No.22 - Sat. 28th November 2009; Anglian Combinationn League Division 2;                   2.00pm at Caxton Meadow, Beccles, Suffolk.

 

Matchday images (17) >view> 

Beccles Caxton (0) 0  Norwich CEYMS (0) 2

Despite defeat it's a day for celebration!

By midday a large crowd had gathered at Caxton Meadow. Just inside the main entrance a throng of committee members, players past and present, press, photographers and guests waited with eager anticipation. Michael 'Dusty' Doddington, the club stalwart and present day groundsman, stepped forward and said a few words to those standing before him. Today was a very special occasion and marked the official opening of the brand new changing rooms at Beccles Caxton Football Club, members of the Anglian Combination Football League. Long overdue, the new facilty, financed entirely by local fund raising, looks very impressive indeed. Set back at an angle from the main pitch, the new building with its unique angled, sloping roof and whitewashed facade containing the club name that stands out in large green lettering on a white plaque, is a welcome addition at this tidy little ground.  

Travellers will certainly like what they find here. Tucked away on a small piece of land behind the railway station and adjacent to the Beccles Town FC, the ground is not immediately very easy to find. In fact we passed by several times and in the end had to ask locals for directions to guide us. After parking up in the station car park you need to cross over the long footbridge that takes you over the line to the other side. The ground, not to be confused with Beccles Town FC opposite, soon comes into view on your left. And what a gem it is! Acces along a short gravel track leads you through a set of tall wrought iron gates which not only bear the club name but also proudly mark the club's centenary. Welded into the metalwork the large green letters reveal the legend: Beccles Caxton FC and 1890 - 1990, a lovely touch. To the left and set back from the playing field are the new changing rooms and adjacent, well stocked, tea bar which looks a bit more more like a garden shed. It probably is! This part of the ground is currently being landscaped and so is cordened off behind some orange plastic netting secured by some metal stakes to give the seeds a chance to bed in. The players walk beside this and along a narrow path in order to reach the pitch which runs lengthways and is about a hundred yards from here.

The playing area is surrounded mainly by low hedges and trees and has an enclosed feel about it. Tennis courts are found at the top of a grass embankment behind the goal nearest to the entrance. The gradient is quite steep but offers the more 'athletic' 'hopper a superb elevated view of the action. Phew! A small area of land behind the goal at the opposite end is floodlit and is used by the club for training sessions. Travellers to Caxton Meadow will be in hopping heaven when they see the main wooden stand positioned along the left hand side touchline. Made completely from timber and dating back to 1890, it is an absolute header turner. Although set back from the pitch behind the dug outs and not offering the best view of proceedings, it does provide plenty of covered standing room. Incredibly a small row of wooden benches are placed at one end to offer spectators some basic seating. You really do have to see it to appreciate this absolutely charming piece of ground architecture! With its propped roof, supporting beams and overhanging fascia it's certainly one of the best features we have seen on our travels for some time and would strongly urge any 'hopper thinking of coming here by saying that this building on its own is well worth making the journey for. It really is that good! Further along the touchline and positioned just in front of a line extending from the stand, is a tidy wooden dugout with sloping roof.

The game played on a well maintained surface covered today in a carpet of late autumn leaves was a well fought Division 2 contest. Caxton were always second best to a strong, physical but very well organised CEYMS (Church of England Young Men's Society) outfit. The latest league statistics confirmed the difference between the clubs and showed that the side from Norwich were currently top of the table having lost only two out of their opening thirteen games played so far this season. Despite a whole host of missed chances the visitors didn't opening the scoring until midway through the second half. The young, pacy Brady Lidane (61) outran his marker Danny Kearney to send the ball, with a low, well driven right foot shot from 25 yards, inside the far post and beyond 'keeper Jason Downing. Substitute Troy Loeffrutt (82) made an instant impact by adding a second moments after coming on the field of play. It was his quick thinking that led to the winning goal as he beat the offside trap and lobbed the advancing Downing perfectly to earn his side all three points.       

A crowd of just over thirty were in attendance today. In keeping with this social occasion, many locals, learning we were one off visitors here, were extremely happy to tell us more about the proud history of their club. A friendly couple, incidentally both Canaries fans, standing alongside us at pitchside during the first half, explained their long allegiance with Beccles Caxton FC. This dated back to the time when the ladie's father used to play here for the works team, known then as Clowes Printers Ltd (founded in London back in 1880) in the 1950's. After growing to become one of the largest printing companies in the world the firm operated out of its large printing factory at Beccles. The Clowes printing factory moved to Ellough, near the town, in 2005. The original factory was demolished to make way for a new Tesco supermarket. Today her son continues this family link and plays for the team having come through the junior ranks. During the half-time break they kindly took us over to the new pavilion where a magnificent range of old framed club photos and press cuttings are mounted on the wall along the corridor next to the changing rooms. Dusty Doddington, secretary Gary Knights and many ex-players who had stayed on after the grand opening, were quick to identify themselves to us in the old team line ups. Great stuff!

As we headed back to West Suffolk we both agreed that our visit to Caxton Meadow had been a thoroughly enjoyable one. Travellers to Beccles Caxton FC based on the edge of the Broads, will be well impressed by what they find here. Despite the strong links with the printing industry the club sadly doesn't issue a matchday programme. However when you see the new changing rooms, the gem of an old stand and meet some of the proud officers who run the club, you will not fail to be in hopping heaven. A visit to this lovely little club comes with my greatest recommendations. If you haven't been yet go there as soon as you can. The joys of ticking off Suffolk football grounds remains as high as ever!    

FGIF Match Stats

Scorers: (H) N/A and (A) Lidaine (61); Loefruut (82) 

Attendance: 32; Admission: N/A; Programme: N/A; Match rating: 3/5; Ground rating: 4/5.

Links - Map 

 

edited 07/12/09