Saturday 10th March 2013 ko 11.00am

Northern League Division One

CELTIC NATION 1 (Allan 86)

BISHOP AUCKLAND 1 (Moncur 24)

Att 409

Entry £5

Programme £1

Badge £3

The hobby of groundhopping owes the Northern League and General Secretary Mike Amos a debt of gratitude, as it was they in 1992 invented the organised groundhop, staggered kick-offs over a day or days to attract the groundhoppers. The idea has grown, and this season there are set to be at least 11 such events, including 3 more where it all started, in the Northern League who are celebrating their 125th anniversary. Or put another way, after 17 years, the Northern League Hop is back on the calendar!

The first game back was an intriguing one. Celtic Nation are based at the former Railway Club in southern Carlisle and used to be called Gillford Park. They played at the ground next door to the Rugby League club, Carlisle RLFC. When the rugby league club were merged into Barrow RLFC following the introduction of summer rugby and Super League, the football bought the ground and moved in. More machinations were to follow when Gillford Park gained sponsorship from Frank Lynch, an American millionaire with the idea of setting the club up as a team for the Irish and Scots community. The name was changed and Celtic FC’s strip of green and white hoops adopted.

Its obvious that significant investment has occurred. Many at the game were convinced that Celtic are now Continue reading →