Wednesday 2nd November 2016 ko 19.30

Notts Senior League Premier Division

BILBOROUGH TOWN 2 (Webster 6 Narif 40)

REAL UNITED 1 (Blair 22)

Att 71

Entry £2

Programme SOLD OUT

Coffee £1

With Rob Hornby now retired from the rigmarole of organising groundhops in general, and specifically the Notts Senior’s event, it’s up to the hopper to keep the set of NSL grounds up to date. Arguably Bilborough Town’s new home, at the Harvey Hadden athletics stadium is the most interesting of this season’s new crop.

The bit you have to think about though is exactly which Bilborough you’re visiting. It isn’t the Bilborough we visited on Rob’s hop, that was Bilborough United who play at Basil Russell Park in Nuthall. Nor is it the former Bilborough Pelican who played at the Brian Wakefield Ground at the end of Lenton Lane, in Nottingham. No, this Bilborough were formed in 2007 and last season were one of a few sides to play at one of the pitches at Basford United’s Greenwich Avenue ground.

It’s clear why they’ve moved here, for one the stadium is actually in Bilborough, and at at a stroke they’re got a home that will allow progression up to the East Midlands Counties League. They’re top of the table, so the move looks a shrewd one.

But sitting here typing I can here the clarion calls, “But it’s an athletics stadium” and they’d cite the likes of Palmer Park former home to Highmoor Ibis, where a running track and velodrome made viewing a football match a far-removed proposition.

Now there’s the remains of a cycling track here, and I’d pay good money to see a cycle race here now, but so long as you don’t plonk yourself down behind the goal the view is reasonable. But what this place has is atmosphere, although it did help that I was there for a floodlit game, during autumn with a firework display in the background!

Town won the game, and deservedly so, they had the look of promotion fodder, but I suspect there’s thoughts of a championship in the home changing room. They’ve certainly now got a home commensurate with their ambitions.