Monthly Archives: August 2016

The London Stadium joins the 92

west ham's new home the london stadium

Before the domestic season started an eager Michael Pilcher headed to the capital to witness history. The blogger from Kent made the trip to the renamed London Stadium as West Ham United played the first game at their new home. Ground: London Stadium (77/92) Game: West Ham United 3 – 0 NK Domzale Date: 04/08/2016   After 112 years at their former home – 111 of it as Upton Park, before everyone suddenly started calling it the Boleyn Ground during the farewell season – the Hammers were starting life at their contentious new residence, the Olympic Stadium. Which, suddenly, was… Read more »

Introducing your weekly fix of EFL – Not The Top 20 Podcast

Sheffield Wednesday hillsborough stadium

With the new season well underway we made a discovery, a new podcast! With a lack of EFL listening available enter stage left ‘Not The Top 20 Podcast’. If you’re a fan of the Football League you’ll love it! We caught up with pod co-host Ali to find out more… Groundsman: How did the idea come about? Ali: We’ve known each other for 15 years (since we were about 10) and have always been the only major Football League followers in our friend group. We both moved to London and got jobs ‘in and around’ the football industry, and happily… Read more »

Second time lucky at Brunton Park

terrace at carlisle united ground brunton park

Blogger Michael Pilcher continues to make inroads into his 92 this season. After a previous failed attempt it was second time lucky as he made the trip to Carlisle… Ground: Brunton Park (80/92) Game: Carlisle United 1 – 0 Plymouth Argyle Date: 13/08/2016 For years I was under the impression Carlisle was a lot further away than it actually was. It’s only ten miles from the Scottish border which is why I’d got it into my head Carlisle was going to be a mission to get to, it always looked so far away on the maps. It was only after… Read more »

Portman Road witnesses a Cup-set

The cobbold stand at portman road, ipswich

Blogger Michael Pilcher continues to set the benchmark for us fellow groundhoppers doing the 92. This time Suffolk was the destination for a 1st round EFL Cup tie. If Forest Gump was a football fan from England the saying may well have gone “life is like a tie in the early rounds of the Cup. You never know what you’re gonna get”. Ground: Portman Road (79/92) Game: Ipswich Town 0 – 1 Stevenage Date: 09/08/2016 My third ground in six days: carry on at this rate, I’d have the 92 done by early September (if only it were that easy)…. Read more »

Going Down-ton the Abbey Stadium

the main stand at the cambs glass stadium

With the new season underway blogger pb1uk sets about continuing his journey towards the 92 club with a trip to Cambridgeshire. Ground: Abbey Stadium (Cambs Glass Stadium) (59/92) Game: Cambridge United 1-1 Barnet Date: 06/08/2016   For the first time in a number of years the ups and downs from the Football League didn’t effect the number of grounds left to do on my 92. Enter stage left West Ham. The Hammer’s move from Upton Park saw a ground chalked off my list and put me back down to 58. Wanting to make this up as soon as possible an… Read more »

The season kicks off with a thriller at the City Ground

city ground view from the river trent

Having chalked the Olympic Stadium off his 92 already blogger Michael Pilcher wasted no time securing a brace as the Football League returned. The East Midlands was the destination as Burton Albion started their maiden season in the Championship making the short trip to former European Champions Nottingham Forest. Ground: City Ground (78/92) Game: Nottingham Forest 4 – 3 Burton Albion Date: 06/08/2016 I’d always had a bit of a soft spot for Nottingham Forest, I think mainly because their club badge ‘shiny’ in the Premier League ’95 sticker album always looked so glorious; the side that finished 3rd that… Read more »

Whaddon Road returns to the 92 at the first time of asking

Cheltenham town fc world of smile stadium

For the majority of clubs that fall out of the Football League a return is often a tall order, especially in the first season. Step forward Cheltenham Town, who under the wise stewardship of Gary Johnson bounced back in some style. Ahead of the start of the season we caught up with blogger and Robins fan Mark Halliwell. GM: Promotion at the first time of asking is no mean feat, just how good a job has Gary Johnson done? Mark: A fantastic job. He came in with seven games left of the relegation season with no hope of keeping us… Read more »

West Ham get their feet under the table at the London Stadium

Last night the wait for West Ham fans was finally over as the curtain was raised at their new home, The London Stadium. The Hammers’ over achievement last season saw the first game come a little sooner than they had imagined. Originally due to be a prestige friendly against Italian Champions Juventus, a Manchester United win in the FA Cup final meant entry into the qualifying rounds of the Europa League was secured and the first game would be down to the luck of the draw. The original draw placed the home leg to fall on 28 July, with Slovenian… Read more »

Blundell Park Returns to the 92

Grimsby Town Blundell Park

After a number of painstaking play off campaigns Grimsby Town finally made a return to the Football League in May. The Mariners victory over Forest Green at Wembley Stadium saw Blundell Park take its place back in the 92. We caught up with Tony from Cod Almighty, the independent Grimsby Town FC fanzine to talk promotion, non-league and what fans visiting North East Lincolnshire this season can expect. The Groundsman: It was fourth time lucky in the play offs, how did it feel to finally get up after being so close for the last 3 seasons? Tony: Curiously flat after the… Read more »