The first thing that came into my mind when we drew Ipswich was that they are a side I’ve never seen Carlisle play against, which given my age (begins crying) of 40 at Christmas (bursts into full blown tears of misery) and the fact that we last played them at home in the old First Division in 1974-75 comes as no great surprise. But, moving on a step from there I also realised that Ipswich are a club I have never seen play at all in all the games I’ve been to as a neutral as well and that set me wondering on who else falls into that category.
There is of course the 92 that people collect by going to all the Football League and Premier League grounds, but that challenge has changed a lot these days with the advent of two up and two down from and to the Football League and the Conference Premier, with the 92 differing season on season. Then there’s the fact that so many clubs have changed grounds now so you’re having to do some clubs in the 92 twice to complete your collection. I can think of a few myself where I’ve been to the old ground a club have played at but not the new ground, Morecambe, Sunderland and Wigan being instant thoughts without even checking through the divisions.
It’s even worse when you factor in Brighton though, as if you’re a veteran 92-er you’ll have done four different grounds on the Seagulls in the last 16 years, those being the Goldstone Ground, the Priestfield Stadium, the Withdean Stadium and the Amex Stadium. As for me, I’ve been to two of those grounds to watch Carlisle matches, the Withdean and also the Priestfield against Gillingham for Jean-Claude Pagal’s sole appearance in a United shirt in March 1998.
Right, I’ve just checked down the current 92 then and I make it eight clubs where I’ve been to the old ground but not the new ground in the last 30 years or so of ground changes, those being Brighton, Chesterfield, Doncaster, Manchester City, Morecambe, Rotherham, Sunderland and Wigan, while there are two clubs where I’ve been to both their old and new ground, which are Colchester and Huddersfield. Then of course you’ve got the new ground but not the old ground, but I can’t be bothered to check that as well, although I can straight off think of Bristol Rovers, Scunthorpe and Walsall.
Looking closer at clubs I’ve seen actually play though I think there are only 11 of the current 92 I haven’t seen in the flesh, those being AFC Wimbledon, Aldershot Town, Bolton, Burton, Crawley, Crystal Palace, Fleetwood, Ipswich, Stoke, Watford and Wolves. I’m not even 100% confident that’s right either as living in the Skipton and Silsden area for 20 years I had friends (no seriously) who supported Bradford, Burnley and Leeds which meant that I’d go to watch those clubs occasionally.
So, I’m not totally convinced that I haven’t seen any of those three teams come up against one of my missing eleven in my younger days, but I’m stuffed if I’m going up into the attic to check match programmes at this time of day. At least in the next five weeks I’m assured of getting down to nine though, with Ipswich and then Crawley at the end of September being ticked off the list, Aldershot Town, Burton and Crawley all ones I missed in the 2004-05 Conference season as I was both working permanent Saturdays as well as living in Spain for a while, and I don’t think a Megarider ticket extends that far.
How are you doing on the alternative 92 then? Some of you in the more veteran stages of your life must be all but there, with perhaps just AFC Wimbledon and Fleetwood left to tick off for the full set, my hope being that, as unlikely as it is in Fleetwood’s case, they’ll both be relegated this season with Hereford and Stockport say coming up in their place to get me down to seven by next summer. As for doing the 92 grounds, new or old, well I think I’ll leave that one to you if you don’t mind.