Hoppers do it Anywhere
Plan B-B This weekend sees us in Lancashire for a visit to Bamber Bridge Football Club. Originally, I was due to visit Bolton Wanderers for their game against Stevenage, but the game was rearranged due to international call-ups. With train tickets already booked, The Toughsheet Stadium instead became tough shi… well, you get the picture….
From Pancakes to Barm Cakes This week, we travel to Rochdale for a National League game versus Woking. Spotland is a ground I have attempted (and failed) to visit twice previously. With the weather the way it is, I truly hope it isn’t the third time I can’t see Spotland, so I have kept my…
The Final Furlong This weekend sees us heading to Cheltenham Town’s Whaddon Road via a relocated Hoppers Guide HQ. A visit to see family and friends in Uttoxeter for the weekend, and of course, a trip to a new ground thrown in along the way. Ironically, Uttoxeter and Cheltenham are both renowned for horse racing,…
Class of ’92 – A ’25 Update This week saw us heading to Greater Manchester for a League Two game between Salford City and Accrington Stanley. Think of Salford City and you inevitably think about United’s ‘Class of ’92’ and their takeover in ownership of the club. Brothers Phil and Gary Neville, Paul Scholes, Ryan…
Chester-Field-Trip This Saturday we are travelling south, to North Derbyshire for the game between Chesterfield and Barrow AFC. The game is part of the restart of the Football League, with both League One and League Two kicking off their seasons. Unfortunately, I never got to visit Chesterfield’s old ground, Saltergate, and I really wish I…
Change of Plans Spennymoor Town versus Stockport County wasn’t my original plan for this weekend, but what a great substitute! Discovering the cancellation of Morpeth Town‘s friendly against Hartlepool United on Thursday, I did what any self-respecting Hopper would do – grab my phone and load up the Futbology app. It didn’t take long for…
A Giant Axe to Grind Lancaster City play in one of the more interesting ground names in the UK… the Giant Axe. How did that name come about? I’m looking forward to doing a little research and finding out the answer to that and other things. Discovering the history and strange little facts is part…
Bring Me Sunshine Morecambe and Wise were a comedic duo that I grew up with, and John Eric Bartholomew hailed from this week’s destination. Born in Morecambe on May 14th 1926, Bartholomew changed his name to that of his hometown on the northwest coast of England, to form one of the UK’s best-loved comedy duos,…
A Double Game Weekend I have visited North Shields before but with the FA Vase games starting to spread out over the country, the closest and easiest game to get to was here, at the Daren Persson Stadium. It would be the first fixture of a rare double-game weekend for Hoppers Guide! Tickets for Rangers…
Fleetwood Mac and Back This weekend saw us heading to Fleetwood Town’s Highbury Stadium, not to be confused with the old Arsenal ground of the same name. With the Fishermen also playing in red shirts with white sleeves, I had to research if there was some sort of connection between the two clubs. Apparently not……