Tadcaster Albion v Ossett United

Club name: Tadcaster Albion Football Club

Regular FA level: Level Eight (Non-League Step 4)
Regular league: BetVictor Northern Premier League - North/West Division

Telephone: 01904 606000
Twitter: @TadcasterAlbion
Club Website: www.tadalbion.com 
League club webpage: NPL - Tadcaster Albion FC 



GETTING THERE

Venue: Global Stadium
Address: Ings Lane, Tadcaster, North Yorkshire LS24 9AY

SatNav:  LS24 9AY
Directions (as from club website)

Official capacity (as per NPL website):
159 seated
2000 standing

Parking - location/distance - price = approx capacity (other options may be available):
Stadium carpark - adjacent, north gate - free = c80 spaces 
on-street, Centre Lane/service roads - next to brewery, 2 min - free = 100+ spaces
town centre carparks - 5 min - free all day = 100s+ spaces

 

Public transport - mode = access point, distance - example routes:
Bus = Tadcaster Bus Station, 5 mins walk - eg #840,#843,#845 (Tadcaster-York Station)

MATCHDAY & FACILITIES

Entry: adults £8, OAP/students £5, youth (12-17) £2, child (6-11) £1

Programme price: £2

Programme rating [?/10]: 7/10

General catering - name, location - example options/prices:

clubhouse kitchen - extensive menu incl £2.50 chip butty, £4.50 Yorkshire pudding wrap etc 

Supporters Club volunteer kiosk - pitchside - no food except soup @ £1, hot drinks @£1 

"Hot Chocolate Index" [?/10] @ price: 7/10 @ £1

Licensed bar(s) - name, location - comments:
on-site clubhouse - full bar selection
Supporters Club 'can bar' - pitchside kiosk - £2 beer

Toilets - location(s) - [accessible = Y/N?] - comments (eg rating ?/10):
M&F pitchside [accessible = yes]

STANDS & TERRACES
Covered/open seating/standing = (aspect) name - approx capacity, tiering - comments

Covered seating = (N) Loxley Homes Stand - 240 seated, 4 tiers; incl 4 wheelchair bays - flip-up plastic, blue/white

Covered seating = (S) Ken Gilbertson Stand - 60 seated, 4 tiers; incl 3 wheelchair bays - plastic flip-up, red/blue

Covered/interior viewing = (W) clubhouse - large window area

Covered/exterior viewing = (W) adjacent to clubhouse - c80 standing, 5 tiers - concrete steps

Open viewing = (W) exterior to clubhouse - c100+ standing, 3 tiers - concrete steps

(all sides) concrete/paved hardstanding; lean-on barriers all round

Floodlights: 6 (3 per flank)

PA system: yes 
PA content: music + welcomes + teams
PA audibility - areas: clear, good in most areas; weaker on far sides

MATCH DETAILS

Date: Saturday 19 October 2019
Competition: BetVictor Northern Premier League (NPL) North/West Division
Official crowd: 311

Final score [h/t] (kit colours):

Tadcaster Albion  1 [0]
(yellow shirts w. blue trim, blue shorts) 

Ossett United  1 [0]  

(sky blue shirts, luminous green shorts, dark blue socks)

Match Report(s):
League results page

THE QUEST STATS:

Quest Venue ID = #69 
Today is venue #3 at Step 4
Today's round trip: 164 miles [264 km]

Total distance so far on this Step (Step 4): 652 miles [1049 km]
Total distance travelled on The Quest to date: 3954 miles [6363 km]

NORVENMUNKI's COMMENTS

Today's weather: dry (after overnight rain), cloudy, mild

NorvenMunki's Diary...
It's an all-Yorkshire tie, North v West, with the Brewers hosting Ossett. For my Quest today, I had originally intended to visit top-of-the-table Workington, but their game has been postponed and so I have come to second-placed Tadcaster instead.

It's a nice cosy place here, close to the town centre, tucked behind the mighty famous brewery.

I park up on the street. The brewery buildings are quiet on this Saturday afternoon, and there are cars parked everywhere. There's a proper carpark adjacent to the north end of the ground, with space for eighty-odd cars too.
There's a second, north-end turnstile gate leading from this carpark, but today it is not used and everyone funnels through the main gate.


Being an incorrigible pedant, I notice that the price for a child aged 6 is £1 and that under-5s are free: so how much for a 5-year-old? :-)

The music on the PA is clear in most places, as I take a wander around for photos. The aroma of the brewery is, inevitably, an attack on your senses. Personally, I love it (and it'd be a serious reason for coming back!) but I know my wife would hate it.

There's a crowd building up at the entrance area. This is where the refreshments kiosk is staffed by volunteers from the Supporters' Club. You can get soup and hot drinks here, along with cans of beer for those who don't want to walk to the clubhouse bar.
If you want food, head to the clubhouse kitchen hatch. The menu is quite extensive and great value, including a range of Yorkshire pudding wraps and hot beef or pork sarnies. The friendly staff give it a real family welcome.

The main stand is the Loxley Homes Stand at the north end. It's only ever partially full, as most people prefer to stay around the west side; perhaps it's busier on a rainy day?

As the teams come out, the strains of 'Glad All Over' ring out and echo through the tall trees alongside the neighbouring river bank.
The pitch itself seems to have a few bobbles and lumps here and there; I always like that, it adds character!

On the pitch, the first half is a stalemate and goalless at the break. The second half sees goals: Ossett score from a clever looping reverse shot that spins over the home keeper into the corner, then Tadcaster soon equalise thanks to some tricky right-sided play and a byline cross into the crowded box that's bundled in through a forest of legs. One-one after an hour.

The locals find their voices and the travelling fans, hitherto the most vocal, are now subdued. A battle ensues with both sets banging the corrugated fencing in a cacophony reminiscent of a crowd of hundreds. The boisterous local young boys are wonderful, their voices haven't broken yet but their squeals are really loud! Great atmos!

The sun breaks out to the west. The tall line of trees casts a long grey shadow across the leaf-dressed turf.


At the final whistle, it's honours even: 1-1. A Yorkshire delight. Lovely people, great craic, excellent facilities. It's a bit of a drive home, but I may just have a Yorkshire beer tonight.

NORVENMUNKI's GALLERY