Ilfracombe As You Are

14^th December 2013

Ilfracombe Town v Bristol Manor Farm, Toolstation Western League

With news that Ilfracombe were wavering financially, I decided that a revisit to the lovely ground they have was in order.  I had been there previously when at university in Plymouth in the early nineties.  A plan was devised.

Normal train off Swindon, the 0830 Penzance service, was also late as normal.  This meant the branch connection was missed at Exeter St Davids, so it was a bonus couple of pints at Exeter Students Union, before jumping on the 1127 Barnstaple service.  Then up to Ilfracombe on the bus for the Ship and Pilot guide pub in town, which was cleared with something from Blue Monkey, I didn’t record what though.

Ilfracombe was established around its natural harbour.  This made it an important trading post from South Wales, and also a starting point for voyages over to Ireland.  The arrival of the railway made it an important tourist centre.  More recently, it was the home of TDK, who made tapes for making distorted copies of Now compilations.

Although the main town at Ilfracombe is on the sea front, a lot of the residential area is atop the daunting hill that abuts the seafront.  Sure enough this is where the football ground was, and what looked on the map to be a pleasant 10 minute stroll, was an oxygen requiring 30 minute ascent from base camp. 

But we arrived at the ground.  I was obviously still suffering enough to not be able to raise the camera enough to get all the sign in, but did include my thumb.

As the ground is still on a hill, the social club is split level.  The entrance being here, but the upper, slate clad, floor being at pitch level.  The stairs on the right take you up to the game.

Ilfracombe Town 1 v Bristol Manor Farm 0, Western League.

Ilfracombe were founded in 1902, though the Town suffix wasn't added for another 20 years.  They played in the north and east Devon leagues before moving up to the Western league in 1948.  Despite rising up to the top division of the Western, by 1959 they had dropped back down to the North Devon League.  There they stayed for another 25 years, rejoining the Western in 1984, where they have been in division 1 ever since.

Bristol Manor Farm were only formed in 1960, but were in the Western league by the mid seventies. Since then they have almost always been in the premier, and in this century, mostly at the top end of the league.

After playing on a selection of local pitches, the club moved to Marlborough Park in 1923. 

This is a very famous non-league view.  The colourful stand, the stone wall, and hen the picturesque chapel on the mound behind. 

It is one of the pictures that makes up the front cover of The History of Non-league Football Grounds, Kerry Miller's masterpiece and perhaps the number one book that anyone who follows non-league should have.

Adjacent to this is a small seated stand, an obvious token nod to seating capacity requirements.

Rather than any architectural similarities, it was named after a café sponsor in town.

There is a small area of standing cover outside the clubhouse, where predictably most supporters were huddled.

Behind the far goal was a large mound, offering some protection from the wind whipping in of the channel.

It offered the best view of the ground...

...and also westward out to sea.

The stand behind the goal had an extremely narrow pathway in front of it.

Halftime and into the clubhouse, which also doubled up as an indoor workout area.  Do you get twice as fit for using an exercise bike on a treadmill?

The clubhouse pictures were all from the clubs 1981/82 glory season.  The illustrious team...

....the manager....

....the clubhouse opening...

...and a charity darts evening.

There was also this most horrific kit.

As well as an old one they sent to Africa.  Somewhere in Ouagadougou is a small corner that will forever be North Devon.

In contrast to previous seasons, Manor Farm were struggling near the foot of the table, with Ilfracombe a few places above them.  It was the away side who took the lead.

There was also a lofty position behind the near goal, giving a distinctive view of the away keepers fluorescent kit.

Ground clutter was housed in a primitive corrugated metal shed behind the goal.

The game finished 0-1.  I nipped off with a few seconds remaining.  A last look back down from the stone wall, before a bus back to Barnstaple and the return train move back to Swindon.

2016 Postscript.

Ilfracombe Town hung on in the Western League until the end of the campaign, before resigning pre-season in July 2014 after the joint chairmen resigned.  They dropped back down to the North Devon league, where they remain today.  The ground is substantially the same, if a bit down at heel, not least the floodlights which are no longer required so do not function anymore.  This is a rather cryptic Wikipedia take of the situation.

Bristol Manor Farm have continued in the Western League, with some very strong 2nd, 3rd and 4th place finishes.  They also reached the FA Vase quarter final in 2016.