✔539 Little Wembley

Nelson 1-4 Bishop Auckland

FA Cup Preliminary Round

Saturday 20th August 2016

Nelson is a town and civil parish in the Borough of Pendle in Lancashire, 4 miles north of Burnley on the Leeds and Liverpool Canal.(Population just under 30,000)
Following the opening of the East Lancashire Railway in 1849, the railway company built a station for the community in between Burnley and Colne. When it came to naming it they couldn’t use the nearby village of Marsden, as there was already a station by that name in Yorkshire. The railway then decided to name it after the Nelson Inn, a coaching stop dating from the early 19th century, named after the famous naval hero. Nelson is probably the only town in England that originates from a public house, growing and developing as a mill town during the Industrial Revolution.
Birthplace of ex Man Utd and Norwich midfielder Mike Phelan and actor John Simm( Life on Mars, The Village, Sex Traffic, State of Play) An actor who I’ve got a lot of time and respect for because he picks his TV & film roles carefully and doesn’t appear in any old shite! 
Also the birth town of work colleague, fellow Red Dwarf fan and my own personal car mechanic Davy Leverett. We have served Her Majesty's postal service over a combination of 60 years and have worked together in the same Delivery Office for over a quarter of a century.

Nelson FC formed in 1881
The Admirals were founder members of the Lancashire League in 1889, played in the league until the First World War. (champions: 1895–96)
Two seasons in the Central League between 1919-1921
1921 Founder members of Football League Third Division North (champions: 1922–23)
Lancashire Combination 1931-1936 and 1946-1982 (champions: 1949–50, 1951–52)
North West Counties League 1982-1988 1992-present
(NWCFL First Division champions: 2013–14)
Also played in the West Lancashire League 1988-1992 while their ground was upgraded to NWCFL standard,

Nelson originally played on a pitch behind the Golden Ball pub moving to the Park Ground by the 1890s They moved to Seedhill around 1905, which was enhanced when they joined the Football League with a large 2,000 capacity wooden stand built in 1922. The club's highest attendance at the stadium was 14,143 for a Third Division North match at home Bradford Park Avenue on 10 April 1926. Nelson played their final home game at Seedhill on Sunday 28tj March 1971 when a four figure gate witnessed the first Sunday fixture at the stadium, beating local rivals Clitheroe 5–3. 

Little Wembley
Victoria Park 
Lomeshaye Way
Nelson
Lancashire.
BB9 7BN

(Pyramid Non-League grounds 261 NWCL grounds 7/44)
Capacity 2,000 
Opened: August 1971

Along one side there is a shallow wooden stand with four rows of green seating in the centre section, with standing room at the sides. The dugouts are on the opposite side, with the changing rooms in the far corner, next to the clubhouse. New floodlights have been added and the dugouts replaced to meet ground grading on 2013.

Nelson v Bishop Auckland
(North West Counties Premier Division v Northern League Division 1)
FA Cup Preliminary Round
3pm ko
Weather: mixed
Att.TBC

Bishops came back from an early setback to book their place in the FA Cup 1st qualifying round. Only 69 seconds had ticked by when a right wing corner was headed home by Richard Cowan to give the Admirals a dream start.
Just before the break the visitors finally drew level when good work by Hoganson teed up Andrew Johnson to slot the ball home, before they took full control in the second half. Michael Hoganson floating in a 20 yard free kick on 49 minutes, followed by Jeff Smith volleying home from a left flank corner soon after. Andre Bennett capitalised on some sloppy defending to wrap the game up and set up a home tie with Evostick North side Ossett Albion.

Matchday Stats
NFC 1(Cowan 2)
BAFC 4(Johnson 43 Hoganson 49 Smith 56 Bennett 76)
Top Bloke - Michael Hoganson (Bishop Auckland)
Entertainment 7/10

Spondoolicks
Admission £6
Programme £2
Pin badge £3
Meat & potato pie with coffee £3.50

#HeedHopper

108 miles door-to-door

A1 A57

Straight there and back today. After work I drove down to Katie’s house to meet her and Lee, swapping cars so I could catch up on my sleep. At the ground it was good to finally meet longtime Facebook friends Mark and Ryan Watterson, who had travelled up from Sheffield.

A really enjoyable day, loved the quaint ground and a good game of cup football. Not only that but my football bet kopped and the Toon even won an away match, so as far as Soccer Saturday's are concerned, what's not to like!  (Ryan's blog)

Edit I wrote this in the car on the way home. Just I finished there was a rattling noise and a burning smell coming from Katie’s car. After investigation we couldn’t find what the problem was, so gambled on taking a steady drive up the A1 for the last 70 miles home. Thankfully we got back without breaking down but poor Blossom will have to go to the car doctor tomorrow.

Matchday Web Album of 25 pictures from Little Wembley

✔538 Central Park

Whitburn Junior 1-1 Bathgate Thistle

East Region Premier League

Wednesday 17th August 2016

Whitburn is a small town in West Lothian, halfway between Glasgow and Edinburgh, found 4 miles from Bathgate and 8 miles west of Livingston. The name derives from Scottish Gaelic meaning ‘The White Burn’ 
The nearby Polkemmet Colliery was one of Scotland’s most important pits until the mine closed in controversial circumstances as a result of damage caused by flooding, occurring during the 1984-85 miners' strike. The town currently has a population of over 10,000 which was boosted by the Glasgow overflow during the 1960s. 



Whitburn Junior FC formed in 1934, originating from Whitburn Amateurs who formed the previous decade. The club switching to the Junior ranks in order to seek entry into the East of Scotland Junior League. Whitburn finally played their first match six months after their formation at home to Musselburgh Athletic in the Midlothian League, on the 28th July 1934. 
The Burnie were twice runners up in the Scottish Junior Cup, losing to Bonnyrigg Rose in 1966 and Camelon in 1995. They finally lifted the trophy in 2000 beating Johnstone Burgh 4-3 on penalties at Firhill Stadium, after the match finished 2-2 after extra time.
League titles:
Lothian District Division One winners: 2004–05
East Region Division A: 1985–86, 1986–87, 1988–89, 1989–90, 1995–96, 1997–98, 2000–01
East Region Division B: 1977–78
Cup honours include 6 wins in the East of Scotland Cup, the Brown Cup five times and the Fife & Lothian Cup on 4 occasions.

Central Park 
East Main Street, 
Whitburn, 
EH47 0RE
Scottish grounds visited 79, Junior grounds 32, Lifetime Scottish Junior Cup Winners 25/28

Capacity 3,000

Central Park is dominated by a large covered wooden sleeper terrace on the far side which runs almost pitch length. The rest of the ground is made up of grass banking behind each goal and a section of paddock terracing. The changing rooms are at the entrance side next to the impressive social club. The tea bar is in one corner with the team dugouts at the far side. The pavilion roof was blown off in December 2013 and they used Whitburn Academy as their ground, returning back home during last season.

Whitburn Junior(7th) v Bathgate Thistle(8th)
McBookie.com East Premier League Matchday 4
Kick off 6.45pm
Att.200.est
Weather:Sunny

A late equaliser from Callum Robertson rescued a point for the Burnie against 10 man Thistle. Bathgate took a 16th minute lead when a lob from Robbie Feeney just managed to find the net after the ‘keeper failed to claw out his 20 yard effort, and they could have easily extended their advantage after a promising start to the game. 
Just before the break the visitors were reduced to ten men after a late challenge from Darren McIntosh on Taylor saw the defender giving a straight red. Despite being a man down they looked on course to take the three points until Robertson headed home a  left wing cross on 82 minutes. Both sides went full pelt in the last ten minutes looking for a winner and Whitburn looked to have clinched it, but Robertson's effort was chalked off by the unpopular referee for offside.    

Matchday Stats
WJFC 1 (Robertson 82)
BTFC 1 (Feeney 16)
Entertainment 7/10

Spondoolicks
Admission £6
Programme:none
Coffee £1

#HeedHopper
132 miles door-to-door
Via A696 A68 and M8

Myself, Lee and Katie had another crack at ticking off Central Park, after being so close but yet so far last season. We arrived half an hour before kick off to be told the match had just been called off when I drove the three of us up to Whitburn back in January. Luckily there was a back up close by on that afternoon, as we ended at Fauldhouse United. 
On this occasion we departed 100FgC HQ at 2.45pm, this time I took a different route, avoiding the A1 and driving across the picturesque A68, which included a refreshment break at the Carter Bar border crossing. We arrived half an hour before kick off, so enough time for a chippy tea (enjoying the unknown delicacy of a palatable King Rib Supper with lashings of Chippie Sauce) before we met up with James Little inside the ground. 
This was the last set of midweek fixtures until the spring, so the drive north after work to tick another off the list was well worth it, especially considering the quiet traffic along the M8 and down the A1, which meant I was back home for 11.20pm.

Footnote: My forthcoming book 'On the Trail of the Scottish Holy Grail' will feature a more detailed account of Whitburn and The Burnie. 

Matchday Web Album of 30 pictures from Central Park.

✔537 Castle Park

Blantyre Victoria 2-3 Vale of Clyde
Exsel Group Central Sectional League Cup – Group Stage (Section 4)

Saturday 6th August 2016

Blantyre is a civil parish in South Lanarkshire with a population of about 17,500
The birthplace of of David Livingstone, the 19th-century explorer and missionary.
Former home of defunct Scottish Junior club Blantyre Celtic (1914-1992)

Blantyre Victoria  - The Vic founded in 1890. 
Scottish Junior Cup winners 3 times in 1950(beat Cumnock 3-0) 1970(Penicuik Athletic 1-0 in a replay) 1982 (Baillieston 1-0)
Runners-Up in 1944 (lost 1-0 to Perthshire)
Lanarkshire League winners 6 times, the first 1892–93 and the last occasion in 1926–27.
Central League Division 1 champions in 1995-96 and 2014-15, Division 2 winners in 2005-06, 2008-09 and 2013-14.
Cup honours include the West of Scotland Cup in 1943-44, Central League Cup in 1976-77 and Lanarkshire Junior Cup winners nine times.

Castle Park
Forrest Street
Blantyre
G72 0JL

Scottish grounds visited 78, Junior grounds 31, Lifetime Scottish Junior Cup Winners 24/28
Capacity is 2,500 with a record crowd of 6,000.

Castle Park has obviously seen better days but it's discrepancies give it plenty of character. There is a standing terrace on the far side, which is covered although some parts of the roof are missing, with the team dugouts sitting in front of the stand. There's terracing behind the Forrest Street goal with the canteen near the corner and wooden sleepers which are used for seats (careful not to get splinters in your backside) in front of the central changing rooms. The ground is three sides as the top goal is a grassed in front of the neighbouring houses. 

Blantyre Victoria v Vale of Clyde
Central Sectional League Cup – Group Stage 
2pm ko
Weather:warm first half, persistent rain second half.
Attendance:86hc

A late goal by Stephen Gray clinched victory for the Vale in an entertaining League Cup opener. They got off to a fabulous start when they were awarded a penalty with just 24 seconds gone, which was confidently converted by James McKinstry.
Vics equalised on 25 minutes when a good left wing cross was headed home by Jack Marriot , and they looked on course for victory when Ross Smith latched onto a neat through ball to round the keeper and score.
That lead lasted just five minutes when a ball from the left flank was nodded in at the far post by Scott McManus on 78 minutes. Then with just three minutes remaining a peach of a cross by McKinstry was headed home by Gray to grab the three points. 

Match Stats 
BVFC 2(Marriot 25 Smith 73)
VOCFC 3(McKinstry 2pen McManus 78 Gray 87)
Top Bloke James McKinstry (Vale of Clyde)
Entertainment 7/10

Spondoolicks
Admission £6
Programme:none
Mince pie £1.10
Coffee 90p

#HeedHopper 

145 Miles door-to-door

0824 Northern Rail Newcastle to Carlisle 

1003 Virgin Trains Carlisle to Glasgow.

Arrived at 11.15 and called into the Sir John Moore to meet up with Mark Wilkins for a couple of pints, who had travelled up from London and was heading to Arthurlie later on(he's already ticked Blantyre)

James' copy of the 1970 programme

1206 Scotrail service to Blantyre took 20 minutes, where I met James Little who had travelled across from Edinburgh. I promised we would tick off the Vics together as he saw them win it, attending both 1970 finals at Hampden Park supporting his Junior team Penicuik Athletic.

We ventured into a couple of pubs … The Old Original Bar, where we were greeted with suspicion, thinking we were a couple of strangers in search of the Rangers v Hamilton match on TV. After a swift pint we stopped off at The Stonefield Tavern which we were quite surprised to find was actually a Rangers bar, as there was no clue of this from the exterior.The pub is decorated with club jerseys and memorabilia, but unlike the last boozer, no Gers game on the tele.

On returning caught the 1618 train but alighted at Rutherglen to tick off the Wetherspoons then caught the 1731 to Glasgow.

1800 Virgin train to Carlisle

Bevvy in the William Rufus before the 1941 Northern Rail back to Newcastle, arriving back on Tyneside at 2110.

Cracking day as usual ...24 down, only 4 left on My trail of the Scottish Holy Grail. 

Footnote. 

Plenty more on the town of Blantyre, the club and my Matchday in my forthcoming book on the winners of the Scottish Junior Cup over the last 50 years.

Matchday Web Album of 33 pictures from Castle Park

#UCLPDFLHop2016 - Sunday Edition

Sunday 31st July 2016

Following yesterday’s groundhop and a shit night’s sleep (more ammunition for my complaint) we departed the hotel at 8.30am for a ‘Spoons breakfast in Kettering, before heading south-west to the Northamptonshire village of Bugbrooke.

534. Birds Close

Bugbrooke St Michael's 2-1 Bourne Town

United Counties League - First Division

10.30am ko

Bugbrooke St Michaels hosted the first of today’s three Groundhop games. The club was formed in 1929 taking over from Bugbrooke United who began in 1910, named after the St Michael’s and All Saints Church. The Badgers were a successful club in the Northants League and took the step up into the United Counties League in 1987. The club were Division One champions in 1998-99 but were relegated in 2002. The club also run a reserve team, an A and B team in the Northamptonshire League, as well as youth teams covering all age groups from U-6s to U-18s

We arrived in the ground 5 minutes before kick off to be greeted by the club chairman, who give us a brief rundown of the club and told us his daughter lived in Washington, and as it's a small world, that’s the same town where Katie works. The ground has the changing rooms and impressive clubhouse in one building which stretches along over half the side of the ground. There is a overhang roof with a section of seats, with a small standing shelter at the side. The rest of the ground is open hardstanding with a pair of neat looking wooden dugouts at the far side.

The Badgers got off to a winning start in their Division One opener with Bourne Town. The visitors took the lead just before halftime when Zak Munton was on hand to tuck away a left wing cross. A miss hit effort from McNeil found the back of the net to draw Bugbrooke level on 53 minutes, before a late winner from Reabus Noel-Richards whose luck was finally in, after earlier hitting the post and having an effort kicked off the line.

Matchday Stats
BSMFC 2[McNeil 53 Noel-Richards 86]
BTFC [Munton 39]
Att.241
Top Bloke - Reabus Noel-Richards{Bugbrooke St Michael’s]
Entertainment 7/10
Spondoolicks
Admission £4
Programme £1
Match worn old football shirt £1

535. Greenfields
Sawtry 0-2 Stilton United
Peterborough & District Football League Premier Division
2pm ko

The next stop was a good hour away in the village of Sawtry in Cambridgeshire, approximately 8 miles north of Huntingdon, which is home to over 6,000 residents. The wee village embraced the event, with gazebo stalls, tombolas and a bouncy castle for the bairns which swelled the attendance to over the 500 mark. 

Sawtry FC first appeared prior to the war, playing on a pitch by the Great North Road, before being forced to move to a ground on Aversely Road. After the war the club joined the Huntington League using a pitch on Church Street before moving again to Gidding Road, where they enjoyed major success in league and cup. The club moved across the other side of the A1 to their current home at Greenfields, winning two promotions in the PDFL to reach the Premier League in 2012.

The match against Stilton United was one of those “nowts-each written all over it” affairs. The poor game gave me a chance to catch up with Mark Wilkins, the Gooch family and meet Squad#53 Rob Campion for the first time. All the action came near the end with the deadlock broken on 78 minutes with an effort from West then minutes later an almost identical strike from Simon Denning sealed the points. 

Matchday Stats
SFC 0
SUFC 2 (West 77 Denning 81)
Att.534
Top Bloke - Simon Denning (Stilton United)
Entertainment 3/10
Spondoolicks
Admission £4
Programme £1

536.Wittering Sports and Social
Wittering Harriers 5-2 Long Sutton Athletic
Peterborough & District Football League Division One
5.30pm ko

The final game of the day was in another village just off the A1 in Wittering, Cambridgeshire, which is the home of RAF Wittering which officially opened in 1924. The Central Flying School was at Wittering between 1926 and 1935, when it became a fighter base, becoming active and playing a major part in the blitz during the Second World War.

Wittering Harriers was formed as a youth team in 1995, before turning to senior level in 2011. The club have worked their way up from Division 5 of the Peterborough & District League to reach Division One, winning promotion every season, apart from last term when after a poor start they've finished in sixth place.

Just 24 seconds had ticked by when Ross Lockwood fired the Harriers into the lead against Long Sutton Athletic, but they quickly responded with William Oliver equalised two minutes later. Two goals before half time swung the advantage back in the home side's favour, with a superb lob by Ashley Middleton followed by Rob Braint firing in a rebound after an initial effort came back off the crossbar.

On 56 minutes Sam Cayley headed in a left wing cross, but Matty Cawthorn halved the deficit three minutes later The hosts could have extended their lead but Lee Booker missed a penalty after a foul on Middleton, however a fifth goal did arrive deep into added on time when Grant Tippett ran on from the halfway line to wrap it up.

Matchday Stats
WHFC 5(Lockwood 1 Middleton 27 Braint 37 Cayley 56 Tippett 90+6)
LSAFC 2 (W.Oliver 3 Cawthorn 59)
Att.250
Top Bloke - Ashley Middleton (Wittering)
Entertainment 9/10
Spondoolicks
Admission £4
Programme £1
Hot dog £2
Coffee and homemade cookies £2

As Wittering is on the edge of the A1, the journey home took just 3 hours, so Katie dropped me off back home at 10.30pm. Another well organised event from Groundhop UK, so well done to Chris and Laurence and I look forward to attending another 'hop hopefully later in the season.

A Rush(den) and a Push

Saturday 30th July 2016

I headed south with Katie & Lee for the Peterborough/UCL groundhop, but instead of getting up in the middle of the night for the first match at 10.30am, we worked out an alternative hop finishing off at Rushden & Higham for the final game at 7.45pm. I caught the bus down to Houghton-le-Spring, for the pick-up and we were on the A1 by 9am on route for our first of 3 matches in the market town of  Dronfield in north-east Derbyshire.

531. Stonelow Road Ground

Dronfield Town 1-2 Scunthorpe United U-18

Pre-Season Friendly

Noon ko

The town is situated in between Sheffield and Chesterfield, with the Peak District National Park 3 miles to the west. (Population over 21,000) It's the birthplace of former Huddersfield Town & England football captain Roy Goodall, current international and Chelsea defender Gary Cahill, plus Rick Allen, the one-armed drummer from Sheffield based dicky-flinging-rockers Def Leppard.

There’s records of various clubs using the Dronfield Town name, dating back to the 1860s, but the current club were formed in 1998, from junior team Dronfield Sports AFC. The club’s adult team Dronfield Cavaliers took the “Town” name in 2000 and wear a red & black kit. The club have worked their way up from the Hope Valley League, Midland Regional Alliance and Central Midland League to reach the Northern Counties East League Division One in 2013.

Stonelow Road Ground is hidden within a house estate behind the Aston Coal cricket club ground. There is a small stand which sits on the halfway line filled with 80 light beige seats. The dugouts are on the opposite side and the rest of the ground is open. The clubhouse, changing rooms block is at the entrance, with seated furniture in between the refreshment bar and stand. It is currently known as The HE Barnes Stadium and has an overall capacity of 500.

Dronfield Town faced Scunthorpe United U-18 in what was a good workout for both teams. After the visitors failed to convert a few easy chances in the first half they took the lead in the 54th minute when a neat through ball from McMichael found Jack Dyche who produced a confident finish. The equaliser arrived with twenty minutes remaining when #10 fired in with a skilful turn and shot, but they were soon behind again, when a strong run and calm finish from Lewis McMichael proved to be the winner.

Matchday Stats
DTFC 1 [TBC 70]
SUFC 2 [Dyche 54 McMichael 72]   Att.49
Top bloke - Lewis McMichael - (Scunthorpe Utd)
Entertainment 6/10
Spondoolicks
Admission £3
Programme: none
Coffee £1



532. Carnarvon Street
Teversal 2-1 Parkgate
Pre-Season Friendly
3pm ko

Our next stop was 17 miles away in the small village of Teversal in the Ashfield district of Nottinghamshire, which is located 3 miles west of Mansfield and close to the Derbyshire border. This remote village is a former colliery site and was the home of the fictional Lady Chatterley in the novel Lady Chatterley's Lover by D. H. Lawrence.

Teversal Miners Welfare formed in 1918, playing at the same Carnarvon Street ground which is used today. The club eventually turning into a youth team, before the current senior club re-established itself in 1986, under the name of M W Teversal. Ashfield District Council took over the ground after the colliery closed in 1989, becoming the Teversal Grange Sports and Social Centre. The football club also changed their name to Teversal Grange, eventually dropping the surname in 2000.
Teversal joined the Central Midlands League, before stepping down to the Nottinghamshire Alliance in 1991, returning to the CML  after a spell of seven years. Promotion to the Supreme Division in 2001, followed by a third place in 2004–05 was enough to merit a further promotion to the Northern Counties East Football League Division One, where they have played since.

The Carnarvon Street ground shares its car park with the local cricket and bowls club and is next door to the Teversal Centre. The ground has plenty of character with a ramshackled stand on one side behind a pair of classic dugouts. All the amenities are near the paying entrance with standing cover provided by a pair of Tesco shopping trolley shelters at the top goal.

Teversal faced fellow NCEL side Parkgate in a competitive encounter, with a brace from Kurtis Bamford giving the home side victory. He was on hand to tap in a left wing cross on 23 minutes and scrambled home the winner, after Alex Lill had levelled. There was plenty of good chances created by both sides, in a match which was more like a league game than a pre-season friendly.

Matchday Stats
TFC 2 (Bamford 23,63)
PFC 1 (Lill 58)
Att.81
Top Bloke - Kurtis Bamford (Teversal)
Entertainment 8/10
Spondoolicks
Admission with programme £3
Tea £1



533. Hayden Road
Rushden & Higham United v Oakham United
United Counties League - Division One
7.45pm ko

We arrived in the East Northamptonshire town of Rushden at 6.30 which gave us plenty of time to visit The Railway Inn for bait and drinks before kick off.  Rushden and Higham urban area has a population of over 36,000.  Rushden's industrial growth include lacemaking and farming, but its more renowned for shoemaking. In the mid-1900s there were well over 100 boot and shoe factories in Rushden but now only a few remain, including Sanders and Sanders,which makes boots for the British Army and several other worldwide defence departments.

Rushden & Higham United play at Hayden Road, the former home of Rushden Town who got into bed with Irthlingborough Diamonds to form Rushden & Diamonds FC in 1992. The ground has a shallow main stand at the far side at one side of the dugouts, with open standing behind the goals and sections of terracing. The classic old stand at the entrance is no longer in use to spectators, but the changing rooms are still operative. Next to the old stand is the clubhouse, the other amenities and another bar where you pay the entrance fee into the ground.

The football club in Higham formed way back in 1876 and Rushden Rangers was started as a youth football club in 1978. In 2007 the decision was made to merge the two clubs, with the new club playing at Rangers' ground in order to preserve United Counties League status. The Stadia Improvement fund assisted in the development of Hayden Road ground to bring it up to the required standard.

Our final game of the day turned out to be a goal fest, with visiting team Oakham United hitting seven courtesy of a hat trick from Michael Nelson, a brace from Alex Brockband and two bizarre own goals. They took a two goal lead twice within the first quarter of the game, but were pegged back with Ryan Cormack and Jed Ainge scoring to reduce the arrears. The fourth goal just before half time proved to be the killer for Rushden.The visitors bagged another three after the break and it could've been a lot more in what was a dream start to their league campaign. 

Matchday Stats
R&HU 2(A.Cormack 20 Ainge 23)
OUFC 7(M.Nelson 6,61,90 Brown 14OG Brockband 22,43 Lord 53OG)
Att.214
Top Bloke - M Nelson (Oakham United)
Entertainment 10/10
Spondoolicks
Admission £5
Programme £2
Pin badge £3
Coffee £1

Afterwards we headed to Wellingborough for a drink, bumping into Squad#99 Eddie Fogden, who was calling in for a pint in The Red Row before staying the night in MK. Our resting place was the Travelodge in Kettering, where we arrived at 10.50. It was here where a smashing day out went tits up, after they stupidly double booked Lee and Katie’s room, telling them they would have to go to another hotel. We dug our heels in and refused to budge and after a long wait we eventually got sorted, but there’ll be a major complaint heading their way. I’ll probably never book through Travelodge again if they are running a “first come first served” policy especially after they were happy to take £104 for both rooms off me a month ago….Bastards!