I am sure a few of you, will find the following interesting
I was checking my footy archives on my computer about a year a go and realised my son Jack, was soon to reach his 100th football ground/stadium. I appreciate many of you have done far more than that, me included. But I realised I had a photo of him at about 90 of these. Wow! Now I was wishing mobile phones with a built in camera had been about in the 1970/80s.
I have decided to post them on here, for your interest and amusement. I have filled in the gaps with either the programme cover from his visit, a picture of the ground I took without Jack, or a picture of the ground from the right era/year, borrowed from Google images. (These are labelled STOCK).
Unfortunately, I did not make a point of taking a picture of Jack each time we visited a new ground until 2013. Now it’s the first thing we do! This means the pictures may not be of the first time he visited a ground, as he has been to many grounds a number of times. Better a picture than a programme cover. I also did not start making a list until then either, so he may have been to a few more that I have forgotten, or have no recollection of. But pretty sure this is his first 100 but can’t be 100%.
Most of these have been, either watching Hasting United or Fulham (I don’t get a lot of appreciation for choosing the teams he supports, he was too young to make up his own mind. The present of a Chelsea kit given to him at a young age soon disappeared when his back was turned.) A few watching Sheppey United, as he lived there for 14 years, and the odd day out or holiday; like Southend United v Yeovil and Great Yarmouth v Kings Lynn Town.
His first Hastings United game and ground visited, was a pre season friendly at the start of the 2002/3 season, Hastings United v Tottenhan Hotsurs XI. His first picture, is the same season v Chippenham Town, when he was mascot.
His first Fulham game was at Loftus Road, v Cheltenham Town in the FA Cup in 2004. Fulham soon moved back to Craven Cottage, which he has now been to well over 50 times.
His 100th ground was yesterday, 26th August 2020, v LittlehamptonTown. At long last, we have been stuck on 99 for six months.
The most prolific season for new grounds, was 2013/14 when he managed 17. The following three seasons, 2014/15, 2015/16 and 2016/17, he managed over 10 ten each time.
Unfortunately by the time the 2017/18 started, priorities had changed, as both my parent were now in ill heath (they have now both passed away). The year 2018 saw me involved in a serious car accident, which meant my enthusiasm for driving on the M25 was severely dented along with my car. 2019 I was ill with stomach ulcers, so once again, away games not really happening. I’m sure this milestone would have been reached much sooner otherwise.
Finally now, 2020 we were getting back on track. (Except for the number of postponed games due to waterlogged grounds.) Then unfortunately lock down and Covid, so another few months of pacing up and down! Jack passed his driving test during 2018, so it’s now my turn to sit back and relax and he can do the driving.
Favourite grounds:
League: Manchester City (Etihad) The size and glass front.
Non League: Dartford (Princes Park) The tree man.
Least Favourite grounds:
League: Stevenage (Broadhall Way) Not friendly, charging away supporters more than home supporters.
Non League: Chatham Town (Bauvill Stadium) The miserable **** on the turnstile put you in a bad mood before even entering.
Best Moments:
League: Fulham Winning Playoff final at Wembley.
Non League: All away games in the 2012/13 FA Cup run with Hastings United and the Harrogate replay!
Worst Moments:
League: Car breaking down 30 miles outside of Sheffied, (away to United) not knowing how we were going to get home, (long story) and to add to the misery,it never stopped raining that day.
Non League: Lenny Pidgley missing penalty against Dorking Wanderers in playoff final. (The worst taken penalty he has ever seen!)
A special thank you to our friend Peter, who has done so much of the driving during these visits.
Please enjoy and leave your comments/questions, you may even find yourself in some of the crowd pictures!
Vernon not connected to Jack , but I know you are interested in old photos of the Pilot Field. If you can look on the Historical Hastings Facebook site there is an old photo dated 1932 showing a game between Hastings and St.Leonards and the Civil Service. The post is dated 5th September.Think it will interest you.
Vernon not connected to Jack , but I know you are interested in old photos of the Pilot Field. If you can look on the Historical Hastings Facebook site there is an old photo dated 1932 showing a game between Hastings and St.Leonards and the Civil Service. The post is dated 5th September.Think it will interest you.
Fantastic picture, thank you for that Phil.
In return, here is one I have from the 1949 Annual Carnival Programme, showing Hastings Saxons Speedway. I guess it dates from 1948.
Another excellent photo.As in the other one no houses in sight. Yet when they built on Elphinstone Road the occupiers complained about the noise and got the Speedway closed.
