Rove Around Scotland: September 2005

Blog is almost complete...

I've now got almost all of the photos uploaded - the only ones left to add are from Ayr, Stranraer, Dumfries and Gretna. They're stuck on a mobile phone, hopefully we'll find a way to get them off that and onto the site over the next few days.

The other thing I've still to do is count the cash... I'll post the final total and also the name of the sweepstake winner when we've got all the forms back.

Anybody want to join me on a tour around each of the Champions League grounds next year???

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED!!!

At 5.26am we arrived back at the San Starko exhausted and very very smelly. I'll add the rest of the photos once we wrestle them out of the multitude of cameras and phones that we used.

Many thanks to John who did a sterling job of keeping up with our progress, to James for driving like a daftie all the way to Hawick just so he could have a bag of chips and a game of footie in the street, and most of all to Niall and Graham for doing the full 36 hours and 10 minutes and 1026 miles with me.

Right, I've got some sleep to catch up on...

Starks Park, Kirkcaldy

Hurrah!

Central Park, Cowdenbeath

See, it's not just football grounds we wanted to visit, stock car racing is my second favourite sport.

East End Park, D*********e

No comment.

Recreation Park, Alloa

One of my favourite grounds for some reason unknown even to me. It's a bit of a shambles but it has loads of character.

Ochilview, Larbert

Home of Stenhousemuir, and landlords a couple of seasons back to Falkirk. Possibly the worst view of any football ground for a visiting fan - that season we had the choice of paying £12 to stand on a flat bit of uncovered tarmac, or £14 to sit in a temporary stand made out of a tarpaulin and cunningly positioned behind the scaffolding that they used as a TV gantry. As you can possibly see from the photo, the prices are a wee bit more realistic when Stenhousemuir are playing there.

Falkirk Stadium

This is technically in Grangemouth - which was the source of amusement to 'Shire fans a couple of weeks ago. The two teams met in the Stirlingshire Cup and the SPL newcomers were humbled 2-1 by their normally hapless neighbours. This prompted a rendition of "One team in Falkirk! There's only one team in Falkirk!"

Firs Park, Falkirk

Home of the team with the second worst record in British senior football last season.

The second photo is conclusive photographic proof that Firs Park is haunted.

Brockville, Falkirk

Yet another retail development to change the face of Scottish football.

Almondvale, Livingston

Current home of Ferranti Thistle.

Tynecastle Park, Edinburgh

Getting a bit peckish - could really do with some jam tarts.

City Park, Edinburgh

Former home of Ferranti Thistle, before they reinvented themselves as Meadowbank Thistle and moved to Meadowbank Stadium, and then reinvented themselves as Livingston and moved to Almondvale. They'll always be Ferranti Thistle to me though.

Easter Road, Edinburgh

At the entrance to the stand where we sat for the first leg of the Bayern Munich tie in 1995.

Meadowbank Stadium, Edinburgh

The previous home of Livingston back when they were called Meadowbank Thistle.

Amazingly, this is the most photogenic part of the stadium!!!

Shielfield, Berwick

Berwick Rangers were visited at 23:27.

They then headed back into Scotland with more familiar territory scheduled next.

Ground Control

They are "somewhere in the borders!" approaching Berwick. They were joined at Hawick by James Proctor, who'll guide them home in style, they had some chips and a kick-about!!!

Ground Control is signing off for the night. I'll be up early with the details of the last legs of the trip.

The guys have been, as Ally Graham once said, "Unbelievable!"

Raydale Park, Gretna

Millionaires Row was scored off at 21:00.

They report entering Englandshire without sufficient warning. They recovered and moved on...

The update was slower than they are!

Palmerston, Dumfries

Went from the 'To be done' list to the 'Done' list at 20:15. The Queen wasn't at home.

Sweepstake Update - 761 miles and counting...

Stair Park, Stranraer

Visited at 18:36 and now they set off across the country. For those unfamiliar with this ground, it's in the middle of a public park so if the game is rubbish you can play on the swings.

There is to be a mystery rendevous in Hawick - to find out more tune in later... :-)

Somerset Park, Ayr

The visit to everyone's favourite away ground has taken place. :-P

Access to the infamous away Gents toilets was not possible...

Rugby Park, Kilmarnock

The posse was there at 16:25.

The pace has slackened but the determination is un-dented.

Ibrox Park, Glasgow

Been there done that. Didn't we win something there???

Apologies for the second photo... I blame it all on sleep deprivation.

Love Street, Paisley

Visited at 3:02 - Spirits are high as they leave Paisley... ;-)

Cappielow, Morton

On the road again. Have now 'done' Greenock Morton.

Technical difficulties delayed getting the photos from this point onwards uploaded to the site, but here they are now...