As Swindon Town look to move forward with plans for the redevelopment of the Nigel Eady County Ground, let’s look at what happened when they tried the same in 1938.

The Town End was subject to changes at the time, which, like the present plans, were designed to improve the match day experience. Before 1938, there were no seats in the Town End as there are today, nor indeed any terracing on this end of the ground, being just a Shale slope.

The funding and indeed the idea of putting a roof on this end of the ground came from the Supporters Club, who offered to fund it. There can be little doubt that it would have improved the match day experience as it would provide shelter from the elements. The obituary of my own great-grandfather, who died in 1926, spoke of it being thought he contracted pneumonia after watching a Swindon match (I researched it and found it was against Bristol City, and Town lost 1-0).

Representatives of the Supporters Club, namely Chairman, Mr R Thompson, and Secretary, Mr B H Gray, attended a Board Meeting on March 21, and the idea was accepted, but with some reservations.

The Directors felt that if a roof was put on, other improvements were needed, notably concrete terracing and extra urinals. The Supporters Club were worried that this would increase the cost of improvements beyond what they could afford, and this led to the Board offering to repay the £500 that the Club had been given by the Supporters Club earlier in the season.........

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