Part one in an occasional series of ... probably not very manyRadford FC v. Gedling Miners Welfare - East Midlands Counties League - 22/08/2009
Thanks to Howard for the programme from this game.'Tis muchly appreciated comrade! ;-)
It shows dedication beyond the call of duty to produce a 52 page programme for your local Non League side, so hats off to the efforts of those people who put together Radford FC's essential match day reading.
Of course, you'd expect such a bulky tome to be padded out with pages upon pages of adverts, but only six pages (if you count the CMFL sponsors details that are reproduced by all clubs affiliated to that league as a matter of course anyway) contain any advertising.
The rest is very readable and jam packed with information, about both 'The Pheasants' and other local clubs.
Incidentally before any pedantic 'statto' contacts me to say that Radford don't play in the CMFL, their reserves do, which accounts for their 'affiliation'.
One programme feature a friend of mine commented on the desirability of in regards to the Radford programme is the attention to detail given to the directions to other teams grounds ... he doesn't drive you see.Most clubs will provide the basic routes - Y'know the kind of thing ... 'Head north on the A614 over Ollerton roundabout - turn right at Thoresby roundabout - left at the church in Bothamsall village and then look for the floodlights or ask a local farmer because you're most likely completely lost by now and will probably miss the kick off'.
But short of publishing the details in Braille for the visually impaired (most of who seem to be driving on the nearby A60, Mansfield Road in Nottingham whenever I'm in the vicinity), the details in the Radford programme leave no stone left unturned.
Even walking routes to grounds are provided!
No 'sat nav'? (Join the club, me neither), no worries ... the directions Radford provide will get you straight to wherever you are going, find you the premium parking spots and then lead you to where you can be fed and watered in the vicinity.
Besides which, 'sat nav' directions work to post codes and can actually quite often lead you to destinations other than those you intended to travel to anyway.
For example, I share a post code with a North Notts Unibond Premier League club, and using Google maps will direct you straight to my front garden instead of their ground (fact).
Upon arrival the difference between the two locations is quite apparent ... there is no screechy music blaring out of my windows and my garden actually has some grass growing in it.
And if anyone stands in my garden banging a drum they're going to get chucked out before you can say:
"Barmy army!" (bump, bump) "Barmy army!" (bump, bump) "Barmy army!" (bump, bump).
So get out of here and follow the road out of town over the two bridges, but be mindful there is no footpath beside this busy and dangerous road because Bassetlaw District Council are not renowned for co-operating with local football clubs.
No car? (Or want to leave it at home because you fancy a few beers), even better ... Bus, train and tram routes (and even timetables) are all provided too, which believe me, is a Godsend for a lot of (so called) ground hoppers I know.
The logistics of getting from A to B around Nottinghamshire by public transport can be a (***)king sized throbbing headache of severely migraineous proportions.
Of course there will be people who say this kind of information sharing removes 'the thrill of the chase' out of the noble art of seeking lost and forgotten civilisations in the obscurer corners of Planet Football (AKA Gedling), but there are also people who would chose to sleep on a bed of nails and/or listen to the Lighthouse Family out of choice.Those of us without such masochistic leanings appreciate the odd stress busting snippet of informed guidance ... and as somebody who knows the 'joys' of having to sling a U turn through six lanes of rush hour traffic on the laughingly named Nottingham Relief Road, I feel extensively qualified to comment on this.
Yes, I missed the signpost for Burton Joyce once too!!!
Of course, there could be a couple of cynical people who would say I'm writing a favourable review of the Radford 'Official Match Day Programme' because this particular issue contains some input from this very blog (which is apparently written by 'a well known ground hopper based in North Notts and Edinburgh, who favours Hearts, Mansfield Town and Worksop Town), but that hasn't swayed my judgement one bit, in fact one of the other blogs in my index, 'The mind of an Imp', rates the programme (and set up at Selhurst Street) too. So check that link out without further daily.
By way of a huge coincidence ... here below, is a picture of the guy who puts that Lincoln City/Sophie Ellis Bextor blog together entering the recent Radford v Rainworth MW, FA Cup game that I also went to.
Blimey! Its a small world isn't it???
*Note to Imp bloggist - stop walking in shot when I'm taking pictures or you are going to get thumped one of these days.Anybody wanting to sample one of these excellent programmes should send £1 and a SSAE to:
Howard Bacon
C/O Radford FC Supporters' Club Shop
Radford FC
Selhurst Street (off Radford Road)
Hyson Green
Nottingham
NG7 5EH
Incidentally if you type that NG7 post code into your 'sat nav' you will end up at a take away food emporium called Curry King (the ground is behind this fine establishment) that stands opposite the Asda on Radford Road.
*Footnote.
I have patented the word migraineous, so don't use it without asking my permission or you will be sued for breach of copyright.
the66pow
