VENUE #86 PARTICK THISTLE Firhill Stadium

FIRHILL STADIUM

Venue #86

Directions by Train / Subway

     After lots of consideration this is the route I finally judged to be the best.  I caught the train to Glasgow Central station and exited onto Hope street turning left and walking down to the station underpass turning left once more passing through the underpass and crossing the road to bring me outside McDonalds.  Continuing straight on up Argyle street to the next paved pedestrian area on the right which is St. Enoch square and make my way down to the subway platform and catch the inner circle line train to St George's cross.

     Exiting St. George's station turn left down Maryhill road and continue for about 10 to 15 mins. on the right side of the road facing on coming traffic until you come to the Cooperative funeral care building and turn right into Springbank street and Firhill Stadium is straight in front of you.

Firhill Stadium

     On one side of the ground is the impressive looking, Jackie Husband Stand. This is a large, covered single tiered stand. Opposite is the older Main Stand, which has raised seating above pitch level. This stand is covered and has a fair few supporting pillars which may obstruct your view. It was originally built in 1927. The stand looks a little odd, as the lower end has been given over to what look like administrative offices. Apart from the bigger games, this stand normally remains closed.

     At the North End of the ground is the new North Stand, which replaced a former open terrace. This all seated covered stand, originally only ran for around two thirds of the width of the pitch, but has been extended during the Summer of 2003, so that it now completely fills that end of the ground. Opposite is the South End, which is now unused for spectators, being comprised of a grassy bank. It was originally an open terrace, but this was demolished in anticipation of building a new stand, however, this has not materialised. 

     Interestingly, Firhill is the closest League Football Ground to Glasgow City Centre.

Jackie Husband Stand 

Main Stand  

North Stand

Unused Area

     Today's Visitors  HAMILTON ACADEMICAL  I remember the Hamilton promotion to the premier league in the 2013/14 season when they beat Hibernian in a thrilling play-off contest.  Accies lost the home tie 2-0 and went to Easter road with everyone expecting the home side to maintain their Premiership position  but on the night the Accies matched their opponents score and took the tie to extra time and penalties winning the shoot out 4-3.
     In their first season back in the Premiership Hamilton excelled their selves looking favourites for a top two position in a two horse race with Celtic and looking like the replacement for previously demoted Rangers  but fell short at in the final stages finishing top of the bottom six on 53 points.
     The appointment of Alex Neil the Hamilton boss at the time as the new Norwich City manager may have had something to do with the Accies down-turn the 35 year old no-nonsense Scot from Bellshill was the driving force behind Hamilton's success.

     Currently, Hamilton Accies  hold the premier league play off position on 21 points with any team as high as Kilmarnock in sixth place on 25 points are liable candidates for the position.  Partick are at the time of writing holding the place just above Hamilton on 23 points.

PARTICK THISTLE ... 2   HAMILTON ACADEMICAL ... 0

     Not the best game you'll ever see by a long chalk, I saw the Jags up at Pittodrie last season in a game that finished 0-0 and I got the feeling that this would end up with the same score-line.  In the first half chances were as rare as rocking horse shit and I can't remember either keeper having to make a save as I don't think there was an attempt on target.

     Thistle boss Alan Archibald was determined to change things in the second half bringing on Kris Doolan at the start for David Amoo and Chris Erskine 12 minutes later for Adebayo Azeez.  In the 68h minute the two subs combined with Erskine getting an assist with a cross to the far post for Doolan to nod home breaking a substantial goal drought for the Jags striker.

   Eleven minutes later and Doolan made it a brace with another headed goal this time supplied by Callum Booth which the Partick number 9 flicked with his forehead beyond the reach of Gary Woods in goal for the Accies into the far top corner of the net.

     Things got pretty bad tempered in places with Hamilton applying  strong arm tactics which earned three of their players yellow cards and they where lucky that no-one saw a red.  They also used delaying measures while the game was still level typical of a team that's struggling at the                                                                       bottom end.

     Partick's win now takes them up into the top six where they hope to remain before the league splits in April.

                               MATCH DETAILS  

VENUE #85 STEVENAGE The Lamex Stadium

THE LAMEX STADIUM

Venue #85

Directions from train Station

      Stevenage station is about one mile away from the Lamex Stadium.  Leave the station booking hall and turn left towards the town. Take the stairs on the right before the bridge over the dual carriage way and head along the A602, Lytton Way. At the roundabout which has the police station on the right, take the second exit into Six Hills Way. At the next roundabout take the third exit (South) continuing along the A602, Monkswood Way, passing a large Asda store on your right. After about 3/4 mile (McDonalds/Burger King etc will be on your right) you will arrive at a roundabout and the Lamex Stadium will be opposite you on the other side of the A602.

The Lamex Stadium 

   To be honest, the Lamex Stadium doesn't look much from the roads running past it, as most of the stadium is obscured behind trees. Inside though, you will find a nice tidy stadium that although generally modern, still has a bit of character about it. Also those trees give the ground a pleasant green 'leafy' surround. 

     On one side is the all seated covered Main Stand that looks quite impressive and is single tiered. It is unusual in so much that at the back of the stand on either side of it, there are large gaps between the back of the roof and the stand below. Whilst in the middle of the stand at the back, there are a number of glass fronted areas to various Club offices. Opposite is the fair sized East Terrace, which is covered and  quite steep. Even though like the rest ground, the stand is relatively new, it does have a gable with a clock sitting on its roof above the half way line, which gives it a touch of character. Oddly though it has a sizeable service tunnel located towards the centre of the stand with the terracing extending around it.

     At one end is the South Stand, which is another single tiered, all seated, covered stand.
This stand which was opened in 2001 is given to away supporters. There is an electric scoreboard on the roof of this stand. Opposite at the North End of the ground, is a small covered terrace. This terrace is mostly covered (around 3/4's) with a portion of open terrace to one side. A set of four new floodlights (one pylon in each corner) were installed for the start of the 2007/08 season.

     On promotion to the Football League, the Club changed its name from Stevenage Borough FC, to Stevenage FC, which was its original name when founded in 1976. The ground for many years was called Broadhall Way, but was renamed the Lamex Stadium in a corporate sponsorship deal.

Main Stand (West)

East Stand / Covered Terrace

North Stand / Covered Terrace

South Stand (Away)

     Today's Visitors WYCOMBE WANDERERS are currently at the time of writing clutching a play off position in sixth place in the league table, wycombe are no strangers to the play-offs narrowly losing 7-6 on penalties in the 2014/15 season to Southend United.
     I watched the Chairboys on Tuesday night on TV against Coventry City at the Ricoh in the semi-final of the checkatrade trophy on a pitch, well, I've not seen a worse one since visiting Airbus in the Welsh Premier league five years ago but then again they do share with a rugby league side.
     City looked comfortable in the first half cruising to a two goal lead and looking dead cert finalists but then came the second half and the introduction of Adebayo Akinfenwa to the Wycombe line-up and what a difference.  Carrying an injury Akinfenwa put himself about bullying the Coventry defence winning every ball in the air and just being an absolute nuisance to the City back line who were struggling to contain "the beast" and in the 55th minute his persistence paid off when Coventry keeper Charles Cook spilled the ball after an Areal challenge from a set-piece which dropped to Ankinfenwa who drilled the ball into the roof of the net to narrow the deficit.

     I think the big man gave his all in those first ten minutes and couldn't keep up the momentum and even the introduction of top goal scorer Scott Kashket couldn't break down a resilient Coventry City defence who had their work cut out for the majority of the second half but hold on they did and booked their place in the final on the 2nd April.
     The big question though is Akinfenwa fit enough to to take part in today's game at some point and if he is ....... look out Stevenage.

STEVENAGE ... 3   WYCOMBE WANDERERS ... 0

     Wasn't really expecting a scoreline like this before the start of this game, Wycombe never turned up to play maybe they were exhausted from Tuesday night's cup exit. the beast was he tamed or knackered one things for sure Stevenage aren't too bothered scoring three goals and earning three points as a consequence at home, it doesn't get much better than that.

     The first came in the 25th minute when a cross by Jobi McAnuff was flicked on by Matt Godden to Steven Schumacher who was waiting at the far post to tap in from close range.

     In the first minute of injury time of the half Boro were awarded a penalty Tom Pett racing across the Wanderers box with the ball was sent sprawling by Dominic Gape and the referee, Dean Whitestone had no hesitation to point to the spot.  Up stepped Matt Godden and sent Jamal Blackman in goal the wrong way to make it  eight goals in eight games for himself and double the Stevenage advantage.

     Four minutes into the second half and it was game over and what a farcical goal it was from a Wycombe point of view.  Jamal Blackman threw the ball to Aaron Pierre who was 7 yards outside his own penalty area central but the 23 year old Wycombe defender surrounded by Boro players was caught in several different minds and hung on to the ball far too long and eventually got dispossessed by Tom Pett who went on to round the keeper and deepen Wycombe's woes with                                                   the third and final goal.

     As I said earlier it wasn't a good match to watch despite the three goals Wycombe were most probably thinking about what might have been if they could have beat Coventry in the Checkatrade semi-final instead of concentrating on the now and their fight for promotion to league one.

                          MATCH DETAILS