QUIRKY TOWN QUIRKY CLUB REDDITCH

REDDITCH UTD 0 TAMWORTH 0
EVOSTIK SOUTH PREMIER CENTRAL @ THE VALLEY
23 MARCH 2019 --- 3PM

REDDITCH UNITED FC MAIN STAND

We all love quirky don't we?  The definition of quirky 'having peculiar or unexpected traits' may make this seem harsh but this was a very enjoyable first visit to both town and club.
Little care was given to the goalless draw which normally would signal a dour encounter however here at The Valley this was far from uninteresting as both sides served up an highly entertaining game that just failed to produce an end product which would have risen it to top marks.

TRAIN PICS ARE BACK HERES OUR 323 JUST ARRIVED AT REDDITCH

Saturday on public transport started as normal with a one hour stand to Birmingham from base station thanks once again to XCountry but a swift connection onto the West Midlands Train service to the end of the line that is Redditch saw the rolling fields of north Worcestershire appear around Alvechurch.  Departure at the single platform station sees the whole skyline dominated by The Kingfisher Shopping Centre which I guess has been expanded since its 1976 opening by the then Prime Minister James Callaghan.  The precinct sits on a ledge above the station and the enclosed malls are really quite impressive for an average sized town with little retail activity appearing outside.  Having regained out bearings the opportunity to visit some of the tourist spots of this impressive centre were soon back on the agenda.

THE GIANT NEEDLES CELEBRATING ONE OF THE TOWNS FORMER GLORIES

The town was at one stage responsible for 90% of needle production and fishing tackle in the world and this is marked by the a selection of massive threaded needles just outside the shopping centre and adjacent to our next call.
John Bonham drummer with Led Zeppelin was born in the town and has a fantastic memorial to his abilities that marked him out as one of the best in the business.  The impressive 3d type bronze has Bonham playing his drum kit with to the rear a brief history of the man himself.

MEMORIAL TO JOHN BONHAM

Moving out of the town by the local 'Spoons' The Royal Enfield has developed the former cinema and that's where we were heading next the Royal Enfield former factory site that is not the pub!
From 1907 to 1970 the famous motorbike was made in the town alongside cycles too with its famous tag line 'made like a gun'.  Along Hewell Road and within a few minutes the former factory site now has a selection of small industrial estate units and retails outlets but standing out roadside is a former house type building which I guess would have been offices.  On the front wall a plaque commemorating the factory and its production was supported by a side gable being adorned with the former badge and to the front a metal cut out of the motorbike itself.

CUT OUT OF THE ROYAL ENFIELD OUTSIDE THE FORMER FACTORY SITE

A brief journey around the town had found once again enough interesting history to shake more than a few sticks at.  Onwards to the ground and passing a couple of former needle factories arrival around 2pm at The Valley down the sloping entry road saw a fair bit of activity with a good number of Tamworth fans arriving early.
Having had a sneeky look at the ground before the visit I knew what to expect but this adds to the quirkiness and is a cracking stadium one that I fully enjoyed visiting.  Usual circuit walk then and the descriptor is not easy with a new 4g added three years ago there is a fair bit of additional very high green fencing.  Strangely the slope on the pitch as not been removed and I cant think of many other 4g pitches that haven't been flattened but it just adds to that definition of 'quirky'.

MAIN TERRACING BY THE ENTRANCE AT THE ALLOTMENT END

Through the turnstiles to the left are a toilet block, club shop and tuck shop.  Turning right through the gate in the high fencing behind the goal is a sloped tarmac area that is then fenced off from the swiftly rising terracing which offers a small cover to the rear.
The walk around needs to be done from the terracing not the tarmac area as we found out which is fenced off, the narrow walkway offers an excellent lofted view but it is a mean to an end to get to the terraced stepped area running down the far touchline that has a small amount of seats to the rear.  Coming back down to pitch side the far corner offers a remote turnstile to offer entry from nearby houses and behind the far goal the high fencing is back relegating much of the mini grassed banked area as being left to the wilds, gone is the former temporary stand.  Coming back to the interesting but to use that word yet again quirky main stand it stands out and once adds character to this fantastic ground.  The lower part has a shallow row of seats with a mid deck of boardroom seats and behind them a functional clubhouse that offers an excellent view over the pitch.

TERRACING  AND SEATING PADDOCK OPPOSITE THE MAIN STAND

To the top side now of the stand is the snack bar where we gravitated to for a selection of food and refreshments.
The game itself was an interesting affair with no goals at the end of a fast ninety minutes of endeavour that probably found the correct outcome for both sides it didn't do much good for Tamworth as they look to push on for a late play off push but it kept Redditch in a relatively safe zone.

REDDITCH CLEAR THEIR LINES

In the first half Joshua Hawker saw visiting keeper Jasbir Singh pull off an excellent save to push away his edge of the box effort.  Whereas at the opposite end his opposite number Adam Whitehouse was quickly out to deny Tyrell Waite with his legs.  Just before the break Waite, again, probably had the best chance of the half but from a tight angle it was Whitehouse who came out on top again.

ROBBIE DADLEY GETS THE GREETING CARDS OUT IN THE SECOND HALF

The second half provided further battling qualities from both participants and in the closing stages Redditch had a five minute period that looked like a breakthrough would come but when it didn't Tamworth took up the challenge and had the upper hand for the remaining minutes and a Ryan
Beswick free kick off the left edge of the penalty box in the final seconds just cried out for a touch that didn't come and it was too end goalless shortly afterwards when referee Robbie Dadley blew for time.

CLOSE IN AS REDDITCH KICK UP THE SLOPE

The ground has the luxury of being a five minute amble from the station and with a more than workable connection in Birmingham arrival at base station was just after 7pm.  Two weeks running at step 3, a level I don't often attend, has proved the enjoyment levels are still high with a well organised club in Redditch United FC backing this up today.  A thoroughly enjoyable visit here with an excellent public address system and a good social media team with highlights package also adding to the experience I look forward to re visiting.