Sunday 8th October 20243 ko 11:00

Southern Counties East Premier Division

LYDD TOWN 2 (Dickens 17 Webster 42)

SNODLAND TOWN 0

Att 295

Entry £7

Programme £2

If there was a silver lining to the hotel in Chatham making such a pigs ear of the GroundhopUK SCEFL Hop booking for we saw it on Sunday morning. Being in Folkestone instead meant we were closer to Lydd than we’d planned, and the upshot was more sleep. Even coach driver Shirley looked notably relaxed as she made a bacon sandwich in lieu of breakfast.

Being closer to Lydd was no bad thing, as it lies on the edge of Romney Marshes, heading out towards Dungeness Power Station, a southern outpost of the SCEFL. We passed by Lydd International Airport, which these days sounds like an anachronism but once upon a time was a major gateway to France. My Dad actually flew from Lydd to le Touquet in the late 1950’s, and yes I’d love to follow in his footsteps!

Technically you are also in the UK’s only desert, and the football club did admit getting the pitch to grow is no easy task. I however, had other reasons to have a gigantic soft spot for Lydd Town.

It was because when a few years ago Andy Short first proposed the idea of a Southern Counties East Hop to both ourselves and the league, Lydd originally turned down the idea because they thought no one would want to come and visit, as they are so isolated. Of course that’s precisely why we, and I really wanted to feature them!

And once they’d been convinced that yes, we did want to visit, they became superb hosts. Here’s an acid test for you. I don’t drink on duty so the fact that we walked out with two beer gift boxes gives you a steer on just how well they did. Please though, don’t think this was solely about revenue for me this was about taking a back seat and watching a lovely club charm 200-or-so visitors. Quite honestly it was a pleasure just to be in their company for an hour.

Our thanks to Snodland Town too, if getting here takes time for the hoppers, then that’s also the case for the visitors too. The plan is to visit them, and all the visiting clubs in their own grounds, as soon as we can. Looking at the league I reckon we’ve got around 2 years left of this hop so there’s no lack of opportunity for them and others.

The game was well worth the effort many made to be there, with the two goal win margin perhaps a little harsh on Snodland but the day really did belong to friendly welcoming Lydd. I so glad they agreed to host us. Thanks so much to them.