Where has summer gone?

 Saturday 29 August 2020 

 Reigate Priory 1 AFC Ewell 2 at 11am  - Netherne Amateur Sports Club, PSF

Saw this opportunity of a double and decided to make an early start to go south of the Thames - Reigate may be playing at Step 9 -however they are one of the oldest clubs in the world and were one of the 14 teams to enter the initial FA Cup. A good as reason as any to give them a visit.

The 1st team are playing at Netherne till October (because of cricket their usual home ground) but after that the clubs junior teams will continue to play here. It is basic! But pitch fully railed, and small piece of cover and brick dugouts. Pitch is in good condition but rest of ground looks like a ground that has up to recently been very overgrown.

Football wise, Ewell were much the better team, scoring on 37 and 49 minutes, Reigate did get one back on the 81st minute but they never looked like getting back on terms. After we left at 1pm to head to Kent, there were further two Reigate games on the same pitch

Snodland Town 3 New Romney 1 at 3pm - Potyns Sports Ground, PSF

Easy drive over to Kent and arrived with a hour to spare, Snodland is a basic ground, but clean, neat and looked like a new stand which has new changing rooms and possible club room at back of stand - stand was open but new changing rooms and club rooms not open till next week.. Good news was that the tea hut was open ( most locals were just buying Foster's!) So we got a tea and then sat back in the car till kick off as it felt more like November than August.

Football wise, easy to tell Snodland were from a higher level league, however New Romney had their moments - the home side did go in front from the penalty spot on 12 minutes but looked like a dive to most in the ground, but they added further goals in the 16 and 66 minute, New Romney kept trying but it was not till Snodland lost control of the game through numerous substitutions, did Romney get a goal back, however it was probably the best of the game. Just as we thought we would get a close finish, a New Romney player was sin-binned, so the game  was left to fizzle out.

No Hipster football here!

Saturday 28 October 2017, Fisher 3 Snodland Town - Southern Counties East, Div 1, St Pauls Stadium

A few years ago Fisher almost got to the football league, money being thrown at players but crowds never stood up - so in the end the club came crashing down with the stadium being sold - it stayed in place as a builders yard for a number of years.

Fisher then had to share at Dulwich Hamlet, a club with a hipster, left wing following - just a couple of stops down the trainline but the supporters background seemed miles  away as the Fisher faithful were all from close to stadium often lapsed Millwall fans. But they did have a bit in common, both want to see clubs run by the fans. So a fan run Fisher are now back on the Salter Rd, just the other side of the road and 300 metres down from their old ground.

G4 pitch, modern changing rooms, small club house - all very new but it seems to be liked by their fans, many who were introduced to football the 'old' Den - which seems thousands of miles from where we are now with the St Pauls Stadium.

The banner states it is against 'hipster' football, but with Canary Wharf as a backdrop and the trendy flats round Canada Water, maybe the club needs to attract those who would not be offended by being called 'hipsters'. The extra spectators that would bring in plus possible help on other sides of running the club could see the club increase their playing budget and they then could rise back up the pyramid and possible end up playing Dulwich as equal opponents.

Football wise today, Fisher were sitting mid-table whilst the visitors were sitting pretty in third, however the form book was thrown out of the window and the 'Fish' won easily.

I hope to be back at St Pauls, modern ground, good football but you know your in traditional football home when you hear the locals talk about the game - no hipsters here currently but I am sure they could find room for some beard wearing, Bianchi cycling, Canary Wharf working hipsters!