Lingfield

I popped into Lingfield in May 2010, & it is a basic Sussex County League Division One ground. I was happy enough to stop off here, as I wanted to see what the ground actually looked like. You see I had been here once before a few years ago, for a Surrey Premeier Cup tie, when Dulwich Hamlet Reserves visited, to play them. But the place was shrouded in heavy fog, & I could barely see the touchline on the other side of the pitch, never mind the goals!




A smart sign on the main road, by the ground. It looks smart, but the year is wrong. They were formed in 1893 NOT 1883!

They share their facilities with the cricket club.

This is the car park at the ground, you can see the modern club building straight ahead, which houses the changing rooms and clubhouse. The turnstiles are on the right.




This is the way into the ground.




There is hard standing along the side, the bar is just past the green mesh.




Looking the other way is the open hard standing behind the goal. We're not walking along here, heading instead, clockwise, toward the clubhouse.




The only cover is the overhang from the clubhouse, with no stand, but some picnic style tables outside.




The way in, for players & officials.




Under the cover, looking toward the far end.




The board for team line-ups, on matchdays, by the closed clubhouse doors.





Past the building is the railed off 'players tunnel', & the dugouts in front.




The 'tunnel' from on the pitch.





One of the dugouts.




Stepping onto the pitch we look at the club building, & the main spectator area in front of it.




The hard standing continues behind the dugouts.




The view over the halfway line.




Moving on the fixed rail & hard standing goes on to the corner.




From the corner we glance back down the side we've just covered.




Behind the goal it's just railed, no concrete all. Due to the sharing with the cricket, the rail looks temporary, for the winter game.




Walking behind the goal we can see the main cricket square, protected by netting, further along.




At the next corner now, I'm intrigued to know how the pylons affect the cricket.




An angled 'corner flag(less)' snap, with the main side in the background.




Moving along the side you can now clearly see how the cricket & football overlaps.




Over the pitch, all the facilities over there.




Past the artificial wicket, toward the next corner, note the cricket nets, top left.




Now at the end where we began, from the other side of the ground. Hard standing here, as it doesn't encroach onto the cricket playing area.





Turning to see down the very open touchline.





The car park behind the pathed end.




Home stretch, to the turnstile where we began.




A last look at the pavilion, from behind the net.




A final look here, with the dugouts in the picture.




And out we go, through the gate.