Back to the Future
This week sees us travelling to North Lincolnshire for a National League game between Scunthorpe United and Brackley Town.
With the Iron fighting for a place in the playoffs and Brackley Town striving to stay in the division, this should be a decent contest.
Scunthorpe was one of the first clubs to erect a new stadium in the modern era, kickstarting a wave of ground builds in the 1990s.
A little bit of ‘soul’ was lost in the process, with teams (including my own, Stoke City) moving from their treasured, character-filled homes, leaving behind memories galore, to brand-new stadiums that closely resembled one another.
For me, it was the start of my falling out of love with football, and I never felt quite the same visiting the Bet365 Stadium.
They don’t even have names these days, just a company sponsor!
I rediscovered my love for the game after being released from the COVID-19 lockdown, and that’s when Hoppers Guide was born.
I’m sure there are many older Scunny fans who yearn for the Old Show Ground, but times move on, whether we like it or not.
So, let’s go back to the future, check out Glanford Park, and find out more.
The Journey
The day began with catching the 07:03 X1 to Newcastle.
Grey and overcast skies, with a chill breeze to begin the day.
After arriving at Eldon Square at 07:55, I walked to Central Station, about 10 minutes away.
The 08:35 Cross Country service to Reading arrived on time, and we set off.
We arrived in Sheffield at 10:20, leaving me with a 40-minute wait.
During the wait for my connection, a noisy train-load of Hull City fans arrived for their game at Sheffield United. They announced their presence by chanting “Sheffield’s a sh*thole, I wanna go home”.
Sorry, lads, you’ve only just got off the train and you want to go home?
Weird behaviour…
The 11:10 TransPennine Express train to Cleethorpes arrived, and we set off on schedule.
After journeying along a canal and through a whole host of wind turbines, we arrived in Scunthorpe, North Lincolnshire, at 12:10.
While I get my bearings, why not have a read about the town of Scunthorpe?
Scunthorpe
The town of Scunthorpe is in North Lincolnshire, in northern England.
It lies around 51 miles southeast of York, 27.5 miles west of Grimsby and about 46 miles northeast of Sheffield. Lincoln is roughly 28 miles to the south. Hetton-le-Hole lies 125 miles to the northwest of Scunthorpe.
Its location makes Scunthorpe a key hub between Humberside, Yorkshire and Lincolnshire.
At the 2021 Census, Scunthorpe had a population of approximately 81,286. This shows the population rising from 79,681 in the 2011 Census to 72,370 in 2001.
Scunthorpe takes its name from Old Norse origins, with ‘Skuma‘ believed to be a personal name and ‘thorpe‘ meaning a secondary settlement or village. Thus, Scunthorpe becomes ‘Skuma’s settlement‘.
Early History
Scunthorpe’s history started as a small rural village surrounded by farmland. For centuries, it remained modest in size, with nearby settlements such as Frodingham, Crosby and Ashby forming separate communities across the area.
Everything changed in the 19th century with the discovery of ironstone in the local landscape. This natural resource transformed Scunthorpe from a quiet agricultural area into a rapidly developing industrial town. Ironworks were established in the mid-1800s, and the arrival of the railway enabled the efficient movement of raw materials and finished goods across the country.
By the late 19th century, Scunthorpe had become a centre for iron production. The growth of industry drew workers from across Britain, leading to expansion. The neighbouring villages of Frodingham, Crosby and Ashby gradually merged, forming the basis of the modern town.
Steel production soon replaced iron as the dominant industry. In the early 20th century, Scunthorpe established itself as one of Britain’s key steelmaking centres. Large-scale works dominated the skyline, and the town became closely tied to the fortunes of the steel industry.
By the early 20th century, Scunthorpe had grown into a major industrial town. Its steelworks supported the employment of thousands of people and played an important role during the First World War by producing materials for the war effort.
During the Second World War, the town’s industrial importance made it a potential target, although it avoided the level of bombing seen in some larger cities. Scunthorpe’s steel production continued to support Britain’s wartime needs.
Post-War
Following the Second World War, Scunthorpe continued to develop as a steel town. The industry remained central to the local economy, with further expansion and modernisation taking place during the mid-20th century.
Over time, however, global competition and changes in manufacturing led to challenges for the steel industry. While production continued, employment levels declined compared to earlier decades.
In response, Scunthorpe began to diversify its economy. Retail, education and service industries grew in importance, while regeneration projects aimed to improve the town centre and local infrastructure.
Scunthorpe forms part of the wider North Lincolnshire area, alongside towns such as Brigg, Barton-upon-Humber and Winterton. Together, they create a mix of industrial, rural and riverside communities across the region.
Today, Scunthorpe remains strongly linked to steelmaking, with large industrial sites still operating and shaping the town’s identity. At the same time, it continues to adapt, balancing industrial heritage with modern development.
From a small village to one of Britain’s key steel towns, Scunthorpe’s growth was driven by natural resources and industry. Its history reflects the rise of heavy industry in Britain and the subsequent collapse, leaving many of our towns economically depressed.
Notable People from Scunthorpe
Screenwriter, Ryan J. Brown – Musicians, Howard Devoto (Buzzcocks, Magazine), Stephen Fretwell (solo artist), Iain Matthews (Fairport Convention), and Martin Simpson (solo artist) – Actors, Kevin Doyle, Ross McLaren, and Liz Smith – Journalist, Nina Nannar – TV producer, David Plowright –
After getting my bearings, I walked along Station Road and turned right onto Oswald Road.
A few minutes later, I found my watering hole of choice.
Blue Bell Inn
Normally, I tend to avoid Wetherspoons, as they all look the same (and the toilet is a mile away).
However, Scunthorpe isn’t overrun with pub options, and certainly not within walking distance, considering it’s a near two-mile walk to the ground.
Inside, the Blue Bell Inn is just like every other ‘Spoons, although the toilets weren’t as far away as usual.
A pint of Guinness cost me a very reasonable £3.34. This does make you wonder, how can a national chain of pubs charge £3.34 in Scunthorpe, but over a fiver in other places?
Yet another example of companies ripping people off, depending on the location and average wage.
There were a lot of children in the pub today for some reason. Maybe this is how kids are entertained these days, I don’t know.
After a couple of pints and a quick chat with a Celtic fan living in Scunny, it was time to make the walk to Glanford Park.
Scunthorpe United – Glanford Park
The 1.9-mile walk to the ground went smoothly, with a bit of sunshine now poking its head through the clouds.
One thing of note is that Scunthorpe is not the most pedestrian-friendly place I’ve been to.
There are multiple busy roads to cross and navigate, reminding me of a holiday in Florida (well, sort of…), where pedestrians are not expected, nor wanted.
This may be partly because Glanford Park was built on the edge of a large retail park on the western edge of town.
Even if you catch a bus from town, you still need to negotiate one busy road from Tesco.
Exterior Wander
Before entering, I decided to have a wander around the perimeter of the stadium.
It all looks pretty much the same, really. I walked along the east side first, known as the Mortz Stand.
Away fans are housed in the South Stand, though there was little evidence of away fans as I walked around.
On the southwest corner, I came across the club shop.
Inside, it has everything you expect, with rows of replica shirts, training gear, scarves, etc.
I bought a programme and a pin badge for a total of £8.00. I have to say the badge’s cost and quality leave a lot to be desired.
For £5.00, you receive what looks and feels like a resin 3D-printer-style badge. I know it has no metal in it because I tried to pick it up with a magnet the next day. 😂
Poor from the club.
Programme
On the other hand, the programme is okay.
For £3.00, you get 56 glossy pages of content, 20 of which are adverts. That means 40% of the content is advertising.
Actual content includes words from the manager, Andy Butler, and a Q&A with player Zain Westbrooke.
Commercial Corner gives us an insight into the clubs’ sponsorship deals, part of which is adverts in the programme, I assume…
Match reports focus on recent games against Rochdale and FC Halifax Town; a nice article on the 1925/26 season from late club historian, John Staff; On this Day shows 3 results from years gone by, including a 6-1 win over Oldham Athletic in 1955.
There are three pages devoted to today’s opposition; details of the Iron’s upcoming trip to Wealdstone; a junior fans’ section; and all the usual programme features, such as squads, fixtures/results, and the league table.
All in all, this is a decent programme, but it could be elevated by reducing the price or lowering the advert content. People aren’t interested and don’t buy programmes to view adverts. They want club information and pay for it.
Overall, a 7/10.
Exterior Wander Part II
After leaving the club shop, I continued along past the West Stand and the main entrance.
The northern end is where my ticket was valid, and I entered the turnstiles just before The Iron Bar, which had plenty of people milling around outside.
Getting In
After being searched, I showed my digital ticket to the gateman. The ticket cost £18.00 and was purchased from the Fanbase App.
It was scanned, and I entered Glanford Park.
Mortz (East) Stand
Much of the Scunthorpe ground is uniform in character.
The roofs all sit at a uniform height, and three sides of the ground are all-seated.
Another uniform characteristic is the supporting posts holding up the roofs, which can impede your view of the pitch if you get stuck behind one.
The East Stand is one of these and contains a security box to the rear.
LED floodlights stand in each corner of the ground.
AMS (South) Stand
The South Stand is where away supporters are situated.
There were just 23 (according to the guy on the public address system), making their way up from Northamptonshire.
That may be the source of much merriment to some, but I tip my hat to the hardy souls following their relegation-threatened club.
A couple of radio masts loom in the background of the stand.
Threadgold (West) Stand
The West Stand is the main stand at Glanford Park.
It contains the hospitality lounges, including the one named after England cricket legend Sir Ian Botham.
The players’ tunnel is on the halfway line, with the technical dugouts set into the stand on either side of it.
There is a TV gantry set into the roof of the West Stand, with a small opening, providing the best views in the stadium.
Britcon (North) Stand
I was situated in the North Stand, also known as the Britcon Stand or, by Scunthorpe supporters, the Doncaster Road End.
This is a covered terrace, populated by the more vociferous Iron fans.
The terrace is about 25 steps deep and gives Glanford Park an old-school feel, which I like.
Glanford Park’s capacity is set at 9,088, with 3,812 in attendance today.
The ‘new’ stadium opened in 1988, replacing the Old Show Ground, which had been the club’s home since 1899.
It was built at a cost of £2.5 million and was the first new stadium built since Southend United’s move to Roots Hall in 1955.
The record attendance at Glanford Park is 9,086 for a National League North playoff game against Chester on 18th May 2025.
Glanford Park is currently known as the Attis Arena under the latest stadium sponsorship deal.
Scunthorpe United – Glanford Park Gallery
Scunthorpe United Tidbits
The Scunthorpe United Football Club was founded in 1899.
The club played at a number of venues in the town before settling on the Old Show Ground, which would remain home until 1988.
Nicknamed “The Iron”, the club’s identity is closely linked to the town’s industrial heritage.
Scunthorpe joined the Midland League in 1912, establishing itself as a competitive side. After a break for World War I, United won the Midland League title in 1926/27 and again in 1938/39.
After that second success, the country endured another war and another break from football.
A significant milestone came in 1950, when Scunthorpe United was elected to the Football League, joining the newly expanded Third Division North.
By 1957/58, the club finished runners-up, securing promotion to the Second Division.
The club remained in the Second Division for three seasons (1958–1961), competing against some of the strongest teams in English football. Although relegation followed in 1961, this period remains one of the most successful in Scunthorpe United’s history in terms of league standing.
Over the following decades, Scunthorpe United moved between the lower divisions of the Football League. The club experienced relegation to the Fourth Division but also enjoyed periods of recovery and consolidation.
One of the key moments of this era came in 1983, when the club was relegated from the Football League after finishing bottom of the Fourth Division. However, Scunthorpe made an immediate return by winning the Football Conference title in 1983/84, becoming the first club to regain its league status at the first attempt under the automatic promotion system.
Move to Glanford Park and Modern Development
A major off-field development occurred in 1988, when Scunthorpe United moved from the Old Show Ground to Glanford Park. This made the club the first in England to build and relocate to a new stadium since Southend United did so in 1955.
The late 1980s and 1990s saw gradual improvement, culminating in promotion from the Fourth Division (Division Three) in 1998/99 after victory in the play-offs.
The early 2000s brought renewed success. Under manager Brian Laws, the club won the League Two title in 2004/05, securing promotion to League One. This success was followed by further promotion in 2006/07, when Scunthorpe won the League One title. This was their first return to the second tier since the early 1960s.
Scunthorpe United competed in the Championship during the 2007/08 season, and again after winning the League One play-offs in 2008/09. Unfortunately, the club was relegated on both occasions.
The following decade saw Scunthorpe establish itself as a regular competitor in League One, achieving a third-place finish in 2016–17, leading to a play-off appearance.
However, results declined in the late 2010s and early 2020s. The club was relegated to League Two in 2019, and further difficulties resulted in relegation from the Football League in 2021/22, ending a continuous 72-year stay in the league system.
The Present
After almost going into administration in 2023 and a winding-up order served over an unpaid tax bill, former Ilkeston Town chairman David Hilton completed a takeover.
The end of the 2022/23 season saw The Iron relegated once more, with the club now exiled to the National League North.
With ownership of the ground disputed, and an expose by The Athletic into Hilton’s criminal past, Hilton stopped funding the club. Fans rallied and raised money to pay the staff, with Hilton eventually selling the club in October 2023.
Local businesswoman Michelle Harness took over ownership, and under her stewardship, things have settled. Her first season saw the Iron finish 6th, losing to Lincolnshire rivals Boston United in the playoffs.
Things got better in 2024/25, with Scunny promoted after defeating Chester 2-1 in the playoff final.
They are currently once more in a playoff position and will be hoping for back-to-back successes, with a return to the EFL the prize.
Andy Butler is the current man in the hot seat, taking charge on 3rd May 2024.
They Played for Scunthorpe United
Graham Alexander, Mark Atkins, Nicky Banger, Jermaine Beckford, Mel Blyth, Ian Botham, Carl Bradshaw, Cameron Burgess, Jacob Butterfield, Leon Clarke, Jack Cork, Neil Cox, Andy Dawson, Shane Duffy, John Duncan, Nathan Ellington, Matt Elliott, George Friend, Hayden Hackney, Darius Henderson, Darren Holloway, Gary Hooper, Kevin Horlock, Geoff Horsfield, Keith Houchen, Tommy Johnson, Sam Johnstone, Henri Lansbury, Brian Laws, Joe Lolley, John Lundstram, Kevin McDonald, Gary McSheffrey, Jacob Murphy, Oliver Norwood, Ian Ormondroyd, James Perch, Neil Pointon, Kevin Pressman, James Quinn, Billy Sharp, Ian Storey-Moore, Ivan Toney, Imre Varadi, Neil Warnock, and Danny Wilson.
Two England and Liverpool legends made their names while at Scunthorpe United. These being goalkeeper, Ray Clemence, and the future two-time Ballon d’Or winner, Kevin Keegan.
This was an era when players grew up playing first-team football in the lower leagues, rather than being stored in a Premier League academy.
Better days, I think.
The club’s record appearance holder is Jack Brownsword, who made an outstanding 791 appearances for The Iron.
The record goalscorer for Scunthorpe is Steve Cammack, with 121 first-team goals for the club.
Representing both The Iron and my team, Stoke City, are: Peter Beagrie, Deon Burton, Martin Carruthers, Neil Cutler, Mark Duffy, Tony Ford, John Gayle, Chris Iwelumo, Neil MacKenzie, Jamie Ness, Jon Parkin, Martin Paterson, Dave Regis, Greg Strong, and Jonathan Walters.
Scunthorpe United – Pre-Game View of Glanford Park
Scunthorpe United v Brackley Town – The Game
Form
Coming into today’s game, Scunthorpe United are in 5th place in the National League.
After 43 games played, The Iron have won 22, drawn 12 and lost 9, scoring 75 goals and conceding 60.
In the last four games, they have won 1, drawn 2 and lost 1.
Most recently, they have dropped 5 points after a draw with Hartlepool United and a defeat at Gateshead.
The last victory came at FC Halifax Town at the end of March, while a draw against high-flying Rochdale preceded it.
Brackley Town lie in 21st place, the last of the four relegation spots.
After 43 games, the Saints have won 9, drawn 12 and lost 22, scoring 38 times, while conceding 70.
In their last four games, they have drawn 2 and lost 2. Draws with Braintree Town and Boston United were bookended by defeats against Tamworth and Forest Green Rovers.
Given all the above info, I expect a cagy start, with Scunthorpe eventually coming away with the three points.
Pre-match prediction: Scunthorpe United 2 Brackley Town 0
Match Summary
Usually, I would take a video of the players entering the pitch and place it here. However, at this point, I was scoffing a foot-long hot dog with onions and sweet chilli sauce.
I’m not even sorry!
£5.50 sounds expensive for a hot dog, but it was a proper, large, meaty sausage that lived up to its name and was tasty too.
On the field, Brackley were more than holding their own against the higher-placed Iron for the opening phase.
However, that changed in the 13th minute, with the awarding of a free-kick, 20 yards from goal.
It turned out to be a well-struck free-kick and the only goal of the game, which you can view in the following video.
A Scunthorpe penalty shout went unheeded by the match officials in the 34th minute.
It looked like a penalty to me, but as ever, impossible to say for sure when standing at the other end of the ground.
Chances were sparse, and the first half ended with The Iron holding a one-goal advantage.
Despite the sun being out, I have to say it was pretty chilly in the shaded Britcon Terrace. Indeed, I heard more than one mutter of “It’s bloody freezing!”
Second Half
The second half will have given the Saints’ fans a glimmer of hope, despite defeat.
Their team put in a shift, and no one can deny the effort the players put in.
At times, the home crowd were restless, as Brackley came close to scoring on a couple of occasions.
However, the Iron lived up to their nickname and were unbending.
Already safely ensconced in this season’s playoffs, there was nothing on the line for Scunthorpe other than keeping momentum going. At the other end, they were playing against a team desperately trying to avoid relegation.
The game kind of lived up to my prediction of a cagey affair, but I was too generous in allowing Scunny a second goal.
If anything, I would argue that Brackley could have earned a point.
Nevertheless, Scunthorpe took the three points and will be happy with that, as they start to eye potential playoff opponents.
You can read a full Match Report here, courtesy of the Scunthorpe United website.
Full-time – Scunthorpe United 1 Brackley Town 0
Attendance – 3,812
Entrance Fee – £18.00
Programme – £3.00
Scunthorpe United v Brackley Town – Match Highlights
League Table After Today’s Game
Up Next
Next up for the Iron is a trip to Wealdstone on 18th April, before the last regular league game of the season at home to Eastleigh.
Nobody will relish playing Scunthorpe in the upcoming playoffs!
For Brackley Town, they resume with a home fixture against Aldershot Town on the 18th. The final game will be at Carlisle United, who may decide to rest players ahead of the playoffs.
The Saints fans will certainly be hoping so!
Scunthorpe United Thoughts
I have heard people say that Scunthorpe’s Glanford Park isn’t a great place to visit.
I disagree!
While it may be a relatively new stadium, it doesn’t feel like any of the grounds that were built in the 90s.
For me, Glanford Park is not the first of the modern grounds, but rather, the last of the old-school grounds.
The terracing behind the goal adds to this feeling. The closest ground I have been to like this would be Salford City‘s Moor Lane, though that definitely feels more modern.
I was slightly disappointed that more fans weren’t present, and with the lack of away supporters, this didn’t do much for the atmosphere. On a bigger occasion, I think the Britcon Terrace could be a rocking place to watch a game.
Prices were a little disappointing, with the plastic/resin pin badge leading the list of overpriced items. The programme was decent, but it needs fewer adverts or a lower cost.
My foot-long hot dog cost £5.50, but was filling and tasty, so no complaints there.
The routes in and out of the ground aren’t very pedestrian-friendly, so bear this in mind if you are walking to the ground. I would definitely advise catching the bus back into town, as it is uphill.
The lack of decent boozers is another concern. Clearly, the economic depression has hit the local pubs hard, but the Blue Bell Inn is okay if you don’t mind the chain-pub feel.
Overall, despite a few gripes, I enjoyed my day in Scunthorpe.
If you haven’t been, put your pre-conceived ideas of the place to one side, and check it out.
Scunthorpe – After the Game
Following the final whistle, I made my way out of the ground and crossed more busy roads to get to Tesco on the retail park. This is where the bus stop is located.
From here, I caught the 17:05 #2 bus back into town, disembarking at the intersection of Mary Street and Dunstall Street, 15 minutes later.
From here, it was a five-minute walk to the train station. Here, I met my first noisy, crisp-eater of the day.
A man who had quite clearly had a few more pints than I’d had sat in the waiting room eating crisps like it was an Olympic sport.
He noisily munched his way through them before falling asleep, mouth open, but managed to keep a hold of his latest can of beer.
The 18:06 TransPennine train pulled into the station on time, and we arrived back in Sheffield an hour later.
From here, I caught the 19:22 Cross Country train to Newcastle. It was also here that I met the gold medalist of the crisp-eating contest!
Behind me, someone was struggling to keep their mouth closed as they ate, and the noise reminded me of a litter of piglets eating Hula Hoops.
I managed to restrain myself from strangling the young ‘lady’, and we eventually arrived back in Newcastle at 21:30.
After walking to the bus stop, I was rewarded by seeing my chariot home had already arrived.
I ran the last few yards, got aboard and was home by 22:30.
Another successful Hop in the books!
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Next Up for Hoppers Guide
Next week sees us return to Lincolnshire, with Gainsborough the destination.
This will be a Northern Premier League Premier Division game between Gainsborough Trinity and Prescot Cables.
Like today, Gainsborough Trinity are hunting for a playoff spot, while the visitors are threatened with relegation.
This will be my eleventh visit to an NPL Premier club, marking the halfway point in the division, which currently holds 21 clubs.
I still shake my head at the missed opportunities of years past. How many grounds could I have visited by now if my nomadic hobby weren’t such a new thing?
I recently saw that journalist Tony Incenzo completed his lifelong dream of visiting every football club in the national pyramid.
This is over 2,000 grounds and represents incredible devotion to the hobby. Especially so when you consider that Tony also goes to every Queens Park Rangers game, home and away!
I will never replicate that achievement, but it does make me wonder how many I can get to before I croak, or can’t do it anymore.
I look forward to sharing my continued adventures with you until then.
Onto the next!
