FOLLOWING THE SALTMEN

Hellenic League Division One

Saturday 1st March 2025

The Saltmen travel down the M5 on Saturday to face ‘the Sods’ of Chipping Sodbury. Spa have 8 remains league games, of which 7 are away from home! None of these fixtures will be easy as most of our opponents still have a lot to play for.

When the two sides met at Kingys in November, the Saltmen recorded a 3-1 win. However, the Sods stayed in contention throughout the game and, quite reasonably, felt a little disappointed not to have taken at least a point. Their hopes were only snuffed out in the last ten minutes when two late goals secured the points for Spa. At that point in the season, the Sods looked to be facing a tough battle to avoid relegation but, things have changed. A series of impressive results have seen the men from South Gloucestershire move up the table and now look to be relatively safe. Home wins over Cheltenham Sarries and, notably, Clanfield 69 earlier in February appear to have cemented their divisional status. An away defeat at Abingdon probably caused only a few raised eyebrows, while their 3-0 loss at Wellington last time out, will have surprised many and I would imagine is something they will be looking to make amends for this weekend.

In contrast to the Sods, the Saltmen’s last two results have hinted at a return to the form which saw them take hold of the division before a dip in form in the weeks either side of Christmas. At the risk of tempting fate, Spa remain unbeaten away from home in the league.

It’s going to be interesting.

If you are travelling to the game there is more than just football in Chipping Sodbury. Not surprisingly for a historic market town, there are plenty of hostelries where the weary traveller can rehydrate and refuel. Those unfamiliar with the Cotswolds should be prepared for some local customs which can surprise visitors.

As you will from the photo above, the town is yet to fully adopt colour. This may be due to over-zealous local authorities keen to retain the town’s historic character and may well explain why the Sods play in black and white.

My favourite attraction is this statue, marking the legacy of the Very Hungry Caterpillar. Sadly, the local skinheads have started using it as a climbing wall.

So let’s all get to Chipping Sodbury and give the lads as much support as we can.

See you there.

Cheers

Steve

#UTS