Author Archives: laurencereade

Randomness

29 Wednesday Oct 2025

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Saturday 16th August 2025 ko 13:45

North East Wales Senior Challenge Cup 2nd Round

CPD YR WYDDGRUG 2 (Summer 25 North 33)

RHYDYMWYN FC 3 (Whelan 59p 80 Farron 83)

Att 20 at Gwernymynydd Village Centre

Free Entry

One of the great joys of a day out with Chris Garner is that he shares my liking for making the game as random as possible. Where doesn’t matter too much, or at what level, in fact if it’s in a league we don’t know- all the better. Here though the idea was straightforward- we picked the most unpronounceable game (to English ears!) we could find!

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Minford

16 Thursday Oct 2025

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Tuesday 5th August 2025 ko 18:30

Ardal North West

MYNYDD ISA 3 (Mendonza 35 Beck 64 Lambert 64)

ST ASAPH CITY 0

D Hayes sent off 69 (2nd booking)

Att 90

Entry £3

Programme- online

I found myself in North Wales for work but as ever it really wasn’t any trial me being there- assuming we forget about the 5 hour drive! As ever I scanned the fixtures to find something on my way home afterwards and spotted a club I’d wanted to visit for a while- 20 years to be exact!

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Moseley Shoals

16 Thursday Oct 2025

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Saturday 2nd August 2025 ko 15:00

Midland League Division Two

CADBURY ATHLETIC 2 (Malley 55p Mudie 66)

BOLDMERE SPORTS & SOCIAL FALCONS 2 (Wilson 8 Maddocks 75og)

Att 260 at Birmingham Moseley RUFC

Free Entry

Programme £2

It doesn’t take too much empathy to understand Cadbury Athletic’s problem. Their home is the utterly sublime Cadbury Recreation Ground in Bournville, a ground that every self-respecting football ground enthusiast ought to visit, but one they’ll never be able to improve so they could play Pyramid Football there. So every time they’ve been able to progress they’re had to groundshare.

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Past Present & Future

10 Friday Oct 2025

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Sunday 27th July 2025 ko 15:00

Northern Counties East League Division One

LOUTH TOWN 3 (Lidgard 32 Pennell 59 Jacklin 76)

APPLEBY FRODINGHAM 2 (J Chapman 61 Fraiwald 75p)

Att 381

Entry £5

Programme £2

Teamsheet 50p

A lot changed between Skegness and Louth, and I’m all too aware that Louth Town play in Saltfordby, around 7 miles from Louth! The crucial change was the league we were watching, with us close to complete for the United Counties League (of those clubs who want to host) we’ll be switching the opening weekend event next year to the Northern Counties East.

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Viva Skeg Vegas

09 Thursday Oct 2025

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Sunday 27th July 2025 ko 12:00

United Counties League Premier North

SKEGNESS TOWN 3 (Dakin 36 46 Horne 69)

NEWARK TOWN 5 (Kolodynski 6 66 Braithwaite 14 Perkis 40 Czernak 52p)

McGregor sent off 66 (2nd booking)

Att 435

Entry £7

Programme £2

It did feel that we were heading to the league’s northern outposts. I remember being slightly miffed that I’d missed out on missing Skegness’s former ground Burgh Road. The club moved to Wainfleet Road in 2017 and the reason I’d missed out was simple, time and distance. If ever there was a reason for an organised groundhop this was it.

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With A Little Help…

06 Monday Oct 2025

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Saturday 27th July 2025 ko 19:00

United Counties League Premier Division South

DAVENTRY TOWN 6 (Colbourne 28 47 Burrows 33 60 Jackson 40 Mitchell- Gears 83)

HINCKLEY AFC 0

Att 465

Entry £8

Programme £3

The UCL Hop’s final game of the Saturday saw us visit Elderstubbs, and I felt slightly conflicted. Most groundhoppers have clubs they look out for, they’re not fans, but have a soft spot for. One of mine is Daventry Town; I saw quite a bit of them during my days living in Banbury.

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The Big Cheese

02 Thursday Oct 2025

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Saturday 26th July 2025 ko 14:45

United Counties League Division One

FCV GRACE DIEU 3 (Olajide-Oriowu 67 Halliday 75 Farouk 88)

Hallaci penalty saved 48

SHIREBROOK TOWN 0

Att 286

Entry £5

Programme £2

So there I was sat on the GroundhopUK coach with little idea where we were! I knew we were going to be watching Grace Dieu but it was only when we reached Thringstone that the penny droppped.

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Calling Elvis

28 Sunday Sep 2025

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Saturday 29th July 2025 ko 11:30

United Counties League Premier Division North

GRESLEY ROVERS 1 (Moore 57)

SHERWOOD COLLIERY 5 (Westcarr 13p 27p 41 60 Pearce 89)

Att 597 at the Moat Ground

Entry £8

Programme £2.50

Teamsheet 50p

I didn’t want to check Futbology, I knew it had been the best part of twenty years since I’d visited the Moat Ground. I’d actually visited after I’d given then Oxford United defender Scott Guyett a lift after he’d missed the team coach.

He also played for Gresley Rovers who are based in Church Gresley, near Swadlincote He pointed out that when Gresley won the Southern League in 1998 they were turned down for the Conference due to ground grading and were forbidden from using the Baseball Ground even through Derby County had moved out. The club that were promoted due to Gresley’s misfortune? Cheltenham Town.

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A Case Of Step 5

26 Friday Sep 2025

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Friday 25th July 2025 ko 19:45

United Counties League Premier Division South

COVENTRY UNITED 0

AYLESTONE PARK 1 (Samuels 70)

Att 490 at Butts Park Arena (Coventry RUFC)

Entry £7

Programme £2

I grabbed a seat at Butts Park Arena with plenty to think about. GroundhopUK have run events in the UCL for over 10 years, helped by the Peterborough & District League padding out the fixtures for the first few years, and the UCL’s footprint gradually drifting north. But we’re close to the end, and that does come with complications.

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The Rockets

26 Friday Sep 2025

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Saturday 19th July 2025 ko 15:00

Friendly

RAYLEIGH TOWN 2 (Acheampong 44 Philbrick 70)

missed penalty 10

FRENFORD 1 (13)

Att 58 at Rayleigh Sports & Social Club, London Road

Free Entry

To a groundhopper, one benefit of pre-season is that clubs who groundshare during the regular season tend to play “at home”. You may recall me visiting Benfleet well before they got Woodside up to Step 6 standards and you hope Rayleigh can do the same for their London Road home.

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