Post by Deleted on Oct 28, 2012 23:49:49 GMT
The trips to the North East haven't quite extended to Newcastle's Premier League games on the respective Sundays. So this weekend there was time for a trip to the wonderful cathedral city of Durham and a walk along the banks of the River Wear. This afforded an opportunity to visit some of the grounds of Durham City FC.
Durham are now back in the Northern League after a sudden burst up the pyramid which saw them emerge as the north east's premier non-league club behind Gateshead and Blyth Spartans. Then the sponsor's money ran out and they came crashing back to earth. We nearly encountered them in the FA Trophy when the draw paired us with the winners of Durham's tie against Southport. That was around the time of Durham's zenith.
Durham was on my list of north eastern "grounds to visit" alongside Consett, Crook, North Shields and South Shields. Now, having poked my head inside a rather desolate-looking place on a business park, I'm not so sure. Note the 3g pitch:
It may surprise you that Durham City were in the Football League during the 1920s. Just as Torquay United were entering the Western League - and subsequently the Southern League - Durham were a step ahead of us in joining the Football League. Then, when we were taking our first unsteady steps in Division 3 (South), Durham were getting ready to depart the third division's northern section.
I gather Durham City played on two separate grounds during their brief stay in the league: firstly at Kepier Haughs; then at Holiday Park.
KEPIER HAUGHS
Durham played at Kepier Haughs during their first two seasons in the league. The ground was in a rural setting close to the River Wear to the north of the city. There are still football pitches there but, from what I could see, no remains of the old ground. It was gathering dusk early in Durham today but, in this picture, you can just about make out Durham cathedral in the distance:
HOLIDAY PARK
Durham City moved to Holiday Park in 1923 and that's where they played out their five remaining seasons in the Football League. Thereafter they stayed at Holiday Park almost to the war. After the war Durham played at the riverside Ferens Park - between the city and Keiper Heughs - until moving to their latest ground in the 1990s.
Holiday Park was also close to the river and handy for both the city and railway station. It's now the site of an electricity sub-station and the cobbled lane scene shows the route downhill from the railway station:
Durham are now back in the Northern League after a sudden burst up the pyramid which saw them emerge as the north east's premier non-league club behind Gateshead and Blyth Spartans. Then the sponsor's money ran out and they came crashing back to earth. We nearly encountered them in the FA Trophy when the draw paired us with the winners of Durham's tie against Southport. That was around the time of Durham's zenith.
Durham was on my list of north eastern "grounds to visit" alongside Consett, Crook, North Shields and South Shields. Now, having poked my head inside a rather desolate-looking place on a business park, I'm not so sure. Note the 3g pitch:
It may surprise you that Durham City were in the Football League during the 1920s. Just as Torquay United were entering the Western League - and subsequently the Southern League - Durham were a step ahead of us in joining the Football League. Then, when we were taking our first unsteady steps in Division 3 (South), Durham were getting ready to depart the third division's northern section.
I gather Durham City played on two separate grounds during their brief stay in the league: firstly at Kepier Haughs; then at Holiday Park.
KEPIER HAUGHS
Durham played at Kepier Haughs during their first two seasons in the league. The ground was in a rural setting close to the River Wear to the north of the city. There are still football pitches there but, from what I could see, no remains of the old ground. It was gathering dusk early in Durham today but, in this picture, you can just about make out Durham cathedral in the distance:
HOLIDAY PARK
Durham City moved to Holiday Park in 1923 and that's where they played out their five remaining seasons in the Football League. Thereafter they stayed at Holiday Park almost to the war. After the war Durham played at the riverside Ferens Park - between the city and Keiper Heughs - until moving to their latest ground in the 1990s.
Holiday Park was also close to the river and handy for both the city and railway station. It's now the site of an electricity sub-station and the cobbled lane scene shows the route downhill from the railway station: