Armthorpe win a hard fought battle.

The heat doesn’t seem to end, with 27.5 degrees registering on the car display as I turn off the M18 at 19.00 hrs to go to Armthorpe to see an evening game.

Armthorpe is a village north east of Doncaster, which is slowly encroaching on its borders. An agricultural village that was tubo charged by coal mining at the Markham Main coal pit now closed for 30 years. The old pit area is now a large expanding new housing area.

The ground is in the centre of the village behind a Morrisons and Aldi and close to other retail shops.Google tells you that there is a car park, don’t believe it, so I found a space on a local road.

Armthorpe Welfare FC are celebrating their centenary and played their football in Doncaster and Sheffield Leagues, mostly Doncaster, until 1983 when they joined the Northern Counties East League. After just 4 seasons they gained promotion to the Premier Division where they stayed for 32 seasons only to be relegated in 2017. The club have stayed at that level since, and now share their ground with Doncaster City FC who are trying to find a place to develop there.

On entering you are immediately faced with two pictures of Kevin Keegan, lost to us only recently, who was born in Armthorpe and started his professional career just up the road at Scunthorpe United.

Their opponents on the evening were Athersley Recreation, from just north of Barnsley. Relative newcomers to Armthorpe tracing their history back to only 1979. They played local Barnsley and Sheffield football until 2012 when they were promoted to the Northern Counties East League Division One. A further immediate promoting to the Premier Division lasted until 2022, since when they have been playing in Division One.

There is a small clubhouse on the right of the ground entrance, serving drinks and food. A covered seated stand stretches down half of one side and there are two wooden shelters on either side in case of rain. A small corrugated tiered stand area behind one goal was out of bounds on the night. A concrete walkway goes round the pitch which is dominated by four old style floodlights stanchions. These could be removed shortly with six new modern sets of lights have recently been installed. One of the old stanchions may well be kept as it also houses local mobile phone masts.

The pitch was flat with some undulating areas but the hot summer has taken its toll on the grass which is yellowing in patches. It was also baked hard causing an unusual bounce and a surface I wouldn’t have liked to play on. Although most of the sky was light blue with large fluffy clouds, some darker ones were forming in the distance and the wind was getting up.

Armthorpe Welfare FC 2 Athersley Recreation FC 0

Northern Counties East League Division One, Tuesday 4th August 2026, 19.45 kick off.

Armthorpe Welfare FC,Church Street, Armthorpe, Doncaster, DN3 3AG.

9th v 8th, The Wellie v The Penguins. Attendance 210

Armthorpe, Navy blue shirts and shorts with yellow stripes down side, goalkeeper in all pink.
Athersley, all orange with black shoulder yolk, goalkeeper in all yellow.

The first 10 minutes were frantic, and even with the home sides speed looking menacing. That speed created a goal when Regan Fish outpaced the Athersley defence forcing their goal keeper to block the shot with his knee. The ball spun up and back towards the goal and a desperate attempt by a defender to keeping out failed.

Armthorpe were then on top, but ‘The Penguins’ should have equalised 6 minutes later when an unposed header went over the bar. Armthorpe had their big miss on 38 minutes when a forward blasted well over with an open goal awaiting.

Armthorpe ahead at the break but Athersley had their spell of pressure in 15 mins before end and were not out of it

With all the players out on the pitch we had to wait a further 3 minutes before the three officials were out and ready to start.

The second half was a different matter with the ‘Wellies’ putting pressure on their opponents from the start. The conditions changed with very dark black clouds all around and the wind turning more blustery. This didn’t deter Ryan Elison whose mazy run left the Atherstone defence flat footed and allowed him to place the ball to the right of the goalkeeper to double the lead. Armthorpe dominated the game after this goal on 71 minutes and were in the end comfortable winners.

The black clouds did eventually burst, giving a 5 minute downpour, scatering the crowd to any cover they could find.

An impressive start to the season, two wins from two, for the home team.

There were some chips, which were served quickly, were hot, not greasy, golden, crispy (too much) but a bit dry. A score of 54.The coffee though was one of the best I have ever had at a football match.

At the match I met Acker Shaw, dressed as a pirate, who tirelessly visits local football clubs, shaking his bucket for donations to Weston Park Hospital. He has been doing this since 2000 to show gratitude for the care they gave to his wife, Brenda, in her battle against breast cancer. Sadly Brenda lost her battle but Acker has honoured her with raising £176 000 he told me. He said he was approaching 3000 matches and raised £64 on the night as he presses on to hopefully reach £ 250 000. What an amazing achievement and a heartfelt thank you.

Don’t park in the official Walsall FC car park.

They say that ‘Mad dogs and Englishmen go out in the mid-day sun’. That seems to have changed with our hottest time of the day now seeming to have moved to mid or late afternoon.

I set off for Walsall, near to 4pm, with the temperature at 27 degrees, to drive south to Walsall. The quest was to meet my son and one of my grandsons to go and watch Aston Villa. Not the best of timing with an estimate of journey time rising from 80 minutes to 100 with people making theirvway home from work.

We met in the official Walsall FC car park, behind the retail park and walked to a nearby Mc Donald’s for a snack. It was packed with Villa fans, queuing out of the door, chatting and relaxed in the warmth and sun.

Villa and Walsall have a long history of collaboration and always start the pre-season with a game against each other. However this time they were playing Real Sociedad having played Walsall the previous week. Villa Park is not available with the rebuild of the North Stand and other infill areas to increase the capacity to over 50000.

Real Sociedad beat Wolves 2.1 a few days earlier all part of their pre season preparations with games in Toulouse and two in Koln to follow before returning home to San Sebastian in Northern Spain.

Walsall’s Bescot Stadium was built at the end of the 1980’s all part of a redevelopment that included the adjacent retail park. It has seated covered areas on all 4 sides. Three of which are the same height and the fourth, at one end, is three tiers heigh. We sat in the third tier of the stand which gave us a good view of the stadium but not of the goal below us. It also gave a prominent view of the elevated M5, where a continuous stream of traffic whizzed by. During the game it was a bit disconcerting focusing on the game with the traffic as well.

The pitch looked a magnificent green and was being watered before the game, no shortage of water here. it was set off against a hazy blue sky with very few white clouds to be seen.

9269 settled down to watch the game.

Aston Villa 2 Real Sociedad 4

Tuesday 28th July 2026, 19.30 pm kick off.

Bescot Stadium, Bescot Crescent, Walsall, West Midlands, WS1 4SA

Premier League – England (fourth 25/26) v La Liga (tenth 25/26)

Villains v Erreala

Aston Villa, Claret shirts, light blue shorts, goalkeeper in all yellow. Real Sociedad, Black and white vertical striped shirts with white shorts, goalkeeper in black.

The game started at walking pace and a lot of tip tapping at the back from both sides with the game feeling very much like the practice it was.

Villa did start to exert some pressure and were rewarded on 14 minutes when hemmings found space on the left hand corner of the goal area and expertly curled the ball inside the far post for the lead. This only lasted 8 minutes before Real levelled when Soler gifted the ball by the home team defence scored at the second attempt after Bizot had saved.

With the restart it was the spanish team who took the lead when a free in from the left was deflected by a Villa player into the path of Oskarsson who just tapped in at the far post. Almost immediately Villa levelled after Buendia eluded 3 players to pass the ball to the 17 year old, Madgo, who showed considerable strength in holding of a defender and slotting the ball under the goalkeeper into the middle of the net.

This heralded changes by both sides with what looked like 8 or 9 for Sociedad. These changes also changed the game and the visitors took control. It was though good to see Pau Torres back on the pitch and looking his imperious self.

Sociedad went further ahead on 66 minutes when Carrera surged into the goal area and struck the ball along the ground past Bizot. They made it 4 right at the end when a cross was knocked up in the air by Bizot to fall to Ruperez to bundle home.

Madgo impressed with his physicality, speed and ball control, Cisse reminded me of a very young Ugo Ehiog and Pau was calm.

Villa are now off to the Far East with most of their more senior players and new recruits.

There were chips but having just had some in Mcdonalds I couldn’t face any more.

Then the fun started The game finished at 21.15 and we were back in our cars in two minutes but didn’t leave the stadium until 58 minutes later, even behind the two Villa team coaches and the two Spanish registered ones taking them of on their journey towards Toulouse. What must it be like on a Saturday when the Retail Park is closing too? Added to that the A38 was closed for resurfacing, good to see, and with that detour was home 3 minutes before midnight.

It was however great to see my son and grandson, see the Villa and enjoy the continuing start to this seasons journey.

Great start to the new league season.

I made my way to South Elmsall for what the announcer on the sound system called the earliest start to a league season he could remember.

The game I went to see was Frickley Athletic against Keighley Town. Just an ordinary Northern Counties East League opening match. Maybe not because this was the first competitive match for the new Keighley Town FC.

Keighley Town FC have come about through Ryan O’Neil and Kaue Garcia, the owners of Keighley Cougars rugby league club, taking over Eccleshill United FC last year and moving the club to Cougar Park, changing the name but maintaining Eccleshill’s standing in the non-league pyramid structure. Their next aim is to get local planning approval to install a 3G pitch for men’s and women’s Rugby League and football.

This is an interesting development because at the same level, Sheffield FC the oldest club in the world, we’re linked, under the same common ownership as Sheffield Eagles who are now sharing the football clubs stadium. Both clubs continue to look to relocate to a modern, joint, stadium in the city of Sheffield.

Wigan Athletic and Wigan Warriors share the same ground and ownership, there maybe more.

Is multi ownership of sports clubs a fast growing trend in the UK as per other countries. The multi use stadium benefit, especially 3G, and all its other junior football and rental opportunities looks compelling.

Back to my first league game of the season. The journey north on the motorways was quiet, considering it being the first weekend of the school holidays for many. Cooler at 24.5 degrees, the blue sky had some fluffy clouds.

The very small Frickley village is just south of South Elmsall where Frickley Athletic have played since 1910, having been founded in 1908. This has always been a multi use sports complex and you still drive past the cricket ground to get to the very huge car park for the football ground.

Inside the stadium you soon noticed the very large covered seated stand, dating back almost 100 years. The grounds development was majorly supported by the local miners welfare. The demise of the South Elmsall and Frickley colliery coming in November 1993. Frickley had already changed their name from Frickley Colliery to Frickley Athletic in 1974. Today as you drive into the town from the A1M you drive past the gigantic shed complex of a Next Distribution Centre which is now most probably the major employer in the area.

Either side of the large stand are a ‘Big Fellas’ tea bar, the entrance, and a bar for refreshments, with seating and a large television. Down the far side is a long tiered covered standing area, with both ends of the ground open but with hard standing. A modern building in one corner houses the changing rooms and a posh area for hospitality. The size of the ground and facilities reflect the fact that Frickley graced the old Alliance and Conference Leagues, equivalent today of the National League, once for seven seasons in the 1980’s, with a second place finish one year.

The pitch looked very dry with large patches of yellowing grass. The surface here sopes from one corner to the other and from end to end. What made this more pronounced was a strong wing blowing in the same direction as the slope.

The teams made their way onto the pitch with the backdrop of Frickley Country Park, fashioned out of the old flag heaps with a lone kite flyer taking advantage of the wind at the highest point.

Frickley Athletic FC 1 Keighley Town FC 1

Saturday 25th July 2026, 15.00 pm kick off

Northern Counties East League, Premier Division.

The Blues v TBA

Westfield Lane, South Elmsall, Pontefract, South Yorkshire, WF9 2EQ.

Frickley in all royal blue shirt and shorts, goalkeeper in pink jersey black shorts
Keighley all white shirts and shorts with two red and one black thin stripes down the side of shirts and shorts, goalkeeper in all orange.

Keighley took advantage of the slope and wind straight away with the ball hanging and swirling, making it difficult for defenders to clear.
Keighley kept on top with some skilful footwork, but some dour defence by home team kept them at bay. They couldn’t hold out though when after 27 minutes some tricky skills enabled him to coss along the ground for Zane Newman Richards to steer in.

Keighley kept up their pressure with Frickley only occasionally mounting attacks, but failing to get a shot on goal.

At Half Time you wandered of the conditions would change the fortunes of the home team and would Keighley rue the fact that they were only one ahead after dominating. The Keighley manager and some of his team had sat on the same row as me in the stand getting a good overview of his charges.

With in two minutes of the restart we had our answer to the conditions advantage when the Blues had a header on goal go just wide. Frickley levelled 7 minutes later when Sam Cable touched in a curling cross from the right.

It was now one way traffic as the ball bounced back off of the crossbar from a free kick.

The home team continued to press forward, however the strength of the away teams players kept pushing them back and they posed a threat to the end of the game which ended all square.

The game ending rain! Only a light drizzle but something we have not seen for weeks. It had been coming with the strengthening wind blowing grey clouds in from the east.

A good workout and start for both teams in the conditions, very hard pitch, wind and slope. Keighley to me looked the strongest with a long season ahead.

I had a portion of chips and a coffee for just £4. Not a bad start to the season. The chips were golden and crispy but not hot and a bit story inside. A score of 55 to set a benchmark for my chip league this season. Ths food in general looked good with the meat pie chips and gravy of the person in front of me looking delicious.

No program but a team sheet for 50P. With their X account having been recently hacked and a new one started I wonder in years to come if there will be any way to view the social history of a football club the way it was possible through local papers, programs and fanzines. That sounds like a blog for the future.

2026/27 Up and running.

With the publication of the lower league fixtures I decided to start my 2026/27 season with a trip to Goldthorpe.

With the heatwave continuing it was a pleasant evening drive, 22.5 degrees, to the Dearne Valley to watch a Friday night friendly. The dry warm weather meant farmers were out with combine harvesters getting in the wheat. It seems a few weeks earlier this year.

I had watched Dearne and District FC for some time with my first visit back in October 2022 when they were playing on a pitch used by their many junior teams, as they awaited the completion of their current grounds upgrade. They were promoted from the Central Midlands League to the Northern Counties East League Division One, and I visited them again at their current location. They had made great strides to get the ground ready for their new level and having been runaway winners of that league last season I was interested to see how they had progressed.

The concrete walkway round almost three sides is completed, and one seated stand and one standing covered area, made from containers have been fitted out. The transit van that had served as a drinks and food outlet had gone replaced by another converted container. Progress definitely but with costs doubling each level you gain, and ground regulations increasing there will be more to do both on and off the pitch.

The playing surface has suffered from the very prolonged dry spell and although basically flat does have some undulating areas and dry, yellowing patches.

Brigg Town, I watched early last season when they had a disastrous start, later recovering to finish 6th in the NECL Division One. I sat in the covered seated stand behind some of their supporters who were not happy. They had seen their team lose all of their pre-season friendlies by at least 3 goals and were fearful of their line up in this fixture. They also were bemoaning the fact that not everyone had turned up.

Dearne and District FC 6 Brigg Town FC 2

Friday 17th July 2026, 19.30 pm kick off.

Dearne and District FC, The Century Cladding Community Welfare Ground, Furlong Road, Goldthorpe, S63 9EH.

Northern Counties East League Premier Division team v Eastern Counties League Division One team.

Dearne, in all red shirts with some thin white stripes down the front wit red shorts. The goalkeeper in all fluorescent green.
Brigg, all royal blue shirts with some cross fading and blue shorts. The goalkeeper in all yellow.

A good crowd was present, briefly increased by regular passing trains on the banking behind one goal.

The Brigg fans were adding up the pre season goals against after just 4 minutes when a
ball through to Jordan Kershaw, I thought he was very offside, allowed him to stroll forward and roll the ball to right of Brigg’s young goalkeeper, into the net.

With 16 minutes gone it was Jordan Kershaw again who found space to shoot but this time hit the post. However he was not denied 12 minutes later when he took advantage of the goalkeeper hesitation and chipped over his grounded body into the open net.

It was not all one-way traffic though and Brigg grabbed one back when a low hit corner was steered into the Dearne goal by Josh Batty with 33 minutes gone. Dearne, a big team, in comparison, scored again, 4 minutes later, when Justin Circuit collected the ball on right, shaped to shoot and curled it out of reach of the goalkeeper into the top left hand corner.

A Dearne player now shouted loudly that the young Brigg keeper couldn’t kick far so move up. The keeper then struck the goal kick so that the ball landed just in front of Dearne’s 18 yard line and the Brigg keeper shouted “Can’t kick, fuck off”. This drew loud laughs from the players and crowd.

The teams left the pitch at half time with the home side leading 3.1 but with Brigg not crumbling.

D&D pressed hard again at the start.of the second half with their number 2 launching throw ins from the side to beyond the penalty area which were proving effective with their height superiority.

Justin Circuit made it four on 56 minutes when from the right corner of the goal area he curled the ball just inside the far post.

Brigg kept trying and with a penalty awarded to them, for a trip, Josh Batty despatched it for his second goal.

Thirteen minutes from the end one of the amazing long throws was met by Owen Fieldsend, whose bullet header screamed into the net for a 5.2. lead.

Just 2 minutes later a headed clearance was headed back to goal by a trialist and it looped over everyone increasing Dearne’s goal tally to 6.

Dearne and District were happy with their win although the two goals against could have been defended better. For Brigg, back to the drawing board, although they never gave up and have a base to build on.

No chips to start the season, instead a great cup of Bovril but a very dry sausage roll of which I only ate a third. Not a good start to the season.

Hallam FC exploring their future.

A couple of weeks ago I visited The Church of St Columba in Crosspool, Sheffield.

Crossool is a neighbourhood to the West of Sheffield City centre just before you reach countryside and the edge of the Peak District. It is an area of residential houses whih those living there having a strong attachment to their community.

It is also the home of Hallam FC, recognised by FIFA as the second oldest football club in the world playing at the oldest ground. The Football Club share the ground with the local cricket club.

The community rooted Church of St Columba had given up their church for an open meeting for local people, fans and supporters of the club to discuss their future. Ideas and options were presented by the Football Supporters Association with regards working towards Hallam becoming a fan owned community club. Hallam is currently ‘Unincorporated’ which puts an incredible onus and strain on those running the club and its future.

The congregation were told that there are currently 42 cubs operating on a fan owned basis under the guidance of the Football Supporters Association of which Wimbledon and Exeter are the highest ranked clubs in the league system. There are two more just coming on line. The two people presenting were fan members of Bury F.C. and Lewes F.C.

There are different models and constitutions and these have been circulated by the Hallam team. The journey was said to have 5 stages which could take as long as it takes with Hallams journey likely to be about 6 months to a year.

What was interesting was that in discussion it was pointed out that there was considerable interest from abroad, particularly the USA, to take over Non League clubs with the Wrexham rise being the catalyst. The Supporters Association pointed out that this is not sustainable for all with costs doubling each time promotion is gained due to e.g. rises in wages, ground grading, travelling. These costs are not covered by a doubling in the gate or total income. A club could end up with owners soon reaching their willingness to financially support it and not be part of the community who had enjoyed and supported it for many years.

Those attending unanimously voted to move forwards to make Hallam community led, fan owned, and that this action was the first step in five steps to achieve the goal. One poignant message was that Hallam like all clubs should address a plan that looked to the future and realistically set the level that was sustainable to achieve and compete in.

“I Empty the Dishwasher”.

In the Autumn of 2016 I met up with some old school friends and I asked one who was already retired what he did. “I empty the dishwasher” was his reply. My mouth dropped and I quizzed him to give me the real answer, but he didn’t change his words. My heart sank, not just for him but for my impending retirement in the following February. I had to find another answer and a purpose to move forward in a new chapter of my life.

If you are looking for a career move people often advise you to turn a hobby into a business. I wasn’t skilled enough in pottery, painting, woodwork etc to turn to one of those, yet one thing I have done all of my life is to enjoy watching football. I have a vague recollection of attending matches when I was five at St Albans City, then like now members of the Isthmian League, and in my first season finishing bottom. I remember that the terrace behind the York Road goal was of wooden sleepers, filled in with ash and at that time frequented by many fans who were smokers. It was fun to get some discarded cigarette ends on to which I piled some litter and managed to get some smoke. My fun was ended by a clip round the ear and I never did that again.

I had previously thought about writing a blog and Non- League football seemed a good place to start, but I lacked the computer knowledge and was fearful to get started. At school and in life my English, especially spelling, had always been an achilles heel, however spell check was now there to remedy this. If you knew me you would not be surprised how many times there are words underlined in red when I write each post. In depth computer knowledge was also not a strong point, however research soon led me to ‘WordPress’ which seemed to be the leader as a blogging tool and I found that it was not so daunting to set one up.

Wow, here I go I thought, but I needed a name and I spent days thinking of the most catchy name in the world, that didn’t materialise, and I couldn’t get ‘notonthepools’ out of my head. I finally managed to ditch that and landed with ‘payonthegate’. payonthegate to me is something that you do at Non-league games although even here pre-booked tickets are creeping in.

Fear was now my biggest obstacle and those first few blogs were daunting. Very few read what I had published at first which luckily didn’t kill my determination to continue, or reduce the number of games I was going to. What now took over was the enjoyment of the endless research, planning and watching matches. Obsesion, some close to me would call it, however it gave me purpose, a need to use my brain, travel to new horizons and a sense of community. Its not just the football, but, the history, the future, the place and the people. To go to football matches in the lower echelons of our national game you soon realise there would be no matches without the dedication of small groups who keep clubs alive. The lady who seemed to run the whole show at LLangollen, the groundsman at Baslow who found time to stop cutting the grass to explain who played there, the lady at Lancaster who facilitated me to get in the ground with no cash, and many more.

What has also been an eye opener are the friendly people I have met, ‘Miserable Les’, his stage name, at Esh Winning, who I chatted to for the whole game, shared a cup of tea at halftime, and I think I can remember the score was 1-1, it didn’t matter. In the away seats at Hereford two guys of a similar age sat with me and talked me through a whole history of Kings Lynn FC, the current team and why the club needed a shake up. We were then kept in the ground , with about 20 others, by the local police for our own safety? I was ambushed by a group of mature fans at CD National FC on Madeira, where I found that although there were no allocated seats they always sat where I was. How we managed to communicate this, with them not speaking any English, and me not speaking any Portuguese, was amazing. They decided to adopt me into their clan and at very goal they scored we hugged, high fived and laughed.

I always feel at home in the clubhouse of Staveley Miners Welfare FC, on a cold day its warm, the food ids good and most importantly there is real sense of community something you find in many clubhouses or on the terraces even when the crowd is only small. Travel is also one of the rewards, watching football next to the ruins of Berwick Castle with the sea as a backdrop, seeing the FIFA recognised pitch on the Isle of Eriksay, covered in sheep droppings, watching Clachnacuddin in Inverness and seeing if the support at Verona was as Tim Parks described in his book ‘My Year With Verona’, it was.

I have also, always enjoyed watching the trends of teams rising and falling within the pyramid system and how new teams are formed. Guernseys emergence in the Non – League pyramid has led to teams from the Isle of Mann and Jersey to follow suit, Loughborough Students have paved the way for more University teams to climb the ladder and the recent rise of teams based on Academies or Academy Colleges. Its also great to see some of the older clubs that have drifted down regroup and succeed such as Oldham, Rochdale, York and Bury. Some clubs have grown based on the income that they can make on hiring their artificial pitch and others through community. Clapton FC are well embedded in their locality, St Albans City, Dulwich Hamlet and Hallam, as examples, have made their games and grounds destinations to meet up with friends and family along with the match.

As you continue writing and presenting your blog you make changes to style and layout which is often driven by the research you do. One inspiration has been ‘The Scottish Football Quarterly’, Nutmeg. This is a fantastic read if you want to know what is going on in all aspects of their game, it is not centred on the top teams as you would expect but everyone. It is also so well written and edited that it inspires and gives me confidence to continue. Talking of continuing, I set a goal of 500 blogs or ten years to finish and now reaching the first of those, and with just over a year to go to ten years, I have decided to hang on in there. It’s much more rewarding than emptying the dishwasher.

At the end of each of my match posts I report on the chips, if they are available. People in football talk about the pies, so I decided to review chips. This may not have helped my waist line or health but often they were enjoyable, except for those left on an EFL grounds terrace after just 3 chips, sorry about leaving them on the terrace but there were no bins.

So finally I have to thank my dishwasher emptying friend who spurred me on to gain so much enjoyment as documented by my 500 posts.

My 2025/26 season

My start to the season was in England to see Berwick Rangers play in the Scottish Lowland League. They were playing Cowdenbeath (the blue Brazil), like Berwick a team not long relegated from the senior Scottish League system. A great start at such a friendly club with good facilities. The day was made better by the fact that I went from there to outside the ramparts of the Elizabethan castle to see the final of “The Stanks’, The Berwick Charities Cup.

With an Extra Preliminary Round of the FA Cup in between, I was in Llangollen for a Welsh League game where I witnessed what is so fantastic about lower league football, where a lady was definitely in charge, went round the crowd collecting donations towards the evenings game, very few didn’t contribute.

A few games later an evening trip to Crowle in the Isle of Axholme in Lincolnshire where a young club were coping with a higher league on and off the pitch.

September found a culinary delight at Melton Mowbray, it had to be a pork pie, in their 5 star club house. Following on was a trip to Barnard Castle a team I had been watching climb the leagues, it didn’t disappoint.

Yorkshire football at Harrogate and Ossett was followed by a trip to see Clachnacuddin in Inverness. Scottish football always surprises me with its skill, energy and commitment, why does the National side never seem to match this. Perhaps this forthcoming World Cup will finally be their time.

Into October and after a 70 year wait I was at Partick Thistle. The game didn’t really get going and it was surprising that only three sides of the ground are developed. The intriguing thing here were the group of young ‘Ultras’ all dressed in black behind the goal creating an atmosphere.

I had battled storm Amy from Inverness to Partick and the continual rain and grey days seemed to last into the New Year, disrupting life and football.

My usual trip to Market Harborough each season, again saw some dull football but a vociferous crowd of their Spanish supporters, flow in for the game, kept up a continual noise. Harborough went on to gain another promotion.

November started in a trough with St Albans being thumped 6 nil in the FA Cup at Burton Albion After their management team left prior to the game to take up similar positions in a higher league. A new management team were installed who I have confidence in getting them instead top 5 of their league next season. The next day i took in another FA Cup game at Gainsborough, who took their EFL opponents, Accrington Stanley, all the way but lost out in the end.

Of the seven games watched in November FC Grace Dieu v Clipstone was the stand out. Three goals each and torrential rain before and during the match that was kept alive by the ground staff sweeping and the water off the all weather pitch before and at half time. Interesting venue, Grace Dieu houses a private football academy. All the facilities here were not finished and will be worth a revisit on a dry day in the future.

The rain continued to cause havoc with my football plans in December yet I was able to watch a competitive festive West Nottingham Derby between Stapleford and Sandiacre. This was at the recently redeveloped ground where facilities for everyone are first class. Stapleford’s 4-2 victory was impressive.

Into a New Year where I saw Mansfield make a smash and grab raid at Sheffield United in the FA Cup with a well deserved 3-4 victory. Two visits to Sandy Lane to watch Worksop Town, the second to claim my winnings for second place in their previous games 50/50 draw. The first time I have won anything after many years of entering competitions at ground around the country.

With the league positions now taking shape a February visit saw Dinnington keep up pressure to move up a tier. Unfortunately yet again by the end of the season they failed again. The organisation and facilities are all there. they will keep trying.

After watching my grandson play I went with them to watch Northampton Town. A good crowd, despite the Cobblers recent form, and their flirt with the relegation places. The stadium here now looks great after completion and the team looked good in their win over Stevenage. At that point no one knew that this heralded a disastrous run that would see them end up bottom of the League, relegation and an impending take over.

After many years I finally made it to Ashbourne for their annual Shrovetide football match, a must for football enthusiasts to see what some feel was a forerunner to the modern game. Great to have been there but is it really anything to do with our modern game? The speech to start the proceedings saying outsiders were not welcome didn’t endear me to go back even to look round the town.

With games being cancelled all over I watched my football wherever was available. My abortive trip to Baslow led me to near Derby and Graham Street Prims. A very strong side but the facilities seem to have fallen on hard times.

By late march I spent a Sunday afternoon watching a Women’s League game in the fifth tier. What a friendly bunch of people and I was pleasantly surprised at the skill level, speed and commitment of the game. I noted to make sure I watch another women’s game next season.

Still in March a trip to Baslow resulted in watching a game in the Sheffield Friendly League. Not in the FA structure and played on Saturday mornings I saw an absolute worldie scored in the last minute to win the game and to go past the young goalkeeper who was my , ‘one to watch’ for the future, player of the season.

Despite moaning about the weather a visit to Ashby Ivanhoe was finally achieved after postponements over the last few seasons.

With final league positions being decided the local derby between Retford United and Retford FC looked a must. An exciting game that ended all square and meant Retford FC were promoted and gained local bragging rites. United were also promoted via the play offs and then both Nottinghamshire teams were put into the Northern Counties East Premier League when everyone expected them to be in the United Counties League. The NCEL next season looks exceptionally strong and these two will compete strongly.

A Play Off game at Sheffield FC saw Tadcaster triumph after a penalty shoot out. Again here an unexpected lateral movement of Sheffield to the United Counties League for next season, although perhaps not so because they play their games in Derbyshire. Their new owners certainly have the star quality to move the club forward.

Looking to squeeze in games before the season ended, Sheffield’s Steel City Stadium threw up a game not to be forgotten.Dinnington won away 2-3, with almost the last kick of the game, to Burngreave. But it was not the frantic all action football that caught the eye but the ill discipline of Burngreaves players and officials. There were more sending off for the home team in this game than I had seen all season elsewhere. I commented that if they could control this they would be a team to watch. Indeed they did, and went on a run of wins when finishing up their backlog of fixtures. If they keep this squad together then they will be strong promotion challengers next season.

Like the end of last season i took in a final game in the English Football league Two and visited Tranmere Rovers, a great ground and friendly people. The draw meant that the home side avoided relegation and Grimsby reached the playoffs.Not the same excitement as at the last game of the season last year at Bradford.

One last game was sneaked in on a very cold May gloomy evening in Worksop. Not that it was a gloomy game with 6 goals and it certainly hadn’t been a gloomy season. The abiding reflection on the season was the weather

The highlights of the season were the almost three games in Scotland, Berwick Rangers (honorary Scottish), Clachnacuddin and Partick Thistle a very relaxed sunny autumn evening at Llangollen, finding football in a picturesque park in Baslow, and seeing how grounds can be redeveloped well with artificial surfaces at Melton Mowbray and Stapleford.

At the end of the season it was great to see the two Retford teams gain promotion, the rivalry continues.

An interesting season for some community clubs I watch out for. When I lived near Market Harborough it was a Rugby town with little football activity, after this years promotion they will next year be in The National League North, what a transformation. Clapton Community FC have not only brought the club back but also ‘The Old Spotted Dog’ ground, they too gained promotion and next year will play in a league with rivals Ilford and Romford who were in the top Isthmian League when I first watched St Albans City in the 1950’s. Finally Hallam FC, where the fans fought off a take over and have a meeting in June on how to change their constitution to be fan lead. Fans count and it is great to see.

But I have waited for the day after Aston Villa’s triumph in the Europa Cup in Istanbul. If you follow my blog you will have seen four posts that say ‘You have to deal with disappointments to follow the Villa’, well not now, although even at 3 nil up I was still cautious to believe in victory until the final ten minutes. What delightful football they played to win this European Trophy and what a fitting recognition for the owners, players, fans and the incredible Unai Emery. Up the Villa.

P.S. sorry to all the matches I have not mentioned in this review.

The gloomy end of season night brightened by the football.

I found a game on Tuesday night which was my last of this season, 2025/26, SJR Worksop v Teversal. Some might say really, but to me a true reflection of football in the 11th tier of English football. I had been there before, it survives as a sports club recreation ground for football and cricket and has not been sold to put up a warehouse or housing.

You can luckily park next door in Asda for three hours free and a walkway has been made through the hedge to get to the ground. Not aware of this I parked in the wrong part and took the long way round.

Many clubs at this level have fallen behind in their fixtures due the the heavy rains and postponements we had around the start of the year. Some have not finished all of their games within the time agreed and have forfeited the points. This game was on even though it had no bearing on the league, with the teams being placed seventh and eight in the league. With no lights at the venue the kick off was at 7pm and on the Teversal social media they suggested it might start early because of the light.

This ground is open one side to the cricket pitch and surrounded by fencing on the other sides. There are two small areas under cover one of which has some banking with paving slabs to sit on. An umbrella was at hand in case the very dark clouds, which made it very gloomy, decided to drop their rain. It was also a chilly 8 degrees.

The pitch slopes slightly to one corner and the grass cover was recovering well in the spring weather.

These two clubs had played the previous Saturday where SJR had won 3 nil.

As I have said on a previous visit the best way to explain the history of the club is to show a board that is displayed by one of the corner flags. The name St Josephs Rockware indicates the previous background to the club having been born out of St Joseph’s’ Catholic Church and the Rockware sports club. They have developed into a multi age and sex club with their women’s team playing in the English 5th tier of womens football.

Teversal have been going since 1905 and had the words Miners Welfare in the name for many years, reflecting the two local pits of Teversal and Silverhill. The miners influence, but not the heritage, ended in 1989 when the local district council took over the complex and still run it today. They maintained a period of stay in the Northern Counties East League despite a few ups and downs but were relegated to the Central Midlands League.

SJR Worksop 3 Teversal FC 3

Tuesday 5th May 2026, 19.00 pm kick off

Central Midlands league-Premier North Division

SJR Worksop, Rockware Glass Sports and Social Club, Sandy Lane’ Worksop, Nottinghamshire.

SJR; Blue and Black vertical striped shirts with all blue backs and black shorts, goalkeeper in grey top and black shorts.

Teversal; Red and black vertical shirts with all red back and white shorts, goalkeeper in all green.

Despite this game having little significance in the league at this stage of the season both teams seemed up for it with the home team dominating in mid field in the early stages. SJR lifted the gloom first when Joe Bean headed in a beautifully accurate cross from the right. Playing on the left he continued to harass the Teversal defence with his fast pace and tricky footwork. However it was Joshua Parfitt for Teversal who levelled the scores with three minutes remaining until half time when he took the ball down from mid air and turned to hit the ball across the goalkeeper.

The half time whistle went and the referee, the other officials and the Teversal players initially remained on the pitch expecting a quick turn round to beat the darkening skies but the SJR team marched off to the dressing room. To make thing more difficult in the fading light the games restart was held up by a loose dog. Once the game was underway Teversal took full command and scored after 8 minutes when a cross from the right was hooked over the home keeper by Alex Ferraday. Two minutes later Teversal made it three when Joshua Parfitt scored his second after making space for himself.

Teversal looked comfortable at this point but Joe Bean continued to cause problems and finally with 74 minutes gone he collected the ball on the edge of the centre circle and ran free to round the goalkeeper to get SJR back in the game. Again, only eight minutes later, he was terrorising the Teverwal defence when he took the ball to the dead ball line and cut it back for Tom Mullen to roll it along the ground into the net for the equaliser.

Expecting the home side to push on for the winner, it was Teversal who pushed hardest at the end and nearly avenged their defeat of the previous weekend. A quick retreat from the ground to the car to warm up and a reflection that even end of season non matches can be enjoyable. Well done to both teams.

No chips but a good, strong, hot coffee, it was needed.

Last game worries are drawn out.

A late April holiday brought me to Prenton Park to see Tranmere Rovers v Grimsby Town. A ground I have always wanted to visit and I was not disappointed. Dropped off in Prenton Road, a long old brick wall greeted me with large old style floodlight pylons at each corner. Having collected a ticket bought from Grimsby because Tranmere wouldn’t sell me one, missed the cut off date, even though people were buying them at the ticket office before the game, I entered the ground to be greeted by a large contingent of Mariners fans.

The stadium is first class and reflects Tranmere having played their football much higher up the pyramid in the past. There is covered seated stands on all sides with the home end, behind one goal, particularly impressive and the main stand down one side also looks good. There is a small covered stand on the other side the back to which was the wall outside. I was in the away end, the Cow Shed, that for away fans was very good. The noise that greeted me was tremendous as over 1900 Grimsby fans had crossed the country to cheer on their team. Their rhythmic chant of ‘Clap’ Fish ‘Clap’ Fish ‘Clap’ Fish, and on and on was inventive and amusing. They were making most of the noise in the stadium with the Tranmere fans a bit subdued considering their predicament.

The game looked to offer a very competitive thriller, Tranmere needing points not to drop into the National League and Grimsby needing points to stay in the play off position they held. It would also depend on the performances of teams around them in the league. The weather had changed a little after a very warm week to end April with greying skies , little wind and a temperature of 13. The pitch was in great condition and the striped grass shone a bright green.

Tranmere were formed in 1884 assuming their current name a year later, they moved to Prenton Park in 1912 and joined the Football League in 1921. They have spent most of their time in the lower two divisions but have played in Division Two and had good runs in the League Cup. They have spent time in the National League returning to the EFL in 2018.

Grimsby have been in existence since 1878, moving into their long term home, Blundell Park, Cleethorpes in 1899 and reached their highest level in the 1930’s and 40’s playing in the highest English League. Most of their play has been in the lower two leagues of the Football league although they have spent times in the Conference/National League returning to the EFL only in 2022.

Tranmere Rovers FC 1 Grimsby Town FC 1

Saturday 2nd May 2026 15.00 kick off , English Football League Two

Prenton Park, Prenton Road West, Birkenhead, Merseyside, CH42 9PY

20th V 7th, Rovers v Mariners, Attendance 11141

Tranmere; All white kit except for a band of green down the sides of the shirts, goalkeeper in all green.

Grimsby; Red and blue vertical striped shirts with royal blue shorts that had red edging, goalkeeper in all yellow.

The game started with Grimsby attempting to dominate play but Tranmere did counter. It all seemed a little edgy, not surprisingly, and as it progressed Grimsby squandered the better chances. With half time approaching Grimsby finally scored when on 43 minutes some fast pressure play on the left led to a neat ball being slipped through to Justin Amaluzor near the left hand post and he hooked it, with some force, into the centre of the net.

The teams went off at half time with Grimsby on top and their fans chanting ‘You’re going down’ to their rivals.

Luckily for both teams results were going their way. However Tranmere couldn’t take any chances and came out in the second half with more fight. Even their fans had woken up and seventeen minutes into the half they thought they would see an equaliser when Grimsby’s outstanding defender Cameron McJannet gifted the ball to a Tranmere attacker who looked to only have the goalkeeper to beat when McJannet somehow ran back to just whip the ball of the Tranmere player. Rovers now had the momentum and kept pushing forward, gaining corners, from which they scored in the 64th minute. One from the right missed everyone except for the leaping Nathan Smith who soared above the pack at the far post to land a well placed header for the equaliser. With the home side now marginally on top their crowd became more vocal, but the away end chanted back as their team were still having chances, and Chesterfield had scored again at Swindon to guarantee Grimsby would be in the playoffs.

With both sides safe at 1.1 the game petered out in the last minutes and the final whistle was greeted with joy by the Grimsby fans and a pitch invasion by the home faithful who knew that relegation to the National League was averted. To get promotion from the National League gets harder and harder each season with some very well financed teams in that competition.

Another great end of the season match in the EF League Two,

No chips. with only pies and hot dogs available. I decided on a steak pie that turned out to be delicious, soft, not dry, pasty, was filled with some meat and a lot of thick gravy that oozed out onto my fingers. The paper napkins provided were very necessary. If I was compiling a pie league this would have been up there at the top.

Mayhem and joy at the Steel City Stadium.

With the season end fast approaching its end and other commitments making time precious I was pleased to head into Sheffield to the Steel City Stadium. I have tried to watch a game here before but postponements have defeated me. Luckily the game was on, however I was wrapped up with the temperature only 8 degrees and a frost forecast overnight. It was a grey evening, but sat in the large seated stand any rain wouldn’t be a problem. The full size all weather pitch was being used by juniors from Burngreave United to play and train right up to minutes before the start of the game. The officials came out to clear the odd water bottle and cone so the game was delayed by 5 minutes. Many of those playing before the game sat in the large covered stand to cheer on their team.

Burngreave started out in 2017 initially in the Sheffield and Hallamshire County league, name changes to Sheffield Town, and mergers with Kiveton Miners Welfare , then in the Central Midlands League, but plans to upgrade the ground foundered and the club was moved to the Steel City Stadium in Sheffield. For the current season the team changed its name to Burngreave United to reflect its geographic roots and the community it represents.

Dinnington by contrast have long history dating back to 1908 which I have written about in the past. Like Burngreave they are keen to make it to the next level of the football pyramid.

Burngreave United FC 2 v Dinnington Town FC 3

Tuesday 14th April 2026 19.45 pm kick off.

Central Midland Alliance League Premier, North Division.

Steel City, Stadium, Sheffield Olympic Legacy Park, Worksop Road, Sheffield, S9 3 TL

Burngreave; Red and yellow vertical striped shirt fronts, all red backs, black shorts, goalkeeper in Maroon top with black shorts

Dinnington Yellow shirts with lower black pattern leading to a black band at bottom, white shorts, goalkeeper in an orange top with black shorts.

Where do you start with this game, I’m still breathless a day later. The first ten minutes were energetic, setting the pattern for a very free flowing game. The large all-weather pitch suiting the home sides running play.

However with 13 minutes gone, while Burngreave were appealing appealing for offside, a Dinnington forward broke to his left, checked, put in a near post cross that was knocked in by a home defender under pressure, to take the lead.

Just 7 minutes later an equaliser, when the ball was slid along ground by United, from the left, causing a mix up by defenders and goalkeeper, to allow Christian Tientcheu Ndeugoe to sneak in and hit it into the top of net
Queue wild jubilation by the enthusiastic Burngreave fans.

A quick response by Town led to the awarding of a penalty for a foul on the corner of the penalty area and as a tram trundled past behind the goal, the keeper dived to his left missing the ball that had been sent straight down the centre by Jordan Turner.

With Dinnington ahead Burngreaves’ task was made more difficult when the home sides keeper rushed out of his area to confront a breakaway forward. The kamikaze tackle drew the foul and a ref card for the goalkeeper. A Burngreave outfielder went in goal and with 30 minutes gone it looked like Dinnington had all the advantage.

Even down to ten men United continued to play at breakneck pace and equalised with 33 minutes gone when a freekick from out on the right was headed into the centre of the net by a leaping Hisham Awadah.

What a first half, skilfull, speedy, a penalty, a sending off a game you couldn’t keep your eyes off.

Burngreave matched Dinnington in the second half and with the pace continuing there needed to be someone who just slowed down and dominated play. I reflected that after 35 minutes of the second half the away team had not tested the substitute goalkeeper and he looked calm and assured with crosses and through balls.

With about ten minutes to the end, ill discipline set into the home team. A player was sent off for a second bookable offence followed by a booking for the team in the dug out. The noisy Burngreave fans vented their anger at the referee but they held on despite Dinnington making the keeper make his first save.

With people edging to the gate, a high ball forward was taken down by Jordan Turner and with his back to goal he pivoted, and struck a right foot shot inside the left hand post, grazing it, and just beating the outstretched hand of the diving keeper.

Before the referee blew for full time another Burngreave player went into the book which meant that his second yellow drew a red card too, down to 8.

The referee soon blew for full time and as I left the home team, officials and fans were loudly expressing their displeasure to him.

A really enjoyable evening watching a game that ebbed and flowed and kept moving at pace. Joy for Dinnington with them maintaining a slim chance of winning the division over the last few games. They would hope that they don’t come this close in each of their remaining matches. Burngreave must be proud of their performance considering the times on the pitch when they were reduced in numbers.They are a skillful quick team that with a little more discipline and the need to keep the team together could challenge for the tittle next season.

This is a fantastic glossy and informative program and shows the way it can be done.

No chips here but a very trendy cafe that has been just opened at this facility, the coffee was much better than the usual at grounds.

N.B. I found out after that another Burngreave player received a red card at the end of the game making it 4 red cards on the night for the playing team.