So as it's the first ground I've been to since beginning the blog I start with info about Seel Park, home of Mossley AFC (I'm keeping match reports as separate blog entries so that will follow after this).
It's difficult doing a ground review of somewhere I've been to many times by now in that anything like first impressions have long since been replaced with familiarity.
Seel Park is tucked around the back of a row of houses and the Highland Laddie pub (hate it - avoid) and the first view you get as you get on the path/small road to the turnstiles is the picture above. The main selling point of the ground is already visible - the various grassy hills in the distance. To illustrate this, once you get through the turnstiles and carry on to pitchside, your view will be similar to the following:
The ground is in "top mossley" and is pretty much top of a hill with a big drop round the back of the stand you can see on the other side of the pitch in the picture. Building a ground basically on a hill like this and maintaining it through the years (Mossley were formed 1903) is an impressive achievement.
In truth, if you were to ignore all the surrounding views and just concentrate on the ground itself, this would be a typical lower non league ground - paint is peeling everywhere, stone tiles wobble underfoot, the covered stands make odd sounds when the winds get up which never inspires confidence if you're stood in them... and it depends on your preferences whether this makes the ground a mess or whether in your eyes this is the essence of non league.
The one disadvantage to the nice view of the hills you get, is that the fence at the back of the stand on the opposite side of the pitch in these pics is very small, and presumably hasn't been extended so the view of the nice grassy hills isn't blocked out... as a result the ball flies out of the ground in that direction at least 10 times per match, which regularly puts paid to any hopes of flowing football.
In terms of food and merch: Programmes - the club does a good quality full colour programme at £2 - many clubs have cheaper but you pay for quality and detail here. Prices of food about the norm - pie and chips at £2 is the best bargain in my eyes and very good pies too. There is a very small shed to the right of the stand you're in when you first enter the ground that merch was available from at half time for a lot of home games last season - I've not noticed it open yet this season.
Entry fee - unfortunately Mossley have upped the price to £8 despite the rest of their division remaining £7.
Getting there - if you're local there's bus stops just round the corner with buses linking to Ashton, Stalybridge, Hyde, Oldham, Saddleworth etc. If you're coming from afar then the ground is very close to mossley train station which links with Manchester Victoria and Huddersfield stations. Be warned - although online maps will tell you it's a ten min walk from station to the ground, they fail to tell you that THE ENTIRE WALK is steep uphill - don't arrive late and do it in a rush, and allow 15-20 mins if you're not a fast walker! The upshot is it's brilliant to go back down after the match and you'll be back to the station in a flash!
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