Welcome to the latest instalment of the Gloucester Groundhopper blog.
For this instalment of the blog, we went to Brimscombe & Thrupp FC, a non-league club located in the heart of Gloucestershire. The Lilywhites play at The Meadow, and while it may not be as well-known as other non-league stadiums, it certainly has a sense of aesthetic pleasure to it. Brimscombe and Thrupp have a lot to offer the football pyramid, given that the stadium is situated on a hill. Brimscombe and Thrupp have already met this season, with The Lilywhites defeating Tuffley Rovers 6-2 at Glevum Park in January.
The Meadow is approximately a ten-minute drive from Stroud, which is located in the heart of Gloucestershire. Stroud is also known for its industrial history. There are plenty of shops in Stroud's centre, including The Merrywalks, as well as the Thames and Severn Canal and an Isambard Kingdom Brunel-designed railway station. We went to the stadium after enjoying the delights of Stroud in the spring sunshine.
It’s All In The Name
It is widely believed that Brimscombe & Thrupp are nicknamed the Lilywhites due to the colour of their kit.
Some Notable People From Stroud:
William Moseley- The Chronicles Of Narnia Actor
Laurie Lee- Author
Sir Martin Evans- Nobel Prize Winner
Stuart Nelson- Footballer
Jack Russell- Cricketer
A History Lesson With AFC Finners
Brimscombe Football Club was founded in 1886 and was a founding member of the Mid-Gloucestershire League in 1894 before switching to the Stroud And District League in 1902, where they were the inaugural winners. In 1922, they established the Gloucestershire Northern Senior League and were the inaugural winners of that competition. After a string of last-place finishes in the Gloucestershire County League, they merged with Thrupp to form Brimscombe & Thrupp.
A series of promotions took them all the way to the Gloucestershire County League, where they won the title and secured promotion to the Hellenic League in 2011. A string of cup victories followed, and the club is still one of Gloucestershire's most decorated sides, playing in the Hellenic Premier League Division.
Honours
🏆Hellenic Division One West (Champions: 2012–13) 🏆Floodlit Cup (Winners: 2013–14) 🏆Supplementary Cup (Winners: 2013–14) 🏆Gloucestershire County League (Champions: 2010–11) 🏆Gloucestershire Northern Senior League (Champions: 1922–23, 1930–31, 1947–48, 1984-1985) 🏆Gloucestershire Northern Senior League Division Two (Champions: 2004–05) 🏆Stroud & District League (Champions: 1902–03, 1906–07, 1907–08, 1912–13) 🏆Stroud Charity Cup (Winners: 2013–14) 🏆Gloucestershire Challenge Trophy (Winners: 2017–18)
Matchday: Brimscombe & Thrupp 4-0 Cheltenham Saracens
The ground itself is difficult to find if you are not using a SatNav, but you don't get the title of 'hidden gem' unless you are hidden away. The stadium is located on a long road called London Road, and there are two large flags at the entrance. Car parking is free at the ground, and there are two fields available to meet your parking needs.
The first thing you'll notice when you arrive at the ground is the turnstile itself, where you'll be greeted by a friendly man who will grant you access to the ground for a measly £6 if you're an adult, £4 if you're a student/OAP, and free if you're a child.
If you go to the main club bar at the back of the stadium, they have a small selection of merchandise for sale. This includes a pin badge, which I was able to obtain for £3. In the club bar, you can get a variety of drinks at reasonable prices, including a bottle of water for a pound. That is exceptional value for a football ground. You can also buy food if you want to. If you were hungry today, they had Chicken Curry and Fish Fingers (not together) on the menu. If you enjoy seeing trophies and memorabilia from the Lilywhites' history, this is the place to be. The stadium has one stand that seats around 200 people, and the rest of the area is a full-fledged non-league matchday experience.
After our customary circuit of the pitch, we determined that Brimscombe & Thrupp's unique selling point is that you can watch the game from a hill, providing great views and a wonderful experience for those involved. It was absolutely lovely. If that doesn't appeal to you, you can stand anywhere on the ground or sit in the aforementioned stand.
There was no atmosphere. There was almost no noise and, to be honest, the game was almost silent throughout. The only thing that kept the atmosphere alive was one man who cheered on Cheltenham Saracens throughout the game. You could argue that the game's level was probably reflected in the game, but it has to be said that it was very quiet, and that's how I see it.
Teamsheets:
Brimscombe & Thrupp
Manager: Sam Prior Dan Brabham Ben Deakin Dean Turner Ben Baxter Kyle Pitts (c)⚽ Eli Simpson Dave Woodfield Oliver Barnes⚽ Karl Nash Harlie Price⚽ James Campbell ⚽
Substitutes Lee Bowles Olli Pitt Gavin Jones Oli Roberts
Cheltenham Saracens
Managers: Stuart Mitchinson and Ryan Betteridge
Joe Wright Austin Parker Aaron Mason Luke Finch Olly Whelan John Evans (c) Dave Waters Oluwasemilore Ibidape Josh Swales Alfie Richmond Harry Duncan
Substitutes Harvey Brookes Lewis Hitchman Riley Stokes
In the spring sunshine, the game began fairly evenly. Cheltenham Saracens had an early goal ruled out for failing to beat the offside trap. Around the midpoint of the first half, the game became very scrappy, with neither side able to gain a foothold. Brimscombe & Thrupp took the lead after half an hour. The Saracens defence was caught off guard by a long ball over the top, and Harlie Price was played in. Price took the ball down and lobbed the goalkeeper with finesse. Brimscombe then dominated the game. Long balls over the defence were bringing them a lot of luck, and it seemed inevitable that they would score again, with good chances falling to Harlie Price and James Campbell. Karl Nash's strength and power were causing all sorts of problems for the Saracens defence. As it stood, the score was 1-0 at the break. The second half began exactly where the first half ended, with Brimscombe & Thrupp dominating. It didn't take long for the Lilywhites to double their lead. A good right-wing free kick landed on the head of captain Kyle Pitts, who headed past the goalkeeper. It wasn't long before it was three. A series of chances in the box led to James Campbell beating his man and firing low past the Saracens goalkeeper. Following that, the game devolved into a bit of a stalemate, with neither side controlling the ball for long stretches of time. Brimscombe eventually finished with four. Harlie Price was fouled after a ball over the top. Ollie Barnes took a step forward and curled a lovely free kick into the net. Brimscombe & Thrupp won the game 4-0 in the end. The Lilywhites are expected to finish mid-table in the Hellenic Premier Division this season, but if they play with the same skill and style as they did today next season, there's no reason why they can't challenge for honours. Cheltenham Saracens clearly have a plan in place where they want to develop young players alongside some experienced players. If they keep doing this, there's a good chance they'll come across the next diamond in the rough in the future.
Scores On The Doors Atmosphere: 3/10 Food and Drink: 4/10 Stadium: 6/10 Welcome: 9/10 Overall Experience: 7.5/10
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