Continuing a regular feature from the paper zine, our programme shop maestro, groundhopper and occasional Brakes choir member Craig Hochkins reviews the grounds he has visited recently………..
Burntwood Town, a team that I have seen a few times, are now playing at the Burntwood Leisure Centre on a grass pitch next to the basketball courts. Burntwood have dropped down the leagues and credit to Chairman Dave Cox for keeping the outfit alive. A basic ground with no cover (other than under the well developed trees behind the one goal) , two decent size dugouts and little else. The snack bar is the canteen area within the leisure centre and is pretty cheap which is always a bonus. Today’s match is the last one of the season against Enville Athletic, another long stayer in the Midland League. The game is a feisty affair which sadly ends in a mass brawl, preceded by 3 sending offs including one of the managers, all very sad but all far too common these days.
Aviva Stadium – Dublin
A return back to Ireland after 18 years (Tour de France) to watch England play at the newly revamped Landsdowne Road stadium proves to be a damp squib. The pre match build up was more about stopping people from drinking and there is a nervousness around the ground especially by the pubs close by. The new stadium seats 52,000 people and a nearly full house is in attendance, the away end is a single level open seated area for 3,000 people. The rest of the ground is a 3 tier affair and on a different day probably has a great atmosphere. Frustratingly as we enter the ground the snack bars do not have food ready an hour before kick off which really is poor for an international match. Flags are in abundance and these were checked before being allowed into the ground due to the sensitive nature of the match. The English and Irish FA’s have gone to great lengths to make this trouble free, even dragging out Jackie Charlton before the match to say a few words. The atmosphere rather like the game is flat and a predictable 0-0 is served up, for £52 not value for money at all. The funniest part of the day is the England fans taunting the Irish fans that Thierry Henry’s £5m handball payment from FIFA paid for the stadium, much to the annoyance of the home fans. The trip is rounded off the following day by bumping into 3 of the Baby Brakes at Dublin airport …..looking slightly worse for wear!
Kenilworth Town – a ground familiar to some Brakes fans, is finally ticked off for me at the 8th attempt after several false starts, usually due to the pitch being in an awful condition. Today it is barely playable and the referee nearly calls it off due to the goal nets not being securely pinned to the ground! After a 6 minute delay the game gets under way and the home side are easily beaten by six goals . The clubhouse is falling down and in an awful state which is a shame, no programme or raffle today. The two covered areas give the ground a feel of a Midland League 1 ground and the attendance is about 30, including a beer swilling group of lads who showed little interest in the game. Credit to them for keeping going but sadly another team that is struggling to survive.
The Gypsy Lane home of Kenilworth Town
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