No. 83: Prenton Park [Tranmere Rovers]

Saturday, 18th April 2015
Tranmere Rovers v. Oxford United [League Two] 0-3

After spending the last few weekends almost consistently behind the wheel of my car, I fancied a more leisurely trip to the North West for Oxford's fixture at Tranmere - the only new ground in League Two for me this season.

So I took the express train from London on Friday and stayed the night nearby in the fine city of Liverpool. For those unaware, Tranmere Rovers play in Birkenhead, on The Wirral, across the river Mersey from their more successful Merseyside neighbours in Liverpool.

Although distinct from and not part of the city of Liverpool, the communities on the Wirral are very closely linked, not just by proximity, but also by familial, political and cultural social ties.

Unlike most parts of the country, the neighbouring Birkenheaders don't really begrudge their famous neighbours, from what I gathered from Tranmere fans I spoke to. I was expecting to hear how such bitter rivals Liverpool and Everton are - but the consensus seemed to be that they were simply light years away from Tranmere and so have never factored as teams to despise.

Of course, they don't like Wirral residents wearing Red and Blue shirts and catching the ferry to go and watch Premiership football rather than support their local team - but that's no different to anywhere these days.

I arrived at Liverpool Lime Street early evening, just in time to meet up with an old Oxford friend also in the city that evening visiting friends - one of whom was a Tranmere fan. We had a few drinks, a cracking curry in the experimental Spice City (Mango Salsa and Jalapeño curries amongst their signature dishes), and talked all things Tranmere and Merseyside.

Liverpool is a fantastic city with a distinct flavour - I've always thought it had a pretty unique vibe to it that doesn't really feel like any other part of England.

Beatles-Themed Hard Days Night Hotel, Liverpool.
Inset: One of countless pictures of them found in every building in the City.

People here have a civic pride that comes first before a national pride of being English or British, a pride based upon being a unique centre of early immigration from Ireland and further afield, a centre of shipping and shipbuilding that bred a vibrant working-class culture of it's own and was part of the reason why in the 60s the MerseyBeat music scene that spawned the Beatles happened here rather than anywhere else. And you are indeed reminded the the Beatles came from the banks of the Mersey at every fucking turn in this city!

As far as Birkenheaders go, they are a part of this culture and the distinct nature of Merseyside - just don't call them scousers!

My man on the inside tells me it's a very complicated relationship. He said that the Wirral accent is probably more scouse than scouse, and there isn't an awful lot of love from Liverpool across to the 'woolybacks' from outside the city. And a song that Tranmere fans sing goes thus:

"Do not be mistaken, do not be mislead, 
we're not scousers - we're from Birkenhead. 
They can keep their cathedrals and they can keep their pier head, 
'cos we're not scousers, we're from Birkenhead."

But Wirrallers (if that's even a word) also speak about the City of Liverpool and its relative cultural wealth with a passion you'd normally only expect from someone born and bred there. So it is indeed a very complicated relationship!

Liverpool Skyline from Radio City Tower [inset]. Birkenhead across Mersey.

I got my first view of Birkenhead just after breakfast on Saturday from atop Radio City Tower, the 1969-built radio tower and observation deck in the centre of Liverpool, giving quite a sweeping view over the cityscape.

Beyond the impressive rooftops of Liverpool across the Mersey, Birkenhead's skyline is less grand - the landmarks being the ventilation shafts for the road and rail tunnels beneath the river, and the imposing white edifice of the Cammel Laird shipyard -Birkenhead's historical livelihood.

What other way was I going to get to the Wirral from here but by ferry? I could have got the train and been at Prenton Park in 15 minutes. But time wasn't an issue, so I had a 40 minute cruise up and across the Mersey being serenaded by Gerry Marsden every 10 minutes as his famous song was played interspersed with a bit of local history and tourist points of interest from the ferry's PA.

I happened to be quite hungover from the night before, so I can't remember much of it I'm afraid. I was more concerned about trying to not think about throwing up all over my fellow passengers. I think I remember something about the largest brick building in the world being visible somewhere. I may go and look that up next time I'm in Liverpool. Just as long as I don't have to hear Ferry 'Cross The Mersey again.

Arriving at Woodside Pier Head on the Wirral, I now had a 2.5 mile walk to Prenton Park through Birkenhead on this hot, gloriously sunny day. There isn't an awful lot to see and do on a Saturday morning in Birkenhead to be honest with you. It's not really blessed with many interesting sights, shops or restaurants. And what pubs I did pass...well, they didn't look particularly inviting if I'm honest.

Hamilton Square & Birkenhead Town Hall

One gem well worth seeing though, not that far from the ferry terminal, is the beautiful Hamilton Square - a well-manicured square surrounded by Grade I listed Georgian terraces and the impressive Birkenhead Town Hall.

An unexpected little corner of beauty in an otherwise uninspiring place, Hamilton Square was commissioned by shipbuilder William Laird in 1824 to show off his wealth, and actually has more Grade I listed buildings remaining in situ than in any other square in England save for Trafalgar Square in London. That's quite impressive in my books - especially in such an unexpected location as the percieved rough-and-ready Birkenhead.

I was accompanied in the square by a family of extremely drunk people sat on a park bench with cans of stella, chatting away quite amiably I thought until one of them slurred "If you do that, I'll fucking stab you." I soon stopped day-dreaming of Georgian stoneworks and remembered I still had a two mile walk ahead of me.

Birkenhead Street with Liverpool in distance; Birkenhead Central Station;
and a Back to Back Alleyway.

Despite the obvious wealth that was here when Hamilton Square was built, the decline of shipbuilding and other local industries in the latter half of the 20th century is reasonably evident in parts of Birkenhead. There were plenty of open spaces with rubble on the ground, boarded up and run down housing.

But like anywhere that's seen better days, there was also a lot of recent development and re-investment in evidence here; with modern facilities, housing and shops cropping up here in these for too long neglected working-class areas.

Prenton Park itself is surrounded by a reasonably nice neighbourhood of semi-detached 1960s style houses, and didn't feel half as threatening as I'd been led to believe it would. Perhaps the Tranmere fans are simply too jaded after a succession of bad seasons to care about making this a difficult place to visit for away fans.

First view of Prenton Park: That's a big Stand.

They'd be taking their lead from their own players if that was the case, judging by their position going into the game at the very bottom of the football league. Indeed, unless Tranmere pull their finger out, Prenton Park won't be one of the 92 next season as Rovers are struggling to avoid the dreaded drop into Non-league this season.

Going into the club shop pre-match to buy a programme, you certainly couldn't fault the enthusiasm of the club director who came in to rally the troops - high fives for everyone, even me as he demanded "big tens" from me (that's a two-handed very vigorous high five, of course) and cheer on the super white boys today.

Pre-Match Entertainment: Live Music!

I didn't have the heart to tell him I was an Oxford fan and would in fact be cheering on an away victory that could well open the trap-door of relegation for his side. Might have broken his spirit a bit.

Moving inside the ground, the away fans were serenaded pre-match by a band nestled into the corner of the John King stand next to the Cowshed end that the travelling Oxford were housed in. A novel idea, and actually - they were pretty good! It was also welcome change to the usual late 90s mix-tape on loop you get in most grounds.

Tranmere fans probably wish the 1990s were still on loop.

Prenton Park was redeveloped as a 16,500 all-seater when they were a play-off chasing Championship side in 1995. Today, it is certainly too big for them in League Two, let alone the Conference that may await. The impressive Kop End could have held the entire crowd this afternoon, and the 5,000 Tranmere fans in attendance were dwarfed by the many empty seats.

Main Stand: Only stand from before 1990s redevelopment. Built 1968.

Tranmere started the game well and those loyal and beleaguered fans would have even gone into half-time believing they had a chance of pulling out of the drop-zone as other results seemed to be going their way - if they could just find that breakthrough against an Oxford side playing only for pride after a mediocre season.

Sadly for the Prenton faithful, it was not to be, and two well-made goals snapped into the back of the Tranmere net in the space of a minute shortly after the re-start effectively ended the game as a contest.

When it went 2-0 on 52 minutes there was a substantial exodus form the home seats by fans who could see the writing was on the wall - today at least. I think I may have even seen Patricia "Hyacinth Bucket" Routledge, rumoured to be a Tranmere fan, sneaking out early, no doubt to get one of her famous candlelight suppers on the go.

2nd Half Action: Oxford Attack the Tranmere Goal.

I'd been told before the game by one fan that "the majority of the players are spineless gobshites who are not playing for the badge or shirt." That might sound a little harsh, but you could definitely see the desire and the heads drop for the last third of the game once they knew they were beaten - sadly for Tranmere that's the sign of a side heading out the back door and the 3-0 scoreline could easily have been more in the end as Oxford fans seemed to rub in the misery with the 'olés' at the end.

Still another two weeks to go though to save Tranmere's League status. This relegation really is more than any other relegation, because it's a loss of that status and standing as a league club. It's not just a drop of a division - it's a drop into the chasm of non-league. 

The negative nature of that status says it all really - 'NON'-league. NOT one of the 92 anymore. You drop out of this division and you are NOT a Football League club anymore. 

That's a big thing, that's one reason why this 92 Club quest means something to me - as I know from personal experience that Oxford's loss of 92 status in 2006 hurt, and getting it back again in 2010 meant everything. So I feel your impending sense of loss, Tranmere fans.

5,500 Capacity Kop End. Oxford Players saluting their fans post-match infront.

Tranmere Rovers is another one of those 'proper' Football League clubs that I genuinely hope do bounce back again soon if they do slip out of the 92 this season. 

At least they would have a couple of tasty derbies to look forward too in the Conference though - Chester, Wrexham, even Southport - would be big games in these parts.

But I'm pretty sure they'd rather stay in League Two, playing anyone. And after all, being back in the League would also mean more chance of a cup draw against those billy-big bollocks Premiership shites from across the Mersey. 

And we all like a cup upset, don't we? Good luck Tranmere!


With thanks to Martyn Stewart & @Josh96_EU

NEXT UP - Weekend Double-Header!
May 2nd: Blackburn v. Ipswich
May 3rd: Oldham v. Peterborough

No. 82: Hillsborough [Sheffield Wednesday]

Saturday, 11th April 2015
Sheffield Wednesday v. Charlton Athletic [Championship] 1-1

This is one I'd been looking forward to for a long while, as Hillsborough represents the last of the old, great stadiums of England still standing I had yet to visit. Having also a good friend from the city who happens to back the blue half of Sheffield, I also decided to make a weekend of it with the wife in the Steel City.

Garrison Hotel, Hillsborough, Sheffield.

We drove up and checked into our hotel, a Grade II listed former prison and ammunitions warehouse (good idea putting those together, of course) converted into The Garrison Hotel 15 years ago.

Cheap and cheerful, this was a good value option only 20 minutes' walk from Wednesday's ground within the grounds of the former Hillsborough Barracks. Check-in complete, there was just enough time to walk up to Hillsborough and have a stroll around this fine old football ground before kick-off.

And Hillsborough is indeed, an old ground. "A little rough around the edges", my Wednesday-fan friend and chaperone for the day, Neil, told me. And true enough, it doesn't look spangly and sparkly like a lot of the new grounds I've visited this season.

Hillsborough: An English Classic.

The newest two of the ground's four stands were constructed in the 1960s, but the oldest parts of the ground are over 100 years old now - the North stand and the Main South Stand with its iconic clock and finial atop, were both built over 1913-1915 just as the First World War began raging across Europe.

So despite the conversion of the whole ground to all-seater and some external revamping in the 1990s prior to hosting a few games at Euro 96, Hillsborough still looks and feels like a proper old ground, with Archibald Leitch flourishes still in evidence. And that, I can tell you, is a good thing.

South Stand, Hillsborough.

Yes, it could probably do with a few licks of paint here and there. Yes the seats have just been bolted into the existing terraces, meaning a distinct lack of comfort and leg room in the oldest parts of the ground. And yes, underneath the built-up Kop I noticed huge mounds of soil underneath and propping-up the old terrace. But who cares, really? This is simply a ground you need to be able to watch football in - and you can certainly do this very well.

The scale of Hillsborough's old stands is the first thing that struck me. I've visited bigger grounds this season than the current 40,000-capacity here, but none on this scale that are as old or conjure up such vivid images of packed crowds in days gone by.

A Sea of Heads: The View from the back of the Kop.

Sat amidst tight seats in the Spion Kop looking out over a sea of heads between me and the pitch, I could easily envisage the clocked-off steel-workers in early post-war years here in their flat caps and trench-coats, choking on Woodbines and waving wooden rattles, cheering the Wednesday on amongst 60,000 others.

Opposite the Kop is the most well known stand at Hillsborough, indeed you don't even need to be a football fan to have heard the name Leppings Lane, the name of the stand allocated to Liverpool fans on the day of the terrible tragedy of 15th April 1989.

Entrance to the West (Leppings Lane End) Stand.

Today, the away end is officially called the West Stand and like the rest of Hillsborough has been converted to an all-seater, in line with the requirements of the Taylor Report that was commissioned as a direct result of the disaster. But otherwise the stand has changed very little since 1989 and the small, central opening in the centre of the lower tier is just as it was that fateful day when 96 people were to go on to die after passing through this narrow tunnel.

Quite chilling - so familiar are the chaotic scenes that unfolded on the day, to see the same stand opposite where I was sat still in situ.

It's difficult not to be moved by the respectful tribute to the disaster outside the ground, just the other side of the river. A simple sandstone block stands looking away from the ground, the bars behind festooned with Liverpool scarves, shirts, flowers and flags representing a number of other football clubs, left by fans paying their own respects.

It's a sad fact that the word 'Hillsborough' today conjures up first this terrible disaster, but that is hardly surprising given the scale of Britain's most deadly sporting disaster that took place right here.

As such a walk around Hillsborough is always be poignant for any who remember the tragedy as you pass by the riverside and turn off Leppings Lane towards the away turnstiles.

West & South Stands from across the River Don.

Hillsborough is built right on top of the banks of the River Don, and it's impossible to do a full circuit around the ground without crossing the river at some point. Its proximity to the river, and the fact that the pitch is cut low to the water table, is a perennial problem in times of floods.

In 2009, the pitch was under a couple of feet of water - and despite a reticence to leave such an iconic stadium, Neil did say it was a conversation that kept coming up due to the increasing regularity of floods and the appalling state the pitch always seemed to get in come the middle of the season.

Entrance to The Kop.

For now though, Hillsborough has a grateful extended stay of execution. Wednesday might have recently rebuilt or relocated had the last 10-15 years of concerted stadium modernisations and relocations not coincided with Wednesday's relative decline since their relegation from the Premiership in 2000. There simply isn't much call to prioritise a new stadium project with the team languishing in League One, I guess.

The game today was never likely to be a high-octane affair, contested as it was between two mid-table Championship sides as this season draws to a close. And true enough, both teams at times looked like they were going through the motions - we got to half-time with the home side 1-0 up from their first serious incursion into the box.

A rare treat at half-time in being able to step 'outside' to an external concourse area between stand and turnstiles. Something I have missed in today's modern ground. This meant we could drink our weak, warm lager under open skies. Living the dream.

Henderson's Relish, Azerbaijan Shirt Sponsor & We're All Wednesday, Aren't We?

I also took the opportunity to try a tasty chicken balti pie with some of Sheffield's own "Henderson's Relish" sprinkled on top. Its tagline is "The Spicy Yorkshire Sauce" and I have to admit I've never seen it elsewhere, and Neil has always raved about it. Personally, I think it pays a distant second string to Baron Pouget's Oxford Sauce, but I'd still recommend you give this Yorkshire variant on Worcestershire sauce a go if you are in the Steel City!

Back in for the second half and it did liven up a little. Not enough for me to notice a few peculiarities about me, such as the "We're all Wednesday, Aren't We?" chant that started up in the Kop. Answers on a postcard as to where this came from or whether it has a hidden meaning, but it's even infiltrated the official merchandise in the club shop (the replica kit also has WAWAW written on the inside of the collar).

Second Half Action at Hillsborough.

Charlton equalised in the 75th minute, a goal that had been threatening for a while and would have come sooner but for the heroics of Wednesday's star player, goalkeeper Keiren Westwood. Sheffield still should have won it though in an action-packed last few minutes.

In the space of 25 seconds, Wednesday hit the same corner of the crossbar twice from different players, and the unpronounceable Atdhe Nuhiu hung his Kosovar-Austrian head in shame as he headed wide unmarked from about a yard out with an open goal gaping in front of him. Shame on you, Atdhe Nuhiu.

Sheffield Town Hall: Impressive.

Game over, Neil and I shuffled out of the ground along with 23,000 others and went for a night on the tiles in the wonderful city of Sheffield with some nice ladies (our wives, as it happens).

First stop, the fantastic Devonshire Cat pub in the city's trendy Devonshire Quarter, full of bars, restaurants and independent shops. The Devonshire had an overwhelming selection of beers - 12 real ale taps and about another 12 unusual keg beers from all over the world.

The most unusual, though, and one I went to town on was probably Siren Brewery's Smoke Signals - a "dry-hopped smoked sour wheat ale" brewed in the not-so-exotic Wokingham. An acquired taste - but thankfully I did acquire one.

What better way to round off the evening but with a curry, I hear you say? Well I happen to agree. Neil took us to the other end of town to a South Indian and Sri Lankan restaurant he'd been meaning to visit for a while. And after the amazing meal we had, I can only assume its close proximity to Bramall Lane was the only reason he'd been avoiding it.

Arusuvai: South Indian/Sri Lankan Feast in Sheffield.

Arusuvai on Abbeydale Road is a delightful place, with the friendliest staff I've ever been served by and some pretty amazing food to boot. I would particularly recommend the chettinadu mutton masala, the minder pakora (deep fried cashew nuts!), the chicken kothu (minced bread-based dish), and the decadent banana-honey paratha bread. Good lord.

It wasn't long after that little lot was put away that we were on the way back to the hotel after a quick nightcap (Saltaire's Raspberry Blonde Ale, since you asked) in a nearby pub. A great day and night in one of England's best cities.

But the weekend wasn't over yet...

We still had Sunday's drive home of course, and right on Sheffield's doorstep in neighbouring North Derbyshire are the beautiful dales of the Peak District - a welcome detour from the southbound M1, the beauty starts just minutes from leaving Sheffield's industrial streets behind.

Peak District View: Rather Nice.

The Peak District is a stunning part of the country, full of stark hillsides, fields of sheep bounded by dry-stone walls, tree-lined banks of trickling becks and picturesque farmhouses and village streets fit to grace the cover of locally-sold fudge boxes.

Our lunch option was a recommended pub in the pretty little village of Edale, also the official start of the 250-mile long Pennine Way, and it was indeed rammed full of ramblers by the time we left after lunch.

The Old Nags Head in Edale is a lovely, welcoming old stone building, and yet again this weekend we were treated to some incredibly friendly service. Must be something in the water around here.

I'm not normally a fan of a carvery (after some bad childhood experiences with Mr Toby's poor efforts), but I couldn't say no when this one featured amongst its offerings a Farmhouse Pie containing chicken, gammon, steak, chorizo and black pudding.

This blog is not doing much for my waistline - but at least you read this knowing these establishments have been very extensively-researched for you, eh?

The Old Nag's Head: Edale. Sunday Carvery Wonderment.

And so, with ominous-looking clouds looming over the horizon behind the grey-green peaks and rocky outcrops, we drove south through the Peak District back towards the motorway and home. Another fine weekend of football, food, culture, city and countryside. I could get used to this 92-club lark.

Shame I've only got 10 left to do now!

With thanks to Neil Seepujak (@thejack78) & Liv Walker.

Next up: TRANMERE ROVERS 18.04.15!

No. 81: Molineux [Wolverhampton Wanderers]

Monday, 6^th April 2015

Wolverhampton Wanderers v. Leeds United [Championship] 4-3

The second game of Easter weekend and yet another trip to the Black Country to finish off the West Midlands section of the 92. This time, to the new City of Wolverhampton. New in the sense that it only gained City status back in 2000 as part of the Queen's Millennium civic present-giving exercise.

I had intended to visit the Museum of Black Country Living before the game – just down the road from Wolverhampton in neighbouring Dudley. But I picked the wrong day, it being a scorchingly hot Easter Bank Holiday, and on arrival there was about an hour's queue to get in as every family in the Midlands had the same idea.

Black Country Living Museum. Inset: Black Country Flag Merchandise.

Which was a great shame as it looked a pretty impressive outdoor space from a peek over the fence – with its reproduction of Industrial Revolution-age smokestacks, iron forges, coal-transporting canal barges and soot-stained terrace housing. Streets that would have been workplace and home to the bulk of the Black Country working class as recently as 100 years ago.

This is all gone now of course. Dudley is just like any residential suburb of a modern British city, and the Dudley canal and its narrow, blackened tunnels now carry barges whose only cargo is tourists in hard-hats, out for a day's jolly.

Black Country Heritage, Including the Dudley Canal Tunnel.

Leaving these crowds behind, I headed straight into the centre of Wolverhampton, just six miles away. There appears to be some debate as to whether or not the city centre is actually part of the Black Country, but as a few Wolves scarves I saw seemed to state that their team was the pride of it, I'm taking that as evidence of this place's inclusion in that pride-swelling region, home to Britain's industrial revolution.

There is not much particularly notable about Wolverhampton city centre, but I do have a few personal memories of previous visits.

I almost came to University here and made a twat of myself at the open day, by inadvertently belching gas from a Little Chef breakfast during the relative silence of the Dean's introductory welcome to prospective students. I almost had to flee from campus in shame.

Wolverhampton Civic Hall:
Shoe Graveyard

I also had a dozen ear drum-bursting nights here as a teenager watching rock and metal gigs at The Civic Hall in the mid-90s. At one gig, I was pogoing so intensely I lost a shoe in the mosh pit, which was then chucked on stage by some unkindly soul and never to be seen again. 

Somewhere in that Civic Hall, probably behind a threadbare stage curtain, my shoe has probably been gathering dust since 1995. But it was all locked up so I didn't get a chance to go in and have another look for it.

Wolverhampton was named after Anglo-Saxon noblewoman Lady Wulfrun, who was granted lands here by King Ethelred to build a monastery in 985 AD.

A statue of the good Lady Wulfrun stands in front of the beautiful church of St Peters in the heart of the city. Unfortunately these days her pedestal is flanked by a legion of drunken, hobo ne'er-do-wells, one of whom asked me what the fuck I was looking at when I was taking a few pictures here.

St Peter's Church, Lady Wulfrun Statue & Anglo-Saxon Cross Shaft.

The honest answer of “I'm looking at Lady Wulfrun” didn't go down well, and I was challenged to “fucking bring it.” I really didn't want to bring it. In fact, if I was honest I just wanted to leave whatever it was he wanted fetching wherever it currently was. So I slinked off to get some food.

Not much was actually open though. I had hoped to sample some Punjabi food, given the large Sikh population of Wolverhampton (9% according to the 2011 census. I wonder if they were attracted here because of all the orange flags waving around Molineux?). I didn't find anything specifically Punjabi but I did find one Indian restaurant open – the jovially-named Johnny Spice.

Johnny Spice: Wolverhampton.

It was a buffet affair, never my favourite mode of dining, but it wasn't too bad. The Chicken Tikka Masala in particular, something I wouldn't normally order, was a delight washed down with a Salt Lassi.

After a quick stop for a pint in the yellow-themed YOLO bar nearby, it was time to make the 10-minute walk from the city centre down to the very impressive cathedral of football that is Molineux.

Molineux has been Wolves' home since 1889, but the oldest section of the ground still standing today is The Steve Bull Stand, which was built in 1979 and renamed later in honour of Wolves' all-time top scorer. From the outside, the glass-windowed facade of the Steve Bull Stand does make it look a little like a functional 1970s office block.

The Steve Bull Stand: Inside & Outside.

The rest of the ground was completely redeveloped in the 1990s after the Taylor Report as the most modern and one of the largest and most impressive all-seater stadiums in the country. In 2012, the Stan Cullis stand was further redeveloped into the impressive two-tier affair behind the goal together with megastore and museum, a temple of a modernity. 

The other two stands remain from the 1993 redevelopment but stand up well today.

The new Stan Cullis Stand celebrates a Wolves goal.

This is certainly one of the better English grounds not currently hosting Premiership football – and it may still yet be again next season if Wolves keep their current form going. It's certainly worthy of gracing the top-flight again, in my opinion.

The old style of having four distinct stands has so far remained, although there are plans to redevelop the Steve Bull and fill in a corner with seats. Which will be a shame, of course.

The main stand I was in is named after former club captain and 1950s England legend Billy Wright, who has his iconic statue outside.

Billy Wright Statue, Molineux.

The Billy Wright Stand also features an odd curve away from the pitch towards the centre of the stand. I was towards the end of the stand so still felt relatively close to the pitch but I do have to wonder what it would be like sitting in the middle as it does lend the ground a slight hint of 'athletics stadium' to it when you see the distance to the pitch from the middle of this stand.

The Curve of the Billy Wright Stand - Looking towards Jack Harris Stand.

This apart, it is a fine modern stadium though and the atmosphere created inside the stadium was very impressive – especially from the Jack Harris Stand who were in fine voice throughout, including their signature song about the prolific Wolves striking partnership of Sako and Diko.

Even the visiting Leeds fans, strung out across the narrow length of the lower Steve Bull Stand along the side of the pitch, were easy to hear when they struck into song – mainly about defending Leeds' own Jimmy Savile's reputation, I believe.

Molineux: Black Country Temple of Football.

It was a fantastic game to watch, especially as a neutral as the scoreline switched back and forth between the teams. 

1-0 Leeds. 

2-1 Wolves. 

3-1 Wolves! 

Time to breathe? Not Likely, Leeds pull one back 3-2...

Then with 15 minutes to go, Leeds level it 3-3! Good lord!

The scoreline may have been in the balance throughout, but the team that deserved the points never was – the home team dominated the game in a way that you wouldn't have expected given they conceded three soft goals – the equaliser being a rocket from Leeds' Alex Mowatt, but preceeded by an extremely poor own goal following a mix-up between Wolves Captain Danny Batth and his keeper.

Jack Harris Stand

Wolves came good in the end though – but they made bloody hard work of it and kept their fans guessing right to the last. But a fine bullet-like header from Edwards two minutes from time sent the golden hordes wild, and pushed Wolves back into the final play-off spot with just five games remaining.

For a neutral, a perfect game. For the home fans, a fine result but on the way out much cursing of how difficult they made it for themselves and how the Wolves always put the fans through the grinder. I think most fans of every team in the country probably think their team are the most frustrating buggers out there - and I could certainly relate to their moans!

A Wolves Attack in the 1st Half.

And so – to home, this time a relatively easy two-hour drive down the M40. Another ground ticked off on my way to completing the 92, and another game I'm glad I attended, and in a stadium I was throughly impressed with.

Bring on the next one!

NEXT UP – Sheffield Wednesday! 11.04.15

No. 23: Adams Park [Wycombe Wanderers]

Friday, 3rd April 2015
Wycombe Wanderers v. Oxford United [League 2] 2-3

A welcome return to watching my own team again this weekend, this time in the big League Two M40 derby game away at Wycombe.

But, is it a real derby? Oxford fans, I'm afraid to say still mostly refuse to accept Wycombe have equal status, despite the fact that in the last 15 years it would be difficult to argue that Wycombe have had a much more successful time of it.

Since their promotion into the football League in the 90s, Wycombe have yo-yoed between the bottom two divisions on close to a 3-year cycle, and also got to an FA Cup semi-final in 2001. Whereas Oxford haven't raised their heads to the dizzy heights of League 1 since 2001. So it's hard to justify that Wycombe aren't on-par as footballing equals these days.

Sadly, I've been unable to convince a Wycombe fan to tell me what they make of the rivalry. That's the first time in 20 grounds I've visited this season for this blog that I've been unable to interview a fan of the home side. Shame on you, Wycombe.

I'm especially disappointed that former Doctor Who Colin Baker - a regular at Adams Park with his own column in the local rag - was unavailable for comment.

Relying instead on the 2012-13 football rivalry survey, it reveals that Wycombe hate Colchester and MK Dons more than Oxford, apparently. Answers on a postcard.

Either way, being only 23 miles down the road from each other, I think both sets of fans in this game are probably just unwilling to admit the truth that they love to get the better of their closest geographical Football League rival.

Assuming then that this IS a local derby that both sets of fans care about secretly - I was in for quite a day out of pretending to not care about smashing the filthy Chairboy scum on the pitch.

From a quick scour online there didn't seem to be much in the way of cultural attractions in High Wycombe. There was Disraeli's old Victorian pile Hughenden Manor just up the road. But I didn't fancy that, and otherwise Wycombe town centre is a reasonably generic old market town with a few regency and Victorian buildings and a couple of modern shopping centres - but nothing exceptional.

So I decided to focus instead on having a few quiet beers in a nice quiet pub, such as The White Horse on West Wycombe Road.

The White Horse at Wycombe - Scuzzy.

This is a delightful watering hole on the way to the ground from the town centre, and although in need of some refurbishment (it's extremely scuzzy), and an interesting reputation (it featured on a TV show called "Britain's Toughest Pubs") it's a great pre-match stopover (well, it's on the way).

Boasting a selection of real ales (real in the sense they exist, as fizzy keg lagers only), varied food selection (salted AND dry roasted nuts; pork scratchings on application), and features non-stop live entertainment (nudey lady strippers).

Adams Park is about a 20-minute walk away from here, and so after a few beers and sights to make your eyes water (and that's just the pork scratchings), we trudged off through the Desborough residential estate towards the ground.

Nawty Local Youth Firm.

Wycombe is a funny place - it's set amongst some of the most affluent parts of the UK, but the town itself actually contains some heavily deprived areas - indeed the district was rated the "4th dirtiest" in the entire South East of England in a 2007 GMB Union Survey. And I can tell you that after the filth I saw in that pub I can only agree with GMB.

The residential area that you walk through to get to Adams Park on first impression doesn't seem particularly run down, but this is apparently a notoriously deprived predominantly Muslim and south Asian area.

Walking to the ground we ended up amid throngs of residents having just left the Mosque for their usual Friday prayers - and we felt a little incongruous amongst the pious, skullcap-clad Muslims in their traditional shalwar kameez, ourselves slightly drunk and on our way to the football. It was certainly an odd backdrop to the strip-pub on the community's doorstep.

The walk to Adams Park: Dreary.

Adams Park itself is after the end of this residential area right on the edge of the town, down a long, long road containing the Sands Industrial Estate. And my goodness it is a long and dreary trudge down to the ground along Hillbottom Road.

Despite the local spice, I'm trying not to be too unfair to Wanderers and give each club in the 92 a fair crack on this blog. But Adams Park from the outside is a particularly uninspiring sight as you reach the end of the industrial cul-de-sac and emerge within eyeshot of The Chairboys' home since its construction in 1990.

Adams Park from the outside: Like a Leisure Centre.

I'm always surprised not to be greeted by Gordon Brittas as I try to enter the ground, as the main stand facing the approaching visitor looks more like a new-town leisure centre past its best than anything else.

Roasted Hog Disappointment: "There's only one R in Tariff".

Today's pre-match at the ground was meant to feature a beer tent and a special hog-roast to sample for the Easter weekend - sadly this was something of a disappointment.

The drizzly rain seemed to have dampened the bank holiday spirit and the beer tent was all but packed away by the time we got to the ground.

The roasted swine was also down to its bare bones and the crackling and apple sauce had already run out. But that didn't stop the miserly bastards trying to serve us a dry, under-filled bap of scrag-ends for the same money, did it?

I still had one, of course. Just grudgingly.

Inside the ground, Adams Park isn't quite so bad a sight - in fact the two-tiered, 5,000-capacity Frank Adams stand, sided into the hillside opposite the much smaller Main Stand, is a pretty decent affair.

Frank Adams Stand: Decent.

And for the away fans, housed in the stand behind the goal to the left of the Frank Adams stand, is also a decent single-tier effort, holding around 2,000 and usually close to packed whenever I've been here with Oxford, creating a decent atmosphere and carrying the sound of the singing travelling support well.

The Panache Stand: Housing the 1,600 Oxford Fans today.

It's just a shame about the other two stands really. I mean, fair enough, the home terracing in the main home end (currently named the Bucks New University Stand) would be welcomed by many fans these days, able to stand at a game rather than forced to sit down in bland all-seaters. So I'm sure Wycombe fans are happy to sacrifice a bit of aesthetics for the chance to stand at games.

But the 1,267-seater main stand, and currently rather clumsily-named Beachdean Farmhouse Dairy Ice Cream Stand, is a bit small, and a bit rubbish for a 'main' stand of a Football League club.

"Beachdean Farmhouse Dairy Ice Cream, give us a song - Beachdean Farmhouse Dairy Ice Cream, give us a song!"

Mind you, it did make a few laughs in the away end when myself and a couple of others tried to call out the occupants of the poorly-named stand to 'give us a song' in the traditional manner. Try and fit that around an iambic pentameter.

The game itself was an absolute cracker, and I'm sure any neutrals in the ground would have agreed. Whether Colin Baker would agree is another matter, given Wycombe were 2-0 behind after 22 minutes and playing catch-up for the rest of the game. 

But it was still end-to-end stuff from start to finish - and the home side having by far the better record this season and chasing promotion, were always in the game and threatening to shave three valuable points from relegation-threatened Oxford down to just the one. 

An Oxford attack in the 2nd Half.

Twice Wycombe came back to within a goal of levelling the game - first just after the re-start when they came out of the blocks second half raring to go against the visiting upstarts from up the M40. 

1-2 - game back on. Would unpredictable Oxford manage to hold back the resurgent Chairboys? Yes. Yes they would. On the hour mark Kemar Roofe slotted home a scuffed shot from a Danny Hylton cross into the box after some great work down the wing by man of the match Danny Rose - and boom - it was 1-3 to the visitors.

One particular fan in the home end was absolutely delighted with this.

Oxford's 3rd Goal: Delighted Fans.

Of course, there was always time for the Oxford fans to bite their nails a bit, and in the 89th minute Wycombe made it 2-3 when Aaron Holloway slid a shot into the bottom corner of the goal from inside the six yard box. And then we had another six minutes of added time. Squeaky bum time for the yellow quarter of the ground, unexpected hope of an audacious comeback for the three sides supporting the blue quarters.

Looking Towards the Bucks New Uni Terrace.

But it was not to be - Oxford clung on and now on 49 points, this season that should be enough to guarantee them safety and do their bit to ensure the M40 derby gets at least two outings again next year. We just need Wycombe to do their part now and not go up.

Only in the name of giving this pubescent derby rivalry a chance to develop - obviously.

Next Up - WOLVES! Monday 6th April.