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THE NUTTERS BETWEEN THE POSTS
What makes a sane person decide to become a goalkeeper? All
that flak, abuse and compulsory dentistry. Is it a requirement to be a total nutter
and glory seeker, or does it just help? Witness David Seaman after the Brazil
game. Is it really worth it?
In my youth, the goalie was always the last player to be picked
to stand between the coats. No posts then. He was usually the bespectacled spotty
youngster with no mates. The loser before he had started.
Brian Clough went a long way to changing the perception that
the goalie made little difference to a team’s performance. Having won the
league with Nottingham Forest he announced that Peter Shilton had been worth twenty
points to his side throughout the season. And this at a time when a win was only
worth two points.
Many ‘keepers are eccentric. Just like wicket keepers
at cricket, they probably have to be. Just look at Alan Knott, Jack Russell or
Ian Healy. All permanently on the move and all totally barking mad. More habits
here than a Franciscan Monastery. Would you stand twenty odd metres away whilst
some whirling dervish hurtles a leather ball at you? At least a batsman has a
bit of wood to hit the flaming thing with. It is said that Jack Russell even used
the same tea bag for the duration of a 5-day test match. Mad or tight fisted?
Anyway, this was meant to be about goalies not wicket keepers.
I have seen many goalies in my forty-odd years of football
watching. Some good, some bad, some downright crap. Amongst the best ones were
Banks, Yashin, Jennings and Zoff. I can always remember the size of Pat Jennings’
hands - they were gigantic. Not so much plates, more a banqueting table. There
are of course loads more great goalkeepers, too many to mention here. One of the
more eccentric custodians of recent times was Bruce “Mr Honesty” Grobbelaar.
He was always very entertaining and kept you glued to the game, but I am glad
that he never played for one of my teams. Although I understand that Bill Williams
did try to sign him for the K’s. Lucky escape that one. Most goalies have
been interesting in one way or another, Ray Clemence aside, and have brought their
own brand of eccentricity to the sport. There is no doubt in my mind that as the
game has changed, the goalie has become a vital cog in the team, and as Cloughie
said, worth a number of points per season. Would K’s have survived relegation
from the Conference if Steve Farrelly had been fit for the whole season?
So I would like to dedicate this article to the goalkeeper
and to four of them in particular. All have been involved with MY teams, two from
each of K’s and United (there is only one United so will not insult you
all by saying which). They have all made an impression on me for different reasons.
They are definitely not in any specific order of ability but are included to show
the differing personalities and characters.
The first of these is Brian Wakefield. Older K’s fans
will remember him in the early 60’s. Nicknamed “The Cat”, he
had a propensity for crawling along his line instead of diving. A university graduate,
therefore belying the accusation of nutter-dom, he was awarded England honours
having been signed by K’s from Corinthian Casuals (I think). He even scored
a penalty in an Amateur Cup game against Callenders Athletic at Belvedere. Fearless,
athletic and an excellent keeper. At this time the Isthmian league had a number
of very good keepers. Mike Kelly of Wimbledon who went on to become England’s
goalkeeping coach; Mick Rose of St Albans who played for Charlton Athletic; and
of course the great Alex Stepney from Tooting & Mitcham who played for United
and England. But Brian Wakefield was equally as good as any of them. Just a little
bit older and perhaps not as lucky.
My second keeper is “Big” Steve Farrelly. He is
without doubt the best keeper that I have seen outside of the football league
and better than many in it. An enormous man who would give great confidence to
the defenders in front of him. The first time that I saw him I wondered why he
was wasting his time in semi-professional football. Perhaps his fitness record
says most about this, but he was and still is a superb ‘keeper. Shame about
his kicking which always seemed to resemble a mis-directed Exocet missile. Perhaps
he provided the fuel for the American phrase “friendly fire”. Not
the most demonstrative of keepers, but a great assurance giver. I was always surprised
when he was beaten. Despite his major cock up against Kettering at Wembley (I
know it was disallowed but am still not sure why) he was a magnificent keeper
and as much responsible for K’s success in the late 90’s as anyone
else.
My third keeper is, in my humble opinion, the greatest keeper
of them all, EVER. That quiet, unassuming, red-nosed Dane, Peter Schmeichel. He
really should have been named Rudolph. Now the really great thing about writing
these articles is that nobody can disagree with you immediately. However in this
case I am certain that very few will anyway. When Sir Alex bought Peter, even
he can have had no idea of the impact the Big Man would make. Totally fearless,
enormous, very vocal and would frighten the crap out of most forwards. Also never
ever made a mistake or so you would think judging by his reactions to his colleagues.
I know that Steve Bruce in his autobiography claimed that he never listened to
him. Well he must have gone to the same doctor as Beethoven. How many points did
he win for United? Ok, he has had lapses, all keepers do but this guy was great.
He still is and I am certain that Alex regrets the day he left. As Tina Turner
sang, “Simply the Best”. No question!
My final keeper is one that I find incredibly frustrating.
Undoubtedly one of the best-shot stoppers of all time, but so erratic. Yes it
is Fabien Barthez. Kicker extraordinaire. One minute brilliant, next minute making
an error for which a schoolboy should be rightly shot. Perhaps a little extreme
but you know what I mean. He was rated as the best in the world when he came to
Old Trafford. This is not an opinion that I share but he does have some merit
if only in keeping the opposition forwards on their toes. It is only a few months
ago that Liverpool fans started a “Barthez Must Stay” campaign. But
what do you say to a guy that has won every major honour in the game? He must
have done something right.
Ok. So there you have it. Four “nutters” that for
one reason or another have made an impression on me. You may not agree with my
choices and you may wish to argue them. But whatever you think, the goalie is
now one of the most vital members of any team. Witness Lance Key over the last
season. To all of the goal minders, thank you for the entertainment and will someone
please pick up the coats on the way out?
Rory
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WIAO, proud sponsors of Lance Key, caught up with the K’s
keeper following the 1-1 draw with Hayes.
Lance Key in person is much the same as Lance Key in goal.
Calm assured and unruffled, his six foot four inch frame dominates the players’
bar just as impressively as he’s been dominating penalty areas for K’s
since his move from Northwich Victoria one year ago.
Considering the youth and inexperience of the defenders playing
in front of him, and the off the field turmoil that engulfed the club soon after
his arrival, Key’s form has been remarkable, producing man of the match
performances with easy regularity, and eliciting ever more rousing renditions
of his signature ditty ‘Lance Key is the dog’s bollocks’ from
the Kingston Road faithful. Having swept the board at the end of season awards
and won Ryman League and International recognition for his efforts, the finest
Kingstonian ‘keeper since Steve Farrelly admits he’s never played
better.
“The big thing is that I’m enjoying my football
now more than I ever have done. That’s a bizarre thing to say considering
I played professionally, but I’m playing regular football here and throughout
my League career, that never happened.”
Having started his career at Histon in the old Eastern Counties
League, the Yorkshireman’s graduation to the professional game often proved
frustrating,
“I only got games at Sheffield Wednesday by going
out on loan: to Oxford, Lincoln, Hartlepool, Oldham and Rochdale. I was never
really given a chance. But I’ve no regrets. I had 11 years at it, other
people would give their right arm for that.”
He retired from the professional game at the age of 31, went
first to Northwich Victoria and then, having moved to Cambridge for work, signed
for K’s under Bill Williams. “I knew there was a good set up here.
When Bill phoned me, it seemed an obvious choice. I didn’t realise the (financial)
trouble we were in at the time though.”
Under Sedgley’s new regime Key is certainly the elder
statesman of a very young side (“I’m twice the age of some of those
kids!”) and has been in a unique position to view the new manager’s
development,
“Last season Steve (Sedgley) came in and he had nothing
to lose. He just had to stick the young guys in and ride it out. But now we’ve
come through the financial difficulties, we can see what he can do as a manager
and as a coach. With each game he’s getting better. He’s starting
to become more demanding. This season’s totally different from the last.
Pre-season was more upbeat and he’s making sure he gets the best out of
everyone.”
Key is cautiously optimistic about the team’s prospects.
“We’re a young side and the test will come if we get beaten four
or five nil… but we’ve got to build slowly. You can’t just throw
money at it. Look at Gray’s now. They’re throwing silly money at people
but they’re not gelling as a team. But we’ve got kids here who will
run their backsides off for 90 minutes, while somebody who’s 33 or 34 is
just picking up his paycheck. That’s an advantage we might have.”
As for promotion, the answer is typically phlegmatic, “Why
not? There’s a buzz in the dressing room at the moment… the first
15 games are important but we’ve started the season well. We’ll see.”
And the infamous song? He chuckles heartily. “I had
that song at Northwich too. It’s obviously nice to hear it but I often wonder
if I have a pair of bollocks like a dog’s. I don’t know. I’m
hoping it means I’ve done quite well.” I think we can safely assume
it’s the latter.
Taimour
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I suppose you could say I had a bit of a deprived childhood.
Apart from and the odd celebrity XI match, and a couple of England Schoolboy internationals
at Wembley, where now I think about it I did see a very young Peter Shilton in
goal, my younger years were mostly bereft of watching live footie, writes A Krinkly.
Mind you my first memory of K’s goes back a fair way.
I used to be a regular at the Saturday morning Surbiton Odeon flicks, and was
rather surprised on rolling out into the glare one day to find the place swarming
with red and white scarves all heading for the station. Kingstonian on the way
to Wembley I was informed, playing Hendon in something called the Amateur Cup
Final, and I didn’t even know it was on!! Luckily in those days the Cup
was still considered important enough to have the second half televised live,
so I was able to watch the Hooped Wonders chucking the match away in the last
few minutes. I wonder if I would have caught the bug sooner if they HAD held on
to that one goal lead?
I was aware of the divine game of course; I can still remember
feeling genuine shock and sadness on hearing the names of the Busby Babes lost
in the Munich Disaster. Also, the year before K’s Wembley appearance, I
had chosen Luton in the 1959 Cup Final, SIGH, an affliction I suffer from to this
day! Indeed, I stuck with the Hatters all the way down to the basement during
my time at Fleetwood Secondary in Chessington, and suffered purgatory because
of it. Those Spurs fans were SO ARROGANT in the early 60’s, I can’t
think why. My suffering was alleviated to a degree though, by jumping on the burgeoning
Chelsea bandwagon at school. In those days the Pensioners were still a fan-orientated
club, and many years from becoming the corporate business we now see.
It wasn’t until I started work in 1965 that I finally
got smitten. K’s were playing Fulham at Richmond Road in the London Challenge
Cup. I had nothing better to do that evening so why not? One look at those Hooped
shirts running rings around their ‘betters’ was enough, 1-0 WOW that
was it, what HAD I been missing all those years?
They drew Spurs away in the next round, and although I didn’t
go, I remember they came very close to dumping them out at White Hart Lane. There
was no way I was going to miss THAT replay; I even acquired a snazzy new woollen
red/white scarf for the occasion. Richmond Road was PACKED, and by the end of
the evening Spurs knew they had been in a real match. K’s goal in their
2-1 defeat was controversial for reasons I don’t remember, but who cares,
it stood, what a night!
Over the coming months, I rapidly became acquainted with many
of those exotic clubs then in the Isthmian League, Corinthian Casuals, Wealdstone,
Enfield, Dulwich Hamlet, to name just a few, oh yes and those denizens of Gander
Green Lane!
Well, that was it I was totally hooked, and it wasn’t
long before I also started visiting Stamford Bridge. It would still be more than
another year though, before I ventured on an epic 714 Green Line trek from the
White Hart in Chessington to Luton. Only to find (on discovering the bus time
table had lied) that it was lot easier and quicker to do it via Kings Cross!
Looking back now I am very glad I got hooked when I did, that
K’s team of 65/66 were really something. Wakefield in goal especially, his
nickname (tank) was wonderfully appropriate, a brilliantly skilled ‘keeper,
he would gather the ball safely to his chest and just stand there letting attackers
BOUNCE of him, it was a joy to watch.
Finally that snazzy scarf, I still have it, and what a wonderful
history it has. Many memorable (and many not so) K’s matches, cheering North
Shields on to Amateur Cup victory against Sutton, and all five Chapple Trophy
finals.
It’s greatest moment though, was being worn and waved
with immense pride in the right hand standing area beside the tunnel at Wembley
on 30th July 1966.
A Krinkly
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WIAO met Ivor Heller, Commercial Director of AFC Wimbledon,
following their opening two games at Kingsmeadow.
WIAO: How have your first few days at Kingsmeadow shaped up?
Heller: Today (at home to Cove) was a dream day. We had 3500 people here, but
no problems at the turnstiles, no problems at the bars, everything went really
smoothly. We’re very grateful to Kingstonian for having us here and we hope
and pray we’ll have a very good relationship. I actually feel really sorry
for you guys just waiting for your season to start. It’s a disaster what’s
happened here.
WIAO: When did you find out the capacity had been reduced?
Heller: The week before unfortunately. We always thought it was 5000 because the
police said they didn’t want any more than that. We had to turn away over
a thousand fans last week.
WIAO: Is promotion a realistic aim this season?
Heller: Absolutely. We do want promotion. If we wanted to buy our way through
this league, we could. We are a cash rich club, but that’s not the right
way to do it. You’re not going to build the club on sound principles that
way. It may turn out foolish but we’re not going to throw money at something
just because we can.
WIAO: What’s the best thing about returning to non-league
football?
Heller: You can get drunk with the players! The whole social aspect. Going to
football for a day for a non-league game is an event. Going to football in the
Football League can be purgatory. You get to the ground, you get shepherded somewhere
and sit in your little pen, and then you leave immediately and go home the safest
and quickest way you can. Here you get to the ground about 11am, have a few drinks,
and can mix with the other team’s fans, if you can find any in our case.
WIAO: AFC Wimbledon’s story is a remarkable one. It’s
structure is particularly interesting.
Heller: Yes, all the people on the board are elected by the fans. The fans can
get the board thrown out through a vote of the (1800 strong) Don’s Trust.
There’s no salaries for anyone on the Board. Not one penny. This is what
fans everywhere should be doing, forming themselves into trusts. You’ve
got fans who have the expertise to help out. All they really need to do is be
asked, but asked in the right way by people who want to take the club forward.
WIAO: Obviously Kingsmeadow is only a temporary home. What
are your future plans?
Heller: We need £12 million to go back to Plough Lane. That’s just
to buy the land. Realistically that might be a bridge to far, but we’ll
have a crack at it. Plough lane was sold from beneath our feet. We had no chance
to fight that. If you had to ask me who the real villain of the piece was, I’d
have to say Sam Hamman. But here it feels more like Plough Lane than anywhere
we’ve been since and that’s because the atmosphere is so good.
WIAO: Is there any residual sympathy for those left at ‘Franchise
FC’?
I think some of the players would still get some respect amongst the fans. But
what’s gone on is an abomination to football. It would be like moving Kingstonian
to Slough. Ours is worse than that. It’s bloody Milton Keynes.
WIAO: Kingstonian have long suffered from poor crowds. Is it
fair to say that the leafy suburbs of South West London are not football areas?
Absolutely not. There’s no if’s or but’s about that. It’s
all a question of going out in the community and making yourselves a focal point.
That’s how we’ve done what we’ve done. The whole club needs
to act as one.
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“AND IT COMES TO ELVERSON…”
The quest is over… Saturday 13th April 2002, about
4.28pm, Kingsmeadow Stadium.
To most of the people in K’s biggest crowd of the season
(01/02), Matt Elverson’s headed goal might not have meant much apart from
putting the K’s 2-0 up in what was no more important than a routine league
fixture. The fact that it was against a strong Aldershot side meant it had a little
more substance, but apart from that it was a goal that will probably confined
to dusty pages of the history books. It will never go down in any list of K’s
greatest goals. The fact that the close-range header from a corner went off both
posts before going in still wouldn’t make it a more noteworthy goal than
even the other one on the day (by Ball). Yet to the few (once numbering double
figures) who almost hero-worship the man this was a very significant and special
moment.
Way back in the aeons of time, whilst half of the current K’s
team were still kicking a ball around at junior level, a bet was laid by Simon
Bell (in fact it was so long ago that even he was still kicking a ball around
a school playground) that Matt Elverson would NEVER score for K’s with his
head. This seemed a decent bet at the time considering his past efforts, such
as one particular Easter Monday at Molesey when Eddie Akuamoah ran past about
the whole defence and drew out the ‘keeper only for Elverson to produce
a brilliant defensive header over the bar. We went on to win the game 2-0 but
that moment instilled enough confidence in Simon to produce such a statement.
As his K’s career came to an end, the former captain’s cult status
somewhat drained, he popped up for Carshalton in a Surrey Cup semi-final replay
to produce a similar miss and on the way out Simon boasted about his prediction.
Come late last season there were rumours doing the rounds that
Steve Sedgley had signed Elverson for a return to the club, but they seemed almost
bizarre enough to ignore, until he did turn up in the hoops once again. Simon
was reminded about his bet, though he continued to dismiss the threat with a swagger.
After the shambles at Croydon, Elvo was unfortunate to see one power-header strike
the bar and another cleared off the line (even if the line the officials were
apparently using was the one dividing lanes four and five on the athletics track
around the pitch). That was it, we thought. It was just never destined to happen.
But all those efforts just proved to be sighters…
Come the Aldershot game, Elvo needed a super-special header,
and so it proved to be as he rose like the proverbial Salmon to head against…
the post! Alas it was a very special day indeed for the rebounding ball was to
roll along the line to hit the other post and eventually in. Quite justly the
goal turned out to be the winner. Celebrations all round then - apart from up
in Sheffield where arguably Matty’s biggest fan, Ollie, had missed the moment.
Yet the smile was no doubt there not long after the goal as such news does travel
very fast indeed.
Rich
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WEAVING (MORE LIKE DOUBLE-STEPOVER-NUTMEGGING)
WITH PHIL WINGFIELD
"I am not going to say anything against Sutton, but
I definitely prefer to play for K’s"
K’s legend Phil Wingfield kindly agreed to talk to WIAO
about his K’s career(s), that goal at Bristol City, his experience at "the
other Surrey club" and duck-walking.
WIAO: This is your fourth spell here, so why did you come back
this time?
PJ: Steve Sedgley! He asked me to come back he wanted me to come back. But to
be honest it wouldn't have mattered who asked me I would have come back. But I
think Steve is a very good coach that was the main reason.
WIAO: You’ve played for Farnborough, and Hayes...
PJ: Originally I came here from Walton before going back and then onto Hayes.
After returning to K’s I moved onto Farnborough before coming back again.
A similar pattern followed with Sutton.
WIAO: I want to talk about Sutton. How was it playing AGAINST
K’s?
PJ: It was really weird especially as I had just left. K’s fans chanting
mine and Eddie’s (Akuamoah) names felt a bit odd. I did enjoy it there as
they are nice people and it’s a nicely run club. I’m not going to
say anything bad about them.
WIAO: You’re not supposed to be nice about them...
PJ: To be fair, they gave me an opportunity when I wasn't getting a game here
but I definitely prefer to play for K’s.
WIAO: How did the move come about? Was it your decision or
did Sutton come in for you?
PJ: It was my decision to leave here as at the time I just felt that I had a better
chance of playing first tam football there.
WIAO: Was that to do with your injuries and finding it difficult
to regain your place?
PJ: Mainly yeah. At that time it was difficult to get a run in the team and the
finances at the time were difficult so I felt that it was the best thing for me
to do.
WIAO: Obviously you had seen people like Colin Luckett released.
Were you worried that the same could happen to you one day?
PJ: It was half footballing and half money really. I had it in my mind that I
was only going to stay at Sutton until the end of the season, and being midway
through the season it was difficult to find a club. Most had already filled their
budget allocations and Sutton were the first club that gave me an opportunity.
WIAO: Just talk us through the highs and lows of your K’s
career?
PJ: Obviously the major high was scoring at Bristol City and being involved in
the whole cup run was fantastic. The low was definitely missing out at Wembley
through injury.
WIAO: You were part of the squad though
PJ: Yeah but the final is the be-all and end-all of it. If you don't play in the
final then the rest of it pales into insignificance. I was just getting over it
as well - thanks for bringing it up! (Laughs)
WIAO: You’ve scored a lot of goals, but are there any
particular favourites?
PJ: Bristol City was a good one. Going back a while I got one at Aylesbury where
I then did the duck walk to celebrate – something I think the fans appreciated.
That was after they knocked us out of the FA Cup six or seven years ago. Every
time I score for K’s it’s a good feeling.
WIAO: And you have been in good goalscoring form pre-season…
PJ: I‘m pleased with getting four goals and am making sure that I get into
the box at every opportunity. The ball just seems to be attracted to me at the
moment. Maybe I’m a bit calmer with my finishing than I was when I was younger.
Long may it continue…
WIAO: Here’s one to get you thinking - name an all time
K’s XI you’ve played with.
PJ: Good question... I may have to think about that one. There are obvious candidates
- Steve Farrelly in goal, Matt Crossley in defence, Geoff Pitcher and Eddie Akuamoah
in midfield and Dave Leworthy up front. It would be more or less the team that
went to Wembley. Colin Luckett, Tarkan Mustafa, Gary Patterson. Who’ve I
missed - that’s nearly a whole team…
WIAO: Would you put that two-year Conference stint with us
as the biggest achievement of your career?
PJ: I would say so. We’ve had good fun and some great results. Some big
wins away from home, in the FA cup at league grounds, but also on our league travels
too. At one point we were top of the league. We ended up finishing fifth, which
was a superb achievement for a club of this size who just over five years ago
were struggling in the Ryman (Diadora) League to go up to the Conference and to
win the trophy twice.
WIAO: Can you see this club getting back to that level?
PJ: I think so, but it’s all down to money at the end of the day. It doesn't
matter how brilliant Steve Sedgley is as a coach, he still needs a bit of financial
help to get back up there. Who knows, it all depends on the owners and how much
money they are prepared to throw at it.
WIAO: There are a lot of young players who would you say is
one for the future?
PJ: They all have potential - Liam Collins, Greg Ball, James Pinnock etc - they
may well catch the eye this season.
WIAO: What are your hopes for the season?
PJ: To finish as high as possible in the league and to score as many goals as
I can.
WIAO: What would be a realistic finish do you think?
PW: Top 8 perhaps and a decent cup run. Three or four games in the FA Trophy would
be nice too. Who knows?
WIAO would like to thank Wingers for his time.
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Every season there’s a handful of matches that stick
in my memory as good games/days, for numerous reasons. Over the last five seasons,
I’ve seen an average of just under 100 matches a season (yeah, yeah, get
a life...), yet without straining my mind or looking through old programmes, I’d
struggle to name more than a handful of games each year. If I’m working
by Homer Simpson’s theory; “Every time I learn something new it pushes
something old out of my head”, then I’ve already used this season’s
quota of memorable matches, so I might as well stop going. But I doubt that’s
going to happen.
My first game, and first memorable game, this year was at gangrene
lane to watch the newly formed AFC Wimbledon playing their first ever match. Sutton
won 4-0, but as everyone kept telling me, it “wasn’t about the score”.
I wonder whether the same would have been said if the “Real Wimbledon”
had won. A good day was had, despite Sutton charging £8 entrance for a game
between two non-league sides.
The next few games prove my original point. I remember we played
a lot of games at home, and I remember beating league teams, but I’m struggling
to remember who we beat by what. Watford 2-1?
Next in the memory bank is Hastings away. For anyone who didn’t
make the trip, it was a good’un (sort of). The ground was literally next
door to St. Leonard’s FC. They must really hate each other to not even share
facilities. No official linesmen turned up, so two Hastings officials did the
job. They were qualified, it was claimed. This was also the match where we found
out about our suspension. Like most people, I have a good ‘grudge memory’,
which is why it will be a long time before I forget the “going bust”
chants of the Hastings fans. I am a firm believer in ‘what goes around comes
around’. And then Jonesy scored in the last minute to win it. A memorable
day.
Just before going on holiday I managed to fit in our game away
to Walton. We lost, but it brought back memories of that great night in our promotion-winning
season. That was the match when people started to believe that we could do it.
On holiday I managed to get to see a team and ground that I
have always wanted to, and a lot earlier in my life than I thought it was going
to happen. 14/08/02, Champions League 3rd Qualifying Round 1st Leg, Barcelona
vs. Legia Warsaw, Camp Nou. This was, by far, Barcelona’s smallest match
of the season, yet they managed to draw 70,000 fanatically fanatical fanatics
to the game, paying anything from 40-100 euros each. Amazing. The ground, the
atmosphere, the crowd, the team and the game were all stunning. If anyone ever
gets the chance to go, do it. The team is about a lot more than football, it really
is a way of life. To say they are very proud of their Catalan roots is an understatement.
Football rivalries is a subject that interests me, and Barcelona are an interesting
subject team, their biggest rivals being not the local teams, but Real Madrid
who, in Barca’s eyes, symbolise everything that was bad about the old Spanish
regime. It is a political as well as a football hatred.
Kingstonian Reserves was never going to get me going the way
Barcelona did, unless it was the day after the CVA had been passed, K’s
had a future and Crawley Town Reserves were coached by Francis Vines. Amazingly,
all three of these were true. Sad though it may be, I did feel very excited walking
up Jack Goodchild Way for this game. In my mind we were going to walk this game,
we played what was to become our first team, easy. But we lost.
Continuing my collection of football derbies, I managed to
get tickets in the United end for the first Sheffield derby of the season at Hillsborough.
I’ve sat in the away end at Hillsborough a few times, and never enjoy the
experience. The main structure of Leppings Lane has not been changed at all since
the Hillsborough disaster. When I turned to look behind me, all I could picture
in my mind were the photos I’ve seen of people being pulled up that wall
to avoid the crush. I can’t believe that stand still exists, especially
with the money Wednesday have put into the other parts of their stadium.
Unsurprisingly, United and Wednesday really do hate each other.
With a passion. The match was dominated by United, but as is always the way, lucky
Wednesday managed to score with their only two chances. Although annoyed at the
ribbing they would be receiving on Monday morning, the United fans were not too
disheartened by the loss. After all, they could go home and hold their heads up
high because they are ‘Blades’.
By now the Ryman League had lifted our suspension, so once
again I was very excited at returning to Kingsmeadow, for what would ordinarily
be a nothing game. The final slot in my memory so far for this season goes to
Grays Athletic at home. At last, the light at the end of the tunnel had been reached.
We were actually playing a game, as Kingstonian. The crowd wasn’t the biggest,
but everyone was in high spirits and there was a good atmosphere created, especially
in the first half under the roof. Dave Clarke finally scored a competitive goal,
we won and there are already four teams below us in the league!
So what now? Is my memory bank full, or will I have to start
cramming? By the end of the season, will I still remember these games? I hope
so. I better get started on teaching myself how to remember more, I’ve still
got the return Sheffield derby, several England matches and K’s promotion
and Trophy double to look forward to.
Ollie
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