Goole Lash

Goole v Colne

New Years Day and no early kick offs so a very unusual occurrence of a single daytime game for me and a rather straightforward day out.  Normally I don't bother with write ups for such games, but it was a ground with a bit more character than most, and teams with some interesting recent history, so I'll make an exception.

Walking tot he station and the detritus of the new year shenanigans was evident, as the walk to the station took me past a neighbouring pub where a remorseful reveller was discussing with the Landlady how sorry he was and that if he transferred £500 to her, would that settle things.  I don't know too much about what had happened, other than the conversation was taking place through a smashed window, which gave a hint that it wasn't an order of bibles and a donation to the donkey sanctuary they were discussing.  So a first look at the station in 2018, with various smashed pint glasses surrounding the entrance..

And the first train of the year was the joy of a class 142.

This took me into Leeds, for the Doncaster all shacks.  I'd made it in time for the VTEC inter city, but there is free wifi on the Northern service, so their hospitality won out.

Into Doncaster where it was a switch of island platforms for a Bridlington bound class 158.  If I'd got the VTEC, I would have arrived in time for the starting service which is the Hull stopper.  However, this departs from the new platform at the station, which was built so trains from Scunthorpe and Hull could terminate without crossing the main lines.  However, this platform is well away from the main station, and not far off being closer to Scunthorpe and Hull than it is Doncaster.

Heading towards Humberside, and passing my afternoon's host.

Which was here.  Goole was a small hamlet, but expanded massively in the 1600s when various drainage and water channelling schemes were undertaken by the Dutch.  The reason for this was so barges could access from the Yorkshire coalfields, with coal shipped between the sea going vessels which could now access the port, and then off across the North Sea with Dutch gaining a rather obscure source of coal.  This process carried on right until the 1980s, and was only ended by the closure of the South Yorkshire coal field.  The docks developed to serve other traffic, specifically Scandinavian timber imports, based primarily on its use as pit props, and they still have a decent throughput with regular coaster services to the European mainland.  Other than that, there isn't too much to say about the place.  The most famous person from Goole is the bass player from Swervedriver.

The football ground is located a short walk from the station, amongst a myriad of terraced houses...

...and also a still required railway club.  I pay 13p a week out of my wages for membership of the British Rail Staff Association, I really need to start taking advantage of it.

Arriving at the ground and this fellow had propped his bike against the wall on the left as he went to pay for entrance.  However, he was immediately called back by the two stewards, who informed him, in an act of honesty over civic promotion, that "by the time it takes you to pop in and pay your money, someone round here will have had that bike", and therefore let him put it in the safety of the ground before undertaking the transaction.

Goole 2 v Colne 3, Evo-Stik Northern Premier League - Division 1 North

The origins of football in Goole go back to the early 1900s with Goole Town playing in the Midlands and then Yorkshire league, before becoming founder members of the Northern Premier League in 1968.  However, local apathy but then went bust in 1996.  The current club were formed in 1997, and went straight into the Central Midlands League and rattled through the divisions and up to the  Northern Counties East League who's first division was won.  However, they had to wait until 2005 before the top division was conquered, and elevation to the Northern Premier League, where they have been since.  However, the financial issues continue, with a disastrous spell under a London property developer who goes by the excellent name of Baron Bloom, but led to a fiscal meltdown, and they only escaped relegation last season due to the demise of Ilkeston, and are currently rock bottom of the division.

Today's game was truly a 1990s financial basket case/club revival derby, as the vistor's predecessors, Colne Dynamoes were the undisputed kings of unhinged spending.  They were formed in the 1960s and slowly progressed up through the Lancashire Combination.  However, the 1980s, backed by the fortune of a founding player, saw them race through the North West Counties, and winning the Vase and Northern Premier, as they payed out huge wages, allegedly more than Burnley were paying at the time.  However, their ground didn't receive such lavish expenditure, and didn't meet conference grading, and the local sides, wary of the neighbours success, weren't forthcoming with a groundshare.  This led to the owner closing down the club in 1990, amid much mystery about money running out.  In their place in 1996 came Colne FC, taking over the Holt House ground, and joining the NWCL division 2.  They have had a more measured approach to running a non-league set up, taking a steady twenty years to progress through the three divisions, eventually winning the premier division title in 2016, which meant promotion to the Northern Premier, where they now compete.

The ground goes by the excellent name of the Victoria Pleasure Grounds, which indeed were its origins, having hosted such events as wrestling and Shire horse competitions.  They were opened in 1888 and have always played host to the town's football clubs, though the current incarnation is very much different to the original form, mainly due to a rebuild a few decades ago to incorporate a running track.

There have been a number of structures at the ground, most of them having succumb to the constant battering of the wind coming off the North Sea and getting a good run at the site across the flatlands.  The current main structure dates from the 1970s and is a new cover over a previous bigger structure, hence there are abandoned bits of terracing sticking out either end.  The stand has a fairly haphazard mix of terracing, seating and boxes, and a facia which is crying out for the club name to be emblazoned across the front of it.

At different visits, there have been various other covers around the ground.  This one is on the opposite touchline and dates from the return to the Northern Premier in circa 2005. 

However, it doesn't really matter what the ground looks like, as all that anyone really remembers is these two water towers that overlook the ground.
 

The teams emerged in front of what are locally referred to as 'salt and pepper', due to their likeness to the cruets, rather than the 1980s female rappers. 

The game got underway, and the eagle eyed will notice an immediate bit of @nonleague_train action, as a 158 on 2C61 1425 Hull to Doncaster ratles past the far corner. 

Which was followed almost immediately by a goal for the visitors.

Goole seems to get mixed views in terms of both the ground and sometimes a bit of hostility, but I have always found the ground to be of interest and that as ever with non-league, some of the big games attract some not particularly welcome support, but normally, they are always a decent crowd.  Here Goole respond with a corner as a steward tucks into the legendary home made pie.

As mentioned above, the old stand used to be longer than the current cover, and the abandoned terracing is now fenced off, it surviving for thirty years until the ground grading failed the stadium unless it was separated.  

Here Goole attack again, viewed through the steeplechase pit and a pile of sand.

Colne then scored a second.  

Colne had a away following of about twenty, and set themselves up on the far terrace.  They were joined at kick off by the Goole Youth Frontier, who were five teenagers who made a bit of noise.  One of them confused himself into thinking he was the MC at a Bundesliga game, and took to standing on the wall with his back to the game, conducting his four mates.  Apparently, Goole hate Mossley, which I thought a bit obscure.  Boston got a few mentions as well, which was more understandable.  Colne focused their rivalry on Nelson (the place in Lancashire, not the naval admiral). 

Goole continued to attack, in what appears to be someones back yard.

They got a goal back.

The teenage ultras celebrated with a pitch invasion.

Put your hand up if you want to see some trains.  Oh, go on then, after you've taken the corner.

Passengers on 2W32 1452 Doncaster to Beverley get to see a Colne shot sliced very wide.

The Goole keeper prepares to get on his knees in homage to the Northern 158 working 1J29 1328 Scarborough to Sheffield.  Notice how phallic the right hand water tower looks from this angle.

Two of the travelling support give the linesman some stick for choosing to looking at his mobile rather than watch the phone.  More than likely he was looking to see if he needed for sight, the class 158 on 1J30 1411 Bridlington to Sheffield.

On the team line up board, the neatest hand writing I'd seen for a long time, was marred by it being listed as that of Hyde United.

This group of players had a bit of a scuffle for a reason that no one could work out.

The right hand 'pepper' water tower was built in 1885 with a nine metre diameter cast iron header tank inside its upper drum.  By the 1920s, it 136,400 litre capacity wasn't enough so the left hand 'pepper' tower was built out of reinforced concrete.  The original tower was taken out of use in the 1970s but its much larger neighbour is still in use.  Both are now listed.

Half time and I stumbled across a social club behind one end of the stand, and which I'd never noticed on previous visits.  It was quite small and busy, so after a run through of half time scores, I vacated my seat for someone who quite rightly wasn't going through the bollocks of dry January.

Instead I watched one of the subs trying to pile up the spare match balls onto a plastic chair.  After a good few attempts, here is his successful handywork.

The ground was rebuilt in the 1960s or possible 70s with a running track.  Stadium fact for you that, depending on your viewpoint, will either be the most stunning or dullest thing you've read so far this year; with the demise of Walton and Hersham's Stompond Lane ground in September, this is now the only non-six lane running track in non-league football.  The 100 metre straight is six lane, the rest is four lane.  

Anyway, Goole got an equaliser.

The left hand adverting hoardings appears to have come straight from a Dave Squires cartoon.

Colne then retook the lead.

With the game finishing 2-3 to the visitors.

With the excitement over it was back to the station.  I was planning on doing the Goole-Leeds direct line, which is a twice a day, weekdays only 'parliamentary' service via Knottingley.  However, it didn't leave for another hour and a half and then takes almost two hours, so I thought better of it.

Instead it was a Scarborough bound Northern service, which despite being the longest run of the day, was a 150 vice a 158.  The only non Super Sprinter I'd seen on the line.

Fortunately I got to escape at Brough, where it was onto a west bound TransPennine Express, running as a six car which meant I had two whole coaches to myself.

I was off at Leeds, and onto a Calder Valley service, joined by a lot of disgruntled Leeds fans, bemoaning not being able to beat managerless Forest, which is always nice to see.

Decent connections meant I was back into Sowerby before my intended train had even left Goole, and also meant I was keeping up with my 'game a day' intended ratio for the forthcoming year.

So a fairly simple start to the new year, but a decent game, and good to see that Goole retains its strange charm.  The weekend should bring a multi game day out to a more distant destination.