Brewers draw with Alex

The Pirelli Stadium is new, small and apt.  The food was excellent; many fellow fans were enjoying mushy peas and chips; I stuck with a burger.  I was too late for a car park place but found parking on a nearby road easy enough.  Tickets were the cheapest I have encountered £15 for an Adult seat.

The ground looked well filled but was half capacity; I guess because many sides are standing and they were comfortably spaced shall we say.   Another good lower league ground.

Three sides but four goals

The Kassam Stadium, home of Oxford United, is quite an impressive League Two ground - at least on three sides!  Parking was good and free despite the reasonably large crowd.  The tickets were average prices and the refreshments okay inside the stands.

Oxford played well excepting a bad period where Morecambe nearly got a goal that would have enabled a fight back but it didn't happen.  Instead Oxford added two late goals to flatter the scoreline after a sending off.  As I say often, worth a visit.

Oranje brings the blues to Huish Park

Not a big crowd but then the visitors would have had to travel a long way down from Hartlepool to reach this corner of Somerset. Still those few that did no doubt enjoyed the viewings with an easy two nil win.

Huish Park is tidy and has seated stands on three sides that today were fairly full. The fourth side, for standers, was empty.  The Glovers were not having a good day at the office.
I missed the first three minutes thanks to traffic on the M5 but parking was easy enough and I only needed to turn around twice when following the traffic sgins directing me to the ground.  The locals were pleasant even through the display put on by their team.  Well done to the crowd and the club; I am sure the players will improve.  Worth a visit.

Bully comes to Alex

Gresty Road is very much an unbalanced stadium. One stand is massive and dominates the ground.  We, in-laws and me, joined the away fans and enjoyed a lively season opener.  The half time fayre was average and the bonny girls serving caused some banter as one ambitious fan tried to elicit a phone number.  His colleagues didn't appreciate the extra queuing time and let him know.

 We stood most of the game because others around us did too; well they stood so we had too.  Small crowd for such a large stand which was a shame for the home team.  I am afraid Crewe never looked like getting much from the game but a good place for seeing some football.
Map to get there:

View Crewe Alexandra FC in a larger map

The plans they are a changing

Thinking Torquay a bad idea, given it is the summer vacation time, so now focusing on Crewe; not a usual holiday destination.  Thanks to the world cup it has come around so quickly.  Deep joy!

The friendlies are in full swing

Never actually been to watch a preseason friendly and this season looks no different.  I have started planning the first venues I hope to visit next month and it promises to be an interesting time if all goes well.  First should be a few train trips so no worries about parking.  One trip I hope to make it down to Torquay and the seaside.

Ashton Gate proves Bristol is always sunny!

Another trip to Bristol to see City play Derby and welcome Steve Coppell as their new manager.  The visitors were clearly asleep at the kick-off as the home team went one up in the first minute!
Twenty five pounds for a seat in the sun after an excellent burger and tea made for a good experience and the two mile walk from the city centre was pleasant and no problem.  The fans were a fair bunch though they were keen of giving Mr Savage, the Derby captain, some verbal abuse.  After the game I met my family in town for a pizza at the Millennium square Pizza Express.

Second half and a penalty to the home side followed by a Derby goal kept things interesting on the pitch for a pleasant spring time event.  Bristol is definitely worthy of a visit.

Pirates Ahoy!

Okay so there were no goals but there was action At the Memorial stadium on Saturday.  I stood, yes like old time, in the West Terrace to see Brentford just about deserve their point.  The ground was in sun but our side very much in the shade.  Easy ground to get to and a reasonable crowd.

Breaking a voodoo in Hereford

Edgar Street was the scene of my first time seeing Grimsby Town win a match! And what a delightful goal it was - nice one Jamie (Devitt). I didn't go to see the Mariners more the ground so to that then.
Next door is a large car park which did fill even though the crowd barely broke 2,100 - not big.  Still a pound to park was welcome and £15 for a seat wasn't terrible.  The view was good, the scoreboard clear and the Bulls fans were vocal. 

Pretty good atmosphere for game so close to the end of a middling season for them; though a desperate one for the 300 who travelled from eastern coast. I didn't try the local fayre or facilities but others seemed to be coping with no complaints.  Post match locals were complementary of the football and there was no trouble. Herefordshire is green and hilly countryside with little interruption.  A nice experience all around; try it yourself.

More misery for my teams in League Two!

Predicting for L2 Monday 5th April
1. Accrington 3-1 Grimsby (Home win)
2. Aldershot 2-0 Rotherham (Home win)
3. Barnet 2-0 Chestrf'ld (Home win)
4. Bradford 2-0 Macclesf'd (Home win)
5. Bury 3-2 Burton (Home win)
6. Crewe 1-0 Cheltenham (Home win)
7. Darlington 2-3 Hereford (Away win)
8. Lincoln 0-2 Morecambe (Away win)
9. Northmpt'n 3-2 Torquay (Home win)
10. Port Vale 0-1 Dag & Red (Away win)
11. Rochdale 2-0 Bournem'th (Home win)
12. Shrewsbury 0-2 Notts Co (Away win)

It's cold outside

No football - more health and safety lunacy ruining my entertainment. Get a grip (sic) its only a bit of snow; the pitch is fine everything else is just a minor inconvenience. I want football to watch!

Bleak mid winter

Our Boxing Day match was postponed, shame! Today offered a 10 hour journey across the country which is one I will save until the summer when I expect Grimsby will be a bit warmer and merrier.

Exit stage right

I am guessing that whatever happens in tonight's match it is the Europa League for Liverpool. Ah, well, the only way is up.

This season has already passed its zenith

Okay one match doesn't make a season but it may save one because other than this one result nothing to shout about for any fellow red fan.

Rocking Robins 2-1

Waddon Road, or what is now Abbey Business Stadium, is small, neat, and in a nice residential area slightly north of central Cheltenham. Twenty quid to get in isn't cheap but the seats were good and we got in and out easy enough. And we had a roof over us - this time to protect us from the sun!

Grimsby on top in the first half but couldn't maintain their dominance, or put a second one past the Robbins' keeper. The proverbial match of two halves.

Bring on the new season

Well plans are afoot for the next game; friendlies ignored. And a mere five weeks to wait. Starting with a new ground for me but in the south; lower division of course. So counting the Saturdays!

Watch this space.

What a Deva

This stadium is small but does have ample parking around the ground (£3.00). I joined the away fans behind the southern end goal. The stand was nominally seated but everyone stood up during the football. Catering in this stand was outside the ground. Less than 3,000 watched the drawn match and nearly half of this crowd were away fans who certainly out sang the homers.



Less than 20 years old the ground is now at the end of a retail park and can be reached without going inot Chester at all. The stadium announcer, bizarrely a Man Utd fan, was easily heard but I couldn't see any scoreboard. Ticket prices on the day were all a tenner, dropped in an effort to persuade more locals in I think; Chester also in real danger of being relegated like Grimsby.

What a Gigg!

Gigg Lane is a late twenty century affair. A capacity of 11,000 was nearly filled for the local derby against Rochdale I saw. The tea was more expensive and hotter than at PNE up at £1.60.
I drove to the ground and parked some 15 minutes walk from the ground no problem, well actually I was lucky to drop on a place that close. Most side roads require resident permits. Getting out meant a 40 minute shuffle for the first 2 miles but otherwise fine!

The football was good and the crowd lively and the atmosphere friendly enough for such an important local tie. I sat with locals in south stand; in an unreserved seat.  I noticed some others changed seats at half time. Definite 7 out of 10, I would go again.

Goal fest at Deepdale

Deepdale is now a tidy Championship ground with all four sides renewed though it appears one side is not quite finished. Amazing I saw a goal in the first few minutes, a penalty but boded well for further entertainment as Ipswich were playing well. And so it was, I enjoyed a match with five gaols the lion's share going to the home side.

There is little to distinguish the ground from many others save maybe the portraits of famous players made in the seats at each end; Shankly and Alan Kelly; and of course of Sir Tom Finney where I sat. Outside the National Football Museum is part of the set-up and worth a visit.
The tea cost £1.50 and my seat £21.50. I arrived on foot after being dropped off by good lady but parking is possible. Buses to the centre are available and the rail station is on the west coast mainline so well connected.

Draws yes, but not where predicted

31 Jan 09
 1. Arsenal: 0 West Ham: 0 - Wrong
 2. Villa: 0 Wigan: 0 - Wrong
 3. Bolton: 3 Tottenham: 2 - Wrong
 4. Fulham: 3 Portsmouth: 1 - Wrong
 5. Hull: 2 WBA: 2 - Wrong
 6. Man Utd: 1 Everton: 0 - Correct result!
 7. M'boro: 0 Blackburn: 0 - Wrong
 8. Stoke: 1 Man City: 0 - Wrong
1 Feb 09
 1. Liverpool: 2 Chelsea: 0 - Wrong
 2. Newcastle: 1 Sunderland: 1 - Correct result!

A bad set of predictions then!