The Kimchi Chronicles: Stadium Tour Of Crabble

Yesterday as I went up to the most famous ground in non-league football to do some voluntary work I thought it would be a nice idea to show you readers and in depth photographic tour of my second home and the place I call home; Le Crabble.

It turns out our hands were not required for any work but I did manage to get a huge plethora of photos including a few stuff behind the scenes, so this blog should be of interest to DAFC fans as well as outsiders.

Anyway, enjoy.

Russell sporting his knock-off ryman premier champions t-shirt, purchased from some random bloke that wanted to cash in from our infamous exploits from the 2008-09 RAPE SEASON

This is our main car-park, which coincidently is the thugby club. Dover FC actually used to play on this pitch until sometime in the 1950's when we moved to the upper ground.

Our new sponsorship sign updated already.

To get to our ground involves walking up a very tedious slope. We do actually have a motorized DAFC buggy that ferries the elderly/disabled/the lazy from the bottom to the top, but sadly we couldn't get a photo of it.

One of the shortcuts from the rugby ground.

Finally approaching the turnstiles.

Yep, we know. 12 effing quid to watch non-league football. But that still doesn't stop the THOUSANDS from flocking through these heavenly gates.

Players/Directors/Officials Car-park

Family Stand, built around 1993/1994 I believe. Only holds a measly 250 seats.

This is also where you'll also find most of the injured DAFC players, or those that are not good enough to make the 16 man squad.

The Dover Port End, our biggest capacity stand which holds around 2500.

Forget the Stretford End, The Clock End and The Kop, The River End is one of the most iconic stands in ~~French~~ English football.

Our Main Stand, stretching alongside one side of the pitch and seats about 850, now that we have added a small top tier for the board and directors.

Our superb playing surface. Groundsman Dickey Peters normally sweeps up the end of year pitch awards.

The lovely surroundings are what makes our ground stand out. Where photographed is where some of the tree army will attempt to watch the game from, which consists of banned DAFC fans and the tight or skint.

The away turnstiles, which are obviously hardly ever used.

Leading to the DAFC changing rooms and club offices.

Tea Hut that you'll be lucky if its ever open. The Crabble Burger is the most iconic delicacy in non-league football.

The biggest annoyance with our ground are the vast amount of structure beams that can obstruct views. Normally this isn't a problem unless we have a big game.

The goalposts have been moved in recent times.

This is typically where I will view the game from in the first half, before switching ends at half time (how non-league). As you can see, the roof of the River End is quite slanted.

And a view of the side from where I usually paunch myself. This is normally packed to the rafters on match day.

And the left side of us. Sadly the inhabitants of this side never give us a song.

One minor thing that irks me is that our crush barriers are painted blue. Would much rather they were black or white, the predominant colours of our home kit.

Proper floodlights.

Thankfully its just the seated stands that have no smoking policy, smoking is not outlawed in the rest of the ground thankfully. Although saying that I am now officially an ex-smoker so this issues no longer concern me.

How incredibly plush.

This is the Dennis Hammond suite which leads to the upper stand for the directors. Sadly it was closed and thus I have still never accessed the top.

Press box number too. Take a good look at that rust.

Also where our TV gantry is

Cullins Yard, a fine restauraunt/pub on the seafront that actually sells decent beer like bitburger, krombacher and budvar.

Ultimate grottyness.

Non-leaguers need to be reminded of hygiene rules.

Unsurprisngly, I have never taken a dump in these toilets, desperately in need of a revamp.

No hot water. What?

Although you can't see it much in this photo, you get a great scenic view from here.

A closer look at the River End, very similar to the Dover Port End but slightly smaller in size. In the second half most of the entire crowd congregates behind this goal. In recent years we average beween 800-1200, dependant on how shit we are.

My typical view on a match day.

Press announcer box.

The Centre Spot, our club bar. This was built in late 2008 (I think) after the old one was knocked down.

Insert your own pun here.

Our main tea hut, which is usually stupidly busy at half-time. This leads onto the centre spot. Our old tea hut used to be next to the Club Shop.

Another toilet, equally as grotty as the other two.

Take note Chris Hunt.

This is our club shop, maintained by a lovely old bloke called Joe who puts extreme effort in as one of our many volunteers.

Outside the centre spot, for those who are smoking. I enjoy counting the amount of fans who walk through the turnstiles from here. The gate down there is open for when the Centre Spot has private functions on.

A nice bucket for people to dispose of their dog ends.

Recognition of many of the contributors towards our club bar revamp.

Spacious and plenty of room, but sadly lacks in atmosphere and not many DAFC fans enjoy coming here.

One of various TV's in the bar. We now have our games live screened in the bar so many of us feel the temptation to watch the game in here with a pint if we are playing dreadfully again.

Yep, leather chairs. You see, it doesn't really have the feel of a football bar.

Fairly expensive prices. Fosters is only £2.60 on match-days as is John Smiths, but if you're not a fan of piss then you have to dig deeper in your pockets.

Why post a picture of the disabled toilet? Well, this was the scene of where I passed out after a home game after being absolutely off my rocker. There was a band playing in the evening and I managed to lock myself in here and fall asleep, leaving the chairman and others to try and unlock the door, with even a few concerned about my well-being. In my defence, I had only recently just turned 18.

Your first immediete view upon entering the ground. Chris Collings will be standing there selling programmes and Bryan Hall will be using his loud voice to try and sell cashcade tickets.

Closer look at away turnstiles.

How not non-league.

One of various posters that Nicky Forster has installed near the changing rooms. I must say I'm very impressed with the whole idea.

This didn't seem apparent at all times last season.

Our equivelent of the 'This Is Anfield' sign. Sadly there were no signs of away teams being intimidated last season.

Get out the way you bellend.

Obviously me and Russell were too scared to even try and approach this room.

Away dressing room laid out with loads of DAFC kit bags for some bizarre reason. We found this room to be very cramped, with the toilets not even closed off from the rest of the room.