Tag Archives: Programme

Utopia

24 Monday Jan 2022

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Tuesday 18th January 2022 ko 19:45

EFL League 2

STEVENAGE 2 (Taylor 29 Norris 73)

CRAWLEY TOWN 1 (Nichols 45)

Att 1,942 (210 away)

Entry (seat- West Stand- in advance) £22

Programme online only, downloadable

Teamsheet- FREE

Roughly 75 years ago the “New Towns Act” saw Stevenage built, with chief architect Lewis Siskin originally envisaging it as a “gay and bright” place. His utopian idea was see the neighbourly “spirit of the slums” combined with easy access to the countryside, sports and leisure facilities in a self-contained community. Back in the early 1990’s I studied places like this at University and even then there was a slightly snobby attitude to the New Towns. Thirty years later I watch the little “Starship” robots run on the dedicated cycle routes in Milton Keynes delivering people’s groceries and wonder whether Siskin was in fact just ahead of his time. Continue reading →

Friendship

20 Friday Jul 2018

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Saturday 2nd June 2018 ko 19.45

International Friendly

SWEDEN 0

DENMARK 0

Att 41,558 at Friends Arena, Solna

Entry 100 sek (approx £8.62)

Programme 20 sek*

When I was putting this year’s trip to Sweden together this fixture was an obvious one to consider. The time of arrival for Robyn, Sim, Adrian and I had been set in stone, and once Swedish Groundhop organiser Kim Hedwall offered to hire a car and collect us from the airport and drive us from there to Kristinebergs IP then to our hotel, and finally to Solna the cards rather fell into place.  Continue reading →

Heart & Soul

21 Monday Oct 2013

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Just occasionally I get asked to do a piece for a programme which is a rather different task from what I do on this blog, still its good to do something different once in a while!

Rightly or wrongly I ask for the same thing. A copy of the programme with my article in, and if I’m writing about a specific game, a press pass too. I’m certainly up for doing a few more, so if you want me and my camera at your ground just contact me via this site.

This piece appeared in Hellenic League outfit AFC Hinksey’s programme a week or two ago. They asked for around 500 words on “Groundhopping,” and I think they were reasonably happy with what I gave them. Hope you enjoy it. Continue reading →

Fore!

12 Sunday Aug 2012

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Tuesday 7th August 2012 ko 6.20pm

Midland Combination Division Two

ALCESTER TOWN 5 (Gifford 17 52 86 Blackwood 67 Styler 69)

BARNT GREEN SPARTAK 0

Att 45 (h/c)

Entry FREE

Programme £1

Tea 50p

Sometimes my choice of a game is really straightforward. Alcester, near Stratford-upon-Avon is only 30 miles from work, and an early non-floodlit kick off meant I’d get to Stratford Road in perfect time.

The town, on the Warwickshire side of the border with Worcestershire was an important settlement based around a Benedictine monastry. The town lost influence after the dissolution of the monastries in 1536 and nowadays is a pretty market town, the Tudor buildings still very much in evidence. Sadly the ground is set out of the town easily found on the way in from Stratford, in contrast with their old home at Conway Fields. That was little more than a public park though so to progress a move was virtually inevitable, especially with the club winning last season’s Stratford Alliance.

The ground is certainly interesting Continue reading →

Rat Trap

14 Wednesday Sep 2011

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Leicestershire Senior League Premier Division

RATBY SPORTS 4 (McKenzie 4 83 Jacquei 49 Brightmore 57)

ASHBY IVANHOE 4 (Pollard 15 Bray 43 Netter 69 Gibson 72)

Att 23 (h/c)

Entry £3

Programme NO (this is Leicestershire remember!)

Can Diet Coke 50p

Very much an evening of contrasts, even down to the village itself. A pretty village yes, but showing obvious signs of dereliction. Desford Road, is similar, tucked away neatly behind the cricket ground, has a brand new clubhouse, but it’s half finished,  there’s a solidly built stand, but there’s no seats and there’s signs of a fire at its back. The Junior pitch is perfect but the adult version is badly cut and lumpy. There’s even signs of a terrace, sadly overgrown.

I’d picked the game, and as a goal whoring exercise, Ratby having shipped a hatful even at this early stage of the season, but it didn’t quite turn out how I expected.

Ashby should have won this at at a canter, but to my delight and doubtlessly the annoyance of the teams’ management, it turned into an exercise into who had the least competant defence! The highlight? Bray’s excellent finish for the 3rd goal, past his own keeper! Great stuff, and a good tick.