Diary Of A Groundhopper: Tony Incenzo On Lingfield vs Croydon

Match Information

  • Lingfield 2-1 Croydon
  • When: Saturday 25th June 2022
  • Kick-off: 3pm
  • Where: Edenbridge Rugby Club, Lingfield Road Recreation Ground, Coomb Field, Edenbridge, Kent TN8 5HL
  • Competition: Pre-season friendly
  • Attendance: 81 (my headcount)

The hobby of groundhopping sees enthusiastic football fans travelling up and down the country to watch matches at as many different venues as possible.

There are no rules and each individual can count what they want. I started groundhopping when I was at school in London. My first aim as a 14 year old was to watch a game at every Non-League club in the capital.

Then I took a part-time job at a petrol credit card company so that I could fund travels further afield.

By the time I was 17, I had visited all 92 Football League grounds in England and Wales. After that, I went to all the Scottish League grounds whilst still a teenager.

Since then, I’ve continued pounding the motorways and I have racked up 2,445 grounds so far as I attempt to visit every Non-League team.

What I really like about this level of football is that the clubs are run by unpaid volunteers who give up their free time for the love of our national game. 

Overview

It was the last Saturday in June and I was eagerly searching for my first match of the 2022/23 season. This was just six days after my last game in the 2021/22 campaign (a Somali British Champions League Semi-Final tie in Leicester).

Having been to so many grounds, I sometimes have to be quite creative in order to find somewhere new to visit.

This pre-season friendly stood out as it was being staged at a rugby venue rather than Lingfield FC’s regular home headquarters which I had previously been to.

So I set off on a 150 mile round trip although my journey was elongated by a good 15 minutes as I missed my turning on the M25 after misinterpreting a verbal instruction via my phone from Google Maps!

Even so, I arrived half an hour before the 3pm kick-off. The rugby car park was overflowing by that point so I ended up driving back out to find a space on the main road. 

Ground Description

Edenbridge is four miles from Lingfield on a direct country lane which crosses from Surrey into Kent.

The rugby club are based just behind Edenbridge town centre and have a smart-looking clubhouse bar which was originally built in 1987 but has since been refurbished to a high standard.

Lingfield v Croydon June 2022


There is some overhang on the side of this building which provides a little cover for spectators next to the football pitch in case of rain.

Overall, the recreation ground has a fairly enclosed feel due to the presence of the clubhouse, some well-maintained bushes and a small perimeter fence behind one goal.

There are also facilities for the benefit of the local community including a popular children’s playground. 

The Match

Quite often, pre-season friendlies are just a training exercise with multiple substitutions which break up the flow of play. But this game lacked those constant changes and therefore had a very competitive feel to it.

The two clubs are based just 18 miles apart but don’t normally play each other in the regular season.

It was a Southern Combination League Premier Division (Step 5) team against their opponents from the Southern Counties East League Division One (Step 6).

The ‘Step’ system in the national Non-League Pyramid structure is best explained by stating that Lingfield – for example – would have to gain five promotions to reach the Football League whilst improving their stadium facilities accordingly along the way.

Tony Incenzo at Lingfield vs Croydon


Easier said than done unless you have a benevolent sugar daddy financing this entire multi-million pound project!

As for the match itself, Lingfield opened the scoring through Michael Redfearn on 21 minutes before Lee Peacock snatched a close range equaliser for Croydon a minute into first half injury time.

Then with seven minutes to go, a lovely patch quilt passing move was emphatically finished off by Tim Beckford for Lingfield’s winning goal.

At least half the crowd were groundhoppers and some had already been to a game elsewhere in the morning.

So it was good to catch up with a number of old faces and compare notes on plans for travelling around the footballing circuit in 2022/23.

*Credit for all of the photos in this article belongs to @TonyIncenzo*

 

FIRST PUBLISHED: 3rd July 2022

July 3, 2022
Football

By Tony Incenzo

Tony Incenzo
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    Tony is an experienced football broadcaster who has worked for Clubcall, Capital Gold, IRN Sport, talkSPORT Radio and Sky TV. 

    His devotion to Queens Park Rangers saw him reach 50 years without missing a home game in April 2023.

    Tony is also a Non-League football expert having visited more than 2,500 different football grounds in his matchday groundhopping.

    You can follow Tony on Twitter at @TonyIncenzo.

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    ‘It’s Staying Home’ Is Best Bet For England Fans Ahead Of World Cup 2022

    With just a few months to go before the World Cup, 888sport has revealed how many pints fans from each of the 32 competing nations could buy for the price of one World Cup Final ticket.

    So, is it worth spending almost £1,500 just in case your team makes it, or would you get more value for your money watching the big game at home with a 12-pack?

    This year's World Cup Final will be held at the Lusail Stadium in Doha, Qatar where drink prices will be sky high and spectators will be charged almost £10 a pint in designated fan zones.

    As favourites, Brazil and France (5/2 fav and 11/4 to reach the final) supporters will see the value in splashing out for a ticket and the potential to see their team lift the trophy, but what about everyone else?

    After four consecutive losses and no goals in open play, England are rapidly sliding down this year’s list of contenders with the odds of them being a final contender currently sitting at 4/1, so Staying Home is sadly more likely than its ‘Coming Home’!

    So, with a pint of beer more than double the price in Qatar compared to England, 888 Sport research shows that Three Lions fans are better off sticking to their sofas with a 12-pack and ‘enjoying’ the games in comfort than spending their hard-earned money on a final ticket.

    Welsh fans, however, are in for a hat trick. Not only have they qualified for the World Cup for the first time in 64 years (66/1 to make it to the final two) but their beers are also cheaper than their counterparts in the UK at only £3.95 a pint.

    This means Dragons fans can buy 336 pints for the price of a ticket if they opt to stay at home, while permanently disappointed Three Lions fans can ‘only’ buy 269 pints at £4.93 each. 

    Arch rivals and four-time winners Germany will be pleased to know they also beat the English when it comes to the average price of a pint, paying £1.01 less.

    So, their supporters can kick back and have a well lubricated tournament on home turf. But England fans can always hold onto the past glory of that epic 1966 final right?

    Competing Country Price of a Pint
    Qatar £9.98
    Denmark £6.87
    Switzerland £6.43
    France £6.15
    Australia £6.06
    Netherlands £5.20
    United States £5.14
    England £4.93
    Canada £4.84
    Belgium £4.31
    Wales £3.95
    Germany £3.92
    Japan £3.62
    Uruguay £3.28
    South Korea £2.97
    Morocco £2.76
    Spain £2.50
    Croatia £2.47
    Poland £2.17
    Ecuador £2.08
    Portugal £2.08
    Mexico £2.08
    Senegal £1.94
    Costa Rica £1.94
    Brazil £1.74
    Iran £1.66
    Argentina £1.63
    Serbia £1.54
    Tunisia £1.42
    Ghana £1.08

    888 investigated the price of a World Cup final ticket (individual match ticket, category 1) and the price of a pint in the 32 competing World Cup Nations. The results were pulled together into a table and visual (above).

    Methodology

    • The price of a World Cup Final 2022 ticket was found here.

    • The price of a pint in the 32 competing nations was found here. 

    • The data was collected and up to date as of 13th June 2022.

    FIRST PUBLISHED: 3rd July 2022

    July 3, 2022
    Football

    By 888sport

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    The 888sport blog is here to offer betting and tipping advice on the biggest sports fixtures, events and competitions around the world.

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    Fabrizio Romano's Top 5 Transfers Last Season: Which Players Had The Best Debut Seasons?

    Last season brought many surprises on the market and many players have become protagonists beyond expectations.

    Fabrizio Romano articles

    From big names to unexpected players, here are the top 5 of those who had a season at the top level last year.

    Luis Diaz

    A Liverpool masterpiece, without question.

    The board together with Jurgen Klopp decided to anticipate the competition from other clubs interested in Luis Diaz last January with a blitz during the negotiations with Tottenham and West Ham.

    Liverpool found an agreement with Luis and his agent thanks to the possibility of playing the Champions League immediately, then they improved the proposal at Porto and secured one of the best wingers in the world.

    His impact on him was incredible from the first match to the last, despite the fact that he did not speak English and communication was not easy, in addition to adapting to a new football, a new city and a total change for his family.

    Luis Diaz was not intimidated, he won two cups with Liverpool and is already sure to be a key part of the project for the coming years with the Reds.

    David Alaba

    His first season with Real Madrid was simply excellent.

    A guarantee in defense for Carlo Ancelotti, it wasn't easy to replace Sergio Ramos and Varane but he became a leader despite a new country, a new league and a new life in Madrid.

    Alaba was a 10-rated free agent signing on the report card for Real Madrid, recalling that he won the Champions League and La Liga with Real who beat competition from two English clubs to get Alaba's signature.

    A super signing that has worked since the first year.

    Mike Maignan

    Greatly underrated abroad, but if AC Milan are back as Italian champions it is also thanks to this French goalkeeper who made an incredible impact in his first year in Serie A.

    Paolo Maldini believed in Maignan to replace a super goalkeeper like Gianluigi Donnarumma, Mike has done incredible things as a true leader of the new AC Milan.

    One of the smartest signings in all of Europe as the price was around €15m yet Maignan was immediately decisive for AC Milan, a winner who can now become very important for the French national team as well.

    Bruno Guimaraes

    Newcastle have big plans for the present and the future today, but if they will remain in the Premier League it is also thanks to the excellent performance of Bruno Guimaraes since he signed for the Magpies in January.

    An incredible signing because there were risks related to his first experience in the Premier League coming from Ligue1, but Bruno Guimaraes gave exceptional responses.

    • Find PSG tips on every match this season!

    The Brazilian produced great performances, showed total leadership in the Newcastle locker room and the results for Eddie Howe's team turned to a high level also thanks to the impact of Bruno.

    Those €45m spent by Newcastle in January to buy him from OL turned out to be a great intuition, also because Juventus and Arsenal had been active for months in view of June but Newcastle anticipated everyone.

    Cristian Romero

    When Tottenham decided to invest £40m on Cristian Romero, not everyone was convinced that he was a smart buy.

    But the director Fabio Paratici had no doubts after having already bought Romero at the time of Juventus: this boy is a force of nature, if Tottenham is in the Champions League they also owe it to the top level performances of Romero who from Copa America onwards has proved its worth internationally.

    Tottenham are as enthusiastic about Romero as Dejan Kulusevski, both players are part of the project for the present and the future of the club: they will be bought on a permanent deal from Atalanta and Juventus over the next few months.

    Certainly, Romero is the defensive leader that Antonio Conte will also use in the next season for his Tottenham.

    *Credit for all of the photos in this article belongs to AP Photo*

    August 2, 2022
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    Fabrizio Romano is an Italian sports journalist. He was born in 1993, he lives in Milan and has over 30 million followers in total on the major social networks.

     

    He collaborates with 888sport, CBS Sports, Sky Sport, The Guardian and has been a transfer market expert since 2011. He will take care of a column dedicated to some "Behind the Scenes" of transfers.

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    Bukayo Saka to Manchester City: A Move That Would Hurt Arsenal More Than Boost Blues

    Was there any truth in the Saka to Manchester City rumours? @SamRCox_ gives his view on the potential transfer...

    • Bukayo Saka’s current contract expires in 2024, albeit can be extended to 2025

    • Manchester City are one of several clubs with an interest in Saka if he doesn’t sign a new deal

    • Read below for more on the Saka to Manchester City rumours

    Arsenal are under pressure to secure a new deal for England international Bukayo Saka. His current contract could expire after the 2023-24 campaign, and Manchester City have already been linked with the 20-year-old. 

    A move for Saka this summer is deemed improbable, yet there are widespread reports that City and several other clubs are monitoring the situation.

    Arsenal have been in a difficult position by other key players running down contracts in recent years – they will desperate to avoid a repeat with Saka.

    Missing out on the Champions League could hamper their negotiations with the youngster, particularly if football betting favourites like City and Liverpool are lurking.

    Saka has been at the forefront of the Mikel Arteta project. A homegrown talent who has been at the club since he was seven years old, the Ealing native is seemingly content in north London.

    City are a very real threat to that apparent happiness, however, and the Gunners will be in an almightily difficult spot if they cannot extend Saka’s contract.

    Should this season pass without an extension, Arsenal may be pushed towards letting Saka leave at a cut price.

    There is a whiff of Bayern Munich in these Manchester City and Saka links. Bayern have maintained their Bundesliga dominance by picking off the best players from around Germany.

    City doing the same with Saka, after signing Jack Grealish last summer, would be an ominous moment for the rest of the Premier League.

    City Move Could Be Perfect

    City have talked down links to Saka with a source telling the Mirror there is ‘nothing in the rumours’.

    The fact they are not making a move right now doesn’t mean they won’t in the future, though, and it’s increasingly hard for players to turn down Pep Guardiola’s team.

    It is not just an opportunity to earn an enormous sum. This would be a move to play under one of the greatest managers of all-time, and to play in an environment that has proven a wonderful place for player development.

    Guardiola was criticised at points for his use of Phil Foden, but his progress at the club is a blueprint for Saka to follow if City do come calling.

    On the other side of the argument, Arsenal’s fans would gesture towards City’s wealth of attacking talent as a block to minutes for Saka.

    Where he is the lead man of Arsenal’s youth revolution, he would be no more than a squad player at the Etihad Stadium.

    The guarantee of silverware, Champions League minutes and working with Guardiola is alluring. The prospect of becoming a club icon at Arsenal has its merits, too.

    Perhaps a year passes and the outlook at the Emirates is markedly different, making it an easier decision in either direction.

    As it stands, though, the Gunners are not in the same stratosphere as City. Silverware is a slight possibility rather than a certainty.

    The calibre of teammates is barely comparable, and City can blow Arsenal out the water when it comes to potential earnings.

    Major Impact On Arsenal

    Saka swapping the red and white for light blue would be a greater negative for Arsenal than it is a positive for City.

    Even with Ferran Torres leaving in January and Raheem Sterling departing this summer, Guardiola isn’t exactly desperate for more attacking options.

    They have already acquired Erling Haaland and Julián Álvarez in this window, while Riyad Mahrez, Foden, Bernardo Silva and Grealish would start for most clubs in the top five European leagues.

    This transfer would be yet another reminder of how far off the elite Arsenal are. It would set back the rebuild of the squad Arteta has undertaken, again demonstrating how the Gunners’ best players can be picked off by City.

    It wouldn’t be the first time a crucial player at Arsenal left for the blue half of Manchester, yet this would be particularly hurtful given the money and time that has been invested in the Arteta era.

    Saka to Manchester City would hurt Arteta's building process


    Saka might never be a sports betting candidate for the Ballon d’Or, but his development along with Gabriel Martinelli, Emile Smith Rowe, Albert Sambi Lokonga and others is what Arsenal are pinning their hopes to.

    The Gunners reaching the next level, and closing the gap to the top two, relies heavily on their young talents continuing to improve.

    For now though, Arsenal are not expected to be a top four team in most early Premier League predictions.

    As Chelsea and Spurs spend considerably, Arteta’s squad needs sizeable investment to put themselves at the forefront of the race for Champions League qualification.

    New signings are a necessity and generate fanfare. Nothing they do this summer, though, is as important as tying Saka down to a deserved, long-term extension.

    Liverpool Also Interested In Saka

    Liverpool have signed Luis Diaz and Darwin Nunez over the last two windows, but they are still keeping an eye on the Saka situation.

    Anfield waved goodbye to one of its favourites this summer in Sadio Mane, and there’s yet to be a resolution on Mohamed Salah’s contract. Roberto Firmino’s days are numbered, too.

    While the Merseyside outfit are unlikely to compete with City on the wages front if Saka does become available, there could be a clearer path to playing time.

    Like Guardiola, Jurgen Klopp’s supreme record with bringing the best out of young players could make Anfield a tempting destination for Saka if he opts to leave Arsenal.

    Still only 20 and already a contender to start for England at the World Cup, Saka is bound to attract further interest if Arsenal cannot strike a deal in the coming weeks. Don’t be surprised if the biggest clubs from abroad come calling, too.

     

    June 30, 2022
    Premier League
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    Sam is a sports tipster, specialising in the Premier League and Champions League.

    He covers most sports, including cricket and Formula One. Sam particularly enjoys those on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean – notably MLB and NBA.

    Watching, writing and talking about sports betting takes up most of his time, whether that is for a day out at T20 Finals Day or a long night of basketball.

    Having been writing for several years, Sam has been working with 888Sport since 2016, contributing multiple articles per week to the blog.

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