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Groundhopping away from home

Bootle FC 3 Charnock Richard 1, NWCFL Premier Division, 21 st August 2018 When, a few months ago, the parents of the Withdean Youth team that I had coached for the past eight years clubbed together to buy me a tour of Anfield, my wife viewed this as a great opportunity to take a few days away with the kids during the summer holidays. What she hadn’t banked on back then was my new hobby of Non-League groundhopping. Therefore, with the tour booked, and our dates away confirmed, I started looking into possible matches that we could attend. You can probably imagine the better half’s excitement when I informed her of my plans. Surprisingly, however, she didn’t turn down my offer for her to tag along me and the kids. Following some half-hearted research (never been a strength if I’m honest), I noticed that North-West Counties Football League side Bootle FC were scheduled to be at home on the Tuesday evening that we were due to be in Liverpool. The name Bootle struck a chord with

Peacehaven’s late show proves why leaving early is a no no

Peacehaven and Telscombe 3 Langney Wanderers 3, Southern Combination Football League Premier Division, Tuesday 20 th August 2019 One of my biggest bugbears when attending live football matches are ‘supporters’ (and I use that term loosely) who leave the game early to ‘avoid the traffic’. It’s something that I used to see all the time when I took my Brighton-supporting eldest to the Amex Stadium on a fairly regular basis a few years ago. One game that particularly sticks in mind was a match against Leicester. The visitors were leading 1-0 with about five minutes left when a Leicester player was sent off. Suddenly, and somewhat inexplicably, a plethora of people sitting around us stood up and started shuffling unapologetically towards the exits, obviously eager to get a march on those foolish enough to actually stay around until the end of the game. I just don’t get it. Never have done. Never will do. There was still plenty of time for late drama, but these ‘fans’ clearl

Goalie gaffe settles Rocks derby

Tunbridge Wells 1 Rusthall 2, Southern Counties East Football League Premier Division, Saturday 23 rd February 2019 Following a rare foray to a match outside of Sussex last weekend, this Saturday brought another trip to a game outside of my home county. However, as with last weekend’s trip to Lingfield , I didn’t stray too far past the Sussex border. The truth is that I’ve had my eye on a visit to Tunbridge Wells FC’s Culverden Stadium all season. It’s a club with which I can a claim a very loose connection. Not only is my wife from the town, but my father-in-law was for many years the club’s secretary, among other things. I myself was, for a brief period in the 2007/08 season, the club's temporary program editor – despite never having seen the team play either home or away. Welcome, ladies and gents, to the often weird and wacky world of non-league football! This was a situation, though, that I’d vowed to put right this season. And what better time to pay my inaug

Diary of a newfound groundhopper

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