WHEN he was a student at Ruskin College in Oxford three years ago, long-standing Saints fan Dave Juson wrote a dissertation on the origins of The Dell.
It helped earn him a degree in history and his research material formed the foundations of Full Time at The Dell From Watty to Matty 1898-2001, a new book marking the closure of the ground which was home to Saints for over 100 years. Published by Hagiology and now on sale for £16.95, it's the most comprehensive historical account yet of The Dell.
It's a story which starts at the finish - a sunny May Day in 2001 when a glorious Matthew Le Tissier goal proved the perfect way to close the book on The Dell.
Over 102 years back in the mists of time, a goal by Watty Keay was the first at Saints new ground (thus the book title).
The author takes the reader down the roads which led Saints to The Dell and the roads which led them away from the ground to their new home at the Friends Provident St Mary's Stadium. The two components are intrinsic to this compelling account of what former manager Lawrie McMenemy once dubbed "the best little ground" in English football.
Yet as Juson reveals, The Dell was ahead of its time when it first opened its doors in 1898. It was the first stadium in England with stands down both sides of the pitch.
He informs: "There were bigger grounds like Goodison Park and Villa Park where there was a big stand surrounded by three big banks of terrace."
Juson has worked closely on the book with David Bull, who has already written and edited two popular Saints history books for Hagiology Publishing, Dell Diamond and Match of the Millenium.
It was back in 1962 that Juson first went to The Dell to watch a match against Middlesbrough. "My dad didn't follow football so I went along with some mates.
"I wasn't too excited at half-time when it was 0-0 but Saints scored six goals in the second half and I was sold, particularly on George Kirby who scored three of the goals and had a couple more disallowed for barging the keeper over the line."
Now a freelance writer and researcher, Juson has unearthed some new fascinating insights into the early days. "It's not just a football book, but a fascinating insight into local history," he says.
"Not many people realise that Saints were among the best two or three teams in the country when they first played at The Dell.
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