Gypsies Green Stadium, South Shields
The end of a not so golden era
This is Gypsies Green Stadium at the coast in South Shields, it is not very glorious, and for many years has been much under used. Plans are afoot to make it disappear and a shining new four star hotel will rise in it’s place. Built in the early 1960’s it had an athletics track and infield as well as a velodrome for cycling, but it was never massively popular. Perhaps the wind whipping in from the North Sea had something to do with it.
For some years there was an active cycling club that met there and South Shields Harriers (athletics club) used it as their base too, it also hosted the World Jazz Band Championship as well as a visit from Muhammad Ali in 1977, here is a YouTube video clip of his day here;
[YouTube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6RHdfp9-3e4]
South Shields Daily Photo 
Hi Curly,
it’s sad to read they are doing away with Gypsies Green stadium. I was Chairman of the South Shields Council of Youth when Muhammad Ali visited in 1977, and was actually in the ring with him at Gypsies Green after he arrived by helicopter, just before his wedding. I have sought for pictures of that event, but have never been successful. My last hope died when Peter Gillanders, Shields Press and Publicity Officer at the time, died a couple of years ago. If anybody has pictures of Muhammad Ali in the ring at Gypsies Green, I would be pleased to get copies of them.
As always, thanks for the great blog.
Talk to you soon.
Barney
Paul Todd (Barney)
September 4, 2007 at 9:35 pm
Hello Barney,
I am involved in making a film about Alis visit and Johnny Walker- if you get this message please call me- 07770433670.
I am coming to S Shields with scriptwriter on Thursday Jan 5 2011 and would like to meet you
Thanks,
Keith Armstrong
Keith armstrong
January 2, 2011 at 4:14 pm
You won’t see a hotel there this century
Owen McGarrell
November 18, 2011 at 10:01 am
Damn real estate companies. It is always a pity when memories of past generations are flatten to invest money on bricks. Greetings my friend, you know I am a lazy b. but I always remember you with a affection. I hope everything is fine. Say hello to your family on my behalf.
Carlos Lorenzo
September 4, 2007 at 10:37 pm
Hi Curly
It’s sad to see the end of the Stadium and putting a hotel on it? Whose bright idea was that? Being from Sunderland, I was and still am a frequent visitor to Shields and lived just off Westoe Village for 4 years (happy days!). The sea front is just right the way it is – who needs a big hotel to block the view?
Sharon
September 4, 2007 at 11:54 pm
Sharon, you fill find a number of posts about it in my other blog, I’m quite in favour actually.
Curly
September 5, 2007 at 4:23 pm
well i am in a jazz band called the harmonelles and we have been to two world championships in gypsy green stadium, and might i add that on the august bank holiday weekend there is yet another world jazz band championships being held there with 35 marching jazz bands. the parade is on saturday along the sea front, and the competition on saturday and sunday. great weekend,hope the weather holds out for us all
dawn
August 20, 2010 at 2:36 am
Dont know if this site is still running, but i think its about time that some money was spent on gypsies green to bring it write up to date. I can remember running there in my teens in the 60’s. Now we are hosting the Olympics we need to start and invest in our children to encourage them to get involved in sport. Its a crying shame to let it go to waste.
Alice Smith
September 6, 2012 at 9:19 pm
I miss Frankies wooden Cafe everytime I visit South Shields
Chris
July 31, 2013 at 4:31 pm
Although it states above that the track was built in the 60’s, it was built long before that probably 30’s or 40’s. In the early 50’s it was a red shale banked track and in1952 or 53 it was resurfaced by the council in black tarmac. I and many other aspiring Reg Harris’s spent countless hours cycling round this track in the 50’s.
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