FC St. Helens 2-0 FC Isle of Man, Tuesday 29th July 2025

FC St. Helens 2-0 FC Isle of Man, North West Counties League Premier Division, SMS Pro Soccer Park (Windleshaw Sports), att. 195

It’s matchday 2 of the North West Counties League and my first chance after their eastern equivalent on Satdy. I’ve done my homework and am offering Darlo Kev Prestwich Heys, Atherton LR, Irlam or Whythenshawe, all venues I’ve yet to visit. He’s easy and the family’s not home, so he’s up for slightly further afield. Let’s do FC St. Helens, I suggest. Bit further, but manageable. I put the Kevnav on and off we go.

We arrive an hour or so before kick-off. I fancy a pub rather than straight into the ground. Up here looks promising (a main road). A pedestrian starts waving frantically. It’s only a one-way street. The area around the SMS Pro Soccer Park is full of them. Thank you random pedestrian. We park up and walk to The Gerard Arms, a grand building off said main road. A fruity pale ale and an IPA for the pair of us. Good start.

Time runs away with itself though and I find myself giving some of my pint away as we’re in danger of missing kick-off. We scrabble ourselves together and get in just as the players are coming out. Seven quid in, but the programmes ‘have just sold out’. Once in, we are met with a 50 yard pathway and through what looks like a tunnel. It’s almost like we’re the players entering the field of play, but it’s just a sign proclaiming the ground’s sponsor over the roofs of two 50 seater modern stands that get delivered by lorry. It’s a far cry from St. Helens rugby league ground, but therein lies the problem for a conurbation as big as St. Helens playing virtual village teams. That and its proximity to Liverpool and Manchester.

Mind, tonite it’s international nite. Or the ‘FC derby’ as nobody calls it. FC St. Helens versus FC Isle of Man. ‘Will they bring any fans tonite?’ asks a local. Actually, they bring a few, as I counted 5 or 6 replica shirts around the perimeter. No flags tho. The ones pinned to the net (the net preventing ball loss, rather the net fixed to the goalposts) are St. Helens. We walk past these, see the players enter the pitch, then head into the social club for a drink. As ever, it’s pretty large, and probably has as many seats as the ground, as well as a pool table. Handy if the game’s rubbish, or it rains.

It’s a mild summer’s nite though. Some folk are sat at the picnic tables betwixt club and pitch while most fans are standing on this side. The attendance of 195 is about par for this division tonite, barring a couple of clubs. The pitch is also one of the bumpiest I remember seeing. Excellent. Balls rolling along the floor pop up and surprise players whose ball control is limited as it is. The islanders threaten early, but soon St. Helens take control and thereafter look the better team, helped by a 9th minute opener. It stays like this till half-time, whereby we retreat to the bar so Kev can have another beer.

Second half, we continue our walk around the boundary. There’s a tiny stand behind the goal, the only standing cover, though it’s not needed tonite. Otherwise, it’s open all the way around to the aforementioned seats, which are nearer to the corner flag than halfway line. St. Helens press on and grab a second around the 70 minute mark. Game over, but a pleasant enough start in our North West Counties League season. Just be careful with one-way streets.

The Damage:
£7 ent
£4.70 Veltins lager (x2)
= £16.40

Glasshoughton Welfare 0-4 Wakefield, Saturday 26th July 2025

Glasshoughton 0-4 Wakefield, Northern Counties East League Division 1, WrapStyl Stadium (Leeds Road), att. 200

It is a new dawn. Or a new season, at least. And the Northern Counties East League have kindly opened their account a week before the EFL season, which allows a gentler introduction for those of us expecting a tough season ahead for our own teams. I message Molly. He’s in, though he’s been to my initial suggestion, Thackley. Surely he’s not been THERE, I thought. I’d never heard of it. I looked it up, it’s somewhere near Bradford. But I’m overtaken by events anyway; my partner needs dropping in Wakefield. Where’s near Wakefield, who have a game?

I’m thinking Horbury or Glasshoughton (Castleford). Moll adds South Leeds to the mix. Horbury aren’t at home, South Leeds sounds a bit Leedsy. Let’s go Glasshoughton. Another team I had to look up last season as I learn what it takes to visit the NCEL. Appleby Frodingham, Club Thorne Colliery, Nostell Miners Welfare. Where are these places? (Molly and Loko put me right; Nostell Priory is...near Wakefield!) Oh yes, we’ve been joined by Loko. He threatened to visit me on Sunday and I put late feelers out. After all, Glasshoughton is easier for him than me (M62 an’ all).

It is a glorious sunny, summer’s day. And next door to the ground, the thwack of leather on willow can be heard on the cricket pitch. I watch an over and would love to stay (kick-off being half an hour away) but the urge to visit the toilet takes over. I must get in and avail myself of the facilities. Upon entering the ground, there’s a large building to the right, housing the changing rooms, toilets, and Lord knows what else.

One other thing it apparently contains is the social club, but it’s off limits to us football fans today, as cricket has 1st dibs. This would explain the can bar at the refreshment kiosk. I thought it was a bit basic. The crowd today is a healthy 200, though half appear to be from Wakefield, judging by the shirts. They have a slick merchandise operation, though no ground in Wakefield. (They’re back to sharing with Featherstone rugby league team, after sharing with Wakefield Trinity.) They’re ambitious, but they need their own ground in Wakey.

The visitors are undoubted favourites, and romp this game 4 nil, though the two things I enjoyed most were eating blackberries at half-time (every ground should have overhanging blackberry bushes) and the unbelievable Wakefield miss towards the end of the game, from a yard out, only slightly offset by the uneven bounce of the pitch.

We spend the 1st half on the social club side, before wandering anti clockwise around the ground at half-time. Behind the goal is open, flat standing, with a wall tight to the perimeter. But thanks to global warming, the blackberries are out earlier than usual. Opposite the social club side is a small, seated stand. It’s basic, with nearly as many supporting pillars as seats, but with a cordoned off section for the directors of both clubs. No-one sits here.

There is a small cover on the 4th side, behind the goal and as we take our positions here for the last 5 mins as we are treated to the most appalling / brilliant miss. Still, it’s a statement win from Wakey, and perhaps a sign of a promotion bid to come. And I also win our very own ‘guess the crowd competition. ‘About 200’. It is EXACTLY 200. I can die happy.

The Damage:
£6 ent
£1.50 prog