Football Programmes Centre

paulo · Joined: 20 Nov 2008 Posts: 1098 Location: Norwich, NR7

Current Ground No 84 Oxford United V Macclesfield Town.

Now I have been lucky in my supporting life and have rarely if ever travelled to a game completly on my own, but as I get to the end of my quest I finally had to do it this weekend as most of my mates just think I am a sad case for trying to achive the 92.

Cheap train tickets booked in the January sale on our line saw me down to London for just a fiver each way, a bit of a dull journey and a 1/2 delay out of Paddington saw me arrive at Oxford just before 2.

On arriving at Oxford station I got chatting to a very friendly Oxford season ticket holder who was very helpful in getting me too and from the ground. Who builds grounds so far away from train stations! Grrrrrrr!

Sadly the helpful chap was in a different stand to me so I left him and joined some of the biggest moaners I have ever met in a football ground! Most were more interested in moaning at the ref than having a decent chat, so I ended up supporting Macclesfield under my breath, who had lost eight in a row, but held on for a useful point in a reasonable 1-1 draw.

Game over and another bus ride back to the station saw me get the 6pm out of Oxford for the long haul back to Norwich. I could have saved an hour but the miserable guard on the Norwich train would not let me jump on his earlier train, leaving me stuck at Liverpool Street Station for an hour with nothing to do but go for a pint. The joys of doing the 92.

Next week I was suposed to be travelling down to Aldershot to visit relatives, but they have just cancelled and I am therefore going on my own again as I have booked more cheap train tickets!

sharrowblade · Posted: Wed Feb 29, 2012 10:55 am Post subject:

paulo wrote:

joined some of the biggest moaners I have ever met in a football ground! Most were more interested in moaning at the ref than having a decent chat, so I ended up supporting Macclesfield under my breath,

Glad to see it's not just me who wants the away team to win.
What you got left Paulo, any up north, might join you for one.

Regards Sharrowblade
_________________
http://www.flickr.com/photos/sharrowblade/sets
A Sheffield United Programme guide

paulo · Joined: 20 Nov 2008 Posts: 1098 Location: Norwich, NR7

sharrowblade wrote:

paulo wrote:

joined some of the biggest moaners I have ever met in a football ground! Most were more interested in moaning at the ref than having a decent chat, so I ended up supporting Macclesfield under my breath,

Glad to see it's not just me who wants the away team to win.
What you got left Paulo, any up north, might join you for one.

Regards Sharrowblade

Hi mate, the 7 left after Aldershot on Saturday will be - Brighton, Hereford (if they stay up), Cheltenham, Accrington, Morecombe, Hartlepool and Rotherham (when they move - I am not bothering with the Don Valley). I am highly unlikely to do anymore this season but will be looking to press on early next, so I will give you a shout when heading North!

sharrowblade · Posted: Wed Feb 29, 2012 12:06 pm Post subject:

Nice one, next season will be fine by me.

Doing the right thing with Rotherham, stadium coming on a real treat.

Enjoy yourself at Aldershot.

All the best, Sharrowblade
_________________
http://www.flickr.com/photos/sharrowblade/sets
A Sheffield United Programme guide

mark01 · Joined: 13 Nov 2010 Posts: 384

When's Rotherhams ground coming on line Sharrow?

Is it actually in Rotherham?

regards, Mark

Senior82 · Joined: 25 Nov 2008 Posts: 982 Location: Near Sheffield

It is in Rotherham, it's only a couple of minutes walk from Millmoor (which is still there!)

sharrowblade · Posted: Wed Feb 29, 2012 4:50 pm Post subject:

Aerial view of new ground Jan 2012

Aerial view of millmoor and the New York Stadium

pictures courtesy of Millers Mad
_________________
http://www.flickr.com/photos/sharrowblade/sets
A Sheffield United Programme guide

WileBrownAstle · Joined: 03 Nov 2009 Posts: 1042 Location: Crewe

Thanks for the pictures mate.
_________________
Please check out my wants list

realred · Joined: 06 Nov 2009 Posts: 354 Location: Malpas Cheshire

92 done for me now, and all Blue square premier. Helped drawing Brighton away in the cup though.

paulo · Joined: 20 Nov 2008 Posts: 1098 Location: Norwich, NR7

Current Ground No 85 Aldershot Town V Morecambe

Another set of cheap tickets on the East Anglia line down to London, so another weekend chasing the magic 92. A very quick journey with every single train conecting and all most no waiting time at all saw me in Aldershot by 1.40pm. I walked to the ground purchased a programme and picked up my ticket and wandered over to the pub over the road. I thought it rather strange that it was so quiet so had a pint and wandered into the ground. Had a look around and still no one about. I asked a steward if there was a bar and he told me to walk all the way around the ground as there was one on the other side. Aldershot is great in that you can walk all around it once inside, apart from the away end, which is fair enough.

I walked into the bar and it was rammed, which is great as Aldershot were benifiting from everyones match day spend. I had a good chat with a local who used to follow Leeds but was now a big Aldershot fan as he had starting going just after they reformed.

At five to three I took my place on the terrace and met a great set of locals who were really friendly and gave me a great insite into the team and League Two.

On the final whistle I managed to get back to the train station and away back up to London on the 5.04 with ease so Aldershot is handy for anyone who wants to do the ground and still have time to get home reasonably quickly. Much better than all the messing about at Oxford last week!

Sadly the programme lasted me about 10 mins of my journey but its another ground done and as I stand its 7 to go, subject to ups and downs and teams moving/going bust!

Next up - Unsure as I am not planning any more this season. Maybe Accrington, Rotherham (if tickets can be got early next season) or Brighton.

Senior82 · Joined: 25 Nov 2008 Posts: 982 Location: Near Sheffield

Not a league ground but I was at Frickley Athletic last night and yes they do have a programme shop!

WileBrownAstle · Joined: 03 Nov 2009 Posts: 1042 Location: Crewe

realred wrote:

92 done for me now, and all Blue square premier. Helped drawing Brighton away in the cup though.

Well done mate.
_________________
Please check out my wants list

sharrowblade · Posted: Mon Apr 23, 2012 5:14 pm Post subject:

Ground No 24 Staduim MK, ‘The Moo-Kamp’ MK Dons

The gruesome twosome headed south this week to Staduim MK,

Yes, I know they've got a reputation, akin to football pyraiah’s (but I honestly don’t think my little un’s are that bad),

Arrived early for once, with a couple of hours to spare, parking no problem, but with 4 little uns with us decided that a pint would have to wait for later. The lads clocked the team coach, but had just missed the players so had to settle for high fives from Cressy and Monty.

A pleasant walk round the ground, which has a black tile effect, ‘It’s like me nan’s bathroom’ said Danny, ‘Aye I replied but she hasn’t got a pick ‘n’ mix, next to her false teeth, ‘. I’ll have ’20 flying saucers please, now that’s extravagance for you. (The Pick 'n' mix stall is located next to the Club Shop)

Security was tight, blokes in wheelchairs were being body searched, and pensioners were being told to spread em’ and let strangely despite having a scarf covering my mouth, sunglasses, and a baseball hat on, nobody gave me a second glance and I walked in unopposed.

It’s a nice stadium, the open concourse gives it a spacious feel, and the seats are luxiourios, padded with a fair amount of leg room, although deciphering what number seats you were in was akin to ‘breaking the enigma code’, still we were in Bletchley.

[img]

Macca looking really happy he was there, and Danny the Gnome

We’ll forget the game, afterwards after very friendly assistance from the girls in reception who allowed me up to the sponsors lounge to acquire the ‘team-sheets’, and a 'Donny and Mooie' fridge magnet, it was out into the wilds, the heaven’s opened and as we wandered through the country’s most expensive car park, the bloke next to me was mown down by a young lass in a Citreon saxo doing about 30mph. Ah so that’s what you pay yer money for, fortunately the lad was alright, shook up, but did appear in need of a skin graft on both his hands.

Stopped off at Leicester Forest Services on the way back, with around 100 miserable looking Blades, three Luton fans, the London Welsh Rugby team and two somewhat brave/foolhardy Wendy fans.

As usual the last word went to Macca, ‘Dad why are all those really big fat guys all having a KFC bargain bucket each?’.

I said ‘it’s because their rugby players, and they use a lot of energy and now their re-stocking on the carbs’

McKenzie said ‘Oh right, I thought it was because they were Welsh’.
Surprised

_________________
http://www.flickr.com/photos/sharrowblade/sets
A Sheffield United Programme guide

WileBrownAstle · Joined: 03 Nov 2009 Posts: 1042 Location: Crewe

Off to Deepdale on Saturday, got a free ticket for the game, so it will be ground no 42
_________________
Please check out my wants list

sharrowblade · Posted: Sun May 27, 2012 9:22 pm Post subject:

Wembley Stadium

'Wemberlee, wemberlee, we're the famous sheffield united and we're always shite at wemberlee.'

The sun shone, the energy levels had reached fever pitch, the noise deafening, and we'd only just gone past Mansfield.
The lads were in full voice, they were on the edge, they couldn't wait, they were going to Wembley, the concrete coffin awaited.
Was 87 years of hurt about to be avenged, would we actually score and could Engelbert win Eurovision. Unfortunately, the latter seemed more likely.

A chance Phonecall on the M1 pre warned of traffic armageddon around Luton, so a detour at Northampton, over to the A5, past Milton Keynes, Aylesbury and down to watford. Arrived Stanmore Hill at quarter to twelve.

Pint with some Huddersfield lads at the Abercorn, who complained that they weren't allowed in the Weatherspoons at the bottom of the hill, as it was 'red and white'. To be fair when we got there 20 minutes later, they wouldn't have wanted to, the singing was dreadful, I thought it was x factor auditions.

Bedlam at the tube station, with a queue nearly as big as when Barry Swash toured with the Chippendales, but finally arrived Wembley Way at 1:30pm.

Time for the boys to savour the atmosphere and the smells of the big match build up. I love the smell of hot dogs and horse manure in the afternoon.

Into the ground, which is an achievement itself as the tickets don't exactly give you a clue, seats found, they're good, should be for £128.

One downside, is the looney next to me who has a foghorn and proceeds to blow it every 30 seconds, that's the last time I buy McKenzie one.

The game is as expected, but we don't have a plan B, Ched's tunnel hasn't made it past the wall yet and we've got no germans in the squad, Town are even prepared to miss their first three penalties to give us a chance, but the rest is history.

Back at Stanmore, we found a wall in the evening's summer sunshine and had a couple of drinks, whilst watching the traffic crawl past and then we headed home at around 8pm.

We rejoin the motorway at Milton keynes and McKenzie ponders the Universe, and asks if the light in the sky is Pluto, and if it is Pluto, is it closer than Birmingham and is there any intelligent life there. 'No Son, not in Birmingham'. Danny now claims its an Easyjet landing at Luton, so no intelligent life on the back seat as well. Home at 11:30pm.

Tickets £128
Petrol £40
Programme £6
Tube £8.50
Silly Hat £5
Foghorn £5
Burger and chips £8
bag of minstrels £3
2 Stella's & 4 cokes £14

Overall, it's been a good day out for the boys, but the new Wembley, for me remains 'a bit soul-less'.
_________________
http://www.flickr.com/photos/sharrowblade/sets
A Sheffield United Programme guide

Senior82 · Joined: 25 Nov 2008 Posts: 982 Location: Near Sheffield

Wembley's not one of the 92 Wink

Anyway, it's off to the Stade Albert Domec in Carcassonne this weekend, to watch Sheffield Eagles take on French champions AS Carcassonne in their own back yard!

sharrowblade · Posted: Thu May 31, 2012 5:22 pm Post subject:

Senior82 wrote:

Wembley's not one of the 92 Wink

Anyway, it's off to the Stade Albert Domec in Carcassonne this weekend, to watch Sheffield Eagles take on French champions AS Carcassonne in their own back yard!

Tis' true Andrew, but then again I didn't claim it was. You enjoy yourself over the water, lovely country France, apart from the french Laughing

Have a safe trip, oh and bring us a programme back 'si vous plait'.

Next up: New York (Rotherham United), and then would have made a weekend of it as United are playing Morecambe at the Globe (August 4th), but the Olympics are calling at St James Park.

All the best Sharrowblade
_________________
http://www.flickr.com/photos/sharrowblade/sets
A Sheffield United Programme guide

Dorking · Joined: 05 Feb 2010 Posts: 2529

Wembley isn't one of the 92, however it is listed in Paul and Shirley Smith's excellent Directory of Football League grounds, on the basis it has hosted Football League play-off's and also a couple of League matches for Leyton Orient (then Clapton Orient) in 1930.

Featherstone Rover · Joined: 14 Feb 2012 Posts: 37

Senior82 wrote:

Wembley's not one of the 92 Wink

Anyway, it's off to the Stade Albert Domec in Carcassonne this weekend, to watch Sheffield Eagles take on French champions AS Carcassonne in their own back yard!

Cracking ground and a great place is Carcassonne. Went there a few years back. Don't forget to call in at Chez Felix. A real Leaguies bar.

We've got Pia at home, which is a shame. We've had a jolly out to Toulouse the last few years, but now they've gone.

Fev Rovers: European Club Champions! (maybe)

The SFC Chris · Joined: 05 Feb 2011 Posts: 179 Location: Stevenage

sharrowblade wrote:

Overall, it's been a good day out for the boys, but the new Wembley, for me remains 'a bit soul-less'.

I half agree with you. We took 26,000 to Wembley for the first FA Trophy final there in 2007 (total attendance around 53,000) and yet there wasn't a great atmosphere, just seemed strange. Whereas at Old Trafford for the play-off final last year, there was an attendance of 11,000 and I thought that was brilliant.

Having said that, when I went to the England v Wales match last September, it did feel like what I imagine it used to be (too young to have gone to the Old Wembley).