Ground Image Of The Month

My first picture in this new monthly feature is a photograph taking from new 100FG Club member Gerhard Rudolf.It's taking at the Mestsky Stadion in Moravian Slovakia and is the home of Gambrinus Liga1 club FC Slovacko,formely FC Synot(Synot!! now you know why they changed there name)This has to be one of the sexiest floodlights I've ever seen,very original and one of a kind,or should that be four of a kind.The ground has a capacity of just over 8,000,you can view more pics of this ground @ http://www.fcslovacko.cz/fotoss.php?id=3

If you have a picture you would like me to post in next months 'Ground Image Of The Month' get in touch with me at sm1d@blueyonder.co.uk

The Latest Crack

Thank You Friends

The blog site has been 'live' now for 50 days, I would like to thank everyone for there contributions and support so far,especially those of you who agreed to become members of the 100FGC and have set up links to this site.Cheers to everyone who has signed a comment in the 'Guest Book' and left those kind words to boost my ego!

The site was originally set up for me to blog my visits to various football grounds,posting pictures and reviews,but I decided to open it up to fellow football fans who share the same interest as myself and I've had a great response so far,many thanks.

Website Review







A big thanks goes out to
Alan Percival,programme
editor for 'The Tynesider' the
matchday magazine of Gateshead F.C.
He penned a review in his 'Word on the Web' feature in the programme for the game against Guiseley.
Cheers Alan! keep up the good work.









100FGC Members News

I've had a great response from Germany where Groundhopping is very popular there.The most impressive list of grounds was submitted from Maik Van Den Berg(aka Nobelhopper) who has(as I write) attended matches at 654 in 32 countries,he send me a link to another fellow Groundhopper who has been to......wait for it........1123 in 55 countries!!,well my response to this is "We're not worthy" he should maybe start his own grounds club website and call it the 1000 Football Grounds Club,but I think he'll be the only member.He does have his own website titled 'Diary Of Some Groundhopping' I've added this to my link list,so you can see for yourselves.
Cheers!Enjoy your Football :-)

Grounds Hit List

As the season has got into full swing I still haven't had an opportunity to add new grounds to my list since the pre-season friendlies,but I have earmarked a few that I'll be visiting:

• 26th September - Ironworks Road Tow Law Town v Gateshead (Durham Challenge Cup)
• 11th October - Turnbull Ground Whitby Town v Gateshead (Unibond Premier League)
• 18th November - Emirates Stadium Arsenal v Newcastle United (FA Premiership)
• Oct - Nov - Belle Vue Doncaster Rovers v (match to be confirmed)
• I'm waiting on hopefully Newcastle's progress to the group stage of the UEFA Cup and hopefully a visit into Europe and also waiting the draw for Carling Cup 3rd Round,where I hope there's an away tie at a lower divisioned club where I'm yet to visit(but we'll propably draw Chelsea again!)

My Back Pictures - 105 Millennium Stadium

Newcastle Utd
v
Manchester Utd
13th April 2005

F.A.Cup
Semi Final
(score 1-4)

Cardiff's Millennium Stadium certainly has the 'wow factor' about it,I had ample opportunity to have a good look at the stadium,because the inept and heartless performances from three or four(or should that be five or six)of the team in black and white that afternoon,had me paying more attention to the magnificent stadium than the events on the pitch.
I was pleased that the F.A. decided to stage the 2005 Cup semi-finals as well as the final in Cardiff,I didn't hold out much hope of the Toon getting to the final,this is of course the Souness Era(or should that be Souness error)and with the New Wembley being ready the following season* this was maybe my only opportunity to see the lads at the national stadium of Wales.

(* Well thats what we thought!!)

The Millennium Stadium sits on the banks of the River Taff in Cardiff city centre,it was built on the site of the old Cardiff Arms Park.Construction of the stadium took just over 2 years and opened in 1999 at a cost of only £126m.If you compare this with the New Wembley which has an estimated cost of £750m and 7 years later the work continues.

It's the first Stadium in the UK to have a retractable roof,so those over paid footballers won't get there hair wet if it pisses down,and has a capacity of 74,500.

Another great feature of the stadium are the ''joy machines'' in the stadium bars,these machines can pour 12 pints in less than 20 seconds,which is handy if it's your round.But with this positive,there's a negative as the bogs are far to small with constant queues,so you have to be prepared to spend most of match dying for the toilet!

The most common compliant about Cardiff being the venue for the big finals is the location,it took us 9 hours to get home,the first 3 hours of that journey was just trying to get out of Wales!It will probably be my only visit to the Millennium Stadium,so I feel really sorry for those Chelsea,Arsenal and Man Yoo supporters who are regular visitors,and having to suffer the long 3 hour trip from London to Cardiff when they could just pop around the corner to Wembley.

On the whole I found Cardiff a most welcoming city,with the Newcastle supporters recently being named as the city's favourite football visitors, by a survey of local buisnesses and residence,well those 'Taffys' certainly have a stadium to be proud of,so "Diolch Caerdydd"

My Back Pictures - Wembley

Wembley Stadium the home of English football for over 80 years,every football fans dream is to make it to those famous twin towers come May for the F.A.Cup Final,the showpiece game of English football,but the dream had a habit of turning into a nightmare for us Newcastle United fans.
My personal record in attending games at Wembley reads;
Att 5 W 0 D 0 L 5 F 2 A 12
(2 F.A.Cup finals,1 League Cup Final,1 Charity Shield,1 F.A.Cup Semi Final)
My other appearance at Wembley was for the American Bowl,Chicago Bears v Dallas Cowboys,where I pledged my support for the Cowboys,guess what?.. Even they lost as well.
So the thrill of seeing those Twin Towers in the distance as you approach the stadium,soaking up the atmosphere as you walk up Wembley Way, the sheer awe as you see the pitch for the first time and the deafening noise as the players emerge from the tunnel as far as i'm concerned you can stick it!! (and that's putting it politely)
So I'm pleased the old stadium has gone,good riddance to bad rubbish!Hopefully the 'New Wembley' will have more happy memories than the old one.

Hears a few pics from the two Cup Finals in the late 90's,when on both occasions we came up against the best team in the country,who were going for the double.(not making excuses like!)
(click on thumbnails for larger image)












I'm pictured here in '98 modelling the 50s Toffs shirt,I thought the last time we won the cup this is the shirt we wore so it might be lucky,and in '99 I'm seen mostly wearing my 'lucky' 70s yellow away shirt which I wore in every round of the cup,but we still lost both times!

My Matchday Pics 2006 -113 Filtrona Park

9th August 2006
Filtrona Park,
South Shields.
v. Gateshead
Pre-season friendly
(score 2-3)

The current home of the third reincarnation of South Shields FC at Filtrona Park lies just outside Shields next to the Simonside Industrial Estate in Jarrow,the ground has been home to the Mariners since 1996 after they moved from their old home at Simonside Hall.


The present Shields club was formed in 1974 and progressed to the Northern League via the Wearside League in the 1995/96,winning promotion in their first season.


The name Filtrona derives from the nearby Filtrona factory which manufacters cigarette filters,and the ground was also 'home' to Gateshead in April 2003 when the International Stadium was out of bounds due to the installation of a new athletics track.


The ground is in great condition with a main stand in the club colours of blue and SSFC lettering running through the back of the stand in maroon,with matching coloured seats.Theres also a small covered terraced stand inbetween the main stand and the clubhouse known as 'The Mariner Stand' overall Shields have a smashing little grounds which I like a lot and look forward to returning to,especially after winning a bottle of vodka in the half-time raffle,the one and only time during my groundhopping adventures world wide:-)















(click pics to enlarge)

My Matchday Pics 2006 -112 Moor Park

August 7th 2006
Moor Park
Chester-Le Street Town v Gateshead
Pre-season friendly (score 1-2)

Moor Park has been the home of Chester-le-Street Town since 1980,the club was originally founded as Chester-le-Street Garden Farm after there formation in 1972.After progressing to the Wearside league in 1977 they changed their name to 'Town',and became members of the Northern League in 1980,winning promotion at the first attempt.

The Cestrians have spent £100,000 on bringing their home in Chester Moor up to Northern League standards,this includes a 200 seater stand,covered and uncovered terracacing,and floodlights.Moor Park has a very homely feel about it,hidden away on the A167 the money spend on the improvements has been wisely spent,and it's maybe one of the best grounds in the ANL.
(click on thumbnails for a larger image)

My Matchday Pics 2006 -111 Belle Vue Ground

17th July 2006
Belle Vue Ground
Consett v Newcastle Utd XI
Pre Season friendly
(score 0-1 att.800)



Newcastle started the first of their pre-season friendlies,by sending a reserve side to the Belle Vue Ground for a game against Northern League Division 2 Champions Consett.'The Steelmen' won their division in style last season,amassing 102 points and scoring an incredible 134 goals in the process.
Belle Vue has been Consett's home since 1950 after previously residing at Vicarage Road from their formation in 1899 up until 1948,they then played at Leadgate Eden Colliery until they found a more suitable home at the present site on Ashdale Road.
The ground consists of a main stand behind the dugouts which has a seating capacity of 475,the roof of the stand covers approximetly half the standing area in front,and a set of eight floodlight pylons.The other three sides are made up of grassed banks of terrace which is ideal on a July evening like tonight,lying in the sunshine enjoying a leisurely friendly,but not on a cold bleak Wednesday night in the ANL.
Match report@-http://www.consettafc.com/2006-07/newcastle-h.html


(click on thumbnails for larger images)