I set off for Copthall Stadium, with a decent idea of how to do it. The Townies have no suitable home ground near them so they currently use the stadium which forms part of a huge sports village just off the A1 by Mill Hill in North London.
at Boundary Stadium, Oxhey
I scanned the Non League Paper for options as I was on early shift at work. I didn't want to go too far as I'd ventured to Chelmsford the previous evening and I was looking forward to a long weekend of German football and leisure!
The game that caught my eye was a Kentish Town home game which had been switched to Boundary Stadium. I wanted to see if the ground had been upgraded and it had the added attraction of a 7.30pm kick off meaning I'd be in bed a bit earlier.
I inquired on the league message board to make sure the venue was correct. I got some feedback including one post from Nellie who confirmed it for me so I set out by tube, with my planning bang on as I only waited a couple of minutes at Northwood station for the number eight bus.
This took me to South Oxhey. I actually went past my intended stop but walked back and went into the Dick Whittington for a pint. This really was a local’s pub in the truest sense. It was an old Courage estate pub seen on the likes of On the Buses films and early editions of The Sweeney.
There were characters in there who looked like they were no strangers to the bar or indeed takeaway food. The landlady was very friendly to be fair and served a good Guinness, but there was no question of ever staying for two.
On leaving the pub, I set out and went the wrong way, no thanks to Google maps' regular trick of marking a pub in not exactly the right place. I had a walk in the dark around the large estate, of South Oxhey.
It was built to solve the housing problem after World War Two so London residents had cheap council housing to serve their requirements. I was put right and found a parade of shops near the ground and some newer housing to put on a football accumulator and sending several tipped teams to certain defeat.
Boundary Stadium was just around the corner and I was soon inside the smart spacious clubhouse. I was a little surprised to see that the Christmas lights were still up, even though they did brighten the place up.
I was sat with a pint of smoothflow Tetley’s when the Kentish Town officials went in. I went across for a chat and met Nellie. She was the lady who'd served me the excellent burger in a bagel at Copthall earlier in the season.
She let me have a programme and told me that admission was free, but a collection was to be taken on the gate for Great Ormond Street Hospital. This was as a gesture for The Jets allowing Town to use their venue as the Copthall pitch was suffering with the terrible winter weather.
A Jets player had previously lost a child and the Hospital had been of great assistance. It summed up why I love non-league football so much, seeing the thoughtfulness that generally emanates between so many good clubs.
Nellie also told me that the local residents around Copthall were doing all they could to deny Saracens RFC from redeveloping the stadium and making Town homeless. The club hoped to move into a new purpose built ground with a 3G pitch in around four years time but they hoped to remain at Copthall until then.
The club ran Cafe Copthall under the stand throughout the summer which raised the monies required to pay for expenses the following season. If Town were evicted for Saracens' plans, they'd lose a vital income source.
I went out to brave the damp conditions, though luckily not as wet as when I visited Copthall, making my contribution on the gate before surveying the scene around me. The ground was still enclosed by the tight green mesh fence as on my previous visit, which can be read about here.
The pitch was a few feet below us and the natural bank consisted of grass, a small open terrace, the seated Elliott Family Memorial Stand divided by the players entrance and a covered area further along that had been cut into the slope. Another small seated stand had been placed behind the goal near to the touchline at the Town End.
The rest of the ground was as on my previous visit with flat open grass and path standing. The far side fell away to a practice pitch and a floodlit 3G pitch. It was far better than I remembered and ideal for this level of football.
I started off on the terrace which offered a great view with the refreshment kiosk at its rear. I listened to the live action from the San Siro between AC Milan and Tottenham which many locals seemed interested in while I watched. I had a walk all the way round to view the game from different angles.
Jets started off well and could have been ahead a couple of times if they hadn't fluffed their lines. Town were decent on the ball but as in the match I saw them in against Harefield they lacked a little tactical direction and defensive discipline. Many of them were good ball players but when they lost the ball they were consistently in trouble.
Despite Town having a couple of chances, Jets got control and by half time were three nil up. This was maybe a bit harsh on the Kentish Town boys but the Jets playing in a change kit of all yellow were determined to capitalise on any opportunities given to them.
I was more than a little miffed that admission was by whatever people could afford and it was for a great cause, yet there were still two or three different individuals who chose to peer over the fence and watch for free.
I returned for a pint at half time and to watch some of the action on the TV. I looked through the window as the players trudged off on their way to the dressing rooms and had to giggle at the expressions of some who looked like they wanted to join us in the warm with a beer.
The second half began with The Townies determined to cut the deficit, but they soon leaked another goal. The game was getting a bit niggly for no real reason. I lamented with some of the older regulars about how some younger players won't let anything go and look to exaggerate any small incidents.
The referee did a decent job in fairness and was certainly more discrete than the card happy official at Chelmsford the previous evening. The Jets made it five before Town got a deserved consolation, typically through a mazy run and good pass.
I made a move around five minutes from the end to catch the 9.28 train. The game had kicked off late or I'd have made it leaving at the end. I took a short cut down a dark muddy lane and got a move on to reach Carpenders Park station with the floodlights of Vicarage Road Watford burning bright over the horizon.
The centre of South Oxhey was not somewhere I really wanted to be. Some youths on bikes told me I'd missed my train, not without a hint of menace. I would guess you need to be tough to survive there.
Once again, my timing was impeccable, with the train soon with me. I returned home after alighting at Harlesden and getting a couple of buses back in time for supper. All in all, it was an entertaining game at a decent set up. Most of all a good and worthy charity benefited.
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