ATT: 45 (headcount)
Additional: Entrance £4.00, Programme £1.00

City Ground in pictures
Ground Statistics (marks out of ten, maximum 40)
Character 8, Structures/Terracing 7, Hospitality 7, Backdrop/Scenery or aesthetics for larger stadiums 7
Total 29

By a coincidence, just days before going to the City Ground of Darlaston Town, Neil Chambers emailed me. He is the author of the book ‘The History of Darlaston Town Football Club’. It is a 220 page glossy, superbly put together, history from 1893 to present. The club is thought to have existed as early as 1874, though. The introduction to the book describes it perfectly:

When travelling down slater Street and Waverley Road in the Black Country town of Darlaston you come across a rather run down ramshackle football ground. At first glance all you notice is a large sloping pitch, a dilapidated wooden fence at the Slater Street end of the groundand a number of terraced houses surrounding the Waverley Road side of the ground.

The ground is the home of Darlaston Town FC and both the ground and the club have an unbeleiveable history. Darlaston Town FC has played at the ground for 112 years and the club has been in existence for over 130 years.

The ground certainly is in a great built up location, as they all were in those days. As for the pitch – sloping is an understatement – it would get to the final against Clitheroe, in a sloping pitch contest. The angle was so pronounced I think it must’ve been right on the edge of what would be considered unplayable. The effort of running uphill for the players, was palpable.

Oak Park in pictures
Ground Statistics (marks out of ten, maximum 40)
Character 6, Structures/Terracing 6, Hospitality 7, Backdrop/Scenery or aesthetics for larger stadiums 6
Total 25

Another WWFC exists to the north of Birmingham - Walsall Wood FC; my third of the ‘Walsall Quartet’ of Pelsall, Rushall, Walsall Wood and Bloxwich. The latter will complete the set. I’ve noticed that the many clubs around this area go in for wrought iron gates with the club initials on – Walsall Wood keeping up the tradition, along with Wednesfield, Pelsall Villa and Darlaston Town among the ones I’ve noticed.

The club started out with surely one of the best names ever in Walsall Wood Ebebezer Primitive Methodists, in 1915. The name conjures up images of hat wearing ministers charging around the pitch after the ball, holding on to their robes. This origin survives in one of their nicknames – the Prims.

The ground boasts a stand from the 1930s which they claim is the only one of its type surviving. It is indeed different from any I’ve seen, very tall and proud, having a distinctive vaguely art deco style. Oak Park is named after the ‘Shire Oak’, an old local landmark. Their motto is Pro Bono Sylvae (for the good of the wood).

Walsall Wood's unique 1930s main stand

 Entrance to the ground was just off the main A461 Lichfield Road through the town. There is a huge amount of parking which is part of the Oak Park Leisure centre. The ground is at the back of the car park.

 

There is a club bar and refreshments down the right side as you come in, with a very popular bus shelter stand in front where most of the 80 odd assembled crowded into.

The Wood regulars in front of the clubhouse buildings

The attendance of around 80 was very good for this level, between 25 and 50 being the norm. Especially as Walsall Wood were rock bottom of the league. Official crowds are rarely recorded in the Midland Combination, much like the other step six midlands league - the West Mids Regional, so one has to rely on head counts.  The visitors were high flying Bolehall Swifts, founded 1953, from the Bolehall suburb of Tamworth.

Despite the whole league table being between them, the Wood got off to a great start and took the lead with a quality header. The ball came through bouncing to Rob Cadman with just the keeper to beat, and he wieghted a perfect header over the advancing keeper.

Bolehall Swifts’ secret weapon then set about destroying Walsall Wood. Simeon Smith looked a class above the rest as he put away two one-on-ones comfortably plus a header to complete a hat-trick and another win for Bolehall Swifts. An interesting ground for this level, with the main stand a must see.

ATT: 50 (headcount)
Additional: Entrance £3.00, Programme NONE Coffee 80p

 Berriew Recreation Ground in pictures

Ground Statistics (marks out of ten, maximum 40)
Character 7, Structures/Terracing 6, Hospitality 7, Backdrop/Scenery or aesthetics for larger stadiums 7
Total 27

Another Welsh ground pinched from what would have been an unmemorable Friday evening. Grounds gained outside Saturday afternoons seem somehow bonus ticks, knocked off in between games, so to speak. I’d arranged to meet my friend Nick from Newport (Shropshire), a real fan of mid-wales football, at Berriew.

The game tonight was between two teams who recently played second tier Welsh football in the Cymru Alliance. Two teams with grounds equipped with floodlights, which is not the norm at this level. Rhayader (pronounced raider) were relegated last season, Berriew the season before. Rhayader have played in Wales’s top flight, but folded in 2006, reforming again immediately and progressing through the leagues.

Tonight’s game was between two sides expecting to do well this season. Rhayader, especially, had made an excellent start to the season. After the long drive skirting Shrewsbury, and through Welshpool, Berriew lies nestled between the legs of the B4390 and B4385, that extend out from Berriew standing on the main Welshpool to Newtown road.

The league they play in is the Spar Mid Wales league, one of three northern third tier leagues, the others being the Welsh Alliance (covering the north coast area) and the Welsh National League (Wrexham area). In the south there is just the one step three league (the McWhirter second division).

The ground is in a rural setting, surrounded by farmland and country roads. The pub under the bridge was a good place to visit pre-match, serving real ales with outside seating. The ground was accessible to the public and the three pounds entrance was collected by a man coming round with a tupperware box (£3). No programme unfortunately.

Nick pulled up alongside the pitch a few minutes before kick off as the night drew in. The game was entertaining, with Berriew displaying some spectactularly bad defending, some of which led to Rhayader’s opening goal. Perhaps even worse defending led to Berriew’s tame equaliser, capitalising on a poor back pass. Rhayader scored another two goals in a fairly even first half, which was unfortunately dominated by woeful back lines.

After sampling some great half time hospitality, high in their main stand, Berriew pulled themselves together in the second half, getting back in to the game at 3-3 thanks in part to a penalty (see above). They then took the lead thanks to a wonderful goal that may well have been a cross, but maybe not. Their right winger smashed a half volley from the edge of the area that curved toward the near side; the Rhayader number one could only parry it into the top corner for a superb Berriew comeback.

Not to be outdone, and probably deservedly so, Rhayader scored with seconds remaining, a straight-as-a-die thunderbolt from 20 yards, maintaining a height of about two feet throughout, into the far corner – their own best goal of the evening. A fitting finalé to a cracking game of football.     4-4 ,a fair result.

Atkinson Construction Bowl in pictures
Ground Statistics (marks out of ten, maximum 40)
Character 8, Structures/Terracing 7, Hospitality 7, Backdrop/Scenery or aesthetics for larger stadiums 7
Total 29

Borrowash Victoria are one of two teams who play next to each other in the Derby suburb of Spondon. The other team in this binary star system, in a remote spiral arm of the Derbyshire galaxy, is Graham Street Prims; who play in the same league. Both grounds are accessed through the same entrance with Prims on the left and Borrowash slightly further on, down the gravel car park. They are less than a javelin throw away from each other. Both teams were at home this afternoon and you could occasionally see the ball from the other game arcing in the air above the Borrowash stand.

The Binary Ground System of Borrowash Victoria and Graham Street Prims - Vics being the lower balloon

 Borrowash Victoria are founder members of the joint newest step six league – the East Midlands Counties League. This started in 2008-09, an amalgamation of the best equipped teams from the Leicestershire League and Central Midlands League and two from the Northern Counties East League – Borrowash and Gedling Town.

Borrowash almost got promoted last season, finishing as runners up, and expect to do well again this year.

Their ground was well beyond my expectations – this is a club equipped to rise up a few divisions yet, comfortably exceeding the requirements for step four, let alone six. The name suggests something a bit grand, sounding more like an American football stadium – the Watkinson Construction Bowl.

The bowl title refers to half the ground sitting under a steep bank. The main stand, seating around 200, sits beneath this bank, which then winds round behind one goal. If the game was really boring you could climb up the steep slope, shin up the wall and watch the Prims next door.

The visitors for this FA Cup tie were Carlton Town, two divisions above in the Evostik Div One North. Carlton Town were recently called Sneinton, and have enjoyed a rapid rise up the divisions in recent years. Carlton put paid to any thoughts of an upset early on and led 2-0 at the break. Borrowash really came at them in the second half, getting one back, but ultimately their first half performance let them down.

Evans Park in pictures
Ground Statistics (marks out of ten, maximum 40)
Character 7, Structures/Terracing 7, Hospitality 8, Backdrop/Scenery or aesthetics for larger stadiums 7
Total 29

Stafford Town, founded 1976, are in only their second season back in the pyramid at step six or above. They have been there before, but had to share with Stafford Rangers’ Marston Road ground, in order to be eligible. The turn of the century was their highest elevation when they played in the step five Midland Alliance. In the 2000s they opted to go back to the West Midlands League Division One (step seven), playing at the Rowley Park Stadium, a municipal sports facility. In 2009-10 they had a new stadium built, named after their founder and still chairman Gordon Evans. They played their first game there near the end of their season and, coincidentally, also got promoted to the Premier step six division, and obviously had no problem meeting the grading requirements this time.

So last season Stafford Town leapt in to my top 40 (all grounds at step six and above below 40 miles away) as the nearest ground not visited.

Evans Park is quite close to the centre of Stafford off Riverway, just off the ring road. A small road winds round the cricket club to the ground. I’m not normally a fan of new builds, but there’s something about Evans Park that I really liked. I can’t quite put my finger on it. When i went it was a sunny warm day which helps, but it just seems to have a good aura about it. As you come in you have the large brick clubhouse and stand to the right. To the left is the cricket ground which backs on to it. A wooded area frames the other two sides.

 A hundred or so covered seats stick out from the clubhouse in the middle, with plenty of room for more if needed.

Last season Stafford Town ended up between middle and bottom in a season that started with an unbelievable amount of goals. They lost 6-5 to Gornal and 2-7 at home to Shifnal; just two examples of the sort of scorelines they were getting weekly. Their defence seems to be more sorted now and they gave Dudley a lesson in finishing today as they scored two free-kicks and a penalty on the way to a comprehensive 4-1 win.

The free kick to make it 2-0

ATT: 25 (headcount)
Additional: Entrance £4.00, Programme £1.00

Butler Sports Centre in pictures

Ground Statistics (marks out of ten, maximum 40)
Character 6, Structures/Terracing 5, Hospitality 6, Backdrop/Scenery or aesthetics for larger stadiums 5
Total 22

Another midweek trip into Deliverance country – this time to see one of the newer members of the West Midlands Regional League, Shawbury United – founded 1992. Shawbury is just north of Shrewsbury but they play in another Shropshire village called Wem, sharing the Butler Sports Field with Wem Town FC of the division below.

Wem is a small market town and I imagine nearly all of its inhabitants are from roind thoise partz. It was time to pretend I was Edward Woodward in the Wickerman again. Sadly, Britt Ekland didn’t show up.

I assume the ground is the same age as the club at slightly under 20. It is a smart functional ground that is part of the Wem Sports Centre, with a large and inviting clubhouse. The team have ambitions to progress apparently and their current set-up would certainly accommodate movement up a couple of divisions, provided they put more seats and cover. Their highest position was second place in 2007-08 in the West Midland Premier (step six).

The main stand juts out of the front of the clubhouse, more like an extension than a separate stand. It seats around 100; more than enough for tonight’s game as, having a Naked Lunch moment on entry, was only joined by just two dozen pagans – it was perhaps the smallest crowd I’ve been in.

On the other side is a practice pitch, I assume. There are no other structures around the ground.

Shawbury Utd had made an excellent start and were sitting top, but the feeling was that this was more by luck than anything. The game panned out that way too, as the visitors looked the slightly sharper side. They took the lead in the scond half and despite an equaliser scored two more in quick succession. Shawbury got a goal back late on through a fine volley, but it was too late.

ATT: 60 Head Count
Additional: Entrance £4.00, Programme £1.00

Garden Walk in pictures

Ground Statistics (marks out of ten, maximum 40)
Character 8, Structures/Terracing 7, Hospitality 7, Backdrop/Scenery or aesthetics for larger stadiums 6
Total 28

Gornal Athletic are a small, unassuming club that have been around since 1919, taking over from an earlier incarnation called Gornal Wood Excelsior. They have always played in Lower Gornal, between Sedgley and Dudley, in North West Birmingham, and indeed were know as Lower Gornal Athletic until 1972. They have played in the West Midland Regional League since 1962, a league that spans steps six to eight. They are currently in the Premier step six division, along with today’s opponents Shifnal Town, from near Telford.

Gornal’s Garden Walk ground had an unusually large terrace for a club of their size – it is what attracted me to the ground. The 20 step terrace really stands out as a feature (surely the biggest in its ground class), reminding me a bit of the East Terrace at the Goldstone Ground.  And like the old East Terrace you come in at the top.

The view is superb from the top of the steeply elevated narrow steps. In the middle is nestled snugly congeries of seats. It has a Heath Robinson air to it – any discerning hoppers who like their grounds to have a specific point of interest should stick Gornal on their list. Over the other side is a small covered stand. The ends are both flat standing.

As you come in at there is a small brick clubhouse sitting at the top of the terrace, , a sandwich board had today’s event and fixture scratched out in chalk. Getting there was a doddle, as I’ve found all Birmingham grounds to be. Despite living slightly closer to Manchester, I find the Birmingham grounds simpler and faster to get to. The much maligned M6 in the west midlands, I’ve generally found to be quick, even at rush hour times.

The game was a typically high octane FA Cup tie with plenty of incident. Gornal, nicknamed the Peacocks, had the better of the early exchanges and took the lead, but Shifnal, totally against the run of play, equalised with a great strike from 20 yards, hooking it over the Gornal keeper. Shifnal took an unexpected lead in the second half; from that point on it was all about Gornal trying to snatch a much deserved equaliser.

It wasn’t until well into injury time that an inswung free kick from the left managed to evade everybody and was bundled in beyond a static keeper. Fitting ending to a great game and Gornal went on to win the replay 3-0.

ATT: 55
Additional: Entrance £4.00, Programme £1.00

Silver Street in pictures

Ground Statistics (marks out of ten, maximum 40)
Character 5, Structures/Terracing 5, Hospitality 7, Backdrop/Scenery or aesthetics for larger stadiums 5
Total 22

Irlam FC, from West Manchester, started off as Mitchell Shackleton FC in 1969. They have only been at step six in the North West Counties league division one for three season, before that playing mostly in the Manchester league. They changed their name to Irlam Mitchell Shackleton in 2001, but then discarded two thirds of their name to become just Irlam FC. (I did see an old sign in the coffee bar of Irlam Town AFC though?)

They won 9-1 on the opening day at Nelson, so I was expecting to see an impressive attacking display. The visitors are also new to the NWCL, joining in the same year. Wigan Robin Park were only founded in 2005 and play at an athletics ground next to Wigan Athletic’s DW Stadium.

The game was a surprise, no hint of Irlam’s nine goal haul from Saturday was on show in a cagey first helf. WRP took full advantage in the second half with four goals. Irlam got one back in the dying seconds to give a rather flattering 4-1 win for the visitors and Irlam a very lopsided early record. You can here the nearby M62 during the game.

While I took my camera here, I forgot the memory card, so had room for just six pictures. These were supplemented by my phone camera.

ATT: circa 400
Additional: Entrance €10.00 adults €3 children, Programme NONE

Campo Juan Cayuela in pictures

Ground Statistics (marks out of ten, maximum 40)
Character 8, Structures/Terracing 8, Hospitality 6, Backdrop/Scenery or aesthetics for larger stadiums 8
Total 30

Another friendly for Cartagena, in the area (well more or less!) we were holidaying. This one was the town of Totana, about 35 miles west of Murcia, home to a preferente (Conference) side Club Olimpico de Totana. Very nice ground for the level they’re playing at – I believe they have played at higher levels very recently, like the Tercera (Div 2) league.

Main stand comprising covered and oncovered seats

Cartagena showed their superior class from the outset, tantalising Totana with some nice passing. Totana rarely had the ball and when they did it was for some hurried and staccato attempts at possession and penetration which seldom bothered the inactive Cartagena keeper. The away side could’ve had ten, had they finished a few sitters and scored their penalty mid way through the second half.

It was another lovely evening, this time a later kick off at nine, but still t-shirt weather. Campo Juan de Cayuela has a fine main stand plus another temporary stand opposite as well as the Spanish trademark chunky terracing for sitting on.

ATT: circa 600
Additional: Entrance €7.00 adults €0 children, Programme NONE

Estadio Ikomar in pictures

Ground Statistics (marks out of ten, maximum 40)
Character 7, Structures/Terracing 7, Hospitality 6, Backdrop/Scenery or aesthetics for larger stadiums 7
Total 27

We went on holiday to Algorfa, a small village in the Alicante Province in the Comunitat Valenciana. I wasn’t holding out much hope of catching a game, as website enquiries beforehand were fruitless, so I was relying on newspapers for information.

I picked up a few english written free papers from the local shop, the first few of which were very scant on sports news. As I was resigning myself to a groundless holiday, an inconspicuous article in ‘The Leader’ on FC Cartagena’s pre-season preparations mentioned their upcoming friendlies – Albacete at Pilar Horadada at 7pm on the Saturday, followed by Club Olimpico, at Totana on the following Wednesday at 9pm.

One of these may be an option, I thought, with some well placed grovelling. However, being without internet access, I would first have to trust the info in the free newspaper and second, have to sniff out the grounds with no detailed town maps, satnav, or ability to speak Spanish. The odds were not good.

I assumed Pilar Horadada was FC Cartagena’s home ground, until I saw much further up the coast from Cartagena, a village called Pilar de la Horadada. Assuming this wasn’t a coincidence, I headed with my two boys down to Pilar de la Horadada on Saturday evening. I drove through some picturesque back roads, past orchard after orchard of lemon trees. Not expecting to find the ground or a match on, I told the boys that it’d be a nice night drive instead, through the Spanish bacwaters. P dl Horada looked like a small enough place that if I drove for long enough I’d happen upon the ground.

Amazingly, this is exactly what happened. Exiting the town to the north I was about to concede defeat when I saw the ground in the distance near a roundabout…with people in it..with others milling around outside with those unmistakeable pre-match gaits. I was delighted. I got the right place and the paper was right.

Estadio Ikomar is home of Preferente side UD Horadada. The preferente divisions are step five and very regionalised. FC Cartagena are Segundo B, step two and Albacete Balompie are Segundo 2B, which is step three. The Balompie suffix is very common in Spain and sort of means FC.

Like a lot of Spanish grounds it has a lot of uncovered seating, two sides of which were the huge terraced blocks for sitting on, Roman ampitheatre style. With the weather they have in the area, they can get away with it. On one side was the main stand, a few hundred seater uncovered stand with covered TV gantry at the top.

Had it been a 3pm kick off the 40 degree heat would’ve been unbearable but at 7pm the viewing conditions were perfect, still t-shirt and shorts weather mind you. Beer and soft drinks were available and some kind of nuts were proving very popular among the locals.

Both sides looked classy but failed to provide much entertainment in a goal-less first half, but the second half was action packed, including two exquisite goals. One was Cartagena’s second to make it two nil – some fancy footwork on the dge of the area culminating in a chip over the keeper and in off the bar. At 3-1 down Albacete had the ball just inside the Cartagena half, the forward was about to lose control and as he fell he did a scissor kick to lob the Cartagena keeper from 50 yards – it was a sensational goal.

This was a very good advert for lower league Spanish football – the quality was excellent among a fairly packed stadium.

My boys chopsing behind the goal in the secong half

ATT: 86
Additional: Entrance £3.00, Programme £1.50

Ponciau Park in pictures

Ground Statistics (marks out of ten, maximum 40)
Character 8, Structures/Terracing 5, Hospitality 7, Backdrop/Scenery or aesthetics for larger stadiums 8
Total 28

Rhos Aelwyd were promoted to the Cymru Alliance last season. They are a tiny club that have had a great season and an unexpected fourth place finish. They even beat Rhyl away, recently. I was keen to see the new surprise package of Welsh football, not least to wonder at the contrast between the English and Welsh leagues.

The equivalent placed team in England is Cardiff, or taking into account there being two Welsh second tiers, Burnley. In terms of number of teams alone, Rhos Aelwyd finished joint 20th best team in Wales, equivalent to West Ham. Compare Upton Park, 35,000 seater mega stadium to Ponciau Park, openly accessible to the public, with no floodlights and a tiny stand with wooden benches.  This is no criticism of Rhos, quite the opposite. I think it’s great that a team can rise to such heights in the Welsh league, within touching distance of the top flight, from such a humble base.

The name Rhos is short for the town Rhosllannerchrugog, a large village south of Wrexham. Aelwyd has no direct English equivalent word but reflects the warmth, feelings and memories of home. Rhos Aelwyd have been going since 1943, but football has been played in Rhos continually since 1877 by a bewildering array of clubs and names, starting with Llannerchrugog Hall and their defeat to Wrexham Civil Service (1-0). After that there was Rhos (Olympic+Levers+Comrades+Eagle Wanderers+Early Closes+Rangers+United+Church+Albino+Victoria+Athletic+Chums) [expand the brackets] as well as just Rhos and Rhosllannerchrugog, Ponciau Welfare and Llannerch Colts. They have had more suffixes then there are suffixes in the whole of the English League. Compared to some of them Aelwyd doesn’t seem that strange. I mean - Albino?

Rhosllannerchrugog means Moor of the Heathery Glade and has a population of around 10,000. The ground is in the Ponciau region, hence the name of the ground, Ponciau Park. The ground is not enclosed so the gate fee of three pounds for adults and nothing for children is taken by two people at the top of the park, at both ends, and taken on trust. You can easily slip through a few gaps in the hedge from the adjacent playground; not that you’d be tempted at such reasonable prices.

The ground is part of the larger Ponciau Municipal Park, which seems to be kept very well. The playground was a sight for sore eyes as I had my two boys with me and we had 45 minutes to kill beforehand.

I was a little apprehensive beforehand at the size of the ground I was visiting. Would it be worth the trip to Wales for little more than pitch? It certainly was. Ponciau Park has masses of character for its size. The huge grass bank that slopes down, at a perfect angle, from the playground on top, was strewn with spectactors enjoying the football in the sun. The club were very welcoming and very relaxed about people coming in and out at leisure.

The game was good entertainment with Cefn Druids taking an early lead but Rhos equalising soon after, breaking a personal run of 23 games since seeing both teams score in the first half.

The second half was a close affair but Cefn scored the only goal to take all three points. This was quite a local derby as Cefn play in nearby Rhosymedre, just a few miles south.

Once again, another excellent Welsh ground.

ATT: 80
Additional: Entrance £2.00, Programme £1.00

The Pavillions in pictures

Ground Statistics (marks out of ten, maximum 40)
Character 6, Structures/Terracing 5, Hospitality 6, Backdrop/Scenery or aesthetics for larger stadiums 7
Total 24

This was the second season running I’d seen Wigan Robin Park get hammered in their last away game of the season. It also marked my third successive 5-0 scoreline. What are the odds on that? Runcorn Town were formed in 1968 but are brand new to step six, thanks to some newly installed floodlights and the most peculiar stand I’ve seen in a ground – a kind of Ikea flat-pack stand with the minimum requirement of  50 covered seats delineated by yellow lines. (seven sixes and an eight for maths enthusiasts).

The approach to the Pavillions was very pleasant. The Pavillion itself having a large beer garden frontage where I could enjoy the view of some huge factory overlooking the mersey estuary. Not to everyone’s tastes but I seriously enjoy an industrial backdrop, such as the one on offer.

As you approach Runcorn Town’s ground you actually pass (and I mistakenly took for Runcorn Town’s ground) Runcorn Albion’s ground, who play in the Warrington and District League. The ground had a very small covered stand but no seating.

Runcorn Albion's Pavillion 2 Ground

Runcorn Town have cruised through the NWCL Div One and will be playing in the step five Premier division next yeat. Their set-up, however, feels a little behind their playing ambitions, as I thought it was barely passable for step six. However, it can be forgiven for some excellent industrial backdrops which I think can make for some classic photos as much as a steep Welsh valley can.

ATT: 75,064
Additional: Entrance £34.50, Programme £5.00

Wembley in pictures

Ground Statistics (marks out of ten, maximum 40)
Character 7, Structures/Terracing 7, Hospitality 3, Backdrop/Scenery or aesthetics for larger stadiums 7
Total 24

I was very privileged to be at one of or maybe the best Stoke game in their history. They danced with ease into their first FA Cup final. A stark contrast to one of the first Stoke games I saw at the Britannia, where they lost 8-0 to Liverpool in the League Cup. 13 years and 13 goals’ difference later and they are a very different club indeed. A cup final, a place in Europe and a top ten Premier place contender.

The boring, dirty, long ball team made mincemeat of Bolton with five goals from open play, some of them world class. Pennant’s 50 yard run and through ball to Jones for number three and Walters’ mazy run and sublime finish were outstanding pieces of football. Gary Lineker must have been sobbing somewhere. Mind you, if there had been a MOTD that night it’d still be last up, after a Johnstone’s Paint Trophy Preliminary Round Replay from Sincil Bank.

As it was the BBC were not there. Great Stoke performances are quite common, but as with paranormal experiences, they never seem to be caught on camera – if you ignore ESPN and its three viewers.

They recorded the biggest FA cup semi-final victory for 79 years.  It was a tremendous atmosphere in the Stoke end (unsurprisingly) as delight became disbelief, then turned surreal, as goal after goal went in. It was a team performance of unrivalled magnitude.

The atmosphere was great from early on, when we arrived by coach at around 1.30pm. It was the sheer volume and colour of fans from Bolton and Stoke that made it, though. The fans mixed very good-naturedly beforehand to make it an entertaining and jovial build-up. The fact that neither team were Wembley regulars, and had none of the complacency or Wembley fatigue, certainly helped.

I had forgotten, though, that the area around Wembley was a huge industrial estate, and not a particularly pleasant one at that. It was quite a juxtaposition; the architecturally majestic Wembley arch, set amongst the hideous backdrop of its surroundings.

I came away with a good impression of the New Wembley, but once the euphoria of the match, played within, had died down, I began to question its merits with a slightly more objective air. I love the arch. I love its symbiotic relationship with the roof (they hold each other in place). One cannot survive without the other – the roof isn’t just decorative. It is also an iconic image, standing it out immediately from any other stadia.

Once the hyperbole about the arch has died down, though, I’m struggling to see the value for money in the £1billion spent on it. It doesn’t have any other redeeming feature that marks it out from other grounds, really. Yes, the views are good from all angles, due to the vertigo-inducing elevation of seats, but that it just stadia progression in general, not Wembley specific. There is nothing else that stands out as a class above. For £1billion that is a little disappointing. You spend four times your budget on a house, you want something other than two-up two-down.

Then again, you could argue: how do you stick 90,000 seats in an arena in a different way, or in a more impressive way? I don’t know, but I would expect one of the overpaid architects employed to build it, to have some inkling (other than the genius with the roof-arch idea).

The thing about Wembley that I most disliked was the fleecing of fans for the extras. On a hot day, when you’re deposited in the middle of nowhere, essentially, three hours before kick off, and you see a sign saying ‘Drinks from £3′, it is a real downer. The prices were simply ludicrous. How they even had the gall to advertise ‘Pie and Pint for just £8.40′ I don’t know. It does put a dampener on the day and is unnecessary – just plain greedy and taking advantage of the inhospitable surroundings.

Luckily, I did find a normal shop near Wembley station where I could stock up on water for substantially less than £3.

Wembley was a great experience but the ground shouldn’t have been built in London. Arch withstanding, Wembley wasn’t worth the money spent on it. And because of this overspend, if you go, take a large bag with lots of sustenance, or consider remortgaging the house, because they want to rip you off until it’s paid off.

The day was made by the match and the atmosphere. Credit to Bolton fans for their good nature in defeat. I was touched by a pair of utterly depressed Trotters who wished Stoke good luck in the final on the way back to the coach.

ATT: 24
Additional: Entrance FREE, Programme NONE

Whitcombe Road in pictures

Ground Statistics (marks out of ten, maximum 40)
Character 7, Structures/Terracing 5, Hospitality 4, Backdrop/Scenery or aesthetics for larger stadiums 8
Total 24

Foley FC were formed in 1947 and are named after a now forgotten area of Fenton, one of the six towns of Stoke on Trent, which is in the south east of the city. (Incidentally, it is Fenton that was eschewed by the famous writer Arnold Bennett in his ‘Five Towns’ stories). The name of Foley lives on though in clubs and pub and street names. I used to play for Foley chess club. (Yes, my true sadness is now unravelling).

Foley have had ambitious plans in recent years to upgrade their ground to Step six standards and to have Whitcombe Road adopted by the council. I don’t know for sure what the situation is, but I think that any plans they had have been thwarted at the planning permission stage. A blow for their future plans seems to have affected their efforts on the pitch, as they lost their first 20 games this season, only recently picking up their first points with a win at Manor Inne. They are normally strong contenders, so it is a shame to see them struggling.

Their ground, however, is an absolute gem. It is thus far my favourite in the division, and won’t be topped as I have seen, but not always watched a game, at all of the others. It’s even better than the floodlit Ball Haye Green venue, in my opinion. Expectations aren’t high as you walk along the cratered unadopted Whitcombe Road, but a ground full of character awaits at the end.

I was very disappointed to find out there was no charge. I feel this may be a sign of a club in decline, as most games I’ve been to in the Staffs League charge £2. I would’ve happily volunteered to stand at the entrance and collect £50 for them – it makes a difference to clubs at this level. The clubhouse is a smart new brick building.

A very small stand sits to the right of the clubhouse. A bijou 24 seater.

These are the only stuctures in the ground, but what gives it loads of character are two large banks, behind one end and partway along one side and some great views of the city behind the other goal. Its setting is also very secluded and peaceful; on a warm sunny evening it makes for a great atmosphere.

Tonight’s opponents were Ball Haye Green, top of the table and heading for the title, barring a late surge from Hanley Town. So it was bottom versus top. Half expecting a 0-10, I was surprised at how close the first half was, and was rooting for the underdogs Foley, to spring the surprise score of the season. However, Balle Haye Green took a 1-0 lead into half time and ended up running away 5-0 winners, a slightly harsh scoreline on the hosts.

A Ball Haye Green penalty makes it 4-0

ATT: 257
Additional: Entrance £6.00, Programme £1.50

Park Avenue in pictures

Ground Statistics (marks out of ten, maximum 40)
Character 9, Structures/Terracing 8, Hospitality 7, Backdrop/Scenery or aesthetics for larger stadiums 8
Total 32

My second game of the weekend, this time Aberystwyth itself and the Welsh Premier division. The weather was as good as the day before – August style sunshine. This double header would take a lot of beating. The new style Welsh league was trying something different this year. As well as trimming off a third of the clubs to make 12, they were having a mid-season split, like in  the Scottish Premier.

In February the top six teams split off to finish a mini league of their own, as did the bottom six. The winners of the bottom six section would win a place in Europe. Airbus were currently occupying that spot with Aber in second (eighth in total) and the only team able to catch them. However, the winners of the bottom six would be decided by a play-off between seventh and eight; so today’s game was more of a warm up for that play-off and also to decide who would get home advantage – for the play-off to come back to Park Avenue a win today for the Seasiders was essential.

The ground lies near the centre of the town, not far from the train station and bordering the river Rheidol. For those wondering about their name, there is a river Ystwyth and Aber means mouth.

Aberystwyth Town were founded in 1884. They were one of the founder members of the Welsh Premier in 1992 and are one of three teams to be ever present in its nineteen year history – along with Bangor City and Newtown. Their best finish was in its inaugural year – 1992, they finished third. They have some amusingly big record scorelines – best win 21-1 against the market town of Machynlleth in 1934 and biggest defeat 20-1 against Caersws in 1962.

Their Park Avenue ground is much bigger and developed than I was expecting. It has a capacity of 5,000 with 1,002 seats. The Aber website proudly claims it to be one of the best grounds in the division, which isn’t an idle boast. It recently had 500 extra seats added to comply with UEFA ground criteria, should they qualify. Just as well, as Aberystwyth must be the furthest town in Wales from another UEFA compliant ground – probably Newtown’s Latham Park. (43 miles. Welsh miles mind you).

To go with the big ground,  last year they had the third highest average gate in the Welsh Premier, of 391.

The main stand rising steeply next to the clubhouse is a charming looking 300 seater. Viewed from the other side of the ground, you can see an eye catching verdant backdrop. Behind the goal is where most of the noise comes from, in the Dias stand. Roughly a 400 seater laid out in green seats.

Down the other length were the uncovered extra seats, proving very popular in this unseasonally hot weather. However, the seats made irresistible targets for bored seagulls, so a lot were out of bounds. The seats were in blocks of alternate green and black, mirroring the famous club colours.  Further along was a tall, majestic TV gantry.

Behind the other goal was the only undeveloped part of Park Avenue, a sloping grass bank.

Another wonderful day for football, and I spotted the same three guys who had welcomed me to Penrhyncoch the day before. Despite not being a huge deal to play for, the game was exciting and competitive. Airbus, I thought, shaded the first half very slightly, but a thunderbolt of a goal on the stroke of half time gave Aber the lead. McCarten received the ball about 30 yards out in the centre, hammered a daisy cutter straight down the middle, which veered at the last into the bottom corner, giving the keeper no chance.

The second half was a similar story, but with Airbus having a man sent off for dissent. Again, a fairly even half was decided by another stunning solo effort. The ball was only half cleared from the Airbus defence to Morgan, 25 yards out, who half volleyed another screaming daisy cutter into the corner. Two great goals that Airbus, ultimately, had no answer to.

Super ground, great atmosphere and hospitality for just a few pounds. ‘No inflated ticket prices and no overpaid superstars’, was the tagline for the new ‘Super 12′ Welsh Premier – hear hear.

ATT: 65
Additional: Entrance £3.00, Programme £1.50

Cae Baker in pictures

Ground Statistics (marks out of ten, maximum 40)
Character 8, Structures/Terracing 6, Hospitality 9, Backdrop/Scenery or aesthetics for larger stadiums 9
Total 32

Penrhyncoch or Penrhyn-Coch is a small village North East of Aberystwyth. So small, in fact, that if everybody in the village turned up at Cae Baker for a home game the attendance would be 1,037 minus players, officials etc.

Despite its size it is an established club in the Welsh second tier Cymru Alliance, and they finished 5th in 2009-10, their highest ever placing. They were founded in 1965 and have always played at their picturesque Cae Baker ground.

A family holiday had fortuitously aligned with an Aberystwyth double header. Penrhyncoch on the Saturday, only a small diversion on our way to Penuwch, with Aberystwyth Town on the Sunday (we were going there anyway by an amazing coincidence, so sloping off to Park Avenue was very easy).

It was a impeccable day for football, one only normally experienced in August; it was t-shirt warm, very bright and windless, showcasing Cae Baker’s panoramic views of the Welsh countryside to it’s maximum beauty. If ever there was a game where you could put up with a 0-0 scoreline then this was it. The result only a minor blip on an otherwise superb afternoon.

Penrhycoch were not doing as well as last year in the league, lying between the middle and bottom, whereas Welshpool’s season had been an unmitigated disaster, not helped by a massive points deduction. However, Welshpool’s fighting spirit is to be admired as they surprised the home crowd, with a good performance which should really have got them three points. They had the best chances of the game, which as 0-0s go, wasn’t too bad.

I was welcomed at the ground with charming cordiality, spotted as a hopper immediately by a man at the gate. He and his two friends had a lot to do with the club and village and I got a very interesting potted history of the area and the club. Their company was excellent. Apparently, the players are mostly local despite the size of the place and the general area has the highest disparity between average wages and house prices in the United Kingdom.

The ground is small, as you would expect, but smart and well kept, belying its 46 years. There is one main small stand and smaller covered bit of terrace down the same side. The rest is hard standing round a perimeter fence. Like a lot of Welsh grounds it’s the views that make it. Rolling hills surround the village of Penrhyncoch, making for a very aesthetically pleasing, peaceful venue.

Once again Welsh football provides a classic, not on the pitch so much today, but as a way to spend a couple of hours on a Saturday afternoon, unparalleled and very cheap. A must for all hoppers.

Game One

ATT: 237
Additional: Entrance £3.00, Programme £1.00

Kinsley Playing Fields in pictures

Ground Statistics (marks out of ten, maximum 40)
Character 5, Structures/Terracing 3, Hospitality 5, Backdrop/Scenery or aesthetics for larger stadiums 5
Total 18

This was my first official ‘groundhopping’ event. I’d wanted to experience such an occasion for a while so went for the full package – five games spread over Friday night and Saturday, the official coach between games and a hotel for two nights. It was like ’coming out’, standing up in front of others to announce ‘My name is groundhog and I’m a groundaholic’. It was like holding a mirror up to myself. (Not sure I liked what I saw).

Reservations, of a non booking sort, were that the CML is a minor league that starts at step seven. I normally avoid step seven and below on account of it being too agricultural – I like grounds, not fields. Also, would five games in two days be too much – would it cure me forever of my hobby, along the same principles that ‘flooding’ can cure a phobia?

I hadn’t heard of nine out of the ten teams on offer, the exception being South Normanton Athletic. Two games were in the Supreme Division(step seven) and three in the Premier (step eight). I hadn’t a clue where these places were, except somewhere in the central midlands. First up was Kinsley Boys. Not only had I not heard of Kinsley, I hadn’t heard of the bigger place that was referenced as it being near to (Hemsworth). It was in a sprawl of forgotten villages and football teams suffixed with ‘Miners Welfare’, somewhere between Wakefield and Doncaster.

I set up base in Doncaster in the late afternoon, before driving the 15 odd miles to Kinsley, through Hemsworth, where I had some wonderful Fish and Chips.

The ground is set just off the main road, on the opposite side to Kinsley Greyhound Stadium. Were it not for the dogtrack it would be easy to blink and drive through Kinsley. The promise of a newly opened clubhouse selling real ale was the deal clincher for this mad weekend, but the plaster had barely dried on the new, unpainted walls, where cans of generic beer (the usual John Smiths/Tetley/Fosters/Carling bilgewater) were sold from a trestle table at the back of the empty building. I went for a coffee.

Given the heatwave that we’d have that week I’d been foolish enough to cast a clout before May was out, and was thus massively under-dressed, in a leather jacket with no scarf, gloves or hat, and utterly freezing, as the prevailing wind was now obviously coming from the arctic rather than the med.

The ground had floodlights but was devoid of all stands. Playing Fields was an apt name for the ‘ground’. The game matched my expectations of my previous sojourns to low level non-league; the standard being so bad that chances and goals were seldom on account of the players’ lack of footballing talent. It was a dire game, the only goal coming from a penalty in the second half.

Game Two
Date: Saturday Mar 26 2011 10.15
Ground: Pavillion Way
Comp: Central Midlands League Premier Division
Match: Phoenix FC 0 Kiveton Park 0 HT: 0-0

ATT: 227
Additional: Entrance £3.00, Programme £1.00

Pavillion Way in pictures

Ground Statistics (marks out of ten, maximum 40)
Character 6, Structures/Terracing 4, Hospitality 9, Backdrop/Scenery or aesthetics for larger stadiums 6
Total 25

The day started off at Doncaster Station at 9.00am where all the hoppers, some from hundreds of miles away, boarded the official coach. A furtive crowd shuffled about near the entrance, unmistakeably my group. What is the collective name for groundhoppers? A dishevelledness? Furtivity? Whatever we are, a bewildering collection of facial hair, bad breath and poor mental health entered the coach…but enough about me.

The Central Midlands League is generally regarded as one of the strongest step seven leagues in the country. Until recently the Supreme Division required floodlights for the grounds of all teams; but this rule was relaxed. A few years back several of the top teams in the League made up a new step six league – the East Midlands League – along with teams from the Leicestershire and Northern Counties East leagues.

The first match of the day in Brinsworth, Rotherham was the earliest kick off ever  – 10.15. Surely the players would be nursing hangovers at that time? Phoenix Sports & Social v Kiveton Park.

Real ale was on offer here - though at a time normally reserved for alcoholics. Didn’t stop me and the beer and clubhouse were excellent. The ground was quite a distance from the clubhouse, one small covered stand with corrugated roof, but no floodlights. Despite it’s scant furnishings the ground did have a bit of charm about it; framed on one side by poplars and overlooked by huge power pylons – making for some good  photo opportunities. The game was appalling, though, and the temperature still arctic. Maybe it was just too early for the players. The only talking point the crossbar being hit; but even in the subset of woodwork incidents, it wasn’t a classic.

Game Three
Date: Saturday Mar 26 2011 13.00
Ground: Pavillion Way
Comp: Central Midlands League Premier Division
Match: Thoresby Welfare 1 AFC Hucknall 1 HT: 1-0

ATT: 189
Additional: Entrance £3.00, Programme £1.00

Fourth Avenue in pictures

Ground Statistics (marks out of ten, maximum 40)
Character 3, Structures/Terracing 3, Hospitality 5, Backdrop/Scenery or aesthetics for larger stadiums 4
Total 15

Two games down – one goal scored (from a pen) and we were off to Edwinstowe, near Sherwood Forest for Thoresby Welfare v AFC Hucknall.  Thoresby’s ground was a pitch among a sea of pitches over a vast area. The clubhouse was also a full pitch length away from the ‘ground’. The stand was a strange long brick affair. Another achingly dull affair with a home goal on two minutes and equaliser on 90 bookending a bone-chillingly awful game. Three games, three goals. On the way out I bought a home replica shirt for a £1 to help keep me warm for the following pair of games.

Game Four
Date: Saturday Mar 26 2011 17.00
Ground: Mill Lane
Comp: Central Midlands League Supreme Division
Match: Parkhouse FC 5 Sutton 0 HT: 2-0

ATT: 246
Additional: Entrance £3.00, Programme £1.00

Mill Lane in pictures

Ground Statistics (marks out of ten, maximum 40)
Character 5, Structures/Terracing 4, Hospitality 7, Backdrop/Scenery or aesthetics for larger stadiums 5
Total 21

On to Parkhouse FC, another club playing in the middle of nowhere – near Clay Cross? No. Never heard of that. About ten miles south of Chesterfield. I have to confess to being thoroughly depressed by this stage. The games were dreadful, the grounds not really grounds and the cold was enough to give me empathy for Ivan Denisovic. If it wasn’t for the good company of the bloke I was sat next to I may’ve been tempted to slope off to the nearest station. However, the coach was warm.

Parkhouse FC was another unfloodlit park with small stand, being furiously photographed by the denizens of hoppers/bloggers present. This game was a marked improvement and started off a pleasing arithmetic progression – until now the average goals per game was exactly one, after this game exactly two, after the fifth game, exactly three. Two massive long shots gave Parkhouse a two goal half time lead – both belters. Three more goals in the second half, including an exquisite one-two and smash into top corner, completed a great victory for Parkhouse.

Game Five
Date: Saturday Mar 26 2011 19.45
Ground: Exchem Sports Ground
Comp: Central Midlands League Supreme Division
Match: South Normanton Athletic 6 FC05 Bilsthorpe 1 HT: 2-0

ATT: 223
Additional: Entrance £3.00, Programme £1.00

Exchem Sports Ground in pictures

Ground Statistics (marks out of ten, maximum 40)
Character 9, Structures/Terracing 8, Hospitality 7, Backdrop/Scenery or aesthetics for larger stadiums 8
Total 32

The best was definitely left until last. In all ways. Finally a decent ground with stands and floodlights and everything. The best game too. I no longer felt the cold as I had reached that euphoria/calm that signifies advanced hypothermia just before death… so I could enjoy the game. Also, with there being structures there was shelter from the wind driving up the adjacent M1.

South Normanton is east of Alfreton and the team used to play at a higher level. You could tell – their ground is surely the biggest step eight ground in the country. It would look the part at step three. They were top and FC05 Bilsthorpe were bottom. Their recent meeting had finished 0-7 so there was serious thought of a double figures scoreline tonight. However, the final score was misleading as Bilsthorpe put in a fine performance, making a proper match of it. When they got back to 2-1 in the second half most of the crowd were hoping for a shock comeback. As it was they ran out of legs and SNA ran away with it in the end, but it was a great game nonetheless.

Despite the moaning it was a superbly organised event and good value too. Just wished I’d packed some more clothes. Would I go again? Probably not to grounds at this level, but if hops exist at slightly higher levels, then definitely. Saying that, I have my eye on the August Welsh hop which would undoubtedly involve grounds of an equally small scale, if not smaller! Damn this addiction.

ATT: 100
Additional: Entrance £3.00, Programme £1.00

Halkyn Road in pictures

Ground Statistics (marks out of ten, maximum 40)
Character 6, Structures/Terracing 7, Hospitality 7, Backdrop/Scenery or aesthetics for larger stadiums 5
Total 25

Holywell play in a step three Welsh League – the Welsh Alliance. They are one of the rare clubs at this level with floodlights and stand. There’s only three or four clubs per step three division that have either stand or floodlights – most have neither. This division, along with the Mid Wales League and the Welsh National league feed into the Cymru Alliance, the North Wales second tier league.

ATT: 243
Additional: Entrance £6.00, Programme £1.50

Maes Tegid in pictures

Ground Statistics (marks out of ten, maximum 40)
Character 8, Structures/Terracing 8, Hospitality 7, Backdrop/Scenery or aesthetics for larger stadiums 8
Total 31

Relegation battle in the Welsh Premier. Newtown were below Bala before the game and needed the points desperately. They scored a cracker to take the lead and deserved their win. The fight is four way now with these two, Haverfordwest and Carmarthen Town. Lovely ground and location. 

ATT: 171
Additional: Entrance £3.00, Programme £1.50

Maes-y-Dre in pictures

Ground Statistics (marks out of ten, maximum 40)
Character 8, Structures/Terracing 6, Hospitality 7, Backdrop/Scenery or aesthetics for larger stadiums 8
Total 29

Mills 75:

ATT: 3,765
Additional: Entrance £17.00 (seated), Programme £3.00

Broadfield Stadium in pictures

Ground Statistics (marks out of ten, maximum 40)
Character 7, Structures/Terracing 7, Hospitality 6, Backdrop/Scenery 4
Total 24

A pre-emptive strike to stop me losing another tick on my 92 list next season. A below par display from Crawley nevertheless got them another three points towards their title.

ATT: circa 60 (head count)

Additional: Entrance £2.00 (inc child), Programme NONE

Abbey Lane in pictures

Ground Statistics (marks out of 10 – maximum 40)
Character 6, Structures/Terracing 5, Hospitality 7, Backdrop/Scenery 6
Total 24

Hanley Town are title contenders in the step seven Staffs County Senior League. They are usually up there with the front runners and have ambitions to install floodlights and improve the ground in the near future. Today’s game was only the second time this season they have dropped points.

 : Gibson 9

ATT: 101
Additional: Entrance £7.00, Programme £1.50

Farley Way Stadium in pictures

Ground Statistics (marks out of 10 – maximum 40)
Character 5, Structures/Terracing 5, Hospitality 7, Backdrop/Scenery 6
Total 23

Utilitarian new ground with both stand and terracing looking vaguely like small industrial units. However, very tidy modern set up for those that like sort of thing. Neede away win for Leek although a very poor game.

Shaw 86 : Oates 34, Dennis 70, Egan 78, Fish 90

ATT: 112
Additional: Entrance £7.00, Programme £1.50

Shawe View in pictures

Ground stats: (each category out of 10. Max score 40)

Character 6, Structures & Terracing 6, Hospitality 7, Scenery/Location 7
Total 26

Slightly unfair scoreline. Trafford’s approach play was excellent but their ability in the final third was agonising to watch, even for a neutral – it was as if they were under some kind of curse. Their only goal was courtesy of the goalkeeper whacking it against an oncoming striker’s backside and into the net. Nice enough ground, particularly their grassy knoll.

Rowney 27; Salmon 2

ATT: 156
Additional: Entrance £7.00, Programme £2

Seel Park in pictures

Mossley, or as the locals pronounce it Mozz-Leh, hadn’t been on my radar until very recently (despite it being another sub 40 miler for me that I’d overlooked, along with other Manc area clubs Flixton, Irlam and Trafford). I’d been drawn to it lately because of rave reviews from seasoned groundhoppers and Tom, a Darlington fan who’d been there in the FA Cup.

Hoppers on a non-league forum, some with over 500 grounds under their belts, were hailing it as one of their favourites, so I put it to the front of my to do list and made sure it was a Saturday game, so I could see it in the light. Not that there was much light on this Saturday. I couldn’t have picked a more miserable day to visit. An unrelenting downpour from dawn till dusk was accompanied by an eldritch and all encompassing greyness that consumed the day in its melancholy; the god of weather was morbidly depressed.

Lying on the east of Manchester, my brain naturally put The Smiths on its dukebox

The rain falls hard on a humdrum town, this town has dragged you down.

Relieved that the game was still on I arrived at the very old ground of Seel Park, that Mossley have occupied for almost 100 years, since 1911. The club itself is slightly older than that, formed in 1903 as Park Villa.

As you come in you enter upon a nice large bank of terracing in which an old stand nestles, as if the terracing came after.

The snack bar resides on this side too, with the usual fare and prices on offer. Talking of prices, £7 entrance and £2 programme seem to be de rigueur for the Evostik second tier leagues. You get the odd £1.50 programme (and at Leek just £1.20) but generally the prices are the same.

There is a covered terrace to the right of this side from which you get nice views of the valley beyond the town centre.

The othe long side just houses a small covered terrace.

The game started with such promise; if only the last eighty nine minutes could have matched the pace and excitement of the first. As it was, the vast majority of the game mirrored the weather in every aspect. Warrington belted out of the blocks, with some excellent approach play and passing which resulted in an inswinging cross which was met two yards out by Salmon who volleyed confidently into the net in a minute. (I saw Salmon last year and was very impressed by him then). Warrington’s light shone bright but fizzled out before even 90 seconds had elapsed. That was it for them.

After that it was a miserable game played mostly in the middle of the pitch, with little to detract from the incessant downpour. Mossley’s equaliser deservedly stopped either side from getting more than a point. A one star match and a four star ground.

Jones 54 Morley 79: Rogers 53

ATT: 716
Additional: Entrance £7.00, Programme £2

Farrar Road in pictures

Bangor City or Clwb Pêl-droed Dinas Bangor are an old club with a fascinating history. Dating way back to 1876 they have played extensively in both English and Welsh leagues and have played in European competition on a number of occasions too, playing in the inaugural UEFA Cup. They won the Welsh Cup in 1961/2, qualifying them for the European Cup Winners cup where they beat Napoli 2-0 at home, drawing 3-3 on aggregate, eventually going out to them after a replay at Highbury.

Their early history saw them competing in various Welsh Leagues before entering the English Northern Premier League in 1968; then playing in what is now the Conference, in 1979. They were one of the teams considered to replace Southport in the proper football league, in 1978, but Wigan were chosen on account of better ground facilities.

In 1992 they elected to return to Welsh football and the newly founded League of Wales, which they have won twice. They look set to win it again this year. At the time I went they had only just lost their first points of the season, making their WDL record 15 1 0. I had a funny feeling Prestatyn might just provide their first defeat that night. Prestatyn Town have only played in this division for three seasons after winning the Cymru Alliance in 2007-08.

Farrar Road is a ground full of interesting features; having sat there since 1919 it is approaching its centenary and it sure has the wrinkles to prove it – wrinkles that give it character and wisdom though. I also thought it had a slightly eastern European feel to it, with the large BCFC-CPDB letters and badge daubed onto the back wall of the terrace and the tall town houses rubbing up against the side terrace. The graffiti-esque mural was a nice touch and with Bangor Cathedral in the background would make an excellent photo in the daytime (see pic at beginning).

Two stands occupy one side seating around 700.

Seating areas

Behind the other goal was a covered terrace, which in the second half housed the dozen or so Prestatyn fans.

Away contingent in the big covered terrace

The other side was an uncovered terrace.

Side Terrace

The match was very entertaining and once again a great advert for Welsh football generally. It seemed to be playing out as predicted by my earlier hunch. Bangor missed a load of opportunities early on; added to that some excellent goalkeeping from Prestatyn and a large slice of bad luck, and the score remained 0-0. The visitors seemed to grow in confidence the longer the game wore on, sensing like myself, that it just wouldn’t be Bangor’s night. They too had first half opportunities that they should really have done better from.

Very shortly into the second half Prestatyn scored, capitalising fully on Bangor’s wasted chances – the script was written for an upset as the Town fans went wild behind the goal. I caught the goal on video by the way – here. So much for hunches, predictions, augurs and my script. Before you could say the words prognostication and adumbration Bangor had equalised with a fierce drive by Jones low to the keeper’s right from 15 yards. Not content with another draw Bangor then picked up all three points courtesy of a penalty put away by Morley 11 minutes from time.

Prestatyn will have felt hard done by and will have rued missed early chances, but it was a great game of football for the neutral in a great atmospheric venue, with a big crowd by Welsh standards.

(Prestatyn did get their revenge with a 4-2 win at Bastion Gardens a week or so later.)

ATT: circa 40
Additional: Entrance £2.00, Programme NONE

Treflan in pictures

Llansanffraid Village FC were founded in 2007, after the old tenants of Treflan (or The Recreation Ground) moved just over the border in England to Park Hall in Oswestry. This is of course TNS or The New Saints of Llansanffraid and Oswestry, to give them their full title. They moved to their new premises, equipped with 3G pitch, because of a tightening of ground regulations in the FAW. So with the tiny village of Llansanffraid-ym-Mechain sporting a perfectly good, newly vacated football ground, some of the old committee members and some volunteers founded a new club for the village and started at the bottom of the Welsh Pyramid.

This was the Montgomeryshire Division Two, step five of Welsh football. They won promotion in their first season, losing just once. In their second season, in the Montgomeryshire First Division they were champions again, with no defeats all season. This, their third season, sees them at step three in the Spar Mid Wales League, currently lying in third place behind Berriew and Llanrhaeadr.

There has been a football team in the village since the end of the nineteenth century, when Llansantffraid White Stars formed. Then Llansantffraid Football Club formed in 1959, and had massive success in the nineties, forging their way through the pyramid, to the League of Wales in 1993. They won the Welsh Cup in 1995 and 1996, becoming the smallest side to do so ,as well as the first side from mid-wales to do so in the twentieth century. They were taken over by Total Network Solutions in 1997 and went on to win their first League of Wales Championship in 2000.

TNS, with new words representing the initials, are quite well known now and regular contenders for both league and cup, and this season celebrated their first aggregate european cup victory over Bohemian of Dublin. Is it great, though, that the village of Llansanffraid keeps up the use of the Treflan ground and keeps football in that part of Wales.

The spelling of the village varies and is currently in transition from Llansantffraid to Llansanffraid. The extra t was an anglicised Victorian addition and is now being eradicated, but signs still abound in both forms. Since 1254 there has been a staggering 17 different spellings of the village. The name means the Church of St Bridget in the cantref of Mechain.

I had planned to visit Treflan in 2006, but the match was postponed due to a waterlogged pitch. So I was delighted to see that the ground is still in active use and I had a chance to see it. It is right in the centre of the village, which is pretty much just a high street with newsagent and chip shop. The ground sits behind the community centre. Entrance was just £2 but I was a tad disappointed to find out there were no programmes.

For the Spar Mid Wales League Treflan is like a Maracana Stadium, as most clubs’ grounds in this league will be little more than a pitch with perimeter bar and no floodlights. Only Berriew, Presteigne St Andrews and Llanidloes Town have floodlights in this league, with Llandrindod Wells sporting some in division two. You can always tell the grounds with floodlights in the Welsh Leagues by looking at the kick off times in winter – those with floodlights are 2.30 and those without 2.00.

Big Stand behind goal

 There are two stands, the biggest sitting behind the goal, nine rows up and about 45 across giving a capacity of around 400. The other is a much smaller side stand sitting snugly against the elevated bank. This is about a 150 seater.

Smaller stand

A path runs behind this stand from ground level at one side, to quite a steep elevation at the other end where it snakes behind the big stand. This path, at its height, gives great views if you want to stand. It was where the picture of the main stand was taken. Walking round the ground I got the feeling that the current owners were struggling to keep the ground in pristine condition - it seemed like a little neglect had seeped in in places, since the Welsh giants TNS had left. Hardly surprising if true – with an attendance of circa 40 paying £2 each; that’s not going to stretch to the cost of the floodlights shining down on the last half hour. As ever at this level of football, I am amazed at how financially resilient clubs are.

The visitors Tywyn & Bryncrug hail from the West Coast, south of Barmouth. One of the linesmen seemed to be their manager or coach. He was wearing the away team shorts and quite flagrantly shouting instructions to them while running up and down the line checking for fouls and offside; all the while running on the pitch rather than behind the line. As in the picture he spent most of the half on the pitch, something most refs would not tolerate. He was replaced at half time, presumably for the first choice linesman.

Tywyn & Bryncrug's own linesman

The game was less one-sided than I expected in the first half. Half expecting a good drubbing, I was surprised to see Tywyn & Bryncrug give as good as they got; and their efforts were rewarded by a glancing header from a free-kick just before half-time; 0-1.

In the second half Llansanffraid stepped up a gear and were very good value for their three goal advantage – they were a few sitters off a bigger scoreline. Some of the football was of a really good standard and both sides tried to play attractive stuff on a difficult pitch. A full function room was available with a bar – there were no coffee or teas available but this was just because of a staff shortage. Well worth the trip for an unusually large Welsh step three ground.

ATT: circa 40
Additional: Entrance £2.00, Programme NONE

Birches Head Road in pictures

Abbey Hulton United is my nearest ground, and despite it not fitting in with my loosely laid down ‘rules’ of only visiting grounds with a stand and floodlights, I couldn’t resist popping along. It was my first ever English game at a venue without lights or stand. Maybe this signifies a worsening of my ground addiction – is this the scag cut with chalk and talcum powder?

I had driven past the ground on numerous occasions, but it was only recently that I’d thought about watching a game there – I did wonder about things like entrance price, programmes and refreshments at this level. So it was one Saturday when events conspired to give me a few spare hours in the afternoon that I dipped my head below the step six threshold of my own devising and popped it out at Birches Head Road. I could have cycled there, with the ground situated next to the Cauldon Canal which I can access at the bottom of the hill from my house. To make life easier I drove the short distance and parked in their ample car park.

A sandwich board on the path in announced the gate price of £2, answering one of my questions. I think that is the going rate for the Staffs County Senior League. One of the green huts next to the entrance was a bar of sorts, selling drinks and taking one’s entrance money. The other was the changing rooms. The refreshment bar, selling snacks and drinks, was a surprise – I had prepared a flask of coffee.

I don’t know a lot about the hosts, except that they were founded in 1947 – the same year as the visitors, Foley FC, also from Stoke-on-Trent. This was a Staffs County Senior League tie, a step seven league that feeds in to the North West Counties League, should a ground make the grade. In the league at present Hanley Town, Ball Haye Green and Foley have ideas to progress upwards in the near future.

The ground is framed on one side by the canal and on the other by Redhills Road, a tree lined country road that is an excellent shortcut to avoid Milton traffic lights in rush hour. The ground banks nicely at the canal side giving good views at the top. There are no stands, just the perimeter bar, but standing on the bank gave me a nice angle for a panorama shot.

Birches Head Road

Abbey Hulton were lying in about fifth before the game. I didn’t realise at the time but Foley had lost all their 14 league games. I’m guessing there may be problems at a club that is normally a good contender. They didn’t look 0 0 14 bad in the game and only narrowly lost in the end, grabbing a penalty back shortly into the secon half.

The Foley penalty to make it 2-1

Some of the finishing was woeful, but it’s difficult to judge how good a step seven league this is with virtually no frame of reference. Both teams had their moments of skill but the football was oft-times fairly dire. For £2 however, it was good value for money and a reasonable crowd of 40ish as compared to step six crowds.

Preparing a free kick

ATT: 185
Additional: Entrance £5.00, Programme £1.50, Coffee/Tea £1.00
The Rock in pictures

This is Cefn Druids’ first season at their new home – The Rock. When you go there you can see why it is thus called. The ground sits in the shadow of an imposing cliff face, a sight that I’m sure would be best seen in daylight, rather than floodlight. It’s grandeur was not lost on me despite the lack of light, but my pictures did not capture it well or do it justice – save this one for a Saturday afternoon.

This is also the first season in a while that the Druids are not under some sponsor, giving their name a slightly ludicrous and temporary feel – no longer Flexsys Cefn Druids, nor NEWI nor Elements, but simply Cefn Druids – much better. A better epithet to bestow on the oldest club on Wales.

 Their history, as well as being very long, is very eventful with many a merger along the way. Football in this part of the world, south of Wrexham, has been smouldering away nicely. The origins of the club go right back to 1869 as Plasmadoc Football Club. In 1872 they became Druids when various colliery and quarry teams in the hills around Ruabon and Cefn Mawr were brought together under one name. They were the first Welsh club to play in the FA Cup (1876) and played in the first Welsh Cup tie in 1877 at Newtown. They got to the quarter finals of the English FA Cup in 1882/3, beating Bolton Wanderers along the way, but losing to eventual winners Blackburn Olympic.

They were the first club to win the Welsh Cup three times in a row 1880-82. They even joined the Birmingham & District League at one point alongside the midland giants of Wolves, WBA and Birmingham.

In 1920 they left their ground at Wynnstay Park to merge with Rhosymedre and became Rhosymedre Druids, playing at Church Field.  In 1923 they merged with Acrefair United and became Druids United, moving grounds again in 1930 to Acrefair. In the late 50s they built a new ground in Cefn Mawr, Plaskynaston Lane, their charming home that served them until last season. I was fortunate enough to visit there a couple of years back when they thrashed Connah’s Quay 6-0. Druids’ fortunes waned in the 1980s when they were acting as poor relations to Cefn Albion (est 1967), the other team in the area, who were enjoying great success. The two teams merged in 1992, to become the team they are today – the Welsh equivalent of Dagenham & Redbridge.

They lost their Premier status last season in the big cull of clubs, reducing the top division down to 12. However, they are looking good for a return to the top flight this season in a very tidy stadium.

Entrance to The Rock

The ground is in Rhosymedre, nearby to Cefn Mawr. It is a tiny village and the ground is off the main High Street, up Church Road to Rock Road. It is a very impressive entrance, to go with the great and alluring name of ‘The Rock’. How can one resist a ground name like that?

Inside is a 500 seater stand with hard standing round the edge. It has that prisitine new ground feel to it and is a fine venue for the Cymru Alliance and indeed the Welsh Premier.

Main Stand

They had thrashed previous top-of-the-table team Connah’s Quay 5-1 at The Rock, two weeks back, before losing to Flint Town United 1-0, which I saw last week. Visitors Ruthin Town fought hard in the first half and were on level terms deservedly, but two goals in two minutes gave Cefn the points in a deserved victory. I think only Rhyl and Connah’s Quay will provide a challenger for top spot this season. I was pleased to see that they preserved something from Plaskynaston Lane – the proper mugs that they served coffee in – a bizarre array of differing mugs, including eighties nostalgia (at the Lane I got ‘Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles’.) I forget what I got tonight but it was still in a mug. Great venue with the best backdrop I’ve seen to date. Hopefully they’ll be in the top flight next year.

It has just 16 teams this season, two less than last year. The winners, Stretton Eagles, by far the most easterly team, from Burton-on-Trent, have switched divisions to the Midland Combination Division One, also step seven. Holt JCB were relegated in their first season, though Eccleshall are still in the top flight despite finishing below them. Barlaston FC either went bust or now play in the Uttoxeter and District League. Confirmation needed on that one. Stone Dominoes were promoted in second place behind Barton United. I don’t know why Barton Utd stayed in Division One.

Table 2009-2010

Of the 16 teams in the top division five are basically reserve teams, though the title ‘reserves’ is never present in their title. These are Newcastle, Kidsgrove,  Stone Dominoes, Eccleshall and Norton. Their first teams are in the Unibond Division One South (Newcastle, Kidsgrove), the North West Counties Premier (Stone Dominoes) and First Division (Eccleshall and Norton). As such they play at their first teams’ floodlit venues, except Stone Dominoes who, while playing at the same Yarnfields complex, play at one of the satellite pitches, without floodlights.

Yarnfields - Stone Dominoes Reserves' pitch

Pictures and details of the other four grounds can be found in the A-Z list of non-league teams on the home page.

Two other teams, Sandbach United and Congleton Vale, also share the ground of a team higher up in the pyramid. Sandbach play at the Barton Stadium (Winsford United) and Vale play at Congleton Town’s Booth Street.

Barton Stadium - Sandbach United

Sandbach United were formed in 2004 as an amalgamation of Sandbach Albion and Sandbach Ramblers. They are currently working on a brand new floodlit facility in the town.

I don’t know too much about Congleton Vale. I believe they were formerly called Vale Juniors.

Booth Street - Congleton Vale's ground

Of the remaining nine clubs with their own grounds, six are in Stoke-on-Trent, two in Newcastle-under-Lyme and one in Leek. Hanley Town were founded in 1966 and have a very strong club, finishing well most seasons, having won it in 2005-06 and runners up in 2006-07. They are doing well again this year and are strong title contenders. They also have ambitions to upgrade their Abbey Lane ground to step six status. Their ground lies in Abbey Hulton, just north of Hanley and not far from Abbey Hulton Utd.

Abbey Lane - home of Hanley Town FC

Abbey Hulton United, founded in 1947, play at Birches Head Road. This is just off the main Leek Road, in Abbey Hulton. Facilities here include a bar, but the ground is just a perimeter bar. However, a slope on one side can give you a good view from the top.

Abbey Hulton United Birches Head Road

At the northern end of the city is Goldenhill Wanderers. Goldenhill is just north of the northern most of the six towns, Tunstall. It is between Tunstall and Kidsgrove. However, they play their matches at Sandyford Cricket Club, a bit further south. They are the second oldest club in the league, dating way back to 1887.

Sandyford Cricket Club - Goldenhill Wanderers

Shooting right down the other end of Stoke you have two teams who are based around Longton, the furthest south of the six towns. Foley FC, named after a now forgotten area of Fenton, were founded in 1947. They play in Whitcombe Road, just off the A520. Like Hanley Town, they are very ambitious and hoped to improve their ground and have Whitcombe Road adopted. I think planning permission was denied recently , so their plans are on hold for now. They won the league in 2008-09. However, they have lost all 14 of their games so far this season. Florence Colliery FC, play off Lightwood Road, not far away from Foley. They have good facilities there and both teams’ grounds do boast small stands.

Entrance to Whitcombe Road - Foley FC

Florence Sports & Social Centre - Florence Colliery FC

Manor Inne FC, play their home games near Hanchurch, in the middle of the sticks, off Whisper Lane. It probably isn’t classed as Stoke-on-Trent technically. It is about a mile away from junction 15 of the M6. They play at a complex known as Shamblers FC or the North Stafford Sports Club. This is their second season since promotion from division one.

North Stafford Sports Club - Manor Inne FC

Snow covered pitch of Manor Inne

Redgate Clayton are not too far away at the bottom end of Newcastle-under-Lyme, also near junition 15. They were founded in 1969 and play at Clayton Community Centre. Like Manor Inne there are no stands, just a pitch, basically, with clubhouse.

Redgate Clayton FC Clayton Community Centre

Right at the north end of Newcastle are Wolstanton United, strong performers in the league for the past few seasons and going well again this year. Founded in 1946 they won the league title twice running in 2006-07 and 2007-08. Wolstanton United actually play in Bradwell, just a bit north of Wolstanton at the Bradwell Community Centre.

Wolstanton Utd Bradwell Community Centre

Last up is Ball Haye Green, from Leek, who are the only club in the division, except those sharing grounds, with floodlights. They are also the oldest at 1880!  Their Ball Haye Green WMC ground is a good set up with clubhouse and snack bar. They also regularly issue programmes. There is a covered stand there, but the last time I went, the seating seemed to comprise of benches rather than seats. It can’t be too far from being step six standard though and it’d be good to see them step up in the near future.

Ball Haye Green FC BHG WMC

If anyone can fill in the missing information it’d be appreciated – please email me or comment. As for the other two divisions I know very little about the clubs or where they play. With one notable exception – Northwood Town from division One  play at Northwood Stadium, an impressive athletics ground with floodlights and 750 seater stand – home to Stoke Athletics club. Over the years the ground has been used by a number of other clubs without their own grounds, such as Fegg Hayes and Hanford. 

Northwood Stadium - home of Northwood Town (Div One)

If anyone can give me details of the other clubs in the lower divisions I would be grateful.