A Fan With A Pen

 

During the lockdown months off work between 2020 to 2022, Rob A. Clark, a committee member and the club historian of Grantown-on-Spey based football club Strathspey Thistle (in the Highlands of Scotland) kept himself busy by digging out his paperwork as Club match day reporter from the clubs first nine seasons of 1993-94 to 2001-02 and beginning detailed research into the history of football in his hometown.

What he discovered is an amazing few stories dating back to the late 1800’s and how Grantown-on-Spey individuals and teams played a role in the development of football.

In the next few months, the book of over 180 A5 pages entitled “A fan with a pen!” will be published by Thomson Partnership of Inverurie and Rob is inviting people to pre order a copy of the book retailing at £12.50 UK Sterling plus additional postage and packing costs depending on where the book – when it is available around late July to early August - is heading.

A donation from each copy of the book sold will be donated by Rob to the UK Charity “Teenage Cancer Trust” in memory of his cousins son who died aged just 15 years old of blood cancer.

Please contact Rob directly to order a copy or for more information by e-mail to; afanwithapen@gmail.com or by post to; 34 Cairngorm Avenue, Grantown-on-Spey, PH26-3EX, Highland, Scotland.

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Strathspey Thistle have upcoming home games against Huntly on Wednesday 8 March and Keith the following Saturday.

Admission prices at Seafield Park are £10 adults, £5 concessions and free for accompanied under-12's.

As at all grounds across the Highland League you'll find a warm welcome, hard-working volunteers, competitive football and some stunning backdrops.

Order Of The Bath

Community Day has come around again at Bath City FC with the club offering 'Pay What You Want' admission for the National League South game at home to Tonbridge Angels next Saturday (25th February).

There's lots going on around the match itself, with face painting, beat-the-goalie and more

Another date for the diary is the League Two match between Bradford City and Colchester United on Saturday 4 March, the Bantams still with hopes of a charge into the automatic promotion spots as I write this.

Supporters from both clubs can buy tickets for £5 up to midnight on the day of the game.

Deepdale hosts the FA Youth Cup quarter-final between Preston North End and Southampton at 7pm on Thursday 2 March.

Tickets will be available on the night of the game, priced at £5 for adults and £1 for all concessions with season card holders from both clubs able to get in for free.

Update: Two more 'Pay What You Want' games this coming Saturday (Feb 25th), at Steyning Town FC (against AFC Varndeanians) and Glapwell FC (against Retford United).

International Window

Good to see the England C team, representing the best players from outside of the Football League, back in action shortly as they take on their Welsh counterparts at Altrincham FC on Tuesday 21st March.

Tickets are priced at £7 for adults and £2 for under-18's with club Co-Chair, Bill Waterson telling the official website: “Altrincham FC is delighted to be hosting this fixture as our connections with the England C team go back to its inception in 1979, when club legends John Davison, Jeff Johnson & John Rogers regularly represented their country."

Some other opportunities to watch England teams in action coming up, include:

Monday 20 February: Women's Under 23's versus Belgium at Prenton Park, 7pm. Tickets £5 adults, £2.50 children.

Wednesday 22 March: Men's Under 19's versus Hungary at the Bescot Stadium, Walsall, 7.30pm. Tickets £5 adults, £2.50 children.

Saturday 25 March: Men's Under 19's versus Iceland at the New York Stadium, Rotherham, 2pm. Tickets £5 adults, £2.50 children.

Tuesday 28 March: Men's Under 19's versus Turkey at the Technique Stadium, Chesterfield, 7.30pm. Tickets £5 adults, £2.50 children.

Ticket info for all the above can be found by the FA ticket page. 

And England Under 18 Schoolboys take on Northern Ireland in the Centenary Shield on Friday 14 April. Tickets for the 7pm kick-off, to be held at Billericay Town FC, are available priced £7 adults and £3 for concessions and under 18's.

Into The Woods

Thanks to Lordswood FC for following on twitter.

Currently playing in the Southern Counties East Football League Premier Division, the club have introduced a family ticket offer for their remaining home matches this season, with Whitstable Town the next visitors on Saturday 11th February.

Two adults and up to three children (15 and under) can come to the game for just £10.

Also coming up this week there are eight scheduled ties as the FA Vase reaches the 5th Round stage and six scheduled FA Youth Cup ties as follows;

Monday 6th - Luton Town versus Preston North End (tickets to be purchased before 3pm on the day of the game, priced £5/£3) and Watford versus Arsenal (tickets for non-season ticket holders are priced at £5/£3 and £1).

Tuesday 7th - Southampton versus Fulham (tickets £3/£1) and Manchester City versus Fleetwood (tickets £3/£1, game to be held at the Academy Stadium).

Wednesday 8th - Oxford United versus Leeds United (tickets £6/£3) and Cambridge United versus Sheffield Wednesday (tickets £5/£2 for non-season ticket holders).

Further details of kick-off times can be found on the various club websites.