Sunday 22nd October 2023 ko 10:30

Upper Thames Valley Sunday League

STADHAMPTON 0

J Davies sent off 86 (2nd booking)

FC CHILTON 3 (Barrett 13 Hickman 27 Jacks 71p)

Att 27

Free Entry

I don’t think too many hoppers would put up a Swedish groundhopper in their house for the weekend and immediately think, “I know, let’s go and watch Stadhampton FC!”

Swedish Hop organiser Joachim “Kim” Hedwall was over from Stockholm for the weekend, and like me when in his country we see it as the host’s responsibility to find a game that isn’t too obvious. The idea is if the visitor can find it from home, then it’s probably not obscure enough! I’ll leave it to you to decide whether the Upper Thames Valley League is obvious!

Stadhampton lies around 7 miles south-east of Oxford in prime commuter belt, so yes, the houses are eye-wateringly expensive here. It’s also a place for the foodie, the Le Manoir aux Quat’ Saisons in nearby Great Milton has 2 Michelin stars and in Stadhampton itself the Crazy Bear has turned the idea of a Gastro Pub upside-down- particularly its decor!

Stadhampton FC are the classic Sunday League club playing on the village green. There is no Saturday side, and if you’re thinking of coming here on public transport- don’t; there are no buses that stop here on a Sunday. But the great joy of photographing here is the unusual angles you’ll find here, get the road sign in, then that gorgeous Perpendicular Gothic church tower. You’ll never find anything like that at Tottenham Hotspur!

The game pitched Stadhampton against Chilton, a side I watched finish league runners-up a couple of seasons ago, and at a completely unexpected new tick in Harwell too! They looked a good team here and were worthy winners here, even if crediting the second goal to Joe Hickman was being rather charitable on Stadhampton- it looked like an own goal to Kim and I!

I’d watched Jamie Jacks win the North Berkshire Cup a couple of years ago; he scored the third from the penalty spot, but it was left to Stadhampton keeper Jamie Davies to pick up a second yellow card to cap his team’s misery. It was everything you’d expect from Sunday, the wide range of players’ skills, the flying challenges, two players called Jamie Davies and the morning’s exercise burning away Saturday night’s booze. I know some groundhoppers don’t like Sunday League, but I do find a dip into it is good for your footballing soul.