Blog Archives

Men of Steel at Stadium of Light

Posted on March 16, 2017 by Hans Henrik Appel — Leave a comment

It is Sunday morning, 7.40. I enter Huddersfield station an hour and a half before my 9.18 train is due to leave for Newcastle. I hope to find some breakfast and a quiet place to write on my blogpost about…

Tagged with: Archibald Leitch, Bob Stokoe, Elizabeth's, Manchester City, Newcastle, Roker Park, Stadium of Light, Sunderland AFC, Wearmouth Bridge, Wearmouth Collery
Posted in Football grounds, Uncategorized

Two matches a day keep frustrations away

Posted on March 9, 2017 by Hans Henrik Appel — 3 Comments

As I get up in the morning, I feel rather nervous and uneasy. I am not quite sure why. I am to sneak off from the conference I am attending to catch Manchester United against Bournemouth, and from there I…

Tagged with: Bournemouth, Harold Wilson, Huddersfield Town, Jimi Hendrix, John Smith Stadium, Manchester United, Match of the Day, Newcastle United, Old Trafford, Stretford End, Toon Army, United Pie, Zlatan
Posted in Football grounds, Uncategorized

Broken Hearts at Tynecastle

Posted on March 5, 2017 by Hans Henrik Appel — 2 Comments

Following the trip to Rochdale that ended in Bury, I am off to Edinburgh. From a financial point of view, one of the most important things about groundhopping is getting the train tickets right. You have to buy in advance…

Tagged with: Archibald Leitch, Heart of Midlothian, Hearts, Lou Macari, Ross County, Tynecastle, WW1
Posted in Football grounds, Uncategorized

Delights and perils of groundhopping

Posted on March 2, 2017 by Hans Henrik Appel — Leave a comment

End of February means that I am off to my annual meeting up with the Sports and Leisure History network at Manchester Metropolitan University in Crewe. And, as usual, I throw in a handful of football matches before and after.…

Tagged with: Bury F.C., Coventry F.C., Gigg Lane, Groundhopping, Manchester United Museum, National Football Museum, Rochdale F.C., Spotland, Zlatan
Posted in Football grounds, Football museum, Football museums, Uncategorized

Valley Parade, Bradford

Posted on November 25, 2016 by Hans Henrik Appel — Leave a comment

Of all the horrible stadium disasters, the one that always has haunted me the most is the Bradford City fire in 1985. I remember watching the television news in horror, as they showed how the flames spread in seconds. 56…

Tagged with: Bradford City, Martin Fletcher, Midland road stand, Popplewell inquiry, Southend United, Stadium disaster, The story of the Bradford fire, Valley Parade, Valley Parade fire
Posted in Football grounds, Uncategorized

Deepdale, Preston North End

Posted on October 22, 2016 by Hans Henrik Appel — Leave a comment

Deepdale. The name has a romantic ring to it. Somehow reminiscent of Rivendell from Lord of the Rings. Home of Preston North End since 1875 (although admittedly the first years as a cricket and after that a rugby club), the…

Tagged with: Alan Kelly, away supporters, Bill Shankly, Deepdale, evening football, floodlight pylons, floodlights, Huddersfield Town, matchday experience, modern stadiums, National Football Museum, Preston North End, Tom Finney
Posted in Football grounds

Farewell Boleyn Ground

Posted on May 14, 2016 by Hans Henrik Appel — Leave a comment

On Tuesday 10th May, West Ham United played their last ever league match at the Boleyn Ground by Upton Park. Next season they will move to the Olympic Stadium. I didn’t go to that match. But I went four weeks…

Tagged with: Arsenal, Boleyn Ground, Forever blowing bubbles, John Lyall Gates, Manchester United, Memorial, Upton Park, West Ham United
Posted in Football grounds, Uncategorized

From “Pie and Pint” to “Palm trees and Paella” at Priestfield, Gillingham

Posted on April 16, 2016 by Hans Henrik Appel — Leave a comment

I must admit that I didn’t really have any great expectations, when I made the trip to Kent’s only football league club, Gillingham. But being in London on work, I found out that there were two matches on this Tuesday…

Tagged with: EU referendum, Executive boxes, Gillingham, Gordon Road, matchday programme, paella, palmtrees, Priestfield, Rainham End, Rehman Chishti, Wallsall
Posted in Football grounds, Uncategorized

Ewood Park, Blackburn

Posted on April 9, 2016 by Hans Henrik Appel — 3 Comments

I went to my first match at Ewood Park the day after visiting Carlisle United’s Brunton Park. Comparing the two grounds, you really get a sense of how dramatically English football was transformed around 1990 in the aftermath of Hillsborough.…

Tagged with: Alan Shearer, Away support, Carlisle United, Ewood Park, FA Cup, Jack Walker, Memorial garden, Michael Knighton, Payet, West Ham United
Posted in Football grounds, Uncategorized

The Hawthorns, West Bromwich Albion

Posted on March 2, 2016 by Hans Henrik Appel — 1 Comment

When I started following English football, West Bromwich Albion were in the second division. Although they were promoted to the top-tier of English football in 1976, there have been a few ups and downs since then, and they have somehow…

Tagged with: autographs, Brendan Batson, Crystal Palace, Cyril Regis, Founding member, Jeff Astle, Lawrie Cunningham, Memorial garden, The Hawthorns, Tony Bomber Brown, West Bromwich Albion
Posted in Football grounds

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