jogtolandsend.co.uk

[timall]

Another football ground collected today and this time it's in the Scottish Premier League. Pittodrie, as I arrive in Aberdeen this evening.

Check the blog for progress if you're interested.

[garethl]

The blogs are interesting. Have just got through them all. Thanks for sharing.

[timall]

Another ground today, and potential oppenents. It's Cove Rangers, current champions in the Highland League, just south of Aberdeen.

[timall]

Division Two this time, it's welcome to Montrose!

[timall]

Up a division as I am now in Arbroath.

Arbroath are famous for two things. Firstly they have the closest pitch to the sea in all of Europe with a measurement from the water to the touchline at less than 6 yards at high tide.

Secondly, and more impressively to me, they still hold the record for the biggest win, set in 1885 with their 36 - 0 defeat of Aberdeen Bon Accord in the Scottish Cup. The ball actually went in the net 41 times with 5 goals ruled out for offside. The opposition goalkeeper retrieving the ball from the back of his net nearly every two minutes, and presumably more frequently than any other touches in the match.

One Arbroath player scored 13 goals in that game alone. I think we have all known centre forwards who have scored less than that over an entire season.

I bet Tommy Wright would have loved to play in that game.

[Stewart]

Arbroath are famous for two things. Firstly they have the closest pitch to the sea in all of Europe with a measurement from the water to the touchline at less than 6 yards at high tide.


I guess you can't miss the ground if your doing a coastal walk LINK

[timall]

Into Dundee tonight, so two more clubs, and back-to-back grounds. One of which should be familiar as the new home of an ex-U. With Dundee being in the Scottish Premiership they must enter a "colts" team into the IRN-BRU cup. I'm not sure of the exact description but I assume should we meet that Roarie is ineligible to play.

[timall]

A new town and a new football club. I am in Perth, or as it used to be called "St John's Toun".

I am on the wrong side of the Tay at the moment so won't be able to see the ground, or floodlights at least, until the morning but I can now claim to have collected St Johnstone too.

A "yo-yo" club between the Scottish Premiership and Championship they fiinshed 8th in the top tier last year, and as such are potential "colt" opponents only in the Irn-Bru cup for us.

[timall]

Into the Kingdom of Fife, which hosts a number of teams, but it's a night in Dunfermline for me, so a Championship club once more to add to list.

[timall]

Into the capital itself now. Not only the obvious big boys of the premiership in Hibs and Hearts, but a host of smaller clubs too. Champions of the Lowlands League, Spartans are a potential Irn-Bru cup opponent for instance.

[timall]

It's my last day in Scotland, and therefore its relevance to our potential in the Irn-Bru Cup. I am in Gretna, where by chance I happened to stumble upon a wedding at the famous blacksmiths.

Gretna no longer has a team in either the league proper, or the two non-league competitions, meaning we have no chance of crossing paths (at least this season).

They have an interesting past though having competed in both Scottish and English leagues, including in the FA cup (relatively recently too) being the first Scottish team to do so since Queen's Park in 1886!

In recent times they relied on a benefactor who invested to get them rapidly to the Premiership before ill-health meant withdrawl of his continuing investment, and shortly thereafter administration and expulsion. Yet another story of a club living beyond its financial model and burning out. I know of at least one club that won't fall into that trap.

Anyway a quick google will provide more info for anyone interested.

Similarly for those still interested in my progress please continue to follow the blog (thread title refers), and given I will be out of Scotland within 10 minutes tomorrow, it's unlikely I will update here as I doubt anyone has much interest in English clubs, league or non-league, whose grounds I might be in eyeshot of.

[sallycat]

I can't speak for anyone else but I'm finding your updates very interesting and would love to hear which English clubs you encounter. How are you doing yourself? It must be incredibly hard work.

[timall]

It can be tough going, and being alone and away from family (and football!) makes it a psychological as well as physical challenge. However, I am determined to ensure it's a trip for the eyes and ears as well as the legs so I'm seeking out museums, churches, historical places of interest etc.

As I enter England I am at the approximate half way stage, so it's now "downhill". My legs are sore/stiff/aching etc., and the hot weather isn't as much pleasure for me as for others, but I am still enjoying myself and on target to arrive at Land's End a couple of days before the Maidstone game.

[timall]

Just over the border and I couldn't resist a small update as I'm in Carlisle. Another club with an interesting history having played in the top division in the league, and also non-league.

Many years ago my brother, then a freelance journalist, was approached by Michael Knighton to write a biography. He was taking over Man Utd for £20m in an agreed deal (and did his "keepie-uppies" on the pitch before a game).

Anyway both deals fell through. I don't think he liked my brother's version of the truth, and his partners fell out and a different history beckoned for the Old Trafford faithful. He reappeared taking ownership of Carlisle as an alternative, promising to take them back to the top.

It's not much of a spoiler to reveal that didn't happen! Wikipedia will reveal further details for anyone interested.

[trev]

I'll be up in Carlisle Friday night, but I expect you'll be long gone by then. Keep calm and walk on!