43 matches this season 24 of which had chips.

Of those that didn’t have chips, the National Award Winning ‘Great Northern Pie Company’s’ pie with mash and mushy peas at Stockport Town was outstanding. Having watched my grandson play at Everton’s training ground in the morning, I needed some food, and I could have eaten two of them. Really well served in a large comfortable area, Stockport Town should be congratulated. Gretna’s Scotch pie with gravy changed my mind on Scotch pies,’ I suppose in Scotland they know just how to cook them.

Retford FC’s pie and peas were good, but Appleby Frodinghams’ Cheese Burger with bacon was better. Thank you to the ladies who persuaded me to buy one. I think their reprieve from relegation was due to the food!

Sandiacre impressed me in that they had returnable and reusable plates.

The chips as usual were a mixed bag, both at TNS and St Albans, they were good but the seasoning ruined them, and with real potatoes at Gainsborough Trinity, I thought they had cracked it but they were only warm. I had chips three times at Hallam during the season, and twice they were up there near the top, but one time, they were close to the bottom, which shows they can be variable and subjective on the day.

The chips at Clay Cross were good and enhanced by the very thick Bovril, which you could almost stand your spoon up in. Second during the season was Coleshill under the Gazebo in the rain, but the winners by a fair margin were at Hednesford where not only was the game one of the most entertaining I have ever seen but the chips were hot, crispy. golden, but most of all, tasty.

I wasn’t sure that I would carry on with my chip league, but I’m ready to sacrifice my body again for another season.

payonthegate 2024/25 chip league    

Club Score Comments
Hednesford 82 Really good taste.
Coleshill 74 Tasty under the gazebo.
Hillsborough Stadium 73 Tasty, golden, soft inside, if they had been hot would be higher
Hallam 72 Hot and Tasty
South Leeds 72 Freshly cooked, good Friday night out.
Clay Cross 72 Good taste. Very thick Bovril.
Matlock 70 Big portion
Hallam 69 Hot Crispy and Tasty
Clifton All Whites 67 Enjoyable
Sheffield FC 67 Good texture
St Albans City 65 Good Chips but seasoning ruined the taste
Gainsborough Trinity 62 Real Potatoes but dry and only warm
Basford 62 Greasy background taste, good food hut.
Worksop 60 Gone backwards since last times improvement
Pinxton 59 Chips were limp and over cooked
Mansfield 58 Only ate half, greasy, why chips in away end not main stand?
Knaresborough 56 Warm , little taste
Sandiacre 56 Lingering, greasy taste, served on a reuseable plate
TNS 55 Chips were great but the seasoning ruined them.
Hallam 55 Warm and soggy, not up to usual standard
Albion Sports 55 Lasting greasy taste
Brigg 54 Too greasy, friendly club house.
Wombwell 52 Taste of burnt fat.
Wembley 40 Cold, limp, dry, + Burger was horrible, the FA should be ashamed
Fakenham Town 0 No Chips
Club Thorne Colliery 0 No Chips
Wolves 0 No Chips
Kiveton Park 0 No Chips
Gretna 0 No Chips but the Scotch pie was great.
SJR Worksop 0 No chips, packet of Quavers instead.
Sheffield Union 0 No Chips, didn’t go to the club house.
Keswick 0 No Chips
Retford FC 0 No Chips but pie and peas were delicious
Appleby Frodingham 0 No Chips, very good Cheeseburger with bacon
Wakefield FC 0 No Chips, good beef pie and gravy
Ansty Nomads 0 No Chips and the burger was tasteless
Bradfordn City 0 No Chips, enormous food queues, atmosphere electric
Stockport Town 0 No Chips, Award winning, Great Northern Pie Company, WOW
Loughborough Stnts 0 No Chips, sausage roll dry.
Ilkley 0 No Chips, but had my favourite crisps ‘Seabrooks’
Chesterfield 0 No Chips
Aston Villa 0 Couldn’t get to the food kiosks, too busy
Shrewsbury/TNS 0 No Chips