Trivia: Football grounds next to railway lines.

[Statto]

Banks o 'Dee FC are no longer a junior league club, having moved up to the Highland League in 2022.

Banks Of Dee FC reminds me a few years ago a matchball was booted over the fence into the river, & ended up in Norway, & they they got the ball back.

Football washed up in Norway returned to Aberdeen

The football, belonging to Banks o' Dee U-19s, had gone over a fence into the River Dee.

www.bbc.co.uk

A football that ended up in Norway after being lost in the River Dee has been returned to Aberdeen.
The ball, belonging to the U-19s at Banks o' Dee FC, was found more than 1,000 miles away after it went over a fence at the ground.
It is thought to have been swept into the North Sea and drifted around the coast of Norway to the island of Vanna.
Johnny Mikalsen, who emailed the club when the ball was found in April, flew to Aberdeen to return it.
His friend Nils Hugo had found the ball, which had the name of the team written on it.
Mr Mikalsen, who is a shopkeeper, told BBC Scotland: "The ball was found on a beach after we'd had a couple of weeks of south winds and then for two days we had north-west winds and then the ball was found as a friend was looking for driftwood.
"It had travelled over 1,000 miles. It's a long way, a long way.

Image source,Johnny Mikalsen
Image caption,
The ball was found by Nils Hugo while he was looking for driftwood
"There was media from all over the world calling and emailing. I had to disconnect the phone.
"It was just football, football, football and I have a small shop. Wednesday is one of our busiest days. But looking back it was quite funny."
He sad the trip to Aberdeen was a birthday present from his wife and friends.
"I thought maybe we could visit the club when we are on holiday," he said. "It's been very nice."
Banks o' Dee FC secretary Tom Ewan said that, despite its epic journey, the ball was in remarkable condition.
"It's virtually playable," he told BBC Scotland. "It needs a wee bit of air but basically it's kept inflated over the period. We don't know when it went, but considering the distance, and saltwater, it's a credit to the makers.
"We received a new match ball from Mitre, saying 'don't lose this one'."

He added: "There seems to have been a worldwide reaction to this. Even the Washington Post did an article on it. But locally every person I meet seems to ask "Have you got the ball back yet?"
"It's one of these stories that catches people's imagination.
"It's been great to see Johnny and his friend here. We've given him a Banks o' Dee football top, a pennant and a bottle of malt whisky.
"I'm sure the football top will take pride of place in his shop when he gets back home."

 

[Mikey C]

Banks Of Dee FC reminds me a few years ago a matchball was booted over the fence into the river, & ended up in Norway, & they they got the ball back.

Football washed up in Norway returned to Aberdeen

The football, belonging to Banks o' Dee U-19s, had gone over a fence into the River Dee.

www.bbc.co.uk

A football that ended up in Norway after being lost in the River Dee has been returned to Aberdeen.
The ball, belonging to the U-19s at Banks o' Dee FC, was found more than 1,000 miles away after it went over a fence at the ground.
It is thought to have been swept into the North Sea and drifted around the coast of Norway to the island of Vanna.
Johnny Mikalsen, who emailed the club when the ball was found in April, flew to Aberdeen to return it.
His friend Nils Hugo had found the ball, which had the name of the team written on it.
Mr Mikalsen, who is a shopkeeper, told BBC Scotland: "The ball was found on a beach after we'd had a couple of weeks of south winds and then for two days we had north-west winds and then the ball was found as a friend was looking for driftwood.
"It had travelled over 1,000 miles. It's a long way, a long way.

Image source,Johnny Mikalsen
Image caption,
The ball was found by Nils Hugo while he was looking for driftwood
"There was media from all over the world calling and emailing. I had to disconnect the phone.
"It was just football, football, football and I have a small shop. Wednesday is one of our busiest days. But looking back it was quite funny."
He sad the trip to Aberdeen was a birthday present from his wife and friends.
"I thought maybe we could visit the club when we are on holiday," he said. "It's been very nice."
Banks o' Dee FC secretary Tom Ewan said that, despite its epic journey, the ball was in remarkable condition.
"It's virtually playable," he told BBC Scotland. "It needs a wee bit of air but basically it's kept inflated over the period. We don't know when it went, but considering the distance, and saltwater, it's a credit to the makers.
"We received a new match ball from Mitre, saying 'don't lose this one'."

He added: "There seems to have been a worldwide reaction to this. Even the Washington Post did an article on it. But locally every person I meet seems to ask "Have you got the ball back yet?"
"It's one of these stories that catches people's imagination.
"It's been great to see Johnny and his friend here. We've given him a Banks o' Dee football top, a pennant and a bottle of malt whisky.
"I'm sure the football top will take pride of place in his shop when he gets back home."

To get to Norway is a hell of a lot more than a Row Z clearance.

Row ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ

 

[Topological]

To get to Norway is a hell of a lot more than a Row Z clearance.

Row ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ

Just imagine if they had to wait for the ball to continue the game. That is almost as much stoppage time as there was at the Qatar World Cup...

If we are allowing amateur teams then we can really push it and allow Vernon Carus Sports Club in Preston. Played many a game there and the WCML approaching Preston station from the South is up on the embankment. Being Saturday morning there were some steam trains. We then moved to the Preston Sports Arena, which was not so good for seeing trains (it is close to the Blackpool line though), and Moor Park which has no trains at all.

 

[Old Yard Dog]

Now part of Hyde Road bus garage, re the jokes that the buses are going faster than the City players at the moment.

Going from Football to major Sports venues, the North Wales Coast line passes on an embankment right next to Chester Racecourse

The last time I looked, the site was full of containers, the former bus park between Bennett St and Ardwick station where the ground was situated having long since gone.

However the stand from City's old Hyde Road ground is still in use at the Shay in Halifax, a ground which is just about visible from a train..

Staying in Lincs, the little used Gainsborough Central is very close to Trinity and trains can easily be seen passing The Northholme on matchday, certainly more freight than passenger services.

I'm not convinced of this as a number of dwellings have been built between the ground and railway in recent years. I have done both the Northolme (on a service Saturday) and the line and have struggled to see one from the other.

 

[1D54]

I'm not convinced of this as a number of dwellings have been built between the ground and railway in recent years. I have done both the Northolme (on a service Saturday) and the line and have struggled to see one from the other.

In that case i will certainly bow to your more up to date knowledge of the place. I've been to GTFC many times but not visited in the past ten years.

 

[LRV3004]

Sorry if this has already been mentioned as I couldn’t be bothered trawling through seven pages, but the Cheadle End stand at Edgeley Park (Stockport County) offers a view of trains arriving/departing at/from Stockport just south of the station. Not close enough to see numbers though!!!

 

[Statto]

To get to Norway is a hell of a lot more than a Row Z clearance.

Row ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ

Speaking of which, Shrewsbury Town FCs old ground Gay Meadow was right next to Severn Bridge Junction, & think you could see the ground from the Southern end of the platforms Shrewsbury Station too, was right next to the river, during a home match someone in a canoe used to paddle out to retrieve any stray footballs that ended up in the River Severn.

 

[Malaxa]

Going back 40-plus years, I suspect that from Bedford Town, then of the Southern League, one could espy the Midland main line south of Bedford from the top tier of the uncovered end. (Anyone confirm?)
As to today, the new ground is closer to the former St John's to Sandy trackbed, if there's anything left of it there.

Ditto at Chelmsford City's old ground, the stand giving a good view of GE line services over the viaduct: I watched Bedford play there in 1963 as a lad with my grandfather. At the southern end of said viaduct was the mechanism for the Travelling Post Office from Norwich.

 

[Merthyr Imp]

In days of old Bolton Wanderers were at Burnden Park right by the local line where engine crews were known to pause and watch the game.

Probably the best ground ever for seeing trains:

 

[Pinus contorta]

Probably the best ground ever for seeing trains:

View attachment 171887

To many away fans of a different era it will always be known as the coop end

 

[Cheshire Scot]

When it still existed, the line through Singer was visible from the east end of Kilbowie Park (Clydebank)

You could see the Singer line from almost anywhere in the ground, and of course almost the whole ground from a passing train.

hamilton and falkirk the only ones with a railways view

Falkirk's old ground at Brockville backed onto the railway and was was diagonally across from Grahamston Station

I don't think anyone has mentioned Stair Park, Stranraer yet.

 

[Dave W]

Just imagine if they had to wait for the ball to continue the game. That is almost as much stoppage time as there was at the Qatar World Cup...

If we are allowing amateur teams then we can really push it and allow Vernon Carus Sports Club in Preston. Played many a game there and the WCML approaching Preston station from the South is up on the embankment. Being Saturday morning there were some steam trains. We then moved to the Preston Sports Arena, which was not so good for seeing trains (it is close to the Blackpool line though), and Moor Park which has no trains at all.

Is this the gaff that Flintoff took on for that programme he did getting otherwise disinterested lads into cricket?

 

[MrPosh]

You can still see the ECML from the top of the Glebe Road side at London Road, although more and more is springing up in between.

Until the new stand was built at the Moy's End of the ground (named for a railway wagon works), the same seat would also provide a view of the old Great Eastern line to March and beyond.

 

[FenMan]

Some more non-League grounds:

The main stand at King's Lynn Town (National League North) has views of the approach to Lynn station.

Banbury Town (Southern League Premier - Central)'s ground is adjacent to Banbury station and trains can be seen approaching from the south.

Bracknell Town (Southern League Premier - South) play at Sandhurst Town's ground which backs onto the North Downs Line. Trains are easily visible.

Kings Langley (Southern League - Central)'s ground has good views of the WCML.

Trains can be seen running behind the main stand at Bridgwater United (Western League).

Reading City (Hellenic League)'s ground is right next to the GWML, which is on an embankment so viewing is excellent.

At Camberley Town (Combined Counties League) trains on the adjacent line can clearly be heard, but run out of sight in a cutting.

The old Wokingham Town (Isthmian League in those days) ground at Finchampstead Road was located in the triangle between the North Downs and Waterloo-Reading lines. The site is now covered in housing so it's the residents that have excellent railway views these days.

 

[Statto]

To many away fans of a different era it will always be known as the coop end

Yep & the last 10 years or so of it's life the Normid end, after that supermarket.

 

[Haywain]

Is this the gaff that Flintoff took on for that programme he did getting otherwise disinterested lads into cricket?

Indeed it is.


Another non-league ground that has a clear view of the railway is Friar Lane & Epworth on the southern approach to Leicester on the Midland Main Line.

 

[wilsontown]

I don't think anyone has mentioned Harrogate Railway Athletic, who play at Station View in Starbeck. You don't actually get a view of the station but can glimpse Harrogate line trains on their way past.

 

[Joey Beauchamp]

I had a lovely view of trains passing on two lines from the away end at The Den on New Year's Day: Overground directly ahead and Southern to the right.

Hipster stronghold West Didsbury & Chorlton must be one of the few British grounds where you can see trams passing while watching a game.

 

[LancasterRed]

I've seen into Shrewsbury and Millwall passing on the train.

There's a Sunday league getup in the Tamworth(?) area that the train goes past, as with Cardinal Newman's football pitches and Preston North End's training ground.

Lancaster and Bamber Bridge as previously mentioned.

 

[WolvertonWorks]

In the old days, before parts of Wolverton Railway Works closed and were redeveloped for housing in the early 2000s, you could stand on Wolverton Station and see into The Park, where Wolverton Town played.

There is a very small area of the park left now as a green area with a replica of the old football stand, built c1899 and at one time reputed to be the oldest extant covered stand in the world. A block of flats blocks the view from the station nowadays.

A bit of googling found me this: https://edfan12.fandom.com/wiki/Wolverton_Park

The football ground beside the railway works and the station was home to the works team and subsequently to Wolverton Town football club. The stand, built in 1899, is believed to be the oldest covered football stand in the world. After the dissolution of Wolverton AFC in 1992, Milton Keynes City tookover the stadium in 1998 until their dissolution in 2003. It was set to be demolished by September 2006 because its owners wish to redevelop the site for housing and a community park.[1] The development went ahead and a replica stand now sits on the original site to mark the significance of the original construction, painted green as it used to be.[2] [3]

and there are also some photos on that site.

The Park was well used by the local community for a variety of sport, there was a cycletrack running round the outside of the pitch, and other events. The local schools used to use it in the summer months for county inter-schools athletics and country dancing competitions.

 

[kkong]

Motherwell (Fir Park).

After a visit yesterday, I was reminded that you can view trains on the WCML from the upper tier of the away end (Tommy McLean Stand).

The WCML is between the right of Dalzell Steelworks (blue shed) and the left of Knowetop Primary School (red brick building).

 

[DarloRich]

Best I can come up with ( going with can see trains from the ground):

Crewe
Lancaster
St James Park ( you can hear if not see the trains as they are in a cutting behind the stand. )
Wrexham ( you could when I last visited - maybe not now)
Stockport ( you could when I last visited - maybe not now)
Clacnachudin (?)
MK Dongs ( when they played at the hockey stadium ?)
Walsall
Millwall
Charlton
Leeds
Curzon Ashton
Ramsbottom
Barrow
South Shields ( I THINK you can see the metro)


Can you see the tram from Blackpool

I want my ashes shovelled into the firebox of 65894 or 63395 as they leave Hartlepool heading north with an easterly wind so the ashes would end up on the Vic

It wouldn't be my ashes I would ask them to spray out of train onto the Hartlepooh pitch.

hamilton and falkirk the only ones with a railways view

Raith Rovers surely. Cowdenbeath? St Mirren? Ross County? Clyde?

The main stand at King's Lynn Town (National League North) has views of the approach to Lynn station.

only very briefly

Banbury Town (Southern League Premier - Central)'s ground is adjacent to Banbury station and trains can be seen approaching from the south.

Never got in as it was cancelled twice but I am not sure I agree. The view of the line from the car park was obscured by lots of bushes/shrubs

 

[FenMan]

Never got in as it was cancelled twice but I am not sure I agree. The view of the line from the car park was obscured by lots of bushes/shrubs

Go to the far side of the ground. The southern approach to Banbury station is higher than the surrounding land.

Google pic (opens a view of Banbury United's ground looking to the south): https://maps.app.goo.gl/DdB9eSEcWe2sMkVSA

 

[diffident]

Wrexham ( you could when I last visited - maybe not now)

You could before the temporary stand went up, the station and Rhosddu side are all obscured now.

 

[DarloRich]

Google pic (opens a view of Banbury United's ground looking to the south):

If we are going by the view from the apogee of a defensive clearance then we might be able to bring many grounds within scope

 

[Haywain]

If we are going by the view from the apogee of a defensive clearance then we might be able to bring many grounds within scope

I thought that was what some of your previous suggestions were based on!

 

[DarloRich]

I thought that was what some of your previous suggestions were based on!

No - Although some are based on a fleeting glimpse through the fence in the corner!

 

[SirAlf]

I might be remembering it wrongly but I thought the open end behind the goal at the old Newport County ground (Somerton Park) backed onto the GWR main line. Or is my memory playing tricks?

 

[MadMac]

I might be remembering it wrongly but I thought the open end behind the goal at the old Newport County ground (Somerton Park) backed onto the GWR main line. Or is my memory playing tricks?

There was a BBC report in, I think the 70s when they were riding high in the Third Division looking ahead to a derby with Cardiff which showed an HST passing from inside the ground.

 

[Ladder23]

Not sure if already said,

St Albans (Mainline station).