Fleetlands - Powder Monkey Park

Fleetlands FC

Powder Monkey Park

Lederle Lane

Gosport

Hampshire 

PO13 0AX

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Ground Number: 1263
Tuesday 3rd February 2024

Fleetlands 0-0 Whitchurch United 
Wessex D1

FLEETLANDS FC - A BRIEF HISTORY

The club was established in 1947, joining the Hampshire League Division 3 East the following year and generally remained a steady mid-table outfit. In 1955 the league was re-structured with the East and West Divisions being merged into one, and in 1960 they won promotion to Division 2. After a couple of tough seasons, in 1963 they finished bottom of Division 2 and dropped out of county football. The club then played in the Portsmouth League and after some successful seasons, they re-joined the Hampshire League Division Two in 1988. In 1990, they were runners-up behind Whitchurch United in 1990, earning promotion to Division 1. They lasted here until 2004 when they finished bottom of the table. They joined the newly-formed Wessex League Division 3 after this and stayed here for three years, winning what by then had been renamed Division 2 in 2007. The division was disbanded after this and Fleetlands went on to join the newly formed Hampshire Premier League. In 2017 the club finished as runners-up to Bush Hill but was not promoted due to lack of facilities. In 2022 a 3rd place finish was good enough for elevation to the Wessex League Division 1. Last season, an 8th-place finish was a solid start.

Fleetlands got their first win in the FA Vase at the second attempt this season as they won 1-0 at Petersfield Town before losing 2-0 at Moneyfields. The club is based in Gosport which is located on the south coast of Hampshire. It has a population of just under 82,000. Until the last quarter of the 20th century, Gosport was a major naval town associated with the defence and supply infrastructure of Her Majesty's Naval Base (HMNB) Portsmouth. The most well-known football team in the town are Gosport Borough who play in the Southern League.  RMLI Gosport F.C. were a former team to represent the town winning the 1910 FA Amateur Cup. The broadcaster Mike Parry has a home in the town. Other famous people from Gosport include Kevin Allen who made 'On The March With Bobby's Army' – a 2-hour solo undercover film covering English football supporters at the Italia 90 World Cup. His brother is Keith Allen who wrote the 1998 hit 'Vindaloo' and whose daughter Lily Allen is a well-known singer. News reporter Alistair Stewart and Manfred Mann singer Mike Hugg also come from the town.

MY VISIT

I knew on this evening, that it would be one of two options, both of which I'd started a blog for. I preferred Uttoxeter Town, one of two, along with Whitchurch Alport, that I needed to complete the Midland Premier. However, Anwar was undecided as he was hoping for a better offer. If it was just Colin and I, it would have to be Fleetlands which was no bad thing. After a pleasant Saturday, it was the usual torrid Sunday. My following weekend's plans took a blow after Ynysgerwn moved their game to Friday night. As a result, there was no double available unless we fancied a tight turnaround and a revisit for me at Port Talbot Town. I was willing to do it, but Dan pulled out of driving to go elsewhere, so Baglan Dragons have missed out on a carload of fans coming to see them. It was a typical thing to happen on a Sunday but I'll probably go to Wycombe Wanderers v Peterborough United now although I'm open to offers. There was also disappointment with my France & Belgium trip with doubles and trebles harder to come by than first hoped.

Monday completed the hat trick of disappointment as Anwar revealed he wasn't fussed about going to Uttoxeter. It was also a very busy day at work, ten hours before I went home. Fleetlands it would have to be then, which was no bad thing. However, the last two in the Midland Premier were proving tricky to do with the train fares in that part of the country being expensive and poor value for money. Back to Fleetlands, I'd originally intended to visit on 12th December. However, once more, the weather intervened. I had a reasonable night's sleep for once and woke later than usual. I bathed, got dressed and had breakfast before walking down Wycombe at 10. It was productive with me picking up a few things from Lidl, booking my car in for the annual MOT & service and getting ten miles walking under my belt. I was back at 2, having some of the Polish meat pancakes I'd bought.

I then had two and a bit hours to relax at home. I watched Classic Corrie and Saint & Greavsie before leaving at 4.25. I was with Colin by 4.40 and we were soon on our way. It was an OK journey, with the usual slowdown on the M25 then a bit more nearer our eventual destination on the M27. We got to our pre-match food place of Curry Garden in Gosport at 6.45. After going to the cash machine I ordered Goan Chicken and rice for the excellent price of £8.95. It was cash only but was very popular - a good sign. The wait was half an hour then Google Maps got confused so it was 7.25 by the time we got to the ground. We paid to get in and then ate our dinner on the picnic benches. It was decent, though not the best. The wind was blowing us about and this continued throughout the game. It was maybe a blessing in disguise that Anwar didn't fancy Uttoxeter as it was called off at 5 and several others called off late. We certainly aren't out of the woods with the bad weather yet, but at least it's getting milder. 

Fleetlands were in 5th place whilst Whitchurch United were in 13th. League-wise, the hosts had won their last four and were unbeaten in eight. Their latest win came when they beat Frimley Green 4-1 on Saturday. The visitors were also in good form, unbeaten in five. They had won 3-1 at Cove on Saturday. The teams came out fairly early and the early exchanges saw Fleetlands dominate without really threatening. Whitchurch came closest, forcing a couple of good saves out of the keeper. Fleetlands then came close, hitting the post. The windy conditions were making things tricky though. Whitchurch had to weather a storm in more ways than one and a couple of shots were cleared off the line. Whitchurch also had one cleared off the line but it became apparent that I'd be getting my first 0-0 in a while.

It was by no means a bad game. I have seen plenty worse this season. It was just the poor conditions, wayward finishing and stout defending that saw no goals. There were 50 there in total and after nipping to the toilet, we left around 9.50. Greatest Hits Radio provided the soundtrack as ever, as did torrential rain on the flooded roads> I could certainly see why games had been called off as the weather showed little consideration for anyone, I dropped Colin off at 11.20 and was home myself 15 minutes later. It was an early start for work but I wasn't really tired. Football-wise, I was hoping for something on Friday but the nearest games were in Wales as per usual and with the weather returning to its default position of hammering it down, I might be out of luck.

THE GROUND

POWDER MONKEY PARK is sponsored by a local brewery from Gosport. The bar stocks their beers as well as a range of other drinks and snacks. Pin badges are available. Car parking is plentiful and the club are nice and friendly. There are three areas of cover, two small standing areas and a seated stand holding 50. Refreshingly, they are all brick-built rather than the pre-fab metal type. Food-wise, there is a KFC right outside or a parade of shops including Indian, Chinese, chippy, kebab and Mexican around a mile away where the nearest ATM is. The club accept card throughout though.