Stan Snaps

@bowdenthom.bsky.social just in case you know folks who might be interested!

And if that wasn't enough, here are the full sets from @heatonstan.bsky.social v @blythspartans.bsky.social: heatonstan.co.uk/event/heaton... AND the Stan v Redcar: heatonstan.co.uk/event/heaton...
Can't say fairer than that!

A goalkeeper catching the ball while looking into the middle distance.

Two footballers in shadow jumping from the ball while facing the sun.

And finally, the second half saw me shooting into the sun, which meant I struggled to get decent shots. These two, of Garforth's Harry Flatters and an aerial duel, were my favourites.

A footballer, lit up by the sun, about to shoot past the keeper, who is in the shade

The keeper, still in the shade, dives but the ball has passed him. The striker, lit by the sun, looks on

Some footballers in the penalty box. One of them has just hit a volley very sweetly

Beads of sweat come of a footballer's head after he heads the ball

I don't normally do a sequence, but I like the way the light caught Dale while keeping the keeper in shadows in the first two. Then Capey smashing a volley goalwards, and a puff of sweat as he gets his head onto another long ball.

Two footballers challenging for the ball, one hurdling the other like he's at the Grand National

A footballer leaping like a salmon to a high ball that is so high you can't see it

A footballer blasting a long-range shot just wide

Took the longer lens with me, although I'd forgotten how you have to adjust your technique with it. Got a couple of good ones here of Kane Evans and Burnsy's blockbuster effort

A footballer raising his fist to adknowledge the home ultras, just in front of a massive club crest

Shots from yesterday's sunny @heatonstan.bsky.social victory over @garforthtown.bsky.social thanks to a Dale Pearson goal and some resolute goalkeeping from both keepers.

Cheers pal!

A football manager and a football coach thinking

And finally, Dean and Cass in deep thought

A footballer in a near balletic pose

A footballer running very fast, his arms and legs a blur

That same footballer, running very fast with a really blurry background

Three Burnsy studies here. I slowed the shutter speed down to 1/50th in the second two, to see if I could capture motion.

A footballer running with the ball, in front of some flags

A footballer running so fast that his legs are blurred

A footballer running very fast towards the ball

And finally, two(!) footballers running really fast

I went black and white for the most part this week. Here are a few of Devs on the run, Konner Lamb at top speed, and Man of the Match, the indefatigable Connor Walker, hunting down a Redcar bloke

Four football fans looking very serious, and a bit like they could be on a poster for a Quentin Tarantino film

Shots from @heatonstan.bsky.social v Redcar Athletic, who have a paid media manager but not a BlueSky account. Anyway, despite the result, there was a lot to be positive about, especially given the gulf between the clubs' respective budgets. We start with the @stanarmy.bsky.social getting ready

That would be an imagine none of us would ever forget. No matter how hard we tried

Definitely

Excellent ventilation for those warm afternoons on the terraces

I will be disappointed if we don’t see it in full effect

Cue a revolutionary 9-1-0 formation methinks

A footballer hiding his face in his hands. Or is he playing peepo with the oppositon player facing him?

A footballer leaning into the crowd

A sandwich of footballers. But where's the lad at the back's hand going?

A footballer, BUT HIS HEED IS A BALL!

Some lighter moments, including a good footballer sandwich and another footballer-with-a-ball-for-a-heed

A footballer nearly getting kicked in the chest

A nice shot of a footballer passing a ball with some flags in the background

A footballer leaping to control a high ball

Footballers carefully watching a bouncing ball

Some ation shots here. I like the first one, not least because it accurately shows how physical Spartans were, and the last one is OK too

Footballers celebrating a goal

Shots from the tough @heatonstan.bsky.social v @blythspartans.bsky.social game on Wednesday in this thread. Here's the equaliser. What do you mean I'm a bit late with that one?

Some shots from @blythspartans.bsky.social’s snapper of the @heatonstan.bsky.social game last night over at www.reddit.com/r/sportsphot...
Give him an upvote!

⚫️MATCHDAY⚪️

Tonight’s the night! A big North East showdown with Blyth Spartans at The Willow Park!

🎟️ heatonstan.co.uk/tickets or pay on the gate - cash or card accepted
🤤 Stan Scran, Stan Can Van, clubhouse and Habibi Shawarma available

And the full set from @heatonstan.bsky.social’s excellent win on Friday

heatonstan.co.uk/event/newton...

I’m saying no more

I was an innocent victim

A footballer running and not being tackled

A footballer giving another one the slip

A footballer curling the ball into the top corner from the edge of the penalty area.

A footballer looking very happy with himself

While the lads were excellent to a man, it was all about MotM Sam Johnson, who was unplayable at times, and unphotographable at others. As you'll see, I only got a poor one of his wonder goal but I did get his cheeky grin afterwards. See you next time folks

Lots of middle aged men (and a couple of youngsters) wearing bobble hats at a football match. One of them isn't, though.

A very cheeky man smiling while also hiding behind a football stand.

Lots of bobble hats among the @stanarmy.bsky.social on a reasonably cold evening. And who's this miscreant hiding round the back of the stand?

A footballer about to punch the air, not the photographer

A footballer with two arms in the air

Two footballers leap for the ball. One of them seems to have a massive quiff

Two footballers running very fast

No, Dale isn't shaping to punch me in the heed for missing a shot: he's celebrating the first goal. Then Jay acknowledges his first and the Stan's second. Capey jumps against a lad whose hair briefly takes inspiration from Morrissey circa 1987, and then a nice one of Kane and Devs

A footballer shapes to shoot

A footballer running very fast with the ball at his feet

Another footballer running very fast with the ball

Ease yourself into Sunday with some shots from @heatonstan.bsky.social's brilliant win at @newtonaycliffefc.bsky.social from Friday, one of the best performances of the season from the lads.

Ooooff