My Matchday - 271 Whaddon Road

Cheltenham Town 1v1 Morecambe
League Two
Saturday 20th November 2010


For a second consecutive week I caught the 0744 Cross Country Trains service from Newcastle to Plymouth. Last week I alighted in Tamworth but this week I travelled a further 70 miles south to the edge of the Cotswolds in Gloucestershire for my first ever visit to Cheltenham.
The town was awarded a market charter in 1226 and became a holiday spa town resort after the discovery of mineral springs in 1716. The spa waters continue to be taken recreationally at Pittville Pump Room, built for this purpose and completed in 1830.
The town is famously known for the annual national hunt horse racing meeting - The Cheltenham Festival, which takes place every March, which includes its feature race the Gold Cup.
Horse racing began in Cheltenham in 1815 with the festival established in 1902.
The meeting is the equivalent of racing’s world cup, annually attracting tens of thousands of visitors (mostly Irish folk and of course not forgetting Stevie Charla....Eddy)

Cheltenham Town Football Club was founded in 1887, formed when Mr Albert Close White returned home from college in London to take up a teaching post. White discovered the game of association football whilst away studying and introduced the sport to the town on his return. Trials were held at the local Cricket Ground and a new football club was born.
The club spent its primary years playing local football, turning professional in the early 1930’s when joining the Birmingham Combination.
The Robins played in the Southern League for half a century from 1935 until joining the Alliance Premier League after winning the Southern League Premier Division in 1984-85.
The club were relegated in 1992 but returned to the Conference in 1997 and within two seasons won promotion to the Football League, coupled with victory in the 1998 FA Trophy final, beating Southport 2-0 with the backing of 19,000 Robins fans at Wembley.


The club previously played on three grounds within half a mile of their current home, Agg-Gardner's Recreation Ground, Whaddon Lane and Carter's Field before moving to the Victory Ground on Whaddon Road in 1932.
The ground originally had a low wooden main stand, filling the stand with seats borrowed from Gloucestershire CCC, which were returned again in the spring.
Floodlights were installed in the 1950’s and upgraded ten years later along with the building of the Main Stand at an original cost of £25,000.
The stand has the familiar classic look, similar in design to the main stand which once stood at Morecambe’s Christie Park. Now known as the Stagecoach Main Stand, access is gained via staircases at each side which leads to a single tier of red seats, with terracing at the front. Sitting centrally between each 18 yard box, the rest of this end is filled with open terrace to either side with an overall capacity of 1,800.

Opposite is the In2Print Stand which was opened in November 2001 and holds 2,034, having the same design as The Carlsberg Stand which was opened four years later with a capacity of 1,100 fans. Both stands were built by Barr Construction, having a single tier of red seats with the club name and ‘Robins’ picked out in white. The stands are the same height and meet in the corner, where there would have been room for a few more seats if it wasn’t for the intruding floodlight pylon. The Carlsberg Stand also has a small scoreboard on the roof facia above the goal.
The old Chicken Run was replaced by a new full covered terrace in 1990, the main standing area for supporters is now the Speedy Skips Stand, which is a fully covered shallow terrace behind the goal which was opened in August 2000.
The record attendance still stands at 8,326 for a 1st Round FA Cup tie against Reading in November 1956 and from April 2009 the ground was renamed the Abbey Business Stadium for sponsorship purposes.

Cheltenham and Morecambe met just a fortnight ago in the 1st Round of the FA Cup, the Robins narrowly coming out on top courtesy of a goal from Wesley Thomas. That game may still have been fresh in the players memory, as both teams snuffed each other out in a hard fought out draw.
The hosts were the better side in the first half and went in front just before the break when Wesley Thomas broke down the left, his scuffed shot found Josh Low who tapped into an unguarded net.
Morecambe were on top after the break as Paul Mullin shot wide, with Andy Fleming and Adam Rundle also going close for the Shrimpers.
The visitors finally grab a deserved equaliser when awarded a penalty after Martin Riley fouled James Spencer. Jevons coolly converted the spot-kick for his fifth goal in four games and secure a well earner point.

Nothing much to report on this trip I’m afraid to say, nothing out of the ordinary, basically just a standard day at the football with a few pre match drinks. I arrived at noon and took the longish walk from the railway station to the town centre, which isn’t as far as the ground guides make out, only taking around 20 minutes.
I visited both the JDW pubs and a couple on the High Street - The Old Restoration, (which is excellent) and The Swan, as well as the Kemble Brewery after the game.
My journey home was via Derby, being careful not to make the same mistake as one of my work colleagues, who last week went to Cheltenham Races and fell asleep on the train. Having missed his connection he spent the night in Derby, resulting in some poor bugger having to travel down the following day and pick him up instead of coughing up the hundred quid train fare.(mentioning no names Hogey!)
Whaddon Road is pretty much what I expected, a mixture of old and new. The old Main Stand remains from their Non League days and new stands added as the Robins continue to established themselves as one of the 92.
The town itself is much bigger than I expected, being more like a city than a town and it’s yet another place I’ve visited which is perfect for my typical day out at the match. The town has plenty of choice regarding hostelries and eating places, so it’s a good day out for visiting football fans, and of course it‘s easy to understand how the Cheltenham Festival is so popular with racing punters worldwide.

Matchday stats

CTFC 1(Thomas 43)MFC 1(Jevon 80pen)

att.2,524

admission £15

Programme £3

Ground no.271 Whaddon Road - Matchday web album (21 pictures)

My Matchday - 261 Globe Arena

Morecambe 1v1 Gillingham
League Two
Saturday 28th August 2010
Morecambe was a favoured holiday destination when I was a bairn, and I don’t mean the ill fated The World of Crinkley Bottom attraction in Happy Mount Park.
I fondly remember spending a few summers in the late 1970’s boarding the coach at Gallowgate bus station with my Mam & Dad and sister Gillian on route to Pontins at Middleton Tower.
The holiday camp was based around a huge building in the style of an ocean liner built in the centre of a large lake. I don’t look back with much nostalgia at these holidays. I spent most of the week suffering from asthma due to the thick woollen blankets in the chalets, sprouting a face full of spots due to the overcooked fried bread breakfasts and having no money left by Sunday after blowing my pocket money in the amusement arcade.
After 30 years apart, I’ve frequently returned to this Lancashire seaside town over the past two years. My last visit for football reasons was early in 2009 when ticking off Christie Park, for a League Two clash with Gillingham, so for my latest return to visit the town’s spanking new stadium, Morecambe again faced The Gills for the first time since that fixture took place.
Going into kick off both teams were without a league win between them this season and come the final whistle that unwanted record remained intact, both having to settle for a share of the points.
Gills were the dominant side in the first half, Shrimps skipper Barry Roche keeping his team in the game, pulling off a string of fine saves to twice deny danger man Barcham and producing a splendid double save from Bentley and Spiller.
Morecambe improved in the second half and after a lively start took the lead just before the hour mark. Craig Stanley got on the end of a Mark Duffy cross with a free header from 12 yards.
Gillingham made a double substitution with a quarter of an hour remaining and finished the game strongly. Danny Spiller grabbed the equaliser on 83 minutes, getting on the end of a Palmer free kick to score from a tight angle at the far post.
Spiller wasted a golden opportunity to win the game, blazing over from 12 yards and Roche again denied Barcham with another great save to earn his side a well earned point.

The Globe Arena cost around £12m and is built by Globe Construction, who claim the naming rights having agreed a £250,000 five year sponsorship deal.
After 89 years at Christie Park, work on the 6,476 capacity stadium began in May 2009, a year later than originally planned due to delays with planning, sales and legal agreements. The construction of the Main Stand began in September 2009 with the other three stands developed at the turn of the year.
After a bit of a false start with all three pre-season fixtures postponed, the stadium opened in time for Morecambe first competitive home match of the season against Coventry City in the 1st Round of the Carling Cup on August 10th. The occasion was marked with a 2-0 win with the honour of the first goals at the Arena scored by Andy Fleming.

The Main Stand has a capacity of 2,173 and is named after chairman Peter McGuigan, in recognition of his 10 years in charge of the club.
The stand has all the facilities which the club previously lacked with five private boxes, sponsors lounges, sizable press area and a large hospitality suite which isn’t just used on match day but throughout the year.
The stand runs pitch length, decked out in gleaming white seats with a red section in the centre which is in front of the hospitality and private boxes.
There are covered terraces behind each goal. The West Stand is called the MBW Stand, named after the local wine business and holds 2,234 home spectators, with two disabled sections situated at the front.
The opposite stand is slightly smaller, set further back with the bottom of the terrace parallel with the crossbar. The East Terrace is known as The Bay Radio Stand and accommodates 1,389 visiting fans.
The Main Stand looks across to the Open Terrace which is an uncovered standing section which is reminiscent of the old Car Wash Stand at Christie Park. The 606 capacity terrace is split into two sections with a refreshment area and TV gantry block in between, as well as a large community block in the north east corner.

I headed up to Morecambe via the M6 from the Smudgers bank holiday weekend base in the outskirts of Blackpool. On arrival after a quick look at the ground I met up with 100FgC squad#155 James Little for a pre match drink at the William Mitchell pub, which is only a ten minute walk from the stadium and has a good selection of ales and also allows free use of their car park.
Edinburgh based James had already visited the Globe Arena for the Carling Cup tie with Coventry City. His description of the new ground was “An upmarket version of what they used to have”
A few more of the 100FgC squad got in touch prior to my impending visit to give their opinions, having attended last Tuesday’s clash with Burnley in the Carling Cup.
#86.Jim Morris described it as “A great day out with friendly stewarding, motorbike parking and photos allowed”
#83.Ralph Pomeroy added “Not bad for a new one .. its very much like an updated Christie Park” while one of our newest members of the squad #161.Micheal Swaffield said “We all thought that the Shrimps had replicated what they had before, although the main stand did look more modern! See if you spot the floodlight at the away end that looks out of position!
So the general consensus amongst the squad seemingly suggests that Morecambe have produced a modern day version of Christie Park, however I have read of issues concerning the restricted view in the Main Stand and the width of the alleyways, so I will be interested to read other reviews to subsequent visitors to the stadium.

I’d like to thank Morecambe for their hospitality, especially Derek Quinn for making me feel welcome. He told me to enjoy myself and to “Be nice to us” in my report. But how could I be unkind to such a friendly and hospitable club such as Morecambe? The club, players and their fans seem to have taking to their new surroundings like a duck to water (Shouldn’t that be Shrimp to water…Eddy) so I’d like to wish them all the best in their 21st century version of Christie Park.

Matchday stats

MFC 1(Stanley 59)GFC 1(Spiller 83)

att.2,325

Admission (PP)

seats:£16-£22 standing:£13-£15

Programme £3

Ground no.261 Globe Arena - Matchday Web album(17 pictures)

The Football Bog Blog

During my travels this season there has been a lack of uniqueness in the bog department, many ground seem to have installed those portakabin-bog-on-wheels-type lavatories.
In spite of this many clubs have made the most of these temp netties, by putting their own stamp on the bogs, making them a bit more distinctive.

Bog#14 Christie Park - Morecambe.
This bog is a perfect example of a temporary toilet, with its scaffold hand rail and wooden plank walkway. This toilet is behind the Car Wash Terrace end of the ground and looks more likely to keel over if a gang of oversized pie munchers congregated together on one side.

Bog#15 Croft Park - Blyth
Compare this with the last picture at Morecambe, this is much better, painted in Spartans green and white, with a proper hand rail and metal pathway, this bog is found at the corner of the Plessey Road End terrace, a fine example of making the most of a bog cabin.

Bog#16 Haig Avenue - Southport
These toilets in the corner of the away terrace at Haig Avenue have also been painted in the club colours, which blends this bog block in with the rest of the ground, although it’s definitely in need of a fresh coat of paint to complement the sunshine yellow crash barriers.

Bog#17 Crown Ground - Accrington Stanley
This is a rarity for The Football Bog Blog - a Ladies toilet. These bogs at the Crown Ground’s away end, have a normal brick building for the Gents, but the ladies toilets have a portkabin added beside them. It’s as if no women went to watch football at the ground and toilets were nothing but an afterthought, added due to popular demand.

My Matchday - 198 Christie Park

Morecambe 0v1 Gillingham
League Two
17th January 2009

Morecambe is a Lancashire seaside resort off the Irish Sea within the City of Lancaster. In 1889 the villages of Bare, Poulton-le-Sands and Torrisholme became communally known as Morecambe, with the three villages still maintaining their own identity and original names.

Morecambe FC formed in 1920, playing their first season in the Lancashire Combination League whilst sharing the towns cricket ground at Woodhill Lane. The club moved to their own ground the following year, thanks to the financial backing of retired businessman and supporters club president Joseph Barnes Christie, who acquired land to rent on Lancaster Road.
The ground was then know as Roseberry Park, originally having a 700 capacity wooden stand, dressing rooms and a covered end known as the ‘Scratching Shed’ with the ground’s first league action played in August 1921, against coastal neighbours Fleetwood, in front of a healthy crowd of 3,500, with similar sized crowds maintained during their first season.

The ground was renamed Christie Park in January 1928, honouring Mr Christie who was now the club president, he formed the club into a limited company with a share capital of £1,000. He purchased the ground and gave it to the Corporation of Morecambe on the condition that it could be only used by Morecambe FC, and should the club ever disband it should become a children’s playground, sadly the clubs great supporter and benefactor died the following year.

The grounds steady progress began with cinder banking added to the Lancaster Road end with a covered concrete stand at the town end in the late 1950’s costing £2,000. Another £4,000 was spent on installing floodlights at the turn of the next decade. The Main Stand was built in 1962, at a cost of £20,000 as part of major ground improvements totalling £35,000, the same year as the ground witnessed it’s record gate, 9,383 for a 3rd Round FA Cup tie against Weymouth, then in 1968 the old fans favourite the ‘scratching shed’ was demolished to make way for a new covered terrace at the Christie Avenue end.

In 1967-68 they were Lancashire Combination champions for a fifth time, and the following season became original members of the Northern Premier League. The Shrimps made little impact in the new division, but glory came in the FA Trophy, the biggest day in their Non-League history saw a 2-1 victory over Dartford in the 1974 final at Wembley.
The clubs ambition to rise up the pyramid began with more ground improvements during the 1990’s which included new floodlights and grass banking replaced by concrete terracing, their desire was fulfilled when in 1994-95 they joined the Conference after finishing runners-up to Marine in the Northern Premier League.

In 1997 a new £560,000 stand was built at the town end with major improvements made to the South Stand bringing Christie Park up to Football League standards. League football was eventually accomplished, following play-off semi finals defeats in 2002-03 to Dagenham & Redbridge, then three years later to Hereford, it was third time lucky in 2006-07, after disposing of York City in the semis they went on to beat Exeter City 2-1 in the first Conference Final to be played at the new Wembley.

Last season the club comfortably maintained their newly found league status, finishing in 11th position with sixty points, season highlights including League Cup victories away at Preston North End and Wolves.

Christie Park has a capacity of 6,400, the Main Stand has a traditional old fashioned look to it, sitting perched on the half way line with 1200 red flip seats, with a wee small standing section at the front. The dugouts are situated centrally in front of the stand with the players tunnel further along towards the south side, with a small stand to cater for disabled supporters towards the north end.
The North Stand terrace looks brand new, spick-and-span with bright red crash barriers, opposite is the away end, a smaller terrace with a police control box situated centrally, the back walls are painted battleship grey, covering the wording of the previous sponsors name. The Car Wash Terrace is the only uncovered part of the ground, a shallow terrace which is broken up by the scaffold assembled TV gantry and four thin floodlight pylons.

Eric & Ernie’s rendition of ‘Bring Me Sunshine’ greeted the two teams, but the match didn’t produce many bright spots, with Gillingham taking all three points courtesy of a first half strike from Curtis Weston. The Gills started the better side and almost took the lead when a Mulligan shot hit the post, then on 19 minutes the same player was again denied by the woodwork, but this time Weston was on hand to net the rebound. The Shrimps pushed for an equaliser in the second half, but overall lacked that extra spark in front of goal, with the best effort coming from Stanley, which produced a brilliant save from Royce. Gillingham looked to grab a second goal on the break and defended well as the conditions worsened, holding on to claim victory.

I travelled to Morecambe by car, chauffeured by Alan Price(100FGC squad#26) along with his wife Karen(squad#126) and Dave Edwards(squad#52) setting off at 9am.

We stopped off in Lancaster city, taking a look at the home of the Dolly Blues (My Matchday planned for 10th April) then arrived in Morecambe at around 11.30am, heading straight to the ground. We purchased some goods from the club shop, then luckily found that the ground gates were open, meaning we could have a pre-match preview of Christie Park, taking a leisurely walk around the stadium and take some decent photographs.
We then headed into the town centre to see the statue of the towns favourite son Eric Morecambe, before heading off for something to eat. Alan had already researched where the towns best chippy was, the honour going to Atkinsons, found in a side street off Marine Road West (they’ve also got a chippy next to the ground) after enjoying the delicious haddock & chips on the seafront, I was thirsty for some decent ale, so I headed off on a pub crawl and arranged to meet back up later on.
The first pub I visited was named after the great man himself, Eric Bartholomew (JD Wetherspoons), followed by the towns oldest pub the ‘Smugglers Den’ and finally the York Hotel on Lancaster Road, the closest pub to the ground. (Full details on Bevvy Almanac)
I prefer to stand at the match, so with it being a dry day I opted for the Car Wash Terrace, standing on the half way line close to the action just like being at a Non-League match, I later regretted not choosing the North Stand, as it lashed down in the last twenty minutes, so I got a right drenching!

I enjoyed visiting Morecambe and look forward to returning, the club have announced plans to move to a new purpose built stadium in the Westgate area of the town. The new ground will have a capacity of 6,800(2,100 seats), the project also includes training facilities, hotel, drive-through-restaurant and car park facilities, which should be up and running by the start of 2010-11 season.
We made good time heading back home, arriving back at 7.30pm, with Mr. Price’s rendition of ‘Bring Me Sunshine’ an added bonus (well maybe not!) to our journey back north, overall a brilliant day out or as the legend Mr Morecambe would have wisely put it "Wah-hey! "

LINKS
Match Report
100FGC visits- Tims 92 (Sept’07) The Groundhog (Dec’08)
Bevvy Almanac - ‘Revisiting Eric’

Matchday stats
MFC 0 GFC 1(Weston 19)
Att. 2027
Admission £12 (standing)
Programme £3

Ground no.198 Christie Park - Matchday Web album