Weatherby Road, Harrogate Town get sunburnt

So this started at the club shop trying to buy tickets. Took a bit of convincing them my wife and I weren't associated with the away team. A small ground so we had to stand and joined the Black Sheep contingent. An afternoon in the sun follwoing a pleasant walk from the town centre. A very different feel to the atmosphere and character of Harrogate town centre. I have to say this was the quietest home crowd I have witnessed. Even the late cosolation goal didn't generate much noise. The away space was full, all six hundred places taken up while the total crowd was 2,933. Most fans enjoyed some mushy peas with their burger or vegan slice; others had a hot dog. We had a hot beverage and a piece of confectionery. There was no car park though some local parking looked possible. We had stayed over to enjoy a wander around the town and so had our vehicle parked in the centre. After the match we enjoyed some evening food at a lovely fifties diner. The general feeling is much more of a non-league venue despite this being their second year back in the League. The team do not have much to play for at this point in the season. Not strictly safe from relagation but a reasonable gap will probably be enough. Never really likely to win they only started to look good when a few late substitues came on to add some energy into the fray. My wife liked number 30, Power particularly. Overall nice small ground so some planning required for any visit.

I found their New Den

Not a season starter but still, Lampard had brought his Derby along for a match. The ground is a modern four stand stadium of no originality but it is functional. The food is similarly unadventurous. PG Tips at £2.20. The crown though are special and made for a great atmosphere and some loud local support. It was their day.

The ground has a lovely rubbish burning power station next door but it isn't a terrible looker.

I sat up in the upper stand of the Barry Kitchener Stand amongst some of the older fans I would guess and the commentary was the usual affair.
Travelling across London by tube and getting out at Cananda Water gives a 20-30 minute walk. Others used the over ground railway that stops much nearer but I had a travel card with my rail ticket so underground for me.
I did once drop a friend off for a match at the old ground but the new one works fine for me.

Mariners

Grimsby and Clethorpes day out!

Britannia Joy

Oh, they renamed it - who can keep up?

One of joys of a special ticket is a decent sit down lunch and more important in November in Stoke, shelter from the weather. It is decent enough ground but getting away from the car parks is painful after the match.
The lounge have a fun route up to the seats.

Into The Valley

So my first attempt failed becuase they decided late in the day to restrict ticket sales.  I heard locals ahead of me in the queue complaining. I bought a ticket for a later game.  I walked to the ground from the tube station at the dome. It was rather cold so I had to  stop off at a store on route to purchase an extra layer - British weather hey.
I was in the upper tier west stand. Pie and mash looked to be on offer but no it would be another 40 minutes before that was ready; it was already gone two and I was starving. So after tea and a wait I joined the queue again for my pie and mash. No pies left - unless I wanted chicken - fine. Mustard mash, gravy, and pie - not bad if a little late and rushed.

Finally - Pie and Mash

The seats were good and given Charlton's current woes the crowd was pretty good. Football wise they could have got something from the game but you could see why they went down later.

The main entrance

Nice ground rather big for their current status but seem to good local support. It is a bit unbalanced. One end dwarfs the other and the sides don't compare much better. Still I recommend a visit.

KC and the Sunshine Ground

One Hull of a ground! Well no bad, at least it has some character. Easy enough to find if not a short journey. I parked at the stadium, £5 to park, and walked through the wooded park wherein lies the stadium.

I got myself a ticket in the East Stand, row 'z' and then made use of the council toilets next to the child play area. Fans have to wait until 2pm before the turnstiles open so I could get in and have some lunch. Tea, hot dog, wedges and special offer packet of Pringles.
As advertised it took half an hour to get back to the A63, a mere two miles from the ground. A bigger crowd would presumably lengthen this wait as the car park didn't look full to capacity.
The stadium is a modern eclipse with one side rising slightly higher than the others. Not a massive capacity and the visitors, Preston, attracted some seventeen thousand crowd. The different stands seem to have some ritual identity chant before the game. Decent enough ground and I would have liked to see more of the local attractions, The Deep and the bridge.

Cold-chester no more hot-chester!

A scorcher of an opening match at Colchester's stadium. Temperatures were hot enough that even in a shaded stand tee shirts were worn for decency not warm. I used the excellent park and ride just over the other side of the A12. Asked if I was there for football I was charged £3 to park and walked the short distance following signs marked for football fans to the stadium.

Weston Homes Community Stadium Colchester

After purchasing a ticket for the west stand at £27 I walked around and got some food from under the east stand; open to the public without giving access to the stand itself. Tea was the cheapest I have encountered in the last five years of a solitary pound. The stadium is new pleasant enough, nothing special but it suits them.
The mascot was on his game and I would say a bald eagle. The football was quite vibrant and the four goals were enough to make for an entertaining game.
After the game I made an easy exit to the next door dual carriageway and off the home. I good experience and can recommend a visit.