Hertford Town

Friday night football, in the extra preliminary round of the FA Cup no less, Hertford Town against Newport Pagnell Town. As an added bonus the FA Cup was going to be on show! How could I refuse?

This was my third visit to Hertford Town, the previous ones both being with Dulwich Hamlet, the last being when they knocked us out of the FA Cup in 1991/92. From memory the ground has changed very little, and is a nice venue.





This rather worn sign pointed the way from the town centre.



A neater one at the ground itself!



This path/road leads to the ground. Vehicles can and do come down here.



I'll bet a few supporters' coaches have come (un)stuck here down the years trying to cross this bridge!



Having crossed over this perimeter wall is down the side of the pitch. These turnstiles are not used.



This leads up to the car park behind the goal.



Here we are further along, from the other direction. You can see the roof of the covered terrace through the trees.



This is the main turnstile.



The smart sign says 'The Stable End'...



Because past the car park is a farm...



And a nice back drop of the train viaduct...



And here are the actual stables!



Time to enter the ground itself.



Here are the turnstiles from inside.



First glance we look across the pitch to the open side.



And to our right is the covered end.



Behind us, as we came in, to the left of the turnstiles as we entered, is the toilet block.



Ahead, which is the direction we are going to take, is open hard standing, leading the the clubhouse and main stand.



This is the bar.



And there, by the side of the stand, is the FA Cup!



In between the bar and the stand is a shed that is the club shop.



The most famous domestic trophy in the world.



Now we are going up into the stand.



This is the tunnel below, with the dressing rooms under the seats.



From up in the stand we look back to the Stable End.



Pitchside, to see the dugout.



And the visitors' one.



And a frontal look at the stand.



From up in it we look back down to the part of the ground we have already covered.



And directly down on the FA Cup.



Back up in the seats, a view across the stand. Note those rows at the back..can you spot something strange? Think about it...I'll let you know later!



This is the press area at the back.



Here we are above the tunnel.



And here we see the mix of seats. Clearly added as an improvement to the old wooden benches, still in place behind them.



Now we look onwards, to the rest of our journey around.



But not before another look up at the stand.



We head towards the open corner.



Here we are now, at pitch level.



Glancing back, we see the visitors on the pitch having their photo taken with the Cup.



Through this open gate in the corner is a field, an overspill for the car park.



Parked in it is the visitors' minibus.



Back in the ground, we go behind the goal, just tidy standing in the open.



From here we look back to the stand.



And continue towards the corner.



Stopping to take another picture of the stand, with the goal in shot.



The away team warm up in the corner.



A 'corner flag' photo, main side in the background.



Here we look back behind the goal.



Before walking on down the open side.



There is some old terracing in the middle.



It looks as though it may have had a roof once upon a time, at a guess, but many moons ago...



In decades past I would guess quite a few regulars would have stood here.



It is directly opposite the main stand.



Here is another good look at it, from the other side.



Past it is some overgrown grass, with this strange metal barrier all on its own.



Onwards towards the corner, and to the Stable End.



Here it is, with more photos with the Cup being taken.



Now we are the turnstiles we saw when we first saw the ground from the outside. Biult for groundgradings I'd guess, and hardly ever used.



For future building work presumably. What they plan do to I haven't a clue, they could have been here for years for all I know.



This is a superb bit of covered terrace.



Another 'corner' snap.



And closer to the terrace now.



Why they need the yellow paint, no doubt ordered by the local 'health and safety' brigade, well only they would know. Pointless!



Here we are right under the cover.



And from here we look over to the stand.



This view has the bar in it as well.



Another look back, almost the same angle of when we arrived.



The club website publicised on the side of the bar.



Not the biggest, but cosy enough.



And this is the FA Cup once more.



There were a number of groundhoppers at the match, including these two Kempsterites, Aggedor & Over The Top.



Remember that poser about something being unusual about the stand? It was the back row. Sure, there are seats, but not enough room to sit in them! But it was enough to fool the ground graders at a guess!



Almost kick off time, the FA Cup now taking centre stage.



My last snap is one of myself....well it's every day you get the chance to be seen with the FA Cup!