THE BISHOPS BROUGHT IT BACK TO ME

I DIDN'T know what to expect when my train rolled into Bishop Auckland, but found a gem of a club and town ahead of their Northern Premier League East match with Belper Town.

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The match-up was appetising, and there was so much to appreciate, and as a poet of Non-League it was not going to be difficult to find some words for the occasion.

First, there was the town hall, built in a so-called gothic revival style.

Second, there was a market square, full of interesting cafes, but also the scene of a monthly market, as the town bathed in spring sunshine.

But, being a devotee of Non-League football, the third and no less a treasure was the club shop/museum.

This must be the only Non-League club shop housed in a town centre.

'The Bishops' was a real find and stories from the club manager made the place even more appealing. I also learned that that the club were proud winners of the Amateur Cup, winning it no less than ten times from the 1890s to the 1950s.

There were more treasures in store as I approached the ground for a game against the Nailers of Belper Town with Bishops needing points to avoid any possibility of relegation back to Step 5. Derbyshire side Belper, fourth in the table, had their eyes on a place in the play-offs.