Balder Than Your Average Stadium Enthusiast

Balder Than Your Average Stadium Enthusiast Ey up, I'm James and welcome to my page as I document my travels around sports stadiums; big and small!

Well, that was probably not worth the trip 🤣In fairness, I enjoyed the trip to Pirelli Stadium in Burton with the except...
12/04/2025

Well, that was probably not worth the trip 🤣

In fairness, I enjoyed the trip to Pirelli Stadium in Burton with the exception of the result. A pretty chill trip down.

The stadium is a fair treck from the train station and town centre which is fine if you're like me and enjoy a stroll. Just past the ground is the Beech Hotel which is where most of the away fans meet up and it's a pretty friendly place for a few pints.

The ground is nice and compact with three sides of terracing. Away fans get a stand behind the goal and a few hundred seats in the main stand.

Unfortunately for me and the good following of fellow Huddersfield fans, the performance was utterly dreadful. A 3-0 win for Burton Albion with never threatening to get a thing from the game. Possibly the worst Huddersfield performance I've seen since losing away to Millwall back in 2008.

Oh well, UTT 🔵⚪️🔵

Pregame at Pirelli Stadium in Burton-upon-Trent.Had a few bevvies in The Beech Hotel, now getting ready for a crucial ma...
12/04/2025

Pregame at Pirelli Stadium in Burton-upon-Trent.

Had a few bevvies in The Beech Hotel, now getting ready for a crucial match at both ends of the table.

UTT 🔵⚪️🔵

It's a cool morning in South Yorkshire as I start making my way down to Staffordshire to make the most of a rare free Sa...
12/04/2025

It's a cool morning in South Yorkshire as I start making my way down to Staffordshire to make the most of a rare free Saturday.

Huddersfield Town away at Burton Albion today! Going off the table one would like to assume it should be a straight forward 3 points. Town a few points shy of the League One playoffs while Burton are down around the drop zone but given Town don't have a manager yet and are on a rotten run of form amything can happen.

As I only get to 1 or maybe 2 Town games a season it maybe no suprise I haven't seen the Terriers win for a long time. So long I can't remember the last time! All I know it was before we got to the Premier League so we're talking close too a decade 🤣

Oh well, UTT 🔵⚪️🔵

Watching the England v Latvia game while having a look through my latest, random eBay purchase!
24/03/2025

Watching the England v Latvia game while having a look through my latest, random eBay purchase!

When going around football grounds going to try and get my hand on a badge as a little keep sake. Nice little Donny Rove...
23/03/2025

When going around football grounds going to try and get my hand on a badge as a little keep sake. Nice little Donny Rovers one from today's game. Was hoping for a Doncaster RLFC one as well but couldn't find any in the club shop.

Venues #4 & #5On the train home now after a cracking afternoon of rugby league at the Eco-Power Stadium in Doncaster. ...
23/03/2025

Venues #4 & #5

On the train home now after a cracking afternoon of rugby league at the Eco-Power Stadium in Doncaster. The Dons lost a very tight game 22-26 against the Widnes Vikings. A game the Dons probably should have won but some wasted oppertunities in the second half cost them dear.

As well as the main ground where Doncaster RLFC play alongside Docaster Rovers and Doncaster Bells there's a nice looking athletics ground next door.

Very much worth a visit and if the Dons can get up to Super League one day then the ground is well suited for it. Just under 1,500 in attendance means only one stand open so it's too big for them in the second tier but the infrastructure is definitely there if they end up going up a level.

Cheers Donny!

On my way to the Eco-Power Stadium went for a mooch around the housing estate where Doncaster Rovers used to ply their t...
23/03/2025

On my way to the Eco-Power Stadium went for a mooch around the housing estate where Doncaster Rovers used to ply their trade before the housing estate was built.

Their previous home, Belle Vue, stood across the road from Doncaster Racecoarse where Rovers played until the end of 2006 when they moved in to Eco-Power Stadium (formerly the Keepmoat Stadium).

The club saw everything from second tier football all the way to non-league football in the space of less than a decade in the 2000s at Belle Vue. Quite the rollercoaster ride!

They would move in to their brand new stadium next to the lake at the start of 2007 where their yo-yo status has been maintained.

After a pitstop for a McDonalds I went for a wander around the lake which is an absolutely lovely walk even on a cool day like today. Nearby is the Lakeside shopping centre and the Doncaster Dome. As an aside, the Dome is where I went to my first ever concert just over 20 years when I saw Jane's Addiction play. No on stage brawls back then!

Venue #3Now, I'm no horseracing fan but I had to get some pictures on my way past Doncaster Racecoarse.A bit of treck f...
23/03/2025

Venue #3

Now, I'm no horseracing fan but I had to get some pictures on my way past Doncaster Racecoarse.

A bit of treck from Doncaster city centre but absolutely worth it with an absolutely towering modern stand as well as some lovely older looking ones further on, perfect for watching the sport of kings.

Honestly, the only thing I know about the racecoarse, aside from hosting exhibitions and pop concerts, is it hold the St. Ledger every year.

For anyone doing some groundhopping in Doncaster you can get some great views of the course from the main road.

Venues #1 and #2First up on my trip to Doncaster I had a venture to the northern suburb of Bentley.Like a lot of place...
23/03/2025

Venues #1 and #2

First up on my trip to Doncaster I had a venture to the northern suburb of Bentley.

Like a lot of places in South Yorkshire it was home to a colliery back in the day that stayed open until 1993. The colliery giving it's name to the football team Bentley Colliery who's second incarnation folded in 2016.

AFC Bentley were formed in it's wake and currently ply their trade in the Central Midlands Alliance League Black Dragon Premier Division North... quite the mouthful. That's the 11th tier of English football in simpler terms.

Quite difficult to get decent pictures of The Avenue sadly as it wasn't a matchday but it looks like a cracking slice of non-league stand action.

Just across the road is Bentley Cricket Clubs ground. Can't beat a village cricket ground in my opinion and the pavillion looks like a great way to spend a summer's day watching ball hit willow.

Another highlight of my quick trip to Bentley was the magnificent Pavillion just across the road from where I caught my bus back into Donny.

Ey up, I'm James and welcome to my groundhopping page!In Doncaster today for my first trip to the Eco-Power Stadium; the...
23/03/2025

Ey up, I'm James and welcome to my groundhopping page!

In Doncaster today for my first trip to the Eco-Power Stadium; the home of Doncaster Rovers and Doncaster RLFC. It's the rugby league side I'm seeing today for their home opener against Widnes this afternoon.

Before then though I'm having a trip through to Bentley to visit AFC Bentley's ground.

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