Bracknell Town 3-0 Havant and Waterlooville, Monday 17th November 2025

Bracknell Town 3-0 Havant and Waterlooville, Southern League Premier Division South, att. 525, The SB Stadium (Bottom Meadow, Sandhurst)

I’m due to be driving down to London for business. A quick scan of the fixture lists brings Havant and Waterlooville away at Bracknell. My mate Ian supports Havant. Where’s Bracknell? Somewhere near Reading. Doable, even if a late nite to bed. Let’s go! I message Ian to make sure he’s going. He is. He goes to most games.

Unfortunately, things conspire against me. I can’t get set off from the Pennines as early as I would like due to a hospital appointment (not mine). Traffic is also at a standstill on some motorway or other (it’s dark, raining, I’m tired, and I’m beginning to past care). However, I dig in. It’d be good to see Ian, who’s hopefully doing better than his beloved Havant, who haven’t won in a while (about 2 seasons, the way they’ve been plummeting).

I reach Bracknell, see some floodlights...is this it? Off some ring road? Is it a leisure centre? Warehouse? Dunno, but it’s not a football ground. What brought me here? I definitely had something in my satvav. Let’s have another go. This one takes me OUT of Bracknell, about 5 miles out, to a housing estate in Sandhurst. No obvious signs of a ground here, either.

I drive back to Bracknell, and check out a location by a(nother) ringroad, what looks like floodlights to a non-league ground. It’s not. (I can’t remember what it was.) By now, I’m half an hour into the game. I message. ‘You’re not missing much’ he replies. I am beyond careful this time, taking the postcode from Bracknell’s website. As I’ve already done once. GU47 9BJ. I drive back to Sandhurst. This time I see some lights beyond the trees in a park. Christ, no wonder they have such small crowds for a town this size. Who’d travel HERE to see a game? (Ian says they lost their previous ground about 5 years ago.) I should feel more sympathetic to their plight.

I park up in a housing estate (a different one) as the car park next to the road is full. Then I traipse through the car park, across a field in darkness, towards the Holy Grail: Bottom Meadow. At least the turnstiles are on this side. Even betterm they’re wide open. A decidedly uninterested steward is nearby, so I ignore him and walk straight in. It's half time. Now to find Ian.

I imagine this will be an easy task. He’s of a size (errr...tall!) However, it’s bitterly cold and everyone appears to be wearing several layers of clothing, as well as woolly hats. At least I can narrow it down to Havant hats, and eventually I find him at the far end. Havant are kicking this way this half (occasionally!) and there’s problies 50 or 60 visitors hopeful visitors. (Hopeful in that they’ve yet another new manager). The second half is 3 minutes old before it’s 2-0.

Behind the goal, up a height in the stand, is where the Bracknell ultras congregate. Best spot in the house, and they seem to be having a good time. Otherwise, there’s couple of covered seating areas on either touchline and a swanky looking social club behind the other goal. But I’m staying here, with my buddy, and foregoing the tour. When will I be back? Never.

It gets worse for Havant and Waterlooville too. A poor home side triumphs three goals to nil with little effort. Ian and his carful are back off to the south coast, me to London. At least I could get the hell out easier than I got my way in.

The Damage:
free (late entry)

FC United of Manchester 1-1 Gainsborough Trinity, Tuesday 14th January 2025

FC United of Manchester 1-1 Gainsborough Trinity, Broadhurst Park, att. 1,113

On day I’ll see a match at local side Golcar. Snow wiped out last weekend’s fixtures and, inevitably, the thaw wipes out Golcar’s efforts to go top of the Northern Counties East tonite. Luckily, it’s called early and I can utilise Plan B: FC United v Gainsborough Trinity in the Northern Premier. Nevermind that I’ve to cross the Pennines through fog. The satnav does its job and I see the floodlights shining through the mist. (Is ‘mist’ the same as ‘fog’? One day I’ll look into this.

I’ve eschewed the offer of the car park at a fiver, but, incredibly, someone’s left a space about 50 metres past the ground. Given the lines of cars either side of the carriageway, someone must have left recently, as in, the last couple of minutes. I’m in, and on my way. Seems I’m entering behind the main stand, emblazoned with ‘FC United of Manchester’. A small building near the entrance proclaims it’s Barrow’s training facilities (presumably the pitches outside the stadium). I’d read Barrow train in Manchester (to attract players, Barrow being a trek) but didn’t know it was here, in Moston (a suburb I’d never heard of till this evening).

There didn’t seem to be any turnstiles though. How DO folk get in? I have a nose in the club shop and buy a programme, which has the cover design of old Manchester United programmes. The ones that used to show the changing attire of the time. (Sadly, FC United just have their badge, rather than some oik in jeans halfway down his backside). Club shirts are similarly based around a Manchester United design, including the half yellow and green shirts. Honestly, it’s easy to go off a team before you’ve seen them.

The turnstiles are on the corner, payment by cash or card. It’s like the good old days! I’m in and have a nose through the fog/mist/grey stuff. There’s roofs covering all 4 sides but there’s only fans on 2 of them. The Main Stand has a block or so at either end where the seats haven’t been filled in (but could be) while behind the goal at this end is a sizeable terrace. I’d be surprised if there’s another terrace in this country beyond Carlisle’s that’s any bigger. Plus the rake is quite steep, so if they got a crowd, you’d still be able to see.

The other two stands have high roofs but no terracing, just flat standing, and it’s closed off. Behind the far goal there looks to be some work starting. Maybe they’re putting another terrace in? The other side, running down the byeline, reminds me of Curzon Ashton, with its oddly high roof. Still, it helps blend in with the other roof heights, and allows for an excellent show of banners, including a massive scarf, in the colours of (Manchester) United. Another banner in the home end depicts the ‘Munich clock’. Not that they’re obsessed.

FC’s foundation is well documented, but I learn something new from the programme: tonite’s visitor’s, Gainsborough Trinity, were Manchester United’s first opponents (after their name change from Newton Heath in 1902). Fancy that! The teams are level on points, bottom half, with Trinity having a staggering 6 games in hand, due to successful cup runs. I stand high up the terrace, and, not going too far in, imagine there’s quite a crowd right behind the goal, due to the volume of the singing. Say what you like about FC, their fans have quite the musical repertoire and it makes for an enjoyable opening 20 minutes. In particular, ‘Dirty Old Town’ (all the words, not just the chorus) at the start of each half, with the chorus changed to ‘we’ve got our own ground, we’ve got our own ground’ and ‘I’m a believer’. ‘I’m in love…oooo-oooo’. No, I can’t do it justice in writing. You’ll just have to hear those falsetto voices!

Still, I’m pulling for Trinity. FC are playing some lovely football (ie, tiki-taka) and dominate possession, but it only takes one expertly delivered free kick and a header is smashed into the home net. Thank goodness it’s at this end. As the half develops, the crowd quietens and I go for a wander, to try out the Main Stand. I quite like the design, with a couple of terraced paddocks below the seating. Just like stands of yore. I grab a beer under the stand and go and sit in the back row, near the halfway line. Splendid view, fog notwithstanding.

Half-time, I spot others walking further up the stand. Is this not for the media and execs? Turns out the main social club is above the seats, with a perfect view of the pitch. Like Dulwich Hamlet, though the inside is more cheerless portacabin (whereas the club shop displayed all the pennants from teams they’ve faced over the years). It was really bright too, more IKEA than cosy pub. Still, can’t knock its size, and it was lovely and warm.

2nd half, I went and stood behind the goal again, towards the far side. Given we couldn’t see the far end, I’m not sure why I did this. I guess I was enjoying not knowing what was going on if Trinity were on the attack. I could see the players, but not the ball. Often, I’d be looking for the ball at the far end as FC broke the other way, on the halfway line. Listening to the odd wag, I wasn’t the only one finding it fun. However, FC were taking control and most of the match was in this half now.

A failure to clear allowed the ball to be played to erstwhile veteran sniffer ALF (Adam Le Fondre) who buried it with his old aplomb. You never lose it. Or maybe you do. Minutes later, FC are awarded a penalty. Who better than a former Premiership player to put you ahead / blast it straight at the keeper (delete as applicable). Without giving away what happened, the game finishes one-all. It’s been a treat, despite being reminded of Manchester United at every turn.

The Damage:
£13 ent
£3 prog
£4.50 Bootleg American IPA (pint of). Pretty tasteless as IPAs go.
= £20.50

*the crowd of 1,113 was FCUM’s lowest league crowd of the season, over 500 down on their average.

Ashton United 0-2 Macclesfield, Tuesday 26th March 2024

Ashton United 0-2 Macclesfield, Northern Premier League Premier Division, Hurst Cross, att. 764

With just over a month to go before the end of the season, things are hotting up in the Northern Premier League (Premier Division). Whilst runaway leaders Radcliffe look nailed on for the one automatic promotion berth, the play-off places are far from decided. From nowhere, Ashton United, 4 successive wins, are eagerly poised for a challenge. Fresh from a 5-2 demolition of Radcliffe on the leader’s home turf, tonite sees a crucial clash at Hurst Cross against the division’s most high-profile members, Macclesfield, one place and 4 points above them the last play-off place.

I cross the Pennines and ask Darlo Kev if he’s coming out to play. United are close enough to be walkable from his house and it’d make a nice change from trying to park in a back street somewhere. We arrive in plenty of time for a pint. The clubhouse, ‘The Cross Bar’...Hurst Cross...see what they did there?...is very smart indeed. In fact, it’s a lot better than many pubs I’ve visited and different class to town neighbours Curzon’s portacabin. We are lucky enough to grab the final table and admire some old (1960s) Ashton programmes, framed on the wall.

The bar is on the right as you enter the turnstiles. To the left is the main stand, modern in look yet full of stanchions. It can’t be more than 25 yards long. Then comes some terracing, which sweeps round the rest of the ground, between 4 and 8 steps deep. The other 3 sides all have cover, to a varying degree. To the left, a small white structure at the top of the steps, to the right, what looks like one long bike shed. There’s no rain, so everyone’s out in the open. The far touchline has a cover along most of it, and we take a pew here 2nd half.

1st half, we’re mostly to the left of the away dugout. The odd fan comes up and says hello to the coach. Lovely. With Macc kicking towards this end, 1st half, the vast majority of their support has congregated down here. It’s Ashton’s 2nd highest crowd of the season (after a Boxing Day clash with FC United of Manchester) and probably around half are Macclesfield. No Robbie Savage, tonite, I overheard in the social club. His son’s been drafted into the Wales squad for a crucial Euros qualifier Poland (they lost on pens). According to the same source, former England cricket captain Michael Vaughan is here though. ‘He was born in Lancashire, wasn’t he?’ says Kev. Was he? I dunno.

The pitch down by our side is a thing of beauty. Churned up mud, it mirrors some of the farmers’ fields at present. It looks hazardous, but Macc aren’t bothered and there’s plenty of play in this corner as Macc take control. A ball is lofted over from this wing, the centre halves underestimate its length and it’s sidefooted home on the backpost. Macclesfield fans take potshots at the keeper, possibly cos he’s within hearing distance, rather than any actual blame, though it works as, unnerved, his kicking becomes unsure. Just after the half hour, the Silkmen grab a 2nd, as Sam Perry beats 2 players, cuts inside and hits it low from 20 yards. At 22 and having played 30 games for Walsall, he’s probably playing below his ability (and hopefully being handsomely remunerated for it). Macclesfield currently average 3,117, nearly twice as high as 2nd played FCUM.

The Silkmen are in total control and I see no way back for Ashton. But hang on…we’re 60 or so minutes in and the Macc keeper comes sprinting out of his area. There’s no way he’s getting to the ball first and he takes out the Ashton forward in spectacular style. A red is brandished and, with no keeper on the bench, one of Macc’s smallest players takes the gloves. Game on. Or rather, that should’ve been game on. What follows is half an hour of anti climax as Ashton overhit balls and put absolutely no pressure on a keeper who obviously has no idea what he’s doing, other than diving on the ball once it’s ran through to him, a la Jordan Pickford. The one ‘shot’ he saves is an overhit cross which lands on his chest. In a game they needed to win, Ashton only have themselves to blame for not performing. Still, 5th placed Hyde are only 6 points ahead...and the Robins have 2 games in hand. The play-off dream is not dead yet.

The Damage:
£12 ent
£2 programme
£8.60 pints of Cruzcampo and Guinness
= £22.60