tenth tier membership Harwich & Parkeston have fun 75 years of their spectacular stand with a particular exhibition and tour of it.
Their grandstand, which was unveiled again in November 1948, might be celebrated this weekend, and has been all through the season.
It can see an exhibition and guided excursions. There gained’t nevertheless be a match on as we speak, following a pitch inspection on Saturday morning.
The Jap Counties League Division One North conflict towards Dussindale & Hellesdon Rovers was postponed as a consequence of a waterlogged floor.
The exhibition of the historical past of the stand remains to be going forward commencing at 1:30pm within the social membership. So get your self over to Harwich and Parkeston if not as we speak, then in some unspecified time in the future to take a look about…
Following a pitch inspection this morning. At this time’s match vs @DussyRoversFC is postponed as a consequence of a waterlogged floor.
The exhibition of the historical past of the stand remains to be going forward commencing at 1330 within the social membership.
⚫️⚪️🦐 pic.twitter.com/attFv2voKp
— Harwich and Parkeston FC (@OfficialHarwich) November 18, 2023
📸 A beautiful little bit of @OfficialHarwich historical past right here.
🖊️ Due to all of the ex-players who signed this on the reunion for #RoyalOak125 earlier within the season.
👍 Will probably be on show on the #HPFCGroundhopperDay tomorrow after which, hopefully, put up completely within the membership. pic.twitter.com/sgGdAcrbit
— Harwich & Parkeston FC Historical past (@HPFChistory) November 17, 2023
CLUB STATEMENT:
Harwich and Parkeston FC’s ‘groundhopper day’, to have fun the seventy fifth birthday of the Royal Oak’s well-known grandstand, takes place this coming Saturday.
Previous to the Jap Counties League sport with Dussindale and Hellesdon Rovers on November 18, a guided tour of the bottom will happen, explaining the stand’s historical past and that of the remainder of the Royal Oak, which just lately celebrated its one hundred and twenty fifth anniversary.
The tour will happen at 2pm forward of the 3pm kick-off.
Shrimpers legend Micky Johnson, who performed greater than 400 video games for the membership, is amongst these anticipated on the day. He’s presently again within the UK on vacation from Australia, the place he now lives. A number of of his former team-mates are additionally anticipated to pay a go to to the Oak to meet up with Mick.
As well as, a photograph exhibition will even be on show within the social membership that includes previous photographs of the stand – formally opened on November 13, 1948 by then-FA secretary Stanley Rous – and the bottom.
Peter Lynn, creator of ‘Soccer Loopy’ by which HPFC function (together with on the duvet), might be promoting copies of his guide on the exhibition.
Admission is £6 for adults, £4 for concessions and free for under-16s. Money funds are most popular.
As a particular supply, the membership is providing entry, a printed programme and membership pin badge for under £10.
Programmes could be reserved by emailing harwichfc@yahoo.com.
Anybody requiring additional particulars concerning the day can also be urged to make use of that e mail handle.
The membership appears to be like ahead to welcoming new guests to the Royal Oak on the day.
There may be some excellent news as we speak. Harwich & Parkeston Soccer Membership legend Micky Johnson, who’s again from Oz, remains to be coming down the Oak this afternoon.
🤝 Am positive he’d like to see some previous faces!
📸 Photograph exhibition nonetheless on from 1.30pm and floor tour will go forward if there’s… pic.twitter.com/vrkWW0PtbU
— Harwich and Parkeston FC (@OfficialHarwich) November 18, 2023
Seen right here from its opening in 1948 till 2018, the principle stand at Harwich & Parkeston’s fantastic Royal Oak floor. Not way back this floor was beneath critical menace however now the membership is on the best way again and so they need some seats to refurbish the stand. Who may help?@OfficialHarwich pic.twitter.com/7TsmTmCplQ
— Paul Groundtastic (@paul_gtastic) January 26, 2019
Andy Schooler, a membership historian who organised the occasion, stated through BBC Information: “The Royal Oak is the second oldest senior soccer floor in Essex. Solely Saffron Walden’s is older. It as soon as took in a document crowd of 5,649 for an FA Newbie Cup tie in 1938.
“The present grandstand was inbuilt 1948 however was years within the making. It was initially a part of a five-year plan for the bottom, which was drawn up in 1936 however the warfare intervened – the bottom was taken over by the Military and used as a base.
“After the warfare ended, the bottom was in a proper state, however the clean-up offered the chance to lastly substitute the previous, smaller stand.”
Round £2,500 had been raised for the stand, £75,000 in as we speak’s cash, and it was lastly constructed and opened by Mr Rous.
“By modern-day requirements, it’s fairly good – it’s most likely the most effective common in Division One North,” he stated on the membership’s common attendance of round 200.
“In pretty small cities like Harwich, I believe the soccer membership is often a giant focus.
“It’s had some robust occasions and got here fairly near folding early within the twenty first Century – to lose it could have been a catastrophe for soccer within the city.”
Harwich & Parkeston presently sit sixth of their division, with 33 factors from 17 video games performed, some extent from the playoffs, with some video games in hand.
They’ll be desirous to make up for lacking out on promotion through playoffs final season, dropping to Downham City within the closing.
