92 Clubs – Day 20 – Liverpool, Macclesfield, Manchester City, Manchester United, Middlesbrough, Millwall
Not quite the Magnificent Seven, but I’ll take six after a total of nine trains, four buses, three trams, two taxis, one Underground train and quite a bit of walking, it was a long day well done.
I started very early in the morning by taking the 05:27 direct to Liverpool. I got another friendly taxi-driver, who took me to the ground for a discount and took my picture in front of the Anfield Gates.
Outside the Anfield Gates
I was all very quick and I was on a train to Macclesfield just after nine. I changed at Stockport for Macclesfield and as there was no information at all at the station, it was another taxi.
Macclesfield Town's Ground
I got the impression the driver couldn’t use a camera, so this is the best picture I took of the ground.
To get to Manchester I took one of Virgin’s Pendolinos, which as I had the right ticket was OK. However, it could be possible that you end up with a cheaper and incorrect ticket at Macclesfield, that is not valid on Virgin. So if you do buy a ticket there, check you have the right one for the train you are catching.
Piccadilly station at Manchester, is an information desert, so don’t do what I did and go there without total preparation. You’d think that directions to the Etihad Stadium, where Manchester City play would be displayed prominently. But you would be very wrong! Eventually, someone from Virgin, who I suspect was a City fan, suggested I walk to Picadilly Gardens, as any of the buses to Ashton would get me there. But there would be staff there, who I could ask! There was and I got a bus that passed the stadium.
One of the problems of buses in the provinces is that few announce the stops, as all London buses do. So it was try and peer out the dirty window on a typical rainy Manchester morning and see the stadium. In the end, I felt that I might have gone far enough, so I pressed the bell and got off a couple of stops early, so I could get wet in the drizzle.
If Manchester thinks it is an important city, it could spent a few pence on getting more information and maps for the buses and making them more user friendly. But then only the elderly, the unemployed and losers use buses. I suppose, I’m in at least two of those categories.
The stadium is impressive, but there wasn’t anybody to take a picture, which probably shows how unwelcoming and sterile many grounds have become these days.
Manchester City's Etihad Stsdium
At least I had no problem finding the bus to get me back to the city centre, although crossing the road, you were just a target for speeding motorists.
Again though, I found it difficult to find the right tram in Piccadilly Gardens, as they don’t believe in telling the punters what they need to know. There does seem to be this belief up north that public transport is for the locals and they don’t need information, as they know where they are going.
I did pass the other Old Trafford on the way to Manchester United ‘s ground.
Old Trafford on Brian Statham Way
The walk to Manchester United ‘s ground from the tram stop at Old Trafford is easy, but it does pass Trafford Town Hall.
Trafford Town Hall
And this street of healthy eating establishments.
Healthy Eating By Manchester United's Ground
Note one appears to be taking Lou Macari‘s name. But then he comes from the Land of the Deep-Fried Mars Bar. Something that is definitely not gluten-free.
Manchester United's Stadium
I did pass the stadium and took this photograph. Obviously, I didn’t want to be photographed outside, but if I had, there were lots of people about, many who seemed to be from the more eastern parts of Asia. They would probably know how to use a camera better than some I have asked on my journey.
I carried walking past the ground aiming for a Metrolink station called Pomona. However, it wasn’t signposted. I eventually found another station with the aim of getting back to Piccadilly.
Information on the Manchester Metrolink
Note the non-functioning information system, which sums up Manchester well. Eventually, I got back to Piccadilly for a train to Middlesbrough.Finding trains at Piccadilly isn’t the easiest as this board isn’t the best.
Information Board at Manchester Piccadilly
Why can’t they use the system they have at Leeds or London Bridge, which is a list of all the places served by all of the trains? This would appear to be doing something similar, but it doesn’t show all of the stations all of the time and they move about from place to place. Quite frankly, it’s one of the worst and most useless information displays I’ve seen, except for some in places like Egypt, all in Arabic.
Eventually, I arrived at Middlesbrough and walked to the Riverside Stadium.
Middlesbrough's Riverside Stadium
It is another one of those modern stadia, that are surrounded by fast roads, with no crossings for pedestrians. But at least in the only match, I’ve seen there, Ipswich won.
I walked easily to and from the stadium from the station, although I wouldn’t do it in the dark with all the fast traffic about.
I got the late train back to London from Darlington and then it was off to London Bridge to catch a train to South Bermondsey for Millwall. It was dark by now and this is the best of the pictures I took.
The New Den's Behind the Bars
I couldn’t get any closer without climbing the unfriendly fence. But I suppose it is Millwall and there might be lions loose inside.
I was in bed just after midnight, after a friendly and talkable 141 bus from London Bridge.
92 Clubs – Day 18 – Ipswich
Just one today, but it was as Wellington would have said a close run thing, as the trains were as crowded as I’d seen them on the trip to Ipswich, due to massive overhead line problems.
By Sir Alf at Ipswich
This picture shows me with the statue of Sir Alf Ramsey before the match.
At least I got home easily after the one-nil win against Portsmouth.
The Value of Online Gambling
Six Premier League ckubs have shirts advertising on-line gambling; Wigan Athletic, Bolton Wanderers, Sunderland, Wolverhampton Wanderers, Swansea City and West Bromwich Albion.
They occupy six of the bottom nine places in the league!
92 Clubs – Day 17 – Hereford, Huddersfield, Hull
This day wasn’t as difficult as it could have been. The start wasn’t too early in that I left on the 8:22 direct train to Hereford. I had two choices at Hereford.
- Walk to the ground at Edgar Street and then have lunch before catching the 13:08 to Manchester.
- Get a taxi and hope I could get back in time for the 11:53 to Manchester. This was only eleven minutes.
I chose the latter and made it with a couple of minutes to spare, as the outgoing train was four minutes late. The picture of the ground also wasn’t one of the best.
Edgar Street
But I was now on my way. The change in Manchester was a bit chaotic, but I arrived in Huddersfield with sufficient time for the shortish walk to and from the ground in time to get the 16:16 train to Hull.
Details at the Galpharm Stadium
Hudderfield’s Galpharm stadium is impressive and is certainly architecturally and structurally more interesting than many of the new grounds like Coventry, Southampton and Leicester. I had my picture taken in the club shop.
In the Shop at Huddersfield Town
Perhaps that is a bit of a cop-out, but I was in a hurry and the weather was rather fresh.
It was then on Hull.
I did take a taxi to the stadium.
Walking Back from the KC Stadium
But the picture was taken as I walked back. The walking route is easy and the railway tracks are well bridged.
I caught the 19:10 train back from Hull and it was on time in Kings Cross.
But then of all the trains I have taken, only one has been late by more than four minutes. And the Hereford to Manchester train, which was late by four minutes was to my advantage.
92 Clubs – Day 16 – A Day Off
I did the same as Day 15. You may think I’m slacking, but the next day is difficult and I want to arrive in one piece.
92 Clubs – Day 15 – A Day Off
Because of the need to slow down a bit and the severity of my hay fever, I decided to take the day off.
Hillsborough
My thoughts go out to those who died or lost loved ones in the Hillsborough tragedy.
In my view though, we were very lucky that it didn’t happen earlier at any number of grounds.
In the 1950s and 1960s, I was in some quite bad crushes at various grounds, like Tottenham, Chelsea, Arsenal, Everton and Hampden Park and my father told me of similar crushes before the Second World War.
In one match, I saw Spurs play Wolves at White Hart Lane and getting away from the ground was dangerous to say the least. At least the steps to White Hart Lane station seem to be better now, but there was a disaster waiting to happen at Tottenham. Luckily it didn’t!
It may be a cop-out and complacent to say that all-seater stadia mean that we can’t get another Hillsborough. But I hope we don’t.
People in Liverpool, talk of conspiracies and dark underlying frces behind Hillsborough.
It was the reluctance of the football authorities to spend any money on grounds and their surroundings, that really caused the problem at Hillsborough.
How To Signpost a Ground – And a Town or City!
I found this in Exeter.
Signpost in Exeter
The city also has very good maps.
It should almost be the law that all major towns and cities have at least this minimum!
A Ground With Its Own Station
Exeter play at St. James Park.
St. James Park Station
It’s even painted in the club colours.
92 Clubs – Week 2 – 18 Clubs – 36 Trains, 2 Trams
Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4 Week 5 Week 6 Week 7
Day 8 Day 9 Day 10 Day 11 Day 12 Day 13 Day 14
As with last week I can also add several Underground and Overground trains and lots of buses.
It was an easier week, that Week 1 and I got home to my bed every day. I’m now having the weekend off, as the hay fever is driving me nuts. On Monday, I’ll go to Hereford, Huddersfield and Hull and on Tuesday, I’ll be in my seat at Portman Road for Ipswich against Portsmouth.
Here are the awards.
Heroes of the Week
This week, I’ll award it to all of those who’ve contributed. Some people, who I’ve never met have given a pound for every club. I hope I’m living up to their hopes for me!
There was also the taxi driver in Liverpool, who just wanted the money for his diesel.
Most Surprising Stadium of the Week
There have been several that were not what I expected like, Bury, Exeter and Hartlepool, but I also revisted some where I have been in the past, so these didn’t show me anything I didn’t know.
Best Stadium of the Week
It just has to be Chesterfield. Everything is there and they are working about making it better.
Best Signposted Stadium of the Week
Hartlepool is well-signposted and still has four large floodlight towers to guide you.
Worst Signposted Stadium of the Week
I’ll give this award to Coventry, as there are no details at the station and it’s a long walk to the bus station, where it’s not obvious where to go. At least I found a quicker way back using an express bus.
Welcoming Stadia of the Week
As in the first week, many stadia were visited in the dark or when no-one was about. I was however, very well welcomed at Chesterfield and Exeter.
Best Town of the Week
Hartlepool by a country mile. Politicians and officers from many of the places I’ve visited could learn a lot by just visiting the town.
Here’s a few things I liked.
- The rather decripit railway station has been transformed into one of the best small stations I have seen in the UK, by a fair bit of imagination.
- The art gallery, which doubles as a tourist information centre in a church in a central point in the town.
- I didn’t have much tie to visit the museum, but it was one of the best small museums, I’ve found.
- It would be a difficult town to get lost in, as it is well-signposted and you seem be able to see the main landmarks from everywhere.
I have been to many places, where a lot more money has been spent or is available and they are worse places to visit. Especially, if your time is limited or you have a simple objective, like visiting a football match.
Best City of the Week
Exeter impressed me, with good signposting and an easy-to-find ground marked on all the maps.
Dump of the Week
When I looked at the list at the start of the week, I thought that there would be a lot of candidates.
In the end it was Gillingham, which was just a run-down town, with a rather tired stadium, without a roof for visiting fans. But I’ve also had comments on this blog saying they didn’t like the place either.
Sign of the Week
This has to be the display in the car park at Hartlepool station, telling you how long you have until your train arrives. Every station should have more of these.
I may still be a few stadia behind, but I’m enjoying the trip.
Here’s to next week.
The Anonymous Widower 