The Silence of the Stands (Finding the Joy in Football’s Lost Season). Written by Daniel Gray
Published by Bloomsbury Publishing Plc 2022
When my subscription to Nutmeg was renewed I was sent a free copy of the above book.
Harry Pearson writes for Nutmeg as well as other publications and has written football books of which ‘The Farther Corner’ was the last of his that I read and thoroughly enjoyed. It is his use of words and observation that gets my attention and the opening paragraph in the introduction to this book says it all.
‘The Durham City midfielder wore the resigned look of a man trying to find a jar of harissa in Farmfoods. Up front for Jarrow, a centre-forward darted around frenetically, as if chasing a kite during a hurricane.’
The book chronicles that depressing time when we knew that football would soon be closed down, the period when you could watch only on TV, the opening up of the game out of the darkness with those lucky fans observing it only through social distancing, watching as a reporter and finally the renaissance and joy of the football community.
It’s depressing time and how football fans coped is told with great empathy and fun.
If you want to laugh but feel humble that football for many was a rope to hold onto in scary times then just go and buy this book.
Thank you Daniel Gray, I look forward to the follow up to ‘The Farther Corner’ and your Nutmeg contribution.
I drove two junctions down the M1 to Alfreton for their home pre-season friendly against Notts County.
Until this season there was only one division between these two teams, Alfreton playing their football in the National League North with Notts County in the one above, the National League. That was until the play off final at Wembley in May against Chesterfield which Notts won and are now back in the English Football League Two.
Many were disappointed with their demise from the EFL but a drop down to the National League has led to a strengthening at all levels of the club and they have regained their status as the oldest professional football club in the world. Their birth in 1862 predates the Football Association and they were one of the twelve founder members of the Football League.
Alfreton’s ground is located in a housing estate not far from the centre of town. A small car park was full early and local residents were dealing with parked cars in the side streets which were not obstructing driveways or the highway.
It was busy getting in due to the crowd of 1077, the majority Notts County fans making the short journey on what appeared to be a pleasant evening. The ground has open seating at one end and down one side, with covered seating and standing opposite. One end has a partially covered standing terrace which was not well used as most people were casually sat down. A few of the County fans were wearing their new blue away kit rather than their traditional vertical black and white stripes.
Alfreton were In all red and were eager to get under way on the sloping grass pitch that at this time of the season looks like a glimmering green carpet. The blue skies were scattered with some ominous looking black clouds and the breeze was turning to a wind which for the second half of July was cold.
Alfreton Town 0 Notts County 5
Tuesday 25th July 2023. 19.30 pm kick off
Pre season friendly.
From the first minute Notts County took control of the game with a slow build up from the back which sometimes seemed almost casual. A team pressing harder against them would have turned over a few balls.
From what seemed lethargic football resulted in Notts County hitting the post and seeing a shot go millimetres wide in the first 30 minutes. 3 minutes later Langsett received a neat through ball from the right which he scooped into the net for the lead. Langsett made it 2 nil 5 minutes later when he latched on to a ball from the other side delivered by Adam Chicksen (Chico).
Not long before half time Langsetts made it a hat-trick with a second attempt goal after a pass from the perious McGoldrick. It did look though that the ball touched a defender on its way into the net.
Notts continued their dominance after the restart and both teams started to make changes with some at a 15 minute drink break. A few minutes later one of the substitutes Scott tapped home a beautifully cross from ‘Chico’.
The best goal was the last, with 11 minutes left on the clock. McGoldrick made acres of space and time for himself and let fly a curving shot from roughly 8 meters that flew into the top corner of the net past the outstretched left hand of the Alfreton goalkeeper.
The game fizzled out and at the end of the 90 minutes the teams , stadium and fans had all had a good run out for the new season.
Bring it on.
Unfortunately I had to queue for 25 minutes for chips which although were a good quantity left a greasy taste in the mouth afterwards. A score of only 60 for my chip league.
Where else in the world can you watch a semi-final of a football cup within the walls of an Elizabethan Castle with the sea as a backdrop, the answer is Berwick-upon-Tweed.
I ventured north to the border town of Berwick-upon-Tweed to see a game in the Berwick-upon-Tweed Charities Cup. This annual event has been on my radar for sometime but other commitments have intervened. This year I made it and having been I would like to go back.
The Berwick-upon-Tweed Charities Cup has been in existence since 1948 but there have been charity match competitions on the grounds since 1922. Famously Lowry, who spent some time in the town, painted a picture of a football match at the ‘Stanks’.
Hospital Cups were often annual events played in early summer to raise money for health care pre NHS. Many have fallen by the wayside but this has survived and flourished over the years and is now growing a women’s competition as well. There have been some hiccups and restarts along the way but the dedication of volunteers, officials, players and supporters means every year they come together to create this great tradition and fund raiser. The competition is also iconic as it is played part surrounded by the walls of the historic Elizabethan Castle. It’s nickname ‘The Stanks’ derives its name from it having been a ditch/moat and most probably the end of the latrines.
Teams enter from both sides of the borders continuing the rivalry of many centuries that has seen Berwick change hands from Scotland to England many times. Although in England today its most senior football team, Berwick Rangers, competes in the Scotish Lowland League, hoping to regain its position back in the SFL.
The competition raises between £5000 and £8000 each year and the benefitting charities this year are :
The Berwick and District Cancer Support Group.
North View Pensioners Club
Berwick and District friends of Dementia
The North Star Centre
Berwick Stroke Group
21 teams set off in the men’s competition in May from, pubs, sports clubs, companies and groups of friends.
Simpsons Malt v Murder on Zidance Floor
Tuesday 18th July 7 p.m.kick off.
Berwick Charities Cup Semi-Final
Simpsons, Light blue tops with red dark blue shoulder flashes and dark blue shorts: Murder on Zidance Floor, red and black vertical striped shirt fronts with black backs and black shorts.
To start the match there were grey high clouds but no show of the forecast rain and little wind in this sheltered venue. The undulating grass pitch had little wear, only in one goal mouth. I sat on a wall to casually watch the match along with a crowd of all ages that built to my count of 120. A local ice cream van was on hand to provide refreshments.
Simpsons started the game strongly looking the most physical side and very strong in the air. Their number 11 was booked early on for a crunching tackle and they created the best chance of the half when they hit the bar on 23 minutes.
Both teams though looked like they really wanted to win the game and Murder on Zidance Floor showed some neat moves and skilful running with the ball. The game ended 0.0 at half time and although there were no chants or shouting from the fans there was plenty of family and friends chat as to who was going to win. There was however an atmosphere at this amazing ground that has seen thousands of players and combatants over the years.
The game had hardly settled down in the second half when with about five minutes gone the ‘Murder’ defence failed to pick up Jack Cumming’s run and he managed to squeeze the ball into the net between the goal post and the keepers let hand.
Could ‘Murder’ respond, well their chances were improved around 5 minutes later when Simpsons number 11 was sent off for a second bookable offence which in fact was his third strong challenge of the game. The one man advantage was evident as they pushed forward constantly. I thought surely they would score but their shooting boots were not with them and their high balls into the Simpsons defence were always won by the defenders.
There was to be no late substitute of Zinedine Zidane off the bench or a sound track of one of Sophie Ellis-Bextors ‘Kitchen Disco’s’ to spur them on and the referee finally blew for full time and both sides looked exhausted in a game that could easily have been the final.
The final is on the 29th July at 18.30 pm between Simpsons Malt and Cheesy Waffles Project.
While staying in Berwick I visited Berwick Rangers ground and towering over it are the seed stores of Simpsons Malt, perhaps an omen.
Afterward: In the final Cheesy Waffles Fc defeated Simpsons Malt 5-1
Football’s Strangest Matches (Extraordinary but true stories from over a century of football). Written by Andrew Ward
First published in 1989, this book the 2004 reprint. Published by Robson Books from a imprint of Chrysalis Books Group plc.
This book was a filler after reading Peter May’s trilogy about a policeman who returns to Lewis in the Outer Hebrides and see’s life changing events unfold as he sets about solving three different murders all of which are tied in to his past and future. I thoroughly enjoyed the books as I did this one.
It’s 66 short stories were quick easy reading that made you think and smile. It was often some of what seemed daft experiences at the time that shaped the game as we know it today. The content ranges from 1895 to 2000 and I was at one of the events set out in a chapter. In January 1961 Luton were at home to Manchester City in the FA Cup and I saw them go 2 nil ahead only to be pegged back by 6 goals all scored by Dennis Law. But the game was abandoned on 69 minutes due to the rain making an already muddy pitch unplayable. When the game was replayed although Dennis Law scored it was Luton who ran out 3-1 winners and progressed to the next round. It’s strange how your memory pales as I always thought it was abandoned because it was too icy.
There are tales about a hypnotist, a game where they wore gas masks, a penalty kicking elephant and 227 more.
An easy to pick up and put down book that’s worth a look.
It’s only July 8th but I’m lucky to be seeing my first game of the new season albeit a pre season friendly between Llangefni of the Ardnal NW League and Chadderton of the North West Counties League.
Llangefni can be considered the capital of Ynys Mons with the administrative buildings all being located here and roughly 5200 inhabitants.The ground is on the northern edge of town boasting a large car park at the front. It was only £1 entrance and walking through the gate revealed a large ground with seated stands on both sides, one much larger than the other and covered standing at each end.
To the left as you walk in is a large clubhouse and bar and behind this a food kiosk. I took a plate of chips and a coffee and sat at the back of the main stand to admire a flat grass pitch that had been cut short very recently giving off a yellow glow that will turn a vivid green by the time the season starts with the rain that comes to this part of these Isles. Beyond the football ground were fields edged with hedges and a farmhouse where a tractor was being used to create a neat store of silage. Others sat in the stand with their teas, coffees and food, reacquainting their taste buds with football food.
The sky was grey but the warm day felt Muggy and the 19 or so who had travelled from Chadderton on a luxury coach were sweating already under the warm up games and runs inflicted by the coaches. Llangefni seemed more relaxed and only 13 were on the pitch.
Llangefni Town 0 Chadderton FC 4/5/6
Saturday 8th July 2023 14.30 pm kick off
Llangefni of the Ardnal NW League (The third tier of the Welsh football system) v Chadderton of the North West Counties League Premier Division.
Llangefni in Royal Blue shirts and shirts v Chadderton in Red shirts and shorts with faint white diagonal lines across the shirts.
The game soon settled into a pattern of Chaderton having most of the ball but in the first 15 minutes they only found the target once when the home keeper did well to tip the shot over. Some of their sighting problem may have been because the training goal and net had been left next to the real goal which was removed after complaints by Chadderton forwards and the goalkeeper.
There were some lazy passes and sweaty brows as 30 minutes had gone by leading to sloppy play. On 33 minutes in the goal area the Llangefni defence gifted the ball to Chadderton. They took full advantage, the ball being rolled across the goal to be tapped in for the first goal.
A few minutes later a ball rebounded off a Llangefni player to give no. 11 a run on goal for quarter of pitch. He took the ball to the keeper and squeezed it in by the post.
The score stayed at 0.2 at half-time and I reflected on my own lethagy in the first half having just sat relaxing in my back row seat for the whole of the time.
Chadderton made a few changes at half time and immediately some flowing passing resulted in a goal. Then after 20 mins the referee booked no. 3 for what seemed to me to be enthusiasm. This didn’t put him off when after Chadderton had numerous chances he attacked on the left placing a ball just ahead of an advancing forward who hit it just beyond the Llangefni’s keeper for a 4 nil lead.
Just 3 minutes later it was five as the llangefni defence couldn’t keep back the tide as they tired and after another 5 mins a through ball was siezed on to be tapped past the keeper. I thought it was 6 but Chadderton’s twitter said 5 and Llangefni’s said 0.4.
Luckily it didn’t matter and but for numerous flagging for offside it could have been many more.
A great run out for both sides as the season looms. I also shook off my lethargy with two laps of the ground in the second half. I also reflected on my good fortune having seen 3 games on the outer Islands of the British Isles in the last 90 days.
As for the chips that were cooked to order, they were hot, crispy but soggy in middle and a taste of grease. Where do you start scoring for a new season, unfortunately a low 60.
N.B.
My friend in Guernsey contacted me to let me know that Ynis Mon have made it to the semi-final of the Island Games football competition being held there. They will play Bermuda for a place in the final.
Their squad has 5 players from Llangefni FC which explains the lack of competitiveness in the game I saw on Saturday.
Thank you Robert.
Ynis Mon beat Bermuda in the semis but lost to Jersey 5.2 in the final.
Yes I know the football season is getting nearer when they announce that you can pre-order The Non-League Club Directory 2023/24 for August delivery. Well you can now, at a discounted price of £19.99 (£25.60 R.R.P.) plus £3.75 p&p.
This over 700 page of delight always hits the mark in informing and delivering new ideas as to who and where I would like to visit.
This year I will not order it myself but leave it to be given as a Christmas present, I was told off last year. Can I wait, yes I can, but others won’t.
Thank you again the father and son team who put this together. I look forward to the 50th publication.
The football season has finally ended with Manchester City deservedly winning the Champions League and the trebble.
Their achievements and the money involved is a long way away from many of the games I have seen and enjoyed often 11 and twelve leagues away from their exultant heights.
My season started last July on a very warm evening at Wells-Next-To-Sea where the long hot weather had made the grass dry, yellow and crisp making me fear for the pitches in the season ahead. I was wrong as those magician groundsmen found ways to present and maintain some great surfaces for football to flourish.
The end of my season was in May at my 46th game in Stornaway, Isle of Lewis, to watch the Jock Stein Cup, won by Back FC on a cool evening peperred with drizzle.
Early in the season I witnessed with my daughter, Quorn being bullied into defeat by Heanor but the home side had the last laugh eventually being promoted by the play offs after coming second in the United Counties league North thanks to an own goal by the League winners goalkeeper in the final minute of the final game of the league season.
A few games later I watched Worksop Town win in their relentless assault of the Northern Premier League East. What a turn around when only a few years ago I attended what could have been their last game when a financial crisis was only just averted at the last minute.
My favourite trip was again to Loughborough Students which I will see again next season. They were riding high but poor form after Chrismas meant they dropped down to third. The black cloud that hung over them they finally managed to remove after the FA agreed that the club was detached from the University and could be promoted. Too late by then as some of the spirit had been exhausted at the club. Why not have University teams competing in local football at all levels anyway. The diversity of different types of clubs makes up our game. We allow teams at the highest level to be owned by entities wanting to promote themselves so what is wrong with Universities.
Football on Christmas Eve was a hit with me and the large crowd that turned out at Dinnington where Retford United earned three points on their way to promotion to the Northern Counties East League where they will join Retford FC formed when the clubs split in 2015. A must watch game next season.
Early in the New Year with my son and grandson I wrote ‘You have to deal with disappointment following the Villa’. My grandson was not impressed despite me buying him his first football scarf which he put away and stated he didn’t want to see them again. What a turn around under Unai Emery with Villa gaining entry to European Football, next season, on the last day of their season.
Bradford Park Avenue beckoned, not their iconic old ground unfortunately, but a well run club, great experience and winners of my chip league. This would have been no consolation to them as they were relegated. Football wise the writing was on the wall that day.
The most stupid event of the season was me keeping the car keys in my pocket and having to walk into Southwell from the out of town ground to rescue my wife and make a lot of apologies.
Loved Bishop Aukland for its history and set up. A return in the future.
An impromptu visit to Long Eaton just west of Nottingham saw them see off Hebburn Town in the race for the playoffs and although they both made it, it was the Notts team that gained promotion.
A miserable grey afternoon and a dash to the Dearne valley to see the 100th anniversary of the Totty Cup competed for by local schools. What a great family affair with proud parents turning out in good numbers to watch the children. The hospitality in the club house was just warm and friendly, everyone having a great time.
My end of season was a rush but incredibly worthwhile. Burton Albion totally outplayed Sheffield Wednesday but it was the Owls in a comeback thriller in the second leg of their playoff semi final against Peterborough who made it to Wembley where they met Barnsley who I saw not put up much resistance at home in their final game. Barnsley were already in a playoff position and joined the Owls in the final only to lose out.
Sandwiched between this incursion into League One football was a trip to see a long standing friend who joined me to watch Guernsey FC. Although they lost they are still the beacon and inspiration to other islands who have joined the national non-league ranks.
I thought my final game would be between Dodworth and Swinton to see who won the Sheffield and Hallamshire County League. Over 300 turned up on a gloomy night that could be better in the future if Swinton get permission for floodlights despite local objections. Although Swinton won they were not promoted due to ground grading despite some real progress at their stadium.
Having started in North Norfolk it turned out that my last game would be in Stornoway in the Outer Hebrides for the Jock Stein Cup Final.
What an amazing year of mainly local football that left me with sincere memories for football and enhanced admiration for the people who make it possible for the matches to take place at this level. Please continue your amazing work.
Many of the games I watched this year were at grounds that were part of a mining community and it was heart warming to see how the community spirit once so strong has been preserved. Those mentioned here are a snap shot of the 46.
Disclaimer: No chips were hurt in the making of this blog except perhaps the one’s left behind at Burton.
As I have always said my chip league is very subjective and could be influenced by the day, the journey or the food consumed earlier. However another successful season of sampling the chips for the blog, sacrificing myself in the process.
This years winners, Bradford Park Avenue, were worthy winners but I’m sure they would have rather lost this league and not been relegated.
Two previous winners were in the top 5, Kiveton Park once again excelled in their presentation and Shirebrook who just keep producing good chips every season.
It was great to see the food available at Dearne and District for the Totty Cup final. It was really appreciated by the families who had turned up to watch their sons and daughters compete.
If I had been comparing non chip food I would have had a really difficult decision to make between the hot pork pie and mint sauce at Dodworth Miners Welfare and the pie and gravy at Selston. The pork pie would just have won.
The best clubhouse must go to Loughborough Students, turn up early, there is little chance of much food but you can just relax in a soft chair and wait for the game.
My trip to the Outer Hebrides found that football is alive and well in this outpost. I wrote about the iconic pitch in Eriksay and the Jock Stein Cup Final in Stornaway and on my travels saw some really good community football grounds. Scotland like England are developing a good pyramid system although both in my view need to make it easier for more clubs to go up into the professional ranks each year. The Hebrides are served by two Leagues the Uist and Barra Amateur Football League with 6 teams and the Lewis and Harris Football League with 9 teams. They all come together for the Coop Cup and compete in the Highland Amateur Cup. For a group of islands with a population of just less than 30000 this is some feat when you consider the logistics and distance (130 miles from the Southern to Northern point including two ferries). The competition is healthy amongst the community clubs with the facilities often reflecting a community hub.
The football I saw would grace Step 5 in England and apart from no floodlights, which are not needed for a summer league the facilities would be up there too.
The grounds I saw were:
Eriksay FC
Goathill Stornaway home to Stornaway Athletic and Stornaway United.
Back FC
Back is roughly 5 miles north of Stornaway and have a very neat pitch along with other community sporting facilities.
Ness FC
Ness is right at the top of the Island of Lewis only a literal stones throw from the lighthouse of The Butt of Lewis. A fan I spoke to at the Jock Stein Cup final said that they have a lively vibrant social club that supports the football team.
Point FC
Points ground is to the East of Stornaway just beyond the airport. The facilities look good but there was no one there to talk to.
A visit to Lews House and Museum there was strong reference to football in the Island life exhibits.
Driving into Back, just north of Stornaway on the Isle of Lewis you pass a modern sports complex that also houses Back FC. On reaching where we were staying I looked up Back FC to find that in 20 minutes time they were playing in the Jock Stein Cup final. I was off, but realised that they would not be at home so on checking it was Goathill Park Stornaway bound. Luckily the game was delayed by a few minutes with a queue of people at the gate.
Inside a crowd of getting on for 300 had made it a great feat considering that Back’s opponents were Ness FC an hour and a half away right at the Northern tip of the Outer Hebridies. I spoke to a Ness supporter who filled me in on who was who and that Back were favourites having beaten Ness in a recent Highland Cup game.
Back and Ness play in the Lewis and Harris League.
Back are a volunteer run community club playing at the local Community Centre which along with their grass pitch has a community gym, indoor sports hall, 3 G pitch and golf range. The football club runs teams of all ages and abilities. The club have been going since 1933 and won numerous cup and league titles.
Ness FC were formed in the same year and have perhaps a more successful past winning many trophies.
Back FC 3 Ness FC 1
Friday 19th May 2023 19.00 pm
Goathill Park, Stornaway, Lewis. Jock Stein Cup Final.
Back FC, Yellow shirts blue shorts, Ness FC, White shirts and shorts with light orange stripe down shirt sleeves and side of shorts.
My was car abandoned in a side street, like everyone else’s. I rushed to the ground for my first ever Scottish football match. The teams kicked off as I found a space on the perimeter fence at Goathill. The ground is on top of a hill as the name says and the moist wind blew across the pitch. Grey clouds scuttled past with the wind moving them on quickly so each rain burst was only small. The grass had been cut very short but still some daisies poked through and overall the playing surface looked good with a slight slope from end to end.
Back were off to a fast start watched by a lone soaring seagull who seemed like a drone filming the game. It was no surprise when after 8 minutes they went ahead when some skillful running òn the left by Joel Martin produced a cross goal ball that was deflected in off a Ness defender, Cailean Macleod. They kept up the pressure playing some slick, quick passing and dribbling.
The referee and linesmen were miked up and well on top of the game. The referee stood for no swearing or arguing and even blew up for a foul throw, something you so rarely see even though it happens more than once in most games I watch.
There were no more goals by half time and a large contingent of children invaded both ends for shooting practice into the goals.
Rain greeted the start of the second half but again only in small showers as Ness seemed to be getting stuck in more. Their tenseness of the first half had disappeared but the game drifted into a dull midfield battle. The Back forwards were still getting themselves into good positions but their shyness to shoot and Ness’s very competent goalkeeper kept the score at 1 nill.
The pressure started to build on the Ness goal and on 68 minutes Back went two ahead when a corner from the right was expertly met by Chris Macleod as his bullet header hit the net.
Ness now tried hard to get back in the game and after Back’s goalkeeper, Peel, had made two point blank saves Ness were awarded a penalty. Unfortunately for Ness, Lee Johnson’s penalty was saved. This didn’t stop their pressure and with 10 minutes left of the game they had their reward when a through ball was miss headed backwards over the advancing keeper for an own goal, this time to Ness.
Their efforts came to nothing though as Back wrapped the game up on 88 minutes with a goal fro Joel Martin. Joel Martin had looked quick all night and ran past a defender on the left cut inside and slammed the ball home for a deserved 3.1 win.
This was a great game of football, competitive to the end with some really good skills on show.
payonthegate 