Friday 13 August 2010

For the love of the grounds...


I've started daring to dream about the next tour around the football grounds of britain. Last September's Journey To The 92 was a thousand experiences i'll try desperately never to forget. But although we tried desperately not to miss anything on the way round through meticulous planning and hours, days, weeks and even months of research, we still missed things... I find myself planning the next tour, trying to go back over old ground, picking up the extra photos and football gallery visits whilst including as many new stadiums and interesting experience opportunities as the time restraints placed on a once/twice in a lifetime adventure such as this will allow..

From as far back as I can remember, i've loved traveling to new places and the opportunity to see new grounds. Ever since my first visit to Roots Hall to see Southend United beat Sunderland by two goals to nil, i've been hooked. Within a year my Dad had taken me to see games at Wembley, Old Trafford, Selhurst Park and by my 13th birthday i'd already seen a game at the home of 10 different teams including my first visit to Priestfield Stadium. A visit that ultimately changed my life to a certain degree. I'd never had to stand to watch a game before and yet the passion racing through the stadium took away any thoughts of wanting or needing to sit down. The Gills won 1-0against Scarborough clinching promotion to the 3rd tier of the English game. I was in a stadium i'd never visited, watching a team I knew nothing about and yet by the time the full time whistle blew, I felt like I was part of something very special. Like i'd found my footballing family. I was a southern based Manchester United follower no more.

Away trips to Stoke City, Wolverhampton Wanderers, Sheffield Wednesday, Derby County and Leicester City followed, amongst others, through the glory, nosebleed years of 2000-2005 and since the decline in form, less glamorous road trips to Wycombe, Leyton Orient and Accrington have taken their toll. But I wouldn't change any of it. Each trip holds it's own special place in my heart and mind. Not all good asi'm sure you'll understand. The 6-0 drubbing at Molineux stands out as one of the most depressing days i've ever had to endure as a fan, although the stand out 2 moments came in consecutive year play off finals at the old Wembley Stadium. The infamous 99 final with Man City, beaten only to 'most memorable' by the 2000 final defeat of Wigan Athletic.

Since I started to drive, back in 2003, it's given me more freedom to go and discover new stadia. Unfortunately, with more freedom came more scope for my obsessive compulsive dissorder to begin it's very slow but very real, take over of my life! I guess this was amplified by a trip in July when Mrs tothe92 and I went off to Sheffield for an appointment with a back specialist. I found myself with a list of more than 12 teams that i was convinced we could visit in this short 48 hour period we were going to be in control of the hire car for. As in most relationships, my hopes were shot down with a firm "I dont think so", so I settled for stopping at 2 and sneakily driving past 2 others claiming it to simply be a coincidence that they happened to be along the roads google maps was taking us along..

I guess I take it to an extreme. I’ll seek out grounds of non-league clubs as I drive through tiny villages and if by accident I happen to notice floodlight pylons towering above sets of houses as i'm making my way past I have to go and investigate. I remember dragging my 13 year old cousin on a whirlwind tube tour round London visiting Arsenal, Chelsea, Tottenham, West Ham and Wembley all before it got dark.

I'm an addict. It's something that will never change. But why would I want it to?...

Thursday 5 August 2010

As the new season approaches...


As the new season is only a couple of days away, I thought i'd take a few minutes to throw my thoughts out into the mix. Last season I set out predictions for promotions and relegations for each division and they went rather well so i'm going to try repeating the trick this time....

Ok,

Premier League

Champions - Chelsea

Not exactly out on a limb I know.. But they have the best squad and have had the least amount of change. On top of that they have a very talented manager that seems to bring the best out of the players at his disposal.

Runners-Up - Manchester City

Out on a limb enough? The signings of David Silva and Ya-Ya Toure could be of great significance and I expect a huge title push from the 'other team in Manchester'. The likes of Shaun Wright-Phillips and Steven Ireland have been a platform to build from and this season could turn out to be the best for many years.

Relegation -

Blackpool - Favourties for the drop so no surprise in tipping them to be the first team relegated in 2010/11. Ian Holloway has worked miracles just to get the team into the top flight of English football but the lack of new signings, lack of funding due to stadium development and, in a way, lack of ambition, should see them dropping back into the Football League after just the one season.

Bolton - Since Big Sam Allardyce left, there's been a steady stream of managers that haven't been able to push the club on. Unfortunately, this season is potentially going to see the strongest line up in Premier League history and with Newcastle likely to maintain their place and West Brom looking like a stable outfit following promotion last time out, it means at least 1 consolidated Premier team will face the Championship next year.

Wigan - After 5 years in the top division I can see Wigan struggeling to compete this season. The lack of support and funding is likely to plague any relegation fight and I forsee an unsucessful final day battle to stay up.

Championship

Champions - Middlesbrough

Tough one to call. Summer signing Kris Boyd actually tipped the scales for me and his goals will prove vital to any tital push Boro manage to mount. Lack of support is the only problem i can envisage halting the charge. One thing any team needs is a strong 12th man to cheer them on when they need to find that extra gear and last season there were games when the stadium was less that one fifth full..

Runners-Up - Nottingham Forest

A strong season last year ended with a very sour taste in every Forest fans mouth after play off semi final defeat to Blackpool. However, a previous similar ezperience in the League One play offs culminated in automatic promotion the next year and I see a carbon copy taking place this year.

Play Off Winners - Reading

An awful start to last season put paid to any promotion push the team may have been planning before the campaign kicked off. However, a very strong finish including Cup giant killings against the likes of Liverpool and Burnley holds them in good stead for a run at automatic promotion. I thing they'll fall just short, but make it through in the play-offs.

Releagtion - Scunthorpe, Barnsley & Doncaster

All 3 teams promoted from League One & all 3 relegated from the Premier League will be far too good for the drop in my opinion. That means trying to pick out the worst of the rest and I see a real struggle for the 3 i've chosen.

League One

Champions - Southampton

No doubt they'll be there or there abouts come May. In my opinion this is the closest thing to a dead cert there is to bet on. A strong team, strong fan base, strong minded manager and a great stadium. Far too good for this level of the game.

Runners-Up - Sheffield Wednesday

Of the relegated sides, it's difficult to look past the Owls. The attendance for the final game of the 2009/10 season at Hillsborough was in excess of 39,000. The game ultimately saw Wednesday releagte from the 2nd tier but proved to a lot of people just how big their fan base still is despite so many years outside the top flight of the game. They wont be in the 3rd tier for long.

Play Off Winners - Charlton Athletic

Ok, now I predicted automatic promotion for the Addicks last year and they let me down. So i'm backing them again just because i'm stubborn. They'll face some strong competition but ultimately I expect to see them win under the arch in May.

Relegation - Rochdale, Bournemouth, Yeovil & Brighton

Brighton are the ones that I could possibly see escaping. But I actually had to tip them in the end because I notice that most bookmakers have them as 6th favourites to win the title... Odds on them to be relegated are as long as 14/1 with Bet365. I for one will be having a few cheeky pounds on that.

League Two

Winners - Gillingham

I may be biased but I really do feel the Gills will have a season to remember. Cody MacDonald & Adebayo Akinfenwa could be a very tasty strike force and if they hit it off early on then lack of goals and illusive away wins will be forgotten very quickly. Andy Hessenthaler is a legend at Priestfield and re-installing him as manager is a master stroke. The fans love him and the players respect him. Good times ahead.

Runners-Up - Bradford City

Expect them to push Gillingham right to the wire but after the freefall the club has been on since the Premier League days of the early 2000's, any promotion will be considered a huge success and as such, the push for the title once promotion is secured could be a little lackluster. Peter Taylor wouldn't mind beating his former employees to the title however!

3rd Place - Rotherham United

Adam Le Fondre seems to score every week and yet he's still on the books of the Millers. His goals could see them make their way back into League One for the first time in 3 years after a failed play off attempt last season.

Play Off Winners - Oxford United

Dangerous team now they're back in the Football League. Wouldn't be at all surprised to see them displace one of my tips for automatic promotion but i'll stick to them making via the tougher route. Who knows, the 4th stand may then get built.

Relegated - Accrington Stanley & Barnet

They both struggle to draw in the crowds meaning lack of funding throughout the clubs. It'll be a surprise if either manage to keep their heads above the dotted line.

Friday 30 July 2010

The new season brings new hope... and fear..!

After the excitable exerts of last seasons tour round the 92, it's back to the normal week to week game planning again this term. Gillingham failed in their attempts to stay up following promotion to league one the previous season, meaning this year holds trips to Crewe, Chesterfield & Oxford.

It would be nice to get along to a game at Bury and Bradford, whilst seeing a game at the new Morecambe stadium is high on the agenda too. But as I was sure would happen, the three away days against these teams just happen to fall during the 3 weeks I'm away on honeymoon in Florida. That's right, the wedding is now only 29 days away... Soon, i'll be able to save money to see more football games again rather than to buy extra balloons and bird cages...

Having taken time to study the fixtures, I've got myself a list of new grounds of which some will be ticked off the 92 list this season. These are:

Port Vale
Northampton Town
Oxford United
Barnet
Aldershot
Stevenage
Crewe Alexandra
Shrewsbury Town
Burton Albion
Cheltenham Town
Chesterfield
Lincoln City
Peterborough United
Notts County
Yeovil Town

As I start to get through them, i'll note them all down on here.

Saturday 24 July 2010

Help with the guide...

Ok, below are links in alphabetical order to all of the different 92 Premier and Football league ground guide pages on my website.

Take a look at the page specific to your club below and if you can help or have any advice, please send it over to me!

http://www.tothe92.co.uk/groundguide/accrington.html
http://www.tothe92.co.uk/groundguide/aldershot.html
http://www.tothe92.co.uk/groundguide/arsenal.html
http://www.tothe92.co.uk/groundguide/astonvilla.html
http://www.tothe92.co.uk/groundguide/barnsley.html
http://www.tothe92.co.uk/groundguide/barnet.html
http://www.tothe92.co.uk/groundguide/birmingham.html
http://www.tothe92.co.uk/groundguide/blackburn.html
http://www.tothe92.co.uk/groundguide/blackpool.html
http://www.tothe92.co.uk/groundguide/bolton.html
http://www.tothe92.co.uk/groundguide/bournemouth.html
http://www.tothe92.co.uk/groundguide/bradford.html
http://www.tothe92.co.uk/groundguide/brentford.html
http://www.tothe92.co.uk/groundguide/brighton.html
http://www.tothe92.co.uk/groundguide/bristolcity.html
http://www.tothe92.co.uk/groundguide/bristolrovers.html
http://www.tothe92.co.uk/groundguide/burnley.html
http://www.tothe92.co.uk/groundguide/burton.html
http://www.tothe92.co.uk/groundguide/bury.html
http://www.tothe92.co.uk/groundguide/cardiff.html
http://www.tothe92.co.uk/groundguide/carlisle.html
http://www.tothe92.co.uk/groundguide/charlton.html
http://www.tothe92.co.uk/groundguide/chelsea.html
http://www.tothe92.co.uk/groundguide/cheltenham.html
http://www.tothe92.co.uk/groundguide/chesterfield.html
http://www.tothe92.co.uk/groundguide/colchester.html
http://www.tothe92.co.uk/groundguide/coventry.html
http://www.tothe92.co.uk/groundguide/crewe.html
http://www.tothe92.co.uk/groundguide/crystalpalace.html
http://www.tothe92.co.uk/groundguide/derby.html
http://www.tothe92.co.uk/groundguide/doncaster.html
http://www.tothe92.co.uk/groundguide/darlington.html
http://www.tothe92.co.uk/groundguide/dagandred.html
http://www.tothe92.co.uk/groundguide/everton.html
http://www.tothe92.co.uk/groundguide/exeter.html
http://www.tothe92.co.uk/groundguide/fulham.html
http://www.tothe92.co.uk/groundguide/gillingham.html
http://www.tothe92.co.uk/groundguide/grimsby.html
http://www.tothe92.co.uk/groundguide/hartlepool.html
http://www.tothe92.co.uk/groundguide/hereford.html
http://www.tothe92.co.uk/groundguide/huddersfield.html
http://www.tothe92.co.uk/groundguide/hullcity.html
http://www.tothe92.co.uk/groundguide/ipswich.html
http://www.tothe92.co.uk/groundguide/leeds.html
http://www.tothe92.co.uk/groundguide/leicester.html
http://www.tothe92.co.uk/groundguide/leytonorient.html
http://www.tothe92.co.uk/groundguide/lincoln.html
http://www.tothe92.co.uk/groundguide/liverpool.html
http://www.tothe92.co.uk/groundguide/macclesfield.html
http://www.tothe92.co.uk/groundguide/manchestercity.html
http://www.tothe92.co.uk/groundguide/manchesterunited.html
http://www.tothe92.co.uk/groundguide/middlesbrough.html
http://www.tothe92.co.uk/groundguide/millenniumstadium.html
http://www.tothe92.co.uk/groundguide/millwall.html
http://www.tothe92.co.uk/groundguide/mkdons.html
http://www.tothe92.co.uk/groundguide/morecambe.html
http://www.tothe92.co.uk/groundguide/newcastleunited.html
http://www.tothe92.co.uk/groundguide/northampton.html
http://www.tothe92.co.uk/groundguide/norwich.html
http://www.tothe92.co.uk/groundguide/nottinghamforest.html
http://www.tothe92.co.uk/groundguide/nottscounty.html
http://www.tothe92.co.uk/groundguide/oldham.html
http://www.tothe92.co.uk/groundguide/oxford.html
http://www.tothe92.co.uk/groundguide/peterborough.html
http://www.tothe92.co.uk/groundguide/plymouth.html
http://www.tothe92.co.uk/groundguide/portsmouth.html
http://www.tothe92.co.uk/groundguide/portvale.html
http://www.tothe92.co.uk/groundguide/preston.html
http://www.tothe92.co.uk/groundguide/qpr.html
http://www.tothe92.co.uk/groundguide/reading.html
http://www.tothe92.co.uk/groundguide/rochdale.html
http://www.tothe92.co.uk/groundguide/rotherham.html
http://www.tothe92.co.uk/groundguide/scunthorpe.html
http://www.tothe92.co.uk/groundguide/sheffield.html
http://www.tothe92.co.uk/groundguide/sheffieldunited.html
http://www.tothe92.co.uk/groundguide/sheffieldwednesday.html
http://www.tothe92.co.uk/groundguide/shrewsbury.html
http://www.tothe92.co.uk/groundguide/southampton.html
http://www.tothe92.co.uk/groundguide/southend.html
http://www.tothe92.co.uk/groundguide/stevenage.html
http://www.tothe92.co.uk/groundguide/stockport.html
http://www.tothe92.co.uk/groundguide/stoke.html
http://www.tothe92.co.uk/groundguide/sunderland.html
http://www.tothe92.co.uk/groundguide/swanseacity.html
http://www.tothe92.co.uk/groundguide/swindon.html
http://www.tothe92.co.uk/groundguide/torquay.html
http://www.tothe92.co.uk/groundguide/tottenham.html
http://www.tothe92.co.uk/groundguide/tranmere.html
http://www.tothe92.co.uk/groundguide/walsall.html
http://www.tothe92.co.uk/groundguide/watford.html
http://www.tothe92.co.uk/groundguide/wembley.html
http://www.tothe92.co.uk/groundguide/westbrom.html
http://www.tothe92.co.uk/groundguide/westham.html
http://www.tothe92.co.uk/groundguide/wigan.html
http://www.tothe92.co.uk/groundguide/wolves.html
http://www.tothe92.co.uk/groundguide/wycombe.html
http://www.tothe92.co.uk/groundguide/yeovil.html

Tuesday 20 July 2010

The new website finally arrives..

It's taken a while, but the new and improved tothe92.co.uk has finally been launched. Over the past 6 months it's been a long and constant process of updating, amending, removing, re-admissioning and finally uploading.. Basically, it's been a pain in the arse!

Ok, so that may be a little wide of the mark but it's been much more time consuming than I ever gave it credit for being. I cant say I haven't enjoyed it though. It's incredible how much you can learn about one stadium when you really start to dig into the finer details and it becomes very rewarding when you see the finished article for the first time.

The process started back in January when I turned the first football teams webpage into the new ground guide. Alphabetically, this was Accrington Stanley and having visited recently for a game it made it much easier to write about and including my own experiences was something hot on my mind. There's a number of ground guides out and available for viewing these days but very few are kept upto date and even fewer are based on the designers own experience and knowledge. I don't claim to be an expert but my footballing travels have brought me to a number of interesting situations culminating in being offered a last minute ticket to the Fa Cup Final in May between Chelsea and Portsmouth. An opportunity too good for any fan to refuse. Cup final atmospheres are unlike anyother and as such, your days as a football fan cannot be complete until you've experienced one.

At the moment i'm requesting ground reviews from anyone that's been to a ground or seen a game at any of the 92 football league grounds in the past few months. The reviews will be posted online along with any pictures that accompany the review. So if you have a ground review or even just some basic advice on parking or the best away fans pubs drop me an email on info@tothe92.co.uk or complete the webform on the contact page of http://www.tothe92.co.uk/