I’ve just heard the news at that Broadway United of the Cheltenham League have folded. Now while this isn’t exactly massive news in the world of football, it’s a real shame as the ground is a cracker, and I really enjoyed my visit there last season. So, here’s my report from that time, which I have updated slightly to the format I use now here. The original title was “Loz! Your thong is showing!”
Sunday May 22nd 2011 ko 4.00pm
Evesham Hospital & Charity Sunday Minor Cup Final
BREDON FC 3 (Drew 11 Carroll 45 Oughtred 90)
AC OLYMPIA 0
Att 97 (h/c)
Entry & Programme £2
Played at The Milestone Ground, Broadway (Broadway FC)
The Worcestershire town of Broadway is right in the centre of the Cotswolds and it would be hard to find a prettier location, nestled as you are in the hills. The most famous feature is the Broadway Tower. It was built on an ancient beacon site and has a colourful history. It was home to the renowned printing press of Sir Thomas Phillips, a country retreat for Pre-Raphaelite artists, notably the artist, designer, writer, craftsman and socialist William Morris, a location for the studies of the distinguished archeologist Sir Arthur Evans, and less interestingly as a farmhouse! Today the Tower houses exhibitions connected with its past and the surrounding area. On a clear day you can see 13 counties from the top!
So, picture the scene. A warm Sunday evening, and I’m sat on a grass bank watching two Evesham and District Sunday League teams slug it out for a minor piece of silverwhere, when a WAG yells out “Loz! Your thong is showing!”
Not many people answer to “Loz,” so I checked the back of my trousers, no they were in place, and come to think of it that would not be my choice of underwear! but then I glanced away from the action, to my left. Loz, it transpired was Laura, the girlfriend of one of the Bishops Cleeve based Olympia players, and she’d stood up to throw the ball back in. And yes her red thong was showing, and yes she wore it well, to quote Rod Stewart. Well worth the £2 entry!
Other than Laura’s underwear there was plenty on display. Broadway is a pretty village just over the border into Worcesterhire from Gloucestershire and the ground reflects that. There’s a fair sized clubhouse but for the hopper, there’s a wooden stand made out of larchlap. Its raised too, on a grass bank, no seats just covered standing. I’ve not seen anything like it. Which rather belies the ground’s original use as a rubbish dump. Once upon a time the pitch was flat, like a bowling green, but then the rubbish rotted, and it has to be noted that there were obvious undulations. It didn’t help the players, who were of a low standard, and with a long season behind them.
The game pitted Bredon in Division 1 against Division 3 Olympia, and with all due respect to Laura and her mates, whose support was excellent, they didn’t look like winning from the moment goalkeeper Alcock dropped the ball right in front of forward Mark Drew.
Just one of those warm evenings when you can relax and watch a Broadway show when you don’t know the ending. Lovely.
