Aspect Arena
National League South
January 2, 2016
Ground No 159 revisited
WHEN I was a kid my dad reckoned it always rained in Kent, something I've regularly taunted my mates from south of the river with - paying scant regard to any kind of factual evidence of course.
Typical, then, that the heavens should open as I made my way to the Aspect Arena along with said pals from the Garden Of England who had crossed the Thames to follow the high-flying Fleet, thus pooh-poohing my flimsy and scurrilous argument that we're all wearing Speedos and flip-flops in Essex while they're putting up their brollies in Kent.
In any case it would take more than a few splashes of wet stuff to put me off a trip to the Aspect Arena. It's a great ground - in fact it was my first visit here that convinced me to launch this blog.
Concord Rangers - who take their name from Concord Beach, next to which they kicked their first ball - are Johnny Come Latelys to senior football, having only entered the Essex Senior League as recently as 1991 and are currently playing at the highest level they've ever reached and a step above their near neighbours Canvey Island.
By all accounts you'd be lucky to find more than 40 people inside on a matchday 20 or so years ago so it's been a supersonic take-off by Concord, you might say. The Beach Boys really have hit the right note since then.
As a result the Aspect Arena isn't as imposing as other grounds in the same league but it's welcoming, easy on the eye and easily good enough for Concord's needs.
With a large contingent making their way from the other side of the Queen Elizabeth II Bridge, Thames Road - the cul-de-sac towards the end of which the ground, opened in 1985, is situated - was more than a little congested. And since the footpath abruptly ends once you reach the last house, the remainder of the on-foot fan's journey to the turnstiles quickly became a game of dodge the car.
Fortunately we arrived safely and headed through the entrance into a hive of feverish pre-match activity as fans grabbed a cuppa from the tea hut, a burger from the food van or a pint from the spacious and modern clubhouse. The function suite remained empty though - no matchday wedding party like the one at Sutton Common Rovers today.
Looking straight ahead from the tea bar to the right of the turnstiles is the main stand, a low but long structure only four rows of seats deep, flanked by small, demountable steel and plastic stands, the like of which I'd seen recently at Hullbridge.
Behind the goal is hard standing with a covered area behind the goal while on the far side are two more of those small stands with a big video gantry in between and Thorney Bay Caravan Park on the other side of the perimeter wall.
Behind the other goal is a large covered area. You're right up close to the pitch even when you're under cover here.
And when it's packed out, as it was today, the floodlights are on and the players are scrambling in the goalmouth looking for a breakthrough, it's an intoxicating place to be.
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