The RM Stadium
Aerial Way
Hucknall
Nottingham
NG156DW
07572 473037
Ground Number: 1209
Saturday 29th July 2023
Hucknall Town 1-1 Wisbech Town
United Counties League Premier North
Saturday 29th July 2023
Hucknall Town 1-1 Wisbech Town
United Counties League Premier North
HUCKNALL TOWN FC - A BRIEF HISTORY
The club were founded in 1943 as HUCKNALL COLLIERY WELFARE. They started out in local Nottinghamshire leagues, and in 1987 changed their name to HUCKNALL TOWN. For the first 2 seasons, the rebranded club remained in the Notts Alliance, finishing as champions on both occasions. For the following season, 1989/90, they joined the Central Midlands League, in it's wonderfully named Supreme Division. The success continued, with a further 2 championships in their first two seasons at the new level, then after finishing as runners-up in 1991/92, they joined the NCEL for the following season. They were an instant hit here, finishing as runners-up to Lincoln United in their first season, and winning promotion to the Premier Division in the process. They struggled for the first few seasons but improved to finish 6th in the 1996/97 season. The following couple of seasons saw a rapid rise up the leagues. The NCEL Premier championship was followed up by a runners-up spot in the NPL Division 1 as they lost out to Droylsden on goal difference. The turn of the century saw them compete for the first time in the NPL Premier, and after 4 seasons of consolidation, they won the league in 2003/04, gaining promotion to the newly formed Conference North. That season remains their highest-ever finish, as their new home was actually at the same level on the non-league pyramid.
Under normal circumstances, they'd have gone up into the Conference Premier, but their ground was deemed insufficient for the top-tier of non-league football. Despite finishing 10th in their first season, the next few seasons saw a gradual decline and after being reprieved from relegation in 2007/08 they went down the following season, after a bottom-placed finish. Back in the NPL Premier for the 2009/10 season they spent two seasons here, then another two in the NPL D1 South following another couple of relegations. Their last season of 2012/13 saw another basement finish, with 4 wins all season and 171 league goals conceded. Financial issues had been dogging them for a while and for that reason, they took the decision to drop 3 leagues into the step 7 Central Midlands League South. In 2019, they were champions and were promoted to the East Midlands Counties League where they spent two abandoned seasons. In 2021, the EMCL was disbanded and Hucknall Town joined the United Counties Division 1, finishing 5th & 4th since. In January. they moved into their new RM Stadium, built near their old home after they sold it to Supermarket chain Lidl. They celebrated their first season in their new home by gaining promotion through the playoffs, beating Bourne Town & Birstall United, both on penalties.
Hucknall was once a mining town, and until more recently was the home of Rolls-Royce for engine testing purposes. Former residents include former Nottingham Forest defender and one-time Wycombe loanee Steve Blatherwick. The town is twinned with Kramolna, a small village in the Czech Republic. It has a population of just over 32,000. It was a colliery town from 1861 to 1986. The sinking of the mines caused Hucknall to grow into a market town in under a century. The Hucknall Colliery Company formed in 1861, sank two shafts, Hucknall No. 1 colliery (Top Pit) in 1861 off Watnall Road (closed 1943), and Hucknall No. 2 colliery (Bottom Pit) in 1866 off Portland Road (closed 1986).
MY VISIT
I had enjoyed my visit to Hucknall Town's old ground, so when they moved into their new home in January, I was keen to visit as soon as possible. Back in January, I planned a trip on March 11th, thinking that the weather would surely be good enough. However, this has proved to be a year of freak weather and despite me securing a tenner return to Nottingham on Flixbus, the game was called off due to heavy snow. Luckily not too much money was wasted and I went to Yately United instead. There was a great range of pubs in Hucknall and for that reason, I was hoping for another opportunity on public transport. However, when it came up as game three on the Saturday of the UCL Hop, it was too good a chance to turn down. I'd be only doing the latter two games on this day, finding alternatives for the first two to give me one new ground and a revisit to Mickleover which was a new ground for Chris who was coming with me.
From our game at Eastwood and Kimberley, it was an easy 15-minute drive to Hucknall. We beat the hoppers from Gedling who had narrowly avoided a double 0-0 thanks to a late Blackstones winner. We paid £8 to get in and I bought a pen for £1 from the club shop. The only choice of food was a slow-serving burger van but I'd only had snacks since breakfast. It cost £5 for a double burger and was actually nice, albeit with a limited range of sauces. The Groundtastic stall was next where they were selling their latest book 'Before The Cemetery End' on pre-order. I picked one up for £25 and also a book about 90s Football for £1. The bar had a dull selection of cider and my phone battery was waning so I opened my laptop in the stand, catching up on my blog and sorting pictures before kickoff.
It was an end-to-end game for Hucknall's first UCL Premier North game. Wisbech edged it and they took the lead through a well-taken penalty on 20 minutes. Both sides had chances and Wisbech had the ball in the net a second time only for it to be ruled offside. My phone battery being unexpectedly rubbish didn't help and I wish I'd bought my power bank. The hosts equalised on 75 minutes, a shot on the turn by Nathan Kelly. Wisbech had been the better side and they had been a credit to themselves after travelling a fair way for an altered kickoff time, putting pay to a Saturday night out for the people at the club. Both sides has chances near the end but could not find a late winner. The attendance was an impressive 688, the best of the hop, I believe.
There had been repeated messages about people moving their cars out of the car park opposite, as the nursery was locking up for the weekend. Luckily, I avoided another situation like Finchley Rugby Club as I'd parked on the street outside. Everywhere was really busy by the time we left and it took a while to get away. The parking situation was equally tight at Eastwood and we parked a few streets away. A quick stop at Tesco for a soft drink and onto the ground for my third visit to Coronation Park. I fancied some food, but the queues were ridiculous and moved at a snail's pace. It was a shame as there was some decent-looking chilli and chips coming out. One person had to wait 55 minutes to get served and there must have been fewer than 15 people in the queue. The official hop organisers' advice had been not to use a small hatch to serve food, but they did not heed this recommendation. No doubt they were happy as they'd been busy all night but they'd not made the most of their opportunity. The same could be said on the pitch as they went down 2-0 to a very professional Melton Town performance. I was suffering from a bit of football fatigue now, unable to break it up with a few pints due to driving duties. I sat in the stand talking to Chris, Laurence and Robyn and the game passed me by. Due to injury, the game didn't end until gone 10 and by the time we'd stopped at Tesco, it was 10.15 by the time we left. I dropped Chris off at 11.45 and got home myself an hour later. I had a few cans ahead of bed before what was guaranteed to be the usual unpleasant Sunday.
THE GROUND
THE RM STADIUM is not as good as their old ground, though it still is pretty decent for a new built. The stand is quite big and holds around 200. In addition, there are two spacious areas of flat standing, holding around 300 between them. The rest of the ground is open flat standing. The club shop offers a good range of cheap items whilst the bar and tea bar are more basic. Cider is Inch's and Old Mout with bottles also. There is a small car park at the ground, or street parking is plentiful.
