A.T.F.C.S.A.

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An unusual kick off time of 7.45 for a Bank Holiday Monday had us setting off from North St at 4.45 pm. The holiday traffic wasn't too bad for the trip up the M1 (for a change!), on to the A616 - past Stocksbridge - and on to the A628 for a picturesque journey over the northern peak district. We made pretty good time but arrived in Stalybridge to find half the town closed off due to the fair.

Stalybrdge I hear you shout, thought we were playing at Hyde!

Well yes we was, but as the towns are only a few miles apart we took the opportunity to make the first visit of the season to Stalybridge Buffet Bar. Located on the platform of stalybridge station, it is a real gem of a pub. This particular evening we had the choice of 8 real ales, and in addition to this we also found the food as good and as cheap as in our previous stop overs.

All seats on the bus were taken for the first time this season, and this made an impression with the landlord who duly took our photo on the platform outside the bar!

He gave us a menu to take with us with the promise that when we next return, all we have to do is phone the order through and the meals will be waiting for us as soon as we arrive.

Over to Hyde and straight in to the good size club house, to find the usual range of drinks at average prices. Difficult to strike up conversation with the locals, unlike up the road at Stalybridge where we met a couple of Celtic fans and a few travelers.

Although we have played Hyde many times over the years, this was my second new ground of the season, and like Hednesford's Keys Park, is a very welcome addition to the league. The large main stand with covered terrace at either side, two full length covered terraces at either end, and with both sets of fans giving it their all for most of the match, made for a good atmosphere .

All this combined with the first win of the season made for a very entertaining and enjoyable Bank Holiday evening, and we even made it back to the Vic before closing!

Thanks to WANCHAD who took the above pictures, and apologies for the lack of ground/crowd photo's due to me forgetting my camera!

Program Review

48 pages with 27 of them being adverts in glossy B&W or colour. 5 pages dedicated to Alfreton and our pen-pic's, a write up about their trip to Kettering and a page with travel info for their game at Barrow, were in addition to the usual stuff from the chair and the manager etc. One interesting page on Hyde's supporters club and their weekly predictions jackpot. A competition in which you have to predict the result of  various Premiership and Hyde Utd games. Not exactly sure how it works but sounds like a good idea, that we may have to think about copying!

They are so far selling between 50 - 60 sheets per week at the ground as well as by club members at work and in local pubs. On the Saturday Sept 3rd they had a jackpot rollover prize of £190, and they had so far raised around £1000 for the club in the games played since just before Christmas 2004. I don't know if this is for the football club or the supporters club though.

I would say that the program at £1.50 was below average for the Conference North league and was the only minus point of the whole set up at Hyde.

Photo to follow.

Footnote

Why do a team that play in red shirts and white shorts call themselves "The Tigers"!