Dalry Thistle; Scotland

I visited the Dalry Thistle ground during my trip to Scotland in late May 2010. They play in the Ayrshire League. It was one of the awkward to find entry to, bearing in mind I don't actually break into grounds, bt find 'gaps' into them! And eventually I found a tight gap through an outer hedge!



This is the main turnstile entrance. It wasn't where I got in, but for the sake of this tour it is where we shall begin.



Some concrete steps lead down to the pitch. We are behind one of the goals, and at this end is grass banking, with some terracing at the front. We are going to head along it, going round the ground anti-clockwise.



At the front we look left and see the open terrace along the side, with one of the dugouts over there too. As is traditional for Scottish junior football, the two dugouts are opposite each other.



Looking the other way we see a brick building, which I presume to be the changing rooms, maybe a social club too, though not all junior clubs actually have them. And what looks like a stand beyond it. Actually a covered terrace. Not that many Scottish junior grounds actually have seating. I have no idea why.



Looking down the touchline, a bit tight at this corner.



The hard stadning widens as we move along.



Presumably this gap is where the players enter the pitch.



Past the modern brick structure is a small section of terrace, with a turnstile behind it.



Here we are now at the covered terrace, looking a little neglected, but still proudly in their colours, emblazoned with the club name.



A nice shot from the front, with the dugout.



The club name stretches along the back, with the roof looking as though it's been patched up more than once or twice!



At the back we look down the terrace.



Here we turn right & look down the rest of it.



From behind the dugout we look over the pitch to the open terrace side.



Beyond the covered area is a small training area.



Training lights pointing down, and some old, disused terrace in the ocrner. I am left wondering if this used to be more substantial, but was flattened to make the practice patch?



Nothing behind the goal at all, at quick first glance...



Before we move round there we look back at the cover.



Clearly there WAS some decent terracing here once, judging from this corner & the old railings.



From the look of this it once extended behind the goal, now grassed over?



From this end we look over to the covered terrace.



Here we look directly down the pitch to the other end.



To our right is the open terrace down the other side.



Up in the corner is an old, demolished, former entrance, at a guess.



From up by the brickwork we look along this side, with the steps of terrace at the front.



Here we glance back behind the goal, training lights in view, so this area must have been cleared at some stage in the past.



At the bottom of the pylon is some of the old terracing.



Judging by the position of the railing I would assume the touchline used to extend further along, before they created a small training area behind the goal.



Now it's time to move on, looking over the pitch, from the open terraced side.



A similar shot.



Now we look along the terracing. Nothing wrong with it, if you trad carefully. But without a doubt it would have been condemned by the fabled 'health & safety police' south of the border.



Moving along, toward the dugout on this side.



Behind it, we look over the pitch.



And here it is, from the front.



Moving along to the corner where we started.



The terrace curves at the corner.



Here we are at the bend.



Turning back we look along the open terrace.



In the corner, behind the goal now, we see over the pitch to the covered terrace.



Back at the entrance where we began, to conclude our tour of Merksworth Park.

Bocholt VV; Belgium

I had the 'pleasure' of visiting Bocholt VV on 22nd November 2009. I say 'pleasure' because I was there to support UR Namur, who I have yet to see win, despite having seen them five times now, & we were leading this match 3-2! Gutted!

This was one of their longest trips, in the regional third division, thankfully the weather held off, but on the way back the rain came in & we were buffetted by wind on the motorway. As someone who doesn't drive I was a very nervous passenger. But I was extremely grateful to my good friend & host Nicolas Lucas for taking me there.



As we got to the ground there was this second pitch next to the main stadium.



It had a stand on the far side.



Car park behind the goal.



Here we look down the open side of it.



And here we are at the stand.



Simple wooden benches in it. No idea what the sign says!



Nor this one!



I was wondering if this was a previous First Team pitch, that pre-dates the adjacent current one, where we are heading to?



Behind the stand we have just seen is another pitch, with a small bit of shelter here.



Dugouts on the far side.



Now to the main ground. This is the ticket booth/turnstile entrance. (Apologies, a few snaps came out a little blurred)



A sponsors board was next to it.



The first place we headed for was the clubhouse, which was on a first floor level, above the seats.



League tables & results on the wall.



Back outside, from the top of the steps leading up to the clubhouse, you can see parts of the ground are quite open.



This is the covered terrace on the far side, where we stood for most of the game, so ratherv than start from the entrance to the stadium, we are going to start our tour clockwise from this spot.



The covered terrace continues for most of the central length of this side.



From this side we look over to the main stand, you can see the glass fronted clubhouse above it. A bit like Champion Hill!



Almost at the end of the covered terrace.



Past this is some open terracing, & the electronic scoreboard in the corner.



As you can see, it's half time.



Here we look back along the open terracing.



A corner flag shot, with the main stand behind.



Behind the goal is open hard standing.



From behind the goal we see the size of the covered terrace.



Moving along you can clearly see the clubhouse behind the stand, the changing rooms being at ground level.



Almost at the corner where we came in.



The football thing 'raises up' in half, & is a club shop! Before the game it was in the open area past the entrance selling its wares. I was going to buy some things at half time, and was gutted to find it already shut!



From the next corner flag we have the covered terrace in the background.



Open standing leading up to the main stand.



From this side we look behind the open goal, & it's bank of advertising, which is always popular over the Channel.



In front of the main stand, looking up into it.



Tunnel in the centre.



Uncovered seats for dugouts at the front.



Here we look across the seats.



The view from the back.



Second half about to start.



Barrier across the front, to block off the dugout area.



Looking over to the covered terrace.



Looking forwards, to the other open end, with another bank of advertising.



Past the stand it's open hard standing to the corner.



Another corner flag shot, looking over to the covered terrace side. If you look carefully to the left of the cover you can see my Dulwich Hamlet Union Jack!



Open behind the goal, similar to the other end.



Posts supporting the hoardings get in the way a little.



From behind this goal we look back at the stand.



Past the other post we glance at the covered terrace.



Getting closer to where we began our circuit.



Almost at the last corner, we look back behind the goal.



This completes the set of corner flag shots!



Some steps of terracing lead up to the covered area.



Behind this terrace is another basic pitch.



With it's own basic bit of cover!



Another angle of it, from the rear.



Back on the open terrace,complete with broken slab.



A bit of goalmouth action.



The main stand in the background, as it slowly starts to get darker.



Empty at the end of the match.



Floodlights on.



A final look at the covered terrace.



A last glimpse of the ground, as we leave.