what was happening in each game. A time consuming event I’ll agree, especially as there was a tannoy system to tell you, but it was a vital and traditional part of your day at the fitba. It also helped when they actually put the scores up against the correct letters! And if you were away to the loo or for a pie, they were there for all to see for the start of the second half.

As electronic scoreboards came along in the bigger grounds, the old fashioned half time scoreboard became a thing of the past and of course nowadays the top clubs have super duper computer screens with instant replays and all sorts. A long journey from wooden letters and plastic numbers.

I can’t remember exactly when the Bayview one disappeared but someone obviously forgot to order our plasma screen replacement.

I wonder if people will look back in the future and say “remember when that wifey used to yell the scores at us from her hand held mic?”!! You never know!