THORNABY FC (Teesdale Park)

FA CUP PRELIMINARY ROUND, THORNABY 0-2 SUNDERLAND RCA, ATTENDANCE: 300

My first long distance drive since March led me to Teesside for the all Northern League FA Cup clash between Thornaby and Sunderland Ryhope Community Association at Teesdale Park.

Due to the restrictions placed on clubs due to Covid-19, the capacity for today's game was capped at 300. This meant the game was all-ticket, so therefore it was the first time in all my years of groundhopping that I had to buy a ticket for a Preliminary Round tie. I was extremely grateful to the club for putting a ticket aside for me as I couldn't get to the club to collect before the game.

Thornaby are celebrating their 20th anniversary this year, having been founded in 2000. Prior to that they were known as Stockton, having been established in 1980 when Stockton Cricket Club's football team joined the Wearside Football League.

The club play at Teesdale Park and the ground is well appointed and has certainly improved since they were demoted to the Northern League Division Two because of the state of the ground. Having previously been subjected to arson, graffiti, fly-tipping and vandals driving over the pitch the ground is now fully enclosed with cover behind one goal, an open stand with seats and a seated main stand. There is even a bus shelter thrown in for good measure! For me though the best vantage point to watch the action was at the top of the grass bank when runs the length of the pitch.

The game was far from a classic with chances few and far between. Thornaby made most of the running but couldn't convert the possession into chances. They had the ball in the net in the first half but it was ruled out for offside. 

The second half continued in similar vein but at least Sunderland RCA upped their tempo a little. I sensed the game was heading for penalties until the turning point of the match after 70 minutes. Sunderland brought on Layton Watts as substitute and within two minutes he had whipped in a delicious curling cross which was headed home by Callum Hope, giving Thornaby's ex- Hartlepool and Middlesbrough 'keeper Dimitrios Konstantopoulos no chance.

After 80 minutes, Watts was involved again when, after some good play down the wing, he played the ball through for James Fairley to slot home. Thornaby piled forward and it took a superb double save from Sunderland's Rob Dean to preserve their clean sheet and ensure their passage into the next round.

BLACKPOOL WREN ROVERS (Bruce Park)

WEST LANCASHIRE LEAGUE PREMIER DIVISION, BLACKPOOL WREN ROVERS 2-1 VICKERSTOWN, ATTENDANCE: 47 (h/c)

After a season long break, it's a warm welcome back from me!

2020 has certainly been an 'annus horribilis' thus far with this awful Covid-19 causing misery around the globe, leading to normality being suspended as a nationwide lockdown occurred. 

Football was curtailed in March and, with the odd exception, non-league was null and voided. After a break of six months, competitive action returned this weekend as most leagues at step 5 and below began playing once more. It has certainly helped my mental health having a game to look forward to on a Saturday afternoon.

I decided on a trip up to the Fylde coast to watch Blackpool Wren Rovers, who play at step 7 on the pyramid, as they were taking on Vickerstown at Bruce Park. Very generously, it was free admission this afternoon but there was no paperwork, if that's your thing.

The ground is on School Road, on the South Shore of Blackpool, and is one of three grounds within yards of each other. Squires Gate is literally over the fence (see pictures below) whilst AFC Blackpool are located 400 yards away on Jepson Way.

Bruce Park is all standing, with cover on all four sides. There is plenty of room to social distance! Some parts of the ground are probably in need of a little TLC but I really liked the set up here.

Blackpool Wren Rovers were founded in 1931 and were originally known as Wren Rovers before changing their name to Blackpool Rovers in 1990. They were founder members of the West Lancashire League in 1959 and of the North West Counties League in 1982.

Financial constraints led to the club taking voluntary demotion back to the West Lancashire League in 1998 where they changed their name again, this time to Blackpool Wren Rovers.

The game was an entertaining affair, which was largely dominated by the home side. However Vickerstown, who are based in Barrow-in-Furness, were resolute in their defending whilst Rovers were profligate in attack. The deadlock was eventually broken after 35 minutes when an unmarked Anthony Pearson stooped to head home from a corner (pictured below).

The second half continued in a similar fashion but Rovers failed to extend their lead and, as what usually happens, the side under pressure get their chance and score. Vickerstown bagged an equaliser on 70 minutes through Jackson Round.

The game moved into the final ten minutes and it seemed the draw was the more likely outcome but another corner kick was headed home by Chris Morris to give Blackpool a winning start to the season.

PLOVDIV (A brief groundhopping guide)

This is an unusual write up, as far as this blog goes, in that there was no football involved. As mentioned in my previous entry for Ludogorets Razgrad, a week or so before my trip began a statement was put out by the Interior Minister to the effect of cancelling all football in Bulgaria because of the "inability to guard football meetings on the dates around the elections of 25 - 28 October".

It was far too late to change my plans as it was too costly to seek flights elsewhere at such a late stage. Having said that, there was a glimmer of hope with some regional leagues but even these disappeared in the 48 hours before they were due to be played. A groundhoppers nightmare.

Nonetheless I turned my attention to the wonderful city of Plovdiv, which is European Capital City of Culture 2019, and headed for the respective grounds I was going to plus a visit to a couple of others. So here is a brief, and in no way comprehensive, guide to football in Plovdiv.

Plovdiv is about 3 hours from Sofia by train, which is what I opted for rather than hang around for the next bus. I should have waited as it was cramped and very hot. Not a pleasant journey at all. I will definitely take a bus next time!

First port of call was to the Tor Diev Stadium, the home of Spartak Plovdiv 1947, a municipal stadium about a 5 minute walk from main train station. The stadium was opened in 1926 as a multi-sport venue and was the original home of Botev Plovdiv until 1949, when Spartak made it home. Spartak folded in 2016 but reformed a year later and now ply their trade in the regionalised Bulgarian fourth tier. 

Next on my list was a visit to Botev Plovdiv. My hotel was in the city centre and from there, bus numbers 1, 20, 27 all pass the Botev Stadium. This trip takes about 25 minutes and costs the standard price of 1lv (50p) per trip.

Botev Plovdiv are the oldest professional club in Bulgaria, having been founded in 1912. During its history, the club has won two Bulgarian championships, three Bulgarian Cups, one Bulgarian Supercup and one Balkans Cup. The club has also reached the Cup Winners' Cup quarter-finals once, in 1963.

The Botev Stadium was originally opened in 1961 and has undergone renovation over the years, the most recent in 2013. However the full redevelopment of the ground has yet to be completed as the club search for investors. It is hoped that when finally completed the ground will have a capacity of 18,000.

Returning to the city centre, I transferred onto bus 18, which takes you in the direction of Lomomotiv Plovdiv's ground, which is about a 10 minute ride.

Lokomotiv Plovdiv were founded in 1926 and, as you can guess from their name, the club have historical links to the railway and it's workers. The club have one Bulgarian championship to their name, having won the title in 2004. The club won the Bulgarian Cup for the first time this year, beating fierce rivals Botev 1-0 in the final.

The Stadion Lokomotiv is situated in Lauta Park and was inaugurated in 1982. The ground has a capacity of just over 13,000. The ground has been recently renovated to UEFA standards which allow the hosting of games up to the play-off round.

I must thank the guy on reception for opening up the stadium door for me to take a few photographs.

Returning to the city centre, if you take bus 18 in the other direction, crossing the river Maritsa, you will find your way to the football club which take their name from said river.

Maritsa Plovdiv, who ply their trade in the Bulgarian third tier. This is where footballing legend Hristo Stoichkov learnt his trade as a youth. The club was established in 1921, after the merger of the teams Vampir and Trite Konski Sili and it's highest achievement was reaching the Bulgarian top flight on four occasions. Each time though was for only the one season. The most recent was in 1996/97.

Maritsa folded in 2010 due to financial problems but the fans resurrected the club a year later, starting at the bottom rung of the ladder. The Maritsa Stadium is in the north of the city and has a capacity of around 4,000. This season Maritsa have been playing some home games at Botev's sporting complex.

That concludes my journey around the four major clubs in Plovdiv. Next time I visit I hope to actually get to see some action on the pitch!