There's old school charm then there's Central Park..

[Lucius Apuleius]

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The chemo must be a hell of an ordeal. Keep fighting and get yourself fit enough to stand in the rain at Central park!

As long as I make row P in the east! 😊

[Stantons Angel]

An absolutely awful day out in such an awful place! From start to finish it was a disaster!

After an operation on my spine a couple of years ago i cant stand for the 90mins of a game now and was really worried about going today. But as usual when Hibs are playing ive got to be there to see them.
Went through with my friends on the supporters bus and when we reached Cowden no one knew where the street was that the buses where to park in? Asked a policeman, asked a steward and both had no idea?

Ended up following another bus into a wee pensioners housing estate to get off at the other side of the ground where we were supposed to be?

It was like going back to the early 60's when Central Park would be no different to any other ground we were playing at. BUT this was NOT the 60's but 2014!!

Someone told me that the wee stand had been condemned and this was how we had to stand in the open in near torrential rain and get soaked to the skin!

Yet there were people in that wee stand at the back of it? Surely it would have made better sense to house most of the Hibs support in there if they had a license for the place? This would have saved people having to stand all day in the rain?

The buses were parked (eventually) in the street behind the area of terracing we stood in but the stewards were not letting us out a gate that would have given access to our buses in a few minutes rather than a good 15mins walk through rain running down the streets at our feet as well as pouring over us?

The game was not one of the best id seen but at least we got the 3pts and came away winners. But there is a lot to be said about the organisation of the place, an utter shambles!! It seems in trying to update the security there they have went OTT and made things so much harder for away supporters.

In this day and age of supporting football this sort of ground should be declared unfit and a hazard notice put on it!!!

[Ricky Bobby]

I have been to Central Park a few times now and the facilities are not the greatest but if it stays dry it's not the worst place to watch a game. However after standing in that today i will be checking the weather forecast before my next visit.

[Loopz]

Making us walk through a puddle to get out when I could not get any wetter was priceless.

[Hermit Crab]

Classic football ground. Something different. People don't have to go if they don't like the idea of standing and getting wet.

[DaveF]

As wet as it gets but if you go to CP you should know what to expect.

I'm off to bed with a hot water bottle

[Hibernia&Alba]

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Classic football ground. Something different. People don't have to go if they don't like the idea of standing and getting wet.

Classic football ground, HC? It's a pitch surrounded by debris. It's certainly 'different', and do remember some fans aren't capable of standing in the rain for a couple of hours, as some have said, nor is it nice for kids. Ultimately they shouldn't be charging £18 for the experience, IMO.

[Fenriz]

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People would have enjoyed their day out a lot more if it hadn't been for the weather. Only think I really disliked was the fence.

Probably been posted before but I just watched this lovely wee documentary on Cowdenbeath and Central Park. Looks a bit nicer in the sunshine: http://youtu.be/TUifUrFWTmE

Gotta say as well, their match day programme is awesome! Just finished reading it, packed to the brim with interesting articles.

[The Green Goblin]

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Classic football ground. Something different. People don't have to go if they don't like the idea of standing and getting wet.

It's got nothing to do with having to make a choice HC. Any and all supporters who want to go and support their team should be able to do so, safely and especially those with medical or disability issues. I think that's the point posters are making. You wouldn't tell people with walking sticks or wheelchairs they "don't have to go" if they don't like the set up which makes it hard for them, would you? It shouldn't ever come down to a choice in 2014 because a public venue is unfit for purpose or lacks basic extra facilities, such as seats, for those that need them.

[NadeAteMyLunch!]

Absolute ***** hole. Still soaked. If that was roles reversed, we'd go out out way to make sure that our visitors stayed dry whilst our own fans got soaked. Not sure if that's the right approach or not? Pish atmosphere as well. Our group tried to get quite a few songs going in the first half and not a single one caught on.

[B.H.F.C]

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Absolute ***** hole. Still soaked. If that was roles reversed, we'd go out out way to make sure that our visitors stayed dry whilst our own fans got soaked. Not sure if that's the right approach or not? Pish atmosphere as well. Our group tried to get quite a few songs going in the first half and not a single one caught on.

No it's no the right approach. It should be as uncomfortable as possible for away players, managers, fans, directors and anybody else you can think of, when they come to ER.

There was never any chance of atmosphere in there today!

[Pete]

Whenever I was part of the away support in the eighties and it was raining I got wet. Tynecastle, Easter road, dens park, tannadice etc...all had open, uncovered terracing and getting wet was just part of the day. The difference was that back then that the home ground had to give some covered seating for away fans who needed them like the elderly of infirm. For Cowdenbeath to not offer any undercover seating at all is out of order and its treating fans worse than they were thirty years ago.

I understand people being a bit miffed at the price but I don't blame Cowdenbeath for taking advantage. Even if a small percentage of the Glasgow Rangers fans in that area supported their local team then Cowdenbeath wouldn't be struggling as much. They would play in front of more than a few hundred and would perhaps have the ability to upgrade their facilities.

[greenlex]

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Absolute ***** hole. Still soaked. If that was roles reversed, we'd go out out way to make sure that our visitors stayed dry whilst our own fans got soaked. Not sure if that's the right approach or not? Pish atmosphere as well. Our group tried to get quite a few songs going in the first half and not a single one caught on.

Should have been given yellow ponchos.

[Ricky Bobby]

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Absolute ***** hole. Still soaked. If that was roles reversed, we'd go out out way to make sure that our visitors stayed dry whilst our own fans got soaked. Not sure if that's the right approach or not? Pish atmosphere as well. Our group tried to get quite a few songs going in the first half and not a single one caught on.

there is no way i could have joined in with any clapping,The sleeves on my hoodie were too heavy.

[hibs4life]

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People would have enjoyed their day out a lot more if it hadn't been for the weather. Only think I really disliked was the fence.

Probably been posted before but I just watched this lovely wee documentary on Cowdenbeath and Central Park. Looks a bit nicer in the sunshine: http://youtu.be/TUifUrFWTmE

Thanks for posting the link, I enjoyed watching that. It does a great job of portraying the importance of football to the community and the emotional attachment people have to their teams. Let's face it, I don't think lifelong Cowdenbeath fans aren't in it for the glory days..

[iwasthere1972]

If T'internet and Hibs.net were around in 1971 when I last visited Central Park I dare say that the posts would be almost identical except change £18 to £1.

Saying that it still sounds better than Tynecastle.

[Jones28]

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Actually having a good week after two bad ones mate. 😊 Chemo is kicking the ship out of me and leaving me with no energy. Bought a push bike on Tuesday to try and build up the leg muscles. Managed a mile, so happy with that. Came home, went for a kip to get woken by the missus who had just broken her wrist so now I am trying to look after her. Mental!!!!!! But, at least I am still a Hibby.

Stay strong mate 👍

[Nomeancity]

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Classic football ground. Something different. People don't have to go if they don't like the idea of standing and getting wet.

Agree. What makes us think we are better than these clubs. They are at their level - leave them to it. We are in the championship because of our own doing.
What do you think Barcelona or man utd fans would think of Easter road.
Cowdenbeath and others could always get some big shot Russian businessman to spend money they don't have upgrading their stadium for games they will never need and rack up huge debts then do a runner.
All that said they really need to have a word with their egon ronay chefs, my hot chocolate was honking! Won't be back!

[S4uzee]

How many Hibs fans were there roughly?

[Golden Bear]

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Actually having a good week after two bad ones mate. 😊 Chemo is kicking the ship out of me and leaving me with no energy. Bought a push bike on Tuesday to try and build up the leg muscles. Managed a mile, so happy with that. Came home, went for a kip to get woken by the missus who had just broken her wrist so now I am trying to look after her. Mental!!!!!! But, at least I am still a Hibby.

Keep the head up and as my old school motto used to say " fecht weel." I'm sure all on Hibs Net will say the same.

[silverhibee]

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Making us walk through a puddle to get out when I could not get any wetter was priceless.

At the pay in gate Exit, my feet were that wet it didn't make any difference, i just went for it and my first step in the huge puddle submerged my trainer in it, don't think wellies would have made a difference today.

Great day. 3 points.

Funnily enough as soon as i got in my car it stopped raining.

[silverhibee]

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Classic football ground. Something different. People don't have to go if they don't like the idea of standing and getting wet.

Folk new what they were letting them selfs in for today, if it rained there was a good chance you will get wet, just like if you walk to the shops and it's raining you will get wet doing that as well, surely us Scottish folk are used to this kind of weather by now.

We got 3 points and to splash in puddles. Great day oot.

[Jonnyboy]

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Thanks for posting the link, I enjoyed watching that. It does a great job of portraying the importance of football to the community and the emotional attachment people have to their teams. Let's face it, I don't think lifelong Cowdenbeath fans aren't in it for the glory days..

Made that very point to my brother today. Fans that support their local team rather than jumping on a bus to Glasgow or Edinburgh

[Sir David Gray]

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How many Hibs fans were there roughly?

The attendance was given as 2,563 and I would say around 2,000 of them were Hibs fans.

Possibly slightly less but not much.

[SaulGoodman]

First went there when we beat them in the cup two years ago. Was my first experience of an "Old school" ground.

After forcing my way through the rusty turnstile I was greeted by bairns sliding doon a muddy hill, people pissing against a wall and the "Blue Brazil" mascot whizzing roond the Stock car track on a scooter.

I'll be honest, it was a wee bit bizzare and I gave today a miss.

[silverhibee]

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How many Hibs fans were there roughly?

2000+

[silverhibee]

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First went there when we beat them in the cup two years ago. Was my first experience of an "Old school" ground.

After forcing my way through the rusty turnstile I was greeted by bairns sliding doon a muddy hill, people pissing against a wall and the "Blue Brazil" mascot whizzing roond the Stock car track on a scooter.

I'll be honest, it was a wee bit bizzare and I gave today a miss.

I bet you regret not going now, eh Meh.

[Stantons Angel]

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Classic football ground. Something different. People don't have to go if they don't like the idea of standing and getting wet.

A "Classic football ground"? Over the years i have visited most of the "classic football grounds" in Scotland and can assure you that most of these have now much better facilities than Central Park has in this 21st century.

Your compassion for people with ailments and/or restricted movement, who want to go and support their teams, home and away in all weathers, is rather shallow!
Being a Hibs supporter I wanted to support my team and having visited Central Park a good few times,even when Hibs have not been playing there.
I knew what i was going into and went prepared to stand for as long as pain would let me!

The rain was out of anyone's control but i had also gone prepared for that too and like everyone else, got soaked through to the skin.

The real points i was trying to make was that this sort of "classic football ground" went out of fashion many years ago and paying the sort of money we do today should, i think, entitle us to better facilities and also better communication between club, police, stewards and supporters!

To me there is never a choice to be made to either go to watch Hibs or not!

[SaulGoodman]

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I bet you regret not going now, eh Meh.

Yes it did cross my mind as I sat inside beside the fire, warm and dry

[silverhibee]

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Yes it did cross my mind as I sat inside beside the fire, warm and dry

I'm still sitting at the fire, just put the leccy blanket on, legs are still frozen, but well worth the day out, nice to see how Fife folk still live in the 1960s, never seen so many Ford Cortinas and Morris Minors.

I may learn the language at some point.