Cove

Cove play in the Combined Counties League Premier Division. Sadly it's not a ground I've seen a game at yet, as on the day of this visit, back in February 2010, the match was rained off.



It's a bit off the main road, up this track.



There is a decent size car park when you get there though.



This is the clubhouse, to the left of the entrance.



I walked into the ground through these open gates.



Entrance booth by them.



Along this side is wide open hard standing, the dugouts ahead, on the right.



Here is the clubhouse, set back on the left.



The covered area is over the halfway line, on the far side.



One of the dugouts.



And the other one, with the gate next to it, where the players enter the field of play.



The pitch was very heavy, with rain still coming down, awaiting the pitch inspection.



By the dugout we see the goal down the far end, open to the elements. Note the groundsman valiantly working away on the pitch, his cuppa atop the dugout.



A little blurred, but the mug is from the local Rushmoor Concert Band.



Moving on, there is hard standing to the corner.



Not so much space behind the goal, also open & railed.



Here we look back down the side.



At this end it's hard standing, with a strip of grass behind.



Cover to the left, & puddles in the goalmouth.



More hard standing, leading up to the cover.



The first section is flat covered standing, the newer seats past it, but a few seats in front of the raised step.



Here it is, pitchside.



The seated area is named after Ron Brown, the late Club President.



Seats in club colours.



Going past the seating we look back at them.



Then some more cover which you can stand under, before the open hard standing resumes to the corner.



The soaked groundsman continues his losing battle to save the match.



The bar & dugouts, over the other side.



Fair enough, it's far too muddy to walk on anyway!



The Club youngsters have their own site.



From the corner, glancing back along the covered side.



This end is practically the same as the other one.



From behind here we have another angle of the cover.



Directly behind the goal.



Almost to the corner, and we can see where we came in.



Nice to see the club involved with a local hospice.



And, finally, looking down the stretch where we began our brief visit.



This is a snap from outside the ground, on the exterior wall of the ground, taken in the park behind it!

SC Radotin; Czech Republic

SC Radotin are in the top flight of the Prague leagues, another ground I went to visit on a non-matchday during my October 2010 visit. This is the fifth level of the Czech Republic football pyramid.

I couldn't see a club crest anywhere, this is the town sign, as I strolled to the area.



I walked into the ground through this gate, the huge piles show there is some redevelopment going in here.



The pitch & club buildings are to the right.



With a recent all-weather surface down to the left.



The main pitch is to the right, but the benches here face the new surface.



Here we now look at the main ground. It appears the track is being relaid, or something. The main stand is along the side to our right, but we are going to walk round the other way, clockwise.



The venue appears to be an old athletics venue. Behind the rail, with the track inbetween, we are a long way from the goal.



The grass banking curves round, with the rusting rail at the front, all the way along the bend..



A few more benches at the top.



It seems quite overgrown.



Especially as we head along the straight.



From this corner we look over to the main stand.



The backs of the advertsing haordings are badly rusted in places. They have clearly been here a long time.



Looking closely at the 'grass banking' there is actually some ancient terracing underneath.



A little clearer, if you look for it.



Directly over the halfway line.



There is a raised bit, from where we look back to the part we have covered already.



It leads to a field behind.



And onwards!



Further along it's still overgrown old terrace.



But then the next bit has been tidied up.



And now we reach the bend behind this goal.



Differing to the other end in it's 'tidiness'.



Seeing over the pitch from this corner.



And back down the side, before we move on.



we're now 'round the bend', which won't surprise you who look in regularly! ;-)



Look carefulyl & you see an old, long out of use, athletics net.



Almost behind this goal now.



Continuing on to the last corner.



Moving toward the last side, the 'tidy' terrace goes on, until we reach the stand.



Workmen busy on the track.



At the top corner of the stand & building behind.



Four rows of bench seating, with an overhang roof.



From the bottom of this end we can also see the dugouts down below at the front.



Directly above one of them.



Down below the stand this is the tunnel, in between the dugouts.



Not exactly your standard dugouts.



Back up in the seats now, this is the view to the end of them.



Almost there, you can see the bend where we started.



A patio area, just below the bar, up in this corner of the building.



A glance back across the seats, before we finish our circuit.



I'm sure this area is very popular at the warmer early & end of season matches.



The stand from the front.



A little closer, a better angle to see how much lower the pitch is from the benches.



Behind the stand this is hte main entrance from the road.



The building stretches along the full length of the stand.



Club noticeboards on the wall.



The bar area is at the end.



It is open, so we are going to pop inside.



A typical bar at a Czech non-league ground.



Old team photos adorn the walls.



This one I really liked, but it unfortunately caught a bit of reflection through the window.



This one, for our last snap from Radotin, came out clearer.