Taking a Bostik bow: Bishop's Stortford revisited

With the expansion of our League (and the alterations which the FA have made to the pyramid) we have a number of clubs who are entirely new to us, haven’t been part of our setup for rather a long time, or are returning to us after some time away. We decided that the best way to introduce- or to reintroduce- them to Bostik League supporters was through the eyes of one of their own.

On this occasion the supporter is Noah Horwood, who is too young to be able to give you any advice on beer but describes himself as Bishop's Stortford's number one fan!

How long have you been a supporter of Bishop's Stortford?

For around eight years.

Tell us how you became a fan? What attracted you to the club initially?

I played for the youth teams, and I knew quite a few people at the club.

And what is it about the club that has kept you there since?

I like the people, the atmosphere, enjoy the match- and enjoy just having a good chat with the other supporters.

What does a typical home matchday look like for you?

Lots of singing and chanting; 150-300 fans creating a great atmosphere.

Is there a moment in the history of your club that supporters always talk about? What would it be- and why is it important to you all?

For me, from last season it would probably be our 4-3 win against St Ives at home. But from history it would probably the FA Cup 3rd round against Middlesbrough from before I was born; 1982-83. We took on Boro at Ayresome Park and drew 2-2, before losing the replay 1-0.

Describe the ground:

The stadium is good enough for the National League, with a snack bar and a couple of bars inside the clubhouse. There is one grandstand and a smaller stand opposite with two stands behind the goals.

If an away fan was travelling to your ground for the first time, how would you recommend they got there? Tell us about parking and public transport.

Use the M11, then you can park in the reasonably large car park, (it has coach bays, too). There's a bus stop at the bottom of the road. If you were getting the train you would get off at Stortford and then take a 20-30 minute walk up to the club.

Are there any local sights or amenities you’d recommend they visit? Tourist attractions, pubs etc?

Attractions? Perhaps Castle Mound, which was the site of Waytemore Castle, built by William the Conqueror. The best pubs are the Nags Head (5-10 minutes from the stadium) or Harvest Moon (which has a football field)

Finally, pie, burger or pint? What would you recommend, and why?

I haven’t tried the beer as I’m too young, but the bar has a great selection of drinks- alcoholic and non alcoholic as well. The food is lovely whatever you have.