York Festival of Ideas 2024: Rediscovering Lost Football Grounds and Terraces with Dr Tosh Warwick

On Sunday 9th June 2024, we presented at York Festival of Ideas, University of York, with Dr Tosh Warwick of Sheffield University on the topic 'rediscovering lost football grounds and terraces.'

A packed room heard Tosh present a short slide show about his research on the topic and announce his new book, that he is currently researching.

Alex and Kevin then began a panel conversation by asking Tosh a couple of questions, before opening to the questioning to the attendees.  All three of us then answered questions relating to football in England and Scotland, the business of football, Barcelona's new stadium development, and Darlington's infamous Reynolds Arena. 

After the event we joined Tosh for a pizza in York city centre and were joined by Rob Nichols, editor of Middlesbrough FC fanzine 'Fly Me To The Moon' who also attended the event.

Alex, Tosh and Kevin

The previous day was notable for an interview with Kevin on BBC Radio York to promote the event at which he discussed what to expect and answered questions from DJ Freya Cox, famous for appearing on the 2021 edition of Great British Bake-Off, about her home town teams of Scarborough and their stadium history.

Boro Memories

Alex was the subject of the 'Boro Memories' three page interview in the match programme for the game between Middlesbrough and Blackpool, on February 4th 2023.

The game, in the Championship level of the English Football League, was attended by a crowd of 26,299 people.

The article, included below, included Alex's memories of being a fan from childhood and attending his first games in the 1980s, up to more recent times, via Boros cup run in 1990 which took them to a Wembley Final for the first time, and an 8-1 win again Manchester City in 2008.  Also included are never before shared photographs from Alex's personal collection taken with former manager (and current coach) Jonathan Woodgate and the legendary Bruce Rioch. Also mentioned was his recent with Dr Kevin D Tennent on the operations of the club in the 1980s and of the 1966 FIFA World Cup.

The interview for 'Boro Memories' was conducted by Dr Tosh Warwick, of Heritage Unlocked. Tosh says:

 "Boro Memories and collaborating with Middlesbrough FC offers a unique way to discover and showcase the often very personal history and heritage of football on Teesside in a variety of ways. Alex's contribution not only helped shed light on his own club memories but also helped share his valuable research on the 1966 World Cup and the operations of a football club with new audiences reading the matchday programme in the stands at the Riverside Stadium."