Yeovil Town FC

Yeovil Town 1 Macclesfield Town 2 - Football League Two

Yeovil was founded in the 8th century after the Saxons conquered this part of Somerset. The name Yeovil is believed to be a corruption of the Celtic word Gifl, meaning forked river. In time the Saxon village grew into a little town. By the time of the Domesday Book (1086) it was a flourishing community though it would seem tiny to us with a population of not more than 1,000. Givle, as it was then known, had a weekly market. In those days there were very few shops so if you wished to buy or sell anything you had to go to a market. From the early 15th century there were also 2 annual fairs in Yeovil. In the Middle Ages fairs were like markets but were held only once a year for a few days. The Yeovil fairs would attract buyers and sellers from all over Somerset and Dorset. In the following centuries the glove making industry grew to be Yeovil's most important industry.



15 years on from since my previous visit to Yeovil (FA Cup tie v Merthyr Tydfil with Dennis/Jack Jones). I did not recall a great deal about the town and for this purpose a bit of ‘surfing’ as preparation took place. In search of decent pubs, A Cambridge CAMRA lorry driver on his local site claimed that the Butchers Arms was the best of a pretty bad lot and to be fair he was spot on. A very average town centre, including an extremely poor Weatherspoon (not enough bar staff), was more of a desert than the oasis that should be expected, for my real cider seeking chum (this is Somerset !)


To reach Yeovil by train there is a fairly good service from London Waterloo but Junction station is a bus ride from town. The town is also a bus ride from the Huish Park Stadium which is located within an industrial estate. This venue is OK but why after at least 10 years had they still not covered the away terracing ? For this reason alone I was happy to allow Macclesfield Town their rather fortunate 2-1 victory (86th minute winner).


I was particularly grateful thanks to Peter and Matt Vinall for releasing Kareoke Bob Gilligan for this fixture. He was getting fed up with evicting Chinese nationals from his Highbury seat. Some decent beer and superb Fish & Chips (sorry about taking the last Haddock Matt) in Salisbury on the return leg rounded off the day.



Programme courtesy of Alan Curran

The Pieman's earlier visit to Huish

Cammell Laird FC

Cammell Laird 2 Dunston Federation Brewery 0 - FA Cup 2nd Qualifying Round Replay

Birkenhead is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Wirral in Merseyside. It is located on the Wirral Peninsula, along the west bank of the River Mersey, opposite the City of Liverpool.
Historically part of Cheshire, Birkenhead is perhaps best known as a sea port and as a centre for ship building.

Cammell Laird Football Club can trace its origins back to 1889 when a team from the Upper Boilers Shop of Laird Brothers (forerunners of the world famous shipyard whose name is still carried) played in Birkenhead Park under the name of Grange Football Club. However, the club soon changed to the rugby code and it was not until June 1907 that the Cammell Laird Institute Association Football Club was established. Its headquarters were the Cammell Laird Institute in Conway Street, Birkenhead and played on the old Prenton Park ground of Tranmere Rovers in the club colours of white shirts and blue knickers. Lairds first match was a 1-0 defeat by their hosts Tranmere Rovers in a pre-season friendly on 2nd September 1907.


By coincidence I happened to be in Liverpool and was able to visit Cammell Laird FC (Peter Davenport (left) joining Nottingham Forest was their previous claim to fame) for their FA Cup 2nd Qualifying Round Replay with Dunston Federation Brewery. Situated in the Rock Ferry district of Birkenhead behind a bus depot, I soon realised that I had been very close to the Kirklands ground on a previous Tranmere excursion with Spurs. This venue is across the road from a rather dubious B&B that I and others (who else will admit to being in the dormitory that night? - Ed) stayed in. It was run be the ‘Uncle Stanley’ of that larger than life scally ‘Bromborough Cabs’ alias Phil Jones. Enough of this.

The Camel Laird ground was basic, as might be expected from the newly promoted works outfit, but certainly adequate for North West Counties League football. An old fashioned social club of the ‘British Legion’ variety is across the road from the ground but is part of the Cammell Laird complex.

Both teams had enjoyed good starts to the season. Laird, a young team with plenty of pace and were good value for their 2-0 win in front of a crowd of 215. Dunston, reduced to 10 men midway through the first period improved as the game progressed and certainly contributed to a fine match.

Rock Ferry station (Merseyrail) is only 8-10 minutes walk from the ground and one could be back at Lime Street within 25 minutes of the final whistle.

Steve Martin was delighted to have been successful in the e-bay bidding for my (unique?) Cammell Laird match ticket and an informal presentation was made to him at Fratton Park a week or so later.