Loughborough Students second best to Long Eaton.

After picking my daughter up we crossed the M1 at junction 23 on our way to see Ashby Ivanhoe FC. I luckily stopped at the layby to check if the game was on to find that it had just been called off when the opposition team had just arrived. I had previous with Ashby, having watched them last year at Quorn because their pitch was not available. They like Appleby Frodingham seem to somehow defeat my efforts to visit them, perhaps a visit to both at the end or start of a season will let me achieve my aim.

We decided to head to nearby Loughborough Students, a ground that I like to visit once a year anyway. You have to go to the gate house to get the bar lifted to enter the campus and drive to the far end where there is ample car parking, though you are bizarrely charged £1.

Walking to the ground I have written before that you pass the javelin training area, but now in front of it is a new Beach Volleyball training ground. perhaps some new Olympians are training here.

The ground has an immaculate flat grass pitch and is open on three sides with hard standing. The third side is the large main stand with changing and training rooms underneath. The long bar area is glass fronted and you could watch the game from inside if you wished. A good idea on this drizzly, wet, damp, grey, cool day. Although we sat outside on some damp seats.

Loughborough Students have found life in their new higher league level surroundings tougher than their recent years in the United Counties League. Having stated the season poorly they are now mid table and look as if they will retain their status for next season. The playing of football is not the only university activity going on, there were students with lap tops analysing the match and players as it unfolded. Good research for a sports science degree?

Football Histories

Loughborough students trace their history back to 1919 under the name of Loughborough Technical Institute later to become a Technical College and then a University. They have won many University competitions but it was in 2007 that they moved into the Non-league sphere. The University Stadium was opened in 2012 and they were moved into the United Counties League in 2019, part of a major league re organisation. They were promoted in 2024 after beating Skegness in the Play Off final 7-0 and now play in the Northern Premier Midlands Division.

A team called Long Eaton St Helens played in the Derbyshire Alliance in 1907 and played in local leagues for around 20 years before disbanding. Long Eaton Town were established in July 1949 and spent many years in the Central Alliance, before moving to the Midland League in 1961.

In 1982 they were founder members of the Northern Counties East League, with the merger of two leagues. They stayed there for 7 years before opting to move to the Central Midlands League, but by 2002 they were back in the Northern Counties East League. They moved up to the Premier Division before changing leagues again in 2014 to the newly formed Midland League. Their nomadic days continued when reorganisations moved them to the Premier Division North of the United Counties League in 2021 which they won and were promoted to The Northern Premier League East and latterly moved to the Midland Division.

Loughborough Students 0 Long Eaton 4

Saturday 8th February 2025 15.00 kick off. Northern Premier League, Midland Division. 12th V 6th. The Scholars v The Blues

Attendance 192

Loughborough University, Epinal Way, Loughborough, Leicestershire LE11 3TU

Loughborough; All purple kit with pink band on the front of the shirts with a white V across it. Goalkeeper all green: Long Eaton; Red Shorts with red shirts that had vertical black stripes on the front. Goalkeeper Light grey top black shorts.

Long Eaton started the game, stronger, organised and with an attacking intent, initially spearheaded by some very long throws into the heart of the home goal area. It was no surprise that they took the lead after just 7 minutes when a cross from the left was punched out by the keeper only into the path of Liam Loughlan who flashed it back into the net.

Loughborough made quick breaks but were caught offside by a well drilled away back line and the away team made it two nil with 20 minutes gone when James Shaw, unmarked, had all the time in the world to nod down a cross from the right past the goalkeeper.

Long Eaton left the field at half time in a commanding position. They made it three nil on 62 minutes when James Shaw, again, scored after the ball hit the bar and rebounded to him. He stroked the ball past the keeper who was partially deceived by the bounce. The goal came after intense pressure, Long Eaton having hit the bar only 5 minutes previous.

James Shaw completed his hat trick on 70 minutes adding Long Eatons’s fourth when the ball hit the post and he raced in to beat the defender who was peddling back, to squeeze it in.

Long Eaton won easily and moved up to the play off places, whilst the Students had a match to forget. I enjoyed another visit here and will return again in the future. Hopefully Loughborough will regain some of their recent form and comfortably stay in this league.

Football Food

Unfortunately no chips here only the choice between a hot pie or sausage roll. I seemed to have made the wrong choice as the sausage roll was dry and Luke warm.

Bury win the match but Stockport win as well.

A great start to a football full day was to watch my grandson play for Ketering Town under nines against two of Everton’s under nines teams at their impressive training ground at Finch farm, Halewood. The complex was vast and amazing, buzzing with games, training and happy helpful people. The guy on the gate, the lady in the café,  a steward who took us to the pitch and the coaches who oversaw the game. They lost both matches but what an experience and they didn’t look out of place. No photography here except for a sneaky shot of the badge.

With the games over by midday I drove on to Stockport Sports Village. This sports complex is north of the centre and is the home of Stockport Town F.C. who were hosting Bury F.C. in the North West Counties League, Premier Division.

I named my blog ‘payonthegate’ to reflect the difference between the Non League game and the professional league clubs but here I was attending my second all ticket 9th level match in a couple of weeks.

Being early I was able to park in the large car park and enter the ground at one corner through turnstiles overlooked by people on gym equipment, you could watch the game from an exercise bike if you planned it well.

What struck me was the organisation and effort that the home team had put in to looking after the 1240 expected fans. Three programme sellers, a raffle with many prizes, outside table for canned drink sales, an outside serving hatch for food and drink and an upstairs bar again for food and drink. They announced early in the second half that they had run out of pies and hot dogs so their efforts were rewarded.

This ground has a modern flat all weather pitch, which had a lot of black crumb on it. It sits high up on a hill overlooking a valley with trees and fields. Two sides are open with flat standing, one end has terraced covered standing behind the goal and the other side has a large tiered covered seated stand with other support buildings. The temperature was a chilly 6 degrees with high grey clouds, a dampness in the air, but with no wind.

Club Histories

Stockport Town have come a long way since they were formed in 2014. After a year of friendlies they were admitted to the North West Counties League Division 1 and soon showed that they could compete at that level getting into play offs. They have now reached the Premier Division after a League reorganisation.

Bury, by contrast, have a history reaching back to 1885 with the merger of Bury Wesley’s and Bury Unitarians. They won the F.A. Cup twice in their early years and won many promotions and suffered relegations during their up and down years. They often competed in England’s top two divisions, but their biggest test came in 2019. Having just secured promotion, the club folded in May of that year. Fans started a new club out of the wreckage and were rewarded by acceptance in 2020 to the North West Counties League. They, along with their women’s team, won promotion and since then have missed out on moving higher up the pyramid. 2022 saw a separate group acquire Gigg Lane their home since 1885 and one of the oldest football ground in the world. A meger of the two groups in 2023, like the merger of 1885, put the club back as one.

Stockport Town F.C. 1 Bury F.C. 2

Saturday 1st February 2025, North West Counties League, Premier Division, 15.00 pm Kick Off, 9th v 2nd, The Lions v The Shakers

Attendance 1240

Stockport Sports Village, Lambeth Grove, Woodley, Stockport, SK6 1QX.

Stockport Town F.C.; Red shirts and black shorts, the goalkeeper in all blue.

Bury F.C.; Canary Yellow Shorts and shirts that had navy blue shoulders, the goalkeeper in all green.

The floodlights were on from the start and it was noticeable that the uneven bounce was being controlled by Bury from the beginning. Withinn three minutes, Ruben Jerome was brought down in the penalty area. D J Pedro stepped forward and put the ball into the top of the centre of the net.

Bury kept up the pressure and with the game reaching 24 minutes Bury went further ahead when a lobbed cross bounced up high for D j Pedro to hang in the air and head the ball down into the left hand corner of the net. Stockport started to come more into the game after this, often using long throw ins as an attacking tactic. Bury, though, repulsed everything with ease, unlike the continual procession of planes on their decent into Manchester Airport.

The second half was again dominated by Bury and their numerous supporters couldn’t understand how they failed to score a hatful. Stockport’s efforts of their keeper, defensive blocks and clearances off the line were rewarded when their substitute George Omokua started to caused problems on the left flank. Jack Atkinson latched onto a pass in the final minutes of the game and drilled a shot along the ground to reduce the deficit. With 5 minutes indicated for added time it looked like Burys’ wasted chances may have come home to haunt them but they saw out that time comfortably.

With other results going their way Bury leapt back to the top of the League and the hope of many that this will see them go on to finally achieve one more promotion in their journey back to the EFL. For Stockport it showed that they can compete at the higher end of this league and for their bank balance the day was a resounding success due to their planning and effort.

Football Food

Unfortunately no chips here but but there were pies from ‘The Great North Pie Company’ who won ‘The Best Pie in Britain’ at the British Pie Awards on the 22nd October 2024. There were Cheese and Onion. Chicken Balti, Meat and Potato and Chicken and Ham, which I tried, with mashed potato, mushy peas and gravy. I can see why they won the award.

From Hackney Marshes to The Old Spotted Dog.

On a trip to South of the Thames that included no football match, I sneaked in a visit to Hackney Marshes and the Old Spotted Dog. I’ll start with the Old Spotted Dog the oldest senior football ground in London. Having been to the oldest in the world on Tuesday I couldn’t resist the opportunity, even though it was a slight detour.

The Old Spotted Dog

What a welcome, it was difficult to get in with the footpath in the area being upgraded to high spec block work, but by chance one of the committee, they all have equally votes here, let us in and showed us round. What enthusiasm and pride in what they have achieved, it was infectious.

I remember Clapton playing in the Isthmian League against St Albans many moons ago but that team is no more with the last owner falling out with the fan base. A new team was formed, Clapton Community Football Club, and they were able to buy the Old Spotted Dog Ground from Heineken and start to reclaim it from a sorry state. One of their main income sources was from the sale of their away shirts, the design of which resembled the republican movement in Spain and led to 5500 shirts being sold there. The sale of the shirts allowed the club to purchase the ground from Heineken who once owned the building next door which was a brewery.

The Clapton Community club was formed on 27 January 2018 by the disgruntled fans and they have progressed through playing on Hackney Marshes and other venues, through the Middlesex County League and now play in the Southern Counties East Football League Division 1.

The club now run men’s, women’s, youth and development teams all of which are fully inclusive to reflect the ethos of the club and community. The club is run by it’s members, anyone can join, on a democratic basis, where there is equity between women and men. Financial issues are dealt with full transparency by issuing their accounts monthly. The clubs ‘Community’ in the name is matched by their local involvement having for example a hardship fund for those in distress. They also have a philosophy of ‘not pricing anyone out of football’ by allowing you to pay what you can afford, zero if necessary.

I could write for hours about this club but instead have challenged myself to return and watch a game and further write then. I have also joined as a member.

Such is the inclusivity that entering the ground there was an urban fox sat in front of the dugout looking at the pitch. I think he was planning the tactics for the afternoon match which they won. We were told that often the youngsters who play on the pitch can be distracted by the foxes and that the members have to clear fox poo off the pitch before games.

Hackney Marshes

Before I went to Clapton I visited nearby Hackney Marshes, where there are over 80 football pitches and has been a spiritual home to grass roots football in London for many years. It is thought that football has been played on the marshes since the 1880’s but its biggest expansion and use was after 1946 when rubble from the destruction by the Blitz were deposited there and used as the substrate to layout approximately 110 football pitches. Today there are also cricket and rugby pitches, some with artificial surfaces and modern changing rooms. The Marshes are considered the birth place of Sunday League football which has its rivals in other parts of the country but it certainly was at the forefront of this part of the game.

With so many pitches it has a unique atmosphere where many teams and players have come together over a century, where players had a space to belong and achieve at their level.

I myself played here in 1966/67 when I played for Luton Nomads in a South East England Jewish Sunday League. Not being of the faith I was made an honorary member and played in many parts of London but my best memories are from ‘The Marshes’ on a wet windy Sunday afternoon, racing over three pitches to retrieve the ball with the teams on those pitches totally ignoring you as they were concentrating on their own match. It was fantastic on Saturday morning to see people of all ages using the pitches to their best advantages and having the same enjoyment that I had so many years ago.

Football continues to be threaded in our culture at all levels of the game.

The Old Spotted Dog Inn, reputed to be an Hunting Lodge of Henry the eight net door to the football ground which the local community are also attempting to revive.

This picture was displayed on the walls and was photographed by the son of the man who showed us round. It has recently been displayed in the West End of London and will soon be displayed at an exhibition in Paris. Football can join us all together.

Personal farewell to Denis Law

It was sad to see that Denis Law left us a week ago at the age of 84. He was undoubtedly one of Britain’s greatest forwards, proving this in a career across Scotland, England and Italy.

He was a forward who was able to show balletic skills on rubbish surfaces as well as on major stages as he won all of the honours in the English game. He was blessed with the skill to beat defenders, overhead kicks, back heels and an ability to be there at the right time.

I was there to see him score six goals at Kenilworth Road in the infamous abandoned F.A. Cup game of 1961.

Being treated for my 11th birthday, my Dad and I caught the 321 London Country Bus from the Ancient Briton, in St Albans, to the top of Cutenhoe Road in Luton, where a Luton Corporation ‘Special’ bus was waiting to take us to the ground. We stood at the Kenilworth Road End and watched a sensation, Denis Law, totally overrun the home side. It didn’t matter that we were drenched we were watching a master. Some of the crowd around us were complaining about the conditions at half time, and wanted the game abandoned so that they could get their money back and I also suspect that they didn’t like to see Luton thrashed. The teams did come out for 24 more minutes and no money was refunded or tickets given to the rearranged game.

I didn’t care, what a birthday treat to see Dennis Law tiptoe through atrocious conditions and score 6 goals, against Luton’s 2. Denis even scored in the rearranged game but Luton came out winners of that 3.1.

I only ever saw Denis Law on the TV after that, what a player, what a career.

A Happy Birthday at Hallam

I battled through the busy traffic into and through Sheffield on my way to Sandygate Road to ensure I was early enough to get to Hallam FC to get a seat and a program. A large crowd was expected to see Hallam play Sheffield FC for the first time in a few years in what is called the ‘Rules Derby’ a reference to the Sheffield Rules which are the oldest rules in football and still provide much of the basis for the playing of the game today all over the world.

Hallam FC, the second oldest club in the world were playing Sheffield FC the first and oldest club in the world. This at Sandygate Lane, the oldest football ground in the world for a semi-final place in the Sheffield and Hallamshire Senior Cup administered by, Sheffield and Hallamshire County Football Association, the first area Association established in England.

I have been to this ground many time before so will not describe it again but point out that the club have recently extended the standing area behind the ‘Shed End’ and that one side is totally open to the cricket pitch. Because of the exceptional 1496 crowd, spectators were allowed to stand on the hallowed cricket pitch side, something I have never seen here before.

These two clubs are experiencing differing stages in their life. Sheffield FC are still at their Derbyshire ground and trying to get permission to move back into the City to have a permanent home and build the type of local community spirit that has been built up by Hallam over the many years in one location. Hallam’s success in generating income through larger than usual crowds at their level of football and the resulting extras, food, drink, shop, club house, etc has also seen success on the field as well. It leaves them currently in a good position to make the playoffs at the end of the season. Sheffield FC despite their status as the oldest club in the world, which generates a world wide fan base needs a local grounding. Sheffield are uncomfortably at the foot of the Northern Premier League East, 6 points adrift of their nearest rivals. A relegation might see them playing in The United Counties Premier North Division next year because of their Derbyshire location. So this season it is Sheffield that are the team from one level higher than Hallam. but next year the tables could well be turned.

Another reason for the trip was that the game was on my 75th birthday having been postponed, due to the snow, the week before. It was also roughly 70 years since I had watched my first football match, when at the age of five I had seen St Albans City play in the Isthmian League.

Hallam FC 2 Sheffield FC 1

Sheffield and Hallamshire Senior Cup – Quarter Final. Tuesday 21st January 2025, 19.45 pm kick off. Hallam FC, Sandygate, Sandygate Road, Sheffield S10 5SE

Hallam; All Royal Blue kit, goalkeeper wearing pink top and black shorts. Sheffield; Red shirts with black quartered fronts and black sleeves and collars, goalkeeper in all green.

Hallam kicked up the hill in the first half on a pitch that is beginning to show some wear after some busy use. It was a cool night at 4 degrees and would have been colder if not for the cloud cover.

The home crowd were immediately behind their team and they took an early lead when Hugo Warhurst, their goalkeeper launched a long kick that was expertly controlled by James Cadman who drilled into the net.

The end to end play now produced a goal for Sheffield when Connor Cutts rifled home an equaliser from distance. Hallam gained the ascendancy again and were denied by good saves by Niall Edge and the post. Niall Edge’s kicking was not helping Sheffield to move the ball up field and Hallam kept up the pressure. At half time it was one a piece but both teams had played their part in a full blooded encounter that had been end to end.

Hallam started the second half like the first and scored with only a few minutes on the clock. A cross was met by Leon Howarth who steadied himself, moved across two defenders and found the bottom left corner of the net after a deflection. Cue Hallam supporters joy and a blue flare held high behind the bottom end net in which they had just scored.

Sheffield huffed and puffed and created one real chance when the advancing home keeper was well beaten only for the shot to be cleared off the line by one of the three defenders who had raced back to cover.

As the game went on it seemed that Hallam were the side putting it all on the line as they continued to chase and challenge everything. This effort despite their sapping away defeat in the FA Vase on Saturday. Hallam held on and deserved the win. With some strong teams left in the cup another fantastic night could be waiting for Hallam.

The Chips unfortunately did not live up to the rest of the evening, they were warm, soggy, OK taste and not greasy but only a score of 55. Not up to the normal standard here but I think a large batch had been cooked and I may have received the end of that.

Knaresborough upset Thackley’s flow.

On the way down the A1 I popped into Knaresborough to see them play Thackley in the Northern Counties East League. Thackley from the northern outkirts of Bradford were on a run of five wins in a row and sat third in the table whilst the home team, Knaresborough Town were eighteenth , only one place above the relegation zone.

The ground is on the edge of town, not far off the A59, and easy to reach. I was dropped off and walked into the ground on what was a cold day, Google saying it was just above freezing, with patchy grey and blue sky, but with no wind. There was a small covered seated stand in the middle of one side, open behind one goal, a small covered standing area offset from the goal at the other end and down the other side the changing rooms, clubhouse, a food kiosk, a small area to stand and a wall from a neighbouring building. The pitch was grass that sloped slightly from end to end with undulating areas and mud showing through the grass after our wet winter. There is less than 20 miles between the two clubs so it was almost a local derby.

Knaresborough have been established since 1898, then known as Trinity, playing local football, before being elevated to the Northern League in 1909 for only 2 years, before going back into local York leagues. After World War Two they reformed in the Harrogate League and returned to it after another spell in the York League. By the end of the 1960’s they joined the West Yorkshire League where they played mainly, except for one excursion back in the Harrogate League again. It was in 2012, that after investment in the ground they were elected to the Northern Counties East League and six years later won promotion to the Premier Division where they play today.

Thackley were not founded until 1930 when members of the Thackley Wesleyan Methodist Church set up a Sunday League Team. They stayed in the West Riding County Amateur League for 25 years from 1939, After a brief stay in the West Yorkshire League they joined the strong Yorkshire League and became founder members of the Northern Counties East League in 1982 where they still remain.

Knaresborough Town AFC 3 Thackley 2

Saturday 18th January 2025, 15,00 pm kick off, Northern Counties East League, Premier Division.

Knaresborough Town AFC, Manse Lane, Knaresborough, North Yorkshire, HG5 8LF,

18th v 3rd, Knaresborough have no nick name but Thackley are known as the Denny boys.

Knaresborough; Red shirts with white horizontal line on the backs with the sponsors name, black shorts, goalkeeper in lime green top and black shorts: Thackley; All royal blue kit and goalkeeper in all orange.

The first 15 minutes play was even with Thackley looking the most positive. Thackley forwards put one ball just wide and a header over the bar from a corner but neither side scored and they left the field for half time with little indication of anyone scoring.

The floodlights came on for the second half, which showed how quickly the days have lengthened since December 21st, winter is slowly seeping away!

The light must have sparked the player as with 4 minutes gone Knaresborough’s Ben Parkes curled a ball, from outside the goal area, with his right foot, into the top right hand corner for the lead. Four minutes later Ben Parkes was pushed down in the penalty area and Jack Lazenby stepped forward to make it two nil.

There looked no way back for Thackley but they kept pressing and with 19 minutes gone Slater Barnes reduced the deficit after a fast break that meant the ball was whipped across the goalmouth for him to tap in. Thackley now pressed forward and despite having their Manager sent off equalised in the 86th minute when a corner from the right was headed back at the far post for Muhammet Tektas to steer into the net to equalise. Play became frantic with Harry Parsons for Thackley sent off a minute after their equaliser. Thackley pushed on despite their reduced numbers, hoping to retain their winning streak but despair hit them when with time up a freekick was headed back across goal, which Phil Milson stroked home.

The 186 spectators had been warmed by the pulsating second half, with the home side ecstatic but Thackley annoyed at not taking at least a point. Thackley though didn’t deserve the spoils with very little cutting edge up front.

A coffee and a portion of thin cut chips cost only £3.70, but the chips were disappointing being only warm with little taste although they were not greasy, a score of 56.

I didn’t win the meat raffle either.

2024/2025 season, interim Chip League

At the half way stage of many of the leagues, I thought it prudent to issue an interim league table for my chip league. After 25 matches and 15 portions of chips there is a clear leader in Hednesford Town, and by a co-incidence it was by far the most exciting game I have seen so far this season and for many seasons.

As I always state this is subjective and could change at a subsequent visit, sometimes dependent on whether you are first in the queue for a newly cooked batch of chips. After 7 years of chips I do wonder if I am getting a bit jaded in my appreciation of chips but the smell and anticipation, often on a cold evening, overcome those thoughts.

I will in anticipation look forward to the end of the season to see if anyone can knock Hednesford off their top billing.

 payonthegate 2024/25 chip league
ClubScoreComments
Hednesford82Really good taste.
Coleshill74Tasty under the gazebo.
Hallam72Hot and Tasty
South Leeds72Freshly cooked, good Friday night out.
Clay Cross72Good taste. Very thick Bovril.
Matlock70Big portion
Clifton All Whites67Enjoyable
Sheffield FC67Good texture
Basford62Greasy background taste, good food hut.
Worksop60Gone backwards since last times improvement
Mansfield58Only ate half, greasy, why chips in away end not main stand.
Sandiacre 56Lingering, greasy taste, served on a reuseable plate
Albion Sports55Lasting greasy taste
Brigg54Too greasy, friendly club house.
Wombwell52Taste of burnt fat.
Fakenham Town0No Chips
Club Thorne Colliery 0No Chips
Wolverhampton Wanderers0No Chips
Kiveton Park0No Chips
Gretna0No Cips but the Scotch pie was great.
SJR Worksop0No chips, packet of Quavers instead.
Sheffield Union0No Chips, didn’t go to the club house.
Chesterfield0No Chips
Aston Villa0Couldn’t get to the food kiosks, too busy
Shrewsbury/TNS0No Chips

You have to deal with disappointments following the Villa, Part 4 !!!!!!!

Friday saw me take a drive to Villa Park to see their 150th Anniversary Game, which had been deemed to be the Third Rond FA Cup game at home to West Ham. Tickets were reduced to £25 and less for children so another grandson was able to come along and see his first ever game at Aston Villa.

Other celebratory actions were the use of an Anniversary kit of black shirts, to pay homage to the original shirts that also had no sponsorship or player names on them. There were also items for sale in the club shop,  which had lengthy queues, for £1.50, as well as a souvenir programme for the same price. Unfortunately only a few had been printed and although we entered the North Stand an hour early, there were none left, although they were for sale on eBay the next day at a very inflated price. Subsequent to this a new batch have been re-printed for sale to fans.

It was a cold clear night with the car temperature registering minus 4 degrees as we parked, and we were soon chilled on the way to the stadium, but inside, where there was a full house, it was warmer. There had been rumblings about Villa making this their anniversary match  yet I felt the full house was a vindication considering the weather , a Friday night and the game being on TV. It also gave the chance for younger fans to attend and get their first taste of the Villa bug.

Villa fans were in good voice as too were the 6000 from West Ham who helped to create a good atmosphere.

Aston Villa 2 West Ham 1

Friday 10th February 2025 20.00 pm kick off F.A. Cup 3rd Round

Villa Park, Trinity Road, Aston, Birmingham, B6 6HE, Villains v Hammers

Villa; Black shirts, white shorts West Ham; White Shirts, claret shorts.

The noise ramped up as the game started with both sides looking to take control. A mistake trying to head clear a challenge in the centre of the pitch was swept out to the West Ham right and the ball was quickly moved forward to be centred which allowed Luca Paqueta to shoot low to the left of Olsen, in goal for Villa, maybe for the last time, into the corner of the net to take the lead with 9 minutes gone.

Villa looked sluggish at this point and continual sideways passes with no result were greeted with derision by the home fans. The continual probing didn’t lead to anything and their flow was disrupted on 23 minutes when Barkley was substituted for Onana after a leg injury, not long after Fullkrug had been replaced for West Ham by ex villain Danny Ings. The probing pattern of play continued for Villa, with West Ham occasionally making a quick break but neither side looked like adding to the score as the clock wound down to half time. A group of past players were warmly applauded when they walked around the pitch at the break.

The second half started without West Ham’s Summerville who had been influential in the visitors play.

Villa took more control yet still didn’t score even though they forced a series of corners. One corner from the right was swung in to be headed on by Tyrone Mings to Ezri Konsa at the back post who headed it down into the ground where it was spilled by Fabianski, the West Ham keeper, after an intervention by a defender. The ball was pounced on by the imposing Onana who poked it over the line. Should the Hammers goal Hero, Paqueta, not have fallen over next to Konsa, he would have been able to challenge his goalward header.

The goal signalled a resurgent Villa which was also helped by the immediate introduction of three substitutes. Five minutes after the goal, Yuri Tielemans released a long ground pass from deep in his own half to Emi Buendia, who had started with a positive go forward attitude, who swept the ball out to the left where Ollie Watkins raced into the Hammers penalty area and flashed the ball along the ground to Morgan Rogers who with one strike buried it into the net. A typical Villa goal under Unai Emery. The onslaught continued and only the left hand post stopped Jacob Ramsey’s beautiful curling shot from making it three.

Villa relaxed a little and it was their other substitute, Nedeljkovic who raced back at impressive speed to block a goalward bound shot. Villa fans were now in full flow and were relieved and pleased at their teams second half play. For 70 minutes I though that I would need to write ‘ You have to deal with disappointments following the Villa part 4’ but my influence had changed which I put down to wearing my claret and blue scarf, knitted by my mother 30 years ago, to keep me warm.

UP THE VILLA, even though I couldn’t get any chips with the huge queue, because all food and drink was £1.50 and the crowd was 40898.

You’ll Win Nothing With Kids

You’ll Win Nothing With Kids – Fathers Sons and Football
Written by Jim White
Published by Little Brown 2007

This book jumped out at me because my son manages his sons football team, starting last season as under 8’s. It’s been fascinating and sometimes funny listening to how he was going to set the team up and how they played and initially lost. However with a friend they have enjoyed every moment of it and enabled a group of lads to not only enjoy the games but build friendships and get a good grounding in life. It’s a good lesson to understand the highs and the lows.
It also appealed to me because I was there at the start of the 1995/96 season when Villa overwhelmed Manchester United 3.1 and Alan Hansen said on Match of the Day
‘You can’t win anything with kids’. Little did I know I was witnessing the birth of a team that would transform English and European Football. It also heralded one of the most successful managerial reigns in football history.
Because of Jim’s job, he is able to ask different sports professionals and managers, for tips and ideas. Did they work?, you’ll have to read the book to find out.
The journey is fascinating and a good read.

2024, Another Great Year.

2024 was my seventh year of writing this blog and I thank everyone who has read it this year, making it the most popular year so far.
The year started at Garforth in North East Leeds where on a muddy pitch they were the better team and went on to win promotion later in the season. It was the first of 48 matches including some International Excursions.

There were three excursions outside of England, in theory, with games in Italy, Scotland and Wales (well almost).
The Italian game in Florence to see Fiorentina was a highlight, not because of the game or the weather, but because of the generosity of a local fan who guided me from the railway station to the ground and explained how I would get back. The unique Mussolini era architecture has cover for a very small minority of fans and the rest of us were drenched with a biblical type downpour. Luckily the food stall sold plastic ponchos, I wonder why!


The trip to Gretna was an experience in that I have not seen such avant garde parking. Cars were just abandoned everywhere, with no order but everyone seemed happy and negotiated leaving with no problems at all. The game was a great advert for the Lowland League and the Scotch pie was somehow tasty, I had never been impressed with one before.
On to Wales, but not Wales, as Cymru champion The New Saints played a European Conference League game at Shrewsbury Town’s stadium to meet UEFA standards. Although they lost 2 nil to a very competent Panathinaikos, their exploits at this stage of European football has raised the bar of Welsh football




The stand out game of the year was
Hednesford v Gainsborough Trinity in the F.A. Cup. Down and out, Gainsborough fought back to level at 3.3 at full-time and again came back to level at 4.4 after extra-time. Then the dreaded penalties that saw the away team go through 5.4. This will go down as one of the best games I have ever seen in nearly 70 years watching football.



Other highlights were seeing Loughborough Students gain promotion in a play off final when they overwhelmed Skegness 7 nil. A just reward, having previously been told by the F.A. that they wouldn’t be allowed promotion. A great decision by the F.A. to change their minds.


Another play off game saw, Shirebrook, a team near to me, stun Wakefield 4.0 to gain promotion but not in the completion they were playing in but in The United Counties League. This was due to another F.A. reorganisation. This one tidied up many clubs in the Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Nottinghamshire and Yorkshire, a good sensible move.
Good to see Chesterfield promoted and a great Chesterfield Sunday Cup final at Staveley where Brampton Rovers were winners 4.3 after extra time.
I saw Kiveton Miners Welfare’s last game at Stone Close and also one of Kiveton Park’s first. The ground already looks so much tidier. Just down the road I finally saw a game finished at S J R Worksop, but didn’t make it to Kirton Brickworks ground due to a switched venue because of a waterlogged pitch. Definitely one for the future.
I was bored at Mansfield in December but elated for the Chairman of Biggleswade Town, an old school friend, the month previous, when they came back to win 5.4 at Coleshill in the F.A. Trophy.
A second trip to see a Berwick Charities Cup match left me in awe, again, of this locally organised competition.


As the year ended Ashbourne, the underdogs, almost upset Clay Cross in the Derbyshire Senior Cup and should have reaped an award for their effort.
Finally another aborted visit to Appleby Frodingham’s ground saw me end up at Brigg and a last minute win at a ground soon to join the artificial pitch brigade.
As usual a fantastic year with 2025 beckoning. I wish everyone a Happy 2025.