This is situated by the A 907 across the road from West End Park.

Here is a close-up of the inscription:-

This is the reverse view:-

The central plaque lists the names of the dead, 5 killed in action, 3 of wounds, 3 of disease:-

Shielfield is the home of Berwick Rangers FC.

There are two qualifications to this post. The category* I’ve placed it in is actually not quite accurate. Though Berwick Rangers play in the Scottish Leagues the ground is of course situated south of the border so is not technically a Scottish football ground. Shielfield is also south of the River Tweed so I suppose it’s really in Tweedmouth rather than Berwick.

There is a grassed lane leading from the road to the ground. The away terrace can be viewed from it.

A little to the left of the above is the main entrance.

Entering through the turnstiles you can see the main stand.

The nearest goal to the entrance. Wide spaces between it and the spectator area.

The away terrace with covered enclosure.

With the low slung stand and slope the ground has similarities to Recreation Park, Alloa – though the terracing and cover there was removed a couple of years ago and replaced with temporary seating. This is the goal at the lower end of the slope at Shielfield.

The nearer goal and stand.

Looking back up the slope.

*Edited 22/9/14 to be in new category of English Football Grounds.

Home of Alloa Athletic FC. Situated on Clackmannan Road (the A 907.)

Home Support Entrance with main stand in grey:-

Boundary wall on Clackmannan Road:-

Away support entrance:-

View from away support entrance, down slope to Railway end, Ochil Hills in background:-

In all my visits to Recreation Park up till a couple of years ago there was no railway behind the ground: it had been Beechinged. However, my elder brother told me of some Dumbarton player in the long ago putting a penalty onto the railway. The modern line from Stirling to Alloa (and beyond for goods trains) opened three or four years ago.

The next photo is shifted right slightly to show the away support area. Note temporary stand halfway down. There used to be a large mound of terracing on this side, with a covered area well back from the pitch. It was taken away a few years ago and replaced with this flatter viewing area. Again a nice view of the Ochil Hills in the background.

Terracing, Clackmannan Road end:-

Main stand from away entrance. The artificial turf is obvious here:-

The stand replaced one damaged by fire quite a few years ago now. This is it from the Railway end.

The Railway end terracing still has the mound of earth type of terrace with some railway sleepers for stability:-

SPFL Tier 2, Central Park, 31/8/13.

Three points lost.

I didn’t see it coming at half time but we had this game won and were cruising midway through the second. Then it all fell apart.

The first half was formless, not helped by a blustery wind which got worse as the game went on.

Despite not threatening at all Cowdenbeath won two corners in the first quarter. In the conditions our passing game cried out for the shout, “Too much football, Dumbarton!” It’s obviously the way Ian Murray wants us to play though.

Their goal came after Andy Graham was pushed for pace as he chased a forward out right, failing to prevent the pass to the wing. When the ball came in a Cowden player was in space for the shot.

We eventually won three corners right at the end of the half but took no advantage.

Our two goals were belters, fine strikes from Chris Turner, one with each foot. The first the keeper seemed to have covered but it went through his hands. The second was even better; hit the net like a rocket.

Then came the fall. Last man Aaron Barry tried to be too clever and was robbed of the ball. The attacker was straight in on Jamie Ewings who had no chance with the shot.

We began to push for the win then and alarming gaps appeared at the back. This wasn’t helped by the substitution of Scott Agnew by Brian Prunty denuding the midfield.

I thought we’d dodged that bullet when Jamie Ewings saved a penalty late on but the lesson wasn’t learned, we were equally open in the next Cowden attack when they got the winner.

Three points lost but we hadn’t been creative enough. Apart from an early Scott Agnew free kick, which may have been creeping past, their keeper really only had the two goals to (fail to) save. And those were from long range strikes.

Had we actually won this we’d have been equal second on points.

As it is we’re only three points off bottom.

The game at Alloa on Sep 13^th now becomes a mustn’t lose.

Edited to add: This was my first look at both Colin Nish and Hugh Murray. The fact they’re not mentioned in the above post might tell you something.

SPFL Tier 2, The Rock, 25/8/13

Well.

We don’t normally do league wins in August.

Having said that, it was only two seasons ago we humped East Fife 6-0 at their place on the 27^th (making up for the reverse score the year before.)

But this’ll do nicely.

The two new signings last week, Colin Nish and Hugh Murray, ought to add experience and know-how.

So far the only teams we’ve dropped points against are first and second!

Let’s keep it up at Cowdenbeath and Alloa now, two potentially tricky away games.

This is a very dignified memorial set in a lovely wee garden area. It’s actually just round the corner and over the road from the stunning Art Deco building of the former Gas Showroom which I posted about last week.

View from main road (garden entrance.)

The names are on the wall to the rear. World War 1 on main area, World War 2 on the side pillars. The plaque to the left (above the wreath) is for a recent death in Afghanistan.

Views from right and left of the main statue are below. These ones with figures of soldiers are always evocative. The main statue seems to be of a woman. A Saint, I suppose.

From the car park:-

It’s obviously undergoing refurbishment just now so I couldn’t get near the rear.

The left edge here is most interesting. I wish I could have got the doors in the photo but I was leaning over a cemetery wall.

I was in Alloa last week and found this beauty of an Art Deco building. It’s an absolute belter.

Wonderful rounded deco end pillars and canopy frontage here and the glazing hasn’t been destroyed. The building’s rendering is in need of attention though. This is what at first looked to be the rear of the building.

The left corner in the above photo.

This is the side of the building, to the left in the above photo. Note the blue/green brickwork on the uppermost windows and the typical 30s glazing. Nice balcony too. Pity about the satellite dish!

This is what I had come on first, though. The gable end has a nice curve and the projecting bay is good too.

Note the jazzy glazing here on the upper part of the lower floor windows. I couldn’t get far back enough to get the whole building in. My camera was also starting to become dodgy. I couldn’t get a focus on the cartouche at the roofline and the exposure isn’t right. This part is occupied by Skills Development, Scotland.

This is to the left of the previous photo. Buick’s is a hardware shop.

Full circle. The Buick’s Hardware extension bit detracts somewhat.

I was in Alloa last week and spotted this law firm.

I didn’t know Alloa was quite so wild!

I took these a month or so ago.

This is the former Gaumont (later Odeon, Classic and De Luxe) Cinema, Mill Street, Alloa.
According to the Scottish cinemas website it was the last Gaumont to be built pre-war, and the only purpose built Gaumont in Scotland.

Below is a photo of the upper level of a building on Primrose Street, now sadly unoccupied.

At the junction of Shillinghill and Mill Street you can see this:-

Perhaps not really deco but the bits that resemble chimneys have the look.

As part of my quest to photograph old Woolworths premises here is the Alloa variety. It’s right next to the former cinema and has been taken over by Poundland. Not deco, it looks of 1960s or 70s vintage to me.

A couple more pictures of these buildings are on my flickr site.