This was a most unusual visit for me. “What, Andy, because it was in England?” Christ can you give it a rest with this right wing venom, readers? It’s seriously turning this blog into a chore.
No, it’s because it was when this tiny little ground played host to one of its biggest ever attendances. West Auckland, who I became very attached to whilst writing my book, were playing here in the FA Vase Semi Final, so it seemed mad not to visit on my way to a gig in Nottingham.
There’s really nothing to this place other than a reasonably sized but unspectacular new stand, and a social club with some picnic tables outside. But when over a thousand people are cramped inside then it made for a very special atmosphere. What would usually just be a bank behind one goal suddenly became a sort of makeshift terrace.
It’s definitely worth warning you that if the gates to the ground are locked then there’ll be very little to see. And so it’s hard to recommend it to the casual visitor. But I travelled on a one off occasion and thus it definitely sticks in the mind.
There’s a brief mention of West Auckland’s FA Vase Final appearance, as well as their remarkable run in the FA Cup, in my book.
Football Grounds I Can Be Bothered To Visit 