Tow Law Town 1-1 Ryton and Crawcrook Albion, Saturday 4th April 2026

Tow Law 1-1 Ryton and Crawcrook Albion, Northern League Division 2, Ironworks Road, att. 509

It is the 3rd and last game of Easter Saturday’s Northern League groundhop, and surely the one they’ve all been waiting for: Tow Law. Ironworks Road is one of the glorious Northern League grounds, worthy of a trip anytime. That it will be blowing a gale and be into minus degrees once wind chill is taken into account, is all part of the appeal. Besides, how many other grounds afford a view of the Pennines like this one? However, I’m worried. With Tow Law near the bottom of the Northern League second division, they’re at risk of relinquishing their membership. COME ON YOU LAWYERS!

The ground is spick and span, as ever. The Main Stand, a modern cantilever on the halfway line, is immaculately painted, with ‘LAWYERS’ in giant alternate black lettering on white and vice versa lettering at the front, while ‘TOW LAW TOWN FC’ is proudly emblazoned on the back wall. There is nary a spare seat too, as fans huddle out of the way of the wind. Did I mention it was windy?

I’ve paid my entrance and elect to stand on the terrace opposite the main stand. With the terrific slope, you’re looking down on the main stand, while admiring the Pennines behind it. And with the terrace at above 6 foot of banking, it’s a great view of the action. I maybe last 15 minutes. It is perishingly cold and I figure, what with a 6:30KO, it’s going to get colder still once the last of the sun’s rays disappears. I head to the stand to my right.

At this end, there is flat standing but, crucially, a roof the width of the pitch. Or, more precisely, three roofs, as due to the sloping pitch, a new one has to be built every 20 yards or so. At one side, there is even a couple of steps of terracing and perhaps a couple of dozen seats. No-one sits down.

Despite the conditions, Tow Law manage a goal, Joe Bates lashing in, just in front of us. I’m amazed anyone has managed a goal today, but 4 minutes later, Ryton equalise. It’s at the far end, but speaking to a neutral later (my old History teacher), the scorer was at least 6 yards offside. The out of position linesman chose not to heed the calls.

And that was it for the goals. I edged back around the pitch as half-time loomed, with the intention of warming myself in the social club. Fat chance. Far too small to even get in, though I had an interesting chat with some bloke. ‘Are you one of them groundhoppers?’ he asked, rather forcefully. ‘Errr….I guess so.’ ‘How does it work?’ He just wanted to know the ins and outs. Him and his wife quite fancy going on the groundhoppers’ bus some time. (It only turns out she’s Tow Law’s secretary.)

Second half, I walked round to the far side and stood near the Main Stand. The netting to prevent the ball clearing the ground actually whistled in the wind, as I chatted rubbish to said former teacher, and he told me which of my former guides had now bitten the dust. R.I.P. (the ones I liked).

There were no more goals. It wasn’t the day for it. But Mr Sixsmith did say he expected Tow Law to remain in the Northern League, as 1 or 2 others were winding up at the end of the season (Sunderland West End, for one). Good news. Sort of.

I headed off, happy to have endured, but happier still for the hot shower and comfy bed at Lumley Castle. I was chilled to the bone.

The Damage:
£7 ent
£2 prog
£6 sausage and bacon bap
= £15

Ryton and Crawcrook Albion 1-1 Birtley Town, Wednesday 30th September 2020

Ryton and Crawcrook Albion 1-1 Birtley Town, Kingsley Park, Northern League Division 2, att. 53

Welcome to ....

With crowds in the Northern League limited to 150 in the light of recent Coronavirus measures, I had to find another of those teams where this wouldn’t be a problem.  West Allotment Celtic looked ripe, barely getting three figures anyway as they continue to play miles from West Allotment at Newcastle Blue Star’s old ground near the airport.  A cursory check found….they weren’t playing there tonight anyway.  It was being played at Newcastle Benfield’s ground.  Well, I thought I’d leave that to when Benfield were playing, so I looked elsewhere.  Ryton and Crawcrook Albion were at home, and it I knew the journey – a couple of miles further on was Prudhoe, where I saw Newcastle University play a fortnight back.

Welcome to...(II).  Is the stadium shared?

I certainly need not have worried about the capacity.  It'd been a filthy day, soon to be evening and 53 of us paid entry, several of those being late – Newcastle’s league cup game against Newport had gone to extra time and pens.  (The scoundrels won.)   I parked up outside the ground, a country lane on the edge of Crawcrook.  In the pitch black I imagined there were simply fields (and the Tyne) beyond.  The turnstile was also my first experience of using the new NHS Coronavirus app…I scanned the QR code and it told me here I was, at Ryton and Crawcrook Albion.  I paid my fiver and was mugged for another pound for a raffle ticket.  Alan Shearer always said you don’t win a prize if you don’t buy a ticket.  ‘What do I win?’  A pack of Sol.  I looked forward to being magnanimous enough to hand it back.

Today's teams.

On entering the ground, there was a social club to the right, with picnic tables outside.  Only there were barriers across as if to prevent any spectators from entering (though it was open and there were a few at the tables).  I couldn’t understand whatever system they purported to have, but it was cold and beer wasn’t on my mind.  Where was the tea hut?

To the left was a succession of reconstituted bus stands.  What better re-use than Northern League stands?  Someone had written up the teams on a whiteboard inside one.  ‘I pity the bloke who had to write all that’ I said.  ‘That was me’ said a young bloke in front of it.  It was much appreciated, I told him, especially with there being no programmes.  Have Ryton & Crawcrook ever produced programmes?

A most excellent re-use of bus stands.

The tea hut was a little further on and here’s the real highlight…you got your cuppa in a proper cup.  I could take it anywhere I liked, but would I mind handing it back before full-time?  Lovely.  Turned out the tea ladies were the wife and daughter of the gateman.  It was nice to be asked how I’d like it too: strong, not much milk and no sugar.  Carried out to instruction.

'Scran'...north-eastern for...guess!

One advantage of the bus stands were they were perched on a small bank, allowing a nice overview of the pitch.  So I walked behind the goal to the only stand Kingsley Park has.  160 seats, if some weren’t missing.  (I later noticed what looked like brand new replacements, so hopefully this’ll be rectified.)  As the match kicked off I had the stand to myself, but was soon joined by the away subs.  I can’t say what I overheard them say about the manager’s teamtalks, but I was amused to hear one say he’d never been sent off.  ‘I’m not surprised, if you’re on the bench’ I didn’t say out loud.  Well done on the coach for telling them to put their face masks on though.  ‘Are you putting them on or what?’

The subs' bench.

Early doors was one-way traffic as Birtley had a few goalmouth scrambles.  These subs were never going to get a game…but then a defensive mistake put Albion one up and the match became more even.  The second half was a scramble, as neither side looked able to hold onto the ball for more than a couple of passes.  I’m not sure either side will trouble the promotion places this season, but late pressure brought Birtley the reward they deserved, the keeper making a mess of an injury time corner and the ball somehow squirming in.  A pity for the keeper, who’d impressed throughout  and saved a penalty around 10 minutes before. 

Where's the missing seats?

I should have kept my eyes on the subs though, because as I’d gone to stand on my own in the rain on the halfway line, I wondered if I had more touches than them, retrieving the ball.  Mind, that was nothing to what a home player picked up at half-time and threw off the pitch.  ‘Christ, I thought that was a mouse’ I said.  ‘It was.’

Oh, and I never did win the raffle.  The poor bloke who sold me the ticket did a lap of the ground at half-time looking for the owner of the winning ticket, but no-one stood forth.  Will it go to a rollover jackpot next game?

Found them!

The Damage:

£5 ent
£1 tea
£1 raffle ticket
= £7

The Tunes:
The Boy With The Arab Strap (Belle and Sebastian)

Spirit of Eden (Talk Talk)

Ready for KO.

Cover for those standing on the touchline.

The scran van/bus shelter/pavilion side.

Looking from behind the goal to the pavilion.

The Thompson's of Prudhoe Stand.

Down the touchline.

Looking towards the Prudhoe End.

The penalty save....it was all a blur.

Full-time inquests.