A ground hopper has shared his experience of groundhopping across the Greater Manchester Region and closer to his home as he travels across the country with his passion.
Adam Mills, better known as ‘The Groundhopping Owl’, is a Sheffield Wednesday supporter who has turned his love for the game into an exciting journey across the UK.
“In greater Manchester I have so far visited Deepdale, the Peninsula Stadium and the Toughsheet Community Stadium,” said Adam.
“My favourite ground in the greater Manchester area would be my visit to Preston.
“It is such an old ground with a lot of history which was amazing to see in person.”
Adam’s journey began when he stumbled upon a match between Beverley Town and Horbury while working away from home.
The close proximity to the pitch, the friendly volunteers, and the welcoming atmosphere sparked a love for visiting different grounds.
Fast forward to today, and Adam has now visited over 50 grounds.
His love for football knows no bounds.
With an end goal that’s hard to quantify, Adam said that his journey is far from over.
While some aim to visit all 92 Football League grounds, Adam is adamant to visit as many grounds on all levels of competition as possible.
With plans to extend his ground hopping beyond England and Wales, who knows where his journey will take him next?
This season alone, he’s watched matches from the Premier League all the way down to Sunday League, with the Northern Counties East League being his most visited competition.
To share his experiences and connect with other fans, Adam set up social media pages under the moniker ‘The Groundhopping Owl’.
From sharing photos and videos to sparking conversations about the game, The Groundhopping Owl has become a growing hub for football enthusiasts.
“The Groundhopping owl came about as I was finding myself taking loads of photos and videos at games and not really having an outlet to share them,” explained Adam.
“I decided to set up social media pages as ‘the Groundhopping owl’ to share and spark conversations and connections with like minded people and clubs.
“Having only ground hopped in England and Wales, the aim is to extend on that.
“Only recently I was speaking with someone about going to see Isle Of Man FC.”
Adam added that groundhopping had been a rewarding past-time that has provided him with many great experiences.
From sitting in the away end at Bramall Lane with the boisterous Stuttgart fans to watching his 10-year-old son fall in love with the game, Adam’s journey has been filled with unforgettable moments.
Adam Mills (right) during a groundhopping trip. Image supplied.
“I took my son to the Peterborough second leg semi-final when we came back from 4-0 down and it was an unforgettable night for us both and his first pitch invasion,” said Adam.
“One of my favourite experiences was a spur of the moment visit to St Mary’s.
“Working in London for the week, I left a meeting, got a train to Southampton, and watched my beloved Sheffield Wednesday play on the south coast.
And with plans to visit more grounds in Greater Manchester, including Bury, FC United of Manchester, and Rochdale, there are sure to be many more memorable moments to come.
Top image: Deepdale, Preston FC. Image supplied by Adam Mills.
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