Match Information
-
Liss Athletic 3-0 Sway
-
When: Saturday 4th May 2024
-
Kick-off: 3pm
-
Where: Newman Collard Park, Hill Brow Road, Liss, Hampshire GU33 7LE
-
Competition: Hampshire Premier Football League – Senior Division
-
Attendance: 63
Liss Athletic had been persistently hovering on my personal groundhopping radar. Based in an East Hampshire village of 6,300 inhabitants, I have driven past there many times (signposted off Ham Barn roundabout on the A3) en route to matches in the Portsmouth region
Originally established back in 1962, Liss previously played at a higher level gracing Wessex League status between 2004 and 2008. In more recent seasons, they staged plenty of midweek games at their Newman Collard Park home before the floodlights were condemned for safety reasons.
Furthermore, current news confirming Liss are regular programme issuers in 2023/24 made up my mind - a visit was long overdue!
So I set off for my 200 mile round trip on the highly congested M25 and down the A3. My wife and five year old daughter joined me for a day out amidst decent mild Saturday weather.
Ground Description
A really pleasant public park located on southern outskirts of the village. Entry is beyond an ornate arch into the car park.
A path leads through thick bushes up to the main Liss Athletic clubhouse containing bar and dressing room facilities. This versatile building operates as a children’s nursey during weekdays. It is perched on a sharp grass bank which affords good views for football spectators behind one goal.
Solid foundations of those now demolished floodlights are still visible next to the touchlines. Mature woodlands adorning two sides of the mainly railed-off pitch give a nice enclosed feel to matchday activities.
Moreover, there are tennis courts, a pond and a well-equipped playground where my daughter joyously spent the entire afternoon supervised by her mum. We all enjoyed picturesque glimpses of the South Downs from Newman Collard Park too.
Programme Details
An excellent 20 page colour production on sale for the bargain price of £1 at a table inside the clubhouse.
Contents included Liss Athletic’s club history and honours, welcome notes by first team manager Mark Glazier, Sway FC history and honours, notification of an upcoming fund raiser against Pompey Legends, action photos, details of club sponsors, fixtures & results, league tables, the Non-League Paper column, youth team info, reserve team manager Chris Allcock’s thoughts and the relevant line-ups.
I was intrigued to read that 81 year old renowned television personality Fred Dinenage MBE – who used to present ITV hit show ‘HOW’ when I was a kid – is club president.
Liss Athletic publish an online version of their programme on Twitter X after each game attracting a wider audience reach under the enticing headline of “Bedtime Reading”.
The Match
Fourth hosted 12th in the HPFL Senior Division table standings with Sway travelling 60 miles over from the New Forest. Liss Athletic raced into a 3-0 lead thanks to strikes via Harry Stanbridge (2 minutes), Daniel Clark (24 mins) and Elliot Harrison (42 mins).
As a youngster, I used to naively think a team holding such a handsome half-time advantage would go on to at least double their goal tally in the second half.
But courtesy of decades studying football betting and online betting, I duly learned this is not always the case. Quite often the dominant side inevitably take their foot off the pedal or respective opponents tighten things up at the back. Accordingly 3-0 was the final score at Liss.
The People
I relished chatting to enthusiastic club press officer Simon Jasinski. He expertly coordinates Liss Athletic’s social media, programme editorial and photography.
Simon told me a fascinating story concerning ex-England international winger Dave Thomas being his school PE teacher in the Chichester area.
He also exuded great pride speaking about the thriving junior set-up at Liss whereby up to 10 youth graduates appear in the first team most weeks having played for the club since they were at primary school.
Incidentally, I had come across Simon in the past whilst he was commercial manager at Bosham FC and media man for the Hampshire Premier Football League.
In addition, it was interesting to spot vastly experienced former West Ham United, Southend United, Notts County, Portsmouth and Charlton Athletic senior executive Peter Storrie fulfilling his very active hands-on role at Liss Athletic where he is chairman and club secretary.
*Credit for the photos in this article belongs to Tony Incenzo*
