No.4 - Sat 18th August 2012; Spartan South Midlands League Division 2;                        3pm at The New Park; Field Lane; Geenleys; Milton Keynes; MK12 6AZ.

Matchday images (42) https://picasaweb.google.com/footballgroundsinfocus/WolvertonTownFC

Wolverton Town (0) 0 Aston Clinton (1) 1

Wolves unlucky not to earn a point...

As a traveller once you've ticked off all the clubs and grounds in a league it may be quite some time before the competition comes back under your radar once again. To be honest after attending a match at the sadly now defunct MK Wanderers FC only a couple of years back, the Spartan South Midlands League hasn't featured in my hopping plans at all. Why should it really? Whilst I'm finding new venues to visit (there's still plenty of roped-off fields out there yet!!) I just don't tend to do re-visits. So when I found out that a new club, Wolverton Town, (coincidentally also based in one of Britain's fastest growing towns), had entered the fray and joined the ranks of the SSML for the start of 2012-13, I received the news with great enthusiasm and couldn't wait to get there to take in a game.

From what I can glean a potted history of the club suggests Wolverton was formed in the late 1880's. The ground known as Wolverton Park was built in 1885 with a team joining the Southern League as Wolverton L & NWR FC two years later. After the First World War Wolves joined the North Bucks League and finshed as runners up in 1920/21. Before the Second World War Wolves won the South Midlands League before finishing second in the Spartan League in the post war years. The suffix & BR was added to the club name in the early 1950's and sucess came when they reached the fourth round of the FA Cup losing to Peterborough in 1957. In 1961 Wolves joined the United Counties League and in 1969-70 finshed runners up and reaching the final of the Berks and Bucks cup. In the 1980's they joined the Spartan League, followed by spells in the Athenian and Isthmian Leagues coming second in the latter in 1986-87. Spiralling costs led to the club's demise as re-formed and changed their name MK Wolverton own and AFC Wolverton rejoining the SML before folding in January 1992. In 2004 Wolverton Town FC was reformed as a local Sunday League side with a Saturday team entering the North Bucks League. The club moved to its new home The New Park in July 2011   

It seems that great hopping minds think alike! As we pulled up into the spacious gravelled club car park many of the ground-collecting fraternity had seemingly joined us in our crusade to watch today's match, the Division Two fixture, which saw the visit of Aylesbury-based Aston Clinton FC to the New Park. It was great to catch up with all the stadia gossip with young Mick B, Steve R and Brekk S amongst others standing pitchside on this glorious day. 

The ground set in a pleasant location of the Greenleys area of MK, a suburb located a stone's throw from the main A5 by-pass. The New Park found in a cul-de-sac just off Field Lane is fully enclosed along the entrance by a new high wooden panelled fence which straddles the club buildings. A large union jack at full mast fluttered in the gentle breeze as the temperatures continued to soar on what was billed as the hottest day of the year so far. Phew!!

Access to the playing fields behind is through the main bar and social club entrance. Already a sizeble crowd had gathered in the lounge as fans poured over the Sky televised mid day match between Leeds United and the other Woves. There are two pitches on the tree-lined field with the main one (nearest to the clubhouse) roped off and running parallel to the facilities. A large seated patio area and well stocked mobiled catering unit offers some spectator comfort and refreshments. A couple of equipment containers are also found along this side. Opposite a couple of very new (and almost completed) dug-outs are positioned close to the half-way line. Indeed many of the breeze blocks and both benches are still waiting to be added to the foundations which were only put in place yesterday! Hard-working club secretary Christine Greenwood who mans the official match video recorder (amongst other duties) told me that although there are no other dedicated spectator facilities at present the SSML league management committee have given the club a generous period of time to add any outstanding fixtures and fittings which also includes a permanent post and rail barrier around the pitch.

Sadly for Wolves' fans the club could not contrive a victory on what was one of their biggest games in recent years - remember they were playing in the North Bucks League last season. The visitors nicked the only goal of the game when front-runner Scott Green (19) was on hand to tap the ball home from close range mid-way through the first half the. Despite a flurry of attacks late on it was not to be for the side dressed in their famous old gold strip. 

An encouraging crowd numbering just over sixty, the highest in the division and fourth best in the entire league (only Premier Division matches at Hertford Town (79) and Stotold (68) and Division One club Southall (68) fared better today), was in attendance. An informative 12-page colour programme (a regular issue) was published for the game. Despite all copies having sold out by kick-off Christine kindly managed to track down a spare black and white one before popular hopper (a staunch Burnley supporter I am told??!!) gave me an official copy from his hopping plastic bag. Nice one mate!!

Needless to say a visit to the New Park home of Wolverton Town FC comes highly recommended. We found everyone associated with the club to be polite and helpful. Even Lucky our aged canine companion was not only allowed special admission to sit with us alongside the hallowed turf but was also given a complimentary bowl of clean water. You can't say fairer than that, can you?!! For more details on the club, including directions on how to get there, check out the club's website using the link shown below. Despite a spot of overheating requiring some essential AA assistance on the Bedford by-pass, we arrived safely home, happy after what had been another great hopping day out. Have fun wherever you go!     

FGIF Match Stats

Scorers: (H) N/A and (A) S Green (19)

Attendance: 64; Admission: None; Programme: £1, 12pp; Match rating: 3/5; Ground rating: 5/5.

Links

http://www.clubwebsite.co.uk/wolvertontownfc/

edited on 19/08/12