Tuesday 25 October 2011

Holmesdale

Holmesdale play in the Kent Hurlimann League Premier Division. Their ground is basic, and their stand has to be seen to be believed. But give me one like this over a modern identikit Atcost one anyday! Though that's what it will eventually be replaced with...

Despite being based in the outer London Borough of Bromley, this ground could quite easily fit into the middle of the countryside, it is hard to imagine you are only a few miles from the centre of London!

I like this ground, even though it's basic, it feels 'loved', if that makes sense, despite the fact it is clearly a footbal lclub with very little money to play with.

I took these photos on 17th October 2010 at an FA Sunday Cup 1st round tie between Baldon Sports and The Lounge.



The entrance to the ground, from the main road.



The club signs, by the road.



On the right, as you walk up the path, are fields with horses in!



There is a small area for parking outside the ground.



Turnstiles, that were not in use.



Once past them there are changing rooms on the right, the corner of the pitch straight ahead.



The 'tunnel' from the changing rooms, you can see the stand in the background, on the far side.



Toward the near end, which has a small area of cover, which wasn't there on my last visit, the season before.



Past the tunnel is a bar, immediate left. down the side it is very open, just hard standing by the pitch rail.



The entrance to the bar. note the small wooden sign in front of the entrance, to the left.



Nice 'home made' touch.



Club name and emblem above the entrance to the clubhouse.



Inside the bar.



I also sneaked a snap of the boardroom, as the door was open!



On the noticeboard, just inside the entance are plans for ground improvements.



They are detailed...



But I do not think they have started work yet, though I could be wrong.



Back outside we start our circuit, down the open touchline. The grassed area behind is used as a training area.



The teams line up pre-match in front of the stand, opposite.



We continue down the side.



From here we turn right, to see the covered end.



Onward, past the training goal.



The pitch, from behind the training goal.



Almost at the corner.



Turning round I notice some balloons stuck up in one of the pylons!



Down the length of the open side.



'Corner flag' shot, over the pitch, to the stand.



Hard standing behind this goal too.



Scaffolding poles hold up the netting behind.



Behind the net.



Moving on to the next corner.



Almost there, we see along the stand touchline.



Heading there, but not before glancing back behind the goal.



Corner flag angle once more.



Heading down the side now, toward the seats.



Almost there.



Here we are. Presumably it does have a safety certificate? ;-)



Emptier, at half time.



From on the pitch you can see the dugouts at the front are actually built into it.



You can see this much more clearly in this picture.



There are steps up to the seats, by the first dugout.



A few seats on wooden planks, behind the roof of the dugout!



More rows of 'benches' in between the two dugouts.



Above the next dugout, looking over to the 'covered' end.



And back to the open end, the other way.



Over to the bar and changing rooms.



The second dugout.



Now we're past the stand, looking back up into it, by the dugout.



The hard standing continues along past it.



With the stand now behind us.



Heading toward the covered end.



Back down the touchline, as we brush past a broom!



The next 'corner flag' picture.



Now behind the goal, same hard standing continuing to the cover in the centre.



A step of terracing under the scaffold structure.



Looking at it, from pitchside.



A horse roams behind us.



I am guessing it wasn't finished yet...



A derelict caravan in the field behind.



Past the cover we are almost back at the corner where we began.



The railed 'tunnel' where we started.



Our final 'corner flag' snap, stand behind.



Now to the game, the teams about to come out, and quite a few match action shots for you to enjoy.









































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