Charlton Park RFC

This is what I call an 'opportunistic' photosnap of a ground! I was simply walking past when I saw the ground! So I couldn't resist the opportunity to have a nose, as you do!

Charlton Park play at a ground that was previously the home of Askeans.they compete in London Three South East. I was rather pleased to find out, from the sign, that they were formed in 1893, the same year as Dulwich Hamlet!



This is the entrance to the clubhouse.



A scoreboard near the pitch.



The buildings also house the changing rooms, and are quite large.



Here we look across the pitches, floodlit, but basic for spectators.



There is some old terracing down one side, a friend of mine informed me that there used to be a small stand here, when it was the Askeans ground.



Now the only seating is this bench, set back, behind the goal , in the corner, nearest to the entrance. Note the club crest on the end of it.



In memory of a loyal club servant, I presume.



Here we see the bench, near the one side that is railed off.

Bedfont Sports

I visited Bedfont Sports towards the end of the 2008/09 season, it was for an 'away' match with Southall, in the Middlesex County League Premier Division, which had been switched to Bedfont. The ground is right next door to Bedfont FC, of the Combined Counties League Premier Division. It is also across the road from one of the runways at Heathrow Airport. Which explains why the pictures I've taken are a little repetitive, but hey, it's not every match you go to where you can have low flying aircraft as a backdrop!Next season they will be playing in the Combined Counties League Division One, with definate plans for floodlights.



This is the club pavilion, approached from the road, it is both the clubhouse & changing rooms. The ground is set in a public park, & not fully enclosed.



As we enter, by the club building, & are in the ground, there is a nice tea bar area to our right. But we are going to head in the opposite direction going clockwise round the ground.
Note the chap in the blue shirt, standing. he was selling the excellent Southall programme, which put many I've seen on my travels with The Hamlet to shame.



This is the area outside the bar, which is on the halfway line area. most of the crowd will watch the game from here.



The match kicks off, with the dugouts clearly in view opposite.



Past the club building is open standing, an area cleared just behind it, but I'm not sure what is to be built here. In the background you can see the rear of the main stand at Bedfont Football Club next door.



Looking back down the touchline we see a number of spectators ignoring the 'no alcohol outside the clubhouse' rule, but good luck to them!



Towards the corner we look down the hardstanding back to the pavilion.



From here we see behind the goal for the first time, with a small bit of cover behind the goal.



More hardstanding, that cover looks more like a dugout than a 'shed'!



Or maybe a disused bus shelter! close up we see it has a bench in it. Is this the smallest stand in non-league football? ;-)



A bit of goalmouth action, with the pavilion as a backdrop.



From the corner flag we look across, with the area behind the goal in full view.



And very nice, personalised corner flags they are too!



Moving round it's more open hard standing along the far side, with the only structures being the dugouts.



This is a public park, & the ground isn't secure when there are no matches. A gentle reminder for the locals to respect the pitch.



From the side we look back behind the goal, with a passing plane, of which we will see wuite a few!



From the halfway line, in between the dugouts, we look over to the popular pavilion side.



This is as good a 'close up' I can get with my 'antique, digital box brownie!'



Further along two local spectators relax in the sunshine, having cycled to the match.




Moving on to the next corner we see the open hard standing behind the far goal. Note the footpath behind the hard standing. This is part of the public walkway in the park.




From here we look across the pitch again, for no other reason than to catch an areoplane in shot once more.



Here are the dugouts again, note what appears to be a step behind them. This is in fact the front of the dugouts which are bolted up after matches, presumably to keep local youths from doing 'undesirable things' in them! ;-)



Here we have a close up of the dugouts.



Looking across the pitch once more, both plane & Bedfont FC in view.



My favourite of all the plane snaps. This is NOT an optical illusion, they really were that low!



Now we're behind the goal...right behind the goal!



Moving towards the last corner now, the gates past the barrier are for the public park, not the actual ground. Look carefully & you will see a very low plane landing behind the trees.



Another snap over the pitch, no other reason to take it than another 'big bird' landing!



This is our last 'full frontal' look at the pavilion.



We head down the 'popular' side, back towards the building.



And to the area in front of the clubhouse where we started out.



The weather vane & club sign (Shame the clock wasn't oeprational!) gives it a lovely personalised touch.

Befont/Feltham

I've only been to Bedfont once. They play in the Combined Counties League. Can't quite recall when, but it was at least fifteen years ago for a Dulwich Hamlet Youth Team game, back when we played in the Southern Youth League.
I took the opportunity to take these snaps earlier this month when I was next door at Bedfont Sports, & groundsharers Feltham were at home. They are a mix of the start of the second half, as it was half time at my game (which kicked off late) & after the final whistle.



Here we see the clubhouse, from the road.





The turnstiles here are to the right of the clubhouse building, as you approach them.



Inside the entrance, tables outside the bar & changing room area, the players come on the pitch from this corner, I'd guess a 'tunnel' in the very corner is quite unusual, though I am sure a few other clubs enter the field of play from here.



One of my favoured corner flag angles, you can see the main stand on the far side, but we will go round the other way, heading clockwise.



A sponsored club sign on the railings.



Down this side there is only hard standing, but the grass is kept tidy enough, rather than overgrown, which shows a care for the ground.



Moving along we look across to the stand.



Past the dugouts more hardstanding, just past the dugout in the photo you can see the cover behind the goal.



Actually two seperate bits of cover, I don't know which one came first. My guess would be the smaller one, as it is directly behind the goal. Which I prefer, as it's 'personalised' with the club name on it.



Down at the next corner flag now, we once more look across the pitch.



More hard standing behind this goal, but supplimented by the two 'sheds'. Ideal if it's raining & you've just had an argument with one of your mates!



Wouldn't mind coming here in a cup tiie, we could make quite a racket banging that corrigated iron!



A look across the pitch, not to enhance the photos of the ground, just an excuse to try to catch some of the unusually low planes going past. You can spot the locals..they don't bat an eyelid! I wonder how many visiting goalkeepers have conceded here after being distracted by them?



And another similar snaps, looking directly up the pitch.



Another angle of the two bits of cover behind the goal.



Now for the next 'corner flag' shot.



Now we're heading down the side, towards the stand. I must admit when I took this shot I didn't notice the chap having a wee in the corner!



A typical small, modern stand.



A view from in front of it.



The 'directors box' in in the corner.



Here we look over the seats.



Another shot of the stand, from the other side.



With another glance back behind the covered end.



Now we're almost at the last corner, we look back down the path to the stand.



The last corner flag (not that I make a habit of 'collecting' them all!) and it's completely open at this end.



From behind the goal another view of the seats.



That would complete our tour of the ground usually, but as I was here after the game I walked onto the pitch & took shots of all four sides from the centre. Here is the main stand.



The two sheds behind the goal.



The dugouts opposite the stand.



And, finally, looking the open end, with the main building on the right.