Rare league grounds

LS7 · Post by **LS7** » Fri Mar 03, 2017 7:22 am

I wonder what the 'rarest' league grounds are that people here have been to. Rare in terms of either geographical remoteness from Burnley (e.g. Peterhead) or fleeting appearance in the league (E.g. Boston United, Rushden and Diamonds) or long time since they were in the league (e.g. Bradford PA, New Brighton, Workington).

The only criteria are top 4 divisions in England or Scotland and you must have seen a regular season fixture there while they were a league club.

LS7 · Post by **LS7** » Fri Mar 03, 2017 7:24 am

The best I can offer is Torquay.

Shappie · Post by **Shappie** » Fri Mar 03, 2017 7:31 am

Aldershot

UpTheClaretsFCBK · Post by **UpTheClaretsFCBK** » Fri Mar 03, 2017 7:32 am

cant say I've much to offer in this department either.

- Grimsby Town - League Two

- Wrexham - National League
- York City - National League

-Stockport County - National League North

Wasn't alive for the fourth division days.

HB Claret · Post by **HB Claret** » Fri Mar 03, 2017 7:45 am

Maidstone has to be a pretty rare one (especially as they played their home games at Dartford). Another would be Barnet .... all seems such a long time ago !

snapcrackleandpop · Post by **snapcrackleandpop** » Fri Mar 03, 2017 7:52 am

Scarborough
Aldershot
Wrexham
York
Stockport
Maidstone
Chester
Tranmere
Darlington
Hereford
Halifax
Barnet

Can't think of any more of the top of my head, it might not look like it from this list but this was a good time for away days.

S27bfc · Post by **S27bfc** » Fri Mar 03, 2017 8:03 am

I think the rarest ground for me was Torquay when away fans were banned,About 20 of us got in there stand on false post codes.Good days

John Johnson 1605 · Post by **John Johnson 1605** » Fri Mar 03, 2017 8:09 am

Brechin City
Arbroath
Forfar
East Fife
Stirling Albion

randomclaret2 · Post by **randomclaret2** » Fri Mar 03, 2017 8:12 am

Eastville
Edgar St
Seamer Rd
Somerton Park

Walt · Post by **Walt** » Fri Mar 03, 2017 8:29 am

Didn't get to nene park but if anyone did demolition started this week

Lord Beamish · Post by **Lord Beamish** » Fri Mar 03, 2017 8:54 am

We've never played there in a League game, but Cheltenham's Whaddon Rd is somewhere we have played in the FA Cup. An ignominious defeat to Steve Cotterill's team, with Mike Duff playing for them and Luigi Cennamo 'playing' in goals for us.
My one and only visit to this current League ground.

Suratclaret · Post by **Suratclaret** » Fri Mar 03, 2017 8:56 am

One of the first league matches I went to was at Workington. I was only 5 or 6 at the time so it would be round about the mid fifties. Workingtons manager was someone called Bill Shankley.......don't know what happened to him.

IAmAClaret · Post by **IAmAClaret** » Fri Mar 03, 2017 9:03 am

Clyde - Broadwood Stadium.

Went to watch them play Annan Athletic, finished 0-0.

Quickenthetempo · Post by **Quickenthetempo** » Fri Mar 03, 2017 11:19 am

UpTheClaretsFCBK wrote:cant say I've much to offer in this department either.

- Grimsby Town - League Two

- Wrexham - National League
- York City - National League

-Stockport County - National League North

Wasn't alive for the fourth division days.

How did you go to Wrexham watching the Clarets if you weren't alive in the 4th division days?

Wilsdenclaret · Post by **Wilsdenclaret** » Fri Mar 03, 2017 11:27 am

I've played on the old Bradford PA ground...................when I say played, it was long out of service but me and a few mates had a jumpers for goalposts game on it

claretfern · Post by **claretfern** » Fri Mar 03, 2017 11:28 am

Queen of the South v Clyde.
Called in to watch the game whilst staying in Dumfries.

vinrogue · Post by **vinrogue** » Fri Mar 03, 2017 12:00 pm

Arbroath, watched them for 3 seasons 82 - 85. Cold, windy, a true labour of love for a live football match to watch. Even started to follow them away at exotic places such as Montrose, Brechin and Forfar. I remember thinking this game is on the pools coupon and the attendance was 248 of us! Still have a soft spot for the Mighty Lichties.

jlup1980 · Post by **jlup1980** » Fri Mar 03, 2017 12:24 pm

I went to see us in a preseason friendly Southport; that's pretty rare I suppose. And if preseason is included I went to the Isle of Man for that silly tournament!! I saw us play at The Bowl in Douglas and I think it was Peel or Ramsey. Bizarre week that was!!

The old Division 4 days brought trips to Halifax - very near but they've not been a league team for many years now so it could be classed as rare. Never made it to the likes of Maidstone, Hereford or Barnet. All those are pretty rare for us as a club.

bfcmik · Post by **bfcmik** » Fri Mar 03, 2017 12:29 pm

Walsall's Fellows park. I think we only played there a couple of times on our way down in the early 80s.

2 Bee Holed · Post by **2 Bee Holed** » Fri Mar 03, 2017 12:46 pm

Can somebody please remind me?
I went to a Maidstone match, but the game wasn't played at Maidstone,
it was played near the Dartford Bridge. Whose ground was that and why was it played there?
There were about a 1,000 clarets on a covered terrace alongside the pitch.
Didn't the pitch have a very big slope?

Shappie · Post by **Shappie** » Fri Mar 03, 2017 12:49 pm

S27bfc wrote:I think the rarest ground for me was Torquay when away fans were banned,About 20 of us got in there stand on false post codes.Good days

That was the Play offs. we did the same thing!

HendricksHair · Post by **HendricksHair** » Fri Mar 03, 2017 12:57 pm

If we're talking grounds of former league clubs then Halifax is the best I can offer

Sausage · Post by **Sausage** » Fri Mar 03, 2017 1:18 pm

Quickenthetempo wrote:How did you go to Wrexham watching the Clarets if you weren't alive in the 4th division days?

Played them in October 1997 in the third tier. Waddle was the manager. *shudder*

todclaret · Post by **todclaret** » Fri Mar 03, 2017 1:20 pm

Somerton Park, Newport County
Watling Street, Maidstone
Manor Park, Nuneaton

off topic a bit but how about Central Stadium, Almaty for Kazakhstan v England....?

UpTheClaretsFCBK · Post by **UpTheClaretsFCBK** » Fri Mar 03, 2017 1:23 pm

Quickenthetempo wrote:How did you go to Wrexham watching the Clarets if you weren't alive in the 4th division days?

http://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/ne ... 3.display/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

timshorts · Post by **timshorts** » Fri Mar 03, 2017 1:30 pm

2 Bee Holed wrote:Can somebody please remind me?
I went to a Maidstone match, but the game wasn't played at Maidstone,
it was played near the Dartford Bridge. Whose ground was that and why was it played there?
There were about a 1,000 clarets on a covered terrace alongside the pitch.
Didn't the pitch have a very big slope?

Maidstone played in their own ground at London Road for decades, but then, upon an understanding with the local authority that they would get planning permission for a new ground, they sold it and went into ground share with Dartford at Dartford's old ground. Well, you can never trust a politician (see other threads), so, basically, they never got back to Maidstone but went under the same season as Aldershot. Aldershot got put back in to the Isthmian League - basically because they packed up in mid-season and were able to sort themselves out. By managing to keep going and fulfil their fixtures to the end of the year, Maidstone didn't have time to re-form and get put back in to a half-decent league and had to start off in something like the Kent League Division 6.

Anyway, I didn't get to see Burnley at Maidstone, but did go there for a few league games at Dartford. I've also done Bath City (when Bristol Rovers played there), Hereford (I think my son's first Burnley game although he only appeared with his mum in a pushchair about 10 mins before the end), Withdean, Kidderminster, Cheltenham, and saw Tottenham play at home at the Goldstone Ground (supporting FC Luzern in he intertoto cup).
Never seen a match in Scotland, but have been to FC Thun (when they were sh1t) and a top flight game at the now defunct Excelsior Mouscron.
This is a good site for recording where you've been: https://www.footballgroundmap.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Burnley are ranked 37th on it, so it needs a few extra to join up (Still ahead of Rovers though), and I don't help as I count in my non-league capacity as a Merthyr fan.

todclaret · Post by **todclaret** » Fri Mar 03, 2017 1:56 pm

todclaret wrote:Somerton Park, Newport County
Watling Street, Maidstone
Manor Park, Nuneaton

off topic a bit but how about Central Stadium, Almaty for Kazakhstan v England....?

I should add that Watling Street was Dartford's ground, shared with Maidstone Utd

Quickenthetempo · Post by **Quickenthetempo** » Fri Mar 03, 2017 2:11 pm

UpTheClaretsFCBK wrote:
http://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/ne ... 3.display/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Sausage wrote:Played them in October 1997 in the third tier. Waddle was the manager. *shudder*

How could I forget they played in the third tier. They beat Gillingham on the last day so we won promotion at Scunthorpe.

BarstewardsEnquiry · Post by **BarstewardsEnquiry** » Fri Mar 03, 2017 3:15 pm

Gillingham v Maidstone was a fierce derby for about two seasons.

Went on Maidstone v Us, about 1991? Was surprised to see so many Burnley sat on the grass embankment approaching the ground.
Darlington
Hartlepool
Wrexham wreckers

Rodneyyouplonker · Post by **Rodneyyouplonker** » Fri Mar 03, 2017 3:41 pm

Moss rose and Macclesfield Town. My grandad supported them so got to go as a nipper as a 'treat' needless to say it was abysmal weather and we got beat. Grandad never laughed so much.

Longside4evr · Post by **Longside4evr** » Fri Mar 03, 2017 4:06 pm

Been to most mentioned and lots of old grounds
Like the Den Millwall,The Old Showground scunthorpe Sealand Rd Chester Sommerton Park Newport. Too many to mention
Then going into none league plenty there Penrith Nuneaton Telford wrexham Scarborough Barnet too many again
Its with following through all the leagues on the Burnley Roller Coaster

vinrogue · Post by **vinrogue** » Fri Mar 03, 2017 4:34 pm

Just remembered Twerton Park, Bath. I watched us play against Bristol Rovers (when they didn't have a ground) and I think we won but my memory is sketchy on results as I always think we won!!

Amex · Post by **Amex** » Fri Mar 03, 2017 4:49 pm

snapcrackleandpop wrote:Scarborough
Aldershot
Wrexham
York
Stockport
Maidstone
Chester
Tranmere
Darlington
Hereford
Halifax
Barnet

Can't think of any more of the top of my head, it might not look like it from this list but this was a good time for away days.

Fantastic did them all the first time at Barnet sure it was a midweek loads of clarets in a pub banging on a drum landlord cried he thought his boozer was going to be wrecked...... it wasn't just good away day fun
What was sad I drove to Scarborough a few years later and the ground was derelict

Grimsby Claret · Post by **Grimsby Claret** » Fri Mar 03, 2017 4:55 pm

Halifax non League.
Lincoln National League.

BleedingClaret · Post by **BleedingClaret** » Fri Mar 03, 2017 5:13 pm

Newport.... ghastly
Eastville ... watched Bristol Rovers vs Torquay! Horrendous
Oh and Ewood - used to be a league ground - just awful

LordBob · Post by **LordBob** » Fri Mar 03, 2017 5:14 pm

The season Workington went out of the league I'd watched a league game on 90 grounds my mate and I took 2 seasons off watching any Clarets away games just to add to our collection. Years later I would take any opportunity to watch a game wherever I was working and that included most countries in Europe but the game that stands out was Arbroath v Montrose in a Scottish junior cup game, bit like Johnstones Trophy. I was working in Montrose, coldest place on Earth, and I went with a guy to the game. Arbroaths ground virtually has a sea wall at one end and the wind howls and this particular night it blew a gale so much so when Montrose got a penalty a player had to lie down and hold the ball with his finger because it kept blowing away the kick hardly reached the keeper and 3 balls had been lost to the sea at this point so the ref decided we should all have an early night and the game was abandoned the best decision he'd made all night.

Hazzyclaret1955 · Post by **Hazzyclaret1955** » Fri Mar 03, 2017 5:31 pm

Springfield Park Wigan, standing on a grass terrace or should I say mud. Joe Neenan dropped a clanger, nothing new there.
Christie park Morecambe pre season friendly, we won 1 - 0 Geoff Nulty scored.
Gresty Road Crewe 1987 so many Clarets there they let us in to a stand where building work was going on. I stood on a few bricks to try and get a better view.

Dark Cloud · Post by **Dark Cloud** » Fri Mar 03, 2017 6:37 pm

snapcrackleandpop wrote:Scarborough
Aldershot
Wrexham
York
Stockport
Maidstone
Chester
Tranmere
Darlington
Hereford
Halifax
Barnet

Can't think of any more of the top of my head, it might not look like it from this list but this was a good time for away days.

I've done all those watching Burnley with the exception of Darlington and remembering that Maidstone played us at Dartford of course. Over the years I've done loads, but strangely I have never ticked grounds like Norwich or Ipswich and keep missing out on St James' park (the Newcastle one - I've done the Exeter one) and certain others.

Somethingfishy · Post by **Somethingfishy** » Fri Mar 03, 2017 7:10 pm

Falkirk - Brockville

I remember going to Fleetwood when they were in the Northern Premier. Not too dissimmilar to Clitheroe as it is now. Just a clubhouse and some covered shed type terracing. Certainly come a long way.

Darlington - Feethams
Scarborough
Aldershot
Maidstone (Dartford)
Reading (Elm Park)

scouseclaret · Post by **scouseclaret** » Fri Mar 03, 2017 7:38 pm

Cowdenbeath is probably my best effort. There was a stock car track there as well. It's the only ground I've been to where more people were coming towards the ground after the game (to watch the stock cars) than there were leaving!

CrispyClaret · Post by **CrispyClaret** » Fri Mar 03, 2017 7:47 pm

Furthest north I have watched a league game was at Ross County

ten bellies · Post by **ten bellies** » Fri Mar 03, 2017 9:42 pm

Aldershot - Recreation Ground
Maidstone - Watling st
Walsall - Fellows Park
Wigan - Springfield Park
Wrexham - Racecourse Ground
Scarborough - The Oven Chip Arena, only kidding
Stafford Rangers - Marston Rd (FA Cup)
Darlington - Feethams
Reading - Elm Park
Hereford - Edgar St
Halifax - The Shay
Lincoln - Sincil Bank
Torquay - Plainmoor
Brighton - Goldstone Ground (on Boxing Day!)
York - Bootham Crescent

ontario claret · Post by **ontario claret** » Fri Mar 03, 2017 10:32 pm

I was a regular at FFK (Frederikshavn Fodbol Klub), in the Danish 2nd Division in 1980. Surely, that must count.

ontario claret · Post by **ontario claret** » Fri Mar 03, 2017 10:34 pm

And I tried to go to Halifax, but the ground was unsuitable. After all, it WAS The Shay.

iluva64 · Post by **iluva64** » Fri Mar 03, 2017 10:49 pm

Barnet 87/88 I can't quite remember, but it was an evening match probably a Tuesday........god that brings back some memories.

We were crap that night too 0-0.

I did go to the Shay, 79/80. Can't remember who Town played, just remember standing on the bank drinking luke warm tea. I was a student at Hudds Poly back then so the trip was very easy.

ClaretTony · Post by **ClaretTony** » Fri Mar 03, 2017 10:53 pm

iluva64 wrote:Barnet 87/88 I can't quite remember, but it was an evening match probably a Tuesday........god that brings back some memories.

We were crap that night too 0-0.

I did go to the Shay, 79/80. Can't remember who Town played, just remember standing on the bank drinking luke warm tea. I was a student at Hudds Poly back then so the trip was very easy.

The Barnet game was 1991/92 - packed in like sardines down the side.

ontario claret · Post by **ontario claret** » Fri Mar 03, 2017 11:19 pm

I was at Aylesbury once, when they played Dulwich Hamlet (c'mon you Ducks). Surprised a) by the commitment of the Dulwich supporters (although they weren't many in number), and b) that a club would have pink as a main colour. "Oh, well", I thought, "It IS England".

iluva64 · Post by **iluva64** » Sat Mar 04, 2017 11:03 am

Ahhh CT you are right I was thinking it was earlier, yes we were packed down the side and I remember it drizzled all night.

Jimscho · Post by **Jimscho** » Sat Mar 04, 2017 11:21 am

ABC said he once went to a rare ground.He thinks it was called Turf Moor.

Claret&Green · Post by **Claret&Green** » Sat Mar 04, 2017 11:34 am

Twerton Park, Bath when Gasheads were tenants,
Stalybridge Celtic, to watch Forest Green in Conference
Glossop North End, watching as a neutral
Goldstone Ground, BHA before they almost went belly up.
Home Park furthest away trip