MATCH STICK MEN AT THE MATCH

We all know that Berwick Rangers are a Scottish Football League team and that they play in England. I wonder if their club officials ever thought that they might be better off playing in the English National League again. For a brief history of the club read this link:
http://baileyfootballblog.blogspot.co.uk/2014/09/berwick-hope-scots-vote-with-their-feet.html

(Oh yes, I forgot to mention that there is a bit of Brexit in the 2014 blog).

A visit to Berwick yesterday turned out to be valuable to me, as I discovered another footballing gem. Walking the ramparts of the town, as you do, I came across a "tourist information board" as part of the Lowry Trail. Yes indeed, it was THE L.S.Lowry, who spent some time in the town from the 1930s until his death in 1976. Along with his characteristic works on the beaches and town, he managed a drawing of a football match, shown below.

OK, it isn't quite like some of his greatest works, but for the Berwickians it has much meaning. The drawing is of a match on the Stanks, which locally means "ditch".

This is part of the old Elizabethan defences, involving the Moat as part of the walled defence of the town. A piece of flat ground, it is surrounded by steep banks and stone walls creating a natural amphitheatre at Brass Bastion.

The crowd is in front and at the back of the picture, depicted with short, stubby, vertical strokes.
The frantic activity of the match is shown in "shorthand" by the goal on the right, with a defender or two firmly anchored towards the left.

Here is a view of the "pitch" today taken from behind the goal on the left.
 p.s. more on Lowry tomorrow.