Stadiums, parks & pitches
Feb 23, 2020 11:28:15 GMT
Post by Drew Steignton on Feb 23, 2020 11:28:15 GMT
A rare Saturday visit to Bridgwater Town for me yesterday and my first game at Fairfax Park since the club was relegated from the Southern League. These days I'm simply unable to properly watch football and hold a conversation at the same time so, after bumping into a couple of long-standing acquaintances, the afternoon quickly became more of a social affair. That's perfectly acceptable when I'm paying no more than £5 admission. Just about enough of the football registered for me to be aware that the home team let slip a two goal lead with Hallen, the visitors from within the lost world of the M4-M5-M49 triangle, proverbially snatching a point with almost the last kick of the game. I think too that it was an affair that could be filed under the "game of two halves" category.
Bridgwater's twentieth century demographics may have suggested it was capable of supporting a strong and well-supported semi-professional football club. That once looked a possibility when the club thrived in the Western League of long ago. But, beyond that, the best the town can boast is two modest spells in the Southern League; the first through the original club during 1982-84; the second through the replacement club from 2007 to 2017. There were also a goodly number of FA Cup first round proper appearances between 1960 and 1971.
The key date here is 1984 which is when the old club folded and the new one began. There was a change of ground too. Castlefields was lost and a new ground found between the college and the railway line.
Fairfax Park is slap bang next door to the rather grander rugby club which shows that Bridgwater is another Westcountry town where there is a significant rugby union presence. And, with Bristol not too far away, there's always been a fair few locals who look to that city for their football. You can't immediately see Bridgwater Town ever rising to the heights although, should the club ever have a decent run in the FA Vase, you can imagine that would be a lively and somewhat rumbustrious trail.
Now then, is this narrowboat - as pictured in the old dock at Bridgwater - named after a football magazine? I've just looked up the history of The Celtic View and now remember buying it as very thin newspaper on my first visits to Scotland in 1970 and 1971. I don't know if there is a connection with this vessel although I see it's not flying the usual flag:
Bridgwater's twentieth century demographics may have suggested it was capable of supporting a strong and well-supported semi-professional football club. That once looked a possibility when the club thrived in the Western League of long ago. But, beyond that, the best the town can boast is two modest spells in the Southern League; the first through the original club during 1982-84; the second through the replacement club from 2007 to 2017. There were also a goodly number of FA Cup first round proper appearances between 1960 and 1971.
The key date here is 1984 which is when the old club folded and the new one began. There was a change of ground too. Castlefields was lost and a new ground found between the college and the railway line.
Fairfax Park is slap bang next door to the rather grander rugby club which shows that Bridgwater is another Westcountry town where there is a significant rugby union presence. And, with Bristol not too far away, there's always been a fair few locals who look to that city for their football. You can't immediately see Bridgwater Town ever rising to the heights although, should the club ever have a decent run in the FA Vase, you can imagine that would be a lively and somewhat rumbustrious trail.
Now then, is this narrowboat - as pictured in the old dock at Bridgwater - named after a football magazine? I've just looked up the history of The Celtic View and now remember buying it as very thin newspaper on my first visits to Scotland in 1970 and 1971. I don't know if there is a connection with this vessel although I see it's not flying the usual flag: