Day 22 . Ground 3: Craven Cottage, Fulham

There is a reason, it is listed. THAT stand by Archibald Leitch. Well, many more ought to be so. But this is just wonderful. The Dutch renaissance-like facade with red bricks, limestone and velvets. The wooden floor and wooden seats pitchside + an Archibald Leitch roof that gives a much better soundscape than modern grounds. The elegant columns, the charming concourse. Just great. And, on top of that, you have the cottage and a riverside location.

3. Craven Cottage, Fulham

4. Fratton Park, Portsmouth

5. Kenilworth Road, Luton Town

6. Brunton Park, Carlisle United

7. Blundell Park, Grimsby Town

8. Griffin Park, Brentford

9. London Road, Peterborough

10. Selhurst Park, Crystal Palace

11. Bramall Lane, Sheffield United

12. Loftus Road, Queens Park Rangers

13. The City Ground, Nottingham Forest

14. Priestfield, Gillingham

15. Valley Parade, Bradford City

16. Villa Park, Aston Villa

17. Boundary Park, Oldham Athletic

18. Turf Moor, Burnley

19. Bootham Crescent, York City

20. Anfield Road, Liverpool F.C.

21. Elland Road, Leeds United

22. The County Ground, Swindon Town

23. St. Andrew’s, Birmingham City

24. St. James’ Park, Exeter City

Day 21 – Ground number 4: Fratton Park, Portsmouth

As you walk down the Frogmore Road and see the mock-Tudor club office and the remains of the pre-Archibald Leitch stand, you know that you are in for something special. And, of course, the Archibald Leitch stand itself. The stairs with the old ticket sign, the concourse, the pillars, the barely recognizable criss-cross steelwork, and the backgardens between the stand and the terraced houses. Phew. The other stands look cracking as well. And a wonderful walk down Specks Lane behind the Milton End.

4. Fratton Park, Portsmouth

5. Kenilworth Road, Luton Town

6. Brunton Park, Carlisle United

7. Blundell Park, Grimsby Town

8. Griffin Park, Brentford

9. London Road, Peterborough

10. Selhurst Park, Crystal Palace

11. Bramall Lane, Sheffield United

12. Loftus Road, Queens Park Rangers

13. The City Ground, Nottingham Forest

14. Priestfield, Gillingham

15. Valley Parade, Bradford City

16. Villa Park, Aston Villa

17. Boundary Park, Oldham Athletic

18. Turf Moor, Burnley

19. Bootham Crescent, York City

20. Anfield Road, Liverpool F.C.

21. Elland Road, Leeds United

22. The County Ground, Swindon Town

23. St. Andrew’s, Birmingham City

24. St. James’ Park, Exeter City

Day 20 . Ground no. 5: Kenilworth Road, Luton

A rarity now. Entrance to the Oak Stand through the terraced housing. The ground litterately in the backyard. The laundry hanging between the stand and the houses. The toilets are inside a house. The opposite side of the ground is equally intriguing. You can almost touch the stand and the housing simultaneously. Odd and quirky, also inside the ground with pillars and floodlight pylons around. It is compact, and it is passionate. So many impressions, anywhere you look. There is a special “placeness” to it.

5. Kenilworth Road, Luton Town

6. Brunton Park, Carlisle United

7. Blundell Park, Grimsby Town

8. Griffin Park, Brentford

9. London Road, Peterborough

10. Selhurst Park, Crystal Palace

11. Bramall Lane, Sheffield United

12. Loftus Road, Queens Park Rangers

13. The City Ground, Nottingham Forest

14. Priestfield, Gillingham

15. Valley Parade, Bradford City

16. Villa Park, Aston Villa

17. Boundary Park, Oldham Athletic

18. Turf Moor, Burnley

19. Bootham Crescent, York City

20. Anfield Road, Liverpool F.C.

21. Elland Road, Leeds United

22. The County Ground, Swindon Town

23. St. Andrew’s, Birmingham City

24. St. James’ Park, Exeter City

Day 19 – Ground no. 6: Brunton Park, Carlisle United

Perilously close to a river. In a residential area, close to the city centre. Brunton Park has it all. A fabulous standing terrace with an iconic triple, triangle roof. A mainstand with wooden floor under the seats – and a paddock for standing at the front. Fabulous floodlight pylons. But the most special thing, perhaps, is the new cantilevered East Stand. It stands 20 yards to the north of the playing pitch, as the club intended to renew all four stands and move the ground 20 yards in the process. They only got to the first stand…

6. Brunton Park, Carlisle United

7. Blundell Park, Grimsby Town

8. Griffin Park, Brentford

9. London Road, Peterborough

10. Selhurst Park, Crystal Palace

11. Bramall Lane, Sheffield United

12. Loftus Road, Queens Park Rangers

13. The City Ground, Nottingham Forest

14. Priestfield, Gillingham

15. Valley Parade, Bradford City

16. Villa Park, Aston Villa

17. Boundary Park, Oldham Athletic

18. Turf Moor, Burnley

19. Bootham Crescent, York City

20. Anfield Road, Liverpool F.C.

21. Elland Road, Leeds United

22. The County Ground, Swindon Town

23. St. Andrew’s, Birmingham City

24. St. James’ Park, Exeter City

Day 17 – Ground no. 9: London Road, Peterborough

Another proper old school ground. A standing terrace at the London Road End without a concourse. During halftime I have to queue for the toilets and my warm coffee out in the snow under the lights. There are three floodlight pylons, although only two of them are in use. I love the seats in the main stand. Old wooden seats in the top tier, whereas the former paddock has been fitted in with seats from Filbert Street and the Den. It is cold magical night in the snow under the floodlights

9. London Road, Peterborough

10. Selhurst Park, Crystal Palace

11. Bramall Lane, Sheffield United

12. Loftus Road, Queens Park Rangers

13. The City Ground, Nottingham Forest

14. Priestfield, Gillingham

15. Valley Parade, Bradford City

16. Villa Park, Aston Villa

17. Boundary Park, Oldham Athletic

18. Turf Moor, Burnley

19. Bootham Crescent, York City

20. Anfield Road, Liverpool F.C.

21. Elland Road, Leeds United

22. The County Ground, Swindon Town

23. St. Andrew’s, Birmingham City

24. St. James’ Park, Exeter City

Day 15 – Ground no. 10: Selhurst Park, Crystal Palace

It has almost everything. The huge Holmesdale Road stand rises above the terraced housing at the foot of the hill – with the peculiar floodlight sticking into the air. Inside the ground, each stand has its own characteristic features. Especially the Archibald Leitch main stand. Not many of the original features left. But the roof is there. And the wooden floor in the upper half, whereas the concrete floor of the former paddock underneath is still there. And a memorial garden.

10. Selhurst Park, Crystal Palace

11. Bramall Lane, Sheffield United

12. Loftus Road, Queens Park Rangers

13. The City Ground, Nottingham Forest

14. Priestfield, Gillingham

15. Valley Parade, Bradford City

16. Villa Park, Aston Villa

17. Boundary Park, Oldham Athletic

18. Turf Moor, Burnley

19. Bootham Crescent, York City

20. Anfield Road, Liverpool F.C.

21. Elland Road, Leeds United

22. The County Ground, Swindon Town

23. St. Andrew’s, Birmingham City

24. St. James’ Park, Exeter City