Regular readers of my blog will be aware that in the 2007-8 season I started to chart my travels with Livingston Football Club. So for ease of access to these guides of the grounds, ammenities, programmes etc here is a quick reference guide.
Dens Park, Dundee
East End Park, Dunfermline Athletic
Cappielow, (Greenock) Morton
Broadwood, Clyde
McDiarmid Park, St. Johnstone
Palmerstone, Queen of the South
Forthbank, Stirling Albion
Firhill, Partick Thistle
New Douglas Park, Hamilton Academical.
Coming Attractions 2008-9
Well with Hamilton promoted to the SPL we should have been visting Raydale Park, Gretna, but it looks like nobody may be going there this season.
However, we are going to be visiting Victoria Park, Dingwall home of Ross County the most northerly League Ground in British football and the Excelsior Stadium in Airdrie home of Airdrie United. I'll let you know when once the fixtures are announced.
Also to welcome the new owners of the club I will be doing the stop off at Almondvale before the season kicks off properly.
Showing posts with label stadium tour. Show all posts
Showing posts with label stadium tour. Show all posts
Tuesday, 3 June 2008
Friday, 25 April 2008
Stadia Tour 9: New Douglas Park
Well with the football season reaching an end (for Livingston fans at least) with only one game remaining of our season this Saturday, I thought I'd better break off from serious posting to get down to completing my tour around this season's Irn Bru Scottish First Division stadia and what better climax for that tour than the home of newly promoted champions Hamilton Academical at New Douglas Park. Livingston came a calling on 23rd February, sadly as with the season before for one of the trips here I was again back home in Northern Ireland, so this is the only away ground I failed to see at least twice this seaason.
Location
Hamilton is just off the M74 at junction 5 and New Douglas Park is situated near the town centre close to numerous retails outlets, and close to the railway station. One of the retail outlets is actually built on the site of Douglas Park the former home of the team that was formed in 1874 by former pupils of Hamilton Academy.
The Ground
Last week saw the last game on the Field Turf artifical surface at NDP, as this is going to be replaced by grass for their elevation to the SPL during the close season. There were two elevated stands the Main Stand is to the West and with the other stand behind the northern goal. To the east is the new temporary construction, variously called by fans a gazebo, bus shelter during its construction. This construction brought the seated capacity of NDP up to the magic of figure of 6,000 easing their progression into top flight football once more.
There are a series of steps up to the two existing stands but clampons are not necessarily required to reach your seat. The result is that every fan has an elevated view over the playing area. The new stand will not have the same views however, being more or less at pitch level at the front. Behind the southern goal there are always a few fans either stood in the Homebase car park or on the mound below this leaning against the wall of their foundations.
The Atmosphere
Even dispite being league leaders Hamilton's support has not increased considerably. In recent past financial difficulties had seen them plummet as low as Division 3. However, there is a very vocal group of younger fans who sit close to the away fans who are positioned in the North stand behind the goal. Every time I have been to NDP there has been a lot of banter going back and forth between us and this group. I hope they remain there for the SPL season/s ahead and do their best to banter with the bigger teams support.
The Programme
Academia may sould like a weighty tome but the Accies programme at £1.50 is the cheapest in the league and sadly you get what you pat for. Of the 28 pages 13 contain adverts. It is mostly black and white throughout. This season at least our team details had been proof read for the second game, last season we were reading about new signings from the last weeks or month who had been with up for half a season.
Pie and Bovril
As commented above your walk down the steps once more at the front of the stand to get to the servaries.
Cost
Admission £15
Programme £1.50
Mince Pie and Bovril £TBC
Total £TBC
League Table of Cost
Morton £17.90
Stirling £18.10
Queen of the South £18.60
Partick Thistle £19.90
Clyde £20.60
Dunfermline £21.50
Dundee £21.60
St. Johnstone £21.90
Match Report
Hamilton went through the whole season only conceding 3 goals at home in the league. Fortunately for us Livi fans we were the only set our fans to see our team score on each occasion we played the Accies this season home and away.
However, unlike the previous two games against Hamilton this year our team did not really get into it until it was too late. The first goal originated from a sloppy pass at the half way line and before we knew it we were one down within 10 minutes of the start.
The second, early in the second half, was comedic if not so heartbreaking a cross in from the left was initially saved by keeper Colin Stewart, only to richochet of the incoming left back Craig James back off the keeper's legs and into the net. Stewart was awarded with an own goal for his efforts. A third from McLaughlin put the game more or less beyond hope as would be case later when they returned to Almondvale. Only once Robert Snodgrass got one back in the 79th minute did the Livingston team look like acheiving anything in front of goal but it was too little too late by that stage.
Final Score Partick Thistle 3 Livingston 1 (Hamilton: Stevenson 7, Stewart (o.g.) 49, McLaughlin 64; Livingston: Snodgrass 70)
As a result Hamailton remained top and Livingston remained 7th, their eventual league positions as it turned out.
Well that's the tour ended for this season, next year look out for the only certainty so far Victoria Park, Dingwall home of Ross County and whatever falls out of the Gretna situation. But I'll do one final Stadium report shortly for this season on Almondvale home to the team I support Livingston.
Previous Stadia Dens Park, East End Park, Cappielow, Broadwood, McDiarmid Park, Palmerstone, Forthbank, Firhill
Location
Hamilton is just off the M74 at junction 5 and New Douglas Park is situated near the town centre close to numerous retails outlets, and close to the railway station. One of the retail outlets is actually built on the site of Douglas Park the former home of the team that was formed in 1874 by former pupils of Hamilton Academy.
The Ground
Last week saw the last game on the Field Turf artifical surface at NDP, as this is going to be replaced by grass for their elevation to the SPL during the close season. There were two elevated stands the Main Stand is to the West and with the other stand behind the northern goal. To the east is the new temporary construction, variously called by fans a gazebo, bus shelter during its construction. This construction brought the seated capacity of NDP up to the magic of figure of 6,000 easing their progression into top flight football once more.
There are a series of steps up to the two existing stands but clampons are not necessarily required to reach your seat. The result is that every fan has an elevated view over the playing area. The new stand will not have the same views however, being more or less at pitch level at the front. Behind the southern goal there are always a few fans either stood in the Homebase car park or on the mound below this leaning against the wall of their foundations.
The Atmosphere
Even dispite being league leaders Hamilton's support has not increased considerably. In recent past financial difficulties had seen them plummet as low as Division 3. However, there is a very vocal group of younger fans who sit close to the away fans who are positioned in the North stand behind the goal. Every time I have been to NDP there has been a lot of banter going back and forth between us and this group. I hope they remain there for the SPL season/s ahead and do their best to banter with the bigger teams support.
The Programme
Academia may sould like a weighty tome but the Accies programme at £1.50 is the cheapest in the league and sadly you get what you pat for. Of the 28 pages 13 contain adverts. It is mostly black and white throughout. This season at least our team details had been proof read for the second game, last season we were reading about new signings from the last weeks or month who had been with up for half a season.
Pie and Bovril
As commented above your walk down the steps once more at the front of the stand to get to the servaries.
Cost
Admission £15
Programme £1.50
Mince Pie and Bovril £TBC
Total £TBC
League Table of Cost
Morton £17.90
Stirling £18.10
Queen of the South £18.60
Partick Thistle £19.90
Clyde £20.60
Dunfermline £21.50
Dundee £21.60
St. Johnstone £21.90
Match Report
Hamilton went through the whole season only conceding 3 goals at home in the league. Fortunately for us Livi fans we were the only set our fans to see our team score on each occasion we played the Accies this season home and away.
However, unlike the previous two games against Hamilton this year our team did not really get into it until it was too late. The first goal originated from a sloppy pass at the half way line and before we knew it we were one down within 10 minutes of the start.
The second, early in the second half, was comedic if not so heartbreaking a cross in from the left was initially saved by keeper Colin Stewart, only to richochet of the incoming left back Craig James back off the keeper's legs and into the net. Stewart was awarded with an own goal for his efforts. A third from McLaughlin put the game more or less beyond hope as would be case later when they returned to Almondvale. Only once Robert Snodgrass got one back in the 79th minute did the Livingston team look like acheiving anything in front of goal but it was too little too late by that stage.
Final Score Partick Thistle 3 Livingston 1 (Hamilton: Stevenson 7, Stewart (o.g.) 49, McLaughlin 64; Livingston: Snodgrass 70)
As a result Hamailton remained top and Livingston remained 7th, their eventual league positions as it turned out.
Well that's the tour ended for this season, next year look out for the only certainty so far Victoria Park, Dingwall home of Ross County and whatever falls out of the Gretna situation. But I'll do one final Stadium report shortly for this season on Almondvale home to the team I support Livingston.
Previous Stadia Dens Park, East End Park, Cappielow, Broadwood, McDiarmid Park, Palmerstone, Forthbank, Firhill
Saturday, 29 March 2008
Football Stadia Tour 8: Firhill
Between 26th January and 4th March this year one clash appeared on the schedules 4 times that was the Jags from Firhill, Partick Thistle, against the team who were once the Jags from Edinburgh, Livingston, formerly of course Meadowbank Thistle.
The first clash scheduled for Firhill was in the league and was called off, according to an official statement from Partick Thistle, due to one of the staff of the Glasgow Warriors Rugby Club who ground share at Firhill, forgetting to tun on the under soil heating. So on the 2nd February the two teams met at Almondvale in the 5th Round of the Scottish Cup, although it was a 0-0 draw Livingston had the better of the match and were unlucky not to proceed on the day. However, the replay on the 12th is the next stop on this tour of Football Stadia of this fan.
The season in the cup has not been a good one for visiting unfamiliar grounds. In the Challenge Cup we went to Cappielow to face Morton. In the CIS Cup we hosted Ayr before going to Dens Park for a thiller decided after 14 penalties all on target of which 3 were saved. The in the Scottish Cup we'd hosted Alloa Athletic, and Cowdenbeath before another trip to First Division opposition.
Location
Firhill is not in the Partick district of Glasgow but in nearby Maryhill where they moved into Firhill in 1908. it is easily accessed from off the M8 providing neither of the old firm especially Rangers are also playing at home on the same day. However, the coaches do park up a steep hill behind the ground, and as the police were over officious on our trip there for the cup made some of the elderly and disabled members of our coach party walk up the hill to resume their seats after it being pre-arranged that they could be picked up outside the gate after the ground had emptied.
The Ground
Firhill is one of the SPL compliant ground in Division 1 as they played there as recently as 2003-4, before facing the humiliation of two seasons of relegations to end up in Division 2 before we both met up again for the first time since 2004 in Division 1 they as newly promoted we as newly relegated.
The Current capacity of the ground could be as much as 10887. However, the oldest part of the ground the Main Stand which has 2900 seats has not been in use since January 2006 due to the high cost of maintenance and stewarding of this area.
Opposite the Main Stand is the Jackie Husband Stand which can hold 6263. It was built on the site of the old enclosed terracing known as the shed in 1994. And now houses the home support.
The North Stand is the newest part of the Firhill built in 2002 to meet the old SPL criteria of 10000 seats and paid for by selling off land behind it to build student accommodation. This houses the visiting support. Opposite to the south is the now demolished terraces which the club had looked to build into a new stand but which Glasgow City Council never gave permission to be developed.
The Atmosphere
It was a cup tie to both sets of fans were well up for this. Sadly for visiting fans to Firhill the vast majority of their vocal support prefer to sit in the southern end of the Jackie Husband Stand and therefore well away from the visitors. However, there are pockets of home fans who do sit near the north stand and get involved in banter back and forth between the two sets of fans. As this match went to penalties which were taken in front of the North Stand the crowd in Jackie Husband did tend to filter over towards us making the atmosphere at that point of the evening quite intense.
Some of the younger Livi supporters were up for this and were Samba-ing around the stands at times. The noise got very loud especially towards the end of normal time in the extra time that followed.
The Programme
The Jags Programme is produced by the same company as Livi's costs £2.50 and is a full colour glossy paper production. A Cup Tie against Partick does have an added sense of history for Livingston as Partick are the only team to have faced the club in all three of its guises as Ferranti Thistle, Meadowbank Thistle and Livingston, and this was looked into in the programme on the night.
Pie and Bovril
Having been waiting outside the stand for a good 20 minutes before getting into the match many of us headed straight to the concession stands to warm up. There are also hot dogs on sale at £2.50 should you desire. The bovril was lovely and warm and a welcome heater on what was to end up being a long night. Cost Steak Pie £1.90 and Bovril £1.50 total £2.40.
Cost
Admission £15 (concessions on this night were £5, but under 16s were allowed in for free for the league fixture a few weeks later and are for the rest of the season)
Programme £2.50
Mince Pie and Bovril £2.40
Total £19.90
League Table of Cost
Morton £17.90
Stirling £18.10
Queen of the South £18.60
Partick Thistle £19.90
Clyde £20.60
Dunfermline £21.50
Dundee £21.60
St. Johnstone £21.90
Match Report
Sadly the match was played on a pitch which could hold up the ball better than having 17 players behind the ball at time. However, having been the better side in the 0-0 draw at Almondvale Livingston started lively and the Jags Northern Irish Under 21 goalkeeper Jonathan Tuffey time and again kept his side in the game making saves from point blank positions. He was finally beaten just before half time by Graham Dorrans.
Dorrans, Robert Snodgrass, Steven Craig all had chances to seal it up for the lucrative tie in the next round. But Tuffey earned himself a deserved man of the match awards between the stick. I counted at least 20 times he came to their rescue.
However, the only other goal came from the head of Partick's Mark Twaddle late in the game re-igniting the Jags support.
Into extra time and Craig James scooped one just over the bar for Livi, but the only Livingston substitution used was Steven Wier on for Snodgrass. The Partick defence looked dead on their feet. We had speed in youngsters Keaghan Jacobs and Leigh Griffiths on the bench. But still be plodded on in what was becoming an almost static game now.
Then the dreaded end of extra time and penalties. First up was Craig James who scored, but that was cancelled out by the first Partick kick. Graham Dorrans who'd been looking tired throughout extra time stepped up hit a well struck penalty to the keeper right post but it was saved, Colin Stewart though was about to do the same for Livi. 1-1 after two each. Liam Fox calmly put Livi's next one away, but so did the Jags. Then Steven Weir makes it 3-2. The Partick lad under pressure misses the target. Livi's regular penalty taker Dave MacKay steps up, we're all hushed but the ball instead of ending up in the net is parried by my mate Laurie stood beside me.
However, it's not over yet as Simon Donnelly has to score Partick's 5th or they are still out. Sadly he does. Experienced head Lee Makel is up next for Livi and makes it 4-3. Rowson then matches that for the Jags. Allan Walker steps up and places it wide beats the keeper but it ricochets off the post. Then Alan Archibald steps up to win it with the last kick of the game for Partick.
Final Score Partick Thistle 1 Livingston 1 (P (Partick: Twaddle 83, Livingston: Dorrans 41)
Next up we have the final away leg of this season's travels when we journey to Hamilton's New Douglas Park.
Previous Stadia Dens Park, East End Park, Cappielow, Broadwood, McDiarmid Park, Palmerstone, Forthbank
The first clash scheduled for Firhill was in the league and was called off, according to an official statement from Partick Thistle, due to one of the staff of the Glasgow Warriors Rugby Club who ground share at Firhill, forgetting to tun on the under soil heating. So on the 2nd February the two teams met at Almondvale in the 5th Round of the Scottish Cup, although it was a 0-0 draw Livingston had the better of the match and were unlucky not to proceed on the day. However, the replay on the 12th is the next stop on this tour of Football Stadia of this fan.
The season in the cup has not been a good one for visiting unfamiliar grounds. In the Challenge Cup we went to Cappielow to face Morton. In the CIS Cup we hosted Ayr before going to Dens Park for a thiller decided after 14 penalties all on target of which 3 were saved. The in the Scottish Cup we'd hosted Alloa Athletic, and Cowdenbeath before another trip to First Division opposition.
Location
Firhill is not in the Partick district of Glasgow but in nearby Maryhill where they moved into Firhill in 1908. it is easily accessed from off the M8 providing neither of the old firm especially Rangers are also playing at home on the same day. However, the coaches do park up a steep hill behind the ground, and as the police were over officious on our trip there for the cup made some of the elderly and disabled members of our coach party walk up the hill to resume their seats after it being pre-arranged that they could be picked up outside the gate after the ground had emptied.
The Ground
Firhill is one of the SPL compliant ground in Division 1 as they played there as recently as 2003-4, before facing the humiliation of two seasons of relegations to end up in Division 2 before we both met up again for the first time since 2004 in Division 1 they as newly promoted we as newly relegated.
The Current capacity of the ground could be as much as 10887. However, the oldest part of the ground the Main Stand which has 2900 seats has not been in use since January 2006 due to the high cost of maintenance and stewarding of this area.
Opposite the Main Stand is the Jackie Husband Stand which can hold 6263. It was built on the site of the old enclosed terracing known as the shed in 1994. And now houses the home support.
The North Stand is the newest part of the Firhill built in 2002 to meet the old SPL criteria of 10000 seats and paid for by selling off land behind it to build student accommodation. This houses the visiting support. Opposite to the south is the now demolished terraces which the club had looked to build into a new stand but which Glasgow City Council never gave permission to be developed.
The Atmosphere
It was a cup tie to both sets of fans were well up for this. Sadly for visiting fans to Firhill the vast majority of their vocal support prefer to sit in the southern end of the Jackie Husband Stand and therefore well away from the visitors. However, there are pockets of home fans who do sit near the north stand and get involved in banter back and forth between the two sets of fans. As this match went to penalties which were taken in front of the North Stand the crowd in Jackie Husband did tend to filter over towards us making the atmosphere at that point of the evening quite intense.
Some of the younger Livi supporters were up for this and were Samba-ing around the stands at times. The noise got very loud especially towards the end of normal time in the extra time that followed.
The Programme
The Jags Programme is produced by the same company as Livi's costs £2.50 and is a full colour glossy paper production. A Cup Tie against Partick does have an added sense of history for Livingston as Partick are the only team to have faced the club in all three of its guises as Ferranti Thistle, Meadowbank Thistle and Livingston, and this was looked into in the programme on the night.
Pie and Bovril
Having been waiting outside the stand for a good 20 minutes before getting into the match many of us headed straight to the concession stands to warm up. There are also hot dogs on sale at £2.50 should you desire. The bovril was lovely and warm and a welcome heater on what was to end up being a long night. Cost Steak Pie £1.90 and Bovril £1.50 total £2.40.
Cost
Admission £15 (concessions on this night were £5, but under 16s were allowed in for free for the league fixture a few weeks later and are for the rest of the season)
Programme £2.50
Mince Pie and Bovril £2.40
Total £19.90
League Table of Cost
Morton £17.90
Stirling £18.10
Queen of the South £18.60
Partick Thistle £19.90
Clyde £20.60
Dunfermline £21.50
Dundee £21.60
St. Johnstone £21.90
Match Report
Sadly the match was played on a pitch which could hold up the ball better than having 17 players behind the ball at time. However, having been the better side in the 0-0 draw at Almondvale Livingston started lively and the Jags Northern Irish Under 21 goalkeeper Jonathan Tuffey time and again kept his side in the game making saves from point blank positions. He was finally beaten just before half time by Graham Dorrans.
Dorrans, Robert Snodgrass, Steven Craig all had chances to seal it up for the lucrative tie in the next round. But Tuffey earned himself a deserved man of the match awards between the stick. I counted at least 20 times he came to their rescue.
However, the only other goal came from the head of Partick's Mark Twaddle late in the game re-igniting the Jags support.
Into extra time and Craig James scooped one just over the bar for Livi, but the only Livingston substitution used was Steven Wier on for Snodgrass. The Partick defence looked dead on their feet. We had speed in youngsters Keaghan Jacobs and Leigh Griffiths on the bench. But still be plodded on in what was becoming an almost static game now.
Then the dreaded end of extra time and penalties. First up was Craig James who scored, but that was cancelled out by the first Partick kick. Graham Dorrans who'd been looking tired throughout extra time stepped up hit a well struck penalty to the keeper right post but it was saved, Colin Stewart though was about to do the same for Livi. 1-1 after two each. Liam Fox calmly put Livi's next one away, but so did the Jags. Then Steven Weir makes it 3-2. The Partick lad under pressure misses the target. Livi's regular penalty taker Dave MacKay steps up, we're all hushed but the ball instead of ending up in the net is parried by my mate Laurie stood beside me.
However, it's not over yet as Simon Donnelly has to score Partick's 5th or they are still out. Sadly he does. Experienced head Lee Makel is up next for Livi and makes it 4-3. Rowson then matches that for the Jags. Allan Walker steps up and places it wide beats the keeper but it ricochets off the post. Then Alan Archibald steps up to win it with the last kick of the game for Partick.
Final Score Partick Thistle 1 Livingston 1 (P (Partick: Twaddle 83, Livingston: Dorrans 41)
Next up we have the final away leg of this season's travels when we journey to Hamilton's New Douglas Park.
Previous Stadia Dens Park, East End Park, Cappielow, Broadwood, McDiarmid Park, Palmerstone, Forthbank
Sunday, 23 March 2008
Football Stadia Tour 7: Forthbank
I was amazed to find out who one of the biggest fans of this series on football stadium is. So for her sake I'm determined to get to the end before the end of the fitba season.
So I'm continuing to rattle my memory banks and going back to the game on the 19th January over at Forthbank the home of Sterling Albion.
Location
Forth Bank is on the outskirts of the Stirling on the Eastern side of the city and is on the edge of a retail park. The club moved here from their old ground Annfield which was close to the city centre in 1993. It leads to the old trivia question of which two teams other than Liverpool have been based at An(n)field, answer at the bottom of this post.
The Ground
The capacity of 3808 includes 2508 seats is made up largely of two stands facing each other over the pitch. The West Stand houses the home support, hospitality, changing room and office facilities. The East Stand houses the visiting support, the press and police control room. There are terraces behind the two goals but these are rarely used at present, the south terrace would be used by home support and the north by visitors if the need arose.
The Atmosphere
Sadly Stirling Albion have one of the smallest supports in this league, and even though Livi can manage one of our largest travelling supports for the short hop over to Sterling with them being over the other side of the park the atmosphere is largely lacking.
The Programme
The Forthbank News cost £2. Apart from the outside and centre pages is entirely black and white. However, these are utilised well as inside the front cover is action shots, the centre fold contains more action shots. One of the centre pages is colour advertising but the other is the home team pictures. Inside the back cover is an attempt to get the team line-ups displayed pictorially. However, putting our left back at right back, right back at centre back, and centre back shunted to left back did sure a lack of research into how we'd been lining up when fully fit all season.
Pie and Bovril
At the start of the season there was much fund raising going on to get a new pie oven for the away end at Forthbank. This effort has been greatly appreciated as hot pies are available although a little tinkering with the recipe would be appreciated.
Cost of a pie was £1.10 and it comes served to you on a paper plate. Bovril is £1 in a Styrofoam cup. The case was a little too salty and too floury for my tastes, and there was only a mince pie no steak and gravy available.
Cost
Admission £14 (although £10 for concessions makes this an expensive outing for families)
Programme £2
Mince Pie and Bovril £2.10
Total £18.10
League Table of Cost
Morton £17.90
Stirling £18.10
Queen of the South £18.60
Clyde £20.60
Dunfermline £21.50
Dundee £21.60
St. Johnstone £21.90
Match Report
Sterling got off to a sharp start in this game, getting an early free kick which Livi keeper Colin Stewart had to stop. But we'd seemed to settle down when a Eric Paartulu shot took a deflection off Cameron 'Cammy' MacDonald's heel and into the back of Stewart's net.
However, Livingston didn't look dejected having scored 8 goals in their previous two outing and hit two goals within 4 minutes just before half time. Firstly after Colin McMenamin failed to convert a Steven Craig cross, Graham Dorrans connected and a second deflection of the game saw the scores levelled. However, the next goal was a peach being lobbed in from 25 yards out Steven 'Stef' Craig fired it into the top corner giving Binos keeper Scott Christie no chance.
IN the second half Livingston continues to dominate. Graham Dorrans running the Stirling midfield and defences ragged, and right back 'Super' Dave MacKay was at his rampaging best getting forward whenever the opportunity arose. It was one of these runs that led to the third goal, coming from deep he penetrated into the Albion box, and rather than taking a pop himself laid it off for Stef, whose shot was cleared but it fell to an advancing Robert 'Snoddy' Snodgrass who powered it into the net. Craig just slotted a chance from a free kick wide from impossibly close in, but when Christie failed to cut out a Dorran's cross, Snoddy fought off two Stirling defenders with a strong back post finish.
Dorran's later hit the post and Liam Fox also slotted one just wide. But the livi fans left happy with an emphatic win on the road to keep a good run going.
Final Score Stirling Albion 1 Livingston 4 (Stirling: Paartulu 28, Livingston: Dorrans 35, Craig, 39, Snodgrass 58,65)
Effect on the relative teams' positions. Livingston climbed above Morton into 7th place but Stirling remained rooted at the foot of the table in 10th.
Next up should have been a trip to Firhill in the League but we ended up there next anyway with a replay in the cup with an away tie against either Rangers/Hibernian on offer to the winner.
Trivia Answer: The two other teams based at An(n)field were Stirling Albion 1945-1993 and Everton, the original occupants of the Liverpool ground, 1884-1992.
Previous Stadia Dens Park, East End Park, Broadwood, McDiarmid Park, Palmerstone
So I'm continuing to rattle my memory banks and going back to the game on the 19th January over at Forthbank the home of Sterling Albion.
Location
Forth Bank is on the outskirts of the Stirling on the Eastern side of the city and is on the edge of a retail park. The club moved here from their old ground Annfield which was close to the city centre in 1993. It leads to the old trivia question of which two teams other than Liverpool have been based at An(n)field, answer at the bottom of this post.
The Ground
The capacity of 3808 includes 2508 seats is made up largely of two stands facing each other over the pitch. The West Stand houses the home support, hospitality, changing room and office facilities. The East Stand houses the visiting support, the press and police control room. There are terraces behind the two goals but these are rarely used at present, the south terrace would be used by home support and the north by visitors if the need arose.
The Atmosphere
Sadly Stirling Albion have one of the smallest supports in this league, and even though Livi can manage one of our largest travelling supports for the short hop over to Sterling with them being over the other side of the park the atmosphere is largely lacking.
The Programme
The Forthbank News cost £2. Apart from the outside and centre pages is entirely black and white. However, these are utilised well as inside the front cover is action shots, the centre fold contains more action shots. One of the centre pages is colour advertising but the other is the home team pictures. Inside the back cover is an attempt to get the team line-ups displayed pictorially. However, putting our left back at right back, right back at centre back, and centre back shunted to left back did sure a lack of research into how we'd been lining up when fully fit all season.
Pie and Bovril
At the start of the season there was much fund raising going on to get a new pie oven for the away end at Forthbank. This effort has been greatly appreciated as hot pies are available although a little tinkering with the recipe would be appreciated.
Cost of a pie was £1.10 and it comes served to you on a paper plate. Bovril is £1 in a Styrofoam cup. The case was a little too salty and too floury for my tastes, and there was only a mince pie no steak and gravy available.
Cost
Admission £14 (although £10 for concessions makes this an expensive outing for families)
Programme £2
Mince Pie and Bovril £2.10
Total £18.10
League Table of Cost
Morton £17.90
Stirling £18.10
Queen of the South £18.60
Clyde £20.60
Dunfermline £21.50
Dundee £21.60
St. Johnstone £21.90
Match Report
Sterling got off to a sharp start in this game, getting an early free kick which Livi keeper Colin Stewart had to stop. But we'd seemed to settle down when a Eric Paartulu shot took a deflection off Cameron 'Cammy' MacDonald's heel and into the back of Stewart's net.
However, Livingston didn't look dejected having scored 8 goals in their previous two outing and hit two goals within 4 minutes just before half time. Firstly after Colin McMenamin failed to convert a Steven Craig cross, Graham Dorrans connected and a second deflection of the game saw the scores levelled. However, the next goal was a peach being lobbed in from 25 yards out Steven 'Stef' Craig fired it into the top corner giving Binos keeper Scott Christie no chance.
IN the second half Livingston continues to dominate. Graham Dorrans running the Stirling midfield and defences ragged, and right back 'Super' Dave MacKay was at his rampaging best getting forward whenever the opportunity arose. It was one of these runs that led to the third goal, coming from deep he penetrated into the Albion box, and rather than taking a pop himself laid it off for Stef, whose shot was cleared but it fell to an advancing Robert 'Snoddy' Snodgrass who powered it into the net. Craig just slotted a chance from a free kick wide from impossibly close in, but when Christie failed to cut out a Dorran's cross, Snoddy fought off two Stirling defenders with a strong back post finish.
Dorran's later hit the post and Liam Fox also slotted one just wide. But the livi fans left happy with an emphatic win on the road to keep a good run going.
Final Score Stirling Albion 1 Livingston 4 (Stirling: Paartulu 28, Livingston: Dorrans 35, Craig, 39, Snodgrass 58,65)
Effect on the relative teams' positions. Livingston climbed above Morton into 7th place but Stirling remained rooted at the foot of the table in 10th.
Next up should have been a trip to Firhill in the League but we ended up there next anyway with a replay in the cup with an away tie against either Rangers/Hibernian on offer to the winner.
Trivia Answer: The two other teams based at An(n)field were Stirling Albion 1945-1993 and Everton, the original occupants of the Liverpool ground, 1884-1992.
Previous Stadia Dens Park, East End Park, Broadwood, McDiarmid Park, Palmerstone
Sunday, 9 March 2008
Football Stadia Tour 6: Palmerstone Park
It just struck me that since I abandones blogging my trips around the Scottish first Division Stadium since the untimely death of Phil O'Donnell at the end of last year that I have since completed the cycle that I started out at with Dens Park. In fact Livingston are returning there this Tuesday.
So over the next few days I'll be playing catch up starting with the stadium we visited on that fateful day.
Location
Way down in Dumfries you will find the only football team that is mentioned in the Bible Queen of the South (see Luke 11:31). Fortunately for bookies everywhere the bible doesn't give the names of their opponents or the final score.
Palmerstone Park has been home to the Doonhamers since 1919 when three local teams(Dumfries F.C., Maxwelltown Volunteers F.C. and Arrol-Johnston's works team) merged to form the new club. It is conveniently located just off the by-pass between Tescos and the town's Ice Bowl.
The Ground
The capacity of 6412 included 3509 seats. The majority of which are in the main stand adjacent to the Ice Bowl, where the Livingston fans were accomadated in the southern half, with home fans on the other side.
Across the pitch behind the dugouts is a more tradional stand with a seated section in the middle for the directors and hospitality surrounded by terraces.
To the North and South of the pitch are traditional terraces. The northern Portland Drive Terrace is the home section and houses Queens own drummer. The southern Terregles Street End was traditionally for visiting support but has fallen out of use and now only host the Queen's supporters clubs flags.
The Atmosphere
With a drummer not our own in the stadium us Livi fans really enjoyed ourselves. Doing our own chants to his beat. Also as whenever you share a stand with the rival supporters the close proximity leads to the usual banter across the divide.
Sadly the atmosphere in the stands didn't seem to lift the game on 29th December and it looked like everyone on the park was suffering a post Christmas hangover.
The Programme
Cost £2. Is largely in black and white but the colour pages were disappointingly given over to huge chunks of text or adverts without using this for action pictures. The manager, chairman and team captain all have a column. There were 3 pages of different stats, the division, players plus the game by game break down.
Pie and Bovril
The serveries at Palmerstone are looked forward to by travelling support for a different food group the spud, fried into a gorgeous chip.
Cost
Admission £14
Programme £2
Steak Pie and Bovril £2.60
Total £TBC
League Table of Cost
Morton £17.90
Queen of the South £18.60
Clyde £20.60
Dunfermline £21.50
Dundee £21.60
St. Johnstone £21.90
Match Report
Sorry to say this game was largely a snooze fest. Neither team looked up for it. and for most of the game it looked to have 0-0 written all over it. Sad thing was how often the Queen's players went over with the slightest touch, and more worryingly how often the ref blem up for it. Although he did miss what might have been been a handball decision against Livingston midfielder Lee Makel. Also Livi's left back Craig James was in my opinion lucky to only recieve a yellow card for a two footed challenge from behind.
In the end the only separation between the two teams came when yet another Queen's palyer went down. This time it was ex-Livi hero Steve Tosh to a challenge from Dave MacKay which looked dubious again. The resulting penalty was the only score in the match.
Final Score Queen of the South 1 Livingston 0 (QotS: O'Neill 83 (pen))
Effect on the relative teams' positions. Livingston slipped down one place as a result of this defeat as Dunfermline moved above them.
Next up it is a trip to Forthbank where you can see the Wallace Monument for the 19 January game against Stirling Albion.
Previous Stadia Dens Park, East End Park, Broadwood, McDiarmid Park
So over the next few days I'll be playing catch up starting with the stadium we visited on that fateful day.
Location
Way down in Dumfries you will find the only football team that is mentioned in the Bible Queen of the South (see Luke 11:31). Fortunately for bookies everywhere the bible doesn't give the names of their opponents or the final score.
Palmerstone Park has been home to the Doonhamers since 1919 when three local teams(Dumfries F.C., Maxwelltown Volunteers F.C. and Arrol-Johnston's works team) merged to form the new club. It is conveniently located just off the by-pass between Tescos and the town's Ice Bowl.
The Ground
The capacity of 6412 included 3509 seats. The majority of which are in the main stand adjacent to the Ice Bowl, where the Livingston fans were accomadated in the southern half, with home fans on the other side.
Across the pitch behind the dugouts is a more tradional stand with a seated section in the middle for the directors and hospitality surrounded by terraces.
To the North and South of the pitch are traditional terraces. The northern Portland Drive Terrace is the home section and houses Queens own drummer. The southern Terregles Street End was traditionally for visiting support but has fallen out of use and now only host the Queen's supporters clubs flags.
The Atmosphere
With a drummer not our own in the stadium us Livi fans really enjoyed ourselves. Doing our own chants to his beat. Also as whenever you share a stand with the rival supporters the close proximity leads to the usual banter across the divide.
Sadly the atmosphere in the stands didn't seem to lift the game on 29th December and it looked like everyone on the park was suffering a post Christmas hangover.
The Programme
Cost £2. Is largely in black and white but the colour pages were disappointingly given over to huge chunks of text or adverts without using this for action pictures. The manager, chairman and team captain all have a column. There were 3 pages of different stats, the division, players plus the game by game break down.
Pie and Bovril
The serveries at Palmerstone are looked forward to by travelling support for a different food group the spud, fried into a gorgeous chip.
Cost
Admission £14
Programme £2
Steak Pie and Bovril £2.60
Total £TBC
League Table of Cost
Morton £17.90
Queen of the South £18.60
Clyde £20.60
Dunfermline £21.50
Dundee £21.60
St. Johnstone £21.90
Match Report
Sorry to say this game was largely a snooze fest. Neither team looked up for it. and for most of the game it looked to have 0-0 written all over it. Sad thing was how often the Queen's players went over with the slightest touch, and more worryingly how often the ref blem up for it. Although he did miss what might have been been a handball decision against Livingston midfielder Lee Makel. Also Livi's left back Craig James was in my opinion lucky to only recieve a yellow card for a two footed challenge from behind.
In the end the only separation between the two teams came when yet another Queen's palyer went down. This time it was ex-Livi hero Steve Tosh to a challenge from Dave MacKay which looked dubious again. The resulting penalty was the only score in the match.
Final Score Queen of the South 1 Livingston 0 (QotS: O'Neill 83 (pen))
Effect on the relative teams' positions. Livingston slipped down one place as a result of this defeat as Dunfermline moved above them.
Next up it is a trip to Forthbank where you can see the Wallace Monument for the 19 January game against Stirling Albion.
Previous Stadia Dens Park, East End Park, Broadwood, McDiarmid Park
Sunday, 23 December 2007
Football Stadia Tour 5: McDiarmid Park
After a week of freezing fog i the central belt some Livi fans were recollecting a previous trip to McDiarmid Park when the game was abandoned in the 80th minute after fog made it impossible for play to continue. We were glad when we arrived that although the car park was frosty that the lights in the houses on the hill to the south were still clearly visible.
Location
The only league side in British Football to contain the letter J does not come from somewhere called St. Johnstone, nor should it be mistaken with Johnstone in East Renfrewshire. It is the team of the Fair City of Perth on the River Tay.
It is conveniently located just off the City's by-pass to the west of the City on land donated by local farmer Brian McDiarmid after whom the new stadium is named.
The Ground
Opened in 1989 it is deemed to be the first of the modern football stadia, with 4 covered seated, single tier stands holding a maximum on 10,673. There are no obscured views from any seat. Three of the stands are of equal height with the Main Stand to the West being a little higher. The South Stand is the Ormand Stand named after Willie Ormand the teams most successful manager to date. However, in recent years only the main and east stand are opened for league games due to attendance levels unless a big match is being hosted. For our visit we were seated in the Northern half of the Main Stand which is accessed half way up from the raised level of the car park on that side of the hollow in which the ground sits.
In the North East corner is an electronic scoreboard, which can keep excited and nervous fans updated of the scores elsewhere, and brought the news after full time in Perth last year that Gretna with a late, late goal had sealed promotion to the SPL instead of the Saints.
The Atmosphere
The atmosphere was cracking as every at McDiarmid Park, and although we didn't have another fan run unto the pitch our fans kept singing for most of the game. Which when you get to the match report you'll find all the more surprising, especially if you've ever been to Almondvale.
The Programme
Cost £2.50. As expected not a match to last week's zenith, but still a worthy programme. 32 pages and this week featured an early St. Johnstone versus Johnstone game in a little bit of history. The opening notes commented that Colin Mcmenamin had yet to score on his return on loan from Gretna, and predicted that he didn't expect last season's top scorer in Scotland's maiden strike to be long in coming. He proved to be better than Mystic Meg 14 minutes into the game.
Pie and Bovril
£1.10 for hot drinks with the water steaming out of a tap in front of you from the servery counter. £1.30 for a steak and gravy pie. Mine was fine but one of my neighbours said theirs was cold on the inside.
Cost
Admission £17 (most expensive of the season)
Programme £2.50
(Bacon Butty) and Bovril £2.40
Total £TBC
League Table of Cost
Morton £17.90
Clyde £20.60
Dunfermline £21.50
Dundee £21.60
St. Johnstone £21.90
Match Report
Well it was pantomime season and I had jested with one Saint's fan on Pie and Bovril the Scottish Football forums, when he asked surely we couldn't beat them again, responded with oh yes we could, before laying a few conditions, based on our inconsistent showings thus far.
Well the game certainly started looking like oh yes we could. Livi started strong and started to dominate. Time and again getting into danger areas. Before Colin McMenamin got his head on the end of the ball and guided it into the back of the net. The old chant of his name at last resounded from the Livi choir in goal celebration, me very joyfully as I have the Livi number 9 in the sweep from the coach trip up.
However our joy was all too short lived. St Johnstone started to find their feet on the hard pitch and too often the Livi players started to lose theirs. Andy Jackson after some applied pressure got what was a deserved equaliser, but from the starts we were getting more and more anxious about the amount of space and opportunity that we appeared to be giving another team for the second game on the bounce. We were hoping for a goal ourselves, possibly from our other striker Steven Craig. When a Craig scored though it was Saint's defender Liam scoring his first goal for the club in the 41st minute. So for the second week on the trot we conceded a cheap but inevitable goal just before half time.
Livingston came out with a little renewed vigour at the start of the second half but it was soon snuffed out when Rocco Quinn burst through the non-existent defence to grab a third. Things then went from bad to worse and time and again the Livi players were leaving gaps on the park and two and sometimes three Saint's players had time space and no real challenge as they advanced.
We were just hoping there wasn't going to be a fourth goal from the home team. Livi have been in 8 games this season where 4 goals or more have been scored by one team, winning three 4-0, one each 5-0, 4-3 and 4-2, we have also been on the wrong end of 4-0 and 4-1 defeats. However with 18 minutes remaining Jackson scored again making it 4-1 followed 6 minutes later by a fifth from Peter MacDonald.
As I said before the fans were still singing backing their team and when chants of we want six appeared to be misconstrued by some of the players the chant was swiftly changed to '6-5 we're gonna win 6-5'. Just before the fifth goal Tam Pesir came unto the field and started to show the bit we'd been lacking for most of the game it was he who concluded the scoring more or less bang on the 90 minutes, sadly the ref didn't allow any additional time for us to attempt to get the three goal we still needed to draw level the spoilsport.
Final Score St. Johnstone 5 Livingston (St Johnstone: Jackson 22, 72, Craig 41, Quinn 56, MacDonald 78. Livingston: Colin McMenamin 14, Tomas Pesir 90)
Effect on the relative teams' positions. Morton didn't need asking two weeks in a row their draw at Firhill lifted them back above Livingston who dropped back to 6th and it could have been worse if Clyde's pitch hadn't been frozen causing an abandonment. St Johnstone on the other hand benefited from Morton's result leapfrogging Partick into 3rd spot. Winning their game in hand over the top two to bring them within 13 points.
Next time its the third of three consecutive road trips as we head South to Dumfries and Palmerston.
Previous Stadia Dens Park, East End Park, Broadwood
Location
The only league side in British Football to contain the letter J does not come from somewhere called St. Johnstone, nor should it be mistaken with Johnstone in East Renfrewshire. It is the team of the Fair City of Perth on the River Tay.
It is conveniently located just off the City's by-pass to the west of the City on land donated by local farmer Brian McDiarmid after whom the new stadium is named.
Opened in 1989 it is deemed to be the first of the modern football stadia, with 4 covered seated, single tier stands holding a maximum on 10,673. There are no obscured views from any seat. Three of the stands are of equal height with the Main Stand to the West being a little higher. The South Stand is the Ormand Stand named after Willie Ormand the teams most successful manager to date. However, in recent years only the main and east stand are opened for league games due to attendance levels unless a big match is being hosted. For our visit we were seated in the Northern half of the Main Stand which is accessed half way up from the raised level of the car park on that side of the hollow in which the ground sits.
In the North East corner is an electronic scoreboard, which can keep excited and nervous fans updated of the scores elsewhere, and brought the news after full time in Perth last year that Gretna with a late, late goal had sealed promotion to the SPL instead of the Saints.
The Atmosphere
The atmosphere was cracking as every at McDiarmid Park, and although we didn't have another fan run unto the pitch our fans kept singing for most of the game. Which when you get to the match report you'll find all the more surprising, especially if you've ever been to Almondvale.
The Programme
Cost £2.50. As expected not a match to last week's zenith, but still a worthy programme. 32 pages and this week featured an early St. Johnstone versus Johnstone game in a little bit of history. The opening notes commented that Colin Mcmenamin had yet to score on his return on loan from Gretna, and predicted that he didn't expect last season's top scorer in Scotland's maiden strike to be long in coming. He proved to be better than Mystic Meg 14 minutes into the game.
Pie and Bovril
£1.10 for hot drinks with the water steaming out of a tap in front of you from the servery counter. £1.30 for a steak and gravy pie. Mine was fine but one of my neighbours said theirs was cold on the inside.
Cost
Admission £17 (most expensive of the season)
Programme £2.50
(Bacon Butty) and Bovril £2.40
Total £TBC
League Table of Cost
Morton £17.90
Clyde £20.60
Dunfermline £21.50
Dundee £21.60
St. Johnstone £21.90
Match Report
Well it was pantomime season and I had jested with one Saint's fan on Pie and Bovril the Scottish Football forums, when he asked surely we couldn't beat them again, responded with oh yes we could, before laying a few conditions, based on our inconsistent showings thus far.
Well the game certainly started looking like oh yes we could. Livi started strong and started to dominate. Time and again getting into danger areas. Before Colin McMenamin got his head on the end of the ball and guided it into the back of the net. The old chant of his name at last resounded from the Livi choir in goal celebration, me very joyfully as I have the Livi number 9 in the sweep from the coach trip up.
However our joy was all too short lived. St Johnstone started to find their feet on the hard pitch and too often the Livi players started to lose theirs. Andy Jackson after some applied pressure got what was a deserved equaliser, but from the starts we were getting more and more anxious about the amount of space and opportunity that we appeared to be giving another team for the second game on the bounce. We were hoping for a goal ourselves, possibly from our other striker Steven Craig. When a Craig scored though it was Saint's defender Liam scoring his first goal for the club in the 41st minute. So for the second week on the trot we conceded a cheap but inevitable goal just before half time.
Livingston came out with a little renewed vigour at the start of the second half but it was soon snuffed out when Rocco Quinn burst through the non-existent defence to grab a third. Things then went from bad to worse and time and again the Livi players were leaving gaps on the park and two and sometimes three Saint's players had time space and no real challenge as they advanced.
We were just hoping there wasn't going to be a fourth goal from the home team. Livi have been in 8 games this season where 4 goals or more have been scored by one team, winning three 4-0, one each 5-0, 4-3 and 4-2, we have also been on the wrong end of 4-0 and 4-1 defeats. However with 18 minutes remaining Jackson scored again making it 4-1 followed 6 minutes later by a fifth from Peter MacDonald.
As I said before the fans were still singing backing their team and when chants of we want six appeared to be misconstrued by some of the players the chant was swiftly changed to '6-5 we're gonna win 6-5'. Just before the fifth goal Tam Pesir came unto the field and started to show the bit we'd been lacking for most of the game it was he who concluded the scoring more or less bang on the 90 minutes, sadly the ref didn't allow any additional time for us to attempt to get the three goal we still needed to draw level the spoilsport.
Final Score St. Johnstone 5 Livingston (St Johnstone: Jackson 22, 72, Craig 41, Quinn 56, MacDonald 78. Livingston: Colin McMenamin 14, Tomas Pesir 90)
Effect on the relative teams' positions. Morton didn't need asking two weeks in a row their draw at Firhill lifted them back above Livingston who dropped back to 6th and it could have been worse if Clyde's pitch hadn't been frozen causing an abandonment. St Johnstone on the other hand benefited from Morton's result leapfrogging Partick into 3rd spot. Winning their game in hand over the top two to bring them within 13 points.
Next time its the third of three consecutive road trips as we head South to Dumfries and Palmerston.
Previous Stadia Dens Park, East End Park, Broadwood
Monday, 17 December 2007
Football Stadia Tour 4: Broadwood
We're in the depths of December but at this point of this seasons Odyssey of the Irn Bru Scottish Division 1 grounds we wind ourselves in one of the coldest most exposed locations imaginable; Broadwood home of Clyde.
Location
Clyde currently play at Cumbernauld, although they were originally from Rutherglen. You can see the fast Edinburgh to Glasgow railway line from the stadium and Croy station is the nearest station, although getting from there to the stadium can be a chore. However, there is amble parking around hte stadium, although the signs for the away fans parking does disappear just at the crucial roundabout if heading south past hte stadium. Just remember once you pass the floodlights at the next roundabout turn right, you'll see the only sign on the exit and then mind the speed humps on the approach to the stadium.
The Ground
Has the air of being unfinished about it largely because there are currently three excellent stands and a big hole to the north with a corrugated iron wall behind that goal line, over which many a ball disappears into the marsh beyond. The Main Stand to the East of the pitch and the opposing West Stand were the first two to be completed at Clyde's third permanent home, after Barrowfield Park and Shawfield Stadium. And were first used in February 1994 after an almost 8 year wandering first to Firhill (Partick Thistle) and New Douglas Park (Hamilton Academical) who will feature later in this season's travels.
The three stand put down is often aimed at Clyde fans on message boards, that plus their current distance from the Clyde. But it is one of the many first division stadiums that meet the current seating requirements for the SPL, although they would have to install a good undersoil system if they ever were to find themselves in such a position. (Ironically the game the following week was called off to a frozen pitch)
The Atmosphere
Both sets of fans were housed in the Main Stand, which although it left vast areas of empty seats did concentrate the fans atmosphere to close quarters. Shouts and gestures were easily aimed at the rival support in this game where both teams held the upper hand at times.
The Programme
Cost £2.50. This is award winning stuff, and rightly so has been the Scottish Football programme of the years every season since the 1995-6 season. It is 76 pages from multiple contributors on a whole range of issues, history, form, stats etc. It also has 8 pages dedicated to the visitors which was thoroughly researched and up t date.
Pie and Bovril
Good steak pie served here and an excellent cup of bovril. I forgot to note the price so will have to check on the second visit later in the season.
Edited: Pie £1.70, Bovril £1.40.
Cost
Admission £15
Programme £2.50
(Bacon Butty) and Bovril £3.10
Total £20.60
League Table of Cost
Morton £17.90
Clyde £20.60
Dunfermline £21.50
Dundee £21.60
Match Report
Having watched our Lions beat the league leaders the week before the away support was pumped up for more of the same. The proximity of Cumbernauld to Livingston making this virtually a Derby match also meant there were some unfamiliar faces in the travelling support.
And the Livi Lions carried off where they left off against Hamilton. Playing flowing football which was rewarding in the 8th minute by another Graham Dorran's goal, when he headed in a Robert Snodgrass cross. Somehow the stadium announcer and subsequently Clyde fans believed that Snoddy had scored as a result of his own cross. If he did I've never seen anyone move that fast. We may not have a 20 goal a season striker but Graham is almost on track to be a 20 goal this season midfielder. After the goal went in we continued to apply the pressure for maybe another 12 minutes but didn't find that elusive second goal. Then the home side started to wake up to the fact that their long ball and hope tactics weren't working and looked for more productive ways to get into the Livi half. Unfortunately our defenders and midfield started to give Clyde the room and time to refine these tactics more carefully.
Having not had that second goal our early joy turned to anxiety as we hoped that we might hold out under this sudden arrival of pressure until half time so that the manager Mark Proctor could pull the team together with some words at half time. Sadly Clydes Craig McKeown finally got what was a deserved equaliser in the 43rd minute and the Clyde support suddenly came back to life.
The second half it appeared that only one team had come out to play. Livingston didn't seem to be wanting to get back ahead. With 15 minutes to go with the Livi goal under increasing pressure the inevitable happened and Neil McGregor ran past our defence and slotted home what turned out to only be the winner. Colin Stewart managed to pull off three spectacular saves which prevented the scoreline being worse than it was. 2-1 in the end flattered Livi another case of Jekyll one week Mr Hyde the next.
Final Score Clyde 2 Livingston 1 (Morton: McKeown 43, McGregor 75. Livingston:
Graham Dorrans 8)
Effect on the relative teams' positions. Morton lost more heavily than Livi so our spot in third was actually strengthened from goals scored to goal difference. Clyde however, jumped over Queen of the South into 7th place.
Next time it's off to last season's happy hunting ground of McDairmid Park, Perth home of St. Johnstone.
Previous Stadia Dens Park, East End Park
Clyde currently play at Cumbernauld, although they were originally from Rutherglen. You can see the fast Edinburgh to Glasgow railway line from the stadium and Croy station is the nearest station, although getting from there to the stadium can be a chore. However, there is amble parking around hte stadium, although the signs for the away fans parking does disappear just at the crucial roundabout if heading south past hte stadium. Just remember once you pass the floodlights at the next roundabout turn right, you'll see the only sign on the exit and then mind the speed humps on the approach to the stadium.
The Ground
Has the air of being unfinished about it largely because there are currently three excellent stands and a big hole to the north with a corrugated iron wall behind that goal line, over which many a ball disappears into the marsh beyond. The Main Stand to the East of the pitch and the opposing West Stand were the first two to be completed at Clyde's third permanent home, after Barrowfield Park and Shawfield Stadium. And were first used in February 1994 after an almost 8 year wandering first to Firhill (Partick Thistle) and New Douglas Park (Hamilton Academical) who will feature later in this season's travels.
The three stand put down is often aimed at Clyde fans on message boards, that plus their current distance from the Clyde. But it is one of the many first division stadiums that meet the current seating requirements for the SPL, although they would have to install a good undersoil system if they ever were to find themselves in such a position. (Ironically the game the following week was called off to a frozen pitch)
The Atmosphere
Both sets of fans were housed in the Main Stand, which although it left vast areas of empty seats did concentrate the fans atmosphere to close quarters. Shouts and gestures were easily aimed at the rival support in this game where both teams held the upper hand at times.
The Programme
Cost £2.50. This is award winning stuff, and rightly so has been the Scottish Football programme of the years every season since the 1995-6 season. It is 76 pages from multiple contributors on a whole range of issues, history, form, stats etc. It also has 8 pages dedicated to the visitors which was thoroughly researched and up t date.
Pie and Bovril
Good steak pie served here and an excellent cup of bovril. I forgot to note the price so will have to check on the second visit later in the season.
Edited: Pie £1.70, Bovril £1.40.
Cost
Admission £15
Programme £2.50
(Bacon Butty) and Bovril £3.10
Total £20.60
League Table of Cost
Morton £17.90
Clyde £20.60
Dunfermline £21.50
Dundee £21.60
Match Report
Having watched our Lions beat the league leaders the week before the away support was pumped up for more of the same. The proximity of Cumbernauld to Livingston making this virtually a Derby match also meant there were some unfamiliar faces in the travelling support.
And the Livi Lions carried off where they left off against Hamilton. Playing flowing football which was rewarding in the 8th minute by another Graham Dorran's goal, when he headed in a Robert Snodgrass cross. Somehow the stadium announcer and subsequently Clyde fans believed that Snoddy had scored as a result of his own cross. If he did I've never seen anyone move that fast. We may not have a 20 goal a season striker but Graham is almost on track to be a 20 goal this season midfielder. After the goal went in we continued to apply the pressure for maybe another 12 minutes but didn't find that elusive second goal. Then the home side started to wake up to the fact that their long ball and hope tactics weren't working and looked for more productive ways to get into the Livi half. Unfortunately our defenders and midfield started to give Clyde the room and time to refine these tactics more carefully.
Having not had that second goal our early joy turned to anxiety as we hoped that we might hold out under this sudden arrival of pressure until half time so that the manager Mark Proctor could pull the team together with some words at half time. Sadly Clydes Craig McKeown finally got what was a deserved equaliser in the 43rd minute and the Clyde support suddenly came back to life.
The second half it appeared that only one team had come out to play. Livingston didn't seem to be wanting to get back ahead. With 15 minutes to go with the Livi goal under increasing pressure the inevitable happened and Neil McGregor ran past our defence and slotted home what turned out to only be the winner. Colin Stewart managed to pull off three spectacular saves which prevented the scoreline being worse than it was. 2-1 in the end flattered Livi another case of Jekyll one week Mr Hyde the next.
Final Score Clyde 2 Livingston 1 (Morton: McKeown 43, McGregor 75. Livingston:
Graham Dorrans 8)
Effect on the relative teams' positions. Morton lost more heavily than Livi so our spot in third was actually strengthened from goals scored to goal difference. Clyde however, jumped over Queen of the South into 7th place.
Next time it's off to last season's happy hunting ground of McDairmid Park, Perth home of St. Johnstone.
Previous Stadia Dens Park, East End Park
Friday, 7 December 2007
Football Stadia Tour 3: Cappielow
Sorry if I’m bit late in the week updating you on my footballing travels through the Irn Bru Division 1 grounds, but I’ve been a bit busy at work recently what with settling into my new position and everything. So here’s is my summery of my second trip of the season to the home of the Ton, Greenock Morton.
Location
Cappielow is in Greenock along the road that runs along the south bank of the River Clyde. As a seasider by birth it is closest I get to having the smells of home whilst watching my football.
Like our trip to Dunfermline the expected delays beyond Harthill on the M8 failed to materialise so yet again all our coaches ended up at the ground a lot earlier than anticipated. But this most have been welcome news to the Chippie at the NE corner of the stadium who did a roaring trade in his fine chips at other things to the hungry masses of Livi supporters.
The Ground
The Livi fans were one again seated in the Main Stand at Cappielow, which is the southern side of the stadium. Although unlike our Challenge Cup visit earlier in the season we were allowed less seats based on where the lines of segregation tape where placed.
Cappielow is a real throw back stadium maintaining a lot of old features and attributes missing from modern all-seater venues. The two ends are open to the elements. The Western End is the Wee Dublin End, and has unbacked seating formed out of the former terracing. The Eastern end is the Sinclair Street end where ardent Morton fans stand on the exposed terracing however on Saturday this was largely empty.
Opposite the Main Stand is the Cowshed, which is largely terraced but has a small section of seating at the front on either side of the halfway lines.
However, the toilets the away fans have to use are situated down the back of the Wee Dublin end and the gents leave a lot to be desired and I’ve been in toilets blocks in the Soviet Union when it still existed that were luxuriant in comparison.
The Atmosphere
Sadly although Morton have a large support for this level their support were not very vocal when we visited on Saturday. Although this may have been down to the way their team performed especially in the latter part of the match.
The Programme
Cost £2.50. Is made by the same printers as Livi’s MDP. However, the visiting team details although slightly altered from our first visit had some factual inaccuracies due to not being thoroughly checked from the first time the pen pictures were used. Sadly as if to appease the Old Firm supporters in their midst both Celtic and Rangers achievements in Europe featured in the opening pages.
Pie and Bovril
Not a static servery but a mobile van is located in the corner between the Main and Wee Dublin stands. Very reasonably priced £1 for a Bovril and a variety of freshly grilled options available as you would expect from such a van.
Cost
Admission £13 (excellent and only £4 for juniors)
Programme £2.50
(Bacon Butty) and Bovril £2.40 (Excellent)
Total £17.90
League Table of Cost
Morton £17.90
Dunfermline £21.50
Dundee £21.60
Match Report
I was confident going into this game on the sweep stake on the Coach over I had drawn the clubs two leading scorers Graham Dorrans and penalty taker Dave MacKay. So I was hoping for one of these two to clean up early so I could relax and enjoy the game. In the end Graham did score in the first ten minutes but only to equalise 3 minutes after Chris Miller got on the end of a ball send over from just in front of us from around the penalty spot. Dorrans a few minutes later made a run on the Morton goad and got a slight deflection to score from 20 yards.
For the first 20 minutes or so both teams were doing their best to take the lead. But with a lot of effort and little to so for it, but slowly Livi started a domination of the game that was only briefly broken when down Morton's left Ian Russell found space between youngster Keaghan Jacobs and Dave MacKay to allow he to swerve one in from all of 25 years that seemed to confuse Colin Stewart in goal by heading in at the last minute.
However, once again Livi weren't behind for long when Dave MacKay sent a cross into the box where Jason Kennedy made amends for being ruled offside the last time he netted here in August by equalising again.
The second half was all one way. Livi's Manager Mark Proctor if he'd brought the kitchen sink would have thrown it on as every else was being aimed at McGurn in the Morton goal.
On loan Colin McMenamin still looking for his first goal since his return to the Lions was clean through on a raking run, beat the keeper only to see his shot bounce off the outside of the post. Thomas 'Tam' Pesir scorched one in from all 20 yards which dipped enough to hit the topside of the crossbar only a moment later. One corner resulted in 4 or five stops from Morton keeper and defenders. A close range header from Dave Mackay and shots from Pesir and Dorrans were all somehow kept out by McGurn who surely should have been Morton's man of the match.
So we all came away from this trip sad not to have taken all three points. But if you'd asked us at the beginning we would have taken any result that earned us at least a point.
Final Score Morton 2 Livingston 2 (Morton: Millar 7, Russell 38. Livingston:
Graham Dorrans 10, Jason Kennedy 42 [ironic looking at today's other post])
Effect on the relative teams' positions. This week in Division one the top two teams beat the bottom two while the other six all managed to conjure up draws meaning the whole table stayed in exactly the same positions Morton 5th and Livi in 6th.
Next time it's off to Cumbernauld the latest home of Clyde.
Previous Stadia Dens Park, East End Park
Location
Cappielow is in Greenock along the road that runs along the south bank of the River Clyde. As a seasider by birth it is closest I get to having the smells of home whilst watching my football.
Like our trip to Dunfermline the expected delays beyond Harthill on the M8 failed to materialise so yet again all our coaches ended up at the ground a lot earlier than anticipated. But this most have been welcome news to the Chippie at the NE corner of the stadium who did a roaring trade in his fine chips at other things to the hungry masses of Livi supporters.
The Ground
The Livi fans were one again seated in the Main Stand at Cappielow, which is the southern side of the stadium. Although unlike our Challenge Cup visit earlier in the season we were allowed less seats based on where the lines of segregation tape where placed.
Cappielow is a real throw back stadium maintaining a lot of old features and attributes missing from modern all-seater venues. The two ends are open to the elements. The Western End is the Wee Dublin End, and has unbacked seating formed out of the former terracing. The Eastern end is the Sinclair Street end where ardent Morton fans stand on the exposed terracing however on Saturday this was largely empty.
Opposite the Main Stand is the Cowshed, which is largely terraced but has a small section of seating at the front on either side of the halfway lines.
However, the toilets the away fans have to use are situated down the back of the Wee Dublin end and the gents leave a lot to be desired and I’ve been in toilets blocks in the Soviet Union when it still existed that were luxuriant in comparison.
The Atmosphere
Sadly although Morton have a large support for this level their support were not very vocal when we visited on Saturday. Although this may have been down to the way their team performed especially in the latter part of the match.
The Programme
Cost £2.50. Is made by the same printers as Livi’s MDP. However, the visiting team details although slightly altered from our first visit had some factual inaccuracies due to not being thoroughly checked from the first time the pen pictures were used. Sadly as if to appease the Old Firm supporters in their midst both Celtic and Rangers achievements in Europe featured in the opening pages.
Pie and Bovril
Not a static servery but a mobile van is located in the corner between the Main and Wee Dublin stands. Very reasonably priced £1 for a Bovril and a variety of freshly grilled options available as you would expect from such a van.
Cost
Admission £13 (excellent and only £4 for juniors)
Programme £2.50
(Bacon Butty) and Bovril £2.40 (Excellent)
Total £17.90
League Table of Cost
Morton £17.90
Dunfermline £21.50
Dundee £21.60
Match Report
I was confident going into this game on the sweep stake on the Coach over I had drawn the clubs two leading scorers Graham Dorrans and penalty taker Dave MacKay. So I was hoping for one of these two to clean up early so I could relax and enjoy the game. In the end Graham did score in the first ten minutes but only to equalise 3 minutes after Chris Miller got on the end of a ball send over from just in front of us from around the penalty spot. Dorrans a few minutes later made a run on the Morton goad and got a slight deflection to score from 20 yards.
For the first 20 minutes or so both teams were doing their best to take the lead. But with a lot of effort and little to so for it, but slowly Livi started a domination of the game that was only briefly broken when down Morton's left Ian Russell found space between youngster Keaghan Jacobs and Dave MacKay to allow he to swerve one in from all of 25 years that seemed to confuse Colin Stewart in goal by heading in at the last minute.
However, once again Livi weren't behind for long when Dave MacKay sent a cross into the box where Jason Kennedy made amends for being ruled offside the last time he netted here in August by equalising again.
The second half was all one way. Livi's Manager Mark Proctor if he'd brought the kitchen sink would have thrown it on as every else was being aimed at McGurn in the Morton goal.
On loan Colin McMenamin still looking for his first goal since his return to the Lions was clean through on a raking run, beat the keeper only to see his shot bounce off the outside of the post. Thomas 'Tam' Pesir scorched one in from all 20 yards which dipped enough to hit the topside of the crossbar only a moment later. One corner resulted in 4 or five stops from Morton keeper and defenders. A close range header from Dave Mackay and shots from Pesir and Dorrans were all somehow kept out by McGurn who surely should have been Morton's man of the match.
So we all came away from this trip sad not to have taken all three points. But if you'd asked us at the beginning we would have taken any result that earned us at least a point.
Final Score Morton 2 Livingston 2 (Morton: Millar 7, Russell 38. Livingston:
Graham Dorrans 10, Jason Kennedy 42 [ironic looking at today's other post])
Effect on the relative teams' positions. This week in Division one the top two teams beat the bottom two while the other six all managed to conjure up draws meaning the whole table stayed in exactly the same positions Morton 5th and Livi in 6th.
Next time it's off to Cumbernauld the latest home of Clyde.
Previous Stadia Dens Park, East End Park
Sunday, 4 November 2007
Football Stadia Tour 2: East End Park
Carrying on my tour of the Irn Bru Scottish First Division Stadia this weekend I returned, for the first time in two seasons, to another familiar stomping ground East End Park in Dunfermline. Not only have I blogged about games attended and missed here before but I also saw the crowd from numerous angles and vantage points during the Dumfermline and East Fife by election.
Location
East End Park in conveniently placed along the Halbeath Road to the east of the City, so cars and coaches are best coming off the M90 at junction 3 and coming straight into the city. It is only just outside the city centre and not too far a walk from the train station.
Unlike our trip across the Forth Bridge a fortnight ago yesterday there were delays in crossing as the road works have been completed. So masses of Livi fans who allowed time for the bridge again found themselves congregating out side the gates of the East Stand well before the gates opened at 2:15.
The Ground
Last time I visited EEP was in the SPL days and we were accommodated in one half of the North Stand. It was also the match that our club chairman Pearse Flynn still in a dispute with Dunfermline's Chairman John Yorkston was sat in the stands with the fans, in fact only about 2 rows behind me. However my mate who was sat beside me, missed the goal as he was sitting behind one of the posts holding up the commentary gantry. This time however all the Livi fans had uninterrupted views of the action from the East Stand.
Across from us was the Norrie McCarthie stand. To the right of this stand is the tunnel where the officials and players emerge like at Old Trafford from the corner of the pitch. The Main Stand to the south has the director's boxes enclosed just behind the dug outs.
Disabled facilities are good in the East stand there is a raised viewing platform but at turnstile level where 5 wheelchairs could have access. As each disabled ticket holders helper is given a hi-vis jacket on entering, even the visiting support.
The Atmosphere
Last time I was here for a match we were taking up half of the North stand and only divided by a barrier from some of the most vocal home support, real see into the whites of their eyes stuff. This time we were somewhat separated from any of the home support. The vocal mob from the North Stand did direct some chants in our direction. But even the fans in the main stand were quite far away and didn't make much noise for most of the match anyway.
That being said I was up near the back of the East Stand and the acoustics did seem to have an effect later on we did get both Mark Proctor and Curtis Fleming plus all the subbed players to respond directly to our chants. Having said that the atmosphere in the Livi end was buoyant for most of the game and all the later stages, whereas the most noise that the Pars fans created was at he end when they booed off Stephen Kenny and his players.
The Programme
Cost £2.50. One highlight for me was to see Willie Rennie's smiling face advertising his surgeries from the advertisement pages. It had two pages dedicated to the visitors and a random selection of players selected for profile, and surprisingly for a first visit of the season not more emphasis on some first team regulars. There was a two page interview with one of the home players, on this occasion local boy made good Steven Crawford. There was a section looking back at one of the Pars great games from the sixties. Also there was a section looking at programmes from the past which in a tribute to the visitors also mentioned the first programme between Meadowbank Thistle and Dunfermline on 25 September 1976 at Meadowbank.
Us away fans did play a quick game of Play Your Cards Right with the previous two games reports. For the record the winners went lower, higher. However, tow downsides the first page of the programme did call our manager Martin Proctor. Plus the Dunfermline players were listed by their UEFA cup squad numbers. Not only a fling back to the Pars SPL days and a slight slur on the rest of the clubs in the league, but also now never to be used again this season, except for identifying who the subs were replacing the team stats section.
Pie and Bovril
There is only a scotch pie not a steak pie at EEP, however, why quibble when almost every away fan looks forward to the steak Bridie which at £1.90 is gorgeous. Added to this the Bovril is only £1.10 and you are saving 60p on Dundee. For those not used to a bridie think a little like a beef stew stuffed into a Cornish Pastie pastry. The bridie on offer was exquisite the meat was lovely and tender, and just enough gravy to hold it all together. My bovril was lovely and warm especially as I didn't even start to drink it until 10 minutes after I bought it.
Cost
Admission £16
Programme £2.50
Pie (Bridie) and Bovril £3 (Excellent)
Total £21.50
League Table of Cost
Dunfermline £21.50
Dundee £21.60
Match Report
The first half looking at the scoreline would have suggested a very even game. However, Super Mario in the Livi goal was hardly troubled and didn't have to make a save. With Dave MacKay back at right back he started running overlaps with Graham Dorrans and provide all sorts of option. Jason Kennedy surging forward from midfield and Lee Makel distributing from there were creating all sorts of havoc for the Pars defence. All that was lacking was a finish. However they kept hounding the Pars box. Steven Craig once getting to the goal line but without support for a lay back before being unceremoniously dumped off the ball for what could have been a penalty. Later on he again broke the offside trap (which was a tough act for him yesterday) and was through into the box when Bamba pushed him over the ball, but the ref failed to blow for an even clearer penalty. However, Craig finally got on the end of a Tomas Pesir cross to head home the first just before half time.
The second half couldn't have got off to a much worse start for Dunfermline when 4 minutes in when two Dunfermline defenders managed to collide in the centre of the park allowing the ball to trickle past them. Steven Craig needing no second thought pounced on it to punch away his second of the afternoon. This must have dumbstruck the official as for the next ten minutes they didn't flag him for offside, and when they did it was some time after Dunfermline had cleared a ball and it was being passed around on the half way line. Livi didn't sit back though and continued to make advances on the now largely static Pars midfield and defence. At one point managing not just a 1-2 but a 1-2-3-4-5 between two players who didn't even move. Mark Tinkler, who along with new signing Julius Raliukonis have made no error in central defence, finally put a seal on the game and possible the Dunfermline managers tenure with a great strike on 66 minutes, which would probably have not even been stoppable without the slight deflection it received. Finally on 90 minutes almost 3 months after he hit the back of the net only to have it ruled offside Jason Kennedy finally found his name on a Livi scoresheet.
Final Score Dunfermline 0 Livingston 4 (Steven Craig 44,49, Mark Tinkler 66, Jason Kennedy 90)
Effect on the relative teams' positions. Dunfermline drop from 6th to 8th one point above bottom spot . Livingston move out of the play-off 9th spot to replace Dunfermline in 6th.
Previous Stadia Dens Park
East End Park in conveniently placed along the Halbeath Road to the east of the City, so cars and coaches are best coming off the M90 at junction 3 and coming straight into the city. It is only just outside the city centre and not too far a walk from the train station.
Unlike our trip across the Forth Bridge a fortnight ago yesterday there were delays in crossing as the road works have been completed. So masses of Livi fans who allowed time for the bridge again found themselves congregating out side the gates of the East Stand well before the gates opened at 2:15.
The Ground
Last time I visited EEP was in the SPL days and we were accommodated in one half of the North Stand. It was also the match that our club chairman Pearse Flynn still in a dispute with Dunfermline's Chairman John Yorkston was sat in the stands with the fans, in fact only about 2 rows behind me. However my mate who was sat beside me, missed the goal as he was sitting behind one of the posts holding up the commentary gantry. This time however all the Livi fans had uninterrupted views of the action from the East Stand.
Across from us was the Norrie McCarthie stand. To the right of this stand is the tunnel where the officials and players emerge like at Old Trafford from the corner of the pitch. The Main Stand to the south has the director's boxes enclosed just behind the dug outs.
Disabled facilities are good in the East stand there is a raised viewing platform but at turnstile level where 5 wheelchairs could have access. As each disabled ticket holders helper is given a hi-vis jacket on entering, even the visiting support.
The Atmosphere
Last time I was here for a match we were taking up half of the North stand and only divided by a barrier from some of the most vocal home support, real see into the whites of their eyes stuff. This time we were somewhat separated from any of the home support. The vocal mob from the North Stand did direct some chants in our direction. But even the fans in the main stand were quite far away and didn't make much noise for most of the match anyway.
That being said I was up near the back of the East Stand and the acoustics did seem to have an effect later on we did get both Mark Proctor and Curtis Fleming plus all the subbed players to respond directly to our chants. Having said that the atmosphere in the Livi end was buoyant for most of the game and all the later stages, whereas the most noise that the Pars fans created was at he end when they booed off Stephen Kenny and his players.
The Programme
Cost £2.50. One highlight for me was to see Willie Rennie's smiling face advertising his surgeries from the advertisement pages. It had two pages dedicated to the visitors and a random selection of players selected for profile, and surprisingly for a first visit of the season not more emphasis on some first team regulars. There was a two page interview with one of the home players, on this occasion local boy made good Steven Crawford. There was a section looking back at one of the Pars great games from the sixties. Also there was a section looking at programmes from the past which in a tribute to the visitors also mentioned the first programme between Meadowbank Thistle and Dunfermline on 25 September 1976 at Meadowbank.
Us away fans did play a quick game of Play Your Cards Right with the previous two games reports. For the record the winners went lower, higher. However, tow downsides the first page of the programme did call our manager Martin Proctor. Plus the Dunfermline players were listed by their UEFA cup squad numbers. Not only a fling back to the Pars SPL days and a slight slur on the rest of the clubs in the league, but also now never to be used again this season, except for identifying who the subs were replacing the team stats section.
Pie and Bovril
There is only a scotch pie not a steak pie at EEP, however, why quibble when almost every away fan looks forward to the steak Bridie which at £1.90 is gorgeous. Added to this the Bovril is only £1.10 and you are saving 60p on Dundee. For those not used to a bridie think a little like a beef stew stuffed into a Cornish Pastie pastry. The bridie on offer was exquisite the meat was lovely and tender, and just enough gravy to hold it all together. My bovril was lovely and warm especially as I didn't even start to drink it until 10 minutes after I bought it.
Cost
Admission £16
Programme £2.50
Pie (Bridie) and Bovril £3 (Excellent)
Total £21.50
League Table of Cost
Dunfermline £21.50
Dundee £21.60
Match Report
The first half looking at the scoreline would have suggested a very even game. However, Super Mario in the Livi goal was hardly troubled and didn't have to make a save. With Dave MacKay back at right back he started running overlaps with Graham Dorrans and provide all sorts of option. Jason Kennedy surging forward from midfield and Lee Makel distributing from there were creating all sorts of havoc for the Pars defence. All that was lacking was a finish. However they kept hounding the Pars box. Steven Craig once getting to the goal line but without support for a lay back before being unceremoniously dumped off the ball for what could have been a penalty. Later on he again broke the offside trap (which was a tough act for him yesterday) and was through into the box when Bamba pushed him over the ball, but the ref failed to blow for an even clearer penalty. However, Craig finally got on the end of a Tomas Pesir cross to head home the first just before half time.
The second half couldn't have got off to a much worse start for Dunfermline when 4 minutes in when two Dunfermline defenders managed to collide in the centre of the park allowing the ball to trickle past them. Steven Craig needing no second thought pounced on it to punch away his second of the afternoon. This must have dumbstruck the official as for the next ten minutes they didn't flag him for offside, and when they did it was some time after Dunfermline had cleared a ball and it was being passed around on the half way line. Livi didn't sit back though and continued to make advances on the now largely static Pars midfield and defence. At one point managing not just a 1-2 but a 1-2-3-4-5 between two players who didn't even move. Mark Tinkler, who along with new signing Julius Raliukonis have made no error in central defence, finally put a seal on the game and possible the Dunfermline managers tenure with a great strike on 66 minutes, which would probably have not even been stoppable without the slight deflection it received. Finally on 90 minutes almost 3 months after he hit the back of the net only to have it ruled offside Jason Kennedy finally found his name on a Livi scoresheet.
Final Score Dunfermline 0 Livingston 4 (Steven Craig 44,49, Mark Tinkler 66, Jason Kennedy 90)
Effect on the relative teams' positions. Dunfermline drop from 6th to 8th one point above bottom spot . Livingston move out of the play-off 9th spot to replace Dunfermline in 6th.
Previous Stadia Dens Park
Sunday, 21 October 2007
Football Stadia Tour 1: Dens Park
I've returned to my blogging just in time for the second quarter of the season in the Iron Bru Scottish Football League Division 1. So maybe this is an opportune time to start my personal take on the various venues that I come across on my travels. For the rest of this season there will be nowhere new to visit as the first quarter including the cup games has taken me to the strange fields once before.
Therefore this weeks venue was Dens Park home to Dundee.
Location
As any football trivia buff will know Dundee's Dens Park is just along Tannadice street from Tannadice home of Dundee United. And therefore is one half to the trivia question which two league grounds are closest in the UK. In fact as away fans are located in the Bob Shankly stand, named after one of five footballing brothers the most famous being Bill, the end closest to Tannadice much supporters coaches catch sight of Dundee United's stadium first before they see Dens Park once they turn the corner into Tannadice street.
Getting to the ground cars and coaches are best to take the ring road and then come off down either Clepington Road or Strathmartine Road to get in towards the stadium. Unfortunately is two miles uphill from Dundee's railway station, so for a visiting fan who is looking after their carbon footprint the best option really is to grab a seat on one of your visiting clubs supporters coaches, as unless you can work out the bus timetables you'd be relying on getting a taxi up from the station.
Although with the ongoing work to the Forth Road Bridge, we spent 25 minutes on our coach staring toll booths before getting to them, 18 of which were on the roundabout on the approach from Kirkliston, so we turned up only 15 minutes before kick off.
The Ground
As already mentioned the away fans are housed in the Bob Shankly stand behind the eastern goal and is a single tier. There is dedicated wheelchair seating at entrance level with a companion seat beside the wheelchairs' slots. Which yesterday afternoon gave us a brilliant view of Dundee's spectacular first goal by Bob Davidson a screamer from 30 yards into the top right hand corner. The late evening sun at this time of year did start to get in our eyes towards the end of the match, so much so that I was considering urging Dundee Council to move one of the tower blocks, to the south of the stadium, slightly further east to act as a sunshade.
Opposite behind the other goal is the nearly identical twin to the Shankly Stand the Bobby Cox stand. To the right as away fans view the pitch is the Main (North) Stand, which is unusual in that it is the one section that remains of the old oval ground, meaning that those who sit on the halfway line are actually furthest away from the action on the park. It is two tiered however, there are very few seats in the lower tier, with the majority being in the upper tier.
That leaves the Southern Enclosure known locally as the Derry. Nobody has yet explained coherently to me exactly how this stand came to be known by the name of the city of my father, outwith the connection to a sectarian style chant that has had the words altered subtlety from the original Loyalist connotations. This though is where the most vocal Dundee supporters congregate in what was the last terrace; the Derry Boys and Dark Blue 62 Ultras.
The Atmosphere
Fortunately the design of the two goal end stands does add to the atmosphere as the ability to make a great deal of noise is greatly enhanced. As my previous visit was for the CIS Cup game that went to penalties this was definitely the case in a tense tight game. As with many grounds the vocal home support is close to the away support which adds to the atmosphere as the banter does flow between the two adjoining sections.
The Programme
Cost £2. Had four pages dedicated to the visitors profiles. As well as a four page interview with one of the home players. The centre was the season stats section. With a great deal more stats than some other clubs include. There is a collector's section which this week featured the 1947 Great Britain versus Europe programme from Hampden Park.
Pie and Bovril
There is a bridie or macaroni pie available. But I went for the steak and gravy pie to accompany my bovril, cost £2.10 + £1.50. The steak in the pie was gorgeously tender, the crust was cooked just right and wasn't too thick or burnt, and the gravy while hot wasn't scalding, excellent fayre. However, by Bovril wasn't warm enough so I'm quite glad it wasn't really the depths of winter when I rely on it as much to warm my hands as my insides.
Cost
Admission = £16
Programme = £2
Pie and Bovril = £3.60
Total = £21.60
Match Report
Livingston started strongest and could have been up even before Czech Thomas 'Tam' Pesir scored in the 14th minute but Kenny Sampson had pulled off a spectacular save. Livingston continued to dominate even though Bob Davidson released his spectacular equaliser 6 minutes later. However, a combination of poor finishing and more saves from Sampson, some of which a poacher might have lept on as they bounced free from the keeper, kept the scores level at half time.
At the start of the second half Livingston continued to have the lions share of territory, possession and chances. But shots seemed to be nowhere on target. Then Jan Zemlik got on the end of a move started by Dixon who found McDonald in the box who laid it off for the second Czech to beat Mariusz 'Super Mario' Liberda in the Livi goal.
The third Dundee goal came seven minutes late in the 68th minute and was a second for Davidson, who made a run across the penalty box. It was clear from the away end that he pulled on Dermot 'Des' McCaffrey's shirt in order to get past him to get his shot in, but the goal was allowed to stand effectively killing of the game as a contest. Five minutes later it was as Derek Lyle on a a substitute for Zemlik made it 4 for the home team. Although there were calls for offside and protests after the goal from Livingston.
Final Score Dundee 4 (Davidson 20, 68, Zemlik 61, Lyle 73) Livingston 1 (Pesir 14)
Effect on the relative teams' positions. Dundee remain in 2nd Livingston remain 8th.
Therefore this weeks venue was Dens Park home to Dundee.
As any football trivia buff will know Dundee's Dens Park is just along Tannadice street from Tannadice home of Dundee United. And therefore is one half to the trivia question which two league grounds are closest in the UK. In fact as away fans are located in the Bob Shankly stand, named after one of five footballing brothers the most famous being Bill, the end closest to Tannadice much supporters coaches catch sight of Dundee United's stadium first before they see Dens Park once they turn the corner into Tannadice street.
Getting to the ground cars and coaches are best to take the ring road and then come off down either Clepington Road or Strathmartine Road to get in towards the stadium. Unfortunately is two miles uphill from Dundee's railway station, so for a visiting fan who is looking after their carbon footprint the best option really is to grab a seat on one of your visiting clubs supporters coaches, as unless you can work out the bus timetables you'd be relying on getting a taxi up from the station.
Although with the ongoing work to the Forth Road Bridge, we spent 25 minutes on our coach staring toll booths before getting to them, 18 of which were on the roundabout on the approach from Kirkliston, so we turned up only 15 minutes before kick off.
The Ground
As already mentioned the away fans are housed in the Bob Shankly stand behind the eastern goal and is a single tier. There is dedicated wheelchair seating at entrance level with a companion seat beside the wheelchairs' slots. Which yesterday afternoon gave us a brilliant view of Dundee's spectacular first goal by Bob Davidson a screamer from 30 yards into the top right hand corner. The late evening sun at this time of year did start to get in our eyes towards the end of the match, so much so that I was considering urging Dundee Council to move one of the tower blocks, to the south of the stadium, slightly further east to act as a sunshade.
Opposite behind the other goal is the nearly identical twin to the Shankly Stand the Bobby Cox stand. To the right as away fans view the pitch is the Main (North) Stand, which is unusual in that it is the one section that remains of the old oval ground, meaning that those who sit on the halfway line are actually furthest away from the action on the park. It is two tiered however, there are very few seats in the lower tier, with the majority being in the upper tier.
That leaves the Southern Enclosure known locally as the Derry. Nobody has yet explained coherently to me exactly how this stand came to be known by the name of the city of my father, outwith the connection to a sectarian style chant that has had the words altered subtlety from the original Loyalist connotations. This though is where the most vocal Dundee supporters congregate in what was the last terrace; the Derry Boys and Dark Blue 62 Ultras.
The Atmosphere
Fortunately the design of the two goal end stands does add to the atmosphere as the ability to make a great deal of noise is greatly enhanced. As my previous visit was for the CIS Cup game that went to penalties this was definitely the case in a tense tight game. As with many grounds the vocal home support is close to the away support which adds to the atmosphere as the banter does flow between the two adjoining sections.
The Programme
Cost £2. Had four pages dedicated to the visitors profiles. As well as a four page interview with one of the home players. The centre was the season stats section. With a great deal more stats than some other clubs include. There is a collector's section which this week featured the 1947 Great Britain versus Europe programme from Hampden Park.
Pie and Bovril
There is a bridie or macaroni pie available. But I went for the steak and gravy pie to accompany my bovril, cost £2.10 + £1.50. The steak in the pie was gorgeously tender, the crust was cooked just right and wasn't too thick or burnt, and the gravy while hot wasn't scalding, excellent fayre. However, by Bovril wasn't warm enough so I'm quite glad it wasn't really the depths of winter when I rely on it as much to warm my hands as my insides.
Cost
Admission = £16
Programme = £2
Pie and Bovril = £3.60
Total = £21.60
Match Report
Livingston started strongest and could have been up even before Czech Thomas 'Tam' Pesir scored in the 14th minute but Kenny Sampson had pulled off a spectacular save. Livingston continued to dominate even though Bob Davidson released his spectacular equaliser 6 minutes later. However, a combination of poor finishing and more saves from Sampson, some of which a poacher might have lept on as they bounced free from the keeper, kept the scores level at half time.
At the start of the second half Livingston continued to have the lions share of territory, possession and chances. But shots seemed to be nowhere on target. Then Jan Zemlik got on the end of a move started by Dixon who found McDonald in the box who laid it off for the second Czech to beat Mariusz 'Super Mario' Liberda in the Livi goal.
The third Dundee goal came seven minutes late in the 68th minute and was a second for Davidson, who made a run across the penalty box. It was clear from the away end that he pulled on Dermot 'Des' McCaffrey's shirt in order to get past him to get his shot in, but the goal was allowed to stand effectively killing of the game as a contest. Five minutes later it was as Derek Lyle on a a substitute for Zemlik made it 4 for the home team. Although there were calls for offside and protests after the goal from Livingston.
Final Score Dundee 4 (Davidson 20, 68, Zemlik 61, Lyle 73) Livingston 1 (Pesir 14)
Effect on the relative teams' positions. Dundee remain in 2nd Livingston remain 8th.
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