Canvey Island v Billericay Town

Frost Financial Stadium

Ryman Premier League

December 26, 2015

Ground No 182

WILKO Johnson, scary-eyed former Dr Feelgood guitarist, son of Canvey Island and, more recently, survivor of terminal cancer, has some vivid and less than complimentary memories of his home town,

"I was born in 1947 on Canvey Island. Canvey at that time was a bit like the Wild West. People lived in bungalows and railway carriages. A lot of the roads weren't made, they were just tracks," he said in an interview a few years ago.

Even if they did have tarmacked roads when the young Wilko was growing up, none of them would have led him to a football stadium.

For although Canvey Island FC were formed in 1926, they kicked around the local amateur scene for years and by the time Wilko and the boys were popping the champagne corks to celebrate reaching No 1 in the album charts with Stupidity 50 years later, their local team were only just dipping their toe into the Essex Senior League waters for the first time.

The club's halcyon days came after Jeff King arrived at the helm and they enjoyed a fairytale run that included reaching the FA Cup third round, winning the FA Trophy and playing in the Conference.

They're back at Ryman League level now after taking voluntary relegation when their benefactor pulled out and, truth be told, the ground is more at home in such surroundings.

Being on Canvey, The Frost Financial Stadium lies below sea level and backs on to the coastal wall. But although there was a sea breeze blowing in off the Thames Estuary, the unseasonably mild Boxing Day temperatures meant the ground didn't live up to its name on this occasion.

It was still a little too nippy to purchase a cool pint from the well proportioned and busy clubhouse that greets you after entering through the turnstiles - although a good many fans thought otherwise - and instead I  plumped for a nice warm cuppa from the tea bar on the other side of the food bar. So many bars, so little time.

Also in that retail quarter of the ground is the Gulls Megastore which, to be fair, looked a little shy of mega proportions from the outside, although it was closed on this occasion so I could be wrong.

Beyond that is the long but low 500-seat main stand - like much of this well-maintained ground in the club colours of blue and yellow - which stretches right up to the far end which comprises of shallow concrete terracing.

We stood at the other end, a good-sized terrace - the top of which is the highest part of the ground - with yellow crush barriers and, to the left, two moderate-size covered areas bookending the dug-outs.

The Frost Financial Stadium is a 'proper' ground, the sort you look forward to visiting as a groundhopper and come away glad you went

A well-contested derby ended with the victors having the Feelgood factor after a 2-0 win and, with a season's high crowd of 621 in attendance, a visit to the home of one of Britain's most influential rock bands was just what the Doctor ordered.

Hullbridge Sports v Stanway Rovers

Lower Road

FA Vase 3rd round

December 12, 2015

Ground No 181

 

IN Bronze Age Hullbridge big, bearded men would sit around fires wearing animal skin loincloths, making flints and discussing whose turn it was to harvest the wild einkorn.

We know as much because of documentation and  the discovery of prehistoric relics in the village, which sits on the banks of the River Crouch near Rayleigh.

Later, much later, came football and with it the local football club.

In fact the seeds of  Hullbridge Sports FC weren't sewn until after the Second World War. They've only been at their Lower Road home since 1980 and weren't granted senior status until a decade later.

Lower Road is also home to the club's thriving junior section so that, and it being a modern, functional ground that has never hosted anything above Essex Senior League level football, means it's not going to be the first on any discerning groundhopper's 'to do' list.

Being part of a widely used general sports and social facility, there's plenty of parking so after dumping the car and wrapping up against a blustery wind, I made my way in.

"Lovely jubbly" said the old guy wearing a blue and white bar scarf in the entrance hut as he took my money and handed over a programme... but to be honest my attention was caught more by the structure's wooden hatch, where previous attendances were recorded by way of five-bar gate tally marks written in marker pen. A modern ground maybe, but clearly some traditional methods remain the preferred choice.

The building that houses the clubhouse, function room, food bar and changing rooms extends out beyond the entrance to the ground.

The food bar has legendary status in Essex Senior League circles but, having had a big lunch and already put dinner in the slo-cooker before leaving, I passed on the breakfast wraps, assortment of burgers, onion rings and much more besides on the extensive menu. The half-time latte went down a treat, mind.

The changies are at the far end and, immediately before entering the playing area, the players had to negotiate a hugemuddy muddle. There was no way around it. It was almost like a rite of passage - "pass through the Puddle of Death my son and you shall become a man".

It obviously worked for Hullbridge anyway - they had a man sent off but still marched into the last 32 of the Vase with a 2-0 win, equalling the furthest they have ever progressed along the Road to Wembley.

Along that side of the pitch are two small prefab stands, each containing 50 plastic seats. In between is a flat covered standing area.

On the other side of that is what I think is another covered standing area but I'm not altogether sure really. Flush with the perimeter fence, it was made up of scaffold poles, a corrugated iron roof and some planks of wood at the back.

Along that side of the ground there's a strip of concrete standing which extends along each end behind the goals. The other side of the ground, dominated by two large brick-built dug-outs, is a no go for fans though as it back on to some of the club's junior pitches.

While it might not be a ground that everyone's clamouring to visit, it's an excellent set-up at Hullbridge and a decent crowd turned out to cheer them on in their quest for FA Vase glory. They deserve to continue their progress.

Stansted v Clapton

Hargrave Park

Essex Senior League Premier Division

December 5, 2015

Ground No 180 

  

YOU'RE relaxing on your favourite secluded beach. You're happy and content in your familiar surroundings... then suddenly a coachload of day-trippers turn up from the city and everything changes.

That must have been what it was like for the Stansted regulars when Clapton came to town.

Hargrave Park, Stansted's base since 1937, is a quaint old ground in Stansted Mountfitchet, a sleepy rural village in North Essex which is home to a wooden castle and a windmill and whose main street is lined with thatched cottage. 

But providing the opposition today were East London's Clapton, as usual backed by their sizeable band of followers with their banners, songs, political conscience and all-round ability to enjoy themselves on a Saturday afternoon.

As usual they were in fine voice and even seeing their side throw away a 3-0 half-time lead to lose 4-3 couldn't noticeably dampen their spirits.

Their presence doubled what would otherwise have been the matchday attendance and the Clapton fans made their home in the small, flat covered area on the far side of the small, wooden stand. One of them even managed to find a ladder from somewhere and set about diligently taping a couple of banners to the roof. 

The small stand, as genteel and traditional a structure as you'll find at a football ground anywhere and also houses the changing rooms. 

The three rows of plastic bucket seats inside the wooden frame had only a handful of takers and the contrast between that and the raucous, bouncing, red and white football party machine in the cement and steel structure on the other side of the entrance to the referees' room could hardly have been greater.

It reminded me of a photo of the Mexico/ USA border I saw on the internet - green fields and open spaces on one side, a busy highway, high rises and barely a blade of grass on the other. 

On the other side of the stand is the homely committee room which also houses the tea bar - no pies or burgers but a lovely cuppa for just 80p (the programme was free on entry too, so hats off to the committee for thinking the spectators' pockets). 

In between that and the entrance is a brick toilet block, complete with a big sign over the sink telling you to wash your hands and some liquid soap... but nothing to dry your hands on. Maybe that's where they cut costs to sell cheap tea and give away the programme.

The clubhouse at the end of the car park behind the goal backs almost onto the net so you can only walk a short way before being confronted with a 'no entry' sign. 

There's hard standing all along the other end but, turn the corner and the concrete surface becomes a rubber runner (as it does at the clubhouse end) before coming to a halt at the first of the two plastic dug-outs which prevents you walking any further.  

Beyond that is a cricket pitch, the outfield of which looks as if it overlaps onto the football playing area.

As a result there are four floodlight pylons along the other side of the pitch but only two on this side, plus one, which doubles as a mobile phone mast, behind the goal.

Mind you the first in the line of four floodlights wasn't working. Fortunately there were spotlights on both the top of the turnstile structure and the loo roof and both were turned on - ingenious lot, these non-leaguers!