A Festive Parade of Rusty Rollers

Hartley Wintney

I've been taking photos of rusty old groundsmen's equipment on my travels and saving them up for a festive treat for the many connoisseurs of that sort of thing. And so, with all those sinister-looking rubber Santas trying to break in to upstairs bedrooms wherever you look, I think it's finally time to post them!

I posted a photo of an excellent specimen in the Cove v AFC Portchester report at the start of the season. However, I've spotted several others as I've moved around the county: for example, this nice large one, safely tidied away behind some barriers at Hartley Wintney's spick and span stadium - nobody will be tripping over that!

Lymington Town

Then there was a smaller Dibben brand roller at Lymington last week, presumably used to keep the cricket square flat.

Whitchurch United

Whitchurch's roller was safely laid down away from the pitch behind some grass clippings.

Moneyfields

Moneyfields was a rusty roller-lover's wet dream! Not only was there the previously-posted mystery equipment, but nearby was this small roller, covered in blackberry brambles, not dissimilar in style to the one at Lymington.

Moneyfields

Then, next to Moneyfields' second pitch was this long, thin roller, looking like an old rusty hot dog...

Moneyfields

...whilst just a few yards away was this old trailer - ideal for making a giant welly boot-throwing machine on Scrapheap Challenge.

Basingstoke Town

There was some dangerous-looking machinery behind this Ultra Spreader at Basingstoke. I never did get to take a proper snap of it, as both the times I sidled up to it, camera at the ready, there were people standing in front of it. I feel weird enough already taking photos of these things, without people thinking I'm randomly capturing them on film, thus I had to make do with the Ultra Spreader only (and that from outside the ground, post-match).

Brockenhurst

I spied a roller behind the main stand at Havant, but couldn't get a decent photo of it, and Portchester teased me by covering something big and heavy over with a tarpaulin that may have been interesting, so as I have nothing from either of those trips, for my final illustration, it's back to last season and a picture of Brockenhurst's Tabitha Tractor - which, along with the aerating roller at Stockbridge, was my favourite piece of groundsman's equipment of 2011!