GROUNDS FOR ENJOYMENT.................PART 1

NEW AND SECOND VISIT GROUNDS OF THE 2019/20 SEASON
In this first part a review of the new grounds and those visited for just the second time which was suggested and after what I thought would have been a very short collection of stadia that met the criteria it was a gentle surprise that there were a few fitting the category so much so that there is a need to bring it over two blogs.

ECCLESFIELD RED ROSE FC IN HOME ACTION WITH SOME SUBLIMINAL ADVERTISING GOING ON

During the last few weeks a collection of archive grounds, sports and the obscure have been added to the social media pages of the blog so the chance to look at what a match day has become all about struck home.
Match day is different for many but for me it involves public transport travel [near or far], the grounds, the characters met along the way, the game and of course the chance to sample fish and chips in varying parts of the country and decide on the correct term for a cob, is it batch, roll, bap, bread cake, balm or my preferred cob I will leave you to add your own or make a conclusive decision.


WELL IT WAS A HOT DAY AS CLIFTONVILLE AND AN UNUMBERED CONNAHS QUAY MET

The 'season' started early with a trip over the border to Wales on 24 June and a second visit to Airbus FC who were hosting Connah's Quay who had arranged a pre season friendly against Belfast based Cliftonville as both clubs warmed up for an early European season.  The fist half was forgettable and in the end the Welsh side ran out 1-0 winners but at last I had caught up with Cliftonville after a few attempts previously.

YOU CANT RESIST SHOWING THIS BEAUTY AT DODWORTH CAN YOU

Pre season swung into play locally in July with a second visit to Dodworth M W and a game against Maltby Main a pleasant evening had started at Shaws Chippy and followed by an entertaining match and catch up with home manager Darren Millington.  In the territory of non debut grounds a trip to Gedling MW took in an encounter against newly promoted Newark Flowserve before a third visit later on in the season for the visit of Heanor Town.  A first visit to St George's park at Mosborough saw Chesterfield Town heavily defeated on grass by Sheffield County Senior side Ecclesfield Red Rose and the friendly nature of the visitors encouraged my interest in their league. 
The league season started proper in The NCEFL and a second visit to Maltby Main for a 2-2 draw with Liversedge it started disapprovingly with a fiery crowd who went beyond on a few occasions and a bench whose behaviour disappointed.  Back to the Sheffield County League sides and High Green Villa who I had witnessed at Dronfield Town in pre season had a home game against Houghton Main allowing a first visit to the St George's Park at Throncliffe the top side of Chapeltown with once again a grass pitch utilised.

HIGH GREEN VILLA AT HOME ON GRASS AT ST GEORGES THORNCLIFFE VERSUS HOUGHTON MAIN

The midweek towards the end of the month took me to Parson Cross and Ecclesfield Red Rose for a goal less draw at their Chaucer School base.  It was a shame that no goals were on offer but it was an enjoyable evening and they were a very friendly club to boot whose results I have observed from a far during the rest of the season.  The month of August was closed out with a second visit at Mansfield Hoisery Mills and a heavy seven goals without reply was the offering from visitors Pinxton who were well on form.  The evening also saw local celebratory dog Meg in attendance and the collie follows every ball from her paws on wall position adjacent to the ground.

THE LOVELY OLD MOAT GROUND FOR GRESLEY V FC OSWESTRY TOWN

There are a collection of second visits so far and Septembers first did not disrupt that fact with the classic Moat Ground struggling Gresley witnessing a 3-2 FA Vase victory over NWCFL side FC Oswestry Town.  A new ground was achieved though when Coventry United demolished Selston by half a dozen goals without reply at their Butts Park Arena a ground that offers train views, a massive stand, 3g surface and on the day two red cards all topped off by very warm sunshine.  The area around the ground Spon End offered up much history that I had not come across on previous visits to Coventry.
In the middle of all this a first visit to see Warrington Wolves rugby league side saw the Halliwell Jones Stadium encountered for a play off game against Castleford which matched in wonderfully with the last train back to base thanks to the ground being so close to the station a midnight return was secured.

THE IMPRESSIVE STAND AT THE BUTTS PARK ARENA HOME OF COVENTRY UNITED

The end of September brought a visit to The Triplex Ground home now of Cadbury Athletic for an encounter with Hinckley AFC a interesting little ground that thankfully had enough time built into it to have a trip around Bourneville first and a check up on the Quaker family and village history to add to the day, it also allowed me to familiarise myself with Kings Norton.  A return to the KFC proved a hit with a smart restaurant which looked pretty new serving up a good bit of fast food.

TRIPLEX GROUND HOME FOR CADBURY ATHLETIC

As October burst on the scene so the new grounds picked up pace a journey to the lines end of Redditch found me setting off on a local bus to Studley FC mind you not before I ended up in the ladies loos.  You see the station is adjacent to the large shopping centre and I had never found the toilets indeed this time I ended up in the cinema foyer saw the toilet sign and dashed in only to be confronted by no urinals, it was then that the penny dropped I was in the ladies.

STUDLEY FC OUT IN THE COUNTRYSIDE

A strange on the edge of everywhere ground saw Atherstone as the visitors and it was good to catch up with their enthusiastic following.  The return journey saw previous knowledge come to the good with a drop off at Kings Norton for The Cod Pot for this weekends fish and chip tasting an excellent example of the fine art it was too.  Next on the newbies list was Racing Club Warwick who entertained Derbyshire side Long Eaton United in the FA Vase and small understated ground was though ably supported by a the adjacent racecourse and a wonderfully historic town oh yes and did I mention The Chip Shed for post match delicacies.

RACING CLUB WARWICK DEFEND A LONG EATON FREE KICK

All these blogs can be found under the right hand side menu on the main page and hopefully you can join me for some more travelling, eating and new and nearly grounds in part two shortly.

SUTTON AND KIRKBY A SPORTING MEANDER

A WANDER AROUND SUTTON AND KIRKBY IN ASHFIELD
FOOTBALL AND CRICKET DISCOVERED FOUR YEARS AGO

LOWMOOR ROAD IN ITS CURRENT STATE

[Apologies currently Blogger has a problem with pictures, hopefully to be corrected]
Around four years ago I had once again found myself looking for some old pictures of Sutton Town, of the Ashfield variety, and as ever the few that were available brought back memories of bygone
football, from an area I was non to familiar with much before the 1990s.  Along with that trying to locate the former town ground within its current make up set me off thinking so with a direct bus, the now sadly defunct Spira, a midweek trip was planned with the option of a few current pictures.
Let me start by saying this is not a history of or a comprehensive guide these can all be found elsewhere and I'm sure local followers will add many of their own memories to this gentle amble and that in a way is what hopefully this will achieve.  So after failing to make the effort to put this together for ages here goes and be patient.

NOT TOO MANY SIGNS LEFT OF PRIESTSIC ROAD

Having alighted in the bus station which sits by the large Asda one of the first big supermarkets in the area, I believe it was originally Fine Fare so I'm told by a local thank you Mr Foster, when the new
era of stores began brings us immediately to the former ground of Sutton Town, Priestsic Road and positioned with York St to my back a picture of the car park and concrete block clad store gave away the position of the former theatre of dreams.
The few old pictures of the ground reveal the times with signs advertising D.T. Boden wholesale tobacconist, Mansfield Ales and 'It pays to shop at The Coop' the latter which clearly was only marginally true as they were not of the variety that took over the pitch upon departure.  The club had
featured in the Midland Football League, The NCEFL, plus I believe the NPL when the landlord sold the town centre location it brought a sad end to the club which folded in 1997 at their new location neighbouring Kirkby in Ashfield.

THE OLD GROUND SITE WITH YORK STREET TO OUR BACK

The departure date from Priestsic Road is not clear but it would seem to be in or around 1978 which is when the original Fine Fare opened on.  So with a move along to Kirkby in Ashfield and a hastily arranged meet up with Dave of former Glapwell fame and now Burnley catalogue model he hopped
down from his local residence to add to this journey.
The former Lowmoor pub is now a burnt out shell and behind here was the replacement ground which witnessed football until 1997.  The ground had a low slung stand, with cabins in the corner and a small stand by he side of these in the corner.  It was always a ground I enjoyed watching on and remember witnessing Neale Barry Scunthorpe referee before he progressed to the football league.  It was also a time of good old programmes and this is probably were I first met local non league fan Gordon Foster who was also to go on to have an important role within The Mansfield Chad newspaper and was produce the fine effort here.  The far side of the ground was open with a raised bank and with a pitch that always appeared challenging I have to say a trip to Lowmoor was always enjoyable especially with a good programme to view after the game.

LARWOOD FROM THE LIBRARY END

The club went to Lowmoor as Sutton Town but then the changes started it was a challenging time because most locals seem to see a big division between the neighbouring Sutton and Kirkby in many ways and although that may not be visible to non locals I'm assured it is very much there.
So with the involvement of Ashfield District Council the new name of Ashfield United was launched to aid the coming together of the neighbouring towns.  When the club folded the ground was used by Kirkby Town in The CMFL for a couple of years.

BRADMAN READY TO RECEIVE FROM BRADMAN

The walk round went slightly off piste as Dave introduced me to the wall of fame in Kirkby town centre which features footballers Stuart Boam former Mansfield Town manager and Dave Thomas of Burnley all from the town.  But then the star attraction a man I had just recently read about England and Nottinghamshire cricketer Harold Larwood famous from the body line serious in Australia
1932/33.  The history of this man a former miner was a wonderful journey back to sporting times gone by and although he probably became the fall guy and was from mining stock with a different 'school tie' his town had not forgotten him.

WALL OF FAME IN KIRKBY

To this effect a bronze life size cricket match around the 22 yards is set up within the centre with Larwood bowling to the legendary Sir Don Bradman and fielding close in by fellow Notts man Bill Voce keeps up the pressure all on paving stones outside the walkway to Asda and the library.  This is a tremendous effort and well worth a visit but Dave was not finished yet because the neighbouring area of Nuncargate was the birthplace of Larwood and the terraced house in Chapel Street that was home has a nice bronze plaque now added to its façade.  Over the road The Cricketers pub and
adjacent cricket ground now used by Kirkby Portland CC the latter was frequented by the fast bowler.
After a break in The Duke of Wellington near Kirkby Cross for a few chips and light refreshment we ventured off to the Huthwaite border for the instalment of the tour.

DAVE HAS STILL CLEARLY GOT HIS SKILLS

Oakham Town were based to the east of Sutton and just behind the developing B and Q they tried to utilise the name of Sutton Town when they left the site a new club North Notts took on the ground and then moved to The Fieldings in Huthwaite.  Times leave much confusion but it appears the Sutton Town name re-surfaced and in 2007 had AFC suffixed.  I remember seeing the new side in or around their last season in 2013/14 versus Holwell Sports in The EMCFL.  Once again leasing problems came to the fore and although the adjacent cricket ground and superb facilities continued football fell away to junior games before a couple of years ago CMFL side Mansfield Hosiery Mills found themselves using the new facilities with new changing rooms and club room coming into use on what is a very tight ground but also very atmospheric for the spectators proximity to the pitch.

PLAQUE ON THE FORMER HOME OF HAROLD LARWOOD

Added to this we now have Ashland Rovers playing in The CMFL at Kingsway Park in Kirkby but Sutton In Ashfield itself remains devoid of senior Saturday football and although it has been affected by many pulls along the way that sad loss of the Priestsic Road ground was probably the catalyst.

FORMER AND CURRENT SIDE BY SIDE

Hopefully a light look at and very brief journey around the past and present sporting prowess of Sutton and Kirkby with the intention of bringing back some memories and encouraging you to look up some of the old ground pictures.