2016/17 - Review of the season

Number of football games seen: 67
Number of new football grounds / venues visted: 55

Number of home wins: 35
Number of away wins: 20
Number of draws: 12

Highest number of goals seen in a game: 22 - AFC Villa v Hucknall Town Harriers (2nd July Pre-Season Friendly) 
Highest number of goals seen in a game (competitive): 12 - Dinnington Town v Welbeck Lions (27th August)
Largest winning margin home game (competitive): 10 - Dinnington Town v Welbeck Lions
Largest winning margin away game (competitive): 6 - Shilton v Gurdwara GNP
Most common scoreline seen: 2-1 8 times

Best game seen: 7th May - Thurlaston Magpies v L.K. United (Hinckley Sunday League President's Shield Final). An 4-4 draw that ebbed and flowed one way and another, with the game being decided by penalty kicks. Not the greatest in terms of quality, but certainly the most entertaining.
Worst game seen: 4th March - Coventrians v Enville Athletic (Midland League Division 3). A dreadful game with the biggest surprise being there was a goal scored.

Favourite new ground / venue visited: Moss Rose Ground (Macclesfield Town)

New ground that impressed me the least: I visited as per usual numerous recreation grounds, but Holbrooks Park in Coventry is one I will not hurry back to.
Most impressive back drop: Arundel Castle overlooking the Mill Lane home of Arundel FC.

Best foot & drink at a ground: No result. I seldom have anything more than a coffee at any place I visit.
Most welcoming club visited: Longlevens AFC (Hellenic League)
A warm welcome was had from the moment we arrived to the moment we left. With being recognised as first time visitors we were given free tea or coffee before the game and at half time, and a slice of cake at half time also. Also the club have a guest book for visitors to sign as well. 

Number of photo sets taken at football games during the season: 45

Below are the direct links to each photo set:

1. 10/07: Hemsworth Miners Welfare v Tadcaster Albion (PSF)
2. 16/07: Ravenshead v Bilborough United (PSF)
3. 31/07: Sawtry v Stilton United (Peterborough League)
4. 31/07: Wittering Harriers v Long Sutton Athletic (Peterborough League)
5. 07/08: Highworth Town v Tadley Calleva (FA Cup)
6. 13/08: Bilborough Town v Basford United Community (Notts Senior League)
7. 20/08: Eaton Socon v Over Sports (Cambridgeshire League)
8. 27/08: Dinnington Town v Welbeck Lions (Central Midlands League)
9. 03/09: Melton Town v Daventry Town (United Counties League)
10. 04/09: Stoke Golding (Sunday) v Market Bosworth 2000 (Sunday) (Hinckley Sunday League)
11. 05/09: Coventry Sphinx v Sporting Khalsa (Midland League)
12. 24/09: Hertford Town v Brantham Athletic (FA Vase)
13. 25/09: Donisthorpe Reserves v Newhall Social Club (Burton Sunday League)
14. 27/09: Leicester Road v Coalville Town Development (Leicestershire Senior Cup)
15. 08/10: Sutton Bonington v Bottesford (North Leicestershire League)
16. 09/10: Drayton Bassett v Edingale Swifts (Tamworth Sunday League)
17. 15/10: Ashby Road v Fleckney Athletic (Leicester & District League)
18. 22/10: Kegworth Imperial v C.K. Dons (North Leicestershire League)
19. 12/11: Aslockton Cranmers v Team D.N.F. (Notts Senior League)
20. 19/11: Bingham Town v Magdala Amateurs (Notts Senior League)
21. 26/11: Bilborough United v A.F.C. Clifton (Notts Senior League)
22. 10/12: Old Reptonians v Kings College Wimbledon (Arthur Dunn Cup)
23. 02/01: Rossington Main v Shirebrook Town (Northern Counties East League)
24. 07/01: Somersham Town v Royston Town 'A' (Cambridgeshire League)
25. 14/01: Wymeswold v Sporting Markfield (North Leicestershire League)
26. 21/01: Bottesford v Sutton Bonington (North Leicestershire League)
27. 04/02: James King Blisworth v Medbourne (Northants Combination)
28. 05/02: Three Horse Shoes v Dunton & Broughton United (Sunday) (Hinckley Sunday League)
29. 18/02: Outwell Swifts v Cambridge City Reserves (Cambridgeshire League)
30. 19/02: Warton Club v Edingale Swifts (Tamworth Sunday League)
31. 04/03: Coventrians v Enville Athletic (Midland League)
32. 11/03: Longlevens v Henley Town (Hellenic League)
33. 18/03: Biggleswade Town v Hayes & Yeading United (Southern League)
34. 25/03: Ashland Rovers v A.F.C. Bridgford (Notts Senior League)
35. 01/04: Cambridge University Press v Milton (Cambridgeshire League)
36. 02/04: Wykin v Coalville Miners (Hinckley Sunday League)
37. 08/04: Continental Star v Coton Green (Midland League)
38. 17/04: Warrington Town v Ashton United (Northern Premier League)
39. 18/04: Shilton v Gurdwara G.N.P. (Coventry Alliance)
40. 22/04: Market Bosworth v C.K. Dons (North Leicestershire League)
41. 28/04: A.F.C. Barn v Royal Oak Bitteswell (Hinckley Sunday League)
42. 29/04: Pagham v A.F.C. Uckfield Town (Southern Combination League)
43. 01/05: Barns Green v Coal Exchange (Chichester Charity Cup Final)
44. 07/05: Thurlaston Magpies v L.K. United (Hinckley Sunday League)
45. 13/05: Fleckney Athletic v Sporting Markfield (Leicestershire Inter-League Cup)

catch up

I know it is an understatement, but it has been a while since I decided to post on here. The stats and information though is updated on a regular basis.

Up to now I have seen 51 games of football this season with between 10 and 15 more planned until mid-May. Most of my games have been as usual in the East Midlands, though I have also managed to get to games in Gloucestershire, Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire and Cambridgeshire.

My most recent outings in March have been as follows...

Saturday 4th

COVENTRIANS 0-1 ENVILLE ATHLETIC

Midland Football League Division 3

@ Holbrooks Park, Holbrook Lane, Coventry

Admission / programme: none

Attendance: 30

Pin Badge: £3

Tea / coffee: 60p

A poor game and probably the worst I have seen this season. Chances were seldom seen during the game and the biggest surprise was that there was a goal scored. Easy run down the M69 to the northern suburbs of Coventry which took round thirty five minutes each way.

Holbrooks Park is a very basic set up. The club rope off one side and have a couple of sets of portable dugouts.

43 photos taken during the game can be viewed online @ http://rambler77.zenfolio.com/p370012481

Saturday 11th 

DROITWICH SPA B.G. UNDER-21'S 2-2 KINGS HEATH CONCORDE UNDER-21'S

Midland Football League Under-21 Section South Division

@ King George V Playing Fields, Briar Mill, Droitwich, Worcestershire

Part 1 of a double and a game of poor quality. No photos taken.

LONGLEVENS AFC 8-3 HENLEY TOWN

@ Saw Mills End, Gloucester

Admission: £5 inc programme

Attendance: 23

For part 2 I headed south into Gloucestershire and before the game picked up a good friend in Cheltenham, and we then proceeded to head across the A40 to the eastern suburbs of Gloucester. 

The first thing that should be mentioned was the welcome we both had. We, well me actually got recognized as ground hoppers. We were given a hot drink before the game, and at half time another drink and a slice of cake. Also the club have a guestbook for visitors to sign.

The ground is a tidy well kept affair with a seated stand on the near side, and dugouts on the far side. The game was one of the most entertaining I have seen this season. The visitors took the lead inside the opening minute or two, but by half time Longlevens had turned it around and lead 3-1. The goals continued to flow in the second half with some good goals scored and decent football played from both sides. 

86 photos of the ground and game can be viewed online @ http://rambler77.zenfolio.com/p47724776

Tuesday 14th

F.C. BROXBOURNE BOROUGH 2-2 ST. MARGARETSBURY

Spartan South Midlands League Premier Division

@ Goffs Lane, Cheshunt, Hertfordshire

Admission: £6 inc programme

Attendance: 74

With having the Tuesday night off from work I along with Oadby Town secretary Kevin Zupp made our way to Hertfordshire. Pre-match we visited a couple of JD Wetherspoons in Watham Cross and Cheshunt. 

The ground isn't too bad with a few areas of cover. The game was an average affair with the visitors two nil up @ half time and looking very comfortable. Broxbourne upped their game in the second half and secured a point with a last minute equaliser.

Saturday 18th

BIGGLESWADE TOWN 6-0 HAYES & YEADING UNITED

Southern League Premier Division

@ Carlsberg Stadium, Langford Road, Biggleswade, Bedfordshire

Admission: £10

Programme: £2

Pin Badge: £3

Attendance: 168

My dad Paul agreed to come with me today and I picked him up from his home in the east side of Leicester. Our choice of game was based on the weather forecast, and there was none forecast. Wrong. It rained just before it kicked off and didn't stop for the duration of the game. With their being several areas of cover we stayed dry, though it made taking photographs difficult.

The run across the A47 and down the A1 was straight forward and we arrived in Biggleswade in plenty of time. Lunch and a drink was had in the Red Lion in the town, and then another drink @ The Plough in nearby Langford.

The ground is functional though a bit bland. There is a spacious clubhouse on site and as previously stated three areas of cover. The main stand is on the near side which is all seated, and there are two standing only areas - one on far side and the other behind the far goal. 

The game was pretty good with the home side deserving the victory. The only goal of the first half came from the penalty spot from their #11, who then proceeded to score two more in the second half, both of these also coming from penalty kicks. This was the first time in over 1,000 games that I have seen a player score a hat-trick this way. 

44 ground and match photos can be viewed online @ http://rambler77.zenfolio.com/p254858430

Saturday 25th

ASHLAND ROVERS 1-0 A.F.C. BRIDGFORD

Notts Senior League Division 1

@ Kingsway Park, Hodgkinson Road, Kirkby-in-Ashfield, Notts

Admission / programme: none

Attendance: 15

After finishing work I had a few hours kip Saturday morning and got up around 12.30pm. This was always my first choice today as this was my last ground yet to visit in this division. An easy run up the M1 and I arrived at the ground in around fifty minutes. This is a basic venue with nothing pitch side, though there are floodlights. 

The game was a hard fought scrappy affair with chances at a premium, with the only goal of the game coming inside two minutes. This extended my run of games without a goalless draw to 103 games.

49 photos of the game can be viewed online @ http://rambler77.zenfolio.com/p699043178