My start to the season was in England to see Berwick Rangers play in the Scottish Lowland League. They were playing Cowdenbeath (the blue Brazil), like Berwick a team not long relegated from the senior Scottish League system. A great start at such a friendly club with good facilities. The day was made better by the fact that I went from there to outside the ramparts of the Elizabethan castle to see the final of “The Stanks’, The Berwick Charities Cup.
With an Extra Preliminary Round of the FA Cup in between, I was in Llangollen for a Welsh League game where I witnessed what is so fantastic about lower league football, where a lady was definitely in charge, went round the crowd collecting donations towards the evenings game, very few didn’t contribute.
A few games later an evening trip to Crowle in the Isle of Axholme in Lincolnshire where a young club were coping with a higher league on and off the pitch.
September found a culinary delight at Melton Mowbray, it had to be a pork pie, in their 5 star club house. Following on was a trip to Barnard Castle a team I had been watching climb the leagues, it didn’t disappoint.
Yorkshire football at Harrogate and Ossett was followed by a trip to see Clachnacuddin in Inverness. Scottish football always surprises me with its skill, energy and commitment, why does the National side never seem to match this. Perhaps this forthcoming World Cup will finally be their time.
Into October and after a 70 year wait I was at Partick Thistle. The game didn’t really get going and it was surprising that only three sides of the ground are developed. The intriguing thing here were the group of young ‘Ultras’ all dressed in black behind the goal creating an atmosphere.
I had battled storm Amy from Inverness to Partick and the continual rain and grey days seemed to last into the New Year, disrupting life and football.
My usual trip to Market Harborough each season, again saw some dull football but a vociferous crowd of their Spanish supporters, flow in for the game, kept up a continual noise. Harborough went on to gain another promotion.
November started in a trough with St Albans being thumped 6 nil in the FA Cup at Burton Albion After their management team left prior to the game to take up similar positions in a higher league. A new management team were installed who I have confidence in getting them instead top 5 of their league next season. The next day i took in another FA Cup game at Gainsborough, who took their EFL opponents, Accrington Stanley, all the way but lost out in the end.
Of the seven games watched in November FC Grace Dieu v Clipstone was the stand out. Three goals each and torrential rain before and during the match that was kept alive by the ground staff sweeping and the water off the all weather pitch before and at half time. Interesting venue, Grace Dieu houses a private football academy. All the facilities here were not finished and will be worth a revisit on a dry day in the future.
The rain continued to cause havoc with my football plans in December yet I was able to watch a competitive festive West Nottingham Derby between Stapleford and Sandiacre. This was at the recently redeveloped ground where facilities for everyone are first class. Stapleford’s 4-2 victory was impressive.
Into a New Year where I saw Mansfield make a smash and grab raid at Sheffield United in the FA Cup with a well deserved 3-4 victory. Two visits to Sandy Lane to watch Worksop Town, the second to claim my winnings for second place in their previous games 50/50 draw. The first time I have won anything after many years of entering competitions at ground around the country.
With the league positions now taking shape a February visit saw Dinnington keep up pressure to move up a tier. Unfortunately yet again by the end of the season they failed again. The organisation and facilities are all there. they will keep trying.
After watching my grandson play I went with them to watch Northampton Town. A good crowd, despite the Cobblers recent form, and their flirt with the relegation places. The stadium here now looks great after completion and the team looked good in their win over Stevenage. At that point no one knew that this heralded a disastrous run that would see them end up bottom of the League, relegation and an impending take over.
After many years I finally made it to Ashbourne for their annual Shrovetide football match, a must for football enthusiasts to see what some feel was a forerunner to the modern game. Great to have been there but is it really anything to do with our modern game? The speech to start the proceedings saying outsiders were not welcome didn’t endear me to go back even to look round the town.
With games being cancelled all over I watched my football wherever was available. My abortive trip to Baslow led me to near Derby and Graham Street Prims. A very strong side but the facilities seem to have fallen on hard times.
By late march I spent a Sunday afternoon watching a Women’s League game in the fifth tier. What a friendly bunch of people and I was pleasantly surprised at the skill level, speed and commitment of the game. I noted to make sure I watch another women’s game next season.
Still in March a trip to Baslow resulted in watching a game in the Sheffield Friendly League. Not in the FA structure and played on Saturday mornings I saw an absolute worldie scored in the last minute to win the game and to go past the young goalkeeper who was my , ‘one to watch’ for the future, player of the season.
Despite moaning about the weather a visit to Ashby Ivanhoe was finally achieved after postponements over the last few seasons.
With final league positions being decided the local derby between Retford United and Retford FC looked a must. An exciting game that ended all square and meant Retford FC were promoted and gained local bragging rites. United were also promoted via the play offs and then both Nottinghamshire teams were put into the Northern Counties East Premier League when everyone expected them to be in the United Counties League. The NCEL next season looks exceptionally strong and these two will compete strongly.
A Play Off game at Sheffield FC saw Tadcaster triumph after a penalty shoot out. Again here an unexpected lateral movement of Sheffield to the United Counties League for next season, although perhaps not so because they play their games in Derbyshire. Their new owners certainly have the star quality to move the club forward.
Looking to squeeze in games before the season ended, Sheffield’s Steel City Stadium threw up a game not to be forgotten.Dinnington won away 2-3, with almost the last kick of the game, to Burngreave. But it was not the frantic all action football that caught the eye but the ill discipline of Burngreaves players and officials. There were more sending off for the home team in this game than I had seen all season elsewhere. I commented that if they could control this they would be a team to watch. Indeed they did, and went on a run of wins when finishing up their backlog of fixtures. If they keep this squad together then they will be strong promotion challengers next season.
Like the end of last season i took in a final game in the English Football league Two and visited Tranmere Rovers, a great ground and friendly people. The draw meant that the home side avoided relegation and Grimsby reached the playoffs.Not the same excitement as at the last game of the season last year at Bradford.
One last game was sneaked in on a very cold May gloomy evening in Worksop. Not that it was a gloomy game with 6 goals and it certainly hadn’t been a gloomy season. The abiding reflection on the season was the weather
The highlights of the season were the almost three games in Scotland, Berwick Rangers (honorary Scottish), Clachnacuddin and Partick Thistle a very relaxed sunny autumn evening at Llangollen, finding football in a picturesque park in Baslow, and seeing how grounds can be redeveloped well with artificial surfaces at Melton Mowbray and Stapleford.
At the end of the season it was great to see the two Retford teams gain promotion, the rivalry continues.
An interesting season for some community clubs I watch out for. When I lived near Market Harborough it was a Rugby town with little football activity, after this years promotion they will next year be in The National League North, what a transformation. Clapton Community FC have not only brought the club back but also ‘The Old Spotted Dog’ ground, they too gained promotion and next year will play in a league with rivals Ilford and Romford who were in the top Isthmian League when I first watched St Albans City in the 1950’s. Finally Hallam FC, where the fans fought off a take over and have a meeting in June on how to change their constitution to be fan lead. Fans count and it is great to see.
But I have waited for the day after Aston Villa’s triumph in the Europa Cup in Istanbul. If you follow my blog you will have seen four posts that say ‘You have to deal with disappointments to follow the Villa’, well not now, although even at 3 nil up I was still cautious to believe in victory until the final ten minutes. What delightful football they played to win this European Trophy and what a fitting recognition for the owners, players, fans and the incredible Unai Emery. Up the Villa.
P.S. sorry to all the matches I have not mentioned in this review.
payonthegate 