Wednesday 13 April 2011

Pollok; Scotland

Pollok are a Glasgow club, who play in Junior Football, in the Stagecoach Super League Premier Division. I visited their ground at the end of the 2009/10 season, for a cup final between Clydebank & Ashfield. Like many Scottish non-league grounds it is well worth a visit!



You can see the ground from the platform of Pollockshaws East train station.

Outside the ground is a large social club.



From another angle, moving toward the turnstile.



The players & officials entrance.



The Ashfield team coach.



Club signage at the front.



Round the corner from the social club was the turnstiles.



The way in.



The entrance from in the ground.



This is the club shop, unfortunately closed for this evening, as Pollok were not playing.



The two line-ups were pinned up.



Raffle tickets & programmes on sale. The programme was actually produced by Clydebank.



The turnstiles are in this corner of the ground, and-looking into the sun-we see a large covered terrace on the other side.



Down our side, to the right, is open terracing.



With another open terrace behind the goal to our left, which the direction we are heading.



From that end we look along the open terraced side. Note the club flag to the right of the trees.



Here it is.



Looking back at the corner, showing the clubhouse & changing rooms behind.



The players come out for the match.



From the front we look over to the covered enclosure.



The terrace, moving toward the goal.



Here we are at the back, with Clydebank flags hanging on the fencing.



You can see them here.



Now we see this end, from on the pitch.



Moving along, past the goal, going toward the corner.



Turning back as we go past the net.



The covered side is quite full.



The majority of the crowd are Clydebank fans.



Almost at the covered side now.



Right at the corner, behind the flag.



Smart Pollok club ones.



Down the side.



From here we see back behind the goal.



There is a tea bar on this side.



Under the covered terrace.



The crowd thinned out toward the other end of it, so we could see some of the terracing!



Some of the crowd from the front, at the other end.



Up at the back, toward the other open terraced end.



After the match I took some photos of the covered side, without the fans blocking the view of it! This is it, from on the pitch.



The terrace, in front of the tea bar, toward the cover.



An unusual club sponsor.



One of the dugouts at the front.



Without the crowd you can see this is a substantial terrace.



Club name proudly above it, on the roof.



This is the other dugout.



A Pollok man, who was happy to have his photo taken, while clearing up after the game!



This is the last section of covered terrace.


Now past the cover, we see it from the terrace beyond it.



Similar shot, a few steps back.



Zooming in, on this lovely dog!



And onwards, toward the next corner.



Getting closer to the open terrace behind the goal.



I can't remember this chaps name, but he was a hopper, up from Hampshire, who had family connections in Scotland. I spent a fair amount of the second half chatting to him.



Set back in this corner is this building, used to store the pitch maintenance equipment.



As well as a makeshift outdoor toilet for an Ashfield player!



A glance back along the main side.



Almost identical, but when empty, after the match.



The next end terrace, still on the side.



At the corner, across the pitch.



Now the end behind the goal.



Slightly unusual paved step terracing.



Like the other end, the goal 'eats' into the terrace.



The covered enclosure now to our right.



Open terrace opposite it the other way.



Back up the pitch, from behind the posts.



Side terrace now empty, afterwards.



Ditto, the other side.



Continuing round, the terrace ends at the corner, with a railed walkway above it.



On the curve.



The open side, packed with spectators.



From this side we look back at the lower open end.



And at this corner we see over the pitch, to the cover.



Down the side.



Behind the crowd on this part of the ground.



Across the halfway line.



As we move along we're still at the back.



At the end of this side we're almost back where we began.



Time for a proper look down this side, after the match. Here we are, back at the bottom of it.



The higher steps, toward the centre.



Now at the telly gantry.



And at the top end, which almost concludes our tour.



This is the last section of it.



On the way in I hadn't noticed this bench.



It had a memorial plaque on it.



Finally, some shots of both the match, & the post-match Clydebank celebrations.

7 comments:

Bas said...

The name of this club is often misspelled. The correct spelling is 'Pollok'. Great pics, as always!

Rabbler said...

Apologies! Now changed! the scottish non-league clubs are names I'm not really familiar with, the posts take a long time to sort out, & I'm putting it down to late night tiredness! ;-)

Reynard The Fox said...

Some lovely pictures. I especially like the shots without the crowd, gives you a real feel of the terraces. Like the celebration pics too.

Paul

Rabbler said...

Thanks for your kind words. I know 'empty' snaps sort of relicate the other ones taken, but it's nice to see what the ground really looks like when the crowds have gone. Like you, I thought the crowds under the cover didn't do the shed justice.

PtB said...

Just stumbled across this by chance while looking for something else. Incidentally, we're back there on 31st looking to lift the cup again, this time Shotts BA are the opposition. Fantastic site!

Rabbler said...

Well stumbled! Thanks for your kind words. I've got a few more Scottish grounds to add, and will be up in Glasgow later this month, back for the Queen's Park supporters Sixes, so hope to find one or two more to snap.

Emma said...

Stumbled across your site whilst looking for photos of the social club. Do you have an email I can contact you on?