Culture, tension, chaos, ecstacy. This must be Bradford City FC.

It seemed lest than 2 months ago that I bought a ticket to see Bradford City’s last game of the season. Little did I know at the time that Bradford would be sitting 3rd in the League 2 table, and in the last automatic promotion place needing to do better than Walsall, playing at Crewe, to go up.
I have seen Valley Parade set on the side of a hill overlooking the city many times as I passed through, with its huge stands, and I couldn’t understand why I have not been before.
I approached the ground and found parking a problem with the large crowd like me getting there early. Driving past Grosvenor Road, a throng of fans were swaying and chanting their way to the stadium under a haze of orange smoke from flares. Eventually, I found a space and abandoned the car, half on the path, near the top of one of Bradfords many hills. A 23-minute walk initially downhill but then the steep ascent to the ground. People were swarming in, in a happy mood. Inside the ravenous hall entrance to the Morrisons stand, I was greeted by long queues for food and drink, so I made my way up numerous steps to the top where my seat was near the back.
Wow, what a view of Bradford and hills beyond with spires and domes illustrating the multicultural life of the city.

Bradford is our ‘City of Culture’ for 2025, and in the ground, I was experiencing one of the events that shape some of our country’s culture.
After a week of temperatures in the mid 20’s it had dropped today to 14 degrees, with grey overcast clouds giving way to some blue skies and sunshine. The pitch shone a bright green with the flat grass surface cut in stripes. All parts of the stadium have seated stands but those behind one goal and down one side are immense, part of the redevelopment that followed the disastrous fire in 1985 that cost the lives of 56 fans on that fateful day, being remembered today, close to the May 11th anniversary.
The atmosphere was all consuming with a deafening noise and the brilliant orange and claret. The day was all about Bradford, but a group of Fleetwood fans made themselves known as they stood and chanted.

The teams entered the arena like gladiators and lined up for introduction. They then moved to the centre of the pitch to observe a minutes silence in remembrance when you could have heard a pin drop. Raucous applause, and the teams were ready for the contest.

Bradford City 1 Fleetwood Town 0

Saturday 3rd May 2025. 17.00 kick off
English Football League Division 2
University Of Bradford Stadium, Valley Parade, Bradford, West Yorkshire, England, BD8 7DY.
3rd v 14th. Bantams v The Cod Army or the Fishermen

After the first 15 minutes, the Bradford fans had quietened due to the tension, and just 8 minutes later it was Fleetwood who had the first real chance of the game, which was blocked and cleared by defenders. Play was continually interrupted with injuries, and on 35 minutes, the teams took advantage with a drinks break.

Although Bradford retained most of the possession, neither side looked like they were going to break the deadlock as the teams left the field at hal time.

A cold wind blew up at the interval, hopefully not a portent of a cooling second half.
Bradford continued to press forward, but their high balls were easily dealt with by Fleetwood’s big back four. Some wing play, particularly from the left and long throws from their right back, did cause the most angst for Fleetwood.
Halfway through the half news came through from Crewe that Walsall had scored and the crowd groaned, knowing that only a win would see them up. A few ripples hope we’re extinguished when information of a Crew equaliser were unfounded. Could the introduction of substitutes galvanise the team to score.

It seemed unlikely, although the board saying 6 minutes of added time gave hope. Halfway through this, a shot hit the post, but the crowd continued to believe, and Bradley Halliday strode over from the right to deliver his last long throw. It reached the penalty area and was headed down for Antoni Sarkevic to get a foot to it. Somehow, it caught a slight deflection and ended up in the right-hand corner of the net.

Pandemonium broke out, and people from all around the stadium invaded the pitch. Most realised that time was not up and booed the interlopers. Stewards, police, officials and loudspeaker announcements finally cleared the pitch but an ill timed announcement of the goal scorer, with the words Bradford one Fleetwood nil only provoked another invasion as they only heard ‘Bradford won’. Another frantic effort again cleared the pitch for the referee to play one minute and blow the final whistle. Que pitch invasion and Bradford City were promoted in the Year of Culture.
Just down the road Leeds too were celebrating their winning of the Championship. No one cared here. It was all about their local sister city that is starting a fight back after so many years in their shadow.
I was out of the stand like a shot and sailed down the many stairs reflecting on an amazing finish to a game and a season. How lucky was I to be part of it.

Football food.

The queues were so long that I didn’t have anything. There were, however, no chips on the food menu anyway.

You have to deal with disappointment to follow the Villa….5….

An early start to head south to watch a grandson’s under 6 game in Northampton and then on to Wembley.

A Wembley trip is an occasion as well as a football match, and for me to go with two grandsons made me reflect on my first visit. Then there were twin towers, and England lost 2.3 to Sweden in 1959. This was only England’s second loss to a team other than a Home Nation on the hallowed turf. Just six years after the thrashing by Hungary and only 7 years before England’s World Cup triumph. Bobby Moore’s statue, with reference to the rest of the team, stands proud outside the entrance.

There have been other changes, too, even since a visit to see Aston Villa lose in a Championship Playoff final in 2018. On my first visit, my father showed me the decaying buildings left over from the British Empire Exhibition of 1924/25, and I showed what was left to my son in 1994 when Villa beat Manchester United. None of that now , the area has been transformed into a modern high-rise city of its own with the tiered walkway that was Wembley Way replaced by a flat pathed area to complement the new living style.

The organisation was fantastic, with the turnstiles and security opened, all of the queuing fans were whisked into the stadium. Inside the concourse offers food and drink and toilets to befit a national stadium.

The vastness of the red seats hit you as you walk into your seating area brought smiles to the grandsons. The immaculate pitch gleamed a bright green despite the grey overhead cloud, and there was no wind or breeze in this bowl.

Strangely, the Villa fans, so vociferous at home and away, seemed subdued, but a ripple of applause broke out as Stan Collymore was spotted standing above a ‘Villa Cannock’ flag.

Crystal Palace 3 Aston Villa 0

Saturday 26th April 2025, FA Cup Semi-final, 17.15 kick off.

Eagles v Villians.

There was little intensity to the start of the game, and Villa looked as if they were playing walking football out from the back as Palace didn’t press them but crowded out the mid field and defence. Palace fans were in ascendancy when 31 minutes Pau Torres made a mistake to let Ismail Sarr cross the ball for Ebrechi Eze to hit a fierce shot into the roof of the net past Martinez’s right hand.

Villa tried to get into the game and, with much of the possession, didn’t create a worthwhile chance despite some hard work by John McGinn.

Villa briefly looked a little sharper at the start of the second half but conceded a penalty . Jean-Paul Mateta stepped forward and placed the ball to the diving Martinez’s left, but with it clipping the outside of the post and going wide Villa fans thought this could be a sign of a come back.

However, Villa players looked like they had tired legs and were often picked off by some strong defending in mid field by Daichi Kamada and Adam Wharton. The Londoners doubled their lead on 58 minutes when Sarr dispossessed Tielemans and surged forward to power a drive along the ground into the left hand corner of the net. Villa made changes and could have reduced the lead but for their own player, Torres, blocking a powerful shot that looked destined to score.

With the minutes ticking away and the Villa fans drifting out, Sarr raced clear of the Villa defence and made it 3 nil, game well and truly over.

Although Villa had over 70 per cent of possession, it was Palace who outplayed them again this season, their defensive tack ticks and fast breaks, capitalising on Villa mistakes.

Palace had a game plan to disrupt Villa’s flow, they made the referee and Villa wait at the start as they held a long huddle, they made very long celebrations for each goal, Eze strutted back to the half way line after his goal celebrations at a crawl, Place came out in dribs and drabs to start the second half with a pause to wait for their 11th player and Henderson , who had a great game in goal should have been penalised by the referee for his time wasting. But despite this, you could not take it away from Crystal Palalce, who very much deserved to win and make Villa look second best.

Hopefully, the long season has not proved too much for Aston Villa and they can win the remainder of their games.

Football Food

The food at our magnificent football stadium was less than magnificent.

I was told I couldn’t just have chips to review for my annual chip league unless I had it as a meal deal with a burger. However, the chips were priced separately. Why not sell them separately then. The burger in what I think was supposed to be a Brioche Bun was awful. It was limp tasteless, just warm and made a McDonalds basic burger seem like a gourmet meal.

The chips were the worst I have had all season and sit bottom of my chip league, a score of 40 was generous. They were cold, dry limp, with no taste, and unfortunately, I left most of them under my seat for someone to clear up, sorry. I won’t ever buy anything inside this stadium again.

N.B. The heading to this post has been used before in my blog. However, it doesn’t reflect the enjoyment fun and smiles that Aston Villa have given me.

Retford Derby disappoints, for now.

Back to football with a trip to see the Retford derby. Parking was easy in the nearby school’s car park, close to the ground and a short walk in the rain with a cool temperature of 10 degrees.

I bought a ticket for this showdown when both still had a chance of winning the United Counties League Division One. By the time I entered the ground, the title had been won by Clay Cross and Retford FC, and Retford United already knew that they were in the playoffs.

I had been notified that I should enter by a specified turnstile that turned out to be a gate where two officials sat in the back of a car sheltering under the tailgate.

This club have done wonders in their ten years in existence and have just announced that they have purchased their ground and adjoining land. There is also a brand new fan area in one corner of the ground since I was last there. The ground works were underway on my visit on Boxing Day in 2023, and now a Scandi styled wood clad, club house, food kiosk, and toilet block stand there.

These facilities add to the two tiered covered standing down one side, open standing on the other with the same behind one goal with a small covered area. Behind the other end is the fan area, a low seated area, and some tiered open seating behind the goal. This seating looks like it was originally some temporary structure behind a green at a golf tournament. With the heavy rain, it was not a popular place. The pitch was of grass, a good covering except for muddy patches in the goal mouths. It was mainly flat but a bit undulating.

Retford FC 2 Retford United 0

Monday 21st April 2025, kick off 15.00 pm. United Counties League Division One. 2nd v 3rd.

The Rail Stadium, Backworth Road, Retford, Notts, DN22 7PN. The Choughs v The Badgers

Retford; All navy blue with white flashes on the shoulders and down the sides of the shirts, goal keeper in all yellow kit with a green tinge with some patterning on the front.

Retford United; All red strip with some white striping at the bottom of the shirt, goal keeper in all yellow.

Both teams were tentative with their start, with Retford using the right side of the pitch to attack the away teams goal.

With only 9 minutes gone, a high ball to the United goal area was weakly headed out and Ainsley Finney, playing his 50th game for the club, controlled the ball and drilled it into the net to the right of the goalkeeper. Retford United came into the game more and pressed for an equaliser but didn’t create any clear chances. The game lacked the intensity I have seen at two previous meetings of these two teams. Retford just about deserved to go in at the interval in front at half time.

We were entertained at half time as the two fans ultras, (Average age looked like 12) faced off in one corner of the ground. The home fans eventually prevailed after they outflanked their opponents by joining the banter from their position behind the other goal. The united fans retreated to behind the other goal and a parent rescued their flag which was about to be taken as a spoil of war. As the Retford United fans passed us a lady shouted I’ll see you in school tomorrow.

This half, it was only 8 minutes into the re-start that Retford made it two, when two missed tackles in mid field enabled the ball to be passed to Jacob Priestnall who drew the keeper, moved to the right and slipped it back from the angle to score.

The continuous rain meant that the lights were needed as the gloom that had come over United became worse. Retford had two more glorious chances when a ball was headed down but unbelievably bounced over the cross bar and, with the keeper beaten the shot across the goal, went wide.

The away team did look better in the last 20 minutes after multiple substitutions, but their under par performance had been jumped on by the home team who were worthy winners.

Both teams now face play-off games that if they win it would mean they will meet again at The Rail in a winner takes all encounter to decide promotion. That could be a tasty match, but I already have plans and a ticket for another game. The good crowd of 1009 will be surpassed if that comes about, and a full house may beckon.

No Chips, so a meat pie and peas was eagerly consumed that was hot and tasty. It was eaten in the new club house, out of the rain, that will certainly be an asset to the club as they progress.

N.B. I have not included any club histories as I have done that on previous blogs.

An evening at Pinxton FC

With the end of season fast approaching, I decided to get a game in before some time away, will stop me from watching some football. I headed south, two junctions down the M1 to Pinxton. Pinxton was a ground I had visited before but to watch a Derby Singh Brothers game when they were homeless and playing games there.

This is an ex mining village. You park in the car park of the Pinxton Miners Welfare and walk up the hill to the ground. Considering the pitch is on the side of a hill, it only has a slight slope from end to end and side to side. The surface is grass but a little bumpy. The facilities are unusual. There is a small covered two stepped seated stand that holds roughly 50 people in the corner of one side and built into the hill at the back is a food hut which you climb up to past a small covered standing area.

After a day that was beautiful , clear blue sky with the temperature rising to 18, the evening was cooling quickly with a cold breeze. 126 fans had turned up to see Pinxton play Staveley Miners Welfare with both teams on the edge of the play-off places with only a few games left.

Football Histories

Pinxton FC were started in 1994 and played in the Mansfield Bitter League for their first years, gaining promotions and moving up to the Midlands Regional Alliance League in 1997. Some solid seasons in this league gave them heart to join the Central Midlands League in 2004. They made their way to the highest division and won it in 2024 to be promoted to the United Counties Division One.

Staveley Miners Welfare F.C‘s. current club was formed in 1962 as a Sunday team, known as the Nags Head playing in Barrow Hill. There had been a football team in Staveley since the early 1880’s. They started playing on Saturdays in 1989. In 1991 they joined the Sheffield and Hallamshire County League and two years later moved to the Central Midlands League. They were constant members of that league until 1997 when their second place finish in the highest league gained them entry to The North East Counties League.

Their time in the NCEL wasn’t without ups and downs, semi-finalists in the FA Vase in 2012 masked their off field problems. In 2020 they secured grant money to install an all weather pitch and have continued their facilities development in tandem with community involvement. In 2022 the club took a voluntary demotion by one Division to reset a 5 year sustainability plan. They were moved to the United Counties Division 1

Pinxton FC 2 v Staveley Miners Welfare FC 2

Tuesday 8th April 2025 19.45 pm kick off

United Counties League, Division One, 8th v 5th, The Miners v The Trojans

Wharf Rd, Pinxton, Nottingham NG16 6LG

Pinxton; All Royal Blue shirts and shorts with some white chequered images on the lower front of the shirt. Goalkeeper in light lime green with some yellow stripes on the front of the shirt.

Staveley Miners Welfare; All fluorescence orange kit. Goalkeeper in all light green.

Pinxton were the more dominant team in the first 15 minutes, hitting the crossbar and being foiled by a point blank save by the Trojans keeper. They took the lead on 17 minutes when a ball cleared by the Staveley defence was controlled by Kane Hempshall who volleyed a rocket of a shot just to the right of the goalkeepers hand.

The home side were only ahead for eight minutes when Staveley equalised. A ball swung in from the right went over all those in the penalty area it was kept in out on the left, crossed back, where Dan Grierson outfought a defender at the right hand post and headed it down and over the goal line.

Pinxton returned the pressure and but for some great goalkeeping by xxx and a strong Staveley defence could have gone in ahead at half time.

Pinxton played downhill in the second half and, for the first 15 minutes, looked the most likely to take the lead. The game then settled down, and as it progressed into the last 15 minutes, it was Staveley who looked the most likely to score. With the final whistle approaching it looked like the away side had stolen the win when a long throw was headed on for Jack Deakin to riffle the ball along the ground, through defenders legs and into the net.

The game drifted into added time, and with three minutes added, Pinxton were awarded a corner from the right, which their goalkeeper went forward for. The over hit ball was chipped back in where Josh Wright headed the ball into the goal for a draw. The referee blowing for time only a minute later.

A good competitive game, with a draw being a fair result that leaves both teams with a chance of reaching the playoffs with two games left, although Pinxton’s is a slim one.

Football Food

I was happy to have some chips, but although being hot were a bit limp and some were overcooked. A good quantity and a good taste but a score of only 59.

Ilkley Town Bar Chips

A trip to beautiful Wharfedale, nearing the end of another enjoyable football season.

A stop off on the way at Five Rise Locks at Bingley to see the steepness of the canal boat locks, and a coffee in the café where a new to me, Bakewell tart flapjack, had to be tried. Then on to Ilkley Moor and pass the Cow and Calf, rocks of millstone grit, before dropping down to Ilkley itself. The self-indulgence continued with a Yorkshire Cream Tea at Betty’s, well you have to don’t you. Finally, on to Ilkley Town F.C. where they luckily for my waist didn’t have any chips. The problem being that the insurance to fry chips would be too high. Oven chips, maybe?

Ilkley’s ground is part of a modern sports complex on the Eastern edge of town. It is very modern with an artificial pitch and the facilities to pass the ground grading for the league they play in

It is beautifully flat with fencing all around. There is a small seated stand offset to one goal and a small covered standing area in the middle of one side. There is a path way around 85% of the perimeter. The pitch and facilities allow the club to run various youth and senior teams and generate income from pitch hire.

The character of the stadium is enhanced by Ilkley Moor as a backdrop and the Cow and Calf Rocks.

The game I had come to watch was between Ilkley and Yorkshire Amateur. Ilkley needing a win to ensure a playoff place, and Yorkshire Amateur already condemned to bottom position and awaiting the end of season league review to see if they are relegated.

Football Histories

Ilkley Town was formed in the 1960s but disbanded in the early 90s. Reformed in 1994 as Ilkley AFC they played locally and renamed that Club back to Ilkley Town after previously joining the West Yorkshire League. They were elected in 2021 to the North West Counties League and transferred to the Northern Counties East League for this season.

Yorkshire Amateur ẁere founded in 1918, and two years later, we’re founder members of the Yorkshire League, only staying for a few years. They were reunited in 1930. Just two years later, they were losing semi-finalists in the F.A. Amateur Cup.

Skipping to 1952, they were relegated to the second division starting an amazing yoyo period, promoted the next season, relegated in 1956, promoted 1959, Relegated 1962, promoted 1972, Relegated 1975. In 1977, they reached a low point, being relegated to Division 3. In 1978, back to div 2 and with a League reorganisation in 1982, they were founder members of the Northern Counties East League Division Two. 1984 promoted, relegated 1986, 1991 promotion due to league reorganisations, 2018 promoted to the Premier Division, 2021 promoted to the Northern Premier but demoted back to the NECL the following year due to ground grading problems. In 2023, they were relegated to Division I, and this year, they have finished bottom and await their fate. Some journey I for their fans, I apologise if I have made any errors.

Ilkley Town 4 Yorkshire Amateur 1

Saturday 5th April 2025, 15.00 pm kick off Northern Counties East League Division 1

Ben Rydding Sports Club, Leeds Road, Ilkley West Yorkshire, LS298AW

5th v 22nd The Baht’atters v Ammers

Ilkley; Faded Yellow shirts with black shoulders and sleeves, dark blue shorts, goalkeeper all green. Yorkshire Amateur; All red kit with goalkeeper in all orange.

The game started in beautiful sunshine with clear skies although a wind whipping across the pitch made it feel colder than the 11 degrees. It was both teams penultimate game of the season and Ilkley’s last home game.

In the first minute, the referee seemed to bottle it when he put his whistle to his mouth over a hand ball in the away teams penalty area but didn’t blow . threatening with some quick breaks.

Ilkley looked the more assured team with some neat passing moves, but the Ammers looked solid at the back as they competed with passion and energy. By 26 minutes, the game had become scrappy, and my attention was drawn by the planes on their flight path to land at Leeds Bradford Airport and the circling overhead of a Kite. Ilkley looked half the team I had seen recently at Wakefield, and Yorkshire Amateurs looked occasionally threatening with quick breaks. The teams left the field at half time with neither side having left an imprint on the match.

All changed within 4 minutes of the restart when after a home side attack the ball was cleared to Harry Abson who from 20 yards out hit a curling shot with his right foot that broke the back of the left hand side of the goal net with the goalkeeper motionless.

The joy lasted only 10 minutes when from an Ilkley corner from right that was overhit one of their players chased the ball and crossed it from other side for Joshua Parker to run in and head it across goal onto post and in.

Ilkley now upped the tempo but Yorkshire Amateurs doggedly held on for another 10 minutes when a ball along the ground from the left was placed into the right-hand corner by Eliel Maville-Anku. This was a reward for Anku, who had harried all the game.
The away side were now losing heart when, on 77 minutes Ilkley’s number 2 beat the defenders with a crossed ball for Kevin Gozales to run through and tap it home. Shouts for offside and some abuse to the linesman had no effect on the officials.

The game was over with 7 minutes left when an Ilkley player was fouled in the penalty area, and Alfie Dean stroked the ball into the left-hand corner, just evading the goalkeepers finger tips.
Ilkley saw out the final few minutes on top and made their way to the play offs. It was very disappointing that only a crowd of 70 had turned up.

Football Food

As I stated earlier, there were no chips but a packet of Seabrooks Crisps (the best), and a coffee sufficed. The food wagon was good, and the lady serving was very helpful, she hid whilst I took the photo.

St Albans City 70 years on.

An early start from North East Derbyshire down the M1 to Loughborough to my daughters, who then drove us to my son in Northampton. Change cars again, and we were on our way to St Albans to see them play Farnborough.

We parked within Clarence Park, next to the cricket pavilion, in front of which in the past lines were drawn for an inter schools sports day once a year. The reason for the visit was to watch St Albans City 70 years after my first ever visit. I saw my first game here in 1955 when St Albans were in the Isthmian League, and the stadium looked a little different.

Back then the terrace was made of railway sleepers with ash infill and I remember getting a clip behind the ear when on one visit I covered some light cigarette ends with rubbish, and managed to get some smoke slightly billowing upwards. Smoke back then also used to waft across the pitch as a steam train passed as it sped by or slowed for the nearby station. A steam shunter would often be visible at the Hatfield Road end as it moved wagons in and out of the station siding, and the driver would shout over to find out the score. The terracing was concreted in the late 1950s, and as far as I remember, floodlights were added in 1970 when Charlton visited for an opening game.

Some of the terracing was covered, but throughout the old wooden seated stand built in 1922 has soldiered on, with a small part repurposed for hospitality and officials. Behind this stand, you used to be overwhelmed by the smell of wintergreen during match days that has disappeared today.

There is now temporary cover behind each goal, and at one end, this replaces one of the iconic oak trees that became diseased and cut down after offending the Conference League. The glossy programme was only on sale at the club shop and wouldn’t have been found if we hadn’t done a tour of the ground. It’s pleasantly different to the old foolscap folded sheet with the teams printed in the middle. I also seem to remember that the club was known as ‘City’ and not ‘Saints’.

The greatest change is food. Back in the 1950s, at half-time, fans would troop round to the cricket pavilion, when open, to get a cup of tea in a china cup, with maybe a KitKat or a wagon wheel. The club house seemed only used by a selected few. Today, Wow, there is hospitality in the form of food and drink at all four corners.

Football at St Albans has become an experience, to be watched by 1785 fans whose chatter droned out the shouts and commands of the players.

St Albans are fighting a relegation battle which at one point looked impossible until Ian Culverhouse and Paul Bastock (a hero in these parts, who played nearly 300 games for ‘The Saints’ in his world record club appearances of 1286) took over, but now looks like they may only just survive if results go their way. The club is going through an administrative management change that the programme says will free up the owners to pursue their dream to relocate to a new stadium. The size that the city has now grown to, approaching 80000, with the continued support, could in the future maintain an EFL club. I will be sad to see it go, but the new planning laws may finally be the catalyst for change.

St Albans City 1 Farnborough 0

Saturday 29th March 2025, 15.00 pm kick off

National League South, 21st v 11th, Saints v Boro

St Albans; Yellow shirts with dark blue shorts, goalkeeper in fluorescent Pink.

Farnborough; All white with a red stripe down the front of the shirts with the goalkeeper in all black.

It was a very sunny afternoon with clear skies and the temperature rising above 15 degrees. The all grass pitch which famously slopes from one end to the other looked in great condition apart from some sanding in the goals.

What can I say about this game. I will leave it up to a quote from Paul Bastock, ‘A game that was as ugly as me, but nice to come out with 3 massive points, the boys dug in deep and a clean sheet, now let’s bounce onto next week’.

St Albans started with some forays down the wings, but no end product and Farnborough’s favourite and most effective tactic was a long throw into St Alban’s penalty area. These were well dealt with by the Saints defence and Michael Johnson in goal, who was my man of the match with a no-nonsense, competent game.

The pattern was broken on 39 minutes when Johnson kicked a ball from his hands that bounced over Farnborough defenders who had let Alex Wall, playing only his third game for St Albans get behind them and chip it into the net.

Could this have been the prelude to an exciting game? No. We continued back in the original pattern with everyone relieved in the end that the home side gained three points. Although not overtaking any of their relegation rivals, they crept nearer, and with 5 games left, anything could happen.

Football Food

The chips, From ‘Chicken George’, were hot, golden, crispy, soft in the centre, tasty, but the more you ate, the more the seasoning that had been added ruined the experience. Why don’t hey let you add your own salt. What could have been a winning score in my chip league for this season was reduced to a disappointing 65.

The rain in Anstey stays mainly on the pitch.

After a drive to Woodford in Northamptonshire to see my grandson lose 6 nil in a semi-final, I called in to Anstey, a village just north west of Leicester, to see a game on Non-League day.

Anstey Nomads play on the outskirts of the village and have in recent seasons seen them rise through the football pyramid. Arriving early I was able to park in the small club car park and walk into the village which had some good cafes and a friendly atmosphere.

Walking back to the ground the Sporting Khalsa team coach had arrived and I entered the ground at one of the corners right next to the food kiosk. Behind one goal is a covered seated stand, and there is further covered seating in a one tier stand down a portion of one side with one level of standing behind. The far end has just a single path with a grass area inside the perimeter where children were having their own game. The changing rooms, a large club house, and some administrative buildings take up the other side with one level of standing in front.

The 15 degrees made it a pleasant day, and the high grey clouds did not indicate the threatened rain. The pitch was in good condition for the end of the season, being flat and still with good grass cover. I chose to spend the first half in the stand behind the goal but soon moved to the other end of the stand when a large drum was left 4 seats away.

Football Histories

Anstey Nomads were started in 1946, born out of a merger of church teams, and adopted their current name a year later. They have mainly played in local Leicestershire Leagues moving up to the East Midlands Counties League in 2008 and the United Counties League in 2018 where they gained promotion to the Premier Division that was split into North and South in 2021. They were promoted from the North Division in 2023 as champions and now play in the Northern Premier League, Midland Division.

Sporting Khalsa’s rise has been more dramatic, having been established only 34 years ago, then playing in the Walsall and District Sunday League. This football club, founded by members of the local Sikh community, switched to Saturday football in 1995. It was the first Asian, semi professional football club, with its own ground, in the country, and at around the same time as purchasing the ground they were being successful in the West Midlands Regional League. They moved to a new, wholly owned ground in 2010 and moved up the pyramid in 2015 to the Midland League. In 2021, they were placed in the Northern Premier league after an FA reorganisation.

Anstey Nomads 0 Sporting Khalsa 1

Saturday 22nd March 2025, Northern Premier League, Midland Division, 15.00 pm kick off.

Cropston Road, Anstey, Leicestershire, LE7 7 BP 5th V 6th, The Nomads v Sporting or The Lions

Anstey Nomads; All red kit with a white stripe down the side of the shirts, the goalkeeper in dark blue. Sporting Khalsa, All royal blue kit with the goalkeeper in all grey.

The game started with the local fans chanting at the opposing keeper, Shepshed reject, and it was the home team who were the most lively. Speedy attacks down the left didn’t produce any end result. Although the Nomads had the majority of possession, it was Sporting who came closest to scoring in what could be described as an uneventful first half. An attacker put through with just the keeper to beat hit the ball wide of the goal to the right.

I decided to walk around the ground at half time but had to shelter in the small stand when the rain started. Sporting Khalsa came out renewed and took control of the game. However, the rain took on biblical proportions with the down pour getting worse. I now took shelter in the food hut as I made my way back to the shelter of the main stand. After ten minutes of the second half, the referee stopped the game and allowed the players to change their boots to suit the conditions.

The away team continued their dominance in the wet, and their player made it past the defence on the right, and his pass, slid along the ground, was fired into the goal but cleared off the line. The clearance, though, fell to Andre Landell, who controlled the rebound and blasted it into the roof of the net on 65 minutes.

Anstey Nomads responded, and a shot was parried by the Sporting goalkeeper, only for him to pounce on it after it laid motionless in a pool of water. The referee immediately walked over and consulted with his linesman and the opposing officials, and he ordered the teams off. After 5 minutes, he returned and seeing that the rain was continuing and conditions had not improved abandoned the game.

Anstey would have been the happier of the two sides as a defeat by the away team would have meant that they would have leapfrogged them in the chase for playoff places.

It was a disappointing outcome, but the British weather has no rhyme or reason.

Football Food

There were no chips, so I had a burger, which was tasteless and dry. A few onions may have helped, but none were available.

Disappointing that there was no program, no team sheet available or pinned up, and no raffle. There was even no announcement over the PA system to say that the game was abandoned. On non-league day, perhaps more effort could have been made.

Wakefield AFC progressing off the pitch but not on.

With warmer weather promised, I ventured North to Featherstone on a clear night, 2 degrees, made colder by a northerly wind. My destination was Featherstone Rovers Rugby League ground to see Wakefield AFC play. Yes, last season, I saw them play t home at Wakefield Trinity’s ground. The agreement to play there has ended, and they are now a season into a 2 year agreement with Featherstone.

The Programme however brought good news that the club is involved in a project at Brook Farm in Walton just in the southeast of Wakefield. Perhaps I will in the future see these nomads in a permanent home.

Arriving at the ground, there was a large parking area which could certainly do with a little more lighting.

I have watched Wakefield’s rise and saw they were again challenging for promotion. With three games in hand, and 5 points behind, they were closing in on local rivals Horbury Town hoping to gain outright promotion rather than the play offs where they lost in the final last year.

Featherstone Rovers’ ground holds roughly 10000, 271 had braved the elements and were housed in a section of the main stand. The stadium has good covered seating on three sides with open seating on the other. The flat grass pitch looked in very good condition with the grass slightly longer than usual.

Football Histories

The current Wakefield was only formed in 2019 by a group of local businessmen, but a controlling interest was bought out in 2021 by VO2 Capital. They have climbed through the Sheffield and Hallamshire County League and are now pushing for promotion from the Northern Counties East League Division 1.

Wakefield AFC 1 Ilkley Town 2

Tuesday 18th March 2025. 19.45 kick off. 2nd v 4th Falcons v Baht’atters

The Millennium Stadium, Post Office Road, Featherstone, WF7 5EN

Wakefield; White shirts with blue shorts, Goalkeeper Blue top with black shorts.

Ilkley; Pink shirts with purple shoulders, Goalkeeper all light orange.

Ilkley immediately went on the attack, being very successful down the right where Maxim Hague, with number 2 on his back, was quickly making it forward and releasing good crosses that were causing problems. Wakefield weathered the storm and their attacks were provided by long high balls and enormous long throws. The game was very competitive with a good level of skill. Ilkley looked the most promising with their mid-field duo getting the upper hand.

It was a quick run down the left on 21 minutes that provided a cross along the floor for Maxim Hague to pounce at the right post and place the ball high up into the net. Wakefield tried to respond. However, it was the away team who continued to look most likely to extend their lead. Both sides left the field at half time with Ilkley having been on top.

The second half continued in much the same way, and the evening was made worse for Wakefield when on 69 minutes, a misguided back pass was collected by Toby Marriot, who had just come on as a substitute. He had to move away from goal due to the advancing goalkeeper and, from a very difficult angle, squeezed the ball along the ground into the far corner of the net. Wakefield looked well defeated at this point but were back in the game with just over ten minutes left when Kelan Swales ran onto a speculative ball over the top of the Ilkley defence and he lobbed it over the advancing keeper.

Wakefield pushed forward to try and salvage something from the game but were thwarted by their own lack of chances and some deliberate time wasting by their opponents.

Wakefield still have a chance to win the league, although their progress was dented here, and Ilkley will be strong contenders in any play offs.

Football food

Unfortunately, there were no chips again, so a beef pie with gravy was a good substitute. Tasty, but could have been a little hotter.

The Cymru Premiership almost won.

A journey to the Wales, England border took me to the home of TNS (The New Saints).

I had watched them earlier in the season at Shrewsbury Town’s ground during their record-breaking exploits in European football. Now, at their home in curiously England, I was there to see them play Caernarfon in the JD Cymru Premier Championship Conference. TNS’s home is a modern facility on the outskirts of Oswestry.

“The Venue” is a complex, housing ten pin bowling. a gym, activity room, children’s play area, restaurant and bar, multi use conference and meeting rooms, and a floodlight all-weather artificial pitch available for hire throughout the week.

The floodlights can be seen from the approach road, and you arrive into a large, tarmacked car park. You walk through a glass doored entrance immediately into a large room with a food counter in one corner and a bar in the far corner. There is a large area to mingle and numerous seats and tables. One side is a glass wall with an entrance to the stadium.

You enter at the top of the large seated stand, which runs down one side and with the covered seated area behind one goal offer 1700 seats. There are no buildings on the other two sides, but there is planning permission to add a further 1300 seats.

Football Histories

The history of TNS goes back over 150 years when in 1860 Oswestry Town Fc were formed, but it was their merger with Llansantffraid that forged todays club. llansantffraid had been successful in climbing the Welsh Leagues to enter the Premier League and changed their name to Total Network Solutions in 1997 due to a worthwhile sponsorship deal. They first qualified for European football in 2000. The merger with Oswestry was completed in 2003, and the name of The New Saints was adopted in 2006 when the sponsors company was sold. They have stayed near or at the top of their league ever since. Although they have developed a very good ground with other sporting and leisure facilities it is not big enough for their European nights.

The first football team in Caernarfon was the Carnarvon Athletic Club, founded in 1876. The present Caernarfon Town Football Club dates from 61 years later in 1937. The club achieved success in Welsh leagues and Cup football and joined the Northern Premier league in 1981 where it stayed until they became members of the Welsh National League in 1995. Their highest place in the top tier of Welsh football has been 4th.

TNS 2 Caernarfon 0

Tuesday 11th March 19.45 kick off.

JD Cymru Premier Championship Conference.

1st v 5th. The “TNS” v The Canaries

TNS; White shirts with horizontal stripes on front and back, not joined with green shorts. Goalkeeper in all faded green. Caernarfon; Canary yellow tops green shorts, goalkeeper in all purple all purple’

The temperature had dropped to 3 degrees as the two teams walked out onto the pitch.

It soon became obvious that TNS were quick on the flanks but the balls delivered in were dealt with easily by the away defence and the fact that TNS didn’t appear to have a cutting edge to their forward play. TNS were also skillfully moving the ball about the field but matched by an equally skilful defence.

TNS’s attacking intent was thwarted on 28 minutes when Ben Hughes tipped the ball over his crossbar from a close range shot.

Caernarfon did cause some panic in the home defence when Caernarfon long throws, some of the longest I have ever seen, put them under pressure.

The game continued with this pattern until the board showed 2 minutes of added time a cross from the right was deflected in by Ryan Sears, a Caernarfon defender for an own goal.
TNS should have had more through their domination of push and run speedy runs and crosses.

The second half produced much of the same, even with the introduction of substitutes.

The last 10 minutes saw Caernarfon push more for an equaliser. Unfortunately, they were punished when a through ball was collected by Sion Bradley 30 yards out, and he sprinted forward on his own and curled it along the ground under the Caernarfon keeper. The referee soon whistled for full time to give TNS what looked like a comfortable result, although it was far from that.

The win for TNS practically ensured their 17th Cymru Premiership and forced a disappointing 2 hour journey home along the North Wales coastal road.

So, TNS as league champions will be able to compete in Europe again next season. It is somewhat strange that this team will represent Wales when they play in England. Recently, the four Welsh teams who play in the English Football League have been unsuccessful in their request to play in the Welsh Cup, and if they were to be winners qualify for Europe.

Next season more will be up for grabs due to league positions, which will be important when an expanded Premier League is planned for the following season.

The Welsh FA are also talking to Merthyr Town FC to encourage them to switch from the Southern League in England.

The chips were hot, a good quantity, skin on, crispy with soft centre but had some strong seasoning on. The seasoning was in my mind not good and unnecessary, reducing their score to 55.

Keswick, what a beautiful day for some.

On a bright sunny afternoon, with the temperature registering 17 degrees, I made my way to one of the most picturesque grounds in the country, Keswick FC. The sky was bright blue with a few white, thin clouds across the sky. Just over 30 others had turned up to watch, often swelled momentarily by passing walkers in the park.

The pitch in Fritz Park has the backdrop of Lake District hills on all four sides. Down one side is the river Derwent that flooded the park and much of the town in 2015, like Cockermouth, their opponents this afternoon. Cockermouth is only 14 miles away, and the game could be called the A66 derby.

The park was devastated, and a new club house has been built that is set up from the pitch and gives a good view from the veranda. The club house and changing room have been built to a good spec, and the facilities are complimented by a large nearby car park that does unfortunately get full very quickly with local park users and tourists.

Keswick FC 1 Cockermouth 5

Saturday 8th March 14.00 pm kick off. Cumberland County League, Premier Division
5th v 1st, The Cumbrians v The Cockers

Keswick; Red shirts with black shorts, goalkeeper in all luminous yellow.

Cockermouth; Yellow shirts with a series of black stripes vertically down the front with grey shorts, goalkeeper in Grey top with black sleeves and grey shorts.

Keswick began the match with only 2 substitutes to Suckermouths 6 and with a first game, 16 year old goalkeeper, between the sticks.

The game started evenly with each side having early chances. Cockermouth playing from right to left took the lead on 12 minutes when a ball was whipped out to the left, and a curling cross from their unmarked player was passed on to Robert Cox, who just had the keeper to beat.

The home side held their own against the league leaders, but disaster struck on
35 minutes when a ball crossed from the right was fumbled by the goalkeeper at left hand postand it was squeezed in from a difficult angle 2 by Luke Graham.

Cockermouth’s 2 nil lead at half time was a bit flattering and after the short interval Keswick were right back in the game. Within 5 minutes, they had reduced the deficit when a free kick from the right was met by Alfie West who stooped to head over the keeper into the centre of the net.
The game swung back in favour of the visitors when the referee gave a penalty, which caused consternation with the Keswick players who felt their man had won the ball fairly. The home sides number 7 received two yellows for what appeared to be arguing. The referee then checked with his linesman, and after a long discussion the penalty stood. The keeper dived to his right of Luke Grahams spot kick but the ball went into the left side of the net to restore the away teams two goal advantage.

Now playing with 10 men, things only became harder when on 65 minutes, a corner from the left by Kyren Bertram was knocked into the goal by the keeper.
Despite 10 men, being 1.4 down and substitutes refreshing their opponents, Keswick kept battling. A Fifth was added for Cockermouth at the death when a crossed ball from Lewis White deceived the home goalkeeper sailing over his head and into right hand corner of net.

Cockermouth stayed top of the division, and although Keswick let in five, they were not disgraced. The young keeper should not be disheartened by his performance, he will have better days for sure.

No chips here or food to discuss.