After twenty years of waiting, Bacton United 89 Football Club, members of the Suffolk & Ipswich League, has finally moved into its brand spanking new ground. The outstanding facilities at Brickwall Meadow are certainly the envy of many other clubs in the county. With the help of a Football Foundation grant and local community funding the impressive site which opened about nine months ago boasts a superb purpose-built clubhouse and changing pavilion with pitches that are second to none. This is certainly an exciting time for the village football club, incidentally the reigning Suffolk Junior FA champions, having beaten Sudbury Athletic 2-1 at Portman Road Ipswich last April.   

It was only a couple of weeks ago, whilst scrolling through the pages of the excellent SIL website, that I learned Bacton had actualy moved from their previous base at the St Mary's Playing Field off Pound Hill. In my excitement I decided that it would be perhaps better to delay my visit here and save it for a 'rainy day' (if you pardon the pun) to be ticked at some stage later in the season. So when I noticed that today's game was one of a few to have beaten the recent heavy rainfall, I finally succumbed and didn't need to think twice about phoning helpful club secretary Simon Borley regarding the prospects of play. His reply was most upbeat as he cheerfully confirmed that the game was definitely on. Within the hour the eager hoppers from racing HQ had arrived full of anticipation ahead of the Second Division league fixture against Ipswich based Parkside Football Club.

With only a couple of points separating both sides before kick-off, the game promised to be a well matched contest between the two mid table positioned teams. And so it proved as defences came out on top cancelling out any possible threat or even a sniff of a goalscoring chance. The strong cross-wind, always making control difficult, certainly didn't contribute towards a decent passing game. As full time approached my FGIF Match Stats card revealed only one noteworthy entry, coming on the hour mark when pacey Shane Anderson's appeal for a penalty, after being tripped in the area, was waved away by referee Paul Botterill. The trusty match official (who I was told is being fast tracked to reach the top flight) was in the perfect place to spot that the attacker had indeed simulated a foul. Naughty boy! It was no surprise then that the game ended goalless (breaking an unbroken run of 128 matches since my last 0-0 when Mill End Sports drew with Knebworth at the Mill End Sports Club in a HSCLP fixture played on 16/08/08). Despite the lack of goals it had been a decent game of football only spoiled by the windy conditions. On a day when many games in the ECL had been postponed due to waterlogging, the pitch here was in magnificent condition. Considering the amount of rain that had fallen in the area during several days leading up to the game, the flat surface had drained exceptionally well. How good is that?.  

Travellers will be well impressed by what they find here at Brickwall Meadow. As you approach Bacton village (if coming in from Stowmarket along the B1153 towards Botesdale) the ground is visible on the left hand side of Broad Road. A gravel driveway leads to the car park, main club buildings and pitches which are around the back. The new clubhouse and changing pavilion fashioned from red brick and sturdy tiles is set back at an angle to the fields. It is a truly superb facility. As you follow the path around to the main entrance you cannot help notice the large 3D club logo/crest and team name printed in large white letters mounted proudly onto the outer wall. Inside, the brightly lit corridor leads to the well equipped bar lounge (with Sky TV) and kitchen (serving hot drinks cheerfully dispensed at half-time) on the left with the toilets and changing rooms for players and officials around to the left. Another door at the far end provides separate access to the playng fields and this prevents a trail of mud from being trampled everywhere! If you get chance read the article written by the Ipswich Evening News sports editor (formerly editor at the Green Un football newspaper) Mike Bacon, following his visit to Brickwall Meadow - it makes very interesting (and complimentary) reading about the new facility and of course, the club.     

The rural site is bordered by open fields, some stables and the main Bury to Ipswich railway line which passes very closely behind the goal at the far end. Trainspotters will fully appreciate the frequent service as trains transporting commuters regularly pass by at high speed through the Suffolk countryside. There are two full size pitches on site here. The main one, nearest to the clubhouse, is used by the first team. This is bordered on one side by a low wooden fence which backs on to the vast crop field (full of cabbages) behind; a substantial section of taught high netting at the far 'railway' end and some rope supported by yellow plastic posts along the far side and behind the nearest goal with a gap for players and officials. A separate length of rope also runs along the sideline of the second pitch behind here. Both sets of goal nets (unusually supported by thick green wooden stanchion posts) and all the corner flags fittingly match the club colours of green and orange.     

From the moment we arrived at the Brickwall Meadow we found everyone at the club to be very friendly and welcoming. None more so than the Vice Chairman, John Evans. Not only is he a self confessed Charlton Athletic Football Club supporter, but is also a real fan of grass roots soccer performing many matchday duties for the Brickies (the BU89FC nickname). John first greeted us when we walked into clubhouse and asked us to sign our names on a new page in the visitors' guestbook. He told us that the club currently runs three senior sides as well as teams for girls; juniors; mini and Sunday League XI. Very proud of the club's achievements both on and off the field John recollected the terrific moment when they beat Border League side Sudbury Athletic in the SJFA Junior Cup Final at Portman Road last April, a most memorable day in the club's short history. He added that the Suffolk FA committee are so impressed with the facilities here that they hope to hold a County FA Final (possiblly at youth level) come the end of the season. How cool is that?

Although as you would expect the club doesn't issue programmes (apart from the occasional county cup matches), information covering the history; stats (results, fixtures and tables) and directions on helping to locate the ground can all be found on the club's excellent website (see link address below). So if you are in the area and looking for a decent game of football (particularly in the event of bad weather), I would thoroughly recommend a visit to Bacton United 89 FC. It's a great club, great ground and above all run by some lovely enthusiastic, football-minded people. Come on you Brickies!! The joys of finding new new grounds continues!  

FGIF Match Stats

Scorers: (H) and (A) both N/A

Attendance: 28; Admission and Programme: None; Match rating: 3/5; Ground rating: 5/5.

Club website: http://www.clubwebsite.co.uk/bactonunited89/