Bristol Pitbulls

Bristol Pitbulls play in the third tier of English ice hockey, in the English League Division One South. Their rink is reknowned for being rundown, and it was announced that this was their last full season there, so I took the opportunity to see a Sunday game there at the end of February 2012; as I had never been there to see Streatham Redskins.

It is a strange rink, with the ice being up on the second floor. I am glad I got there before the bulldozers, even if it was every bit of a dump as I expected! ;-)

Apologies for a number of these photos being very blurred, flash photography is not allowed at hockey matched, and the lighting was poor without flash, but I hope you get a little feel of the place.

The outside of the building, the ice rink is up the stairs, to the left, above the light blue sign.

This light blue sign.

I'm sure this place was 'state of the art' in it's day.

Phew! After the climb we are inside! Through the entrance is the club shop table.

We're going to move round, clockwise. This is past the club table.

The benches, announcers box/stage and awful murals are on the other side.

To our right, behind the goal, is a bank of bench seating.

To the left is the 'canteen' end.

On our side, I think this is one of the penalty boxes.

A couple of rows of plastic backed seating past that point.

They continue as we walk along.

Behind us are the public skating lockers.

Toward the corner it's just stading by the plexi.

But then more seats appear at the bottom.

Canteen door to the left, but you can't get behind the goal at this end.

The canteen room appears open, but shut for business!

The 'view' up the ice, through the canteen glass!

On the floor above the canteen area, there is this childrens party space.

From the window up here we turn to the left hand side,

And up the ice, slightly to the left.

Still on the first floor, but along the side, is the matchday bar, which overlooks the ice. Some home fans enjoying the interval.

From up here we look over the ice once more.

Yes, the bar was dark & dingy! But any bar is better than none, as not all rinks have them...

Seventies style panelling down the steps to the ice level.

Another shot over the ice.

Leftwards, to the corner we couldn't walk round to, so we will go the long way round to that far corner spot, and 'continue' from over there.

It's not a specator area, just the benches.

And the visitors one, the other side of the 'stage'.

Here we have some platic seating, at first glance more than adequate...

But the sightlines are awful!

Probably the worst I can ever recall at an ice rink!

You might get 'lucky' with some of the seats...

Looking toward the benches end.

Here they are, clearly one of the best vantage points, as most people sat here.

Down the ice, from this end.

Same spot, turning right, to the seats where you can't see properly from.

Both sides of the rink in shot here, while the game is on.

At the back of the benches. I don't drink, the beers aren't mine!

Side angle of the benches.

'Unusual' scoreboard, in that it's projected onto the wall from a laptop!

The benches, from the other side.

Behind the plexi, from this corner.

A row of plastic seats, on this bend.

And back to the club shop table, where we began, to complete our circuit.

The two teams line up, pre-match.

One blurred atempt at some match action.

One of the Pitbulls, pre-match.

And a campaign poster, to finish, to try to save the place.

Mangotsfield United

Mangotsfield United currently play in the Evo-Stik Southern League Division One South & West.

I saw Dulwich Hamlet play here in an FA Trophy tie, back in 2002, so when I was in Bristol at the end of February 2012 I thought I'd try to get some snaps of the ground. It was a Sunday morning & nobody was around, & unfortunately their high perimeter fencing beat me, so these are a smal lselection of 'views' from outside, which I hope give you a little flavour of the place.

As I recall they were a very welcoming club, & it was a great day out.

Out on the main road, by this turnstile, is a lovely old stone perimeter wall.

Great club gates, at the entrance to the car park.

With the rest of the club title on the other one.

Club board at the entrance of the car park advertising the 'next' game, which was the day before my peek in.

Holding my camera over the wall, not knowing exactly what I was pointing at, we see the cover down at the far end, to our left, from the 'car park' side.

The main road end has this covered terrace.

A few yards to the left we get a better angle of it.

A a bit further along...

A wonky shot of the cover on the far side, where the dugouts are.

Moving through the car park, we see another turnstile, by the main stand.

This is what we see through the gate.

Zooming in on the dugouts, from the same spot.

At the end of the car park is the clubhouse. Note the path past the signage,which is the players matchday entrance.

Mandatory officia League sponsor board.

Sadly plonked on top of a nice individual one, in club colours.

The 'view' through a small gap in the players entrance gate, which I just mentioned.

Turning round this is the back of the stand area, from in the car park. From here we are going back out to the road, to look at the other side.

Another look over the wall before we do that.

Again not the best of shots, but you can just make out the covered area at the far end.

So it's past the outer perimeter stone wall.

Still outside, sown the far end, on the opposite side of the ground. Here we see the cover down at this end, from the side.

The main stand, opposite.

Across the pitch, from this corner.

The cover, up at the main road end.

Now trying to get some more pictures, from over the fence, behind the goal, here we see the cover, on the dugouts side.

Up the pitch.

And turning left, toward the main stand, with the cover behind this goal just in shot.

Good cover, but no terracing.

Same spot, but straight ahead.

Then turning the camera to my left.

Our last photo is further along this end, looking toward the main stand along the side.

Not the best set, with no way in, but better than none at all. At least I tried! ;-)