Shrewsbury fan 'Scooter' completes quest to visit all 92 league clubs

Shrewsbury Town season ticket holder John 'Scooter' Dorsett has finally ticked off all the grounds after more than 60 years following the club.

Former NHS finance worker Scooter has been hooked on the Town since the early 60s, and seeing Salop goal-scoring legend Arthur Rowley bag one of his record 434 goals is one of his earliest memories at the old Gay Meadow.

"My dad used to take us to Shrewsbury and Wolves. I was there when Arthur Rowley scored what was either the record equalling or record breaking goal. I must have been about eight or nine.

"Then, when I was a bit older I used to go to home games with lads from school, then you go to the pub when you're older to meet your mates. We'd play dominoes in the Chicks (Hen and Chickens in Longden Coleham)."

Nowadays he spends his time pre-match at the club's Smithy's Bar, named after his late pal and club stalwart Chris Smith, who ran the away supporters club.

"I knew him from school since we were 10," said Scooter. "He ran the coaches and that got me more into it. It was when we got promoted to Division Two in the 80s when I started going more to the away games. Before then I'd go to some of the more local away games. Chester, Wrexham, places like that.

"But when we got promoted we were able to go to Chelsea, Man City and Newcastle. We were playing against some big names."

Scooter, from Copthorne, worked out that he has visited 82 of the 92 grounds following Shrewsbury Town.

However, opportunities for the blue and amber faithful to visit some stadiums have been few and far between. The Tottenham Hotspur Stadium was the final ground he needed to complete the list. After watching Salop's 2-1 defeat at League One leaders Plymouth Argyle on Tuesday night, he hopped over to North London to see Antonio Conte's side in Champions League action against Sporting Lisbon.

"I've been waiting years for us to draw Spurs in a cup but it's never happened," he said. "There were a few in League Two who got promoted more recently where I hadn't been to since we've been in League One. And there were a couple in the Championship that have changed grounds. There are others like Old Trafford and Spurs where we've never played as far as I'm aware.

"In 2011 when we had a good League Cup run I was able to tick a few off. We went to Arsenal, and in that same cup run we went to Derby so I was able to tick off Pride Park."

Scooter, like many Salop fans, fondly remembers the old Meadow and the away days in the 1980s, although the modern match day experience is a tad more family friendly nowadays than when hooliganism ran riot in the game. "There was one game at Halifax where I got hit and broke my glasses," he said. "It was Leeds fans. There were people arrested at that match. People often like reminding me about that one," he laughed,

It's not only the Town who get Scooter's unwavering support. He also follows England home and away, but is giving the Qatar World Cup a miss this winter.

So where next for the wandering Salopian? "I'd quite like to go to Real Madrid and the Nou Camp," he said. "I've been to Barcelona before but not to the stadium."

Let's hope for an unlikely pre-season glamour friendly. Anyone know the Spanish for "Breathe on em Salop?"

The football world according to Scooter:

Best atmosphere: Wolves, when Shrewsbury drew 1-1 at Molineux in the FA quarter final in 1979. More than 40,000 fans - including 16,000 Salopians - witnessed Graham Turner's third division underdogs earn a replay against their illustrious top flight opposition. "That was something special," Scooter said. Salop were defeated 3-1 in the replay at Gay Meadow, missing out on a crack at eventual winners Arsenal in the semi-finals.

Best stadium: Fulham's Craven Cottage. "I always liked Fulham," said Scooter. "It's a great location by the river. I've a memory of a great first game of the season back in the 80s. A pint by the river before the game, and then we won."

Best pie: Kidderminster Harriers. "I'm not one for spending too much at the ground, but I do remember the pie at Kidderminster," said Scooter. Harriers pie maker Brian Murdoch's creations regularly topped the charts for the most expensive pie in football, but fans defended the cost. saying for taste and satisfaction, they were worth the money. Mr Murdoch died in 2020, and his daughter continued the catering at the club.

Best individual performance: Salop goalkeeper Bob Wardle in a 0-0 draw at Luton Town in a Division Two (now Championship) clash at Kenilworth Road. "He was brilliant," said Scooter. "We've had some good goalkeepers, Oggy (Steve Ogrizovic) was great as well."

Best team performance: Rochdale 1-7 Shrewsbury in Division Three (now League Two) in 2001. Salop ran riot at Spotland, with teenage striker Luke Rodgers announcing himself with a hat-trick - and a red card for over-exuberant celebrations. Andy Tretton, Matty Redmile, Ryan Lowe and Steve Jagielka bagged the other goals. "That was one that always stands out," said Scooter. "I always liked Rochdale, it's a good day out."

Favourite Shrewsbury player: Nigel Pearson. The strapping centre-half made more than 150 appearances for Salop in their 1980s heyday, when the club finished 8th in the second tier on two occasions. After six years, his talent earned him a £250,000 move to top flight Sheffield Wednesday, and later Middlesbrough. He won one League Cup, three promotions into the top tier and an FA Cup runners-up medal before later becoming a manager. Scooter said: "He stood out in that team as a leader," said Scooter. "It was a great team that deserved to play in front of bigger crowds. We'd play Chelsea, Man City and Newcastle in front of 10 or 12,000."