Hall Corner (Glapwell FC)

​Well this is awkward. This blog chronicled my visits to various football grounds for a few years, to a wonderfully niche audience, which I accidentally managed to stop updating a while back.

I didn’t stop visiting the grounds though, and have something of a backlog. But I also lost around eight stone in weight at the same time! So it’s safe to say if I look different in some pics, that’s why.

In fact, in the time since my last blog post on this site, Glapwell FC have actually been dissolved, which is sad. Perhaps a poignant nod to keeping this blog more up to date? Either way, the club has folded, and it’ll be shame that this ground is, or soon will be, no more.

It’s nothing too spectacular, but it was a wonderful little find tucked away in Derbyshire on my way to a gig so long ago that I can’t even remember exactly where. Perhaps lacking some TLC, but very homely all the same and dead easy to see inside.

I previously used to conclude with whether I could recommend a visit. In this case, I’ve no idea. The ground most likely no longer exists, certainly the club doesn’t. But if we discover time travel, then absolutely.

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Abandoned Stadium, Paphos

I know! Your racist little minds are full of vitriol when we go as far afield as Wales, so I’m sure a trip to Cyprus is beyond comprehension.

  
I’ve a few Cypriot grounds to cover, maybe not all at once in case you combust, but this was one of the more interesting ones. Largely because I know so little about it.
I stumbled across it whilst out running through some countryside in Cyprus. It wasn’t signposted, and is hidden by trees and surrounding farmland, but it’s definitely a ground of some sort.  

There’s floodlights and two stands, it has more than some grounds we’ve featured here, that’s for sure. There seems to be a clubhouse behind the far end too, but access is limited to one side as far as I can tell.

 So does that mean it loses points? Absolutely not. You can see everything you need to see anyway, and it’s fascinating trying to guess whose this ground actually is, why it was abandoned, what the story is behind it. Google returns very few clues.  

The truth is probably far more mundane, but for the sheer joy of discovering an abandoned football ground in the Cypriot countryside, this scores absolute top marks from me.

   
    
        
      

    
 
Abandoned and given up hope. Sounds like the recent sales of my book.

Field Mill (Mansfield Town)

Well this isn’t one for me based on just one thing. You’re right. “Andy, isn’t this known as the Onecall Stadium?” You’re right. But not on this blog it’s not.

  
It’s a shame as it’s a cracking stadium with loads to see. There’s an old school ramshackle stand that’s out of use and adorable.

  
And it’s plonked in the middle of a load of streets so gives it an old school feel of walking through streets, rather than pulling off into a retail park.

  
 
OH AND THERE’S STAIRS. We all know I’m a fan of steps up into the ground so what a shame. This could have been a very respectable candidate, and I’d still suggest a visit. But Onecall? Oh dear.

  

   
    
    
    
    
   

Look just buy my book.

Derwenthaugh Park (Swalwell Juniors)

This was an impulse visit, captured briefly whilst on a run along the Derwent River. Despite my nerdy pretensions, even I was unaware of its existence.

  

There’s not much to the place, but it’s undeniably a football ground. The pitch is fenced off, there’s dugouts, floodlights and a clubhouse. No stands, I’ll give you that. But it’s definitely a ground.

  
It’s set amongst some lovely scenery, and it’s probably a good suggestion to go for a walk along the river and just stick your head around while you’re there. But a lack of any stands makes it hard to get overly enthusiastic.

  
So ultimately, maybe not one that will score highly. And I hit lucky that the gates were open otherwise there’s probably not loads to see if they’re locked. But it’s another ground checked off the list, nonetheless. 

 

   
    
    
   

Buy my book or I’ll rip your throat out. Bit much? Sorry about that then.

Roots Hall (Southend United)

Oh Andy, could you not be bothered to walk all the way round this one? You seem to be a bit low on photographs.

Listen up right – my phone is dying on its arse right now, and this was one example of it deciding enough was enough after just a handful of photos.

So I’d like to bring you more, as it’s a cracking little ground, and lots to see, even if some of it is hidden, but you’ll just have to make do with this due to Samsung phones being an absolute piece of crap.

Can you guess what isn’t a piece of crap? What? My book? Erm, yep, that’s the correct answer. Please buy it.

Ingfield (Ossett Town)

A nice short and sweet one here, since I’ve pulled off the M62 specifically just to give you a Good Friday treat.

Certainly not a classic, due in no small part to it being visited in the dark. So the images are pretty limited really.

Although in fairness, I’m not sure how much there’ll be to see in daylight if the gates are locked. I was just lucky that I was gigging here.

So I can’t really say you shouldn’t visit. Especially seeing as Ossett has two football grounds. So it’s nothing if not economical.

My book is economical and available from amazon. Shut up that totally makes sense.

Tower Fields (Llangollen Town)

It’s an odd one, this. Every part of me wanted to hate it, but I just couldn’t. Whilst the ground left me cold, Llangollen itself is absolutely stunning.

I passed through the town on a hot sunny day and was taken aback at the sheer majesty of the place. Sat amongst lush green hills, it’s nothing short of stunning.

And whilst that might seem irrelevant in a blog about a football ground, it’s ultimately what rescues it. I ended up following a single lane farm track, and the actual road the ground is on isn’t much better, making it quite a confusing visit.

Thankfully the gate was open and I could pop my head in but there really wasn’t much to actually see. A couple of dug outs and a half-arsed stand built into the changing rooms and clubhouse.

Yet the view from that stand was incredible. Steep banks of lush green, I can’t think of a more idyllic setting in British football. Matlock Town and some of the grounds that sit at the foot of the Clackmannan hills in Scotland, maybe.

Even so, it’s a thumbs up from me regardless. Beautiful.

Just buy it, eh?