Football in Redland: Bristol Rovers and The Downs Football League

color:black">England's World Cup efforts

may have been somewhat shortlived but football fans need worry not for the new

season is almost upon us.

Not only is Redland very well placed for going to matches at the Bristol Rovers ground

in Horfield, with the first game of the new season, an away game, taking place

on August 7 at 3pm against Peterborough United and the next away game at Oxford

United on August 10 (7.45pm kick off). The first home game will be against

Yeovil Town at 3pm on August 14.

The Bristol club revealed this week that it was re-introducing the

Football League Newspaper. The

48-page full-colour newspaper, which aims to provide the Football League with

more coverage than the national press give the Premier League, is packed with

comprehensive match reports, interviews, star columns, previews and, of course,

breaking news. To give Rovers supporters a chance to try the paper for

themselves, staff from the paper will be handing out vouchers at

Peterborough this weekend, entitling buyers to 50p off the £1.50 cover

price. Football fans will find another exclusive offer at the game this weekend

from Peter’s Pies, who

will be providing fans with pies on the journey up to Peterborough.

John McAughtrie, National Account Manager at Peter's said,

"As the official supplier to the Memorial Stadium we feel that it is our

responsibility to ensure the Rovers fans are well fed as they travel across the

UK to support their club at away games."

At the other end (in more ways than one) we have the famous Downs

Football League. We’re very lucky here in Redland to be a stone’s throw

away from the thriving league which takes place every Saturday (during the

football season) on the Bristol Downs at the top of Whiteladies Road.

Founded in 1905 with just 30 members, the league has long been a

breeding ground for future talent. It is now a battleground for more than 50

teams, 700 members in four divisions and playing for two cups.

It’s such a sight that it has even been captured on Google earth.

Sneyd Park has been the most successful team in recent years but

there have also been wins for Stoke Bishop and Torpedo.

The Bristol Evening Post revealed how the players are going

back to some revamped changing rooms thanks to the efforts of some convicted

criminals paying for their crimes with community service. Bristol City Council provided the paint and other cleaning

and DIY equipment and Avon

and Somerset probation service provided

the manpower.

Supervisor placement manager Keith Bartlett said: "The

changing rooms were in a pretty awful state before we started. There is

probably enough work to be done here for two or three years. At the moment we

are doing the shower rooms and corridors. I try to get them the more

interesting jobs and I try to give them a specific task to take ownership of,

so that when they've finished they can say to themselves 'I've done that'. It's

important that they enjoy what they are doing, if possible. Hopefully when the

footballers get changed for the new season they'll notice a real difference."Mervyn Baker, one of Downs League's vice-presidents, said:

"We're absolutely delighted. In this day and age it's wonderful to see

people putting something back into the community. The lads have done themselves

proud. We're very grateful to the city council and the probation service.”