Which Football League Grounds have you played on?

mkmel · Post by **mkmel** » Thu Feb 09, 2017 5:21 pm

I once played on Luton Town's ground and even scored a goal in the top right hand corner at the Oak Road end.
It was only witnessed by the proverbial one man and his dog as it was in a match played between 2 teams of local businessmen in their twenties and thirties who had paid to play on the synthetic pitch that Luton had at that time.

When I was just 15 I also played for Dunstable Town against Peterborough A team which was their 3rd team that they had at the time at their London Road ground.

At the same age and still for Dunstable Town I played against Irthlingborough Diamonds and also Rushden Town and they of course went on to amalgamate as Rushden & Diamonds and play in the Football League.

It's my thread so my rules so will still count that one

morpheus2 · Post by **morpheus2** » Thu Feb 09, 2017 5:25 pm

Had a kick around at half time at the Douglas Bowl. Andy Payton wasn't happy about it.

ClaretTony · Post by **ClaretTony** » Thu Feb 09, 2017 5:28 pm

Played at Deepdale on the artificial surface and scored a goal at Cambridge when no one else was on the pitch.

Ashingtonclaret46 · Post by **Ashingtonclaret46** » Thu Feb 09, 2017 5:37 pm

Played at Ewood Park, Peel Park (back in 1960), Roker Park, Ayrsome Park, Goodison Park, Old Trafford, Spotland --all back in the 1960s.
In the late 1970s/early 1980s played at Watford and at Loftus Road on the plastic pitch (which was horrible).

Also played with various RAF Bands at Wembley, Hampden Park, Olympic Stadium Berlin, Monchengladbach, Dusseldorf, Borussia Dortmund, Kaiserslautern, Old Trafford, Hong Kong Stadium, Gibraltar Stadium --got paid extra for all these gigs and also watched the games -- terrible life!

Man of Kent · Post by **Man of Kent** » Thu Feb 09, 2017 5:42 pm

Not all league grounds but how about Reading's old ground, the old Wembley Stadium with Bobby Moore (seriously!), the National Hockey Stadium in Milton Keynes, Raunds FC in Northamptonshire and Deal Town in Kent? Sadly, never on the hallowed Turf!

minnieclaret · Post by **minnieclaret** » Thu Feb 09, 2017 5:48 pm

Feethams, in a junior cup final. Southport in a Fire Brigade cup final, they were non league by then but same ground.
Post 7 just reminded me that I've played on Fleetwoods Highbury as well. Fire Brigade again.

Sausage · Post by **Sausage** » Thu Feb 09, 2017 5:55 pm

Turf Moor
Highbury (Fleetwood)
Crown Ground (Accy)

Should also have played at Ewood Park but the match kept getting postponed and was eventually rearranged at Pleasington. This unfortunate turn of events denied me doing a Gus Poyet in the changing rooms.

Also had a kick about at Gresty Road but not a proper game.

turfytopper · Post by **turfytopper** » Thu Feb 09, 2017 6:02 pm

mkmel wrote:I once played on Luton Town's ground and even scored a goal in the top right hand corner at the Oak rd end

Which Football League Grounds have you played on?

Ditto for me..around 1985. I also scored but wouldn't know the name of the end.... Wouldn't have wanted to play professionally on tvat pitch... You'd have been cut to shreds

Sidney1st · Post by **Sidney1st** » Thu Feb 09, 2017 6:04 pm

Belle Vue, Rhyl.

We used to hop the fence/wall in the summer and play on there then leg it when the groundsman rocked up shouting at us.
League Of Wales I know, but still a league ground

Somethingfishy · Post by **Somethingfishy** » Thu Feb 09, 2017 6:04 pm

I once played on Deepdale when they had the plastic pitch. Caught one sweetly from the corner of the box that was heading towards the top corner at the Kop end until the keeper pulled off a stunning save. The referee (a very stern man who had a look of Edward VII about him..white beard etc) turned round to me and simply said "unlucky son".
Had a kickabout on Torquay too the evening after we had played them. We were staying over and the idea was to play their supporters team on the Sunday on the ground but it rained heavily overnight and it was called off.

mkmel · Post by **mkmel** » Thu Feb 09, 2017 6:23 pm

turfytopper wrote:Ditto for me..around 1985. I also scored but wouldn't know the name of the end.... Wouldn't have wanted to play professionally on tvat pitch... You'd have been cut to shreds

I did one sliding tackle and ripped all the skin off of one leg so didn't try it again.

Holtyclaret · Post by **Holtyclaret** » Thu Feb 09, 2017 6:38 pm

Deepdale and Turf

Steve1956 · Post by **Steve1956** » Thu Feb 09, 2017 6:45 pm

Maybe not football league grounds but a step up from Bacup Rec

....Rossendale United's Dark Lane and Bacup Borough

Duffer_ · Post by **Duffer_** » Thu Feb 09, 2017 7:24 pm

Highbury June 2006 - the same day England beat Paraguay in the WC. I scored a header at the Clock End but missed a penalty in front of the North Bank. Not an offside or handball in sight. Would love to be able to leave it there but...Arsenal had played their last game at Highbury a month earlier.

I was a guest at a wedding. The groom knew David Dein and persuaded him to get a wedding licence for Highbury. The bride, who met the groom selling Gooner fanzines, walked out of the tunnel instead of down the aisle. The guests sat in the stands. The Arsenal staff were absolutely fantastic on the day with too many special touches to mention. To my knowledge it was the only ever wedding to be held there and the bulldozers moved in shortly after. I probably speak more fondly of that day than my own wedding but don't tell Mrs D.

UTC!

cutsy123 · Post by **cutsy123** » Thu Feb 09, 2017 7:31 pm

Played in turf for school and used to also have a kick about on the pitch after every home game when my dad was avin an ale or 2 in the players lounge under the cricketfield

john'sroseyspecs · Post by **john'sroseyspecs** » Thu Feb 09, 2017 7:32 pm

Also played at Deepdale. Scored a goal. IT WASN'T A CROSS despite what others said. For some reason Peter Noble was on my team. Never left the centre circle and didn't need to. Was still class

joey13 · Post by **joey13** » Thu Feb 09, 2017 7:38 pm

Bloomfield Rd for skool

cricketfieldclarets · Post by **cricketfieldclarets** » Thu Feb 09, 2017 7:41 pm

Turf Moor several times
Ewood Park, alongside Payton. Scored three against a blackburn fan team
Emirates, won a national industry competition
Crown ground, climbed in ****** with some mates and played with an imaginary ball

Webbs Wood Stadium, swindon supermarine against a team of ex pros. Scored two in a game alongside Lee Hendry. Made his passing look good with my finishing.

Herts Clarets · Post by **Herts Clarets** » Thu Feb 09, 2017 8:02 pm

Just one. And i saved a penalty in front of the CF stand, where i used to have a season ticket.

mkmel · Post by **mkmel** » Thu Feb 09, 2017 8:13 pm

Not me this time but about 18 years ago my Son Tom played in goal at Gay Meadow Shrewsbury along with Inchy who posts on here and I think but I'm not certain that Rowls on here also played.
It was the half time entertainment with the young Clarets playing in a penalty shoot out against the young Shrews.
I think it finished something like 6-0 to the Clarets

All good fun!

longsidetrumpet · Post by **longsidetrumpet** » Thu Feb 09, 2017 8:15 pm

Ewood Park, at half-time during Norman Bell's testimonial; The Shay: and on the Turf... with rolled up chip papers for a ball after we sneaked in one Saturday night during the time the old Brunshaw Road stand was being pulled down

Siddo · Post by **Siddo** » Thu Feb 09, 2017 8:25 pm

Preston, Turf Moor, Gigg Lane, Spotland and the Crown Ground for Bury. Also most of the best northern non league grounds for Colne Dynamos. Also Peel Park for Burnley town team.

turfytopper · Post by **turfytopper** » Thu Feb 09, 2017 8:31 pm

Somethingfishy wrote: Had a kickabout on Torquay too the evening after we had played them. We were staying over and the idea was to play their supporters team on the Sunday on the ground but it rained heavily overnight and it was called off.

I played a game for London Clarets down in Torquay must have been around 1990? Can't remember too much about it too be honest. Could it been the same occasion?

Brooky · Post by **Brooky** » Thu Feb 09, 2017 8:48 pm

TM, Bradford PA, Elland Road and old Leeds Road, Huddersfield many moons ago at schools county level.

conyoviejo · Post by **conyoviejo** » Thu Feb 09, 2017 8:56 pm

Played on Oakwell at Barnsley many moons ago..

aclaretinstevenage · Post by **aclaretinstevenage** » Thu Feb 09, 2017 9:07 pm

Also did Luton on the plastic. As well as Watford in the youth squad for 3 years, Stevenage when I captained them in the early days - United Counties League, Underhill V Barnet in the FA Cup when Bob McNab "did me" on his Barnet debut .He did Apologise!

Chester Perry · Post by **Chester Perry** » Thu Feb 09, 2017 9:28 pm

Holtyclaret wrote:Deepdale and Turf

Me too

PhilC · Post by **PhilC** » Thu Feb 09, 2017 9:34 pm

Craven Cottage, Loftus Road & Stamford Bridge.

My mate was a Councillor for Hammersmith and Fulham council and at the end of the season i used to play for the councillors against the council offices. It got a bit heated sometimes, ace fun though.

basil6345789 · Post by **basil6345789** » Thu Feb 09, 2017 9:49 pm

Longsidetrumpet - seem to remember you breaking into Turf - was Grass with you?

dougcollins · Post by **dougcollins** » Thu Feb 09, 2017 9:49 pm

Racecourse, Ninian Park, Sealand Road,Vetch Field.

boyyanno · Post by **boyyanno** » Thu Feb 09, 2017 9:52 pm

Played on a few, Old Trafford, Bloomfield Road and the Turf all stand out for different reasons. Bloomfield Road was probably the most dissaponting, surface was appalling for a professional Club. Old Trafford because of what it is and the Turf because I'm a Burnley fan. Happy memories!

dpinsussex · Post by **dpinsussex** » Thu Feb 09, 2017 10:36 pm

Crawley town.
But my playing was as a match official

yorkshireclaret · Post by **yorkshireclaret** » Thu Feb 09, 2017 11:31 pm

Once scored a goal at the Stretford end at old trafford

Pstotto · Post by **Pstotto** » Fri Feb 10, 2017 1:37 am

You lucky bastards. I only played at high moor playing fields, in matches. Once did a straight one-two from kick-off against Burnley Grammar and we managed to get to their box before a failed goal attempt.My own version of Argentina, that I will always feel proud of.

Covclaret · Post by **Covclaret** » Fri Feb 10, 2017 2:10 am

Missed a penalty at the turf (the only penalty I ever missed), but fortunately belted the rebound past Herts Claret

Played 2 other games at Turf Moor, scoring 6, also played at Highfield Road Coventry, Craven Cottage (scored 1), MK Dons (scored 3), Villa Park (scored 2) and Stadium of Light (scored 2). Also a few years back we played against Leicester City fans at Leicesters training ground, in a very exciting 6-6 draw, before Burnley won 1-0 at the crisp bowl.

Jimmymaccer · Post by **Jimmymaccer** » Fri Feb 10, 2017 2:59 am

Deepdale plastic.......when you could hire the pitch.......mega disappointment 'cos you couldn't use the changing rooms or tunnel, if I remember rightly they didn't put all the floodlights on........just a token few around the stands......and my only other real memory was the ball disappearing into the night sky, me looking and attempting to head it but it landed about 20 yards away, skidded off the sandy surface and flew into the distance at 100 miles an hour.......

Here endeth my football career, and it made our Sherpa van win even more impressive knowing the sh.te pitch our lads won on!

I did however use the home changing rooms, and bath at the Old Wembley........with permission!

CharlieinNewMexico · Post by **CharlieinNewMexico** » Fri Feb 10, 2017 6:25 am

mkmel wrote:I once played on Luton Town's ground and even scored a goal in the top right hand corner at the Oak Road end.
It was only witnessed by the proverbial one man and his dog as it was in a match played between 2 teams of local businessmen in their twenties and thirties who had paid to play on the synthetic pitch that Luton had at that time.

When I was just 15 I also played for Dunstable Town against Peterborough A team which was their 3rd team that they had at the time at their London Road ground.

At the same age and still for Dunstable Town I played against Irthlingborough Diamonds and also Rushden Town and they of course went on to amalgamate as Rushden & Diamonds and play in the Football League.

It's my thread so my rules so will still count that one

Which Football League Grounds have you played on?

One of my best game's ever was for Chesham Reserves away at Dunstable Reserves on a bitter frigid Tuesday night. Sadly I never again reached the feats of athleticism I did in goal that day but i do remember the away dressing room had two bits of the window knocked out thus laying us bare to a howling wind (and probably still does). Fix them you cheapskates.

jlup1980 · Post by **jlup1980** » Fri Feb 10, 2017 7:26 am

Played on the Turf once. Had a good game in an unfamiliar position, centre mid. Somebody clearly thought I had a decent "engine" to get up and down a pitch that size!!

Also played in a Junior Cup Final of some sort at Oldham when it was a plastic pitch. I was only a kid but I wasn't a fan of the surface!

And I played a charity match through work at Altrincham.

longsidetrumpet · Post by **longsidetrumpet** » Fri Feb 10, 2017 10:29 am

basil6345789 wrote:Longsidetrumpet - seem to remember you breaking into Turf - was Grass with you?

No comment, m'lud

Rick_Muller · Post by **Rick_Muller** » Fri Feb 10, 2017 2:24 pm

County Ground in Swindon, for the school - only a 5 a side tournament in close season (back in the 80's) - I didn't play on the Turf, but I did have a tap in in front of CFS when my lad was a mascot in the pre-match warm up

IanMcL · Post by **IanMcL** » Fri Feb 10, 2017 5:31 pm

Elm Park Reading.

EdgeEnder85 · Post by **EdgeEnder85** » Fri Feb 10, 2017 5:38 pm

Back in the 80's played on quite a few.
Deepdale, Spotland, Gigg lane, Sealand Rd, Ayresome Park, Victoria Ground, Roker Park, Meadow Lane, St Andrews, Bloomfield Road, Goodison Park and the Turf.
Quality of most pitches in the 80's was average to say the least but Gigg Lane always seemed from what I remember best surface to play on.

TVC15 · Post by **TVC15** » Fri Feb 10, 2017 5:45 pm

Turf Moor (Keigthley Cup Final and Hospital Cup Final....and also a couple of corporate ones in last few years)
Blackpool - when it was even more a dump
Preston - on the plastic pitch
Man City - Maine Road
Accrington Stanley

Think thats it - played on a few non league grounds including Marine and Skem Utd.

Probably the best surfaces I ever played on was Rolls Royce in Barnoldswick in the Hospital Cup....and Gawthorpe back in 1983 in Coldstream Cup Final. Both pitches were much better than Turf Moor which I played on in both above seasons.