Janathon Day 9 - Just 2 miles

As suggested by thereisasixpackunderhere, maggiee and abradypus have kept my runs short this weekend. Just 2 miles today and to be honest not sure I felt as if I could do anymore as I am feeling tired today. Hopefully I will be refreshed for a longer run tomorrow.

This morning was frosty after a clear night. It wasn't slippery to run and it was good to have some blue skies I think for the first time in January perhaps.

 Yesterday afternoon went to a local football match between Bury Town and Tonbridge Angels. A couple of photos from this match

Day 1 - 5 miles
Day 2 - 5 miles
Day 3 - 4 miles
Day 4 - 4 miles
Day 5 - 3 miles
Day 6 - 2.52 miles
Day 7 - 7 miles
Day 8 - 3.5 miles
Day 9 - 2 miles


Total 36 miles

Bury Town v Brook House FAC

Bury Town v Brook House at the Ram Meadow
FAC Preliminary Round.

Bury Town hosted Brook House a team I have never heard of before and gave them a thrashing by 6-1. Brook House in non league pyramid terms are an equivalent side to Bury Town as far as I can see as they compete in a step 4 league The Southern and South West league.

Step 4 means there are 4 divisions for a side like Bury to climb should they ever wish to be able to play in the Coca Coca League Division 2. I still think of this league as being Division 4 if you imagine the Premier League is Division 1 the Championhip is Division 2 and so on ... confusing yes!So both Bury and Brook House play in Division 8 leagues.

Before the game their was a minute silence for Colin Hurley the Bury President who died this week. A familiar figure to anyone who has attended Bury games

After a fairly even start to the match the Brook House defense proved to be decidely weak as Bury carved open their defense time and time again with Cunningham hitting a hatrick and 2 goals from Bugg in the 1st half The pick of the goals for me was the free kick from Cunningham which was curled into the back of the net with the goalie left standing.The stuffing was knocked out of Brook House who had been a bit feisty in the tackle and willing to stick the boot in at times.



Just before half time a penalty was conceded which Bugg converted.















Buggs headed goal from a corner followed shortly after and before half time.




In the 2nd half a combination of Bury resting Cunningham and Bugg and a more competitive approach from Brook House resulted in a more even contest. Paynter was given a chance as sub and he looks a decent forward with some ability and he scored a nice volley.

Ironically when Brook House were down to 10 men having used all their subs and one of their players limped off they then scored a consolation goal.

Bury Town FC v Maldon Town FC

Bury Town 1 Maldon Town 1

Bank Holiday Monday action from the Ryman League Division 1 North saw a game played in difficult conditions with heavy rain, thunderstorms and lightning.

From what I saw Maldon looked a more organised team and it showed that they have competed at a higher level than Bury for a few years. However I felt Bury had some better individual players particulalry Ian Miller who at centre half was often a class above the rest. Bury really lacked a cutting edge up front and this is an area I think they will need to strengthen if they wish to make any in roads on this league, otherwise I can only see a mid table finish.

A draw was probably a fair result as both sides had numerous chances to win this game. Maldon took the lead in the first half from Perry who seemed to score pretty much unchalllenged from a header a goal that had been coming.

Bury deservedly equalised from Wood who came on as sub with the goalkeeper unable to hold a godd cross from Cunningham giving Wood the simple chance to convert.

A decent crowd for Bury of 255 people attended Ram Meadow.

Bury Town v Ipswich Town Reserves

Bury Town Ram Meadow - St Edmundsbury Cathedral in the distance.


Bury Town 1 Ipswich Town Res 0

I visited the Ram Meadow in Bury St Edmunds to watch Bury Town play Ipswich Town Reserves in a pre season friendly. Just over a 1000 attended this match which is about 5 times the normal gate for a Bury match. The kick off was put back to 8pm as most people like me arrived at the ground just 10 minutes before kick off as you never usually get any que to get in.




These are exciting times at Bury Town as they have been promoted to a higher tier of non league football to play in the Rymans Divison 1 North. They certainly seem to have a decent squad and one that is capable of doing well in this league.




Daniel Cunningham scored the only goal of the game which was a well taken volley after 20 mins. For long periods Bury defended in depth and played counter attack. Barber in goal for Bury was man of the match.



For Ipswich Scott Baron and Danny Haynes were given full games. Jim Magilton was there to view his young players of whom it is hoped 1 or 2 will make the step up and start pushing for the 1st team.

A good fitness work out for both sides

The Kings Road Bury St Edmunds

On a recent run along Kings Road I had to stop fairly often to take pictures of former shops and pubs as this road is very much changed. A very interesting book by Gerry Nixon on the Old Beer Houses of Bury St Edmunds makes the point that there were 4 pubs in this road but the last one closed back in 1991.

The Cricketers Inn and The Butchers Arms were doing business when this road was then known as Field Lane. The road then became known as Cemetary Road aptly named as it does lead at its western end to the large town cemetary. The Soldiers Home and the Wheatsheaf were the other pubs that formerly graced this road.

One of the corner shops I regulalry used to visit was this ivy clad one . Anyone know the name? I always remembered it as a fairly large shop a bit of an aladdins cave with all the sweets and ice creams you could want especially penny blacks and licarice sherbert dabs. I believe it had a
short life as a shop selling glass at one point.


Another shop was on this corner of Kings Road and Mill Road near Chalk Road. For a while this became a hairdressers. Again any remember the name of this shops?

I can rember buying ice creams here. The entrance was directly through the grey coloured bricks where there is a window know. My next stop was here. At the top of Chalk Road is this cream coloured building which is now a hairdressers but was once the Wheatsheaf. I do remember going in here when I first felt I wouldn't be challenged about my age when going into pubs.

It closed in 1981 but I do remember one Christmas venturing in here and there as an accordion player and some folk singing. I think as a young lad we generally took the mick but looking back there was obviously a great tradition which time has killed.

Just beyond this was the entrance to Bury Town Football Ground. I was a regular at the Kings Road ground for many years watching and playing football and selling programmes here. I wish I had had a camera then and now had photographs of this ground.

The next pub to close along Kings Road was this one below. I am not sure now if this was the Cricketers Inn or the Butchers Arms ?






Many people who visit Bury will travel along Kings Road and then via Prospect Row to the car park behind Woolworths. The pub I remember in Prospect Row was the Duke of Welington which is this flint stone building below which is now a day centre. The Duke closed its doors in 1986.


Even know in taking these pictures of Kings Road I know I haven't photographed the newsagent Saunders. It just shows what a lot can change in one road.

Bury Town FC

I used to have a very large collection of Bury Town football programmes but in moving house several times I have lost them. So many memories lost but not all forgotten.

Bury are the fourth oldest non league club in England dating back to 1872.

My earliest memory would have been in the mid 1960's when I regularly attended the football ground at Kings Road. The main entrance was here though there was many a time we would climb over the fence in to the ground from Chalk Road. The car park at the back of Cine world is pretty much where the ground would have been.

For many a year I also sold programmes for Bury Town and this got you free entrance plus a small amount of what you sold.

I remember I didn't always watch the games. Often we used to play our own mini football matches. there was plenty of space behind the goal or near the club house. Many people never seemed to emerge from the club house and watch the football.

At half time you could nip out of the ground to the nearby fish and chip shop in Risbygate Street closed now of course. Some times we attended training with the players. My main memory here was practicing throw ins. They used a large medicine ball which seemed to weigh a ton. After you had thrown that a few times throwing a normal ball was easy.

The above programme was typical of the format of Bury programmes for years and years. This is from 1975 but my best memories were from games in the old Metropolitan League. Bury would play all of the London league club A sides from West Ham , Arsenal , Spurs etc

5.45pm 5.4 miles in 42.50

Week to Date mileage 5.4

Month to date mileage 80

Average weekly rate 33.1

Average Monthly rate 144

Weather: Dry cool

Tonights run was an easy circular route around Horringer School,Hospital Road, Cullum Road, Newmarket Road and Home . I was still a little tired from my long run on Sunday and ran a fairly slow time.

My number arrived for the Bungay 20k. I am number 66.