Stewards, Steps and Selection Boxes

Happy Christmas! Miss celebrated her second Christmas, at Nana and Dadad's, whilst Daddy spent the morning at work!

However, it was a Boxing Day derby at Salisbury FC for Miss and Daddy, as Winchester City were on the road once again.

Once again we arrived in plenty of time, knowing of the parking challenges at the Raymond McEnhill Stadium.

The Stewards found us a parking space, on a boggy patch of grass behind the stand behind the goal. You had to reverse park, under the stewards guidance, not ideal when trying to get a pushchair out the boot of the car.

Challenge #1 navigated ✔️

Challenge #2 - getting to the ground. The pushchair wheels got stuck on the boggy grass - no footpath! Thanks to a Salisbury fan who helped me carry the pushchair to some gravel.

Challenge #2 navigated ✔️

Challenge #3 - getting inside the ground. We got to the turnstile - no side gate for the pushchair. So we walked down the main entrance, climbed the step to get into the main reception and then went down another step to get out into the stand. Again, a challenge with a pushchair.

Challenge #3 navigated ✔️

We walked along to the burger bar, got our obligatory burger for Daddy and Chips for Miss. Challenge #4- We went to go for a walk around the ground but the only access down to near the pitch was via steps. I asked a steward to help us get down as there was no access - far from ideal for pushchair or indeed wheelchair users.

Challenge #4 navigated ✔️

Challenge #5 - We positioned ourselves against the wall, and I perched Miss on the wall, as I do at EVERY game. The Stewards asked me to move her as it "wasn't safe" - as I say, we do this at every match so she can watch the game, but not today.

So a grumpy Miss had to watch the game from the pushchair, which was at eye level with a brick wall... scrap that, on Daddy's shoulders and in Daddy's arms for 90 minutes was a much better solution.

Challenge #5 - navigated ✔️

Miss was very fortunate to receive a free selection box from Salisbury's mascot - and a fellow City supporter also gave Miss a bar of chocolate!

The game itself was a thriller, finishing 2-2 with neither side of ending with a goalkeeper on the pitch!

After the game we went up to the bar - had to leave the pushchair outside as there was no access up the stairs, so Miss was carried up. Bizarrely though, there were baby changing facilities, up stairs! So if you can get your baby up there (without a pushchair), then you're in for a treat!

All in all, another good day out but a very challenging one for pushchair users.