7th October
2015
Whitchurch Alport 1 Litherland
Remyca 1 (North West Counties League Division One)
Sometimes you arrive at a new ground and think
‘yes’, and that’s because you instantly realise that you have landed at what I
would term as a proper football ground. By that, what I mean is your first and
overriding impression is that you have uncovered something traditional, something
unique, and not in any way one of the all too commonplace modern efforts with
characterless furniture and structures.
Whitchurch Alport fell very much into that
category, it felt traditional, it felt and looked unique in the sense that you
won’t find another one like it anywhere else, I knew I was at a proper ground,
and I also knew that whatever the game threw up, I would enjoy my evening.
Whitchurch were a relatively late addition to
the list this season. They didn’t initially apply for promotion from the
Mercian League to Step Six, but then put in a last minute application. The
application was rejected for a variety of reasons, but then when it came to
light that the Football Association had adopted a policy of double standards by
allowing clubs into Step 6 who had almost identical backgrounds, notably in
Kent, then it became clear that Whitchurch’s inevitable appeal would be upheld
and they would be accepted into the North West Counties League.
The truth is, for a town of its size, a ground
of its quality, and a club of Alport’s stature, it was criminal that they
should be floundering in the Mercian League no mans land. Finally, they were
going to be at a level they should at least be competing at.
Whitchurch isn’t the easiest place to get to,
especially when you are travelling from Doncaster. The A50 to Stoke, especially
around Uttoxeter is a pinch point, while the A500 once in Stoke is far from
ideal at rush hour. You then have to trot through various villages of
Staffordshire and indeed Shropshire to get to Whitchurch, which in fairness, is
not too far from the Welsh border, and would explain why in years gone by they
have competed in the Welsh Cup! Talking of Wales, I did wonder whether I could
have got to Haverfordwest quicker!
Once parked up on the road outside the ground,
and having walked down to the turnstiles, I was impressed. They had proper
turnstiles, they had a wonderful old wooden stand on one side with some
recently built cover opposite. They had a clubhouse and tea bar adjacent to the
stand, while the only sense of modernity were the floodlights that are a
recently installed four pylon variety as is now becoming commonplace. I was
delighted to see that not a single Meccano/Atcost stand was in situ anywhere on
the Yockings Park site, it was indeed a breath of fresh air.
This was Whitchurch’s first game under lights
in the North West Counties League, and as a result the great and the good from
the Football Travelling community were in attendance. I chatted to Andy Marnoch
and Nick Willis in particular, gents from Uxbridge and Stoke, but in fairness
of a crowd of 86, I would estimate 20/30 would have been of a neutral
persuasion. The club were I suspect, expecting something of an influx of
hoppers, so everything was catered for, food, drink, programmes, and even free
copies of a North West Non-League Football magazine. The welcome was also very
friendly, and the club were genuinely appreciative of the fact they had
generated so much interest.
It was a chilly evening, and the pitch was a
touch bobbly, so as is often the case, the game didn’t really inspire.
Whitchurch were well organised, but so far without a win all season, whereas
Litherland were having a better season and looked to have a bit more in the
fire power department, combined with the all too predictable Liverpudlian
‘edge’ that is as much reality as it is stereotypical.
The game was 0-0 at half time, and two late
goals saw it finish 1-1, probably a fair result, and at the same time, it meant
Whitchurch were still without a win and added to their substantial number of
draws.
The journey back was straightforward and uneventful,
but whereas some evening returns from games can be a bit of a chore, this
wasn’t, and I think it was probably because I was content in the knowledge that
I’d uncovered a bit of a gem.
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