Scunthorpe United FC - Glanford Park

- Ground Number 36 -

- 26/12/2011 -

- Scunthorpe United FC 1-3 Bury FC -

Ask any Bury fan - This match was the one which they looked for as soon as the fixture list came out, along with the obvious rivalries of Rochdale and Oldham. Not only had Bury lost their manager Alan Knill to Scunthorpe in March, but they also now had a couple of ex Bury favourites in their ranks in Damian Mozika and Nicky Ajose.

Alan Knill had taken Bury from near relegation to the brink of promotion when he suddenly left to join Championship strugglers Scunthorpe United. As it was, Richie Barker guided Bury to promotion. Alan Knill guided Scunthorpe to relegation.

I was unsure as to the kind of reception awaited for Knill. I expected it to be a mixed bag of fans who hated him for leaving, and fans who loved him for saving the club... However, I was wrong.

We set off from an overcast Atherton at 11:00 on the dot, and picked Danny's Grandad up along the way. The car was quite full for this exciting adventure to North Lincolnshire as Will had joined us.

Now, something quite miraculous happened during this journey. As we travelled towards Leeds the sun came out. It always seems to be grey and miserable in Lancashire whenever I go on away trips!

Arriving in Scunthorpe at around 13:00 we parked outside a couple of offices next to the KFC on the retail park. Costing only £2 it was fantastic! Also, you could drive straight back on to the main road - ensuring a speedy departure after the match.

Glanford Park is situated on a retail park. The retail park has your everyday necessities such as B&Q, Tesco Extra, Frankie & Bennies, McDonalds and KFC. We couldn't decide where to go for lunch... But then I had a brainwave. Last time we had a KFC on a Bury away trip they were promoted. Sorted. KFC it was.

Whilst in KFC we encountered a cleaner who fancied himself as the owner of 'Scunthorpe Ink'* and a couple of men who sat in the corner of the outlet looking like they wanted to mug us. How daft must they have been? We were dressed as Primark Tigers! We'd have ripped them to pieces!

*For those of you who don't know what I am on about, Miami Ink is a famous tattoo parlour in Miami which also has its own TV programme. There is also a Wigan Ink - However this is a pie shop NOT a tattoo parlour.

With around an hour to go until kick-off we took the short walk to the ground.

As I was about to have my usual photo outside, we were verbally attacked by some idiot. Here is a photo of the scene to help you picture the argument;

We shall call the culprit Mr. Iron.

Mr. Iron - "What the f### are you three dressed up as?" 

Gary - "It's called having a sense of humour!"

Mr. Iron - "You should all have a look at your f###### lives!"

As you can, see Mr. Iron has a way of words. He then proceeded to give us a Geography lesson:

Mr. Iron - "You're all United fans anyway you Manc b#######!"

Gary - "We're not from Manchester, we're from Lancashire!"
Mr. Iron - "You're all Mancs!"
Gary - "I tell you what then? Are you from Hull?"

This continued until we realised we had confused Mr. Iron, at which point we walked off singing ♫ Manchester La-La-La! ♫

I then attempted to have my photo outside another entrance. This time there were two men outside who refused to move, resulting in them ending up on the photo. I wasn't happy! Wow, we'd only walked around two stands and nothing was going right so far...

Next up was the club shop. I purchased my 'multi-award winning programme' for £3, and a 50-50 ticket for the price of... have a guess? 50p! I then joined Danny, Gary and Will in the club shop. It is only a small space, so I walked through the doors and shouted "Hello my fellow Mancunians!" - The Bury fans who had witnessed the wrath of Mr. Iron were fairly amused.

Now, the next stage of the walk around Glanford Park was amazing. There it was. Right in front of me! THE SIR IAN BOTHAM EXECUTIVE LOUNGE! Fantastic.

We finally reached the away turnstiles, and as is always the case when I am with Gary - the stewards kicked off.

"You are not allowed to use that camera to take photos of the players in motion."

Now, I have had this pathetic and quite ridiculous rule dictated to me in many ways. However, the 'players in motion' bit did make me laugh. How pedantic do stewards want to be? From this small encounter with one of my fluorescent friends I concluded that the stewards at Scunthorpe are idiotic... and I wasn't wrong.

Scunthorpe United had obviously under-estimated how many Bury fans would be making the trip. They had taped off the two outer sections of the stand, ensuring that we were all unable to move seats. Now you may be wondering why I wanted to move seats... WELL! Have a look at this...

Now I don't know about you, but I can't see the goal which is conveniently hidden behind that post.

More and more Shakers turned up, and suddenly my Senior Fluorescent Friend was faced with a dilemma. Does he go against all of his beliefs and open the taped up area of the stand? Or does he simply ignore the issue of overcrowding and continue to walk around aimlessly?

Knill banners. Here is Lewis with his banner...

Lewis is the one dressed as Sonic The Hedgehog.

The banner read 'YOU CAN'T BUY US KNILL' - This was obviously referring to the fact Knill would have bought ALL of the Bury squad when he arrived in Scunthorpe. Guess who asked them to take the banner down? Guess who confiscated their air-horn? The Senior Fluorescent Steward, now with his Floors2Go companion.

The Bury fans had now pretty much filled the AMS Stand which holds just over 1,600. Well, it holds 1,600 when sections aren't taped off.

To my right was the Grove Wharf Stand.

To the left, the Scunthorpe Telegraph Stand which is the main stand at Glanford Park. It houses executive boxes, players facilities and it is the designated 'family stand'.

Directly in front was the Rainham Steel Stand. It is more commonly known as the 'Doncaster Road End' among supporters. This stand is the only terraced stand at Glanford Park. The Football League have informed Scunthorpe that if they gain promotion into The Championship again, then they will have to make this stand all seated. It was a shame that the supporters who occupy this stand refused to sing as it has the makings of a brilliant singing section.

Even if the Scunthorpe fans had found their voices, they'd have had nothing on the 935 travelling Shakers who sang throughout.

The match started and Scunthorpe found themselves in front after just 5 minutes. Efe Sodje fouled Bobby Grant on the right hand touchline and The Iron scored from the resulting free kick. Shane Duffy's cross was left by everybody and the ball crept past a statuesque Cameron Belford in the Bury goal.

Scunthorpe nearly doubled their lead a few minutes later when Bury failed to deal with a corner. Michael O'Connor headed towards goal and Cameron Belford somehow kept it out before it was then cleared.

More unanswered Scunthorpe pressure resulted in a tussle between Belford and Irons striker Jordan Robertson. After Belford had saved Robertson's shot, the striker followed through on the Bury keeper resulting in a heated exchange between the two players.

Andy Barcham was proving to be a thorn in the Bury defence, and he himself nearly scored. He carried the ball inside before firing towards goal. A combination of Phil Pickens head and the crossbar kept the score at 1-0.

Scunthorpe had yet another chance and they were unlucky not to add to their lead when Barchams shot was scrambled off the line by Bury defender Ashley Eastham.

Half time. Scunthorpe United 1-0 Bury. It was now time for the first of Gibbo's FANTASTIC predictions.

"Bury will win 3-1. I'm telling you!"

Danny and Will were having none of it. So off we went to have a walk around the away end. The concourse was very poor, and we abandoned attempts to get on to it as it was overcrowded.

For the second half we had moved to the top right hand corner. This meant that we had around 200 seats to ourselves and we were allowed to stand up, like every away fan should be able to!

The second half kicked off, and it was a carbon copy of the first. However, this time it was Bury who scored after 5 minutes. Steven Schumacher passed the ball to the edge of the area and Peter Sweeney was there to drill it into the bottom corner first time. It was a "move straight from the training ground" and it sent the Bury faithful crazy. Fans were running EVERYWHERE! and our fluorescent friends were outnumbered and defenceless.

Bury then took the lead on 69 minutes when Andy Bishop finished a Michael Jones cross. Now, our tiger suits had also given us the art of seeing in to the future. As Jones was running down the wing, our tiger instincts informed us that Bury would score. We ran down the steps and began to run towards the net... GOAL! Danny slipped, and I carried on towards where the players were celebrating. I don't even know where Will ended up.

Whilst travelling back to my seat, I was pushed by a female fluorescent who looked a bit like Heather off Eastenders.

"Get back! Get back to your seat!

Slightly bemused at Heathers actions. I pushed her back and told her I was going back to my seat. Quite why she grabbed me I will never know. Perhaps it's because I am a small, helpless teenage boy. I doubt she'd have grabbed a drunken 28 year old man.

10 minutes passed, and Bury won a corner. Queue another FANTASTIC prediction.

"Bury will score here! They will! Lets go down there so we're ready to celebrate!"

Guess what happened?

Sweeney clipped the ball into the box where it was met by Liverpool loanee David Amoo. Amoo's shot slammed off the crossbar, and veteran defender Efe Sodje was there to head the ball home.

We ran across the bottom of the stand to celebrate with the players. We have even made it on a few of the official Bury matchday photos.

The match was drawing to an end, and Bury fans broke out in a chorus of ♫ Stand up! And fold your arms! ♫ - This song was directed at Alan Knill and his iconic stance.

I can't find a photo of him with his arms folded. So here is Knill with his hands on his head.

I really enjoyed my day out in Scunthorpe.


I know this is may be an unpopular opinion, but I actually like Glanford Park. It's easy on the eye, and I love it when a stadiums stands are the same height all the way around. The spectators are very close to the field of play, and this adds to the matchday experience.

I would also like to congratulate my fluorescent friends who made my experience a safe one.

The day after the match Bury FC published a statement in which they slammed supporters for their treatment of Alan Knill.

Since publishing this post 'the_ref' has helped me find a photo of Alan Knill with his arms folded:

Welcome to Scunthorpe United FC

Scunthorpe United v Bury

Welcome to Glanford Park

Will and Danny

Refreshments outside the ground

The Rainham Steel Stand

The exterior of The Scunthorpe Telegraph Stand

Me outside Glanford Park

Glanford Park Ticket Office

Sir Ian Botham Executive Lounge

Exterior of the AMS Stand

Me inside Glanford Park

Will, Danny and I

Scunthorpe Telegraph Stand

Rainham Steel Stand

AMS Stand

Grove Wharf Stand

Minutes applause for a Scunthorpe fan who had passed away

Scunthorpes goal

Fluorescent Friends

Bobby Grant

View in the second half

Peter Sweeneys goal

Here are some snaps from Burys Official Facebook Page -

See if you can spot the Primark Tigers!

Hillsborough Stadium - Sheffield Wednesday FC

- Ground Number 11 -

- 10/08/2010 -

- Sheffield Wednesday FC 1-0 Bury FC -

The reasoning behind visiting Hillsborough was the fact that Bury had drawn them away in The Carling Cup, and I was offered a lift by the Pilling Family. The Pilling family are very good to me and have helped me tick off quite a few of 'the 92'. It was my first Bury away trip and I didn't know what to expect but I was really looking forward to it.

After a day out in Wigan meeting Chris Kirkland and Gary Caldwell (There was nothing else to do), I came home and quickly got ready. We set off to Sheffield, and the traffic was horrendous! Fortunately we arrived at Hillsborough in plenty of time, parking on a petrol forecourt right near the away end.

We then had our usual pre-match stroll around the stadium, and nipped in the club shop. Danny buys a pin badge from every stadium he visits, just as I have my photo taken.

Now, Gary and Danny always visit a chippy before matches, and this was another new experience for me. Unfortunately I didn't buy anything in the chippy, as being a Lancastrian I find it hard to order 'foreign food' in my 'foreign language'.

The Bury fans had been handed tickets in The Leppings Lane End. This is the stand in which the infamous 'Hillsborough Disaster' happened. The exterior of the stand looked outdated and in serious need of refurbishment. Going through the turnstiles it was evident just how the Hillsborough Disaster occurred. Obviously the stadium underwent a major redevelopment after the tragic event, but the concourses and space available within that stand seemed somewhat inadequate.

Within the stand was a tunnel which led to the lower seating area. With a strong breeze it was like walking down a wind tunnel. At the bottom of this tunnel stood a group of friendly stewards, I think I speak on behalf of everybody when I say I do love our fluorescent coloured friends.

There were probably a couple of hundred people in the stadium when we entered, if that. I was having my usual photo, when suddenly a steward informed me that I wasn't allowed to take any pictures within Hillsborough whatsoever as there is "a huge legal battle like lad". Ignoring his demands, I continued to have my picture taken and took a few photos of the stands... he didn't look impressed!

After deciding I was pushing my luck with the stewards, I was blown back down the tunnel to purchase a pie. This is when I learnt that a potato in Yorkshire is called a 'Tatty' or something along those lines, which confused me momentarily. The lack of pie flavours resulted in me buying a Meat and Potato, and I can safely say it is the worst pie I have ever had the misfortune to taste. It was basically water within a crust!

The view of the pitch from the Lower Leppings Lane End wasn't brilliant, but at least it wasn't restricted!

To my right was the most distinctive of all four stands - The South Stand. It has a capacity of 11,354 and bears the most distinctive feature of Hillsborough, the clock. The clock has been with the club since they played at their old Olive Grove stadium in the late 1800's.

Directly opposite stood The Spion Kop. The Kop is built into a hill which gives it an eye-catching appearance from the outside. The more vocal Wednesday fans usually sit in The Kop.

I leave the best stand (in my opinion) until last. The North Stand doesn't hold as many supporters as The South, but it looks far more impressive. Nothing too fancy, just a brilliant, traditional, British stand.

As kick off approached, the stadium filled up a little... but not much.

Bury started off very strongly, and looked the better team throughout the first half. Andy Bishop had a goal disallowed and then hit the crossbar. However, I was far more interested in a strange looking Sheffield Wednesday fan. For those of you that have seen Peter Kay playing the Absorbaloff in Doctor Who, you will find a resemblance. He paraded around The South Stand encouraging people to sing songs such as ♫ You're just a shit team from Oldham ♫ If you're a regular at Hillsborough you will know EXACTLY who  this man is!

The second half arrived and the game was flat, and the crowd weren't that much more exciting either. In fact, all I have to say about the second half is that Giles Coke scored a good goal for Sheffield on 60 minutes to secure them a place in the 2nd round.

The game drew to an end and it was time to go home. Danny and I left the stewards all of our rubbish to clean up - We then however realised it would be the cleaners that would clean this up... Schoolboy Error!

I hope to visit Hillsborough again as it is a traditional British football stadium, home of a team that deserve to be in a higher division. Hopefully when I go back the stewards won't be the same ones, and my favourite manager Gary Megson won't be there.



Chris Kirkland, Zack, Me, Gary Caldwell - Yes I support Bolton, yes I own a Wigan shirt.




On the bridge at Hillsborough




Next home game - Sheffield Wednesday v Bury




Leppings Lane End




Outside the North Stand




Bridge over The River Don




Me inside Hillsborough




The Clock




Bury players warming up




The North Stand




The strange supporter, but I'm sure if I supported Wednesday I'd love him!




The South Stand



Gigg Lane - Bury FC

- Ground Number 5

- 24/10/2009

- Bury FC 2-1 Rotherham United FC

 It had been a few months since I last visited a new stadium. So with Bolton and Wigan both playing away from home, we decided that we were going to watch Preston v Middlesbrough. Unfortunately there had been an accident on the motorway between Bolton and Preston, and there were queues of 20 miles. So we took the decision to make the very short journey up to Bury.

We arrived at Gigg Lane early. So we decided to stay in the car and listen to the delightful souls on BBC GMR - Or BBC Manchester as it is now called. The voices of Jack Dearden, Ian Cheeseman and Fred Eyre always seem to remind me of depressing days at The Reebok.

After a while we went to the ticket office and bought our tickets. We again went for the cheap option and sat in 'The Main Stand'. The tickets cost around £10 each with the Family Ticket offer Bury run.

Now, there seems to be a recurring theme when I buy football programmes from vendors in the North-West. They always seem to be eating a burger or a hot dog. This character was obviously a burger fan. I bought my programme for £3 and was highly disappointed! The programmes that season were made to celebrate the clubs 125 years of existance, and they looked truly horrific.

We were one of the first into the ground, and it was unreserved seating... so we were spoilt for choice really, I had never had this luxury before! The Main Stand offered a relatively good view of the playing area, with just a few pillars which could be a nuisance, but nothing too catastrophic.

Opposite was The South Stand, now named The Les Hart Stand. This as I have later found out is the coldest stand in the ground and offers another relatively good view of the pitch.

The away fans were situated to the right, in The West Stand. The West Stand has a concrete trench between the seating and the pitch, meaning away supporters who are on the front row are often left looking up at the field of play.

To our right was the Cemetery End. Constrcuted in 1999 it is the most modern stand at Gigg Lane, and is where the more vocal of the Bury fans congregate.

Before the game kicked off, I had chance to Gigg Lanes' award-winning toilet facilities. Complete with a breeze block exterior and breeze block interior. You could relieve yourself on a wall, and see it trickle out of a pipe which led outside. I couldn't wash my hands, as there were no taps.

Not to worry! I could still buy an overpriced pie on the way back to my seat! £3.50 they cost at Gigg Lane. (I found out at a later game that the pies are the best in the football league - to date... in my opinion).


The game kicked off, and the sun came out (The original lyrics to The Wanted - Glad You Came) Bury and Rotherham were both doing well in League 2, and it was obvious why. Both teams had attacking flare, with Adam Le Fondre up front for Rotherham and Ryan Lowe for Bury. Kevin Ellison broke the deadlock for Rotherham on 45 minutes with an inswinging cross that crept into the far corner.

In the second half, Bury came out fighting. Ryan Lowe equalised for The Shakers with a 12-yard strike straight from the kick off. Bury were later awarded a penalty, but Andy Warrington saved Stephen Dawsons' spot kick. Bury then took all 3 points when Richie Baker came on as a substitute and scored past Warrington.

I thoroughly enjoyed my day to Gigg Lane, and I have been visiting it regularly since.

Me outside Gigg Lane

View from The Main Stand

Action in front of the away supporters

The Les Hart Stand

The Les Hart Stand

The Main Stand