Steve B the Groundhopper

6.30pm 1 April  2026 Manchester League, Division Two Little Lever Sports Club 0 Heywood St James 4 (att 90) This was pitch-hopping more than groundhopping. I was last at Little Lever Sports club 25 years ago, but they've recently converted their second grass pitch to an artificial surface. As far as I can tell the first team usually still plays on the remaining grass pitch, where I saw them in 2001, unless the weather dictates otherwise. However, the club helpfully confirmed that this early evening kick off would instead be on the adjacent 4G.  The whole ground is much improved since my 2001 visit. A new building behind the goal of the main pitch provides changing rooms, a snack bar, toilets and even some cover for spectators. On a wet night the cover would have been useful, but it was too far from the caged artificial pitch to be of much help. The floodlights were useful though, and were on from the start on a gloomy evening. The pitch has a spectator area in the centre of on...

7pm 19 August 2024 Manchester League, Division Two Glossop North End Community Club 2 Macclesfield reserves 3 (att 58) These days there are often grey areas when it comes to which clubs are bona fide first teams. Not that it really matters of course, other than to some groundhoppers like me, but Glossop North End Community Club are an interesting case. They share three-fifths of their name, and a badge design, with Glossop North End AFC. But they exist as a separate entity on social media and, crucially for me, have their own home ground. The Glossop Community Sports Hub, high on a hill just beyond the edge of town, is an impressive facility that opened earlier this year.  It features an enclosed and floodlit 3G football pitch, which has a spectator area the length of one side and dugouts opposite. Outside the 'cage', a pavilion houses changing rooms and a café. Macclesfield's young reserve side came out on top thanks to an impressive display, especially in a first half dur...

6.40pm 19 April  2024 Manchester League, Premier Division Walshaw Sports Club 1 Govan and University of Manchester 2 (att 45) The second time I've seen Walshaw play a home game at Bury's Elton High School, but whereas last time, in August 2022, it was on a 3G pitch , this match was on grass. I'm not sure if the move is a permanent one or due to unavailability of the artificial surface, but for me the chance to visit a 'new' ground close to home on a Friday evening was welcome. The pitch is next to the car park, in front of the school buildings, and is fully enclosed, although there was no rope or rail to separate spectators from the playing area. A grass bank along one side provides a decent view. It was a feisty game between well-matched sides. Govan had the better of the first half and deserved their half time lead. But after the break Walshaw were more in the ascendency, and were good value for their equaliser, even if it came thanks to a soft-looking penalty. A ...

1.30pm 9 March  2024 Manchester League, Premier Division Govan and University of Manchester 0 Royton Town 1 (att 17) I can be tricky keeping track of which grounds I've been to and when and where I might need to return for a new pitch. I thought I'd visited Govan's base until I read a fellow hopper's report of a match there before Christmas. Govan, who played as Govan Athletic before joining forces with the students, play on an artificial pitch at the university's Armitage sports centre. Having seen a university game there in 2017  I assumed it'd be the same pitch, but it turns out it's not. Govan and University of Manchester play their Manchester League games on 'pitch A', which is close to the entrance and at the opposite end of the complex from where I saw my previous match. It's not a bad venue for a 3G. There's a spectator area the full length of one side, with nothing in the way to restrict the view. If you're prepared to watch thro...