FRIDAY, APRIL 19
Magdala 2 Bilborough Town 1
THIS is the first match of the inaugural Notts Senior League Groundhop 2013. Originally, Attenborough were to be our hosts but their clubhouse wasn't refurbished in time.
Magdala stepped in to take up the challenge of satisfying a horde of Hoppers. The Budgies (I have no idea why a team from Nottingham are called this) play on a railed off pitch at the rear of the ROKO Health Club. They have been here for 30 years, long before the gym was built.
It is probably the nearest ground to my house. The car park is already filling up when I arrive at 5.15pm for the 6.30 kick-off. There is a car washing stall in the car park but I can't help but think that if people made the effort to wash their own cars they might not need to spend so much money on membership to trendy gymnasiums.
I pay £3 at the gate and another £1 for the programme. It comes as a surprise to my mate when he sees that the girls from the cafe he uses when visiting Trent Bridge are providing the food tonight. I secure my burger before the bulk of the crowd arrives. I also grab one of the photocopied teamsheets.
A quick circuit of the ground reveals a stream at the rear of the far touchline and plenty of mosquitoes on this mild evening. More and more Hoppers arrive and by kick-off 245 people have negotiated the tortuous roads of this car-hating city to be here.
The first half is an end-to-end thriller but as the match progresses it becomes scrappier and scrappier. Magdala edge the contest by the odd goal in three. As often happens at Hops, when interest in the game wanes, people wander around chatting amongst themselves about where they've been since they last saw each other. Meeting old and new friends is one of the big attractions of this sort of event to some Hoppers.
The ten-minute drive home is a welcome change to the usual two hour trek. Everyone seems excited about tomorrow's four-match bonanza.
sad.hopper@ntlworld.com
