Blackburn Rovers 1 Crystal Palace 1

Ground 65

Match 69

The Championship

Blackburn Rovers

Venue Ewood Park

Nickname The Riversiders

Formed 1875

Ground Capacity 31,367

Attendance 19,756

Distance Travelled 23 miles

Entrance £12

Programme £3

Ewood Park , home of Blackburn Rovers is situated close to junction 4 of the M65 motorway and about a mile or so from another famous club - AFC Darwen . Rovers were one of the twelve founder members of The Football League in 1888 .

Palace had the better of the first half but failed to capitalize on their superior movement . Gary Bowyer kept Rovers on their toes and despite going behind , Rhodes managed to find an unexpected equalizer before half time .

Rovers were more adept in the second period pressing forward persistently . Palace were always a threat , both sides claimed penalties and were unlucky not to add to their tally . A decent Championship performance by Rovers showing they can raise their  level .

We made a swift exit before the end and headed to Rishton for a curry . I'd  slipped up and paid a fiver to park  when there were free spaces nearby - never mind - the car park attendants were there all day so it was safe and secure and i did get in cheaper than the normal match day fee . The Mrs won't walk more than she needs so i had to park fairly close , also ,  my match day half price ticket was nullified when she decided to take in her yearly game ! She'd heard from her friends the best currys are in East Lancashire so decided to invite herself on the premise we tried the Balti House in Rishton .  Quick get away heading towards Burnley - the curry was indeed excellent .

Atherton Collieries 2-0 Northwich Villa

Ground 64

Match 68

North West Counties Div 2

Venue Alder Street

Formed 1916

Ground Capacity 2500

Record Attendance 1461 v FC United

At Hilton Park Leigh

Admission £5

Attendance 41

Programme £1-  V GOOD

Distance Travelled 7 miles


With a number of postponements already today even the sleet didn't put me off a visit to the' Colls'  in Greater Manchester .

Railway Sleeper Stand

There's a car park inside the ground but I didn't realise till I was already through the turnstile and making my way round to the club house. A decent looking seated stand near the entrance , apparently made with railway sleepers and painted in the club colours ,  provides a sheltered view for the more discerning fan  .  The back of this stand substitutes for a gents toilet for one unnamed individual so it was a relief to reach the club house  oppositea nd use the correct allocated 'piss pot.'  Further down the touchline is another seated and covered stand .

 There's a wry of odd looking buildings , more like corrugated cargo containers - ideal for a back garden study designed by Dairmuid Gavin with a few plants and outer space creativity . These containers provide the dressing rooms and refreshments outlet .

Changing Rooms

'Sooty, '  playing in black and white stripes were dominant from the start but couldn't convert chances into goals . Half-time and the teams are level 0-0 . Villa's keeper must have felt like he was starring in 'The Alamo ' with defenders nowhere to be seen , gone AWOL I think ! He made several quality saves .

Atherton Laburnum Rovers 0 Holker Old Boys 0

Ground 63 

Match 67

Sat 16th February 2013

Venue Crilly Park

Ground Caacity 3,000

Record Att 1325 v FC United 2006/07

Atherton L R 0 Holker Old Boys 0

Formed 1956 - as  Laburnum FC

North West Counties Div 1

Admission £5

Attendance  42

Programme £1 B/W ( Dated DEC 29th )

Distance Travelled 9 miles

The mouth watering prospect of a bottom of the table clash in the NWCFL Division One seemed like a great idea on a clear rain and frost free Saturday afternoon .

Surely with two poor defences on view in Greater Manchester there'd be shed loads of goals . I forgot both attacks might be more atrocious than the recent poor weather  !

Thought I was still in December when I began reading the programme , only six weeks out of date and as colourless as the match . In for a penny out for a pound - fair enough for a ' quid ! '

Chances were few and far between but were gilt edged 'sitters' that should have been netted , in particular Holker , no wonder they're adrift at the bottom . They should have won this game and taken three points back to Barrow-in-Furness .

To be fair to the Rovers regulars they were extremely humorous about their team saying this was one of the better games in the last six weeks . At least the grandstand was decent enough and the ground itself was good for this level although the undulating pitch had a tremendous slope  from one end to the other . The passing trains added to the atmosphere with the station close by .

 

 

Salford Lads Club

 With all the past rumours of demolishing this now  'Listed ' iconic building I thought it was well worth a trip to view it for myself .
Also  a welcome respite from all the stress of moving house .

 



Probably best  known and associated with Morrisey and 'The Smiths for the album cover ' The Queen is Dead .'

 

 Built in 1903 as a recreation club for boys in the Ordsall area of Greater Manchester and opened in 1904 by Robert Baden Powell . Former Members include Allan Clark of The Hollies and Graham Nash -  Crosby Stills and Nash .

 

The building featured in several films/videos including , ' Life In A Northern Town . '

Fundraising has included donations from  ' A Secret Millionaire ' and Morrisey  to pay for restoration work .

 

 

 



 

 

 

 

Preston North End 2 Gillingham 0

Ground 62

Match 66

Venue Deepdale

FA Cup 2nd Round

Preston 2 Gillingham 0

Amission £10

Programme £3

Attendance 5,271

Distance Travelled 7 miles

Preston always looked a step above the Gills and went into an early lead - followed by a second after a defensive error . PNE had to rely on a solid goalkeeping display from their keeper Stuckmann who made two class saves in each half to keep North End in the driving seat . A low drive accross the goal line was inches from being converted ' Gazza Euro 96 style ' as the Gills crept more into the game .
The men from Priestfield let the men from Priest Town off the hook after the restart when Burton fired wide with a penalty kick . North End had a shot come back off the post and a goal ruled out for a foul on the Gills keeper .
The outfit from Kent pushed forward and were caught on the break several times but The Lillywhites failed to capitalise . A World class striker like Van Persie would have scored three for Gillingham with the few but quality chances they created , at this level North End got out of jail . Burton is hard working and takes up some good positions - a few years ago he probably would have scored twice but he's lost that extra bit of pace for todays higher levels .
Last year Preston sacked their manager when in a similar position in the league . One year on and with a completely different team the jury is still out .