FEW football grounds offer such a window into both their local community and the past – quite literally.
Neighbours gazed out of their homes watching superstars Gareth Bale and Dele Alli comeback bid at the unique stadium three years ago.
The venue could hardly be more tightly packed into the local area
Fans got an incredible view of a behind-closed-doors tie with Spurs
How’s this for a homely look for the blood and thunder of the FA Cup?
The historic venue is right in the middle of a housing estate -surrounded by back gardens protected from wayward shots by netting.
Since 1904 it’s hosted a non-league club, now in the sixth tier, who vie with much noisier and bigger neighbours of a different kind – namely Liverpool and Everton.
Rossett Park in Crosby, home to Marine AFC, has three sides, with the main covered stand behind one goal.
Its sporting pedigree dates back to holding rugby union games from 1884.
But as a football venue it’s seen Marine build a proud tradition in the part-time game – rising up the levels in recent years to National League North.
Houses sit behind the dugout side of the ground.
And all in all it’s is surely the “cosiest” setting encountered by Jose Mourinho as a manager.
That’s what happened in January 2021 – when Marine hosted the iconic manager’s Tottenham in the FA Cup third round.
2021 Getty ImagesSpurs put out a team with 402 international caps between them[/caption]
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The car park at the front of the stadium was too small for Spurs’ luxury team coach.
But on the pitch Marine refused to park a bus as they competed well in a goalless first 24 minutes.
Brazilian Carlos Vinicius then notched a 13-minute hat-trick and Lucas Moura fired home a spectacular free kick.
Tottenham sub Alfie Devine, then just 16, rounded off a 5-0 win.
Mourinho also handed out what by then was a rare chance for Dele Alli, whose playmaking was easy on the eye.
But what should have been a hue occasion for the community was undermined by the Covid pandemic.
That meant no fans inside the tight 3,185-capacity ground – costing Marine potentially a £100,000 pay-day from tickets and sponsorship.
But some neighbours still had a visual treat – watching their heroes and the Premier League giants from just a throw-in’s distance away.
One fan posted: “Watching Gareth Bale while leaning out of my window. Unreal.”
Wales’ all-time great Bale, then on loan back from Real Madrid, retired just 12 months later at the age of only 33.
Meanwhile, ex-Chelsea and Manchester United chief Mourinho is now bossing his tenth club – Fenerbahce.
What a contract, then between those two Prem legends and marine’s most famous servant.
Roly Howard is in the Guinness World Records for being the longest-running manager ever in English football.
He retired in 2005 at the age of 70 – after 33 years in charge.
2021 Getty ImagesTottenham won’t have played in many more compact venues that Rossett park[/caption]
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