Groundhopping/there are no 'rules'

[Guest Jedi]

As I approach 100 grounds attended (most of them in Scotland), more by accident than design (of trying to reach 100), have always been interested in the different criteria folk apply for a 'ground' to count.

If for instance you attend an amateur match in a registered League, but don't have to 'pay' to get in, does that count as a 'ground'?

Does the pitch have to enclosed by barriers of some kind, whether rope or metal?

Of course grounds lower down don't always have stands/sheds. Is this a 'requirement'?

Do you need to see the full 90 minutes (or as close as)..what if you get held up and see around 70?

Other folk would say...your journey, your rules, count what you like' but just interested to see folks views on what counts as a ground 'visit'

[Guest]

Some people take groundhopping very seriously.

Some are really quite anal about it needing to be a competive match and it being a home team's game (So a Scotland game at Parkhead wouldn't count etc). 

I personally are a bit wary about claiming a ground for a development game say. Do think that as long as you are there it should count as a tick though. Keeking through the gate doesn't count though. 

Can do whatever feels right to you. For example on Futbology I have listed friendlies but I haven't listed when I went to watch my brother play youth football at Queenzieburn say.

[Guest Jedi]

Interesting point about Development matches and it needing to be a 'first team' fixture.

I reckon that the Lowland Developmenf League played on Friday nights has been a good way for me to visit some different grounds (and still go to watch Killie on the Saturday). I'm okay with it being Development League as you still have to 'pay' to get in 

Watching Killie indeed has always been and will always be, 1st choice (despite the 120 mile round trip for each home game)..So the Groundhopping just comes in as an as and when.Would be nice to hit 100 different grounds across Scotland though..not too bothered about 'numbers' after that.

Edited January 6, 2023 by Jedi

[highlandcowden]

As you said in the OP,"your journey,your rules".the end

[Sergeant Wilson]

2 hours ago, highlandcowden said:

As you said in the OP,"your journey,your rules".the end

Your rules are rubbish, it's my rules or nothing.

[DoingThe42]

Everybody is different, but I think it should be kept in mind that going to the fitba/groundhopping is meant to be enjoyable, so I don't have much time for complicated rules.

This season I'm going to all 42 SPFL clubs in one season, and for that I'm only counting competitive first-team games, obviously.

But in general for a ground to count as visited, I'm quite happy to count Reserve or Youth games or friendlies or neutral matches. If you've seen a game at a ground, then you've seen a game at that ground. Why over-complicate it? It's all fitba.

For me, there's no strict definition of what counts or doesn't count. You can usually just know. For example, there's an amateur team that plays in a league in my local park. That clearly doesn't count, but another team in their league with a wee stand and an enclosed pitch would count for me. I think you just know.

And if you need to (or want to) leave a few minutes early, then whose business but yours is that? I'd probably be uncomfortable counting one if I hadn't stayed past the hour or so, but it's really up to you. Don't let any of these mad Groundhopping Know-all types get in your head. Just enjoy it.

Edited January 6, 2023 by DoingThe42

[tongue_tied_danny]

On 05/01/2023 at 20:07, Guest Jedi said:

As I approach 100 grounds attended (most of them in Scotland), more by accident than design (of trying to reach 100), have always been interested in the different criteria folk apply for a 'ground' to count.

If for instance you attend an amateur match in a registered League, but don't have to 'pay' to get in, does that count as a 'ground'?

Does the pitch have to enclosed by barriers of some kind, whether rope or metal?

Of course grounds lower down don't always have stands/sheds. Is this a 'requirement'?

Do you need to see the full 90 minutes (or as close as)..what if you get held up and see around 70?

Other folk would say...your journey, your rules, count what you like' but just interested to see folks views on what counts as a ground 'visit'

If you've been to the ground then say that you've been to the ground. If you've not been then don't say that you've been.

Stop fucking worrying about it.

[Craig fae the Vale]

A game's a game, no matter where it is or who's playing for me.

[tamthebam]

The case of teams sharing a ground is an odd one. At present I regard myself as not having completed the East of Scotland League because I haven't seen an Edinburgh College home game even though I've seen Heriot Watt play on the same pitch. Similarly I've seen Stenny at Ochilview but not Syngenta.

Another rule is that having been involved in the usually less than flush Edinburgh City in the East of Scotland League for years I like to give a club some money and usually will buy a half time raffle and a programme. 

I try to be respectful to the club volunteers as well. Some anally fixated ground hopping wankers we got at City over the years were tight as a gnat's chuff to be honest. They always wanted to have a team sheet for f**k all and were upset when you said "We don't do team sheets. It's the custom in this League that folk listen to the tannoy and write down the teams. Would you like to buy a programme? I see..." 

I've done around 250 grounds which is counting "official" grounds rather than, say, Saughton No 3 pitch (where I have seen a game...)

Also I can never complete the Scottish League while two clubs play in it that I do not wish to give a single penny to. And they're not the OF... 

[Guest]

1 hour ago, tamthebam said:

Also I can never complete the Scottish League while two clubs play in it that I do not wish to give a single penny to. And they're not the OF... 

Clyde and...?

Edited January 7, 2023 by Autistisches Nilpferd

[Dunfermline Don]

Visiting a ground is visiting a ground there shouldn’t be any rules. 

When I was a lad and was on holiday in London my dad spent a day taking me round a lot of the main football grounds in the city.
We went to Chelsea, Fulham, QPR, Arsenal, Spurs and West Ham. 
At all of the grounds we managed to get inside to see the stadiums and get a photo taken. As we were walking away from Upton Park a car pulled up and Trevor Brooking got out, he was more than happy to have a photo taken.

Nowadays you would probably have to pay a silly amount to have an official stadium tour.

 I later got to see actual games in all of these grounds when I lived in London a few years later. 

[DoingThe42]

1 hour ago, Autistisches Nilpferd said:

Clyde and...?

I'm a Hearts supporter, but I've always had the BW as my second team for family reasons. I'm going to see them against Kelty tomorrow.

They're very dear to me, but the more time I spend at Clyde games and among certain parts of the Clyde support, the more I understand why they get up other fans' noses.

That said, I wouldn't swap the Clyde support for the likes of the Accies' sweetie rustlers. One thing you have to hand it to them for is that Clyde fans make an atmosphere and sing etc. In the lower leagues this isn't always a given. And, to be honest, I love how vitriolic they get. Fitba's meant to be like that.

Three points tomorrow? Probably not.

 

[ScottR96]

10 hours ago, DoingThe42 said:

This season I'm going to all 42 SPFL clubs in one season, and for that I'm only counting competitive first-team games, obviously.

How many of the 42 had you done before this season and are you counting them towards your total or just starting from scratch? Also, for the likes of NDP and Ochilview - will you be going to 2 games at these grounds to account for ground sharing arrangements? Not digging you up btw, just curious .

[tamthebam]

11 hours ago, Autistisches Nilpferd said:

Clyde and...?

I've been happy to give money to the mighty Clyde FC and may pop down to see them at NDP. Especially as they're rotten at the moment 

 

[DoingThe42]

2 hours ago, ScottR96 said:

How many of the 42 had you done before this season and are you counting them towards your total or just starting from scratch? Also, for the likes of NDP and Ochilview - will you be going to 2 games at these grounds to account for ground sharing arrangements? Not digging you up btw, just curious .

Of the 42, only Stenny, Bonnyrigg, Kelty, Elgin, Alloa, Montrose, Cove, and Edinburgh were new places for me at the start of the season.

And, yes, it's 42 clubs, so NDP and Ochilview require two visits.

[southernrover]

My 'rule' is a pitch away from public view and see at least a minute, mainly because I'm not spending my days watching Saturday morning stuff down the park, and so if the game is called off after 20 mins etc it still counts. I count grounds rather than teams so for me, seeing Hibs Ladies play at Easter Road 'ticks' it off, similarly at the minute there are 40 grounds in the SPFL.

Everyone's mileage varies, some will think my watching of a Women's team is satanic and what have you, but at the end of the day it's my hobby, my rules. I'll buy a programme if there is one, usually a few quid at the burger van and what have you  chat to anyone who gets talking to me and what have you. At the end of the day I'm there to enjoy a day out somewhere new, experience a new town, new pubs, a new ground / club and what have you. 99% of the time that is actually the main thing. The organised hops are my idea of hell all truth be told.

I am certain I read on Twitter a few years ago of a hopper who went to Ross County, but upon realising once there they didn't do a (paper) program, left without entering. If I ever got to that point I'd give up.

[HibeeJibee]

Each to their own tbh - ultimately it's not for outsiders like me to criticise, or for groundhoppers to criticise each other.

Essentially it amounts to a form of collecting, so these collectors have to define the boundaries inside which they 'collect'. Aiming to do "the 42" or pyramid, or deciding enclosed grounds or £ admission 'count', is each setting their limit and target.

(In that respect revisiting a ground which is shared, or not 'counting' an abandonment that is replayed, seems odd but has some logic).


I do struggle with idea that no programme or 0-0 does not 'count'... or having to see every kickoff or every minute... etc. Getting stuck in traffic or the toilet queue, or nobody scoring, seems incidental.

Edited January 7, 2023 by HibeeJibee

[Sergeant Wilson]

3 hours ago, DoingThe42 said:

Of the 42, only Stenny, Bonnyrigg, Kelty, Elgin, Alloa, Montrose, Cove, and Edinburgh were new places for me at the start of the season.

And, yes, it's 42 clubs, so NDP and Ochilview require two visits.

Youre disqualified then. The game is Groundhopping, not clubhopping, start your own thread.

Edited January 7, 2023 by Sergeant Wilson

[atfccfc]

For me It just has to be a first team game. I like a Programme or a Team sheet if no programme is available as well (Inverness CT will be annoying when I get around to it, as apparently they don't produce either!)

I wasn't particularly bothered about it being a game involving the club who's ground it actually is. But I did decide to go to a Queen's Park game at Hampden as I felt it felt only right. I've been to Hampden over 50 times but only one Spiders home game. 

Apart from that I'm not particularly fussy.

[The Mantis]

21 hours ago, atfccfc said:

For me It just has to be a first team game. I like a Programme or a Team sheet if no programme is available as well (Inverness CT will be annoying when I get around to it, as apparently they don't produce either!)

 

Serves you right, you should have gone years ago! And anyway the experience is shite nowadays.