Diary of a newfound groundhopper

 After last year’s highly successful SCFL season predictions , in which not one prediction I made ultimately proved to be wrong, I’ve decided to give it another bash this year. Of course, the March abandonment of the league (along with normal life, in general) technically means that I didn’t get anything right either… but I’ve always been a glass-half-full kind of guy. In fairness, at the time of the season being declared null and void, I would say that about half of my predictions had looked like being on - or at least close to - the money, while half I couldn’t have got more wrong if I’d tried. With all the wholesale changes made to some SCFL squads since March, and the uncertainty surrounding practically everything at the moment, I’d be amazed if this season’s predictions bear any resemblance to what will actually transpire. So, for those I tip for a season of glory, please accept my apologies in advance for providing you with what will most likely be the unwelcome kiss ...

Langney Wanderers 1 Pagham 0, Southern Combination Football League Premier Division, Saturday 8 th February 2020 We had just turned onto the A23, bound for Roffey vs Seaford Town, when I thought it would be prudent to check something. Although we hadn’t had much rain this week, there was a nagging feeling at the back of my mind. Something I couldn’t quite put my finger on. My groundhopper sense was tingling. And tingling loudly. You see, I’ve tried to visit Roffey on numerous occasions this season. It’s one of only two grounds in the SCFL Division One that I’m yet to tick off. Each time, though, something has intervened. Usually the weather. In order to make it to the ground in time for the 14:00 kick-off, I’d decided to travel straight there from my Saturday morning coaching commitments. My wife would then take our two sons – both of whom attend the 5Ways Football school where I work – swimming in the nearby Horsham Leisure Centre. It was a sunny, mild, still a...

Midhurst and Easebourne 0 Seaford Town 3, Southern Combination Football League Division One, Saturday 12 th January 2020 I took a week off non-league groundhopping last weekend to go to what some will unfairly – and rather disparagingly in my opinion – refer to as a ‘proper match’. For a while now my two boys had been badgering me to go and watch Brighton and Hove Albion – particularly the eldest one, who supports them. A few seasons ago, I used to go to the Amex fairly regularly – around ten times a season. Then they got promoted to the Premier League, prices shot up and the football became increasingly, shall we say, dull. Not being a Brighton fan myself, I wasn’t overly bothered by the outcome of the games, didn’t get much enjoyment from them and ultimately couldn’t justify the expense of going so regularly. So I stopped, started attending non-league matches, and haven’t looked back since. Until last weekend, that is. With prices for both adults and children havi...

Peacehaven and Telscombe 2 Newhaven 3, Southern Combination Football League Premier Division, Thursday 26 th December 2019 I love Christmas Day. The food. The drink. The presents. The ever-so-slightly disappointing TV schedule… Everything about it. But… let’s face it… it can be somewhat waring. Especially for those of us with young children. After a day stuck inside with two already-excited youngsters, only hyped up further by chocolate, chocolate and a bit more chocolate, by early evening you can find yourself going a bit stir crazy. Thank goodness, then, for Boxing Day football. A chance to escape the madness for a couple of hours. Having spent the day with family last year, there was no chance of me getting to a game. With a free schedule this year, though, wifey had somewhat surprisingly agreed that I could go to a game. There was, however, a small caveat. A small but rather annoying one. The kids would have to come with me. ‘They need the fresh air,” she reaso...

Mile Oak 1 Worthing United 3, Southern Combination Football League Division One, Saturday 30 th November 2019 It’s stopped raining! Finally. I mean, don’t get me wrong, there’s still been plenty of rain about during the week. There’s still been a few games postponed in and around the southern counties this weekend as pitches have failed to recover from the deluge that they’ve been subject to for the past few weeks. But… Friday was dry. And so was Saturday. At last! So, after choosing to miss a game last weekend, there was no question that I'd be at a game this weekend. Having had to cancel recent planned visits to Mile Oak and Roffey, both of whom play in Division One of the SCFL, due to weather-related postponements, I’d decided earlier in the week that I’d definitely be visiting one of these two teams come Saturday. With both grounds within easy travelling distance from my house, even when accounting for my Saturday morning coaching commitments, I merely d...

Oakwood 0 Hailsham Town 7, Southern Combination Football League Division One, Saturday 16 th November 2019 The inclement weather has become something of a recurring theme in this blog over the past five or six weeks. So, to cut a long (and frankly rather repetitive) story short, it’s still raining. And it’s still playing havoc with my groundhopping plans! In a rare fit of decisiveness, I'd actually decided fairly on Monday that my match for this weekend would be Roffey vs Mile Oak in the SCFL Division One. After a relatively dry start to the week (especially by recent standards) I was confident that all was looking good for this weekend. Then, on Friday afternoon, it started raining. Hard. By Friday evening, Roffey had announced that there would be a pitch inspection at 9am on Saturday morning. After checking the club’s Twitter feed at 11am whilst coaching at 5Ways Soccer in Brighton, there was still no news. It was obviously one heck of an intense pitch in...