My Wrexham Honeymoon

Brickfield Rangers  4  Llanuwchlyn  1

Welsh National League (Wrexham Area) Premier Division

“Shouldn’t you be on your honeymoon?”

They weren’t quite the words I expected to greet me as I walked through the door of the clubhouse at the Clywedog Park home of Brickfield Rangers.

I guess it perhaps did surprise the party of gents who had travelled from the South East for the game, to see me going to football the day after my Wedding. How did they know I was getting married? 

One of their old acquaintances, Dave Garrow, is a good mate of mine and he had been present at our festivities the previous evening, so I can only assume he’d told them. 

Yes, Mrs Hatt (it’s now official) is a very understanding wife and right from day one of setting the date, a trip to football the following day was not going to be curtailed, albeit the only proviso being that it didn’t involve too early a start and too late a return.

So why Brickfield Rangers?

The Business End

Quite simple really, they are one of the applicants to join the Cymru Alliance next season, and seeing as they look favourites to win the Welsh National League (Wrexham Area), they had dropped onto my radar for a visit.

Two hours after leaving home I was on the outskirts of Wrexham, a town I’ve visited on a few occasions for football, initially to see Wrexham play Swansea City back in the early Nineties, but more recently to see the likes of Lex XI, Gresford Athletic and slightly further afield, Cefn Druids, Rhos Aelwyd and Penycae.

Brickfield Rangers are located to the West of the centre of the town just off the Ruthin Road. Wrexham’s Racecourse Ground is only a mile away by road, and less as the crow flies. The town centre is walkable as are the two railway stations that Wrexham is blessed with.

The Other End - Soon To Be On The Move

I have to say I was very impressed with their set up. The dressing rooms and clubhouse sit behind the goal at the school end of the ground, while attached to the front of the building is a covered seating area. A further covered area sits behind the opposite goal, but a club official told me that was being moved shortly to an area down one side of the pitch to allow for a larger seated stand to be installed in its place.

One side has a grass bank which offers an elevated viewing area, while the opposite side of the ground which houses the dugouts is a flat standing area. No floodlights are yet in place but presumably they are on the agenda because they will be required to get a Level Two licence in Wales.

The Grass Kop

The club were very friendly indeed, happy to chat, happy to answer questions, and in terms of food, drink and programmes, all was on offer. No admission was charged, but again, I assume plans will be in place for this next season assuming the move upwards is made.

It promised to be a good game, Brickfield were top and with games in hand looked well placed to go on to clinch the title, while visiting Llanuwchlyn from the Bala area, sat third in the table. Some strong clubs have found themselves in this league now following a reduction in size of the Cymru Alliance. The likes of Buckley Town, Mold Alex, Penycae and Lex all adorn the top division while the First Division contains Rhos Aelwyd, Rhydymwyn and Llangollen Town. With the third tier of Welsh football about to see three divisions morph into two, we could see further casualties, and not least because of the increases in travelling costs and times.

The visitors took the lead in the first half through Sam Evans but as the game approached the interval Joe Sullivan poked the ball home from close range to equalise for Brickfield.

Dugouts

While the first half had been scrappy, the second half was dominated by the hosts and they took the lead through skipper Steve Watkin. Ross Ankers scored an excellent solo effort to make it 3-1 before Chris Boyes rounded it off with a fourth goal.

Brickfield march on at the top, but with twelve games still to play, it’s not in the bag yet. Clearly a crowded fixture list is going to have to be managed carefully, but at this stage I would make them favourites ahead of second placed Cefn Albion. Having finished runners up last season, the time has clearly come to go one better.

Welsh football is going through a period of change, Domestic Licencing has reared its head so clubs are having to get their houses in order, or suffer the consequences. Brickfield look to be proactively on the front foot and on the evidence of today, they’ll be an asset to the Cymru Alliance, assuming of course they make the cut.

The journey home took me past the Racecourse, where Maidstone United were the visitors. I caught a glimpse of the famous old Crispin End terrace between the stands. Now that was an entertaining place to watch football from, especially when the Jacks from Swansea were in town. Bread of Heaven had a different take on the Crispin, the lyrics were changed to Wrexham Lager….

Next stop the honeymoon, Mrs H has granted me a five match pass in Cornwall, not bad this married life is it?

What Marital Bliss Is All About

Are We Nearly There Yet?

Skegness Town  5  Wyberton  1

Lincolnshire League

“Are we nearly there yet?”

The often heard cry from the back of the car, and the restless kids are really not helping matters, because at this juncture Dad has got us stuck in a traffic jam, and Mum is blaming Dad because he failed to follow the clear directions she had given him! You see, Dad’s know best, local knowledge, instinct and all that……!

It was no different when we were kids, and some of my earliest memories were of sitting in the back of the car, surrounded by the baggage that wouldn’t fit in the boot of the Hillman Avenger, on our way to Skeggy!

It was usually alright again when we arrived, because Grandma and Grandad would have almost always have arrived before us, setting off at dawn to beat the traffic, and we would be welcomed by their generous beaming smiles. Great days, great memories, and some of them, were made in Skegness.

The Vertigo Stadium

Since those days in the mid to late Seventies, I’ll be honest, you could count my trips to Skeggy on one hand. A lads holiday, albeit in a caravan in Ingoldmells was a particularly memorable experience as a 17 year old, perhaps best encapsulated by the Wet T Shirt Competition in Raffles being won by a lass from Pinxton (she forgot the T Shirt bit!)

A couple of short breaks with the kids have also taken place over the years, and it was on one of those short breaks that I did what many football fans have done when they’ve gone to Skegness, found a pre-season friendly.

Both Nottingham Forest and Sheffield United have historically taken teams to play Skegness Town at the Burgh Road ground, and this worked well from a revenue perspective in the Summer months because a large proportion of holidaymakers are from the East Midlands and South Yorkshire.

I didn’t get Forest or the Blades when I went, I got Peterborough Northern Star, and from memory, it was no money spinner for the Lilywhites!

Two Stands

Growing up watching Belper Town in the Eighties, I missed out on games against Skegness Town.  They were stalwarts of the Midland League from the Sixties right through to the early Eighties when it became the Northern Counties East League. Always out on a limb somewhat, but a popular place for teams to visit for obvious reasons, depending on the time of year, they took the decision after just one season of the NCEL to resign. I suspect a lack of floodlights was the issue but I couldn’t say for certain.

That resignation meant a return to local football in the form of the Lincolnshire League. Where they remain to this day.

I Do Like To Be Beside The Seaside

The old ground at Burgh Road was within easy walking distance of the centre of Skegness, and the Lilywhites Club at the ground claimed to sell the cheapest beer in the town. It was definitely cheaper than at Butlins, that I can vouch for! They had a stand on either side of the pitch, but when I went, they were down to just one structure on the road side. It was a tidy venue, and really should have been hosting better than local league football.

For a few years now they have been rumoured and allegedly touted for a possible move into the Central Midlands League, but for whatever reason that hasn’t come to fruition. What has happened though is three things.

Firstly, over the past four seasons they’ve won the league three times and finished runners-up once, so from a footballing perspective, you could argue that they are ready for the move.

Dugouts

Secondly, the Lincolnshire League was elevated to Step 7 status which meant they could in effect bypass the Central Midlands League and take a place in either the Northern Counties East League, the United Counties League, or even the East Midlands Counties League.

And finally, they’ve moved to a fantastic new ground called the Vertigo Stadium on Wainfleet Road, which sets them up perfectly for moving forward, something they inevitably will do at the end of this season, of that there is no secret.

Having decided it was time to go and have a look, what’s the new ground like?

Very good indeed, located on the A52 a short distance from the town centre, it’s a new build which forms part of a larger complex that also includes the local rugby club and a 4G surface. The clubhouse and changing facilities sit behind the goal, while looking to the left from the front of the clubhouse are two Atcost stands, both comprising of seats and terracing.

The ground has full hard standing round the pitch, it’s completely enclosed and has very good floodlights. In fact it’s got everything they need for at least two, if not three jumps forward.

Changing Rooms & Clubhouse

They also get very good crowds, around 120 were in place for the game against Boston based Wyberton, and what they saw was a very accomplished performance by the hosts.

A goalkeeping error saw Skeggy take the lead, only then for the hosts to go on and score twice more in a first half where they displayed their clinical prowess.

Wyberton had a good spell in the early stages of the second period and pulled a goal back, but a late own goal and a penalty saw it finish 5-1 to the Lilywhites. Will Britton netted a hat-trick while George Hobbins was the man to score from the spot. The result moved them into fifth position in a league that only contains ten sides, but with games in hand, assuming of course they win them, it could end up being a tight finish with both Ruston Sports and Horncastle Town for the title.

On The Way Up & Rightly So

Of course Skegness want to win the league to cap promotion to Step 6, but ultimately it won’t matter, they are almost certain to go up irrespective.  The FA are determined to fill Step 6 with suitable and progressive clubs, and if there is a club more suitable and progressive than Skegness Town, I’d like to know who they are!

Are they nearly there yet? Pretty much I would say.

Under The Bridge

Barrow Town  2  Arnold Town  1

East Midlands Counties League

As the Spring Equinox arrived, the snow from the weekend had departed and left a soggy mass of football pitches around the Country.

With temperatures forecast to fall to close to freezing point as we moved into the clear night, it was going to be a case of seeing what dried out, and what didn’t as we moved from the storm into the calm.

My original choice of game at Belper United fell by the wayside yesterday, because the sorry tale that is currently Blaby & Whetstone Athletic, once again announced that they were unable to raise a side. I really don’t know what the future holds for that club?

Continuing the theme of midweek matches in the East Midlands Counties League, I decided to head to a ground I’d not been to for just over ten years, the Riverside ground in Barrow Upon Soar.

Beer & Burgers

I’ve only been to the home of Barrow Town twice, on both occasions for local derby fixtures against near neighbours Loughborough Dynamo. The first back in 2003 was a Leicestershire Senior League game that the visitors won 4-1 while on their way to the championship, while five years later they returned for a County Cup tie, this time proving victorious on penalty kicks.

When I first went to the Riverside I was impressed. Set in a very rural location almost betwixt Barrow and Quorn, the ground is best remembered by the huge footbridge that straddles the A6, and sits behind the West goal. For those wishing to watch some free football, it’s a pretty good vantage point.

Over the years the ground has been developed nicely. The clubhouse has had a refurb and is both smart and spacious, while the tea bar is certainly one of the better offerings in the locality.

Two small stands have been erected on the far side, one seated, one for standing, whereas the ground has now been fully enclosed with hard standing. The four corner floodlights are of the more traditional variety, think railway sidings as opposed to modern day poles. They do add character to the ground.

Furniture

I like it, and I was also aware that the pitch is well renowned for its drainage, so when the club tweeted to say the game was on, albeit the going was a heavy, that made my mind up.

The history of Barrow Town is not a complicated one. Formed as Barrow Old Boys, they became Town in 1981 before spending umpteen years in the Leicestershire Senior League. In the final three seasons of membership they finished third once and runners up twice, which meant a promotion to the newly formed East Midlands Counties League was never in any doubt.

They’ve bobbed about in the EMCL, with a best place of second in 2013, only to finish bottom the year after? Not sure what happened there but I suspect a mass exodus might have had something to do with it, but I do stand to be corrected.

Tonight’s visitors Arnold Town sat in the bottom three, and they in themselves is quite a story, but one for another day. Barrow sat in mid-table, and with a crowd of 34 present we waited with baited breath for what you could have been forgiven for thinking would be a straightforward home victory.

Soft To Good

In terms of support, Barrow’s average attendance is 39. In fact the EMCL is not an especially well attended league for some reason. 40-50 is the norm, with Clifton the worst supported on 27, while Selston are the only club in three figures averaging an impressive 104. Leaders Teversal average out at 68, they, like many others, deserve more.

In the convivial company of Paul from Epsom, someone who I bump into a couple of times a season, we watched a very open first half finish 0-0. Arnold then took the lead early in the second period, only for Barrow to score a quick fire double to make it 2-1.

The final few minutes were bizarre, Barrow absolutely tore Arnold to shreds and could have easily added four or five more goals, but a combination of the woodwork, poor finishing and excellent goalkeeping kept the ball out of the net.

It wasn’t quite at freezing point at the final whistle as the cars crossed the cattle grid and out onto the A6, but with British Summetime less than a week away now, we can hopefully look forward to some drier pitches, some warmer nights and some football. The last few months have been a real killer, and when you look at some clubs fixture lists you do wonder just how they are going to cope.

I’m not sure what the answer is. Investment in pitches is fine, but they can only deal with so much weather. More midweek games early season is a possibility, less cup games is also an option, as is what seems to be an FA move to reduce league sizes.

Ultimately though, when you hear of clubs not having had a home game since November, and we are now almost in April, something is very, very wrong, and it’s hard to envisage in a changing climate, how it’s going to get any better.

All is well under the bridge at Barrow though.

The Bridge

Stags, Snow & St Peter

Chalfont St Peter  1  Hayes & Yeading United  1

Southern Football League – Division One East

Having survived the rigours of my Stag Party the previous day, which consisted of a Trans Pennine Beer Trail, taking in the likes of Stalybridge, Marsden, Huddersfield, Dewsbury and Sheffield, I felt surprisingly sprightly for a day at the football.

The weather had not been overly kind, and with snow and freezing temperatures forecast, once again, I did have a few concerns whether my game of choice would be on, but it appeared Chalfont St Peter had no plans for a pitch inspection and the snow was not settling.

I was to have company, Alfreton Town’s scheduled home game with Kidderminster Harriers bit the dust early in the morning so after a couple of phone calls, my old school mates Mark and Lee were to be jumping on board. It appeared, the Stag event was about to enter a second day!

The familiar path of the M1 and M25 was on best behaviour, as was the weather, and despite a biting wind and constant flurries of snow, all was well as we pulled into the car park at Mill Meadow in the scenic Buckinghamshire town.

Mill Meadow

It was an important game for both sides. Chalfont sat in the final play-off place while neighbouring Hayes occupied third place. It was quite conceivable that the two sides could meet again in the end of season lottery, but for now, it was about securing the points to cement the final positions that would be so crucial.

Chalfont St Peter, since the mid-Seventies, have worked their way through the Spartan and Athenian League’s, until arriving in the Isthmian League in 1984. They remained Isthmian’s until 2006 when they joined the South Midlands League, and it was in this competition that they found success. Two second places, a third place and a Championship in 2011 saw them promoted, this time to the Southern League, where they have remained since.

Hayes & Yeading United, where I went last Saturday, are a club looking to revive former fortunes, and bought with them over half of the attendance of 135 that were inside Mill Meadow today. Chalfont’s average crowd this season is 82, the lowest in the division, which is a pity given how well they’ve been doing.  Only the home game with well supported AFC Rushden & Diamonds drew a bigger attendance than today’s, so quite what they need to do to get more people through the turnstiles is a mystery.

South End Seats

Mill Meadow is a real mixture of the traditional and modern. Once through the turnstiles an old wooden building sits on the West side of the ground, and this contains the clubhouse, offices and tea bar. A small overhang in front of it provides shelter for supporters who wish to stand and watch the action.

Next to this is a stand on the half way line, but it had seen better days and given the lack of people sat in it, I suspect may have been declared out of bounds Underneath the stand is the dressing room area. Behind both goals are seated stands. A modern version sits behind the South goal and given it’s raised position it gave excellent views of the game, whereas behind the opposite goal is a smaller, less substantial structure with a much lower rake of seats.

The East side of the ground was open, whereas the pitch, given the recent weather, was in very good condition.

The Snow Swirls

The game got off to a blistering start. Louis Stead finished after Victor Osubu saw his initial shot saved for the hosts inside four minutes, but almost straight from the re-start, Manny Duku rose to head home an excellent cross from Toby Little for the equaliser.

The rest of the first half was end to end stuff, with both teams determined to gain an advantage, but no more goals were forthcoming.

Ten minutes into the second period and Hayes were feeling a sense of injustice when they had what seemed a perfectly good goal disallowed for offside. Moments after this and that injustice became ever more tangible when Chalfont were awarded a clear penalty.

Up stepped Osubu but his spot kick was blazed over the bar, much to the visitors relief. Chalfont had the edge in the remainder of the half but couldn’t find a winner.

Leafy Buckinghamshire

Another straightforward return journey saw us back in Belper for just after seven, and Mrs H was very kindly on hand to brave the snow covered roads to give us the short lift into town. Much banter and brew was enjoyed, and as we made our way for the last bus, it was clear that conditions had significantly deteriorated. An agitated bus driver allowed us on for free, because, to quote him, “I’m not sure how far we’ll get”.

We all made it home one way or another, the Stag remained in one piece for a second evening. But today had been a great day on numerous fronts, but mainly because of the great company. Sometimes the best days are the unplanned ones.

Talking of plans, got a fairly big one coming to fruition in less than a weeks time. It’s a big match, played behind closed doors on an artificial surface. All ticket, with hospitality for all, and it’s almost guaranteed to go to extra time. There won’t be any losers in this match though, only winners…..  

Small Team From Weston

Runcorn Town  1  Squires Gate  2

North West Counties League – Premier Division

I might have been raised in a quaint Derbyshire village, but industry was never too far away.

Within walking distance was the huge Stevenson’s Dye Works on Bullbridge with its mysterious deep water reservoir which was rumoured to have swallowed up animals and small children over the years.  Almost adjacent was the eerie Gas Plant, and then looking over the A6 towards the River Derwent was the Wireworks, where crashing and banging could be heard long into the night.

A few miles away was Belper, where a weekly visit was made to see relatives, and it was in Belper that you could look in awe at the Sewing Mills, smell the fumes from Silkolene and wonder in amazement at just what was running through those huge tubes at Deb, Swarfega probably!

I was fascinated by these places, fascinated by the mystery.  Just what was going on behind those locked gates, those high fences, and inside the cavernous tall buildings. As smoke and vapour rose into the air, just what were they concocting? To me, they were like huge science labs, mazes in fact, where you could get lost, and of course, get up to all kinds of mischief.

As years went by, these places vanished. The Dye Works was demolished, the Gas Plant lies virtually derelict, the textile industry has left the area, Silkolene closed, Deb relocated and the Wireworks is redeployed for what now I’m not sure.

But, those formative years had an impact, to the point where I do love the sight of some industry, especially traditional industry, with chimneys, towers and the like.

It was twenty years or more now when I was traveling back from North Wales along the M56, and just as Frodsham appears on right and the road crosses the River Weaver, it was in the twilight sky that I caught sight of Weston Point in Runcorn.

Caustic Soda In The Background - Town In The Foreground

In simple terms, it is an area of land that arcs round from the Weaver estuary where it joins the Mersey, right round to the edge of the Runcorn Bridge. The area was dominated by the huge ICI works, but to look at it, it’s a marvellous sight as the sun starts to set, with its towers and lights dominating the vista.

I found myself mesmerized by the sight, and in more recent years, flights from Liverpool Airport would ordinarily take me via the Weston Point Expressway, and that again was a chance to get closer to the fascination that lay below to the left.

Work did start to take me to Runcorn Town Centre from time to time, and it was during a lunch break that I’d wander down to the banks of the navigation canal. I’d sit on a bench in the nature reserve staring at the bridge. Opposite was Widnes and Spike Island, where I saw the famous Stone Roses gig.

Weston Point Looks On

Football in Runcorn was a really big deal once in a while. Runcorn FC at one point were arguably the top non-league club in the country, by the time I visited in 1995 they were on the decline, and then when the old Canal Street ground was sold and the club became nomadic, the end was nigh. I saw them again as Runcorn Halton playing at the Widnes Rugby League ground, but ultimately the club folded before being reformed as Runcorn Linnets. They now finally have a ground of their own in the town and ply their trade in the North West Counties League, with this season looking increasingly like the one where they win the league and gain promotion to the Northern Premier League.

Around the time Linnets were formed, a team called Mond Rangers in the West Cheshire League changed their name to Runcorn Town. In 2010 they were accepted into the North West Counties League, and suddenly interest in them started to build, mine included.

Facilities

Very quickly after doing my research it became clear that this Runcorn club was not just any old club, they were a club plying their trade in Weston Point, smack in the heart of the industrial landscape that had fascinated me.

A pre-season friendly against Newcastle Town on a warm July evening was my first visit, situated at the Pavilions Club, it was a ground hemmed in between the Weston Point Expressway and the caustic soda plant. I had a great evening, at a characterful ground, watching a good team, with great scenery as the backdrop!

I followed the clubs fortunes, they were promoted in their first season and then once in the Premier Division in three successive seasons they ran promotion to the Northern Premier League close. The first two of those three seasons finishing above the Linnets, which wasn’t bad for a ‘Small Team From Weston’ as they were referred to!

Looking Towards The Expressway

A couple of lean seasons followed, but last year they finished third, with Linnets fourth. This time around Linnets should win it, but Town are locked in what appears to be a three way battle with Charnock Richard and neighbouring Widnes for the second promotion place.

Tonight, Town were playing Blackpool based Squires Gate, complete with Trevor Sinclair within their ranks, albeit named as an unused substitute. The league table suggested a home win, but more on the game later.

The ground, from memory, had changed a little from 2010. A new seated stand adorned the West side, alongside the original cover, while the club house looked to have been spruced up. Next to the club house sits another area of cover that appears to be a work in progress, while behind the South end of the ground below the bank is what looks like a new turnstile block.

The ground is a mixture of structures, but it has a charm and an individual identity, something you can’t say about many places that would probably consider themselves to have better facilities.

Under Cover

The welcome is incredibly friendly, the club is blessed with a number of volunteers, and as a neutral looks to be very well organised and professional in what they do. The programme is first class, while their web presence and social media are both excellent. If they do make the NPL, they will be a very worthy addition.

A crowd of around 100 assembled to watch a game that Runcorn should have won. But, despite having enough chances to have won a number of games, they came up against a Gate side that defended heroically, rode their luck at times, but ultimately when chances came their way, they were clinical.

Runcorn made errors that proved costly at both ends of the pitch, while they might argue that they had two justifiable penalty claims turned down. On another day they would have won at a canter, but sometimes football is a bit like that.

Gate scored once in each half, before Town reduced the arrears with the last kick of the game through Craig Cairns. The experienced and prolific Mark Reed had chances but again, could not find the back of the net.

Town will go again, but no denying this was a setback. It’s incredibly tight at the top, and I wouldn’t like to predict the outcome.

Gate Defend

The landscape of Runcorn is ever changing, the new Mersey Gateway Bridge dominates the area, while the traditional Runcorn Bridge is out of action. The road network has been revamped accordingly while Weston Point starts to see the traditional industries being replaced by the more contemporary. My drive away from the ground saw me weaving under the cranes and over the railway tracks, but how long will they remain?

In footballing terms, after years in the doldrums, the town could be on the verge of something special. For Runcorn Town, that would be an achievement worth celebrating, and I'll happily join them, make mine two pints of lager, and a packet of crisps, please?  

When Two Become One

Hayes & Yeading United  3  Hartley Wintney  1

Southern Football League – Division One East

It was a pretty unique time for a small area of West London in the Summer of 2005.

Hayes Football Club, an established cornerstone of the non-league game with an illustrious history, had just completed a season in the inaugural Conference South, having made the cut the previous season in the Isthmian League where final position was going to be pivotal.

The club had enjoyed some good times just prior to this, having spent six seasons in the Conference National, which had seen a best placed finish of third in 1999.  The Church Road ground was a classic old stadium, built on a huge site, but it was also very valuable and coveted by the developer.

Less than three miles to the East was an up and coming young club by the name of Yeading. Having only joined senior football in 1984 they worked their way through the London Spartan League, then the divisions of the Isthmian League, before consecutive promotions saw them arrive at the same level as their more illustrious neighbours.

Imposing....

Yeading, playing at the modest and more contemporary Warren, located at the end of an Industrial Estate, didn’t have the history, the support or the facilities that Hayes had, but they had made people sit up and notice by reaching the Third Round of the FA Cup in 2004-05, before losing to Newcastle United.

This wasn’t an isolated success because over a twelve year period both Colchester United and Gillingham were held to draws in the Cup before replay defeats, while their final outing in the Cup saw them lose at Nottingham Forest. Add to that an FA Vase win for good measure and we had a club punching well above their weight.

The two clubs played out the 2005-06 season in the Conference South with Hayes finishing 20^th and Yeading finishing 16^th. The following year both clubs replicated those finishes, but a plan had been hatched.

A Work In Progress

Merge the clubs, develop the Warren into a stadium that would be fit for the Football League, sell off the valuable Church Road ground, and by doing so create a West London super club that would sweep all before them.

In theory it was a great idea, but not strictly well received by the supporters, especially those of Hayes who feared a loss of identity, and of course an iconic home, so how did it pan out?

Under the moniker of Hayes & Yeading United, they took two seasons to win promotion back to the Conference National, but time was running out in terms of the ground. Church Lane was sold, but the Warren wasn’t ready, so ground shares took place at both Woking, Maidenhead United.

In another twist, they did finally move into the new stadium at the start of last season but were gone again after three games due to safety certification issues.  Further moves then took them to Beaconsfield SYCOB and Hendon. It was all a bit unsatisfactory.

Finances were the major issue with the delays, but in the period from leaving Church Lane, they tumbled down the leagues and at the end of last season found themselves relegated from the Southern League Premier Division to the First Division East. The decline had been rapid, and was certainly not in the script when plans for the merger were drawn up just over ten years ago.

So, that’s the potted history of two clubs becoming one, but where are we now, in the present day?

The Southall Gas Tower

The Skyex Stadium (as it’s now known) became the permanent home of H&YU at the start of this season, and on the field it’s been pretty positive. Prior to today’s game with Hartley Wintney they sat in fifth place and are well set to make the end of season play-offs. With the visitors sat in third place, it was looking like being a very interesting encounter.

I saw a game at the old Church Road stadium just before it was vacated. It was against Ebbsfleet United and I loved what I saw, what character and what atmosphere. A while later I actually stayed in a Hotel opposite the ground, but by then it was no longer in use. The old ground is still signposted as you drive to the Warren, but it’s now a housing estate.

The Warren was a long time in developing as you can imagine. The pitch has moved around twenty yards to the South, while the framework of the former North Stand is still visible outside the perimeter fences. The old two storey building that housed the clubhouse and the dressing rooms is still in use, but only the offices and the changing rooms are utilised. The players actually exit the building before walking through a door at the back of the new stand which sits directly in front of it, and going down the tunnel onto the pitch.

The Old Stand At The Warren Looks Out From Behind.....

The stand at the Warren is a massive construction, containing 1200 seats, but other than what appears to be a boardroom and a temporary bar area, it is very much an unfinished project. This is no more exemplified by the fact the glass fronted social club area on the top floor of the stand is currently an empty concrete shell.

Once completed it will be a superb structure, but how long it will be a work in progress is anyone’s guess, and until then the old, the new and the temporary will have to live together in harmony. The remainder of the stadium is hard standing, while refreshments can be had from a van that parks near the turnstiles.

A crowd of 207 turned up to watch the game, with a vocal and passionate group of home supporters making themselves heard in the back of the stand. The hosts took the lead in the 22^nd minute through a Laste Dombaxe goal, but the visitors equalised through a Dean Stow free kick that eluded Zaki Oualah.

The highlight of the game came in the 58^th minute when some great improvisation via a one- two with a player who managed to get his head to the ball while sat on the ground, set up Scott Donnelly to volley home from twenty yards. The goal is on the clubs Twitter feed and is well worth a look.

The Lush Surface

Hartley Wintney pushed forward for an equaliser late in the game but never really threatened Oualah’s goal, and it came as no surprise when after a breakaway in added time, Manny Duku finished well to make it 3-1.

The two clubs swap places in the table and the home club will be hoping the recent downward trend is about to be reversed and they can start to return to the levels they were once familiar with.

By car, foot, train and bus the supporters of both Hayes and Yeading made their way home at the end of the game, and something struck me as I watched them departing, both the younger and older.

It might have been a great 3-1 victory, the play-offs may be on the horizon, they are finally in their long awaited new home, but, what are they really thinking? And, how does it compare to their thoughts back in 2005?  

Carry On Down The A52

Graham Street Prims  2  Holwell Sports  1

East Midlands Counties League

It has to go down as one of the most comical things I’ve ever seen.

On an evening when Steve and I had set off to watch a game on the outskirts of Hull, but actually finished up in Crawley, we were driving back down the A52 (Brian Clough Way), almost adjacent to the home of Graham Street Prims, when we saw a car wheel rolling at speed down the carriageway.

It was all a bit baffling, until we saw up ahead a car with sparks coming from underneath it. As we approached the car, being driven by an elderly lady, it became apparent that her wheel had quite literally fallen off. She was driving down a dual carriageway on three wheels, with sparks flying from the vehicle as it caught on the tarmac.

In my own slightly inebriated way I leaned out of the window to signal to the lady that she perhaps ought to pull over, or at least slow down and let her wheel catch up with her, but the response was one of disdain. Clearly I was one of those louts who took pleasure in hurling obscenities at lady drivers, but I was only trying to help.

The initial shock and bafflement turned into hilarity, and for the remains of the journey back, both of us were in stitches. To this day, it still remains possibly the funniest thing I’ve ever seen.

Other than the incident occurring close to the home of the Prims, what had it got to do with tonight’s game? Well hold that thought for a while.

Graham Street Prims are a football institution in the City of Derby. Formed in 1908 from a Primitive Methodist Church close to Graham Street (hence the name), the history of the club is one of change.

In the Seventies they were a powerful side in the local leagues, before eventually joining the old Midland League in 1981, where they remained for one season before becoming inaugural members of the Northern Counties East League. Playing behind the Bus Depot on Ascot Drive, the ground was never going to be good enough for the level they competed at, so ultimately they moved to play at the Ramarena Training Ground of Derby County on Raynesway, changing their name to Derby Prims in the process.

The club disbanded for a number of years, ground issues again being cited, but they reformed under their original name in 1995, taking up a place in the Central Midlands League, playing this time out the old Carriage & Wagon ground on Longbridge Lane.

Prims Seats

Times were good, they got promotion to the Supreme Division, gained some notable scalps in the Derbyshire Senior Cup, and despite vandalism forcing them out of Longbridge Lane, they embarked on a project to build a home of their own at the Asterdale Club on the border between Spondon and Borrowash.

The ground sat within spitting distance of the home of Borrowash Victoria on the same complex, and with the thriving social club used by both, it suited all parties. But, the Asterdale Club closed in 2008, became blighted with vandalism, and despite plans to replace it with offices, they have yet to come to fruition. Consequently, the old building is something of an eyesore on the sight, and Prims no doubt will look forward to the day when it’s renovated, with the promise of new facilities from the new owners still on the table.

The club took up a place in the newly formed East Midlands Counties League in 2008-09 season and that is where they remain today. A best finish of eighth has been countered with two next to bottom finishes. Staying where they are and surviving is clearly the clubs aim, although restructuring at the end of the season could ultimately see them moved into the Midland League which in turn would mean increased travelling.

I never saw Prims play at Ascot Drive or the Ramarena, but I did see them at Longbridge Lane and I’ve probably been to the Asterdale Club half a dozen times over the years.

I do enjoy a visit though, principally because it is one of the friendliest clubs you could ever come across. The first person you always bump into is Josie Davis who is the Treasurer, but she also works on the gate, helps in the tea bar, and probably also does numerous other jobs that go unseen. Her husband Pete is the Secretary, while also working in the tea bar is Gill Ballington. The Ballington name is synonymous with the club, her husband Jim being the Secretary for many years, and subsequently he’s a man who is hugely well respected in local football circles.

The Bus Shelter Stand

They don’t have a huge committee at Prims, and they make the most of the modest facilities they have available, so to continue to operate at the level they do is a huge testament to those involved.

Match day revenue is restricted to gate receipts, programme sales, and a tea bar. They don’t have a clubhouse so they can’t generate income that way, but balance the books they do, somehow. Gates are very modest, they average 44 through the turnstiles, which is mid-table for the league. Tonight, it was the lowest of the season with 28 paying customers.

Prims needed a win, they sat third bottom with Holwell just above them, and from the word go they were clearly up for it. Ashley Griffiths gave the hosts the lead with a well taken goal in the 32^nd minute, and then just after half time disaster struck when they went down to ten men. It didn’t stop them though because in the 67^th minute, Kevin Morrow scored a spectacular effort to make it 2-0.

Mark Cowling did pull a goal back for the visitors in the 79^th minute but the in form side who had gone three games unbeaten before tonight, couldn’t find a way to get an equaliser. It was a deserved win for Prims, all about effort, determination and attitude, and they're the kind of qualities they need to display to get out of trouble at the bottom of the table.

In The Shadow Of Brian Clough Way

On a bitterly cold evening, it was a farewell to the ladies, and then back into the car for some warmth. You are on the A52 within seconds of leaving the ground and not long after I’d got onto it I could see blue lights in my mirror. Along with other vehicles, I pulled into the left had lane to let what turned out to be an ambulance speed past.

Except, as it passed me I noticed that the back doors were swinging wide open. The driver must have also realised this around the same time because he quickly pulled into the left hand lane himself and slowed to a halt.

It was then that a thought struck me, a bit like the infamous wheel I saw a few years earlier rolling down the carriageway, was the cargo of a trolley with a patient on it currently winding its way down the road?

I had visions of a scene akin to a Carry On film, and yes, I was laughing all the way home.

Putting Ware On The Map

Ware  0  Brentwood Town  2

Isthmian League – First Division North

The attractive Hertfordshire town of Ware, as far as I can ascertain, has had two notable residents.

Sadly no longer with us, Brian Wilde who played Foggy Dewhurst in Last of the Summer Wine lived in the town prior to his death in 2008, which occurred almost ten years ago to this day. My old man was nicknamed ‘Foggy’ back in the day by some Belper Town fans during his time with the club, and the mention of his name always raises a smile! Did Wilde ever trot up to watch the football, who knows?

Very much currently with us is Richie Firth, a DJ on Absolute Radio and all round funny bloke who I do enjoy listening to. It’s through listening to Firth that I feel I know Ware, his seemingly daily trials and tribulations more often than not involve some form of retail establishment, DIY store or eaterie in and around the locality.

Ware Football Club

Firth, to the best of my knowledge, has never mentioned Ware Football Club during the course of his shows, although he does mention Arsenal fairly regularly being a season ticket holder. However, the stadium at Wodson Park, just off the A10, does not appear to be one of his regular haunts, unlike Wickes or IKEA for example.

Getting to watch Ware has been something of a challenge for me this season. I’ve been planning on going since January but put simply, rain, frost and snow over the course of the last two months has meant it’s simply never happened.

But, the recent ‘Beast From The East’ does appear to have signalled the move from Winter to Spring and as temperatures soared, snow disappeared and all in the World started to look good again, we had a fit pitch, a good forecast and a journey South to make.

Bright Lights - Medium Sized Town

The journey to Ware took me down the A1, via Baldock and Buntingford, before eventually joining the A10 and arriving at the ground which sits on the very outskirts of the town. It was while driving down the A1 that I began to wonder….

If ‘Lorry A’ travels at 59.9 mph, but ‘Lorry B’ travels at 60.1 mph, how long does it take one to overtake the other?  The answer is simple, pretty much all the way from Grantham to Stamford, that’s how long if fricking well takes!

Digression and indeed frustration aside, the Wodson Park home of Ware Football Club is a relatively new complex built, as I said, just off the A10 on the North side of the town. The complex incorporates a Leisure Centre and a running track, which itself is the home of Wodson Park Football Club who play in the Spartan South Midlands League.

Terraces

The football ground itself is a nicely appointed venue, with a good sized main stand on one side, and a covered terrace opposite. Behind both goals are very small areas of stepped terracing that are uncovered, while the clubhouse and dressing rooms sit to the side and the rear of the main stand.

An Isthmian League side since the mid-Seventies (bar one season in the Southern League), the club have moved between the divisions until winning the old Second Division in 2006 and taking up a place in the First Division North. Recent seasons have been something of struggle with third bottom finish last season, while this season they sit second bottom.

The weather has clearly not helped them as they now have to play twice a week until the end of the season, like many clubs have to, plus added to the equation they are now on the third Manager this campaign, it’s been a tough old time for the club. Relegation would appear to be unlikely though, Romford look set for that, and with a number of home games still to play, I expect Ware will do enough to pull clear of any danger.

That Bit Again

Visiting Brentwood Town sat just above them in the table and on the night they ran out 2-0 winners thanks to a goal in each half. Ware had some skilful players and plenty of the ball, but struggled to get anything particularly meaningful on target. The visitors, when they had the chances, they put them away. It was an entertaining and well fought spectacle, which especially in the second period, got a bit disjointed with substitutions and a referee that got somewhat whistle happy.

A frustrating night for Ware though as I suspect this was a game they earmarked as one where they felt they had a chance of taking the points, but it was not to be.

Ware are a very friendly club, and this was no more apparent than when I did what I usually do when visiting a club away from my home manor. I try and help the lads out who run the Club Shop at Alfreton Town by getting them some old programmes if clubs have spares. I approached Club Secretary Bill Spink at half time and he duly obliged with a pile, and had a genuine interest in why I’d chosen to visit his club. I know how busy Secretaries are on the match days so it was great of him to take the time and chat.

The journey back was a pain in the rear to be honest. The M1 was closed at junctions 18, 22 and 24, but I guess in recent weeks I’ve dropped lucky and avoided any closures, so at some point I was always going to suffer, and to be fair it added only around thirty minutes onto my journey, which meant I arrived home just before 12.30am.

Just 60 spectators attended the game, of a town with a population of just over 18,000. I think Mr Firth should give them some publicity on national radio to drum up some additional support. Maybe even give it a go himself, that way he wouldn’t have to keep dragging his ‘Wenger Out’ placard to football matches!

It’s only a brief detour from Wickes…..

Elevated View