Top Field

The ground does not look like much from the outside. The real character is in the way the stands sit around the pitch. The space between them is the field itself.

The turf is natural grass, kept in good order for a semi-professional club. It is not a pristine, manicured surface, but it holds its own. The stands are modest, without the towering grandstands you find elsewhere. The seating is mostly concrete, and the roof is simple. There is a sense of history here, not in the architecture, but in the way the place is used. It has been a sporting ground for over a century, first for cricket, then for football.

The main stand, the Fishponds Road end, is the tallest part of the structure, but it is not imposing. It is functional. The other side is lower, closer to the pitch, and gives the spectators a better view of the play. The ground has a reputation for being a tough place to visit. The pitch is small, and the stands are close to the action, meaning the game is played at a pace that suits the local style. The atmosphere is not one of grandeur, but of community. It is a place where the supporters know the players and the players know the supporters.

Top Field is a stadium that does not try to be something it is not. It is a working ground, built for a working class town. The concrete is grey, the seats are hard, and the pitch is green. That is all.