Sauchie Juniors v Jeanfield Swifts
During my groundhopping years south of the border, Non-League Day was always an event to mark on the calendar. Over the last decade or so it’s become the date when lower-level sides the length and breadth of England get to experience boosted crowds and bumper interest. While the country’s bigger clubs put their feet up, non-league outfits get the chance to showcase another side of … Continue reading Sauchie Juniors v Jeanfield Swifts
West Ham United v Blackburn Rovers
It’s just short of 20 years since I previously made it to a West Ham home game (West Ham v Reading in September 2003, to be precise). Back then, the Hammers were in the Championship (or the First Division as it was still known) and hosting their matches at Upton Park. My one lasting memory of that sole visit to their now-demolished old home is … Continue reading West Ham United v Blackburn Rovers
Arbroath v St Johnstone
Arbroath’s Gayfield Park is about as close to the North Sea as it’s possible to get without actually wading into the water. It’s one of the most scenic football ground locations you’ll find anywhere in the UK, but it’s also notoriously one of the coldest. Last time I came here was way back on New Year’s Day 2003. I remember it well, because ice-cold wind … Continue reading Arbroath v St Johnstone
Jeanfield Swifts v Whitehill Welfare
You’d be forgiven for thinking that St Johnstone – famously the only professional league club in Britain with a ‘J’ in their name – are Perth’s only football team. But cast your eyes further down the Scottish football pyramid and you’ll find another Perth side, and another letter ‘J’. This is Jeanfield Swifts, and they’ve been ruffling a few feathers since making the leap across … Continue reading Jeanfield Swifts v Whitehill Welfare
At last, a fairy tale I can believe in
Regular followers of Scottish football will be familiar with the media’s hankering for a true “fairy tale story”. Once upon a time, in the early 2000s, it was Livingston’s rise through the leagues that had pundits reaching for the Hans Christian Andersen references. A few years later, it was Gretna’s turn to “live the dream”. As it turned out, both clubs were spending money they … Continue reading At last, a fairy tale I can believe in
Croydon v Athletic Newham
These, as everyone keeps telling us, are unprecedented times. Amid the stranger knock-on effects of 2020’s ‘new normal’, we’ve had wild deer wandering the shopping streets of Glasgow, the Government buying everyone a cut-price Nando’s, and even some scattered cases of men washing their hands after visiting the loo. And here’s another one to add to the list: Croydon FC moving into a 16,000-seater stadium. … Continue reading Croydon v Athletic Newham
Peckham Town v Borden Village
Time drags when you’re hiding from a pandemic, and after six long months of staying indoors, hoarding loo roll and watching every single episode of Come Dine With Me, I was gagging for a goal-fest. So, this 0-0 draw wasn’t quite what I had in mind. Still, if there’s one place that’s guaranteed to re-kindle a passion for groundhopping, it’s Peckham Town’s gleefully named Menace … Continue reading Peckham Town v Borden Village
Thank You, Tommy Wright
It feels like an odd thing to say about a man I’ve never met, but Tommy Wright has given me many of the best moments of my life. There was the time his St Johnstone team sent the Norwegian giants of Rosenborg crashing out of the Europa League. And that night in Luzern where Saints secured a 1-1 draw in scorching mid-July heat, before completing … Continue reading Thank You, Tommy Wright
Dartford v Dulwich Hamlet
It’s impossible not to be impressed by Princes Park, Dartford’s home ground. The place might be small, with a capacity of just over 4,000, but pound for pound it’s arguably one of the best grounds in the country. It’s painstakingly eco-friendly in its design, with grass on the roof, a sunken pitch, solar-powered loos and its own water recycling system. It has its own golf … Continue reading Dartford v Dulwich Hamlet
Brentford v Stoke City
If you want to visit Griffin Park, you’d better be quick. Brentford’s home, built way back in 1904, is due to be demolished at the end of this season, at which point the club will make the short hop to a swanky new stadium at Kew Bridge. It’s undeniably sad to see old grounds like this one being slowly wiped off the football map. It’s … Continue reading Brentford v Stoke City
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