Hallam prize the table wide open.

After watching the bore of the season last week, I looked for a local game that appeared to throw up some goals.

At Hallam’s historic home they were entertaining Silsden AFC who were top of the Northern Counties East League, Premier Division. Silsden had been leading the division by double figure points for some time, but recently had dropped points, and the chasing pack had also made up any games in hand. Hallam were now just 8 points behind Silsden and were on a very good run of results. 1056 fans also had the same idea as me, with the crowd being swelled by the fact that Sheffield Wednesday and United were not at home and a beautiful afternoon. It was the first day of Meteorological spring in the UK, and the sun was out. There were bright blue skies, with some very wispy white clouds giving a temperature of 10 degrees. Seeing a few others in much lighter coats than me made me feel overdressed, although by the end of the game, the fading sun saw the temperature drop and vindicated my choice of clothes.

The grass pitch bore the scars of a wet winter with muddy patches showing through but the recent warmer, drier days, made the pitch look good compared to my recent visits. The cricket pitch beyond the open side looked magnificent and even tempted me to visit in the summer to watch a game.

Football Histories

Because I have written about Hallam’s ground and history in the past I will not return to it. However Silsden’s history goes back to a team in 1904 who gained entry to the Keighley and District League in which they were successful, transfering to the Bradford and District League for a brief spell before re-joining their previous league. The 1920’s saw some consolidation in the area as Silsden absorbed other local teams. At the same time they moved up to the West Riding County Amateur League and subsequently the South Craven and the Airedale and Craven League. Their nomadic life took another turn in 1933, entering the Bradford Amateur League, then, back to the Keighley League in 1937 and after the war, the Craven League. League hoping continued when they went back to the Bradford Amateur League and, by 1951, found themselves in the Wharfedale league but back to the Craven League eight years later. Here, success enabled them to be elected to the West Riding County Amateur League in 1964. The demise of local team Keighley Shamrocks in 1969 and the movement of most of that team to Silsden enabled them to win their league but disagreements with the league meant they had to move again, this time to the the West Yorkshire league but after progressing through the divisions they were expelled after altercations with another team. Luckily, they were allowed back to the West Riding County Amateur League in 1976. Having won the league the next season, they were again thrown out of the league for disciplinary issues and also lost their stadium.

Silsden United, the Sunday League team took over the tenancy and from this club emerged Silsden AFC getting back into the Craven League in 1980, promotions meant they were able to re-join the West Riding County Amateur league three years later. Although initially thriving, the team had to resign from the league in 1988. By keeping local youth football alive a new Silsden AFC were back in the Craven league in 1996 and some stability saw a new ground available from 2010 after they had been moved to the North West Counties league six years earlier. They then progressed through the North West Counties league until 2019, when they were transferred to the Northern Counties East League after an FA re-organisation.

Such a breath taking journey I have not seen at any other club, please excuse the lengthy resume.

Hallam FC 5 Silsden AFC 1

Saturday 1st March 2025 15.00 kick off. Northern Counties East League, Premier Division,

Hallam FC, Sandygate, Sandygate Road, Sheffield S10 5SE. 

Countrymen v Cobbydalers, 2nd v 1st Attendance 1056

Hallam; All royal blue kit, goalkeeper in pink top and black shorts. Silsden; Red shirts and Black shorts, goalkeeper in all luminous yellow.

Hallam kicked down hill in the first half and soon gained superiority over the away team who were unable to deal with fast wing play and a boisterous presence in the middle of the attack. A goal inevitably came on 16 minutes when the ball was passed to Januz Lipka standing alone on the right of the goal area. He had time to look up and hit it across the keeper into the top left-hand corner. This goal wakened Silsden who now pushed forward, and created chances, but Hallam went further ahead when Rio Allen cut in from the right, kept going, unchallenged, and had a free shot that went along the ground just inside the left hand post.

Silsden’s defence looked shell shocked and had no answer to Hallam’s quick continuous pressure. They made it three on 35 minutes when, after a heading duel, the ball fell to the feet of Danny South, who calmly just prodded it home. Just 5 minutes later a ball from a corner was not properly cleared and when it was played back into the penalty area Janusz Lipka was on hand, amongst a mele of players  to place the ball in the net to give the home side a four goal advantage at half time.

Talking to some Silsden fans next to me they hoped that the advantage of the slope in the second half would enable them to get back in the game. Unfortunately, thing were made worse for them when 5 minutes from the restart it was five nil, when Leo Howarth ran on to a ball that had been parried out and squeezed it between defenders and the left hand post. There seemed no coming back from this although Silsden did get one goal back on 56 minutes, Jake Maltby, collected a rebound from the Hallam wall, after a free kick, and his shot bounced in front of the goalkeeper and over his dive.

There was no further comeback as both sides had few chances, and tired legs started to take a toll. The introduction of substitutes had no effect either and Hallam’s win, roared on by their noisy supporters means the lead at the top is down to 5 points and what looked like a one horse race is now wide open.

Football Food

The chips were served very quickly, as always, and were hot, golden, crispy, soft centred and tasty. A good quantity for £3 and an equally good score of 69.

Unfortunately I just missed buying a program, which has happened to me before here, but a free team sheet was welcome.

They call it the blues

I journeyed over the river Trent to visit Gainsborough to see the local team play. Researching the town it turned out to have been both the capital of England and Denmark for just 5 weeks in 1013, things seemed to change quicker then than they do today. Gainsborough Trinity’s ground is north of the centre just past the modern Marshals Yard a modern retail/food experience in the old Marshals factory. Marshals were a past major employer in the town when they manufactured Steam engines and rollers, agricultural equipment and later in their existence, tractors.
The ground is very easy to find and I couldn’t believe my luck when just six spaces from the turnstile there was a gap to park the car. Everything looks better when the sun is out and there were only a few grey clouds scuttling across a bright blue sky and I felt overdressed in such warm clothes  that didn’t reflect the temperature of 14 degrees.

This is a well established stadium having been in use since 1850 when it housed a cricket pitch. Like other cricket grounds, football was introduced for winter sport and eventually took over the whole area. The ground is dominated by a high seated stand in the middle of one side, underneath which the players change. Not many people sat in the seats, which was soon evident in that the leg room was severely restricted. The rest of the ground has covered tiered, standing at one end and one side and tiered open standing at one end. There was a food kiosk in one corner as you go through the turnstile and a queue was building up already.
Gainsborough had recently been involved in good cup runs having beaten 4 teams in the F.A. Cup to finally go out away to a league side, Harrogate, by the only goal. One of their wins was the unbelievably exciting 4-5 win at Hednesford that I saw back in November. They had also beaten 4 teams in the F.A. Trophy before coming up against Woking of the National League. These cup game meant that their 13th position in the league could be improved to just off the play off spot if they won their games in hand. Their opponents Mickleover in contrast sat 21st and well entrenched in a relegation battle.

Football Histories

Gainsborough Trinity started life as Trinity Recreationists in 1873, a team set up by a vicar in the Holy Trinity parish. By 1889 they were founder members of the Midland League where they were successful and gained election to the Football league in 1896 where they stayed until they were not re-elected in 1912. Back to the Midland league they often beat league teams in the F.A. Cup but were never able to get re-elected to the Football League. They continued playing in the Midland league which they won on several occasions and regularly appeared in the draw for the round of the F.A. Cup that included League teams.

The Midland League was disbanded in 1960 but re-formed a year later and after winning the league in 1967 were founder members of the Northern Premier League in 1968. The club maintained its status when a Premier Division of the Northern Premier League was established in 1987 and moved up a level in 2004 with the formation of the Conference League North. They played at that level until suffering their first ever relegation in their history in 2018. They have stayed in the Northern Premier League, Premier Division ever since and this year resumed their historic exploits in the F.A. Cup.

Mickleover Sports F.C. was founded in 1948 as Mickleover Old Boys and played for 44 years in the Derby & District Senior League. In 1982 the Sports Club decided on a more ambitious regime joining the Central Midland League and planning the move to Station Road which they achieved in 1992.They rose through the Central Midlands League, Northern Counties East and eventually to the Northern Premier league for the 2010/11 season. But in 2011/12 they suffered their first ever relegation only to bounce back by 2015.  In 2020 they were renamed Mickleover Football Club. Since then they have been transferred to the Southern League, Premier Division Central and were transferred back to the Premier Division of the Northern Premier League at the start of this season.

Gainsborough Trinity F.C. 0 Mickleover F.C. 0

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

Gainsborough Trinity Football Club Gainsborough Lincolnshire DN21 2QW

Holy Blues v The Sports, 13th v 21st.   Attendance 532

Gainsborough; Kit all Royal Blue, goalkeeper all light Blue. Mickleover; All white kit with salmon pink stripe down the sides of shirts and shorts, goalkeeper in all yellow.

Gainsborough entered the pitch with an all blue dolphin mascot. Did they come as far up the Trent? No, the answer from the clubs launch info was ‘Known for intelligence, teamwork, and playfulness, dolphins perfectly represent the essence of our football programme. Trenton will attend matches …….He’ll remind us that whether we win or lose, the game and supporting each other is truly what matters….August 2024.’

The grass pitch sloped slightly side to side and to one corner was heavily sanded and despite heavy recent rain, and standing water in fields in the drive over, was hard. The surface created an unusual bounce that the players couldn’t get a grip of. These conditions could possibly explain what I would say was an underwhelming first half. A Gainsborough forward was booked for simulation when the home crowd thought he had been fouled in the penalty area and a shot that looked to be going well wide took an unusual bounce and turned in to hit the bottom of the post were the highlights.

The second half wasn’t much better although Gainsborough did manage to be more attack minded but never looked likely to bother a resolute Mickleover defence and goalkeeper.

Whether it was the ‘Holy Blues’ having the blues after their magnificent cup antics of the season or that for them they feel that their season has come to an end early I’m not sure. I certainly felt blue in the fact that a club I had looked forward to visiting perhaps served up the worst football of any level I have seen this season. For Mickleover it was a good away point gained in their relegation struggle.

Football Food

I was excited to see a bucket of real potatoes that had been chipped and ready for frying when I ordered my portion. The excitement didn’t last long, the skin on chips, were dry, warm and with little taste. The portion was large but in the end needed some red sauce to make them edible. Even the large portion was off putting. I scored them a 62 for my Chip League but on recollection this should have been in the 50’s but the fact they used fresh real potatoes rather that frozen chips perhaps influenced me.

FC FARCE

FC FARCE, Written by Darryl Barkwill

Independently Published on 31st January 2025.

Available on Amazon as a download or for £8.99 as a paperback.

When Darryl asked if I would consider reading his first ever book, called FC FARCE, I thought, really! I wandered which of our hundreds of football clubs the book would be about considering the antics and mess of many over the years. I was wrong, the book is a story about Henlon Wanderers, a fictitious team who due to manipulative outsiders have to change their name to the Surname of the Chairman, Farce.

The hero is their reluctant Chairman, often the villains, who does every thing he can to keep the club alive despite many missiles and self inflicted problems. The book has a good mix of personalities who want to see the club survive and those who have motives to see it fold.

The whole story makes you smile and laugh although you can emphasise with the Manager and Chairman as they dig deep to keep themselves going yet alone the team and club.

This 150 page book would be great for a long journey or a few days away as it will keep you enthralled and engaged to the end, and you will want to reach the end. Too much information here would ruin a book I could recomend to anyone.

A great first book from Darryl and as a Plymouth Argyle supporter I could not have thought of anyone better to write about such ups and downs.

Appleby Frodingham F.C. at last!

A local evening event being cancelled meant I could journey further, so I decided to try to visit Appleby Frodingham again. I have three time s tried to visit this club but have ended up at Brigg Town, Scunthorpe United, and home due to cancelled fixtures for one reason or another.

Success at last, although as I passed the fans going to Scunthorpe United’s home game, I wandered if I may have ended up there or Winterton Rangers. As I approached the ground to the North of Scunthorpe, set in a park, you pass a university campus building and three domes, which turn out to be a leisure centre. There were cars in the car park and the entrance was open so I knew I was in luck. I was met by two helpers who were very friendly and, after paying, directed me to the food cabin in a corner of the ground to get a coffee.

The journey had been wet but I was lucky that the rain had stopped although it remained very grey with full cloud cover which wasn’t helping to raise the temperature of only 3 degrees. The pitch was flat made up of grass and mud, with the goal areas particularly denuded of grass. One end of the pitch was fenced off from the fans, behind which was a cricket pitch. The other end and one side have a flat tarmacked path, leaving the main side, which has the entrance, food kiosk a small covered seated stand, changing rooms and a tiered standing area that is under an overhang from a storied building.

Football Histories

Appleby Frodingham were formed as a works team for Appleby Frodingham Steel Company in the 1940’s and started life in the Lincolnshire League where they stayed until 1978 when they joined the Midland League. When that league morphed into the Northern Counties East league 4 years later they were founder members of the Premier Division. Problems followed and after folding in 1986 they reformed playing in local leagues as they made their way back to the Lincolnshire League in 1990 and switched again in 2002 to the Central Midland League and by 2008 were back in the Northern Counties East League. They find themselves back in that league for this season after a relegation and time spent again in the Central Midlands League and Lincolnshire County League.

Maltby Main FC was started in 1916 and all team members were employed by the local pit. The club lasted until 1965 and was reformed five years later as Maltby Miners Welfare FC. The new team started in the local Sheffield Senior League for two years before joining the Yorkshire League that merged with the Midland League to form the Northern Counties East League in 1982. They have spent every season since up and down the two divisions and were relegated to Division 1 last season after 20 years in the top division.

Appleby Frodingham FC 3 Maltby Main FC 1

Saturday 15th February 2025 15.00 pm kick off Northern Counties East, League Division One.

Brumby Hall, Ashby Road, Scunthorpe, DN16 1 AA The Steelmen v The Miners 22nd {and last} v 10th

Appleby Frodingham; Red shirts with some faint black vertical stripes at the front and black shorts, goal keeper florescent yellow top and black shorts. Maltby; Yellow shirts with black vertical stripes on the front and black shorts, goalkeeper all blue.

The lights were on from the start and Maltby started the game with the most possession with the home side holding there own with some attacking play down their left. After 20 minutes one of these attacks resulted in a cross that was headed down to wards the goal and as the ball rose on the bounce number Joel Chapman headed the ball into the top right hand corner of the net.

The game continued in that vein until half time as the players trudged off in the mud.

Appleby Frodingham came out in the second half with renewed confidence and it was no surprise that they went two nil up after 66 minutes. Ryan Bonser Collected the ball in the middle of the away half, drifted to the right, and and hit the ball across the diving goalkeeper into the the left hand corner of the goal.

Maltby with the introduction of substitutes started to apply pressure particularly on the right and as the game was drifting away Ashly Flynn was fouled in the penalty area and he quickly stepped forward to make it 2.1.

Maltby sensed that a draw was possible with more and more attacks but leaving themselves exposed at the back with their goalkeeper helping maintain the pressure a long Appleby Frodingham clearance allowed Nathan Jarman to control the ball and run forward from the half way line and expertly lob the retreating Maltby keeper for their third goal. With just added time left Maltby’s efforts were easily rebuffed and the home team managed to gain the three points that lifted them off the bottom of the table.

Appleby Frodingham, battled, battled and battled all game looking like they really wanted to win. They still have ten points to make up to get out of the relegation zone but with this fighting spirit they may just do it.

I was glad that I had finally made it to this ground and was happy to see a small club hanging on in there.

Football Food

No chips again, but there was a special offer which the two ladies in the food kiosk sold me, a double cheese burger with bacon and a coffee in a Christmas mug. Not a great fan of burgers yet this was delicious. Thank you.

The Mavericks

The Mavericks.


Written by Rob Steen
Pulished by Mainstream Publishing Company (Edinburgh) Ltd, 7 Albany Syreet, Edinburgh, EH1 3 HG, in 1994. 1997 reprint read.


This was another charity shop find. I had seen the book on a few shelves over recent years but always left it thinking it was too long ago to be of interest. Was I wrong. This is a fascinating book about a group of players whose skills were brilliant but their own persoalities meant that they didn’t fit in with the National team hierarchy of the time, which restricted their involvement  and Englands potential in my view.
The book tells the stories of Stan Bowles, Tony
Currie, Charlie George, Alan Hudson, Rodney Marsh, Peter Osgood
and Frank Worthington.
I must apologise to Charlie George, who I always thought was arrogant, but reading this, he was far from that, sorry! I saw most of these players following Watford and Luton, and what they did was to make space and time for themselves and then ghost past defences or spray passes all over the park. You didn’t  have crab like football passing with any of these.
They were all non conformist individuals. One example of this was one evening game under lights at Watford where Rodney Marsh went off the pitch for an injury, sat down leaning against advertising hoardings, chatted to some fans, got up, returned to the pitch and ensured that QPR won. I was disappointed for Watford losing, but what a memory it has given me.
The book is written, so it is entertaining and informative about not only the players but also the culture of the time in which they played, which is far apart from today.
After I read the book, I could not understand why I hadn’t read it earlier. I try not to keep looking back, sawing sawdust, but the nostalgia in this book made me smile and realise how lucky I was to live through it.

Worth a read.

Loughborough Students second best to Long Eaton.

After picking my daughter up we crossed the M1 at junction 23 on our way to see Ashby Ivanhoe FC. I luckily stopped at the layby to check if the game was on to find that it had just been called off when the opposition team had just arrived. I had previous with Ashby, having watched them last year at Quorn because their pitch was not available. They like Appleby Frodingham seem to somehow defeat my efforts to visit them, perhaps a visit to both at the end or start of a season will let me achieve my aim.

We decided to head to nearby Loughborough Students, a ground that I like to visit once a year anyway. You have to go to the gate house to get the bar lifted to enter the campus and drive to the far end where there is ample car parking, though you are bizarrely charged £1.

Walking to the ground I have written before that you pass the javelin training area, but now in front of it is a new Beach Volleyball training ground. perhaps some new Olympians are training here.

The ground has an immaculate flat grass pitch and is open on three sides with hard standing. The third side is the large main stand with changing and training rooms underneath. The long bar area is glass fronted and you could watch the game from inside if you wished. A good idea on this drizzly, wet, damp, grey, cool day. Although we sat outside on some damp seats.

Loughborough Students have found life in their new higher league level surroundings tougher than their recent years in the United Counties League. Having stated the season poorly they are now mid table and look as if they will retain their status for next season. The playing of football is not the only university activity going on, there were students with lap tops analysing the match and players as it unfolded. Good research for a sports science degree?

Football Histories

Loughborough students trace their history back to 1919 under the name of Loughborough Technical Institute later to become a Technical College and then a University. They have won many University competitions but it was in 2007 that they moved into the Non-league sphere. The University Stadium was opened in 2012 and they were moved into the United Counties League in 2019, part of a major league re organisation. They were promoted in 2024 after beating Skegness in the Play Off final 7-0 and now play in the Northern Premier Midlands Division.

A team called Long Eaton St Helens played in the Derbyshire Alliance in 1907 and played in local leagues for around 20 years before disbanding. Long Eaton Town were established in July 1949 and spent many years in the Central Alliance, before moving to the Midland League in 1961.

In 1982 they were founder members of the Northern Counties East League, with the merger of two leagues. They stayed there for 7 years before opting to move to the Central Midlands League, but by 2002 they were back in the Northern Counties East League. They moved up to the Premier Division before changing leagues again in 2014 to the newly formed Midland League. Their nomadic days continued when reorganisations moved them to the Premier Division North of the United Counties League in 2021 which they won and were promoted to The Northern Premier League East and latterly moved to the Midland Division.

Loughborough Students 0 Long Eaton 4

Saturday 8th February 2025 15.00 kick off. Northern Premier League, Midland Division. 12th V 6th. The Scholars v The Blues

Attendance 192

Loughborough University, Epinal Way, Loughborough, Leicestershire LE11 3TU

Loughborough; All purple kit with pink band on the front of the shirts with a white V across it. Goalkeeper all green: Long Eaton; Red Shorts with red shirts that had vertical black stripes on the front. Goalkeeper Light grey top black shorts.

Long Eaton started the game, stronger, organised and with an attacking intent, initially spearheaded by some very long throws into the heart of the home goal area. It was no surprise that they took the lead after just 7 minutes when a cross from the left was punched out by the keeper only into the path of Liam Loughlan who flashed it back into the net.

Loughborough made quick breaks but were caught offside by a well drilled away back line and the away team made it two nil with 20 minutes gone when James Shaw, unmarked, had all the time in the world to nod down a cross from the right past the goalkeeper.

Long Eaton left the field at half time in a commanding position. They made it three nil on 62 minutes when James Shaw, again, scored after the ball hit the bar and rebounded to him. He stroked the ball past the keeper who was partially deceived by the bounce. The goal came after intense pressure, Long Eaton having hit the bar only 5 minutes previous.

James Shaw completed his hat trick on 70 minutes adding Long Eatons’s fourth when the ball hit the post and he raced in to beat the defender who was peddling back, to squeeze it in.

Long Eaton won easily and moved up to the play off places, whilst the Students had a match to forget. I enjoyed another visit here and will return again in the future. Hopefully Loughborough will regain some of their recent form and comfortably stay in this league.

Football Food

Unfortunately no chips here only the choice between a hot pie or sausage roll. I seemed to have made the wrong choice as the sausage roll was dry and Luke warm.

Bury win the match but Stockport win as well.

A great start to a football full day was to watch my grandson play for Ketering Town under nines against two of Everton’s under nines teams at their impressive training ground at Finch farm, Halewood. The complex was vast and amazing, buzzing with games, training and happy helpful people. The guy on the gate, the lady in the café,  a steward who took us to the pitch and the coaches who oversaw the game. They lost both matches but what an experience and they didn’t look out of place. No photography here except for a sneaky shot of the badge.

With the games over by midday I drove on to Stockport Sports Village. This sports complex is north of the centre and is the home of Stockport Town F.C. who were hosting Bury F.C. in the North West Counties League, Premier Division.

I named my blog ‘payonthegate’ to reflect the difference between the Non League game and the professional league clubs but here I was attending my second all ticket 9th level match in a couple of weeks.

Being early I was able to park in the large car park and enter the ground at one corner through turnstiles overlooked by people on gym equipment, you could watch the game from an exercise bike if you planned it well.

What struck me was the organisation and effort that the home team had put in to looking after the 1240 expected fans. Three programme sellers, a raffle with many prizes, outside table for canned drink sales, an outside serving hatch for food and drink and an upstairs bar again for food and drink. They announced early in the second half that they had run out of pies and hot dogs so their efforts were rewarded.

This ground has a modern flat all weather pitch, which had a lot of black crumb on it. It sits high up on a hill overlooking a valley with trees and fields. Two sides are open with flat standing, one end has terraced covered standing behind the goal and the other side has a large tiered covered seated stand with other support buildings. The temperature was a chilly 6 degrees with high grey clouds, a dampness in the air, but with no wind.

Club Histories

Stockport Town have come a long way since they were formed in 2014. After a year of friendlies they were admitted to the North West Counties League Division 1 and soon showed that they could compete at that level getting into play offs. They have now reached the Premier Division after a League reorganisation.

Bury, by contrast, have a history reaching back to 1885 with the merger of Bury Wesley’s and Bury Unitarians. They won the F.A. Cup twice in their early years and won many promotions and suffered relegations during their up and down years. They often competed in England’s top two divisions, but their biggest test came in 2019. Having just secured promotion, the club folded in May of that year. Fans started a new club out of the wreckage and were rewarded by acceptance in 2020 to the North West Counties League. They, along with their women’s team, won promotion and since then have missed out on moving higher up the pyramid. 2022 saw a separate group acquire Gigg Lane their home since 1885 and one of the oldest football ground in the world. A meger of the two groups in 2023, like the merger of 1885, put the club back as one.

Stockport Town F.C. 1 Bury F.C. 2

Saturday 1st February 2025, North West Counties League, Premier Division, 15.00 pm Kick Off, 9th v 2nd, The Lions v The Shakers

Attendance 1240

Stockport Sports Village, Lambeth Grove, Woodley, Stockport, SK6 1QX.

Stockport Town F.C.; Red shirts and black shorts, the goalkeeper in all blue.

Bury F.C.; Canary Yellow Shorts and shirts that had navy blue shoulders, the goalkeeper in all green.

The floodlights were on from the start and it was noticeable that the uneven bounce was being controlled by Bury from the beginning. Withinn three minutes, Ruben Jerome was brought down in the penalty area. D J Pedro stepped forward and put the ball into the top of the centre of the net.

Bury kept up the pressure and with the game reaching 24 minutes Bury went further ahead when a lobbed cross bounced up high for D j Pedro to hang in the air and head the ball down into the left hand corner of the net. Stockport started to come more into the game after this, often using long throw ins as an attacking tactic. Bury, though, repulsed everything with ease, unlike the continual procession of planes on their decent into Manchester Airport.

The second half was again dominated by Bury and their numerous supporters couldn’t understand how they failed to score a hatful. Stockport’s efforts of their keeper, defensive blocks and clearances off the line were rewarded when their substitute George Omokua started to caused problems on the left flank. Jack Atkinson latched onto a pass in the final minutes of the game and drilled a shot along the ground to reduce the deficit. With 5 minutes indicated for added time it looked like Burys’ wasted chances may have come home to haunt them but they saw out that time comfortably.

With other results going their way Bury leapt back to the top of the League and the hope of many that this will see them go on to finally achieve one more promotion in their journey back to the EFL. For Stockport it showed that they can compete at the higher end of this league and for their bank balance the day was a resounding success due to their planning and effort.

Football Food

Unfortunately no chips here but but there were pies from ‘The Great North Pie Company’ who won ‘The Best Pie in Britain’ at the British Pie Awards on the 22nd October 2024. There were Cheese and Onion. Chicken Balti, Meat and Potato and Chicken and Ham, which I tried, with mashed potato, mushy peas and gravy. I can see why they won the award.

From Hackney Marshes to The Old Spotted Dog.

On a trip to South of the Thames that included no football match, I sneaked in a visit to Hackney Marshes and the Old Spotted Dog. I’ll start with the Old Spotted Dog the oldest senior football ground in London. Having been to the oldest in the world on Tuesday I couldn’t resist the opportunity, even though it was a slight detour.

The Old Spotted Dog

What a welcome, it was difficult to get in with the footpath in the area being upgraded to high spec block work, but by chance one of the committee, they all have equally votes here, let us in and showed us round. What enthusiasm and pride in what they have achieved, it was infectious.

I remember Clapton playing in the Isthmian League against St Albans many moons ago but that team is no more with the last owner falling out with the fan base. A new team was formed, Clapton Community Football Club, and they were able to buy the Old Spotted Dog Ground from Heineken and start to reclaim it from a sorry state. One of their main income sources was from the sale of their away shirts, the design of which resembled the republican movement in Spain and led to 5500 shirts being sold there. The sale of the shirts allowed the club to purchase the ground from Heineken who once owned the building next door which was a brewery.

The Clapton Community club was formed on 27 January 2018 by the disgruntled fans and they have progressed through playing on Hackney Marshes and other venues, through the Middlesex County League and now play in the Southern Counties East Football League Division 1.

The club now run men’s, women’s, youth and development teams all of which are fully inclusive to reflect the ethos of the club and community. The club is run by it’s members, anyone can join, on a democratic basis, where there is equity between women and men. Financial issues are dealt with full transparency by issuing their accounts monthly. The clubs ‘Community’ in the name is matched by their local involvement having for example a hardship fund for those in distress. They also have a philosophy of ‘not pricing anyone out of football’ by allowing you to pay what you can afford, zero if necessary.

I could write for hours about this club but instead have challenged myself to return and watch a game and further write then. I have also joined as a member.

Such is the inclusivity that entering the ground there was an urban fox sat in front of the dugout looking at the pitch. I think he was planning the tactics for the afternoon match which they won. We were told that often the youngsters who play on the pitch can be distracted by the foxes and that the members have to clear fox poo off the pitch before games.

Hackney Marshes

Before I went to Clapton I visited nearby Hackney Marshes, where there are over 80 football pitches and has been a spiritual home to grass roots football in London for many years. It is thought that football has been played on the marshes since the 1880’s but its biggest expansion and use was after 1946 when rubble from the destruction by the Blitz were deposited there and used as the substrate to layout approximately 110 football pitches. Today there are also cricket and rugby pitches, some with artificial surfaces and modern changing rooms. The Marshes are considered the birth place of Sunday League football which has its rivals in other parts of the country but it certainly was at the forefront of this part of the game.

With so many pitches it has a unique atmosphere where many teams and players have come together over a century, where players had a space to belong and achieve at their level.

I myself played here in 1966/67 when I played for Luton Nomads in a South East England Jewish Sunday League. Not being of the faith I was made an honorary member and played in many parts of London but my best memories are from ‘The Marshes’ on a wet windy Sunday afternoon, racing over three pitches to retrieve the ball with the teams on those pitches totally ignoring you as they were concentrating on their own match. It was fantastic on Saturday morning to see people of all ages using the pitches to their best advantages and having the same enjoyment that I had so many years ago.

Football continues to be threaded in our culture at all levels of the game.

The Old Spotted Dog Inn, reputed to be an Hunting Lodge of Henry the eight net door to the football ground which the local community are also attempting to revive.

This picture was displayed on the walls and was photographed by the son of the man who showed us round. It has recently been displayed in the West End of London and will soon be displayed at an exhibition in Paris. Football can join us all together.

Personal farewell to Denis Law

It was sad to see that Denis Law left us a week ago at the age of 84. He was undoubtedly one of Britain’s greatest forwards, proving this in a career across Scotland, England and Italy.

He was a forward who was able to show balletic skills on rubbish surfaces as well as on major stages as he won all of the honours in the English game. He was blessed with the skill to beat defenders, overhead kicks, back heels and an ability to be there at the right time.

I was there to see him score six goals at Kenilworth Road in the infamous abandoned F.A. Cup game of 1961.

Being treated for my 11th birthday, my Dad and I caught the 321 London Country Bus from the Ancient Briton, in St Albans, to the top of Cutenhoe Road in Luton, where a Luton Corporation ‘Special’ bus was waiting to take us to the ground. We stood at the Kenilworth Road End and watched a sensation, Denis Law, totally overrun the home side. It didn’t matter that we were drenched we were watching a master. Some of the crowd around us were complaining about the conditions at half time, and wanted the game abandoned so that they could get their money back and I also suspect that they didn’t like to see Luton thrashed. The teams did come out for 24 more minutes and no money was refunded or tickets given to the rearranged game.

I didn’t care, what a birthday treat to see Dennis Law tiptoe through atrocious conditions and score 6 goals, against Luton’s 2. Denis even scored in the rearranged game but Luton came out winners of that 3.1.

I only ever saw Denis Law on the TV after that, what a player, what a career.

A Happy Birthday at Hallam

I battled through the busy traffic into and through Sheffield on my way to Sandygate Road to ensure I was early enough to get to Hallam FC to get a seat and a program. A large crowd was expected to see Hallam play Sheffield FC for the first time in a few years in what is called the ‘Rules Derby’ a reference to the Sheffield Rules which are the oldest rules in football and still provide much of the basis for the playing of the game today all over the world.

Hallam FC, the second oldest club in the world were playing Sheffield FC the first and oldest club in the world. This at Sandygate Lane, the oldest football ground in the world for a semi-final place in the Sheffield and Hallamshire Senior Cup administered by, Sheffield and Hallamshire County Football Association, the first area Association established in England.

I have been to this ground many time before so will not describe it again but point out that the club have recently extended the standing area behind the ‘Shed End’ and that one side is totally open to the cricket pitch. Because of the exceptional 1496 crowd, spectators were allowed to stand on the hallowed cricket pitch side, something I have never seen here before.

These two clubs are experiencing differing stages in their life. Sheffield FC are still at their Derbyshire ground and trying to get permission to move back into the City to have a permanent home and build the type of local community spirit that has been built up by Hallam over the many years in one location. Hallam’s success in generating income through larger than usual crowds at their level of football and the resulting extras, food, drink, shop, club house, etc has also seen success on the field as well. It leaves them currently in a good position to make the playoffs at the end of the season. Sheffield FC despite their status as the oldest club in the world, which generates a world wide fan base needs a local grounding. Sheffield are uncomfortably at the foot of the Northern Premier League East, 6 points adrift of their nearest rivals. A relegation might see them playing in The United Counties Premier North Division next year because of their Derbyshire location. So this season it is Sheffield that are the team from one level higher than Hallam. but next year the tables could well be turned.

Another reason for the trip was that the game was on my 75th birthday having been postponed, due to the snow, the week before. It was also roughly 70 years since I had watched my first football match, when at the age of five I had seen St Albans City play in the Isthmian League.

Hallam FC 2 Sheffield FC 1

Sheffield and Hallamshire Senior Cup – Quarter Final. Tuesday 21st January 2025, 19.45 pm kick off. Hallam FC, Sandygate, Sandygate Road, Sheffield S10 5SE

Hallam; All Royal Blue kit, goalkeeper wearing pink top and black shorts. Sheffield; Red shirts with black quartered fronts and black sleeves and collars, goalkeeper in all green.

Hallam kicked up the hill in the first half on a pitch that is beginning to show some wear after some busy use. It was a cool night at 4 degrees and would have been colder if not for the cloud cover.

The home crowd were immediately behind their team and they took an early lead when Hugo Warhurst, their goalkeeper launched a long kick that was expertly controlled by James Cadman who drilled into the net.

The end to end play now produced a goal for Sheffield when Connor Cutts rifled home an equaliser from distance. Hallam gained the ascendancy again and were denied by good saves by Niall Edge and the post. Niall Edge’s kicking was not helping Sheffield to move the ball up field and Hallam kept up the pressure. At half time it was one a piece but both teams had played their part in a full blooded encounter that had been end to end.

Hallam started the second half like the first and scored with only a few minutes on the clock. A cross was met by Leon Howarth who steadied himself, moved across two defenders and found the bottom left corner of the net after a deflection. Cue Hallam supporters joy and a blue flare held high behind the bottom end net in which they had just scored.

Sheffield huffed and puffed and created one real chance when the advancing home keeper was well beaten only for the shot to be cleared off the line by one of the three defenders who had raced back to cover.

As the game went on it seemed that Hallam were the side putting it all on the line as they continued to chase and challenge everything. This effort despite their sapping away defeat in the FA Vase on Saturday. Hallam held on and deserved the win. With some strong teams left in the cup another fantastic night could be waiting for Hallam.

The Chips unfortunately did not live up to the rest of the evening, they were warm, soggy, OK taste and not greasy but only a score of 55. Not up to the normal standard here but I think a large batch had been cooked and I may have received the end of that.