Hoppers do it Anywhere
After being thwarted by a rash of postponements, Steve Sharman heads ‘down the hill’ to watch struggling Heybridge Swifts take on league leaders Felixstowe & Walton in a game with significant implications at both ends of the Isthmian North league table. January can be a bleak month. The home of Blue Monday (not the song),…
As teams from the Football League join in this season’s FA Cup, Steve Sharman hopped on the supporters’ coach to follow the lowest-ranked team left in the competition – Maldon & Tiptree – to Vale Park, in the hope of seeing an upset against League One Port Vale in the first round. The romance of…
In his first post for Hopper’s Guide this season, Steve Sharman seeks some post-summer holiday recovery time at Woodside Road, home to the Blues of Bishop’s Stortford, as they take on Real Bedford in the FA Cup. It’s September, and it’s raining. The summer holidays are over, the kids are back at school, and it’s…
FA Vase Round 5: Whitstable Town vs. Fleet Town Back on the FA Vase trail, Steve Sharman’s route to Wembley now follows Fleet Town, after the Hampshire side earned a hard-fought win at Crawley Down Gatwick in the fourth round. The Blues now travel to the Kent coast where fifth-round opponents Whitstable Town will no…
FA Vase Round 3: Crawley Down Gatwick vs. Tunbridge Wells After edging past Southern Combination Football League leaders Hassocks in the last round courtesy of a late equaliser and some quite frankly diabolical spot kicks from the visitors, Tunbridge Wells are again drawn at home, this time against Crawley Down Gatwick. Steve Sharman talks to…
In a rare foray into the dizzy heights of the Premier League, Steve Sharman takes temporary leave from non-league groundhopping to join the prawn sandwich brigade and watch West Ham take on Liverpool from the posh seats at the London Stadium. All photographs in this article are the property and copyright of Steve Sharman. It’s…
As more games fall foul of the weather and temper any groundhopping ambitions, Steve Sharman stays a little closer to home and visits his local side, Maldon & Tiptree, as news breaks of an impending multi-million-pound takeover. Keep the Home Fires Burning The escapades of a groundhopper are rarely dull. Our hobby can take us…
FA Vase Round 2: Tunbridge Wells vs. Hassocks Following a comfortable 3-1 win over Pagham in the previous round, Steve Sharman’s journey through the FA Vase takes him back to Kent, where Tunbridge Wells are again at home – this time against Sussex side Hassocks. All photographs in this article are the property and copyright…
FA Vase Round 1: Tunbridge Wells vs. Pagham After Glebe’s FA Vase run was brought to a shuddering halt at Tunbridge Wells, Steve Sharman returns again to the Culverden Stadium – this time following the home side as they bid to return to Wembley… All photographs in this article are the property and copyright of Steve…
FA Vase Qualifying Round 2: Tunbridge Wells vs Glebe After Glebe secured a hard-fought victory in the Brighton suburbs to see off Mile Oak, Steve Sharman is now following the men from Chislehurst in the FA Vase. The next qualifying round takes him deeper into Kent, where Glebe attempt to take another step towards Wembley,…