Far Out Man!
Worcester City’ s St. George’ s Lane
In June 1971 I bought a Zenit E camera with a Helios lens; excellent value at £ 35. Season 1971 / 72 was the real beginning of my obsession with Cross Keys, visiting football grounds and Hednesford Town capturing them on celluloid( now diagnosed as Groundhopping). Scanning the Friday edition of the Leicester Mercury for fixtures, the world of the Midlands became my oyster. Setting off in my trusty Triumph Herald 148 LBM, I snapped as many grounds as possible en route, as I ticked off matches in the Southern, East Midlands, West Midlands Regional, and Midland Leagues. I stumbled across such delights as Hednesford at the Cross Keys ground in March 1972, and later the same month, the long departed Browns Lane, where Loughborough United performed. Summer holidays were camping trips with Bedford Town fan Brian Cook where we ticked off all the local castles and football grounds, plus a few hostelries.
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Left: Loughborough United’ s Browns Lane