Bakers need proving to rise above Popworld.

Butcher, Baker, Papermaker, with help from the Ice Cream Man.

I enjoyed watching football within the walls of Berwick-upon-Tweed Castle last year so I decided to return again.

I have written before about the Berwick Charities Cup and can only admire the dedication of the organisers, referees, and players who keep this tradition going each year. It is also a community builder with family groups of all ages turning up to watch with folding chairs, or just sitting on the walls or grass. Over 100 people watched for some or all of the match and as usual a collection box was passed round.

The ground it is played on is called the Stanks, a piece of land big enough for a full sized football pitch just outside the walls of the Elizabethan, Berwick-upon-Tweed, Castle. Now infilled, it was once part of the moat and has now served as a football pitch where thousands of pounds have been raised in the last 100 years.

There is an interesting exhibition in a local gallery showing 30 seascape by Lowry, who was a frequent visitor to these parts. I’m sure it will bring in many visitors but I think more could be made of the town promoting the Charities Cup which must be one of the wonders of the footballing world.

It was a glorious sunny evening with an onshore breeze keeping the temperature to a comfortable 18 degrees. The pitch is a bit uneven and there are flattened mole hills in one corner, but who cares, the pitch looks amazing.

Popworld AFC 3 Butcher, Baker, Papermaker 8

Berwick Charities Cup Group Stages: Thursday 20th June 7 PM Kick off

The Stanks, Berwick Upon Tweed

Popworld; All Royal Blue Strip Butcher, Baker, Papermaker; All Claret Strip.

It took only 13 minutes before ‘Butchers’ took the lead when their number 7 tapped in after the Popworld defence dwelt on the ball, were robbed and the resulting pass was in the net.

Only three minutes later and it was 2 nil when the number 9 waltzed through the defence to clip it into the far corner of the net followed by a screamer from the edge of the box by ‘Butchers’ number 6. Popworld were trying hard and were making a game of it and on 33 minutes managed to get a goal back when their number 10 scored, lifting the ball over the keeper from just outside the penalty area. Already the game was a lot more enthralling than England’s Euros game which had just finished prior to kick off.

Butcher, Bakers, Papermakers had numerous shots and one, with 10 minutes to half time, sailed over the bar, through the serving window of the ice cream van, where it was expertly thrown back to the loudest cheer of the evening.

So at 3-1 at half time it looked like there was still a chance of a Popworld fightback in the second half.

The second half couldn’t have started any worse for Popworld as their opponents scored three quick goals. In the first minute BBP’s number 7 hit the post and scored from the follow up. A few minutes later 7 again scored when he nonchalantly scored after a perfectly placed cross from far out on the right. He scored his third after some neat passing by his team mates.

Popworld scored next with their number 10 making a great turn and a bullet shot past the goalkeeper. This success was short lived when with the second highest cheer of the night, Popworld’s substitute, number 14, went to clear the ball with his head, 25 yards from goal, but it looped off his head over the keeper and into the net.

Popworld came back again when their number 10, again, leathered the ball past the massed defence from a freekick, 5 yard out, after a back pass to the goal keeper was picked up.

There was one more goal when BBP’s substitute, number 15, smashed the ball home and then ran to the crowd with his shirt off.

What a great evening, thank you to everyone. I will be back.

payonthegate Chip League, Season 2023/24

payonthegate Chip League 2023/24

A season of over 50 games meant that I ate almost 25 portions of chips around 7500 calories, all in the aid of research.

There is a new winner in the seventh year of the League, Tamworth FC, who I visited early in the season. Their chips were extremely hot and fresh very tasty, with a great internal texture, covered by a crispy outside.

Strangely this year I found my winners when attending a match with my daughter, when last year she was with me when I left the chips on the terrace at Burton, no bins seemed to be available, because they were so poor.

This league is very subjective and I feel I may have been a bit harsher as the season progressed. Was this down to chip fatigue or were they just not as good, which I think was the reason. Sometime I was lucky to have chips that had just been cooked and other times I was unfortunate to get the last of a batch.

I must stress that the league is not a criticism of the clubs or the helpers that provide food and drink to enhance the matchday experience and I can only applaud their dedication and efforts.

They were served almost always by happy people who I often had a chat with and the food they served was prepared in kitchens of different sizes and equipment.

Thank you everyone I look forward to a new season.


payonthegate chip league 2023/24

Football Club	Score	Comments
Tamworth	74	Hot, Hot,Hot
Worksop Town	70	Hot, tasty, changed from previous
Goole	70	Just
Basford	70	Freshly fried.
S.M.W. Sunday Cup	69	Hot, tasty, golden, soft inside, bit greasy
Hillborough (S&H Cup)	69	Hot,tasty, good texture, slightly limp
Dinnington	69	Pretty Good
Wombwell Town	67	Fries, great golden colour
Quorn (Ashby Ivanhoe)	66	Tasty, hot good texture
Retford United	65	Could have beeen hotter
Dunkirk	65	Hot and crispy
Staveley Miners Welly	64	Bit Greasy
Kings Lynn	64	Good Portion
Beverley	61	Burnt after taste
Shirebrook Town	60	Well down on previous seasons
Villa Holte End	60	Great but unusual Seasoning
Alfreton Town	60	25 minute wait!
Llangefni Town	60	A bit greasy
Hallam	60	hot , good taste but greasy after taste
Bridlington	59	Greasy and soggy
Yorkshire Main	58	Bit limp but tasty
Sheffield Wednesday	58	Hot, ggod but stange spicy taste
Harborough Town	56	Crazy long wait
Hamworthy	53	Some were hard
Wakefield	48	Warm to cold
Garforth	44	Soggy and limp
Stamford	40	Warm, limp, tasteless, didn’t eat all
Heacham	0	No Chips
Retford Fc	0	No Chips
Newark Town	0	No Chips
Newark & Sherwood	0	No Chips
Dearne & District	0	No Chips
Handsworth	0	No Chips
Scunthorpe Utd	0	No Chips
Mansfield Town x 3	0	No Chips
CD Nacional Madeira	0	No Chips
Oughtibridge WMSC	0	No Chips
Parkgate	0	No Chips
Kiverton Miners Welfare	0	No Chips
Loughborough Students	0	No Chips
Manchester City	0	No Chips
Chesterfield	0	No Chips
Fiorentina	0	No Chips
Kirton Brickworks	0	No Chips

2023/24 another fantastic Season.

Another fantastic season which began many months ago in early July at Llangefni on Ynys Mons (Anglesey) with a friendly against Chadderton. It was a glorious sunny afternoon as I sat watching two teams enjoying a good kick about in their first game of the season. I had no idea that 49 games later, after one of the wettest winters on record I would be again watching football in the sun, but on a chilly evening as Brampton Rovers beat The Butchers Arms in the final of the Chesterfield and District Sunday League Cup.

To mention all 49 would take too long, so here goes with the highlights. Murder on Zidance Floor won through to the final of the Berwick Charities Cup played next to the walls of an Elizabethan Castle with the sunshine glistening on the sea in the background (the football wasn’t bad either.

Shirebrook at home kicked off the league season, two Norfolk games were squeezed in whilst on holiday and Wombwell Town featured early, played at their ground with a Go Kart track behind one goal.

The Retford derby was in bright warm sunshine and notable by the warmth of the supporters who were there for an afternoon out and a chat to friends from whichever camp. Tamworth had great facilities as well as good chips and went through in the FA Cup, Tamworth was the last team Paul Merson played for. The start and completion of a Mansfield evenings trilogy gave me a different perspective on this town.

The early games of the season were memorable particularly when I was adopted by some aged season ticket holders at CD National on Madeira. High fiving all of the five goals and a conversation by sign language and facial expressions was wonderful.

The best named teams were found north of Sheffield, Oughtibridge War Memorial Spots Club v South Emsall Services Firsts and the most improved ground at Dearne and District whose efforts off the field to pass grading rules were just surpassed by their team winning their league and promotion to The Northern Counties East League Division 1.

Wakefield’s new stadium, sharing with Wakefield Trinity (Rugby League) is a must go to for anyone in the area and where I will go again.

The reverse Retford Derby drew a large crowd on Boxing day and another Retford United big score (Maybe my new Boxing Day go to).

Goole AFC was an old ground with a running track round it that is due to be totally rebuilt as part of the Town Centre regeneration. I hope that this will come to fruition. Great chat with a Goole fan born and bread who now lives in Leeds but comes back for most home games.

The weather thwarted me seeing football within the Kirton Brickworks, the game being moved to a nearby village pitch to beat the weather. A must for next season. The weather almost beat me a few weeks later as I waited for the rain to stop in Florence to see Fiorentina play Lazio. Luckily it did but I will remember the fan who showed me the bus, where to get off, walked round the ground with me and was so, so helpful, all in a biblical rain storm. Football fans everywhere I salute you.

A great run in to the end of the season saw me see two Villa games, they didn’t win either but qualified for next seasons champions league, up The Villa. Loughborough Students put 7 past Skegness to win the United Counties Premier Division North play off final and right a wrong that I felt they suffered the previous season. It will be great to see them in the Northern Prem.

Shirebrook beat Wakefield in the Northern Counties East Division one semi final play off and despite losing in the final still gained promotion. A County Cup Final at Hillsborough saw Worksop Town outclass Penistone Church and a fitting engrossing end to the season at Staveley as Brampton Rovers beat the Butchers Arms in extra time to lift the Chesterfield and District Sunday Cup.

A brilliant season for me although in the game as a whole there were some worrying trends. Teams still battling with the aftermath of loss of revenue during Covid, high levels of inflation in all areas particularly in energy. reducing local authority support where local budgets have been squeezed, lack of continuity planning, a cost of living crisis hitting the pockets of fans and extra costs and administration as teams have expanded their women’s senior teams and teams for all ages and sexes. This has led to Nuneaton Borough, Marske, Hamworthy United etc to not complete their fixtures and Loughborough Dynamo and Coleville moving down leagues to reduce costs and re-group. There could be more to follow.

On the positive front a re-organisation of the United Counties Premier North League has produced very local games that should result in some competitive football and bigger crowds, bring on 2024/25, I can’t wait.

A Great End to the Season.

I normally count the F.A. Cup final as the end of the season but this year with many postponed games there was some lower league carry over and I planned to visit North Gawber on the last day of May. Their game like some others was in the end was not played but declared a draw as the result would not have changed the league placings. So with my lip out I searched for another ending and I was lucky enough to find what looked like an interesting game a short hop from me at Staveley Miners Welfare.

The Butchers Arms FC 3 Brampton Rovers AFC Mens 4 (AET)

Chesterfield & District Sunday Football league, Alma Cup final.

Staveley Miners Welfare, Inkersall Road, Staveley, S43 3JL Friday 31st May 2024 Kick off 19.45

The Butchers Arms; Blue Shirts with white shorts, Brampton; Red Shirts with blue shorts.

The artificial pitch and ground looked immaculate (as it always does at Staveley) as the teams came out in some evening sunshine. The sun didn’t help the temperature which read only 14.5 in the car as I managed to get the last space in the large car park.

Both teams looked nervy as they settled down to the surface and it was the Butchers arms who found their feet first when after only 4 minutes a scrappy attack saw the ball drift to the right of the goal where their unmarked number 9 who steadied and placed the ball across the goalkeeper into the left hand side of the net for the lead.

Brampton equalised 10 minutes later when, after three headed attempts from a corner, the ball was headed in at the far post. Butchers Arms re-took the lead after a drinks break but Brampton pulled level again on 25 minutes when their lively number 10 was pulled over in the penalty area by the centre back and the resulting penalty was despatched straight down the middle.

The Butchers Arms keeper denied the number 10 with a brilliant save 10 minutes before the interval but it was the Butchers Arms who finished the half the strongest.

Butchers came out all attack at the restart and pressed hard but a break away after only 6 minutes saw the ball slotted through to Brampton’s number 10 again, who from 20 yards out to the right of the goal, slammed the ball into the right hand side of the net. With 63 minutes gone The Butchers Arms equalised when their lively number 9 was bundled over in the penalty area and he picked himself up and strode forward to convert the penalty for 3.3.

The game seemed to lose a bit of its intensity as neither side wanted to make a mistake and there were no clear chances as the time ran down to 90 minutes.

The first half of extra time saw lots of endeavour and it was Brampton who came closest. With just 7 minutes left Brampton’s number 10 crowned a great performance when he ran on to a ball between two defenders and slid the ball home to take the lead. The Butchers Arms tried hard to get back on equal terms but some basic defending and time wasting saw Brampton home.

What a great advert for Sunday league football and a fascinating last game of my season. The crowd was over 500 and made up of all ages reflecting the young age profile of the teams. Brampton’s win who were second in the Second Division, shows the depth of the leagues by beating The Butchers Arms who were second in the First Division.

I had a warm glow from the game as I left the ground but a hat and gloves were needed with the temperature drop to 9.5 degrees, was it really less than 2 hours until 1st June.

The Staveley club house did brisk business for drinks and food all night and the chips were some of the best of the season. they were hot, tasty, golden, crispy on the outside and soft in the middle but a bit too greasy and therefore a score of 69.

The scramble to finish the season.

With so many local leagues disrupted by our wet, wet, wet winter there are some games that need to be finished.

I was lucky to find one very local to me at Kiveton Park, so a 15 minute car ride and I was there.

I have been to Kiveton Miners Welfare before a couple of times and they were winners of my Chip League in the past. I also visited the ground when Sheffield Town ground shared a few seasons ago. Sheffield Town don’t seem to be in existence any more but I’m sure that the Kiveton team had more than a few faces from that team.

43 spectators had ambled along to see the game that was a dry but cool, breezy, early evening. There were some very sporadic spots of rain from a blue sky that was mixed with grey and white clouds. The recently mowed grass pitch was already looking good after some better weather.

This ground is reached via a housing estate and is bordered by houses on two sides, a practice pitch and cricket ground on another and the Worksop to Sheffield line at one end. The seated stand in the centre of one side is the only area that is not open.

Kiveton Miners Welfare FC 1 AFC Bentley 2

Wednesday 15th May 2024; 18.30 kick off. Stone Close, Kiveton Park, Rotherham, south Yorkshire, S26 6SQ: 14th v 7th.

Central Midlands Alliance League Premier Division North.

Kiveton M.W.; Red and white vertical shirts with black shorts; AFC Bentley; Navy blue shirt body with one sleeve a lighter blue and the other sleeve green, green shorts.

For some reason the home team were late in coming out of the distant changing rooms and then stopped for a discussion on the way. This meant that the game did not kick off until 18.37. The game was furious end to end football but misplaced passes abounded and meant that neither side was able to totally dominate. This all changed around 23 minutes when the away teams number 5 hit a pile driver of a shot from 30 yards that hit the cross bar and bounced down with the Kiveton goalkeeper struggling. His attempts to finally scoop the ball away were of no avail as the officials ruled the ball had crossed the line.

Approximately 5 minutes later Kiveton’s tricky number 7 exploded into the penalty area on the left hand side and was immediately floored, gaining a deserved penalty. Solly Limb stepped forward and easily levelled the score from the penalty spot.

There were some strong tackles from both sides but the referee kept the game flowing and it soon reached half time.

The second half continued in the same end to end fashion and with the game drifting to a stalemate, Bentley went ahead again when a corner kick sailed over everyone to be met by one of their team who, unmarked, clipped it into the net. There was a final burst by Kiveton in the added minutes as they came close to scoring when they hit the post, it was not to be their evening. Bentley returned to Doncaster with three lucky points that should have been shared and both teams only have one more game to complete this truncated season.

It was an impressive game in the fact that both teams went for it in what was to some degree a dead game as neither side had anything to play for.

No Chips tonight as the food van looks like it is in a state of refurbishment.

Played in Germany

Played in Germany – A Football Journey Through a Nation’s Soul

Written by Kit Holden Published by Duckworth 2024

This is an amazingly well researched book about football in Germany ahead of the 2024 UEFA European Championship as it takes you on a journey to the centres of football that will be hosting the9 many games.

What is marvellous is that the book is not just about football but about what makes up and has fashioned the German state that presents itself to the world today.

You are swept along in a learning fest about geography, history, economics, politics, industrial development but most importantly people and their culture.

Surprising to me was the revelation about local dialects, which can lead to peoples of some areas not being able to understand others and the fierce regional rivalry that exists. This regional patriotism feeds through to the football community culture that sticks closely to areas which are clinging on to these roots, propelled by a defence of their fan ownership model, under threat from capitalist forces.

The book describes the passion of the fans through interviews with those who live and breath their club’s traditions and customs in an ever-changing environment.

The growth and decline of different clubs is true in Germany as everywhere and this is well put near the end of the book, “But you cannot preserve everything in aspic, and even the most romantic traditionalists must at some point move with the times”.

Bring on the Euro’s.

If you are interested in reading this book then it can be pre-ordered from Stanchion Books (a cracking little football bookseller), where you can get 24% off with the code PROST24:

Played in Germany: A Footballing Journey Through a Nation's Soul – **PREORDER, SIGNED COPIES AVAILABLE**

Catching the fading embers of the season.

With most Non-League football matches complete, apart from a few stragglers due to the many postponements from our wet and weary winter, I was drawn to Hillsborough (home of Sheffield Wednesday) to see The Sheffield and Hallamshire County F.A. Men’s Senior Cup Final between Worksop Town and Penistone Church.

This Cup competition is the fifth oldest surviving football cup competition in the world and has had differing guises over the years and is now fought for by teams from step 1 to 7 in the pyramid system that are registered in the area.

It seemed summer had finally arrived and it was a beautiful evening driving into Sheffield down the leafy Parkway, my mood only being slightly dampened by the usual traffic back up at the end of it. I unbelievably parked within 100 meters of the stadium and strolled along to the turnstile. Everyone was in an end of season happy mood as all fans queued to ‘pay on the gate’, cash to the left cards to the right. No segregation for this evening outing for all. It was still 19 degrees as I sat in my seat in the main stand although a cooling breeze was welcome as it swirled round this empty arena. The bright blue sky of the day was now meshed with a high thin layer of white cloud.

Both teams had enjoyed a good season, Worksop Town of the Northern Premier League, Premier Division, had finished 5th but had been defeated by Macclesfield in one of the playoff semi finals, Penistone Church of The Norther Counties East League, Premier Division finished 6th, one off the play offs. Penistone had done well to reach the final being two levels below Worksop.

Penistone is only 11 miles north of Hillsborough, a pretty town up in the hills and Worksop 21 miles away south east on the Nottinghamshire/South Yorkshire border.

A good humoured crowd of above 1000 turned up with the fans of the more senior team, Worksop the noisiest. It was only a mild noise compared with the febrile atmosphere of the last time I was at Hillsborough when they were battling for survival in the Championship. The kickoff had been scheduled for 19.30 but Worksop had put 19.45 on their Social Media so the game was delayed to give everyone time to arrive.

Worksop Town 5 Penistone Church 0

Sheffield and Hallamshire County Men’s Senior Cup Final.

Thursday 9th May, 19.48 kick off

Sheffield Wednesday F.C. Hillsborough, Sheffield, S6 1SW

Tigers v The Church

Penistone; shirts and shorts all royal blue with a white flash on shoulders if the shirts.
Worksop; Black shorts, yellow and black vertically halved fronts of shirts with yellow backs.

Although the game was even for the first 5 minutes Worksop already seemed to be bigger, stronger, faster and more skilful especially down the left flank.

It was no surprise that after only 9 , Jay Rollins, surged past the defence to cross a ball that was met by Liam Hughes who guided it into the net via a bounce off the turf.

Only 10 minutes later Jay Rollins again showed some clever footwork before the ball found Vaughan Redford who scored.

Penistone kept trying but didn’t have any success and held out until a few minutes before half time when Liam Hughes stroked a perfectly weighted pass through the middle of the pitch for Terry Hawkridge to run on to score through the legs of the Penistone goalkeeper.

Although it was still a clear night the floodlights were on for the second half.

After further Worksop dominance Penistone made multiple substitutions and the fresh legs and enthusiasm meant they competed for the ball more and looked to have gained some momentum.

But as the game moved towards the final 15 minutes some neat Worksop interplay found Jordan Burrow unmarked on right of penalty area and he sent the ball across the goalkeeper into the corner of the net.
To round things off a blatant foul in the penalty area saw Liam Hughes step forward and score from the spot to make it 5 nil.

Worksop had shown their class but Penistone didn’t disgrace themselves. Most of the crowd stayed to see losers and winners presentations and drifted of into the close season.

Can I find another game? We will see.

The chips were good, hot, hot, a good quantity, tasty, good texture but a bit limp. They didn’t have the spicy taste that I experienced before at Hillsborough, I think because they were cooked in separate fat rather than cross contaminated with something else. A very good score of 69.

A Wedding present for Shirebrook Town FC.

With the football season coming to an end I was pleased to head to Rotherham to watch the Northern Counties East Division One paly off semi-final between Shirebrook Town FC and Wakefield AFC. With Shirebrook finishing above Wakefield in the league they should have been playing at home but perhaps not expecting to be in the playoff s their club house was pre booked for a wedding.

Parkgate are based in the north of Rotherham and their ground is next to Rotherham United FC’s training ground which is currently being rebuilt having been totally cleared for the redevelopment.

The grey cloud of varying shades looked menacing but were very high and didn’t look to threaten rain although the cool breeze was keeping the temperature down in the first week of May.

The ground is set up the hill overlooking the training ground with Liberty Steel in the valley and trees lining the far hills. The ground facilities are just to this level of football and their rise as Champion to the Premier Division will leave it as a poor relation of many of the others. You approach it through a housing estate which leads into a large car park.

The pitch slopes from side to side with a hedge down one side and trees and hedges at one end where the hawthorns were in bloom, there is no standing area on those sides. Behind half of one goal is a covered seated area, a food kiosk and some standing. On the other side is a small covered standing area with a grass bank where most supporters were congregating. The pitch was in beautiful condition for the match.

The contest was between the aristocrats of Wakefield who play in the amazingly redeveloped Wakefield Trinity stadium and Shirebrook who have whippet racing training outside their ground sometimes before games.

Shirebrook Town 4 Wakefield AFC 0

Saturday 4th May 2024, 15.00 pm kick off, Parkgate Football Club, Green Lane, Rawmarsh, Rotherham, S62 6LA, Northern Counties East, Division1 Paly off Semi-final. 3rd v 4th

Shirebrook; Black Shorts with black and red vertical striped fronts to the shirts with red backs. Wakefield; Navy Blue shorts with white shirts that have a thin blue and red stripe down the centre of the front of the shirt.

The game was cheered on by a good humoured crowd who exchanged banter and and chants which I estimated to be about 500.

Shirebrook showed their intent from the outset by applying a very high press and were first to every ball. Their efforts were nearly rewarded after just 8 minutes when they hit the cross bar. Just six minutes later they were ahead when Kieren Watson slammed home a curling freekick from the right hand edge of the box that he received at knee height.

A few minutes later a medical emergency in the covered standing area stopped the game. The team’s medical staff ran to the elderly man who had collapsed and the defibrillator was rushed to the scene But after a short while the man recovered and the Parkgate officials brought him a plastic chair to sit on for the rest of the game.

The disruption did not affect Shirebrook’s intent and they went further ahead on 25 minutes when a through ball was met by Kieren Watson who took three strides and made no mistake in doubling the lead. Wakefield had their first shot on goal five minutes later but at the other end Wakefield’s right full back took the legs away from Shirebrooks number 7 in the penalty area and that man Kieren Watson stepped up to smash the ball down the centre of the goal with the goalkeeper going to his right.

Kieren Watson had taken his hat trick with great skill and the game calmed down after the frantic start. Shirebrook’s half time three goal lead look unassailable as the players left the field.

Wakefield looked steadier in the second half but Kiyani Clayton made it 4 with an hour gone when a poor back pass to the Wakefield keeper allowed him to nip in and run across the goalkeeper to tap the ball in. Substitutions by both sides made no difference to the play as Shirebrook ran out the game to set up a trip to play Beverley at their home ground on Saturday 11th.

Playing at home, away due to the wedding didn’t hurt Shirebrook and if the wedding party were Shirebrook fans they would have cheered when they heard the result.

Unfortunately there were no chips inside the ground although they were available in the facility outside it. Instead I had a warm to cool sausage roll with a cup of coffee.

A post script to the match was published on Shirebrook’s X account 5th May. Despite this good news for them their game at Beverley will still be played and I am sure will still be competitive.

Shirebrook Town FC @ShirebrookTwnFC

Good morning After a very important win yesterday we were informed that win should be enough to be promoted regardless of next weeks game on a points per game average over the season.

You have to deal with disappointments following the Villa Part 3.

As soon as the final whistle had blown at Loughborough I was in the car to drive across to Villa Park for an 8.00 pm kick off.

A very relaxed 10 minute walk from the car park we use to the ground amongst happy Villa fans. They should have been happy, they were guaranteed a minimum 5th place finish and were the only English side in a European Semi-Final.

Many of the fans gathered underneath the part of the Holte End that struts out over the road to welcome the Villa team bus. The acoustics amplified the songs and enhanced the flares as the coach passed and emptied the hero’s into the ground.

The packed ground was rocking to Villa songs and chants as a cold wind whipped through the opening to where we were standing high up in the Holte End. It’s a great atmosphere at Villa for any game but the glare of the lights seem to turn it up a notch.

Aston Villa 2 Chelsea 2

English Premier League, Saturday 27th April 2024, 20.00 pm kick off.

Villa v The Blues, 4th V 9th. Villa; Claret shirts with light blue sleeves and white shorts. Chelsea; All royal Blue kit.

Villa were off to a great start when they took the lead after just 4 minutes when a John McGinn’s miss hit shot deflected off Marc Cucurella into the net. The crowd went mad but became more subdued as they realised that their team was under par for this game. Chelsea’s Nicholas Jackson had a goal disallowed by VAR for offside and he hit the foot of the post with a well placed header.

With the home side riding their luck they went two ahead just on half time when the ever improving Morgan Rogers took the ball to the left of the goal and slotted a class goal between a defenders legs and the keepers outstretched right hand.

It all looked fine but when the ‘World’s number one goal keeper’ doesn’t come out in the second half because of an injury you feel a bit tense. Chelsea put further pressure on Aston Villa from the start of the second half and when the Villa midfield gave away a simple ball Noni Madueke made no mistake putting the ball in the corner of the net. It was all Chelsea and the Villa fans tried to calm their nerves with a repertoire of old songs not used for some time, but Chelsea kept on the pressure.

With 80 minutes gone Connor Gallagher engineered himself some space on the edge of the keepers area and curled the ball into the top corner. The Chelsea fans were now delirious and both sides created chances as the game opened up some more. Ollie Watkins blasted a cut back over the bar almost into the top tier and during added time Disasi headed home for Chelsea. The Villa fans were distraught but also angry that a push in the back of Diego Carlos in the build up had been ignored. Cue the inevitable VAR and the goal was disallowed for the push which drew protests from the ay team. Once play had continued Villa nearly stole it in the final moment when from a corner Carlos headed the ball onto the roof of the net.

At the final whistle the Chelsea team surrounded the referee but the pushing and shoving that ensued was soon broken up. Villa were lucky to gain the one point on a night when they looked second best. Perhaps their astonishing efforts this season are catching up with them, they need to hang on in there and recover their style for the few remaining games and perhaps an amazing end to the season.

There were chips! which were hot, golden, crispy on the outside, fluffy in the middle but had a slight seasoning on them which reduced their score to 60.

What a great day, having been lucky enough to see 11 goals and two very intriguing games, I drove home with a smile.

If you would have read the previous blogs regarding Aston Villa you will remember that I haven’t seen them win for some time hence the caption. This time I didn’t wear my vintage beanie hat or any other Villa item and they managed a draw, perhaps I will see a win next time.

Loughborough Students make amends for last season.

If your looking to create a fuel economy record then driving on the M1 between junction 36 and 24 is the place to be. Most of this journey is restricted to 50 mph for the creation of necessary safety measures and other repairs and on the rest watch out for pot holes.

Journeying on a large section of this I made my way to Loughborough University to see Loughborough Students play Skegness in the playoff final of the United Counties Premier North Division.

This is, as I have said before, one of my favourite venues. You drive into the immaculate campus through the security gates and head to The Loughborough University Stadium. Pre-booked parking on the very leafy car park at £1 was easy and it was a short walk to the ground. Unfortunately the grey skies were emitting a light drizzle so when the lady on the gate gave me a blue band to upgrade to the covered stand for nothing I was even happier.

This new facility has three sides of hard uncovered standing and a majestic seated stand on one side that houses the changing rooms underneath, with a glass fronted high spec hospitality area and bar above the seating. No chips here so a coffee and KitKat were enough.

The grass pitch is immaculate despite our recent weather but a cold wind kept the temperature down to 7 degrees, crazy with May just around the corner. There was no printed programme but one accessed by a QR code in the ground, for such an important match I thought a printed version should have been on offer.

There are records of a team called Loughborough Technical Institute as far back as 1919 and a year later they became a College of Technology and a University in 1966. They have won University Trophy’s on many occasions in their history. In recent years they have re-entered the non-league football world in the Midlands. Initially in the Midland Combination in 2007 and then the Midland Alliance and as founder members of the Midland Football League in 2014. With recent seasons being curtailed and with the team being highly placed the restructure of the leagues has seen them placed in the United Counties Premier Division North. At the start of this new era they changed their name from Loughborough University to Loughborough Students a name they now use across all of their team sports for both Men and Women.

Skegness Town AFC were formed in 1947 after the demise of Skegness United and Skegness Blue Rovers. After playing local football they joined the Midland Counties League in 1958 where they played until being founder members of the Northern Counties East League in 1982 where they stayed for just one season. A move back to Lincolnshire football saw them dominate the Lincolnshire League for many seasons and returned to The NCE League again for a short while in 2018 before being moved to the United Counties in 2021 due to the re-organisation.

Loughborough Students FC 7 Skegness Town AFC 0

United Counties League North Play Off finals, Saturday 27th April 2024, 15.00 pm kick off

Loughborough Students; All Purple Kit Skegness; White Shirts, Red Shorts.

I had watched Skegness at Collingham (Against Newark and Sherwood) and at Quorn (Against Ashby Ivanhoe) this season and on both occasions they impressed, looking strong and quick so I expected a fierce contest.

Within 8 minutes and the wind getting stronger the Skegness centre back took out the Student’s player on the right wing but the referee played advantage and the ball was crossed in from the right for Edwards to hit the back of the net in the centre of the goal. A great start for the home team but they didn’t slack off and continued to play some clean, skilful and fast football that lead to a second goal 4 minutes later when Edwards was this time the provider as his pass found Spiteri who from distance hit the ball hard along the ground gaining a deflection on its way to the left hand corner of the goal.

With no time to get your breath Loughborough added a third and fourth after 14 and 15 minutes. First O’Toole, clipped it into the left hand of the goal after great inter-passing and then Watts made a quick pass out of defence for the ball to be passed to Wicks who chipped it into the net.

Skegness were stunned but managed their first shot on goal after 22 minutes and started to gain some traction in the game. Considering the onslaught they had experienced heads did not drop and they tried to play football. Their efforts were to be further deflated when on 45 + 1 minutes Bangura, who had shown some skilful play but also has given the ball away showed his true class when from outside of the box and to the right he let go of a rocket to the Skegness keepers left hand to make it 5 nil.

How do you come back from a five goal deficit when the opposition are showing great movement on and off the ball, brilliant cross field passes, never kick and rush but measured football and general speed and skill, the answer is you don’t but Skegness did not give up, it just wasn’t their day.

The students made it six when Wicks cut a ball back along the ground where Morales amongst the melee tapped it in.

With the 646 fans readying to leave on 90+2 minutes Loughborough made it 7 when the recent substitute, Thew, chipped the goalkeeper from 35 yards, wow, what a game.

I was so pleased that Loughborough Students won because last season I felt they were robbed of promotion partly due to the indecision of the FA in deciding that they could be promoted. That battle was finally won, which I believe leads to a greater diversity within the game at this level and hopefully this will encourage other University sides to follow suit. It also means that this is another route for players to get into higher level football instead of what can be a treadmill of some Academies. You also gain a qualification that can be used in the future.

Good luck to Skegness next year, I hope that if they are in a play off final next year I will be there cheering them on.

And on to The Villa.