Tag Archives: groundhop

Who Would Break A Butterfly On A Wheel?

24 Monday Oct 2016

Posted by in C

≈ 3 Comments

Tags

, , , , , ,

Sunday 9th October 2016 ko 11.00

Western League Division One

CHARD TOWN 2 (Boyland 72 Friend 88)

BISHOPS LYDEARD 3 (Clunnie 50 Ryder Brereton 76)

Att 240

Entry £5

Programme £1

For me, this was the day when Zembard Lane’s famous slope ceased to define Chard Town. Yes, I know from many it’s the first feature you think of, and judging by the FA’s attempts to remove them from Pyramid Football they haven’t had my epiphany. But I do wonder how many of the club’s tormentors have actually paid the place a visit? Continue reading →

The Foinavon Kebab

05 Wednesday Oct 2016

Posted by in C

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

, , , , , , ,

Saturday 17th September 2016 ko 13.30

North Berkshire League Division 3

COMPTON 1 (Fisher 26)

WATLINGTON TOWN 4 (MacCormick 18 C B’Layachi 53 Appleby 67 A B’Layachi 75)

Att 180

Entry & Programme £4

There were so many reasons to want to the hop to visit Compton. For one it would be the first time in it’s 5 year run that the North Berkshire League Hop had actually visited a club in Berkshire. Then there was the Pinfold family who run the club with humour and passion, and the name was good to sell the game with, you’d be amazed how many middle-aged white men are well-acquainted with the work of LA based rap act N.W.A! But the real clincher for me was the stand! Continue reading →

Dream Days

03 Monday Oct 2016

Posted by in B

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , , ,

Saturday 17th September 2016 ko 10.30

North Berkshire League Division 4

BLEWBURY 4 (Crickmore 6 45p Kent 53og Jamieson 71)

DRAYTON 0

Att 123

Entry & Programme £4

Badge £3

I’d wanted the North Berkshire Hop to head to the south of the league’s footprint for some time. That meant Burghclere had to be included as the league’s southern outpost, and I soon found an excuse to pay Compton and Turnpike Sports visits. It was obvious that Compton would make good hosts, but Thatcham-based Turnpike would find hosting impossible due to lack of volunteers and the open nature of their Henwick Worthy Recreation Ground home. When Turnpike then opted to merge into Newbury FC to, in effect become their reserves it served only to reinforce that decision! Continue reading →

Aftermath

20 Saturday Aug 2016

Posted by in W

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , , , , ,

Sunday 31st July 2016 ko 17.30

Peterborough & District League Division One

WITTERING HARRIERS 5 (Lockwood 23secs Middleton 27 Braint 37 Cayley 56 Tippett 90)

LONG SUTTON ATHLETIC 2 (W Oliver 3 Cawthorn 59)

Att 250

Entry £4

Programme £1

The throng finally managed to escape Sawtry’s car park and headed off for the last game of the hop. We were bound for the RAF town of Wittering, and in the planning stage this did throw up an unusual decision or two. The club do play some of their games on the air base, beyond security so there was a decision on where to play this one. At GroundhopUK we’ve held games with a security check, who could forget Benson Lions at the Defence Academy in Shrivenham? In this case though the base don’t seem to like Wittering holding all their games there, so we decided to stick with the straightforward, for this time anyway! Continue reading →

Loads Here Already

18 Thursday Aug 2016

Posted by in S

≈ 5 Comments

Tags

, , , , , , , , ,

Sunday 31st July 2016 ko 14.00

Peterborough & District League Premier Division

SAWTRY 0

STILTON UNITED 2 (West 77 Denning 81)

Att 534

Entry £4

Programme £1

I remember last time “The Itinerant Football Watcher” Peter Miles sent me the “There’s loads here already” message. That was at the final game of the 2015 Welsh hop at Penmaenmawr Phoenix and the gate turned out to be a Welsh hop record! Our coach pulled off the A1, that message arrived again, and I hoped for something similar. Continue reading →

Breakfast

17 Wednesday Aug 2016

Posted by in B

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , ,

Sunday 31st July 2016 ko 10.30

United Counties League Division One

BUGBROOKE ST MICHAELS 2 (McNeil 53 Richard-Noel 85)

BOURNE TOWN 1 (Munton 39)

Att 241

Entry £4

Programme £1

Teamsheet 20p

It didn’t feel like a lazy Sunday morning even if in the pretty village of Bugbrooke St Michaels the only signs of life seemed to be at Birds Close. We’d all had an early start not least all those at Bourne Town, who’d met at 7.30am to fulfill this fixture. Thanks therefore to them, and their gesture has not been forgotten- they’ll get their chance as hosts. Continue reading →

The Balancing Act

15 Friday Jul 2016

Posted by in U

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , ,

15th July 2016

United Counties/ Peterborough & District League Hop 29th-31st July

It’s just about to get busy…. as one half of GroundhopUK-  the organisers of this year’s event I don’t think there’s ever been an organised groundhop this early, not that that’s a bad thing, long days, and hopefully warm weather are things to be enjoyed and taken advantage of. This will be the third event the two leagues have done, so now is good time to step back for a minute and look at how it all works. Continue reading →

Rob’s Hop

11 Wednesday May 2016

Posted by in N

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

, , , , , , , , ,

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 →

Playing In The Wet Patch

26 Tuesday Apr 2016

Posted by in L

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

, , , , , , , , ,

Sunday 17th April 2016 ko 11.30

Carmarthenshire League Division 2

LLANDOVERY 4 (Archer 11 C Davies 42 R Davies 90 L Bailey 90)

PORTH TYWYN SUBURBS 0

Att 111

Programme £1

Badge £3

Sunday’s first game saw the hop head east once again and aim for the A40. The town of Llandovery is steeped in history, and the drive out from Carmarthen picturesque but as usual in the first hop of a league’s staging I wondered what we’d find. The first host clubs have no point of reference so as organiser you rely on them using their meetings and the host clubs’ guide to make the most of their opportunity. I knew we’d given them the best possible opportunity but you worry, and the day I don’t will be the day I give up. Robyn rested her head on my shoulder, I took in the view and thought positive thoughts. Continue reading →

Saint Teilo

24 Sunday Apr 2016

Posted by in L

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

, , , , , , , ,

Saturday 16th April 2016 ko 14.00

Carmarthenshire League Division Two

LLANDEILO 5 (Jones 5 90 Dainton 9 Thomas 26 Willams 59)

LLANGENNECH 0 J Williams sent off 29 (violent conduct)

Att 107

Entry £3

Programme £1

From Abergwili we headed further east along the A40 to the town of Llandeilo. We turned left into the town and spotted a well-apppointed ground, with an impressive stand. Sadly for us, that was Cae William, home to Llandeilo RUFC and Llandeilo CC, while the football club plays in the nearby village of Ffair-Fach at the back of Ysgol (School) Bro Dinefwr. The tragedy is that it could have all been so different. Continue reading →