As part of Everything Orient's series 'AwayDays', @QuaneRoman reviews his adventures at Football grounds up and down the country and takes a look at everything from the best ground, the best food and most importantly, the best pubs. Next Up, AFC Fylde.
Mill Farm Sports Village
Capacity- 6,000 (2,000 seats)
Occupant: AFC Fylde
Town/City: Wesham, Preston
1) The Journey - 4/10
AwayDays are back after a few weeks, I wasn't at Eastleigh in midweek and even though I was at Maidstone in the cup we've already covered them in this series, as a result there was no article.
So a relatively early start ahead, we were on the 9:33 from Euston to Glasgow Central, getting into Preston 2 and a half hours later on the fast service bypassing every station until Warrington & Wigan NW. I didn't enjoy the journey up, I didn't really feel to good, maybe due to a lack of sleep or the fact that Virgin has the stuffiest trains in the country!
Arriving in Preston around 12 o clock we had a stopover in the Lancashire City for around an hour and a half before getting on the dreaded Northern Rail to Kirkham & Wesham on the Blackpool North branch line that took just under 10 minutes. Despite a 10 minute delay later coming back I feel we had a slice of luck with Northern Rail as it was expected to have severe delays this weekend.
2) The Area 6/10
Arriving in Fylde about 1:30, we walked around nearby the station, we came across the FOX biscuit factory outside the pub we went in similar to Halifax when we spotted the Quality Street factory from the Platform.
After the game, when it was dark, we walked down the Weeton Road from the ground back towards the town centre, walking past a couple of nice green fields and church yards with local businesses off the road. Overall, I thought Wesham was a nice Lancashire village, it had a nice feel to it. Preston where we stopped off was a nice place, changed a lot and has really developed over the years in terms of its city centre
3) The Pubs 8/10
During our stopover in Preston we ended up in the Wetherspoons down the road from the station, it looked like it was formerly a bank due to its unique and bank-like architecture inside and out. When in Wesham we went to the Stanley Arms, just off the railway station and the smoky industrial estates amongst the back to back housing. A nice little pub, friendly people, we came back after the game as well as we were waiting for the train back.
4) The Ground 9/10
I was pleasantly surprised with Mill Farm Sports Village, we arrived coming round the back off the away end to where the KFC car park was in front of the modern main stand with a massive light up club badge on top of it. After spending a couple of minutes lining up to buy at the away ticket office, we missed the first bit of the remembrance silence, the noise of the electronic ticket scanner distributing the silence.
I really liked the ground, the away end was a covered terrace and when I moved up the back in the second half the wind and rain didn't blow into us. The Main Stand was an all seater stand with navy blue and white seats situated bellow the corporate offices in the middle of the stand building (similar to how the directors box is situated at Orient). Definitely one of the best grounds I've been too this season, the ground has been AFC Fylde's home since it was built at the start of last season, one of the newest and most modern in the National League.
5) Food & Drink 6/10
We had to go to the seated area to go to the concourse where the kiosk's were, I bought a portion of chips and I must've spent about five minutes applying the ketchup so it had one of those hot dog zig-zags so sauce was on each chip. Walked back to where I stood then we scored the second goal and they went all over the place, flying everywhere. Then I ran down to behind the goal to jump on the back of someone in a full West Ham kit for a stag-do as Orient fans went absolutely mental.
6) The View 8/10
A very good view from the away end, a good view of all stands and the Fylde faithful adjacent to us at the side terrace with plenty of flags at the side, including a Scottish Fylde one- Fair play. The terrace behind the goal looked pretty empty, if Fylde continue to get good crowds and get in to the Football League, there could be room for another big stand (maybe safe standing or like the one at Maidstone which I'm fond of).
Also it was great to see the Orient flags at the back of the stand yesterday, from the Red and White ''One Love Orient'' flag to the many O's St George's crosses. Gutted I forgot my flag, was going to bring my Clapton Orient/East London flag for it's first away day, only realising I had forgot it one stop into my local journey in that morning. Another reason I was gutted as of the remembrance at the start.
7) The Programme 9/10
A very good programme, very unique in terms of some of the features as in there was a column from its physio reporting on injuries, a good interview with Star Striker Danny Rowe and a On This Day feature looking back at some momentous moments in the Clubs 30 year history as Fylde and Kirkham & Wesham. A good four page section on Orient and the picture quality was good, definitely value for money, best Programme of the season so far.
8) The Atmosphere 8/10
A good noise from the travelling O's faithful, very vocal in the second half, fans clearly jubilant with the performance and the result. Home fans were quiet, the odd chant breaking out now and again but for a club that averages 2-3,000 on big games I was expecting slightly better.
9) Away Support 7/10
Not as good as last years following to the windy Fylde coast but 400 O's fans in Lancashire is a great effort, all of which glad they made the journey picking up a vital win over playoff rivals.
10) The Performance 8/10
A great game of football, a great performance by Justin Edinburgh's men, what a result that was! Orient making a statement at the top beating Fylde, also in the relegation zone, Wrexham will be a tight, tense and a game not to miss...
TOTAL - 7.3/10
AWAYDAYS STANDINGS
1. AFC Fylde 7.3/10
2. Maidstone United 7.3/10
3. Salford City 6.9/10
4. FC Halifax Town 6.1/10
5. Braintree Town 6.1/10
6. Maidenhead United 5.7/10
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