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|  GROUNDHOPPERS DIARY OF EVENTSThis page will list groundhopping events of interest to travellers. Included will be official organised groundhops, details of staggered kick-off times on single days showing possible match doubles/trebles etc, and details of matches being played at unusual/one-off venues etc. Please email us at steveking@nonleaguedigest.com with any information that you would like to see included on this page.
 2nd WELSH "HOP-UP" DAY (FRIDAY 9 MARCH and SATURDAY 10 MARCH 2012) As you may be aware, there are two grounds in the Mid-Wales League that we are unable to visit during August. Aberaeron are holding their town carnival on the ground, whilst UWA…well, the students don’t get there until mid-September! So, if we can’t do the grounds in August, we have to try and do them at another time of year…and hence this, the second Welsh “Hop Up” that will stage the games at the grounds we need to “complete” the League. Two games isn’t enough for us though, so we’ve had a look at what else we can add to the package – and we’ve come up with a cracking weekend. Our friends in the Ceredigion League have been very helpful in organising two additional matches, at Lampeter (under lights on the Friday), and at New Quay to finish off the event. Please note that the schedule at this point is still subject to final confirmation. We kick off on Friday evening at Lampeter (7.30pm). Saturday morning starts bright and early at UWA (10.30am), followed by Aberaeron (1.30pm), and ending at New Quay (4.10pm). The schedule is a bit tight as none of the three grounds on the Saturday have lights! As with all the previous hops, there will be a coach running. Also accommodation will be available, being based in the seaside town of Aberystwyth. If you would like to attend or require further details of this hop, please email me asap at groundhopuk@yahoo.com where I will email you an application form and further details. CHRIS BEREZAI (GROUNDHOP UK)
 CENTRAL MIDLANDS LEAGUE FOOTBALL BONANZA(FRIDAY 16 MARCH 2012 TO SATURDAY 17 MARCH 2012) The 9th Central Midlands League “Football Bonanza” will take place over the weekend of 16th - 17th March 2012. Again we have managed to revert back to our regular Friday Evening Fixture and four on the Saturday. We kick off at 7.45pm on Friday 16th March 2012 with a trip to the Brian Wakefield Memorial Ground as hosts Bilborough Pelican entertain Belper United in the Black Dragon South Division. On Saturday 17th March 2012, we begin with a trip to the Norman Archer Memorial Ground, the home of Clifton FC as they host Real United in the Black Dragon South Division at 10.10am, before we head to the Greenwich Avenue Ground to see another two league newcomers, where Basford United face Notts Police at 1.00pm in the Black Dragon Division South, We then cross over Counties to Derbyshire to the Stonelow Playing Fields, where Dronfield Town face Thoresby CW in a Black Dragon North Division match at 4.30pm, before finishing at the Hall Corner Park, where Glapwell play local rivals Parkhouse FC at 7.30pm. As in previous Bonanzas, a coach will be booked for the event to transport hoppers between games. Coach transport is only available on the Saturday, and can be booked separately or as a package. The pick up point for the Saturday Morning will be Nottingham Railway Station and on Saturday evening will going back to Nottingham Railway Station. A timetable will be available with your ticket. Please note that the coach travel must be booked in advance. Please Note though there is NO coach on Friday, there are lots of Buses and Trains to near Nottingham Railway Station to Bilborough Pelican and I will include this information in with the information pack with your tickets. As in previous years, we have decided not to make any bulk accommodation arrangements for this event, and to let you do your own thing. With the coach leaving Railway Railway Station on Saturday Morning, it may be wise to book Bed and Breakfast in the Nottingham area. All clubs will be made aware of the number of programmes that will be needed on the day. The number will be based on the response to these forms, so please tell us if you intend coming to the event! Programmes will be reserved for those buying advance tickets only, as they will be included in the ticket price (see below). The only guaranteed way of obtaining a match programme will be through the advance ticket. As before, we will have them “packaged” so that all five programmes can be collected at the first match. Copies will obviously be available at the grounds too, but at the full price, and availability will be subject to demand. Extra programme packs must be paid for when ordering your advanced ticket. Year in, year out, you can rely on us to come up with a bargain, and this event is no exception!! Advance tickets for the CML Bonanza offer a substantial discount. Admission to each game will be priced at £3, and programmes at £1. An advance ticket will be priced at £15, giving admission and a programme for all five games. That’s a big saving of £5 – effectively we’ll give you your programmes for free. Admission is available on the day for those who do not wish to buy tickets in advance. Please Remember if you buy a advanced ticket, it helps the away club as well, as entrance money on the day, only goes to the home club. So for a few extra quid, if you are missing say 1 or 2 matches, then please think about supporting the away clubs as well as the home ones who make the event possible, because without their help, the event wouldn’t be possible. Please email me at hornby60uk@yahoo.co.uk for a booking form or write to me at 16 Burnside Drive, Mansfield, Notts, NG19 7HF Tel : 01623 486678 or 07973 517603. Final date for bookings will be Thursday 8th March 2012. No more bookings accepted after that date. ROB HORNBY
 EASTER 2012 NORTHERN COUNTIES EAST LEAGUE HOP(THURSDAY 5 APRIL 2012 TO MONDAY 9 APRIL 2012) Annual Groundhop Comes to NCEL Welcome to the first groundhop staged by the Baris Northern Counties East League. It’s an exciting new hop for us, and we’ve come up with a great package of games for you to enjoy, featuring no less than nine matches across both divisions. We kick off on Maundy Thursday with a trip to the Bracken Edge home of Yorkshire Amateur (7.45pm). Good Friday sees matches at Eccleshill United(10.45am), Thackley (1.45pm), Liversedge (4.45pm), and Brighouse Town (7.45pm). Saturday sees us travelling to Maltby Main (10.30am), Staveley Miners Welfare (1.30pm), Hallam (4.45pm), and the weekend rounds off at Worsborough Bridge Athletic (7.45pm). The coach base will be Wakefield with accommodation at the Cedar Court Hotel. Literally just off the M1 this four-star hotel is superb and offers a wide range of facilities. We’ve negotiated a great deal on twin rooms for the weekend, which puts them at the same price as hotels in Newtown. We’ve also obtained a lower rate for singles (although they are more expensive than we are used to!). If you would like to attend or require further details of this hop, please email me asap at groundhopuk@yahoo.com where I will email you an application form and further details. CHRIS BEREZAI (GROUNDHOP UK)
 6th SWEDISH GROUNDHOP WEEKEND (JUNE 2012 - DATES TO BE CONFIRMED) Once again the Sweden football weekend groundhop will take place in early June 2012 and for the very first time since the hops began, it is likely to take place in a different part of Sweden rather than being based around the Stockholm area. Organiser Kim Hedwall will be working out the schedule and location over the coming months and as soon as the details are finalised, they will be published exclusively here on this website. Again it is likely to include seven venues over three days (Friday evening, Saturday and Sunday).
 MID-WALES LEAGUE AUGUST BANK HOLIDAY GROUNDHOP (FRIDAY 24 AUGUST 2012 TO MONDAY 27 AUGUST 2012) Just a quick word about the August Bank Holiday Hop in 2012. Yes, I'm starting early! One addition that we are looking at is taking the Steam train to one match as an optional extra! The current plan is to ask to have Llanfair United as the Friday game, and go to the game via the Llanfair Steam railway! Not certain yet, but a nice idea to be considered. The clubs that we are looking at doing next year is already pretty well known, but as a reminder it's (in no particular order): Llanfair United - Dolgellau - Tywyn/Bryncrug - Aberdyfi - Machynlleth - Dyffryn Banw - Welshpool - Presteigne St Andrew - Knighton Town - Plus 1 other TBC (Llanrhaedr?) Please contact me at groundhopuk@yahoo.com if you would like to attend, as I have again arranged some accommodation in the Newtown area for those who would provisionally like to reserve it. Also at the same time you can provisionally reserve your places on the coach which will be used to transport you from ground to ground each day. I must emphasise that at the moment it will only be a provisional booking to give me an idea of numbers and those who booked accommodation through me on the 2011 Mid-Wales Hop will get first refusal. At this stage, it's simply a provisional reservation, and we'll firm it up at a later point. At the moment, I need to know what we need and what else we may be looking for. CHRIS BEREZAI (GROUNDHOP UK) | |
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