Tag Archives: groundhopping

Up On The Roof

25 Wednesday Dec 2019

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Saturday 19th October 2019 ko 14.00

Kategoria e Dytë Grp A

KF MIRDITA 1 (Picaku 45)

Pepkolaj sent off 64 (Serious Foul Play) 

KF GRAMSHI 2 (Zani 6 Goga 59)

Att 110 at Stadiumi Skender Halali, Tirana

Free Entry

Zaja and the minibus bumped into the potholed car park; after the battery incident in Kamëz we were a little tight for time. The game had already started which was handy, it gave it us somewhere to aim for as the entrance wasn’t obvious, we tried the bar and they helped, just head for the little gap in the fence in the corner…. Continue reading →

Peja

21 Saturday Dec 2019

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Saturday 13th October 2019 ko 10.00

Albanian Women’s Superliga

FC DAJTI 0

FC KINOSTUDIO 5 (Xhabafti 37 Lulaj 48 73p 83 Xhebrahami 69)

Att 46 at Kompleksi Kombetare, Kamez, Tirana

Free Entry

So where would you hold your stag weekend? I know precisely why we ended up in Tirana, and you can blame my best man Sim. When Robyn and I got engaged in Stockholm Sim and I discussed it over a beer. Originally the wedding was going to be in the summer so we looked at one of the Baltic states, but as soon as Robyn and I discovered that we could get more wedding for the same money if we held it in January we needed somewhere with winter football. I suggested Bratislava for stunning football, great beer and interesting history. Sim’s response changed everything.

“That’s far too sensible” he said “You can do better than that!”  Continue reading →

The Full Monty

19 Thursday Dec 2019

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Saturday 12th October 2019 ko 14.45

Bedfordshire County League Division 3

LANCOT PARK 5 (Wilson 38 75 Nolan 41 Douglas 60p Wrench 87)

LUTON ALLSTARS 1 (Katcombe 34)

Grey penalty saved 17

Att 118

Free Entry

Programme £2

We left Luton’s environs for the last game of this year’s Bedfordshire Hop. Maybe it was because I’d long since committed to the whole event but when organiser Craig Dabbs mentioned Lancot Park, I’d recognised the name but failed to place why. Sadly for the hop I seemed to be the only one with amnesia! Continue reading →

The Farewell

09 Monday Dec 2019

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Sunday 6th October 2019 ko 15.00

Western League Premier Division

WELLINGTON AFC 0

Wadham sent off 73 (violent conduct)

EXMOUTH TOWN 2 (Harris 32 Denny 42)

Att 312

Entry £5

Programme £1

If you’d have told me as early as last year’s hop that we’d end the Western Hop’s run at Wellington I’d have raised an eyebrow. Not much more than than that, I’d enjoyed the club’s company greatly when I visited 3 years ago, but they had turned down the chance to host a hop game. My understanding was that they feared being overwhelmed, and I could understand why, the Wellington Playing Field does come with its challenges. Continue reading →

Hanging On The Telephones

04 Wednesday Dec 2019

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Saturday 5th October 2019 ko 19.45

Western League Division One

WARMINSTER TOWN 2 (Miluk 30 Vincent 33)

Allen sent off 45 (Serious Foul Play)

BRISTOL TELEPHONES 3 (Bamfield 14 57 D Golding 48)

Att 369

Entry £6

Programme £1

Maybe it was the darkness, or maybe it was the benefit of years of experience but I felt relaxed if a little tired as the coach parked up by Weymouth Street. Even the looming rain didn’t dampen my optimism. Perhaps I shouldn’t haven’t felt that way, the club hadn’t been exactly forthcoming with their plans, but the Saturday evening slot is where you often see the big crowds. For the life of me we couldn’t see something as flat as what we’d experienced at Devizes could we? Continue reading →

Glory Box

28 Thursday Nov 2019

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Saturday 5th October 2019 ko 10.45

Western League Division One

PORTISHEAD TOWN 3 (Osmond 53p 64p Eastwood 72)

LONGWELL GREEN SPORTS 5 (Carter 31p 54 Mafini 60 Crubb 68 Britton 84)

Att 262

Entry £6

Programme £1

Sat at breakfast at the Almondsbury Interchange Hotel it was time for a little reflection. It was lovely to be back in the Western league, and once again try and maintain what the late Mark Edmonds started, and what Jules French has carried on. There’s always been a real sense of responsibility in making this event work. But all good things do have to come to an end, this hop saw us visit all the remaining clubs that hadn’t previously hosted, and that hadn’t featured on another (Dorset, Devon or South West Peninsula) hop. I’ve often said that the first hop of the series is the most difficult to organise, but the last does come with its own challenges. Continue reading →

16th February 1871

20 Wednesday Nov 2019

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Tuesday 24th September 2019 ko 19.45

National League Premier

MAIDENHEAD UNITED 1 (Whitehall 62)

DOVER ATHLETIC 2 (Cumberbatch 19 L’Ghoul 77)

Att 1,015

Entry £15

Programme £3

When Robyn moved to Oxford 3 years ago, it gave me the perfect excuse to revisit some of the more interesting grounds near her new home. It was hardly surprising the likes of Marlow and Metropolitan Police got quickly visited and the process got dubbed as a “Robyn Revisit” but a complete mystery was why Maidenhead’s York Road took so long for me to return to? Continue reading →

Fritillaries

13 Wednesday Nov 2019

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Saturday 14th September 2019 ko 16.30

Witney & District League- Division Two

DUCKLINGTON 2 (Duthie 33 90)

WOOTTON SPORTS 3 (Spencer 51 78 88)

Att 178

Entry & Programme £4

Ducklington Sports Ground is the kind of place you can drive right past without knowing its there. I should know I spent 3 years as a sales rep in the Witney area and drive along the road from the A40 to Standlake and never once spotted the place. To make things worse I used to visit my friend Matt who once lived in Ducklington and still managed not to spot the place! Continue reading →

Ale

05 Tuesday Nov 2019

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Friday 13th September 2019 ko 19.30

Witney & District League- Division Two

HOOK NORTON 5 (Street 11 Ingham 28 Babbage 34 Hemmings 37 Mair 65)

EYNSHAM SSC 0

Att 142

Entry & Programme £4

When the North Berkshire League Hop finished two years ago, I was in no doubt where I wanted to head next. Other than wanting to take the hop to Watlington Town the one remaining North Berks club that hadn’t hosted (but were willing and able to) it had been clear for many years that the North Berks slot was the Witney & District League’s to turn down. Continue reading →

Velocity

01 Friday Nov 2019

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Tuesday 10th September 2019 ko 19.45

Isthmian League Cup – Group 10

CHERTSEY TOWN 2 (Baxter 80 Cozens 84)

Bennell sent off (serious foul play) 41

CHIPSTEAD 3 (Hudson 26 55 Miller 63)

Att 110

Entry £9

Programme £1

The dichotomy of having visited well over 2000 football grounds is that although my options for a midweek tick are fairly limited these days, I have built up a huge database of wonderful grounds for me to take Robyn to see. A distinct advantage is also a trip to Surrey commuter belt from Oxford is a lot easier than some of my more far-flung destinations! Continue reading →