| There used to be Goal posts and a pitch… 20:41 - Dec 5 with 5002 views | alial |
On Rushmere Heath, in the middle of the golf course. Between the 16th(?) and 13th(?) holes.
Does anyone know what it was used for? I wondered if there was any history to it?
Just saw a thread about how few Sunday League teams there are now vs the past and it got me thinking about that pitch and it’s history. [Post edited 5 Dec 2022 20:54]
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| There used to be Goal posts and a pitch… on 20:51 - Dec 5 with 3526 views | Churchman |
A Hawker Hurricane crash landed on the golf course too in 1940. It was one of the three that shot the Dornier 17Z down over the town. That fell on Gippeswyk Park.
I’ve only played the course a couple of times and I don’t remember goal posts or Hurricanes! |  | | |
| There used to be Goal posts and a pitch… on 20:54 - Dec 5 with 3507 views | ITFC_Forever |
I can remember the goalposts, but seem to remember they didn’t have crossbars?
And a couple of mini speedway tracks…. A couple of hundred yards in from the Heath Road entrance. |  |
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| There used to be Goal posts and a pitch… on 20:57 - Dec 5 with 3487 views | Swansea_Blue |
| There used to be Goal posts and a pitch… on 20:54 - Dec 5 by ITFC_Forever |
I can remember the goalposts, but seem to remember they didn’t have crossbars?
And a couple of mini speedway tracks…. A couple of hundred yards in from the Heath Road entrance. |
Cycle speedway was all the thing at one time. I remember building various bikes from scrap salvaged from the tip. TWTD.
And yes, I remember the goal posts. We used them for goals, but the ground was pretty poor if I remember correctly. |  |
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| There used to be Goal posts and a pitch… on 20:58 - Dec 5 with 3484 views | alial |
| There used to be Goal posts and a pitch… on 20:54 - Dec 5 by ITFC_Forever |
I can remember the goalposts, but seem to remember they didn’t have crossbars?
And a couple of mini speedway tracks…. A couple of hundred yards in from the Heath Road entrance. |
I do remember there being 2 and both having crossbars. It was on the right as you got up the hill of the 16th in the direction of the 13th. It was covered in heather. This was 15+ years ago. | | | |
| There used to be Goal posts and a pitch… on 21:00 - Dec 5 with 3475 views | EastTownBlue |
| There used to be Goal posts and a pitch… on 20:54 - Dec 5 by ITFC_Forever |
I can remember the goalposts, but seem to remember they didn’t have crossbars?
And a couple of mini speedway tracks…. A couple of hundred yards in from the Heath Road entrance. |
I can remember the missing crossbars. That was probably back in the late eighties. | | | |
| There used to be Goal posts and a pitch… on 22:13 - Dec 5 with 3371 views | ITFC_Forever |
| There used to be Goal posts and a pitch… on 20:57 - Dec 5 by Swansea_Blue |
Cycle speedway was all the thing at one time. I remember building various bikes from scrap salvaged from the tip. TWTD.
And yes, I remember the goal posts. We used them for goals, but the ground was pretty poor if I remember correctly. |
They weren’t big enough to be cycle speedway tracks, but they were great fun for the six year old me to ride my little bike round and pretend I was John Louis (my first ever sporting hero). | |
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| There used to be Goal posts and a pitch… on 23:18 - Dec 5 with 3282 views | ITFCson |
Living down Linksfield as kid I remember playing in these goals in the mid 90's. Never was any nets though and behind 1 of the goals was think gorse and brambles which was a pain. | | | |
| There used to be Goal posts and a pitch… on 05:43 - Dec 6 with 3143 views | Chondzoresk |
As a local youngster we rarely used those goalposts, simply due to no nets. You took a shot and if the wind was behind you it would go for miles across the heather!
And crossing Heath Road was a bit dodgy. So Copleston School field was preferred during the football season. The cycle speedway tracks were very much there in the 70s and 80s. As a side note we played Cricket opposite the speedway tracks on a grassy area.
Now, as far as I know I believe that the Heath was deliberately set fire to during WW2 to confuse German bombers, there are several big bomb craters. |  | | |
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| There used to be Goal posts and a pitch… on 07:26 - Dec 6 with 3062 views | DJR |
| There used to be Goal posts and a pitch… on 20:57 - Dec 5 by Swansea_Blue |
Cycle speedway was all the thing at one time. I remember building various bikes from scrap salvaged from the tip. TWTD.
And yes, I remember the goal posts. We used them for goals, but the ground was pretty poor if I remember correctly. |
I did the same on the cycle speedway front, although my dad was always reluctant to let me go to see Ipswich Witches, in addition to the Town. Maybe it was the expense.
And I remember that part of Rushmere Heath. Indeed, the whole of Rushmere Heath was a great place for youngsters to play in those days, living as I did in Broke Hall.
Another place I remember well was the heathland near Martlesham off Foxhall Road, where there were various remnants from WW2, including the remains of bullets which had been fired. |  | | |
| There used to be Goal posts and a pitch… on 07:51 - Dec 6 with 3047 views | Fixed_It |
| There used to be Goal posts and a pitch… on 07:26 - Dec 6 by DJR |
I did the same on the cycle speedway front, although my dad was always reluctant to let me go to see Ipswich Witches, in addition to the Town. Maybe it was the expense.
And I remember that part of Rushmere Heath. Indeed, the whole of Rushmere Heath was a great place for youngsters to play in those days, living as I did in Broke Hall.
Another place I remember well was the heathland near Martlesham off Foxhall Road, where there were various remnants from WW2, including the remains of bullets which had been fired. |
We used to play on the football pitch at Martlesham Heath before it became a housing estate. Deben Park Rangers. TWTD. |  |
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| There used to be Goal posts and a pitch… on 09:32 - Dec 6 with 2949 views | DJR |
| There used to be Goal posts and a pitch… on 07:51 - Dec 6 by Fixed_It |
We used to play on the football pitch at Martlesham Heath before it became a housing estate. Deben Park Rangers. TWTD. |
When I was taking my driving test in 1981, the roads on the estate at Martlesham Heath were a great place to practice because they were put in place before the housing was completed, and so were car-free. | | | |
| There used to be Goal posts and a pitch… on 09:35 - Dec 6 with 2950 views | itfcjoe |
| There used to be Goal posts and a pitch… on 20:57 - Dec 5 by Swansea_Blue |
Cycle speedway was all the thing at one time. I remember building various bikes from scrap salvaged from the tip. TWTD.
And yes, I remember the goal posts. We used them for goals, but the ground was pretty poor if I remember correctly. |
Cycle Speedway still quite big in the area, my son does it at Kesgrave, and out of the 10 or so clubs in the country there is one in Kesgrave, one in Ipswich and one in Great Blakenham |  |
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| There used to be Goal posts and a pitch… on 09:45 - Dec 6 with 2914 views | Meadowlark |
| There used to be Goal posts and a pitch… on 05:43 - Dec 6 by Chondzoresk |
As a local youngster we rarely used those goalposts, simply due to no nets. You took a shot and if the wind was behind you it would go for miles across the heather!
And crossing Heath Road was a bit dodgy. So Copleston School field was preferred during the football season. The cycle speedway tracks were very much there in the 70s and 80s. As a side note we played Cricket opposite the speedway tracks on a grassy area.
Now, as far as I know I believe that the Heath was deliberately set fire to during WW2 to confuse German bombers, there are several big bomb craters. |
Ha.
When we were kids we never had nets and it was always jumpers etc for goal posts. The rule was that if you kicked the ball too hard and missed the goal you had to go and retrieve the ball. If you scored you were excused that chore and the conceding team had to get it.
But obviously no-one wanted to run miles to get the ball so this rule encouraged tap-ins rather than thunderbolts. |  | | |
| There used to be Goal posts and a pitch… on 10:08 - Dec 6 with 2845 views | DJR |
| There used to be Goal posts and a pitch… on 09:45 - Dec 6 by Meadowlark |
Ha.
When we were kids we never had nets and it was always jumpers etc for goal posts. The rule was that if you kicked the ball too hard and missed the goal you had to go and retrieve the ball. If you scored you were excused that chore and the conceding team had to get it.
But obviously no-one wanted to run miles to get the ball so this rule encouraged tap-ins rather than thunderbolts. |
Same in my day.
Marvellous ..... isn't it? [Post edited 6 Dec 2022 10:08]
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| There used to be Goal posts and a pitch… on 10:12 - Dec 6 with 2825 views | Keno |
yes I remember those, and the cycle tracks
fell on a few times racing round that |  |
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| There used to be Goal posts and a pitch… on 10:36 - Dec 6 with 2783 views | Meadowlark |
| There used to be Goal posts and a pitch… on 10:08 - Dec 6 by DJR |
Same in my day.
Marvellous ..... isn't it? [Post edited 6 Dec 2022 10:08]
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And never mind VAR....I remember we rarely had arguments as to whether it "hit the post" or went in, although the imaginary crossbar sometimes sparked a debate as to whether it was "over" or in. | | | |
| There used to be Goal posts and a pitch… on 10:53 - Dec 6 with 2755 views | Trequartista |
The 1970s speedway fantasists track was definitely in the same area. It’s possibly half of it still visible just to the top right of the football pitch area. |  |
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| There used to be Goal posts and a pitch… on 11:03 - Dec 6 with 2692 views | leitrimblue |
Is it in case halfway around the course you realise that golf is a bit sh1te and fancy a quick game of headers an volleys? |  | | |
| There used to be Goal posts and a pitch… on 11:20 - Dec 6 with 2664 views | GeoffSentence |
| There used to be Goal posts and a pitch… on 11:03 - Dec 6 by leitrimblue |
Is it in case halfway around the course you realise that golf is a bit sh1te and fancy a quick game of headers an volleys? |
I have recently discovered a passing interest in golf thanks to the charismatic golf professional and vlogger, Paige Spiranac. |  |
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| There used to be Goal posts and a pitch… on 11:21 - Dec 6 with 2657 views | DJR |
| There used to be Goal posts and a pitch… on 09:35 - Dec 6 by itfcjoe |
Cycle Speedway still quite big in the area, my son does it at Kesgrave, and out of the 10 or so clubs in the country there is one in Kesgrave, one in Ipswich and one in Great Blakenham |
Back in the 70s there used to be a cycle speedway track in the Chantry area, but I can't remember where else I took part. Of course, it was all informal with one's friends, not at all organised. | | | |
| There used to be Goal posts and a pitch… on 11:23 - Dec 6 with 2642 views | lurcher |
| There used to be Goal posts and a pitch… on 10:53 - Dec 6 by Trequartista |
The 1970s speedway fantasists track was definitely in the same area. It’s possibly half of it still visible just to the top right of the football pitch area. |
Cool, I remember a cycle speedway track being between the stadium and Foxhall road. |  | | |
| There used to be Goal posts and a pitch… on 11:23 - Dec 6 with 2638 views | leitrimblue |
| There used to be Goal posts and a pitch… on 11:20 - Dec 6 by GeoffSentence |
I have recently discovered a passing interest in golf thanks to the charismatic golf professional and vlogger, Paige Spiranac. |
I have a friend who as also suddenly found an interest in golf for the same reason | | | |
| There used to be Goal posts and a pitch… on 11:31 - Dec 6 with 2620 views | itfcjoe |
Maybe we should stick some goals back there and turn it into a pitch again - it would upset the Commoners Committee but then everything anyone does already does that although there is one further up the Heath by the water tower at the shops [Post edited 6 Dec 2022 11:32]
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| There used to be Goal posts and a pitch… on 11:32 - Dec 6 with 2590 views | PhilTWTD |
| There used to be Goal posts and a pitch… on 11:23 - Dec 6 by lurcher |
Cool, I remember a cycle speedway track being between the stadium and Foxhall road. |
I think I remember that, although was a bit rough and ready if it's the one I'm thinking of. |  | | |
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