Oh, this lot? They’re such Terras – and quite literally so, given it’s the nickname that Weymouth Football Club are known by. We even think that intro is worthy of a cheeky little “wehhhh!” in deference to our Dorset chums. Two crackerjack puns and we haven’t even got onto our third sentence. We stored them all in since we went on a brief hiatus. If truth be told, we’re holding a fair few back like the Hoover Dam at this point in time. It’s almost like we had to come back. Else, the sanity of our editor would be pretty much flattened. Anyway, what are we here to talk about again? Oh yes. Us and Weymouth; the time we found ourselves visiting Jurassic Park*.
*Sorry. The Jurassic Coast. Easy mistake…
By the time we beat them 3-0 on Valentine’s Day 2009, they were in a bit of a financial pickle. A week after we won at their place, “irregularities with first-team medical insurance” saw them forced to put out their U18s against Rushden & Diamonds. The Diamonds took full advantage – 9-0 the humiliating score. And so the Dorset club slipped towards the Conference trap door. Northwich Victoria pipped them to survival at the post. It looks a lot worse when you realise the Vics were 20+ points behind the Terras when the first-team and senior figures left the club. And more bad news would follow as the Terras tumbled down the pyramid.
Weymouth: The Facts
Bob Lucas Stadium
Radipole Lane, Weymouth, Dorset, DT4 9XJ
Right, well the Terras are very old. Older than your nan, in fact. The year the club was founded was 1890; their terracotta-coloured shirts giving rise to the nickname we keep chucking into the mix. In 1907, they joined the Western League and would eventually clinch the title in 1923. In that same year, the club turned pro and became members of the Southern League for the first time. This was slightly getting ahead of themselves, however. In 1928, they went back to the Western League and went back to being an amateur side.
After the Second World War, the club once again took up a place in the Southern League (1949). To be honest, they had a decent run of it in the years that followed. Twice during the 1950s they were runners-up, while the mid-1960s delivered back-to-back championships. Being such a strong non-league side at the time, it was no surprise they were one the founder clubs of the Alliance Premier League (or Conference as we know it now). After spending the whole 1980s at that level, 1989 was the year in which they were relegated back to the Southern League.
Why do we know the Terras?
The Terras would spend the next 15 years in the Southern League. As runners up to Crawley Town in 2003, they missed out on promotion back to the Conference. The small consolation there was a guaranteed place in the newly-formed Conference South. And, just two years later, they won that divisional title to secure their return to the top level of non-league football for the first time in 17 years. More importantly for the purposes of this story, it meant we’d have a first-ever competitive game between Weymouth and Stevenage Borough. Or vice-versa, y’know…
It’s a fair old trip down to Weymouth for Boro’ fans. But, it is after all, a trip to the seaside. From Stevenage, head down the A1(M), onto the M25 and round to the M3. The first few stages are simple. Travel south on the M3 until you reach the M27 and head westbound.
When the M27 ends, continue along the A31 past Ringwood and Wimborne Minster until you come to Bere Regis. Here, take the westbound A35 towards Dorchester. Then, when you spot Dorchester Town‘s ground, head south on the A354 towards Weymouth.
Stay on the A354 as you come to the outskirts of Weymouth. You don’t need to do much until you get to Chafeys Roundabout, at which point you want the third exit for the B3157 Granby Way. At the next roundabout, take the third exit again; the stadium is on the left.
The stadium has its own car park and you can use it. We think there’s a charge – but we aren’t sure how much. It was £2 last time we checked. But that was a while ago. If you’re thinking about local street parking, the area around the ground is likely to be patrolled by traffic wardens if the yellow cones are out.
By Rail
Station: WEYMOUTH
Services to: LONDON WATERLOO
At almost two miles, you can hike it if you really want. Do you really want? OK. Here’s how to do it. Leave the station and go south east on Ranelagh Road towards Queen Street. It’s then right and right again to get onto King Street. With KFC in front of you, swing around it on the right into Radipole Park Drive and then cross the road.
Head into the car park for the RSPB reserve and take a right. This is where the walk gets a bit scenic. Loop round to the left so that you’re making tracks for the main road. Go right at the road and head up to the roundabout. Here, cross Goldcroft Road and take exit two. This is Granby Way. At the next roundabout, you’ll see the ground and know where to go.
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