Ossett Albion

Ossett Albion play in the Evo-Stik League Division One North. I visited the ground at the end of April 2011, have seen a match at Wakefield FC earlier in the day.




Follow the sign.



There is a new all-weather surface as you approach the ground, on the left.



In conjunction with the local council.



To the right is the local bowling club.



And beyond that is the cricket club.



The football ground is behind the scoreboard. The open gate next to it was how I fortunately gained access. Note the small plaque to the left of the metal doors on the scoreboard.



It relates to the clock.



And now we've got the neighbouring sports out of the way it's time to see the football ground! Or 'The Warehouse Systems Stadium' to give it the sponsored title!



League sponsors board on display outside, I pesume this is the players' entrance?



As I mentioned earlier, I got into the ground though here.



Further along the outer perimeter is this disused entrance.



So going back to the gate I got in, just past it, on the left, are the turnstiles. It is from here we shall begin.



A smart board, neatly painted in club colours show the prices.



The ground is narrow on this side, just a couple of steps, & there is the tea bar here too.



Another turnstile in the corner.



From this corner we look over the pitch, the main stand on the far side.



A similar shot, but right at the corner.



Turning behind the goal we are immediately at the players tunnel.



Here we see the tunnel & changing rooms from just on the pitch.



Past them is the clubhouse.



From over the other side of the pitch wall we can spot the covered terracing past the clubhouse.



The bar is named after Peter Eaton, who played for the club in the 1970s & '80s, making over 800 appearances.



There is a patio area past the bar, & a gantried area, I'm not sure what that is.



Clambering up there we turn right, back to the clubhouse.



Still facing that way, we look along the open side, for our first decent view of it, with the cricket club behind.



Straight down the pitch.



With the main stand to the left.



Looking over the roof of the covered terrace at this end we can see that this ground is right on the edge of town, fields beyond it.



Back down on firm ground we turn back to the bar. See the white door...



It has the club crest in the glass.



Moving onward we reach the covered terrace, unusually set back from the pitch, with a lot of hard standing between the roofed area & the playing surface.



Here we look along the steps under the covered enclosure.



Now we're behind the goal, to the right we see the open side, & the dugouts.



Through the net we eye the stand.



A few steps left we now look at it without the old onion bag in the way.



Open standing to the corner, past the covered terrace.



Almost at the corner we glance back.



Presumably this is the way in, with a storage area, for the groundsman.



At the second corner.



Down the side now, open, to the stand.. Hard standing, just one shallow step forms the terrace.



Some old benches at the back increase the' seating'. The stand itself looks quite narrow.



A path past it runs at the back of it.



Here we see the seating, from just on the pitch. There is a press box at this end of it.



League sponsors sign prominent.



From this part of the ground we look back to the clubhouse end.



Now we're in the stand, Three rows of plastic seating.



The other end of it.



Looking into it from the other side.



Pitchside once more.



Moving on it's more open hard standing.



A step to form a shallow terrace toward the next corner.



in the corner is a 'traditional' open roofed urinal!



From outside the toilet we see back along the side.



The third 'corner flag' picture.



Now we're going to walk behind the lower goal. Flat, but 'stepped' upwards.



There appears to be a new step of terrace being built here, it looks very new.



Never heard of this one before, presumably started as a weekly?



Strolling onward, a small bit of cover directly behind the goal.



Here we are, three metal steps.



Under it we see the main stand, to our right now.



And the open dugout one to the left.



The cover, from on the pitch.



Past the roof it's open hard standing once more, to the final corner.



From the corner you notice the gradient of this end much more.



The last corner shot.



Two steps of terrace run along the side.



The old entrance, now a fire exit, which we saw before we came into the ground. Dugouts just past it.



You won't see much from behind them! not your usual ones either, as they are both together, built into the same structure.



From this side we look over to the main stand.



The dugouts, from in front of them.



A little closer to them.



A nice 'homely' touch, with a box for the substitution boards.



Past the dugouts, back on the spectator side, we head toward where we began our tour.



Here we are, almost at the corner.



The turnstiles where we started.