Aylesbury United vs Berkhamsted

Ground #371: The Meadow (Chesham United)

Wednesday 4th September 2019

Aylesbury United 0-0 Berkhamsted

Southern League Division 1 Central (Step 4)

Attendance: 168

Admission: £9

Chesham's ground had been on my list for a long while and with the working in London shizzz, I finally seized up an opportunity to watch there. It wasn't the best optics possible with it being their tenants Aylesbury playing on a bitterly cold Autumn night. 

Aylesbury are themselves a relatively proper club in non-league circles. They were a household name in the 1980s and 1990s, playing a season in the Conference Premier and having numerous FA Cup runs. The turn of the millennium has wielded truly ghastly times for brilliant nicknamed "Ducks", however, and they have been homeless since being evicted from their Buckingham Road ground in 2006.

I had a problematic journey getting up to Chesham from Willesden, despite it being seemingly straightforward, the famously shit Metropolitan line had huge delays northbound and thus it denied me a chance to have a snifter in the town. Chesham is at the very end of the line and is a hell of a way out! It's located in Buckinghamshire and seemed a very leafy, picturesque, Tory stronghold.

Wow, one hell of a ground is the Meadow. I've seen many photos of it before and it seems to be a real favourite among groundhoppers and non-league nerds. Dover fans who went there for one of our typical 1990's FA Cup defeats have also lavished similar praise. No wonder why. It's an absolute beauty. Four sides of pure terracing porn. Rolling hills backdrop. A healthy sized clubhouse with real ale and Estrella on. An old school main stand. It's just a proper ground. Few of its kind left.

Shame I can't replicate similar approval for the football on show, which I have to say was really poor. Usually you witness enjoyable games at that level but it was as bland as the scoreline suggests.

Definitely well worth the visit though, stood near Aylesbury's hardcore fans in the second half and they're a peculiar bunch. Seems to have some very odd chanting and weird in-jokes going on. Reminded me of how it used to be on our terraces on the old day.

Anyway, enjoy the photos!

Slough Town vs Hemel Hempstead Town

Ground #370: Arbour Park

Tuesday 3rd September 2019

Slough Town 2-0 Hemel Hempstead Town

Conference South

Attendance: 713

Admission: £13

I spent a few months labouring for a mate's building firm and we'd normally be holed up in some Airbnb in Willesden during the week. This enabled me to take advantage of the groundhopping options available to me, while having to endure the brunt of their piss-taking as I'd venture off in the evening to watch some low-quality soccer!

Slough was the best choice for that week's fixtures. The Rebels had spent four seasons in the Conference alongside Dover in the 1990s before financial problems caused a turbulent era for the club. They tumbled down the leagues and they were eventually evicted from their Wexham Park home in 2003, thereafter having to groundshare with Windsor & Eton, then Beaconsfield.
During my early years of supporting Dover one of my better memories was beating them 3-1 at home on the opening day of the 2004/05 season. Chris Wright scored a stunning 30 yard strike! I remember them bringing distinctly good support, rare in those days. 

They were homeless until the start of 2016/2017 when they moved into this 3G Arbour Park Stadium. Having spent such a long time in exile, the main important thing is that they are back in town. And a great location it is too - just a 12 minute walk northwards from the train station.
As I write this now they're looking in strong contention to get promoted to national level football again. It has clearly rejuvenated fortunes for the club. 

I don't have much expectations for newbie leisure stadiums, but Slough have built themselves a pretty tidy ground here. They have covered terraces behind each goal - albeit not deep - and seated stands on either side. The main one has very impressive facilities including a bar at the top of the stand, which serves beers from the nearby Marlow Brewery that are personally branded for the club. 

On this evening, they defeated a Hemel Hempstead side (managed by ex Dover icon Sammy Moore and featuring a itinerary of former Whites players) with two first half goals. The second one was stunning curling effort from 25 yards. All-in-all, a thoroughly enjoyable evening of soccer.