Ninety Two & More
A Villan's Personal View
Cover of Volume 1: the old Wembley Stadium twin towers seen across a coach and car park, with AXA-sponsored FA Cup Final banners along the facade.
Volume 1 cover — the old Wembley, FA Cup Final day.

About

Ninety Two & More

A six-volume photographic record of every football ground Bob Edwards has visited since the 1960s — and the day in Hartlepool that started the collection.

Foreword

The foreword to Volume 1, in the author's own words.

On 9th March 2002 I watched Hartlepool United draw 1-1 with Bristol Rovers in League Division 3 at the Victoria Ground, Hartlepool. I had completed the '92'.

As a surprise, my wife Chris had notified the club in advance of our attendance and I was congratulated over the tannoy at half time. The words that I remember most were 'Why do they always leave Hartlepool to last?'

We took some photos as a memento and it was at that time I thought about compiling a 'football grounds' photo album. It was obviously a bit late in the day to start, having been to well over 92 grounds before arriving at Hartlepool!

However, I did have a few older football related photos to kick off the collection and I knew that I would get back to many grounds as I would continue to follow Aston Villa to away games, something I had been doing since the mid 60's.

Consequently, for the last 18 years I have tried to capture at least one image from the first visit to a ground after the 9th March 2002. This book (Volume 1) contains a selection of images taken at grounds where I was:

  1. attending a Villa away game or
  2. 'ground hopping' to watch other league/non league games or
  3. at a ground and even though there was no game taking place I was able to take some photos.

The book is a personal reminder of my football travels and hopefully it will be of interest to others.

Thanks to everyone who travelled with me at various times, my brother Dave, children Andrew, Paul & Suzanne but special thanks to Chris for keeping me company on many a long journey.

Bob Edwards

The book author Bob Edwards retains sole copyright to his photographs included in this book.

Where it began, and where it ended

The Villa News and Record matchday programme for Aston Villa v West Bromwich Albion, Saturday 22nd February 1964, price fourpence, showing an illustration of Villa Park.
The first. Aston Villa v West Bromwich Albion, Saturday 22 February 1964 — Match No. 32, kick-off 3.00pm. Bob's first Villa game, aged 11.
The team check page from the Hartlepool United v Bristol Rovers programme, listing both squads and the match officials.
The ninety-second. Hartlepool United v Bristol Rovers, 9 March 2002 — the game that completed the 92 and prompted the whole collection.

Set in stone

Two hexagonal paving stones at Villa Park. One reads 'EDWARDS FAMILY, VILLA FOREVER, 22 FEB 1964'; the one beside it reads 'HAPPY 21 GREENIE FROM DINO & EDS, VILLA FOREVER!'

I had the family allegiance set in stone at Villa Park at the time of the development of the Trinity Road Stand in 2000. The Paver next to ours is one my son Paul (EDS) and his friend Dino bought for their friend.

Before I start the ground photos just a page of Old Wembley memories.

The match itself is recorded on the Villa Park page.

About this site

This is a companion to Bob Edwards' Ninety Two & More: A Villan's Personal View — a six-volume photo memoir of every ground he has visited, built by his grandson so the collection can be searched, mapped and read properly.