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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...

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 ...

Hartley Wintney offers ideal stop-off spot

Hartley Wintney 1 Merthyr Town 1, Southern Premier League, 29 th September 2018 Okay, so I’m well aware that last week’s blog post may not have painted me in the greatest of lights. That I came across as something of a hopeless unromantic oaf. I know this due to the admonishing looks and angry shakes of the head that I’ve received from some of my wives’ friends in the school playground during pick-up time this week. Yet fear not. This weekend I made amends for the errors of last week. For on Friday night I took my wife for a romantic night away to watch a show. Kid free! Not that this meant there was to be no groundhopping this weekend. Oh no! On the other half’s suggestion – yes, really – we decided that on the way home on Saturday afternoon we would stop off and visit a ground that I wouldn’t usually be able to get to due to travel logistics. Now I like to think that this offer was one born out of her undying love for me, yet I strongly suspect it was more likely a...

Diary of a newfound groundhopper

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