A Lovely Day In The Welsh Marches

Many will remember the success of Total Network Solutions Llansantffraid more latterly The New Saints but that is not who I visited yesterday,TNS are the masters of Welsh Non League football having won the league many times and qualified for the Europa League on many occasions,Llansantffraid Village FC play in the old TNS ground but were founded after TNS merged with Oswestry Town and moved to pastures new eventually ending up at at their modern Park Hall ground

Llansantffraid have almost certainly the largest stand in the Mid Wales League and I guess the only permanent TV tower in that and many other grounds across Non League in Britain as a result of the success of TNS when they played at the Recreation Ground

TNS Llansantffraid were used to crowds of 4 figures whilst Llansantffraid Village are happy if they get 20 hardy souls turning out to watch them and of course that makes the huge stand a bit of an anachronism

It is however a very friendly club and I was welcomed by 2 Wolves supporting officials (we sympathised with each other and reminisced about happier times at Molineux) , at this level of football we don't have the false teams walking out together and shaking hands even though they may be kicking lumps out of each other a few minutes later,i fact the referee changes at the opposite end of the ground to the players and it was nice to witness a scene reminiscent of my own days in amateur football where the ref gives club linesmen their instructions for the day

The match itself whilst obviously not of the highest standard was hard fought and much more competitive than the final 4- scoreline suggests it was just that the home side were much more clinical in front of goal than their visitors

One of the goals came from a penalty and as a former ref I hate to say it but after giving 2 of the most ludicrous yellow cards I can ever remember seeing the ref was totally fooled into giving a penalty by a forward going down before he was even in the same post code as the keeper,he was also oblivious to a bit of "Afters" going on behind his back

But despite the ref it was a very enjoyable day this is a cracking ground that looked great in the early winter sunshine and I would recommend anyone with a love of the lower reaches of lower level Non League football to pay them a visit,they were even kind enough to invite me to join the players at the after match meal but I had to decline as  Mrs Cliff's special Spaghetti Bolognaise awaited me at home 

So as the sun went down behind the TV tower I bid Llansantffraid Village FC a very fond farewell

Sandbach Is More Than Just a Service Station

For any who travel the tarmac ribbon of hell that is the M6 then all you probably know about Sandbach is the Services and little else,that was me until yesterday when I paid a visit to Sandbach United FC at the invitation of their club photographer Kevin Warburton,it turned out to be a very pleasant experience unlike the motorway and Services on the way up



United are like my own club AFC Wulfrunians a fairly young club having formed in 2004 when Sandbach Albion and Sandbach Ramblers joined forces,starting in the Staffs County League they moved into the Cheshire League in 2011 and gained promotion to the North West Counties League at the end of last season,the current ground was built in 2011 and floodlights installed within the last few weeks.


This is obviously not a ground for the aficionados of historic grounds with character but is made up for by the pleasant facilities and very friendly locals

The above shelter drew the ribald attention of the visiting Atherton Collieries fans with a chorus of "My garden sheds bigger than your stand"


The match itself was a challenge for the home side as the visitors are the reigning cup holders and well placed a division above in the North West Counties League, after an even start Atherton took the lead with a well worked goal that left the Sandbach keeper Ryan Moss flat footed

Sandbach however fought back well to equalise before half time when a penalty area melee was calmly finished by Danny Bartle

The second half was well contested but Atherton just had the edge and although Sandbach hit the bar the clinical finishing of the visitors was the ultimate difference

Sandbach fought hard to the end but were always in danger as Atherton looked dangerous on the break and Moss had to be alert to prevent the home team falling further behind

Slightly away from the action it was good to meet up with Groundhopper Alex Latham who is fairly local at me ,at well over 6 foot and in a yellow jacket you cant miss him and at one point we were buzzed by a low flying aircraft

So an excellent day out and commiserations to Sandbach but on the evidence of what I saw I;m sure they will have an excellent season,oh and the dreaded M6 was better on the way home

Sandbach Is More Than Just a Service Station

For any who travel the tarmac ribbon of  hell that is the M6 then all you probably know about Sandbach is the Services and little else,that was me until yesterday when I paid a visit to Sandbach United FC at the invitation of their club photographer Kevin Warburton,it turned out to be a very pleasant experience unlike the motorway and Services on the way up


United are like my own club AFC Wulfrunians a fairly young club having formed in 2004 when  Sandbach Albion and Sandbach Ramblers joined forces,starting in the Staffs County League they moved into the Cheshire League in 2011 and gained promotion to the North West Counties League at the end of last season,the current  ground was built in 2011 and floodlights installed within the last few weeks.

This is obviously not a ground for the aficionados of historic grounds with character but is made up for by the pleasant facilities and very friendly locals

The above shelter drew the ribald attention of the visiting Atherton Collieries fans with a chorus of "My garden sheds bigger than your stand"

The match itself was a challenge for the home side as the visitors are the reigning cup holders and well placed a division above in the North West Counties League, after an even start Atherton took the lead with a well worked goal that left the Sandbach keeper Ryan Moss flat footed

Sandbach however fought back well to equalise before half time when a penalty area melee was calmly finished by  Danny Bartle

The second half was well contested but Atherton just had the edge and although Sandbach hit the bar the clinical finishing of the visitors was the ultimate difference

Sandbach fought hard to the end but were always in danger as Atherton looked dangerous on the break and Moss had to be alert to prevent the home team falling further behind

Slightly away from the action it was good to meet up with Groundhopper Alex Latham who is fairly local at me ,at well over 6 foot and in a yellow jacket you cant miss him and at one point we were buzzed by a low flying aircraft

So an excellent day out and commiserations to Sandbach but on the evidence of what I saw I;m sure they will have an excellent season,oh and the dreaded M6 was better on the way home