Matchday 60 was our shortest trip while on holiday, and with Nan Jen and Grandad Steve staying overnight at a nearby hotel, they were able to join us. Our special guest, Cousin John, made it a group of six attending a game together for the first time.
We decided to explore Fleetwood before the game and visited the Thomas Drummond, a Wetherspoons pub about an 18-minute drive away. Jen and Steve enjoy visiting different Wetherspoons locations, and the pub’s ample parking made it a convenient 15-minute walk to the stadium.
Inside the pub, it was evident that Hearts would bring a strong following, as many of their fans were already there. Despite the crowd, we found a table and placed our orders using the app. Drinks arrived quickly, but the food took longer. Mine, Amanda’s, and Liam’s meals came first, followed by Jen’s. Steve, having had a triple breakfast at the hotel, opted for a liquid lunch. When Jen received garden peas instead of mushy peas, a misunderstanding led to a less-than-pleasant interaction with the staff. The waitress and the duty manager displayed poor customer service, ultimately refunding our money and prompting us to leave.
The 15-minute walk to the ground helped us shake off the negative experience. We met Cousin John outside the stadium and, after some confusion with the turnstiles, found our seats. Liam began his VLOG while I took photos. We then located the toilets, which were inconveniently on the opposite side of the stadium, and Amanda purchased hotdogs and drinks.
Fifteen minutes before the game, we encountered our second issue: our seats were double-booked with season ticket holders. After moving multiple times, a supervisor steward confirmed this was a known issue and relocated us, albeit with the risk of having to move again. Fortunately, we didn’t need to move and watched Fleetwood defeat Hearts 3-0, with two goals in the first half and one in the second. Despite Hearts’ chances, Fleetwood’s goalkeeper made impressive saves.
After the game, John treated us to ice creams on Fleetwood Beachfront, providing a perfect ending to an eventful day.
Facts about Fleetwood Town FC:
- Foundation: Fleetwood Town Football Club was originally founded in 1908.
- Reformation: The club has been reformed several times, most recently in 1997.
- Rise to the Football League: Fleetwood Town was promoted to the Football League in 2012 after winning the Conference Premier.
- Stadium: Their home ground, Highbury Stadium, has a capacity of around 5,327.
- Nickname: The club is known as “The Cod Army,” a nod to Fleetwood’s fishing industry heritage.
Next up is Matchday 61, featuring Hull City vs. AFC Fiorentina, over a two-hour drive away and our last football match of our holiday in Lancashire.
Bradford City Vs Harrogate Town
Matchday 93 brought us one step closer to completing our incredible journey of visiting all 92 Football League grounds. With just one more to go, the excitement was building, but this trip to Bradford City had its fair share of unexpected moments. Given the early kick-off, we set out
Barnsley Vs Burton Albion
Matchday 92 marked the conclusion of our journey through League One, meaning we have now completed three out of the four leagues, with only two League Two grounds remaining. With a 12:30 kick-off and a pre-arranged meeting with a representative from Barnsley FC at 10:00, it meant an extremely early
Leyton Orient Vs Reading
Matchday 91 was our penultimate game in League One and one that required an early start to the day, which meant we were to board the only direct train from Stourbridge Junction to London Marylebone, departing at 08:19. This service is operated by Chiltern Railways, and past experience suggested