The North Station

23 Monday May 2016

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Sunday 8th May 2016

Giuleşti-Valentin Stănescu Stadium, home to Rapid Bucureşti

The Bucharest Groundhop had been rejigged considerably due the Romanian FA’s cancelling of all games in the top 3 divisions after the tragic death of Patrick Ekeng on Friday night. Organiser Andrei Otineanu should take great credit for thinking on his feet and finding alternatives. In this case our scheduled game at Voluntari was replaced by a lie-in, and a fascinating stadium visit to the home of Rapid Bucharest. Continue reading →

Goddess On The Mountain Top

20 Friday May 2016

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Saturday 7th May 2016 ko 18.00

4 Liga Bucuresti

VENUS BUCURESTI 0

ACS LUCKY SPORTS MANAGEMENT 3 (Gheorghe 21 Militara 37 C Achim 60)

Att 38

After a late lunch, and an unfiltered beer or two at the Nenea Ianca restaurant in Strada Covaci there was the collective feeling that despite the tragic events of the night before, that we’d regained control of our situation. But with our scheduled game at Concordia Chaijna postponed hop organiser Andrei Otineanu diverted to a local game, and it’s history made it arguably more interesting than the game we’d lost. Continue reading →

Recovery

19 Thursday May 2016

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Saturday 7th May 2016 ko 13.00

4 Liga Bucuresti

PROGRESUL BUCURESTI 2 (Sider 45p Nin 61)

AS TERMO 0

Att 132 @ Stadionul Electomagnetica

We awoke to uncertainty on Saturday morning. I sat at breakfast turning the death of Patrick Ekeng over in my mind, and at that moment I didn’t really want to think about football, let alone watch another game. But that would have been selfish, and ultimately self-defeating, and for organiser Andrei Otineanu the situation was a good deal worse. I grabbed my bag and headed for the hotel entrance. Continue reading →

The Worst Of Times

18 Wednesday May 2016

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Friday 6th May 2016 ko 20.30

Liga 1 Play-off

DINAMO BUCURESTI 3 (Gnohere 7 49p Rotariu 55)

FC VIITORUL CONSTANTA 3 (Marin 10 Tanase 34 Matan 84p)

Att 2,871

Entry Comp

No Programme

For the inaugural Bucharest Groundhop organiser Andrei Otineanu had decided on a mixture of lower league and top flight games and I must admit I was greatly looking forward to visting Dinamo Bucharest, if only to see another eastern European bowl albeit with the distinction of being dug out of its situation rather than the stands being built up as normal. The Dinamo Stadium is nicknamed “Groapa” or “The Hole” which does seem rather apposite! Continue reading →

Invention

17 Tuesday May 2016

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Friday 5th May 2016 ko 17.00

5 Liga Bucuresti

A.S. OLIMPIC 4 (Busco 40 Cristea 56 Mimaloche 82 Calin 84)

BENFICA BUCURESTI 3 (Sharande 27 Stojan 55 Smarande 64)

Att 44 at Stadional Energoutilaj

Entry FREE

No Programme

I’d been in contact with Romanian student Andrei Otineanu for quite some time, and it was he that convinced me to complete a highly enjoyable visit to Bucharest in September 2015. During my time in his country he made it clear he wanted to organise a groundhop in his country, and we talked at length at what would be involved. I flew back home wondering what, if anything, would happen next. Continue reading →

Take It Easy

16 Monday May 2016

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Wednesday 4th May 2016 ko 18.45

Cambridgeshire County League- Senior B

WHITTLESFORD UNITED 2 (Walkley 39 83)

WITCHFORD 96 1 (Loker 46)

Att 13

Entry FREE

No Programme

My regular reader I suspect has long since worked out I live life at million miles an hour. It all started a few years ago as a means of not thinking about other parts of my life, but now I’ve got to a point where I feel slightly guilty if I’m not on the move! Still my friends seem to have found inventive ways of slowing me down, and this was a good example. Continue reading →

Seale

12 Thursday May 2016

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Monday 2nd May 2016 ko 15.00

South West Peninsula League Division One West

PLYMOUTH ARGYLE RESERVES 4 (Ward 6 McCauley 17 Jephcott 44 Sangster 50)

WENDRON UNITED 0

Att 66 at Seale-Hayne

Entry & Programme £3

Another entry in the great unwritten book of groundhopping rules states thus, “Thou shalt not watch a game involving a reserve side.” In fact I remember watching Cadbury Athletic Reserves play at the iconic Bournville Ground as it’s not suitable for Midland League games and a very well-known hopper got extremely steamed up over it! My attitude to such mores is best described by the title of this blog, if it interests me, then I’ll go. And Seale-Hayne is certainly interesting! Continue reading →

Muffled Hooves

11 Wednesday May 2016

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Monday 2nd May 2016 ko 11am

South West Peninsula League Division One East

BRIXHAM AFC 8 (Dodgson 13p 51 57 Robinson 19 Mercieca 81 84 85 89)

NEWTON ABBOT SPURS 3 (Matthews 12 Dyson 41 Price 73)

Att 65 

Entry & Programme £3

So where to go on a Bank Holiday Monday? I wanted to head south-west not least to allow girlfriend Robyn to come along, and obviously a double header appealed. The ground very much on my radar was Seale-Hayne, the soon-to-be vacated home of Plymouth Argyle Reserves and with that kicking off at 3pm it was simply a case of finding an early game. Continue reading →

Rob’s Hop

11 Wednesday May 2016

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Friday 29th April 2016 ko 18.30

Notts Senior League Premier Division

ATTENBOROUGH 5 (Warner 4 12 66 Wilkinson 16 Smith 72)

AWSWORTH VILLA 1 (Walsh 46)

Att 218

Saturday 30th April 2016 ko 10.05

Notts Senior League Premier Division

BEESTON 0

UNDERWOOD VILLA 0

Att 291

ko 12.45

Notts Senior League Division One

BILBOROUGH UNITED 1 (England 7)

ASHLAND ROVERS 0

Att 239

ko 15.15

Notts Senior League Division One

NOTTINGHAMSHIRE 0

GEDLING SOUTHBANK 3 (Needham 22 56 73)

Att 301

ko 18.15

Notts Senior League Premier Division

REAL UNITED 1 (Spears 51)

UNITY FC 1 (Hall 45)

Att 272

Each game cost £3 entry and £1 for a programme.

Rob Hornby has been part of the groundhopping firmament since 2004 and the famous Central Midlands League’s 5-games-in-a-day hop. He, with GroundhopUK organised the annual Central Midlands Bonanzas up until 2010. Solo, he organised two further CMFL Bonanzas before switching his skills to the Notts Senior League for 2013. With this event completing that league save for 3G pitches in cages, and the unsuitable Kirton Brickworks, Rob decided this event was to be his last.
Continue reading →

Bucolic

09 Monday May 2016

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Wednesday 27th April 2016 ko 18.30

Gloucestershire Northern Senior League Division 2

BIBURY AFC 7 (Rockley 6 Reynolds 21 68 McSherry 30 Deacon 76 O’Neill 80 Montgomery 90)

LONGFORD 0

Att 31

If you want a pretty English village to visit just head just over the border from Oxfordshire into Gloucestershire and pay Bibury a visit. It sits on the burbling River Coln, with the Arlington Mill at its centre. Don’t take my word though, William Morris described Bibury as “The most beautiful village in England” Continue reading →