Saturday 22nd March 2025 ko 12:00

Essex Senior League

BENFLEET 4 (Purdy 28 Saunders 34 Shave 37 Hartman 89)

FC CLACTON 2 (Miller 4 Bright 40)

Att 702

Non-League Day “Passport” £30

Entry £7

Programme sold out

Event brochure £1

After two organised hops in March on one level the last thing I wanted was another. But then there’s always something to learn from other folks’ events, and I was the only part of the GroundhopUK team available! There was also more to it than just a set of staggered kick-offs too, with it being the league’s “Non League Day” attraction, and a fundraiser for the “Prostate Cancer UK” charity too. But what really interested me was the advance ticketing…

Just about every serious groundhopping event uses an advance ticket to give the host clubs a steer on the likely crowd. Here there was a twist, the ticket was a passport to any Essex Senior League fixture on the Friday or Saturday. There was just the one price- £30 with the added bonus of,

“Your passport will also come with free goodies, including matchday programmes, drinks, food, and exclusive pin badges – clubs will share their free items in due course.”

I was always going to buy in advance, I could hardly expect others to do so on my events if I didn’t and there’s also the element of liking to support an event if I can. But I did find what the ticket gave the league and host clubs interesting. A normal groundhop has a fixed schedule of games, with the ticket covering all or part of that line-up. But with no fixed club on either Friday night or Saturday afternoon there was more to ponder.

On the Friday the passport could be used at either Woodford Town or West Essex who groundshare at Wadham Lodge. On Saturday there was an early game at Benfleet, a late one at Takeley and no end of fixtures around 3pm.

I’d argue that on the Friday the hoppers would be more attracted to Woodford as they’re in their own ground, and the Benfleet and Takeley games as there was little or no other fixtures at those times. But it would give little or no steer for any other games, and for the purchaser you did need to have attended on both days to make the passport pay. It is worth noting that over the three games I saw no “free items” as a passport holder. It didn’t matter to me although the habits of the last 25 years mean having my programmes waiting for me would have been appreciated. The credit card-style pass was superb, and I’d love to know how they were produced and a what cost?

I love to see, (and borrow from) good practice, and another great idea was having the Premier League trophy on display both at Benfleet and Takeley. It was clear that having it there, but not to touch (!) attracted a lot of children, but that meant paying parents came along too. Add on the inevitable sweets, drinks, burgers and so on… you can see why I was and am impressed.

Impressed was the operative word at Benfleet. Other than the huge crowd, the remarkable bit was how they’ve managed to build a Step 5 compliant ground here after years groundsharing at Canvey Island. I visited back in 2021 and sympathised, other visitors didn’t so it was lovely to see a home league game here with the added bonus of the pitch having moved adjacent to the clubhouse too!

We got a good game too, with the hosts coming from behind to deservedly win. But as the hoards dashed away at the end to destinations random, I smiled at how the crowd was roughly 680 more than on my last visit! I left for Little Oakley with food for thought, it had been a remarkable couple of hours.