FOLLOWING THE SALTMEN

By Jack Caramac

It’s only been 9 weeks since the 2024-2025 season finale, but it feels like much longer. Good news is, we only have to wait three more weeks before football is back and the Saltmen begin their programme of pre-season friendlies at near neighbours Studley.

So if, like me, you are fed up with painting bathrooms and trips to the supermarket, to whet the appetite, here’s a little reminder of what we’ve all been missing in a whistle stop trip through our away journeys last year. Because Following The Saltman is lacking a bit of match fitness, I will do this in a series of instalments, starting with…..

PART ONE:

It had been long hot summer and it wasn’t over. Our story starts on Saturday 3rd August 2024….

After two consecutive play off final defeats in the Midland Football League, the new season arrived with Droitwich Spa FC in unfamiliar territory. During the close season, Spa had been moved to Division One of the Hellenic League.

While this move meant giving up annual pilgrimages to Bilston, Cradley Heath and Brum, at least we had the consolation of new grounds and new pubs to keep us entertained.

I had never been to Newent and had very little knowledge of the Hellenic League, so I boarded the minibus outside the Old Cock with plenty of anticipation and just a little trepidation.

I’m told there are more luxurious ways to travel, but the minibus got us to our Herefordshire destination, Wildsmith Meadow, in plenty of time to enjoy the sunshine and Newent Town’s excellent clubhouse. The Dafs were in the midst of a programme of building behind clubhouse end goal. I think the new structure will be changing rooms.

The ground itself was quite impressive. A single tiered brick built stand is located behind one of the touch lines, seating around 80 people. The clubhouse is located behind one of the goals with a mesh fence protecting distracted drinkers from wayward strikes on goal. The rest of the ground is open standing. One of the touch lines is sheltered by trees which was very welcome during the first half, providing some shade from the 80 degree temperature while we toiled bravely with our pints.

The second half started with the scores level at 2-2. Fortunately, the pre-season preparations paid dividends and the second 45 belonged to the Saltmen who ran in 4 more goals without response and were even comfortable enough to miss a late penalty. During the second half I was joined by my soon-to-be travelling companions for the rest of the season. To protect the innocent, I have changed their names. Len Boyd and Jaddy G. clearly impressed by my Torino training top, suspected I had Italian heritage when, in truth, I am just stuck in the late 1980s and Channel 4’s Serie A coverage. Although I do like a Cornetto as much as there next man.

A great start to the season and a good day out.

The following Tuesday brought the first home game of the season at Kingys. Over 300 people were present to see Spa beat neighbours Redditch Borough 3-0.

On Saturday 10th August , Kidlington Reserves visited Kingys and lost 4-0.

Tuesday 13th August brought a short trip down the M5 to Cheltenham Saracens in Len Boyd’s car. I liked the Petersfield Park ground. It is a bit basic but well maintained. Along one touchline are the dugouts and two small stands. On the opposite side there is hard standing and a covered standing area about 20 yards long. The pitch is surrounded by a shiny new fence. There is a no clubhouse, except for the changing rooms. However, the club operates a can bar with a decent selection of beer and soft drinks. This is located in a converted shipping container with plenty of seating outside. Due to dry conditions in the weeks prior to the game, the pitch was rock hard and provided some unpredictable bounces. Rain arrived in the second half making the surface very slippery. Nevertheless, the Saltmen managed the tricky conditions well enough to secure a relatively comfortable 3-1 win.

We had to wait until 14th September for our next trip. Given the distance from Droitwich to Abingdon, the club decided to provide a bus for the players and supporters to travel to Oxfordshire in comfort.

Abingdon have played football at higher levels than Step 6 and this is clear from the facilities on show at Northcourt Road.

The clubhouse, bar and beer garden are located behind on goal. One side of the pitch has covered standing with the opposite having a covered stand complete with TV gantry no less. The other goal end has uncovered standing. Everything is tidy and well maintained and you get the impression the club is well run. The bar was busy as a private party and barbecue was in progress when we arrived. Beware though, thirsty travellers would be well advised to take plenty of money because the bar prices made this poor blogger’s eyes water.

For a brief period of the first half, the home team stopped rolling around on the floor screaming and Spa took a deserved lead through Lucas Edmonds. The histrionics then resumed and Spa lost Nathan Binner to a very suspect red card. Remarkably, the lead was preserved until deep into stoppage time when a hotly debated equaliser left honours even in this early season six-pointer.

A decent day out but not my favourite destination of the season. One positive was that FTS got to meet two of Jaddy’s friends. We’ll refer to them as Austin and Mazz for no other reason than I’m not very inventive. More of them in later editions.

The following week provided a much shorter journey with a 20 minute ride to the Ribbesford Meadow ground of Bewdley Town for a game in the FA Vase. I think I drove to this game, with Len and Jaddy and possibly one other passenger but memory is not my strongest attribute. Anyway, this riverside ground really is a great place to watch a game of football. The car park and Clubhouse are located at the top of a longish driveway leading to the pitch. But it is the setting that really marks this ground apart from most. If there is a more idyllic spot boasting a football ground, then I would like to see it. A decent sized wooden stand nestles into the hillside, a little above the playing surface. Behind one goal sits a short covered terrace, snack bar, toilets and changing rooms. The rest of the ground is uncovered standing. The only real drawback to the location is that it’s a fair distance from the town centre and this may explain why gates at Ribbesford Meadow are fairly low. The were comfortably more Spa fans at the game than their local counterparts – although that would become something of a recurring thing as the season progressed.

For the second time in 3 weeks, Spa netted six goals against Town and went into the hat for the next round.

The main stand at Ribbesford Meadow.

After a run of five consecutive home games, at 9.00am on 19th October we again boarded the coach provided by the club for players and supporters to make the trip to Holbeach United in deepest Lincolnshire for the next round of the FA Vase. And what a brilliant day it turned out to be. This fixture was (and still is) the further DSFC has travelled for a game. The plan was for the coach to stop in Peterborough for a leg stretch and bite to eat. Unfortunately, road works on the Peterborough by pass put paid to that plan. So we pushed on bravely into unknown territory and, after crossing what seemed like an endless, flat and featureless plain, we arrived at Holbeach United at about 1.30. We were met off the coach by members of the host club’s committee who gave us a very warm welcome.

Jaddy, Len and I were keen to sample some of the local culture and ventured into Holbeach where we stumbled into The Crown Hotel. A cracking pub with a good selection of drinks and an open fire. Dec ent prices too, I think. Then it was back to the ground.

The Clubhouse at Holbeach

The facilities at Holbeach are great. The clubhouse is either newly built or recently renovated. The reasonably priced bar was massive and clearly a valued community asset.

The stadium was also well maintained offering covered seating and standing in the main club building. There is covered standing behind both goals . Opposite the main stand is open standing.

The Saltmen won 1-3 to progress further in the Vase. We had an hour or so before the coach left and took the opportunity to rehydrate before the long journey back to Droitwich. Further rehydration took place on the coach resulting in a stop at Sainsburys in Peterborough where 30 or so grown men visited the gents and left it smelling better than when we arrived. They sell food there. Fortunately not in the gents but not great at all. The atmosphere on the coach was brilliant and the return journey flew by. FTS was met off the coach by the present Mrs FTS who was clearly impressed by how hydrated we all were. Brilliant day out.

That’s it for Part One. I need more minutes in my legs and my hammy’s just tightening a bit. Don’t worry, part 2 of this pre-season nonsense will be out soon.

See you there.

Cheers

Jack Caramac