Lordswood

Lordswood play in the Premier division of the Kent League. If you're wondering where it actually is, well it's on the edge of Chatham, & also a bit awkward to get to, if you don't drive. There is a bus from the centre of town, but it's another ten to fifteen minutes walk from there to the ground, which is part of a multi-sports complex.

I took these photos last season, when I saw the Dulwich Hamlet youth team (Academy one) lose to Chatham Town 6-5 after extra time in the Kent Youth League cup final, having been four up early in the second half. Shocking!



This is the large social club, which you see as you arrive. Behind this building are a number of secondary football pitches, the main one is beyond that.



This is the car park, walk on ahead for the ground.



As I mentioned, a multi sport complex. The local egg chasers..



The summer brigade...



And,well, we are quite close to the Channel...so why not this lot too?



As we head to the entrance their 'pitch' is on the left.



You would have though some obscure French beer, rather than Carlsberg...



Continue along the path...



Turn right when you reach the sign...



And up the path to the turnstile.



Here we are...



In the ground, & the first thing you see is the tea bar.



Changing rooms to the left of hte path.



At last...the pitch!



Behind us, to the right, we can see the other pitches over the fence.



But in this corner, behind the goal, is the open hard standing, and the changing rooms.



From in front of them we look down the main side, a step of terracing, and the covered seating.



But we'll come to them later. We are going round the ground in a clockwise direction. Here, behind the goal, we see the small sized all-weather football courts to our left.



Hard standing all the way along behind the goal.



From here we see the stand along the side.



In the other direction is a totally open side, with the dugouts over there.



Another look at the stand, from the other side of the goal.



Hard standing continues to, and around, the corner. The open fields beyond are the rugby pitches.



Simple hard standing down the full length of the open side, as we start to head along it.



A quick glance back behind the goal before we do.



And a 'corner flag' shot, seats as the backdrop.



Moving along, we head toward the dugouts.



A bit worn, but still smart, in club colours with the crest on the side.



Between the two of them, on the halfway line, looking across the pitch to the seats.



Past the dugouts it's more open hard standing to the next corner.



All the way to the end.



Behind the goal there is no area at all for spectators, making this a thre sided ground.



Before I nip across, I try to take a picture back down the open side, but the setting sun is a bit of a hindrance!



The next corner flag shot.



Halfway across the 'void area' I stop to take another shot of the stand.



At the next corner we look back to the 'dead end'.



Down the last, main side, it's more open hard standing, & more sun directly into the camera!



Moving along we can see through the glare the stand.



Here I take a snap of it, with the sun being blocked by the roof.



Turning back round we have a clearer view of the open part.



Three rows of seats in the stand.



From the back row we look across the pitch.



At the other end of the seats we look down the stand.



Similar shot, but a bit nearer to the front.



Past the stand, on our last part of the ground, is the only raised step to stand on, as we are almost back at the turnstile where we started.



Looking back from the other direction, with the sun behind us.



And the changing room block, looking toward it.



Our last shots are from on the pitch at half time. The main stand.



Dugouts opposite.



And the centre of the stand, with the club name above.