NWCFL GROUNDHOP 2025 (ALL OF IT).

All the cats and chicks gonna get their kicks at the hop 🕺🏽💃

Here's a question that I have already asked several times before, elsewhere on t’interweb, before I discovered the convenience and simplicity of this Substack thing. Groundhopper, one word? Ground Hopper, two words? Ground-hopper, hyphenated word? So I’m putting this out there once again. Does anyone know? Or even care? Hmm, I thought not.

I’ve previously already been to two of the places covered by this weekends event organised by Groundhop UK. But, it's been a while now, since I last ventured to the homes of both Abbey Hey and Droylsden. So, I figured that a couple of re-ticks (Groundhopper-speak) on a Sunday afternoon seemed like an agreeable plan and a decent enough way to round off the weekend as a whole, where I have chalked off a total of five of my remaining bucket-list destinations, so I will be amending that in due course.

Fri 28 Feb - Ramsbottom United (0) 2 (Harvey Whyte 49, Tom Hoyle 56) v FC St Helens (0) 3 - (Joe Barker 60, Connor Spiers 74, 90+2). Harry Williams Riverside Stadium - NWCL Prem - Attendance: 551- 7.45pm

The eagle-eyed ground spotterists amongst you might already know that tonight’s visitors: FC St. Helen’s, have featured as the masthead of THE66POW’s original and antiquated blogspot variant, for the past twelve months, since they hosted the opening game of the 2024 NWCFL Groundhop on Friday, March 1st, 2024, when they hosted Daisy Hill, who they beat 1-0 on the night courtesy of a Josh Hall goal. I’ll update that once I have had time to peruse this weekend’s collection of pictures.

Rammy is one of my old stomping grounds, when I was something of a renowned, err… stomper. It's one of those places that you have to wonder just how it came to have such a borderline rude and comical name. I suppose that we should be grateful that they have a rams head on their badge and not a picture of it's bum.

Last season a ground record attendance of 2,138 watched the Rams home game v Bury in the NWCFL Premier Division (the two clubs live roughly just four miles apart). I dread to think what the car-parking must've been like that night, after seeing how tight it was for tonight's, not to be scoffed at attendance of 551. Elsewhere tonight, Westhoughton based Daisy Hill FC (who were FC St. Helens opponents on the night of the masthead picture) attracted a crowd of 857 for their local derby against Atherton Laburnum Rovers.

Having dropped our bits and pieces off at our accommodation for the weekend, the excellent Holiday Inn in Bolton, we headed off to digest the first course of our seven game football feast, which pitted second placed Ramsbottom against some friendly and familiar folk from St. Helens, who started the night in eighth.

The first half was what one might describe as a bit of a nip and tuck affair. Not especially dull, but bereft of very much to get genuinely enthusiastic about either. I regretted leaving my winter layers that I’d packed in readiness for Saturday night’s double header in the High Peak towns Of New Mills and Glossop, back at the hotel, because; shiver mi’ effing timbers, it was a brass monkeys kind of bitterly cold at t’Riverside tonight, 🥶🥶🥶

Maybe the players had collectively decided at half-time, that running about a bit more was the best way of trying to keep warm. Because after the break a thoroughly decent game of football suddenly broke out. Making the hitherto grim (almost painful) experience of enduring the climate discomforts all worthwhile. Or possibly my extremities were so numb with cold that I had lost any kind of feeling in them by now.

Either way, though it had been a slow starter, we now had an exciting and enthralling spectacle to enjoy. Rammy United (as I actually heard them referred to as, by several locals over the course of the night) raced into a two goal lead, with a display of attacking endeavour befitting of their lofty league position, with the lively pairing of Harvey Whyte and Thomas Hoyle claiming a well taken goal apiece, which to all intents and purposes seemed to have put the Rams in a commanding position.

But the visitors had other ideas. What about creating a new tradition, whereby FC St Helens always win when they take part of the opening night of the NWCFL Groundhop? No doubt their club secretary will be lobbying to he involved in the first game next year too.

Within four minutes of falling two goals behind, the visitors took the first steps towards making an impressive comeback, which would ultimately see them claim all three points. And to that end credit where it's due. From my position of complete neutrality, I was almost tempted to cheer out loud in joyous celebration of their third goal, but being of such a thoroughly reserved disposition I merely clapped politely.

On the hour, Joe Barker met Liam Cuthbert's cross with a thumping header to half the arrears and in the 74th minute it was all-square when Connor Spiers received the ball from Jack Ball a struck the sweetest of volleys imaginable past Andre Dav Silva Mendes, who could only grasp two arms full of fresh air as the ball bulged his net.

I had shuffled towards a new vantage point nearer to the exit (as is the wont of time-served football travellers) as the clock ticked past the 90 minute mark and the game entered stoppage time, in readiness to get back to the warmth of our charabanc ASAP the moment that Reiss Ford, the match referee, pursed his lips to sound the final whistle.

But there was still more to come from this intriguing contest as Connor Spiers struck again, with another peach of a strike, to complete FC St Helens smash and grab raid, against all the odds. By heck! ‘Int football grand!?

Sat 1 Mar - Stockport Georgians (0) 3 (Kyle Wych 48, Ollie McFadyen 64, 82 pen) v Sandbach Town (0) 1 (Ben Greenop 51) - Cromley Road - NWCL Div 1 South - Attendance: 532 - 11.00am

A déjà vu set of circumstances, saw last night’s cautious first-half template repeated, as both sides weighed each other up in readiness for a more open and entertaining encounter after the restart. That said, there was a flurry of play that suggested the Georgians were being sponsored to see how many times they could strike the ball against the upright when it was probably easier to have scored.

A goal apiece inside the opening six minutes of the second-half, saw the hosts capitalise on an error of judgement by United's keeper Andy Jones, as Kyle Wych took full advantage to open the scoring. But the lead was short-lived, when just under three minutes later, Niall Cope picked out Ben Greenop with a well weighted cross, that the ‘Bach’ number 10 dispatched past Morgan Piper with no small amount of aplomb.

Piper was beaten again in the 64th minute, as the ball moved teasingly in the air from Ollie McFayden’s crisp strike and the visitors keeper was bamboozled by the flight of the ball. The visitors battled gamely to get back into the game, but fell further behind to penalty, converted by McFayden, inside the closing ten minutes.

The visitors protested about the validity of the penalty being awarded, claiming that the offending trip had been executed outside the penalty area. Our little clique had virtually the exact same view of the incident as the referee’s assistant and were therefore well placed to confirm that… drum roll, pause for effect, cymbal crash… the unanimous decision is that it was a stonewall, nailed on correct call.

Apologies to those who thought otherwise, but none of us had an axe to grind with anyone, nor any partisan leanings towards either side. And have nothing to gain from making such an observation. ‘Just say what you see’ rules apply herein. In actual fact, I thought that the visitors had done enough to warrant a draw, but sadly football doesn't work like that.

Stockport Town (0) 0 v Cheadle Town (1) 1 (Liam Delaney 15 pen) - Stockport Sports Village - NWCL Prem - Attendance: 435 - 1.55pm

So on we travelled, from Stockport to another part of Stockport, where we hit a slight snag en route. Traffic, lots of it. Maybe you can blame the 10,554 spectators heading towards Edgeley Park for the League 1 fixture between Stockport County and Blackpool for some of it, but whatever the cause was, we were going to miss the scheduled kick-off time.

Thankfully, the match referee delayed the start by ten minutes to allow people a bit more time to get to the Sports Village facility. There was a queue at the turnstiles when we arrived, so it wasn't just our reprobates tour bus that had been held up. Which spared us the indignity of having to make a walk of shame, while people pointed at us and hissed “It’s their fault!”

So, slightly behind schedule, game three of the weekend got underway and for the third time in a row it featured a team wearing red and black taking on opposition attired in a combination of royal blue and white. But this game had a stand out feature all of it’s own, inasmuch as it wasn't goalless going in at half-time.

It looked as though Jack Atkinson had broken the first-half duck when he hooked the ball over the advancing Cheadle goalkeeper Gio Clarke and followed the bouncing ball into the back of the visitors net after only two minutes. But the goal was ruled out. I’m not quite sure why though.

Possibly the referee thought that Atkinson’s foot was a little too elevated for his liking, when he’d gone toe to toe with Clarke as they both jumped to challenge for the ball, but that's merely a speculative guess on my part. And besides, both players feet were at exactly the same height. So if you do happen to hear the official reason the goal was chalked off, I would be intrigued to hear from you on the matter.

Maybe, I suggested, there had been a rule change implemented for this weekend's event, criminalising all goals inside the opening forty-five minutes. But that tongue in cheek theory was dispelled when Ollie Putman went to ground under a clumsy challenge and the visitors were awarded a penalty, from which Liam Delaney duly netted what turned out to be the only goal of the game, as Josh Schofield dived one way while the ball went the other.

Schofield was dismissed ten minutes after conceding the goal, when he raced from his area to thwart Izac Khan, who was motoring forward with his sights set on the goal. Khan nudged the ball past the Stockport keeper and evaded the incoming challenge, whereupon Schofield put out his arm and sent Cheadle’s number 11 sprawling to the ground.

Mr Thomas De Prez only had two options available to him as punishment for a challenge like that: a straight red card or firing squad. Fortunately for Schofield he chose the first one But there was no get out for the young keeper to avoid the walk of shame, or pointing and hissing, as the home side's player-manager, Paul Turnbull, took over between the sticks and to his credit, kept a clean sheet from then on in.

Turnbull rode his luck a couple of times, not least when Ed Servuts headed against the crossbar, but Delaney’s spot-kick proved to be the only goal of the game. And Stockport Town left the field of play with the unwanted record of being the only team thus far, not to have scored at the NWCFL Groundhop 2025.

*Footnote. Added sometime in the future. Stockport Town shouldn't be unduly alarmed about that closing statistic, there are several other clubs about to join them in ‘goalless corner’, which is actually going to become quite a busy old place by the time we all bugger off and leave the NWCFL alone for another year on Sunday afternoon.

New Mills (2) 2 (Ash Woods 13, Chris Pauley 19) v Cheadle Heath Nomads (0) 0 - Church Lane - NWCL Div 1 South - Attendance: 558 - 4.45pm

So anyway, the knock on effect of the earlier delay, an unpredictable amount of injury/stoppage time at the previous game, narrow lanes, people parked inconsiderately (and very selfishly), making those already difficult to navigate roads completely inaccessible and even blocking the road that led to the spot reserved for a coach full of groundhoppers; all contributed to us arriving near New Mills FC and literally piling out of our transport, at the side of a nearby road, just four minutes before kick-off.

By which time the majority of even half decent vantage points in the Church Lane ground had already been snaffled up. But hey! By hook or by bleedin’ crook we got there and were back on schedule for Glossop later on. One side of the pitch, where the dug outs were, was fenced off just like it had been at Stockport Georgians.

Knowing the complexities of ground grading criteria and red tape quite well, probably a bit too well actually; I understand that clubs have to comply to restrictions such as these, but it didn't half mean having to pack ‘em in elsewhere in this proper old school non-league ground, full of nooks, crannies and for some reason a vast array of dogs wearing club colours.

New Mills and Cheadle Heath Nomads rebelled against the usual red/black or royal blue/white kit templates everyone else had favoured so far, with the Millers sporting a simple yet stylish amber and black ensemble, while the Nomads were stepping out in a fetching maroon and fuscia number.

Look! That’s what it says on the teamsheet, I wouldn't ever make things up on this blog. “No it’s not claret and blue, we don't want to be associated with some of the horrible clubs that wear that ghastly colour combination!” I was reliably informed by, err… someone who might have been from Cheadle. Possibly 😉

The home side started the game at a cracking pace, on their ‘interestingly’ shaped pitch and were almost two goals to the good before some of the latecomers had even paid in through the turnstiles. Tom Woodward fizzed a shot narrowly wide. Moments later he was tripped by Nomads goalkeeper Ryan Forde, who then had the temerity to save Will Shawcross’ penalty. What a cad!

In the 13th minute, New Mills relentless pressing paid dividends as Ash Woods collected a through ball twelve yards out and steered the ball home beyond the reach of Forde. The Millers doubled their lead six minutes later, when the visitors struggled to clear Mitchell Nolan’s right-wing corner and Chris Pauley latched onto the loose ball and smashed it home.

It was something of a surprise that there were no more goals to come out of this contest, with Cheadle Heath beginning to find their feet as the game progressed, while New Mills continued to seemingly stick to their very effective ‘attack is the best form of defence’ policy. It certainly made for a lively encounter.

One other surprising aspect of tonight's result is that this was the Millers first home win for over six months. If they continue to apply themselves the way that they did tonight, especially during the opening exchanges I can't imagine that they will have to wait anywhere near as long for their next victory on home turf.

Tonight I experienced a food first. Everyone seemed to be tucking into and recommending the absolutely gorgeous smelling Chili Con Carne and by half-time I’d had built up a right appetite. Alas, when I reached the front of the understandably lengthy queue, the remaining available sustenance options, were getting a bit thin on the ground.

“Any warm food left?” I asked, more out of hope than expectation. “Vegan Vegetarian Quiche”, I was cheerily informed. Oh well, any port in a storm, I’m famished and ‘owt is better than nowt’. But me!? Me!!?? Veggie food! Reluctantly I picked at my fodder and lifted the fork to my lips and prepared to be unconvinced.

But wow! It was like I had inadvertently discovered the food of the Gods, in a silver foil dish, up in the High Peak. Seriously folks, you don't know what you’re missing. I’ll tell you what, get yourself over to Church Lane and try one for yourself. And if you don't agree with me, I’ll buy you a chuffing Chilli.

Glossop North End (0) 0 v West Didsbury & Chorlton (0) 2 (Jack Banister 60, Reuben Dass 82) - The Asgard Engineering Stadium - NWCL Prem - Attendance: 830. -7.30pm

An impressive headcount of 830 was the officially announced attendance for tonight's firecracker of a game between Glossop North End and West Didsbury & Charlton, but to be honest, looking around the ground during the game, I’d estimated that there were even more people present here tonight than that and a fair few of them, especially those who came to support the visitors, were making one hell of a racket.

The first-half goal amnesty appeared to be back in place, as both teams went toe to toe and slugged it out while defending resiliently. But ten minutes before half-time, the Glossop keeper, Alex Brown, charged towards the edge of his area and in his eagerness to claim the ball flattened Victor Abakadi. Penalty! And a yellow card. Followed by an excellent save down to his right to deny Jordan Lazenbury.

Brown did well to pick out the flight of the spot-kick in the ensuing glare, not caused by the floodlights, but emitting from the visitors gaudy choice of away kit, a design that resembled a combination of powder blue with strips of discarded Elastoplast stuck randomly haphazardly across the torso area. Their keepers strip only needed a Jester’s complimenting it, to finish off the authentic Harlequin look. GNE’s traditional black and white halved shirts looked far more classier.

But appearances can be deceptive and all told though ‘West’ might have resembled a troup of medieval entertainers, they were actually a bloody good team. And once the second-half got going, they began to assert their superiority. Not that GNE didn't have a few moments of their own, mind you.

Jack Banister was being a complete thorn in the (back)side of North End’s defenders and he compounded their discomfort, when he was afforded just a fraction of time and space, which was all he needed to launch the ball into the top corner of Brown’s net, who had hitherto been playing out of his skin to thwart the promotion chasing visitors. Banister’s strike went straight to the top of the hit parade, vying for the accolade of the goal of the weekend.

But, pop pickers, he was knocked off of top spot with eight minutes of the game remaining, when Reuben Dass burst forward through the left channel, like a human battering ram, reached the dead-ball line and about faced, before drilling the ball past Brown from a seemingly impossible tight angle. Wow! That was a bit good!

There was no way back for Glossop now. And the visitors saw the night out and claimed the three points.

Probably because I had opted for several layers of clothing and thermal undergarments, the weather remained relatively mild all night and there was no repeat of last night’s Ice Station Zebra conditions in downtown Rammy.

Sun 2 Mar - Abbey Hey (0) 0 v Prestwich Heys (0) 0 - The Abbey Stadium - NWCL Prem - Attendance: 618 -11.30am

Oh heck! A goalless draw. This state of affairs means that some groundhoppers, will have to revisit the grandly named ‘Abbey Stadium’ again because they don't tick off anywhere that they haven't seen at least one goal. Well I hope when they revisit this Gorton based ground, it isn't another nil-nil, or we know what that’ll mean.

Profligate finishing (I’m being very generous here) provided a few comedy moments along the way, but there were several long passages of play where there was no goalmouth action of any note worth mentioning at all. ‘Twas akin to one of those ‘conspiracy theory’ tournament group games where both teams only need a goalless draw and a point apiece to progress through to the knockout stages, so they both go through the motions to cement the result they need.

But results elsewhere yesterday meant that Prestwich Heys were actually quite desperate for points so a draw didn't do them any favours at all. Dragging the ball wide when there is only the keeper stranded in no mans land to beat and hitting the post from all of eighteen inches out with an open goal at your mercy, were traits that both teams had in their lockers.

It was painful to watch at times, knowing, or at least hoping, that these two teams were probably, or at least possibly, capable of better things than this. I guess that in time the goal-tickers among our numbers will be able to get back to me and confirm if that is the case . Not that I’ll be unduly bothered if they don't.

With eight minutes left to go, the referee spotted a handball in the Abbey Hey area, meaning that Heys had a late opportunity to break the deadlock. But the hosts keeper got down early to his left to thwart Max Bardsley-Rowe and the score, or more to the point, the lack of any score even, remained level.

As the game stumbled apologetically over into stoppage time, Bardsley-Rowe’s forgettable afternoon was compounded when he was dismissed.” I sniggered like Mutley when someone called out: “Oi! Number two! Get back out here and watch this bloody rubbish ‘til the end like we’ve all got too!”

Oh well, I guess that not every game of football is going to produce a myriad of thrills, spills and non-stop entertainment, is it? And in the words of those wholesome Mormon lads: The Osmonds, “One bad apple don't spoil the whole bunch”. But I feel compelled to add, that apples actually cone in bushels, not bunches! So at least we’ve cleared that up. Can we get off and watch some more football now!?

Droylsden (2) 3 (Fuad Kasali 12, George Kattah 28, Nellson Van 54) v Darwen FC ( 1) 2 (Chris Bailey 3, Bruno De Almeida Severino 49 - The Butchers Arms - NWCL Div 1 North - Attendance: 1,184 - 2.30pm

Ah, that's better. Much, much better actually. 1,184, one, one, eight, four, the biggest crowd anywhere in the country to have watched a game of step football this season, flocked to the Butchers Arms ground this afternoon and were served up a veritable treat of a game, as our seven game sorte into the NWCFL reached a most satisfying climax.

I was just taking my seat in the upper tier, having relocated from downstairs, when I aimed my mobile phone camera towards the goal that Darwen were attacking from a set piece and the following happened: Connor Hughes delivered a flag-kick into the mix, Charlie Lloyd’s header was parried by Jordan Latham and Chris Bailey was on hand to nudge the loose ball into the net.

Within minutes of posting the above ‘point and hope’ snapshot of the incident online, my image was being reposted all over that there t’internet. Wow! So while a whole lot of people are here in person, enjoying what is developing into a very entertaining game, the rest of the football world must be looking in and monitoring us on social media. I’m not entirely sure whether that's a good thing or not.

It actually smacks of being a non-league equivalent of EFL club fans watching games via Sky red button, or the download whatever the funk you like dodgy-sticks that are so prevalent, instead of actually making the effort to actually visit a football ground to watch a match. I was offered a gismo of this kind, in very reasonable priced ‘mates rates’ transaction.

But I figured that it would be of no use to me whatsoever, because I hardly ever watch television, apart from when Lucy Worsley is on 😍, because more often than not I'm either out every night on ‘football business’ or, heaven forbid, eh!? Most likely watching a game somewhere or another. It’s what we do, innit!? My fellow football addicts.

One of the names featuring prominently on my ‘player’s to keep an eye on this weekend’ list, was a 21 year old by the name of Fuad Kasali and it soon became apparent why that was. In the twelfth minute, he muscled his way forward and drilled the ball into the net underneath the attempted blocking dive of Darwen’s keeper Louis Hood.

The Bloods took the lead just before the half-hour mark, when once again they stormed forward with menace, putting the Darreners (AKA Salmoners and yes! It’s a soubriquet that stems from wearing pink shirts) on the back foot. George Kattah’s stinging shot was blocked by Hood, but he couldn't keep hold of the ball and Kattah gratefully accepted a second bite of the cherry.

That man Kasali netted again just before the break, but his effort was ruled out for offside. It must have been a proper challenge for the ‘linesman’ to attempt to keep up with the nippy young prospect. But one must accept these decisions in good faith, err… sometimes at least, eh!?

Four minutes into the second half Bruno De Almeida Severino scored an equaliser, when he took advantage of Latham charging out off of his line and lobbed a dipping effort over the advancing keeper that bounced over the line and bulged the net just behind the crossbar. Nellson Van soon restored Droylsden's lead however when he smashed the ball past Latham in the 54th minute.

Blimey! You couldn't take your eyes off of this game for a moment as the tempo remained high throughout. Kattah was the width of a Rizla paper away from adding to the hosts lead, as his angled shot flew narrowly beyond the far post. Darwen celebrated what they thought was their third goal, when Jack Foster appeared to score directly from an inswinging corner, but the man in the middle, James Owen, had spotted an infringement in the area and disallowed the goal for a foul on Latham.

Kattah was amongst the action again ten minutes later, but his fizzing effort went just wide of the far post before Jack Foster thought he’d levelled for Darwen direct from a corner, but the referee indicated there’d been a foul on the goalkeeper. The game could have gone either way, or even have ended up asca draw, but Droylsden managed the closing stages well and hung on for the result. Fin.

Having been privy to hearing next year's NWCFL Groundhop schedule in advance, I’m already really, really, really looking forward to it. Though my lips are sealed until Groundhop UK officially announce the finalised itinerary through their own channels. It’s going to be an absolute cracker though. If you only attend one of these highly recommended events next year, keep the airways open for news of 2026’s NWCFL biggie. But for the time being, my lips are sealed.

An awesome weekend, all told. Many thanks to all of those who have put in the effort to make it happen, including the Groundhop UK people, hail to the bus driver, all of the clubs and their volunteers, the players, the match officials, the staff at the Holiday Inn in Bolton, the colourful array of canines and everyone that I have shared a great time with this weekend. And, not forgetting, whoever had prepared and cooked the Vegan Vegetarian Quiche at New Mills.

I’ll be back around these parts a couple of times over the next week, after a flying visit home to East Retford upon Idle. For Bolton Wanderers v Birmingham City on Tuesday night and Stockport County v Charlton Athletic next Saturday, which is a 12.30pm kick-off. Mind how you go, enjoy your football and keep right on, keeping on.