Saturday, January 31, 2009

My Matchday - 200 Edgeley Park

Stockport County 4v1 Hereford United
League One
31st January 2009


Stockport is a large town six miles south-east of the City of Manchester and lies on the River Mersey, meaning County are the nearest League club to the famous old river (and you thought it was some Premier League club!)
The town is traditionally know for its manufacturing of hemp and rope, it also produced one of the first mechanised silk factories in the UK, in the 18th century. By the following century the towns main industry was cotton and the country’s capital of hat making, exporting over 6 million hats a year. 1997 saw the end of the hatting industry, but the towns heritage is still maintained at the ‘Hat Works - The Museum of Hatting’ which I unfortunately didn’t get a chance to visit, due to being unable to get out of the pubs!
Stockport County were originally formed as Heaton Norris Rovers in 1883, playing at the Recreation Ground in the Combination and then the Lancashire League. The club lead a nomad existence playing the following season at Heaton Norris Wanderers Cricket Ground, before moving onto Chorltons Farm, when they merged with local rivals Heaton Norris. They then relocated, relocated, relocated to Ash Inn Ground, Wilkesfield, until moving to their first enclosed ground at the Nursery Inn on Green Lane, where the players built a 4000 strong wooden stand and changed their name to Stockport County.
The Hatters became a Football League club in 1900, two years later they moved to their seventh ground -Edgeley Park, which had been in existence since 1891, being home to Stockport Rugby Club.
The following year the rugby club folded, the same year as the grounds first development; a roof added to the Popular Side with a capacity of 1400. This side of the ground was well named, as it once housed 16,000 for a 5th Round FA Cup against Liverpool, when the ground witnessed it’s record gate of 27,833 in 1950, the same decade floodlights were installed and opened with a friendly in 1956 against Fortuna 54 Geleen. In 1954 the roof was extended forwards, then renamed the Barlow Stand in honour of club chairman Ernest Barlow. By 1978 the capacity was halved, then in 1994 became all seated, now with a capacity 2,411 of a single tier split into five sections, with one section designated to away supporters.
The Main Stand was built in 1936, a year after the original timber structure (erected in 1913) was destroyed by fire, along with the club records and a dozen houses on the other side of Harcastle Road.
The stand has a classic look, with it’s sharp triangle roof covering 2,000, which includes executive and sponsors seats, it sits on the half way line with the end filled in with separate buildings to either side, including entrance to the conference and banqueting suite.
The Railway End was always an uncovered terrace with a 6,000 capacity up until 1985, when the terrace was cut down by a third. In 2001 the addition of seats completed Edgeley Park as an all-seated ground, it’s used by the away fans, so naturally it’s the only part of the ground without cover, there’s also an electric scoreboard situated at the back of the stand.
The original Cheadle End was a small timber stand with cover for 3,000, when first built in 1923. Seats were added in 1967, but as a result of the Bradford Fire it was demolished, unsafe due to its tarred and felted roof and replaced by a concrete terrace. The new Cheadle End stand was opened in 1995, and is a steep two tier stand with a capacity of over 5,000, like to rest of the ground it has blue flip seats, with the bottom tier having SCFC picked out in white.
We chose to sit in the Cheadle End, underneath the stand is a spacious concourse, decked out with a blue carpet and club colours and the Connor Bar named after County legend Jack Connor. There is a few TV’s in this area, but it seems no remote control, as there was a member of staff walking round with a broom handle switching channels. My only disappointment about the stand was that there was no bookies, as I really fancied backing County to win 3-1, thankfully they scored that fourth goal.
The ground (as it was in the beginning) is shared with rugby, the home of Guinness Premiership club Sale Sharks and is owned by the Stockport County Supporters Trust, which was formed in 2002.
County overcame what’s been a difficult week with a convincing win over Hereford United, two defeats and increasing press speculation regarding the club’s current financial situation were forgotten for the time being as The Hatters got off to a dream star with a goal straight from the kick off. Dominic Blizzard capitalised on a defensive error, then coolly slotting the ball past the keeper with only 13 seconds on the clock.
Hereford drew level midway through the first half with a goal from ManU loanee Sam Hewson, finishing off a good move, but County regained the lead before half time, McNeil with a simple diving header in the six yard box from a corner kick.
Stockport made their dominance count in the second half, a good finish by Mainwaring on 52 minutes, and then McSweeney, shooting through a crowded penalty area capped off a good performance.


Edgeley Park is a ground I’ve been wanting to tick for quite a while now, it’s in a perfect town centre location, not too far from the railway station, which means I don’t have to hotfoot a couple of eight minute miles to catch my train.
I departed Newcastle at 9am, on my five quid single fare train to Doncaster. I arrived by 1030 and caught my connection to Stockport, arriving just before noon. After grabbing a late breakfast at a cafĂ© which overlooks the market place, I needed something to wash it down, so I naturally visited a couple of the local hostelries. There was plenty to choose from, but I selected ’The Calvert Court’ and ‘The Pack Horse’ before again meeting up with 100FGC squad#93 Dan Gooch, his girlfriend Sam(visiting her 37th ground of the season) and squad#109 Paul Hodkinson at the Grade II listed ‘Arden Arms’ (details on Bevvy Almanac)
We headed over to Edgeley Park at around 2pm, we were all impressed by the ground and enjoyed an entertaining game with a praiseworthy performance from our hosts.
My train home wasn’t due until 17.28, so I had time for a swift pint on my way to the station, we noticed plenty of bars on Castle Street which is in between the ground and rail station. I don’t know how it came about, maybe it was because it looked quite quaint from the outside, but we selected ‘The Pineapple’ as our post match alehouse of choice. How would I describe this pub? Let’s just say the words -Avoid, as F**k, Rough, come to mind. I left The Pineapple at 1720, saying my farewell to my ground hopping friends and wishing them the best of luck in getting out of the pub alive.
The return train journey home went smoothly, I made a short detour to ‘The Leopard’ pub, next to the train station in Donny, before arriving home at 9pm. I received several txt messages from Dan, informing me that their safety was assured and they’d visited more pubs in Castle Street before catching a later train.
Edgeley Park turned out to be my 200th ground, I’ve been stuck in the 190’s for what seems an eternity, a bit like a cricketer at the crease on the verge of his double century, but then growing frustrated as the clouds darkened and the covers come out, unable to hit the few remaining winning runs. Compared to others who share this groundbagging hobby, this isn’t much of a milestone, however I’m pleased a classic ground like Edgeley Park, turned out to be the venue which finally completed my second ton.
Bevvy Almanac - Port of Crawl

Matchday stats
SCFC 4(Blizzard 1, McNeil 33, Mainwaring 52, McSweeney 76) HUFC 1(Hewson 26)
Att. 5586
Admission £16
Programme £2.50
Match report



Ground no.200 Edgeley Park - Matchday Web album(21 pictures)

Saturday, January 24, 2009

My Matchday - 199 Purvis Park

Percy Main Amateurs 2v2 Gosforth Bohemians Garnet
Northern Alliance Division One
24th January 2009
I hadn’t planned another Alliance ground this season, my usual ’Around the Alliance’ articles finished for this term, however a 11am Saturday morning kick-off was too good to miss out on, tailor made for groundhoppers to bag a welcome double.
Many groundhoppers took advantage of this early start, travelling from far flung parts of the country, then heading off to a Northern League game and some further north to Scotland. The reason the match kicked off early was the Gosforth lads were off to York for a stag-do, with one of their players about to 'tie the knot', and Percy Main being the helpful club they are, agreed to an early start.
This year Percy Main Amateurs celebrate their 90th birthday, having been formed by ex-servicemen returning from the First World War. They began life playing in the Northern Amateur League, becoming champions in their first season before adding four consecutive titles during the 1920’s. The club’s proud history includes a quarter-final appearance in the FA Amateur Cup in 1929-30, losing out to eventual winners Bournemouth Gasworks Athletic after knocking out Cleethorpes Town, Rawmarsh Welfare and Yorkshire Amateurs. The club joined the Tyneside Amateur League in 1931, before returned to the Northern Amateur League after the Second World War.
The Villagers joined the Northern Alliance in 1968, adding cup honours in the Northumberland Amateur Cup, Northern Alliance League Cup and the Northumberland Senior Bowl, before becoming title winners in consecutive years in ‘81 and ‘82 and runners up in 82-83, the same season they reached the 5th round of the FA Vase, going out to Brandon United.
The club suffered relegation in 1991 to Division One, but won promotion by the end of the decade, adding the League Cup in their first season back in the Premier, The Villagers are currently back in Alliance One after relegation in 2004-05.


Percy Main is a village in North Tyneside, on the outskirts of North Shields. Purvis Park takes its name in honour of the late Ian Purvis, who served the club as a player, secretary and chairman over 50 years. The ground was originally called Middle Row Park until 1996 and neighbours with the local cricket club, entrance is gained through the pavilion building, which incorporates the changing rooms and tea bar, which serves delicious hot soup at 60p a cup. Access pitch side is gained through the back of the building, which has an extended roof, giving spectators valuable cover.
Those travellers who set off early, (which including the first arrival from Hampshire who had departed at 4.30am) were treated to an entertaining game, the early kick-off didn’t cause a lethargic display, as both teams looked up for it.

Bohs took the lead half way through the first half, a point blank save from the keeper was tipped on to the bar, but Atkin was alert to force the ball over the line with an acrobatic-type-kick. Percy pushed for an equaliser, missing several good opportunities, then in first half injury time Gosforth doubled their lead, Atkin again netting another rebound after another good save, this time from a tight angle.
Percy Main must have got a good rollicking at half time, scoring with their first attack of the half, Betts with a cracking shot from 20yds which gave the keeper no chance. This gave the team a lift and it was just a matter of time before they equalised, this duly arrived on 70 minutes, Percy Mains very own miniature version of Rory Delap; Pierre-Luc Coiffait fired in another bullet throw which eventually fell to McEnany who fired home with his right foot. The teams fought out the final twenty minutes in search of a winner, but after over 100 minutes(51 minutes each way!) of football the draw was a fair result in the end.
The early kick-off was definitely a success for Percy Main, mainly thanks to club secretary Norman De Bruin who made Groundhoppers aware via the internet, on Tony Kempster’s forum and Non League Zone. Hopefully other clubs in the region will take note and follow Percy Main’s example, to give the country’s groundhoppers an excuse and opportunity to visit, where without doubt... is the best region of the country.


Matchday Stats
PMA 2(Betts 47, McEnany 70) GBG(Atkin 22,45+4)
Att. 65 (HC)
Admission £1
Programme 50p


Sunday, January 18, 2009

My Matchday - 198 Christie Park

Morecambe 0v1 Gillingham
League Two
17th January 2009
Morecambe is a Lancashire seaside resort off the Irish Sea within the City of Lancaster. In 1889 the villages of Bare, Poulton-le-Sands and Torrisholme became communally known as Morecambe, with the three villages still maintaining their own identity and original names.

Morecambe FC formed in 1920, playing their first season in the Lancashire Combination League whilst sharing the towns cricket ground at Woodhill Lane. The club moved to their own ground the following year, thanks to the financial backing of retired businessman and supporters club president Joseph Barnes Christie, who acquired land to rent on Lancaster Road.
The ground was then know as Roseberry Park, originally having a 700 capacity wooden stand, dressing rooms and a covered end known as the ‘Scratching Shed’ with the ground’s first league action played in August 1921, against coastal neighbours Fleetwood, in front of a healthy crowd of 3,500, with similar sized crowds maintained during their first season.

The ground was renamed Christie Park in January 1928, honouring Mr Christie who was now the club president, he formed the club into a limited company with a share capital of £1,000. He purchased the ground and gave it to the Corporation of Morecambe on the condition that it could be only used by Morecambe FC, and should the club ever disband it should become a children’s playground, sadly the clubs great supporter and benefactor died the following year.

The grounds steady progress began with cinder banking added to the Lancaster Road end with a covered concrete stand at the town end in the late 1950’s costing £2,000. Another £4,000 was spent on installing floodlights at the turn of the next decade. The Main Stand was built in 1962, at a cost of £20,000 as part of major ground improvements totalling £35,000, the same year as the ground witnessed it’s record gate, 9,383 for a 3rd Round FA Cup tie against Weymouth, then in 1968 the old fans favourite the ‘scratching shed’ was demolished to make way for a new covered terrace at the Christie Avenue end.

In 1967-68 they were Lancashire Combination champions for a fifth time, and the following season became original members of the Northern Premier League. The Shrimps made little impact in the new division, but glory came in the FA Trophy, the biggest day in their Non-League history saw a 2-1 victory over Dartford in the 1974 final at Wembley.
The clubs ambition to rise up the pyramid began with more ground improvements during the 1990’s which included new floodlights and grass banking replaced by concrete terracing, their desire was fulfilled when in 1994-95 they joined the Conference after finishing runners-up to Marine in the Northern Premier League.

In 1997 a new £560,000 stand was built at the town end with major improvements made to the South Stand bringing Christie Park up to Football League standards. League football was eventually accomplished, following play-off semi finals defeats in 2002-03 to Dagenham & Redbridge, then three years later to Hereford, it was third time lucky in 2006-07, after disposing of York City in the semis they went on to beat Exeter City 2-1 in the first Conference Final to be played at the new Wembley.

Last season the club comfortably maintained their newly found league status, finishing in 11th position with sixty points, season highlights including League Cup victories away at Preston North End and Wolves.
Christie Park has a capacity of 6,400, the Main Stand has a traditional old fashioned look to it, sitting perched on the half way line with 1200 red flip seats, with a wee small standing section at the front. The dugouts are situated centrally in front of the stand with the players tunnel further along towards the south side, with a small stand to cater for disabled supporters towards the north end.
The North Stand terrace looks brand new, spick-and-span with bright red crash barriers, opposite is the away end, a smaller terrace with a police control box situated centrally, the back walls are painted battleship grey, covering the wording of the previous sponsors name. The Car Wash Terrace is the only uncovered part of the ground, a shallow terrace which is broken up by the scaffold assembled TV gantry and four thin floodlight pylons.

Eric & Ernie’s rendition of ‘Bring Me Sunshine’ greeted the two teams, but the match didn’t produce many bright spots, with Gillingham taking all three points courtesy of a first half strike from Curtis Weston. The Gills started the better side and almost took the lead when a Mulligan shot hit the post, then on 19 minutes the same player was again denied by the woodwork, but this time Weston was on hand to net the rebound. The Shrimps pushed for an equaliser in the second half, but overall lacked that extra spark in front of goal, with the best effort coming from Stanley, which produced a brilliant save from Royce. Gillingham looked to grab a second goal on the break and defended well as the conditions worsened, holding on to claim victory.
I travelled to Morecambe by car, chauffeured by Alan Price(100FGC squad#26) along with his wife Karen(squad#126) and Dave Edwards(squad#52) setting off at 9am.
We stopped off in Lancaster city, taking a look at the home of the Dolly Blues (My Matchday planned for 10th April) then arrived in Morecambe at around 11.30am, heading straight to the ground. We purchased some goods from the club shop, then luckily found that the ground gates were open, meaning we could have a pre-match preview of Christie Park, taking a leisurely walk around the stadium and take some decent photographs.
We then headed into the town centre to see the statue of the towns favourite son Eric Morecambe, before heading off for something to eat. Alan had already researched where the towns best chippy was, the honour going to Atkinsons, found in a side street off Marine Road West (they’ve also got a chippy next to the ground) after enjoying the delicious haddock & chips on the seafront, I was thirsty for some decent ale, so I headed off on a pub crawl and arranged to meet back up later on.
The first pub I visited was named after the great man himself, Eric Bartholomew (JD Wetherspoons), followed by the towns oldest pub the ‘Smugglers Den’ and finally the York Hotel on Lancaster Road, the closest pub to the ground. (Full details on Bevvy Almanac)
I prefer to stand at the match, so with it being a dry day I opted for the Car Wash Terrace, standing on the half way line close to the action just like being at a Non-League match, I later regretted not choosing the North Stand, as it lashed down in the last twenty minutes, so I got a right drenching!

I enjoyed visiting Morecambe and look forward to returning, the club have announced plans to move to a new purpose built stadium in the Westgate area of the town. The new ground will have a capacity of 6,800(2,100 seats), the project also includes training facilities, hotel, drive-through-restaurant and car park facilities, which should be up and running by the start of 2010-11 season.
We made good time heading back home, arriving back at 7.30pm, with Mr. Price’s rendition of ‘Bring Me Sunshine’ an added bonus (well maybe not!) to our journey back north, overall a brilliant day out or as the legend Mr Morecambe would have wisely put it "Wah-hey! "
LINKS
Match Report
100FGC visits- Tims 92 (Sept’07) The Groundhog (Dec’08)
Bevvy Almanac - ‘Revisiting Eric’

Matchday stats
MFC 0 GFC 1(Weston 19)
Att. 2027
Admission £12 (standing)
Programme £3