Thursday 29 October 2009

Steyning Town

The only time I saw a game at Steyning Town was way back in 1981/82, for an FA Cup match with Dulwich Hamlet. In early August I jumped on a bus from Brighton to take some photos of this Sussex County League Second Division ground. I was surprised not so much that it hadn't changed in that time, but it was exactly like I remembered it!



This is the building near the entrance of the ground.



The way in is by the building further along in the background.



The path inside is to the side of the bar. We turn left, and are going to stroll round clockwise. There is this small area of cover.



The other three sides are very basic, as you would expect at this level, and is just railed off. Which you can clearly see, as we look behind the goal.



The bench, under the cover where we are standing, has a small memorial plate on it, in tribute to a club stalwart.



On the rear of this shelter is the ground name.



Behind the goal is some hard standing.



From the corner we look across the pitch.



As we move round we see both the club house, and the covered area. It was between the two where we came into the ground.



The railing is not complete behind the goal, presumably this is temporary, and it is railed off properly during the league season.



As you can see here it continues again to the corner, and along the far side.



Here we look back along this end. The white buildings in the right hand corner appeared to be the changing rooms.



From this part of the ground we once again see across the pitch.



It's railed off down the far side, but no more hard standing under foot, just grass.



A view over the pitch, to the seats in front of the bar.



There is a small patch of concrete here, I'm not sure why, possibly an old dugout area? Anyone know?



But the rest of the way along it's grass and wonky railings.



Once more a corner flag shot.



Behind the goal now, an old roller, and hard standing.



From behind the goal we look back down the open touchline.



Another of my favoured angles, with the goal in shot, looking over to the main side.



Moving further along, we see more hard standing, down towards the built up part of the ground.



In the corner, behind the corner flag area, was this old fallen tree. Not what I expect to see in a ground, but it caught my eye.



As we move round we look back to the end we've just walked from.



And then we reach the buildings. I'm not sure if this first one is still in use, or just a storage area.



Here are the dugouts just beyond it.



This is a fading old sign, on the building we just saw. But I am guessing the club may no longer be in existence, but I'm only basing that on the age of it.



Now we reach the bar area. Some tables and chairs in front. And you can see the overhang, which is the seated area for the football.



Not so much proper football seating, as a collection of chairs. Which brings us to the end of the building, where we came in, and where we are now leaving.



1 comment:

Anonymous said...

It was a very hard times plus a lot of work to keep Steyning Town FC going in those days .NO one to help on money