1972: Testing the New ASTROTURF Football Pitch | Blue Peter | Classic Children's TV | BBC Archive

[@shamblesx2801]

Proper tracksuits!

[@Steve14ps]

People never wore them in the pub back then

[@CrystalShip8899]

Petra, Shep, Peter, John and Val were like a little tv family back then bless them,whether they were scaling Nelson's column or setting fire to brownies round the campfire it was always a pleasure to tune in.

[@hopebgood]

I'll never forget John Noakes doing that sled run where they crashed and him being all bruised. And it still makes my toes curl thinking about John Noakes climbing up Nelson's Column. Shudder.

[@jasonayres]

"The rain cleans it.." I don't recall that (-though I do recall the smell, after the rain). The bruises, those "burns", after sliding on the astroturf, I remember them well, too! Ouch.

[@philh8288]

Yes i hated it played at Lilleshall in the 80s,

[@CastellanSpandex]

A 1970s body clad in the most 70s of tracksuits, topped with the best 70s hair. 🕺

[@mediacityavid]

We used the Chrystal Palace hockey & 5 aside pitches when we had a week there with our school in 1978. Great fun.

[@standenberg]

Always reminds me of that episode of Only Fools & Horses, in a nightclub when Del try’s to chat-up 2 ladies by saying Rodney is a tennis star. One of the ladies asks Rodders “Do you prefer grass, or astroturf ?” The plonker replies “Dunno, I’ve never smoked astroturf” 🤦🏻🤣😂

[@heraldeventsandfilms5970]

Unfunny sheight.

[@WVgrl59]

😂😂😂

[@standenberg]

@@heraldeventsandfilms5970 Unfunny sheight? I don’t know you that well mate but that’s how you come across 😉

[@heraldeventsandfilms5970]

@@standenberg I bet you watch it every night, on VHS, in your shed, in your EDL t-shirt. The quiet desperation of someone that doesn't matter.

[@danorthsidemang3834]

@@heraldeventsandfilms5970 You're unfunny sheight.

[@pincermovement72]

Phil Parkes was born in the next village to me , top keeper

[@reecedillon5140]

Goalkeeper has some good handling

[@seltaeb3302]

Phil Parkes was a very good keeper & England no.3.

[@ebridgewater]

00:42 £190k then is £2.01m now. Expensive!

[@johnathanryan2117]

I remember Bolton Wanderers having one laid in the early 80s behind the old Burnden park. Superb facility but at times it was like concrete covered in sand. Rip you to ribbons. Excellent 5 a side and 7 aside leagues there though. Much better technology now though including the Burnden one.

[@djhonz45]

Still the best tracksuit designs

[@martintaylor4997]

Hello BBC Archive could you please help. Back in 1986 just before the Football World Cup started, BBC Grandstand showed some World Cup Goals introduced by Steve Rider it was called 86 for 86. 86 World Cup Goals between 1958-82, is there any chance of posting this (if still available) would really love to see them again. Thank you for your time.

[@matthewlawrenson3628]

Preston-born Peter Purves demonstrates a plastic pitch in 1972. 14 years later, Preston North End install artificial turf at Deepdale Stadium. I watched some of those matches from the stands in 1986. It looked very odd. The ball's bounce caught a few out.

[@digeme69]

This is Market Road London N7.

[@RobbZipp]

“He plays soccer every Saturday” 😮 I never thought I would ever hear a Brit call it soccer! Hi from Houston, home of the Astrodome! Astroturf sucks and I’m glad Houston Dynamo FC play on natural grass. I played American football in school and astroturf burns were THE WORST!

[@rabbieburns2501]

1G astro. Phil Parkes QPR &West Ham legend .. sans 'tache!

[@buzzofftoxicblog791]

😊😅 I cannot see remember the broadcast. that's a bit frightening. not sure if it ever really caught on?

[@bonnetdedouche437]

Fingers crossed Luton Town reinstall their astro pitch as part of their EPL ground compliance upgrades.

[@memzepper6096]

Ha ha market road Our manor ♥️ Arsenal ♥️

[@SeanAtkinson-tp9bk]

" get a vacuum cleaner out" love it imagine today's multi millionaire prima donnas being told that 😢😢😅😅

[@ericclaptonsrobotpilot7276]

1:00 what is this “sock-er” you speak of?

[@Lysimachus]

Purves is from Lancashire, where some people use "football" to refer to rugby league.

[@simonlunt353]

It will last a long time only if someone doesn’t mow it 😂😂

[@garryleeks4848]

Should of signed Petra for England

[@Red-Red-Red-Red]

£190,000?!?

[@seltaeb3302]

Petet Purves looked like he can play a bit, as for the pitch it is awful like today's artificial part grass part synthetic. Proper turf of grass and mother earth with its wear & tear gives you a variation of the season's matches. The Baseball ground was awful come winter, but you got cracking matches.

[@digeme69]

This is Market Road London N7. I played many times on this with the school.

[@vanderark89]

It’s evil that stuff. Hated it. No matter how much I padded my knees they would get destroyed when I dived for a shot. The new stuff is only marginally better. Can’t believe GKs don’t wear tracksuit trousers

[@TheTertus]

Young James May

[@steveosshenanigans]

?

[@mrsalvatore1234]

never trust a blue peter presenter