Tuesday 24 May 2011

Featherstone Lions

Featherstone Lions are an amateur rugby league side, whose ground I saw when passing on a bus. On the return journey I made a point of going there to take some pictures..wel lwho wouldn't eh? ;-)

It is very basic, spectator wise, but apparently this isn't unusual for amatuer rugby league clubs, with the emphasis being on a good social side.



From the main road there is a big car park at the front, the pitch is beyond it, with the club building to the right.



The club name is set in stone, at the brickwork entrance.



As is the ground name, on the other side.



The clubhouse & changing rooms, with an outdoor patio area in front.



The ground is simply railed off, but it is floodlit. This is the area behind the goal, at the clubhouse end.



Open all the way round, down this side there is a grass bank all the way along, which creates a good vantage point.



You can see a brick dugout further along.



Here we are, on the bank, behind it.



Looking directly across the pitch we see the other dugout opposite, with a small shelter next to it as well.



The dugout from the front.



Glancing back to the clubhouse end.



Moving on, it's still grass banking to the corner.



That's this corner here.



Open behind the goal, fields beyond. I dread to think how cold & windswept this place is in midwinter!



From this spot we see back along the grass banked side.



Behind the posts, up the pitch.



At the next corner now, one side to go.



Again very open, just railed off. There is a second pitch to the left.



It is also railed off.



Well some of it!



Back to the main pitch, we are now at the other dugout, with the small bit of cover by it.



Here they are from the front.



Any cover is better than none, of course, but I can't see you getting much protection under this in a heavy downpour.



Moving on past the 'bus shelter' & the pitch rail continues to the end.



Almost there, we can see the car park where we began.



Behind the goal, which we saw from the other side earlier.



Clubhouse & changing rooms, railed 'tunnel' to them.



Another building with money well spent from the Lottery.



Outside was this messy bin for cigarettes!



3 comments:

steve said...

Hello there i think this is quite a good idea just one small problem. Why is it nessasery to slate the ground on a weekend this ground is full of heart, passion and absolute love for the game. Them lads put there heart and souls into that ground, all there blood swet and tears poor on that field, and the last thing they want to hear is you slating there ground

Rabbler said...

Apologies, it certainly wasn't my intention to 'slate the ground'. I've re-read through it, & all I've said is that it's basic, which it is compared to lower level football grounds, which is my main sport, rather than League. I don't doubt the passion, soul & pride that runs through the vast majority of amateur rugby league clubs in it's northern heartlands.I honestly didn't intend to offend, & simply comment on what I see. Granted i will never go there on a match day, but that's the case for many venues I snap on this blog.

Anonymous said...

Hi there Rabbler,
I run a group on Flickr.com showing photographs old or new to preserve for the future generations of the town, would it be possible to include your two sets of photographs of featherstone's rugby clubs within the group

http://www.flickr.com/groups/1699360@N25/