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WvW - Matchgoing 7th - 13th October

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    #76
    Bendy-busses were first used in Sheffield, long before they were introduced into London.

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      #77
      Erm, in the UK that is. Obviously mainland Europe had had them well before that.

      Comment


        #78
        St Albans City 1 Concord Rangers 0
        National League South
        Att: 608


        My first visit to Clarence Park or, as the locals don't call it, The Mozzarella Fellas Stadium. It is set in the middle of a Victorian public park, has three sides of covered standing and an old main stand which looks to have remained untouched since it was built.

        Both sides started off playing some nice stuff but the course of the game was changed in the 28th minute when Concord's Ryan Blackman received a second yellow for a very poor challenge on Callyn Adebiyi who could play no further part in the game. No objective onlooker could complain at the decision but this didn't stop the Concord manager from also being red-carded for his protests. From then on the match became a question of whether St Albans could break down the Beach Boys' (yes, really) defence. It took until the 80th minute for substitute Joe Neal to break the deadlock and they saw out the game despite a late flurry from Concord.

        I've seen a lot worse games this season but I doubt whether either of these teams will be troubling the leaders.

        Via Newbury Park Grey away kits seem to be de rigeur on Canvey Island.





        Comment


          #79
          cantagalo I really liked Clarence Park, but I'd have liked it more if the famous oak tree on the terrace behind the goal had still been there when I visited (cut down in 1998). Worth a quick Internet search.

          Comment


            #80
            Ah yes, I'd read something on Wikipedia about them being denied promotion from the Isthmian League in the early 90s by a diseased oak tree. I forgot to ask someone about the exact location of the tree.

            Clarence Park is certainly worth a visit, as is the splendid cathedral in the centre of the city.

            Comment


              #81
              Jobi1 I wondered what had happened to Nathan Thomas. He had two half decent loan spells at Carlisle and there was talk of a permanent move but as we barely had a pot to piss in at the time it was assumed that we'd not made him an offer (or not one worth his consideration). Like a lot of wide players in the 4th division he was inconsistent and drifted in and out of games, frequently taking wild shots when playing in a team mate might've been a better option - but on his day he could be unplayable and he scored a couple of cracking goals when his shots turned out to have accuracy as well as power.

              Comment


                #82
                My version of events on the oak tree at Clarence Park runs something like this:

                Everybody at St Albans knew the oak tree was a problem, but they'd never looked anywhere near close to promotion to the Conference, and I think the sudden realisation that the team could go up was something of a surprise to everybody concerned. So when the 1992/93 season came around and City were duking it out at the top with Chesham (whien they hadn't finished above mid-table once in the previous six years, and that was in 10th), the club wasn't ready for it in any way whatsoever. The physio room wasn't fit for purpose, there were no segregation fences, no crush barriers on the terraces, and it didn't even have a solid exterior, just a wire fence separating it from the rest of the park.

                The tree broke all the rules. It wasn't so much that it was stationed in the middle of the terrace, rather that it's branches hung over hung onto the pitch. I don't remember how often they were trimmed back, but I do remember them hanging over the goal and the ball striking them more than once, which in theory kept the ball in play (although referees would routinely give a goal kick or corner anyway and I don't recall there ever being any actual complaining from players or fans when they did). I remember that it used to be fairly regular procedure to pelt opposing goalkeepers with acorns when they were defending that end, but that stopped quick-sharp after an artice in a broadsheet newspaper in about 1987 on 1988 about an FA Trophy game with Bromley during which it was described in less than complimentary terms.

                The tree, like a lot of the park, had a preservation order and couldn't be cut down, so the club allowed that to do the heavy lifting for their failed application for promotion after Chesham - who'd arrived at the top of the similarly unprepared - just didn't bother. The cutting down of the tree was done with comical haste. The club was under new ownership which was 'ambitious'. This resulted in a period of overspending which resulted in them in administration. They were suspended by the Isthmian League for six weeks in 2002 and came extremely close to folding altogether (this period was when I was most closely connected with the club, having done some stewarding, some bar work, and some commentary for the local cable TV station) - I remember the last home game before the suspension, when there was no electricity or beer in the bar after te match, and it realy felt like The End), the tree was declared unsafe and cut down with incredible speed. I'd have liked them to keep the stump there as a momento, but that didn't happen.

                The main stand might even be 100 years old this year. It's had a little bit of work done to it, over the years. It was coated in fireproof paint after the Bradford fire, and its front was changed from cream to a rather ugly shade of blue in the early 2000s. Other than that, they replaced some of the bench seats in there with tip-up seats a few years ago, but I don't think it's had much else done to it apart from having crappy signs put all over it. The one thing it does is to act as a reminder of how steep the hill is towards the Hatfield Road end goal (the end which had the tree) - think it's about 8 feet , from end to end.

                In Cantaglo's picture above, the tree was more or less exactly where the tree is most prominently visible behind the terrace behind the goal you can see - that terrace is the Hatfield Road end and the terrace from which the photo was taken is the York Road end, which is what most people who go there would probably consider to be the 'home' end, though you can still swap ends for most matches there. It was basically there, but in the middle of the terrace. The picture below is how I best remember it. The covered terrace, the Cola (so named because for many years the back of it was painted with a huge, pop-arty Coca Cola logo, would have been to the left of that picture.

                (As I'm sure I've mentioned on here before, but the yellow and blue crush barriers that now surround the pitch came from Plough Lane.)

                It's a fine gorund, and any motivation to leave it on the part of the owners is likely motivated by a desire for housing planning permission in an area in which getting it is almost impossible because of green belt restrictions. I'll be very angry if/when it goes, because there'd be enough space to redevelop the whole site where it is and even keep the origial main stand in place, if they wanted to. The main stand is, I think, Grade II listed.

                Comment


                  #83
                  Originally posted by CY_Boaby View Post

                  Then in the afternoon it's off to Optus Stadium for the T20 game between Australia and England as they warm up for the T20 World Cup which starts next Sunday. I'd forgotten all about this game and am a bit annoyed at having to drag myself out the house on a Sunday afternoon for a 4.10pm start.
                  England 208/6 bt Australia 200/9

                  Sunday's game was a lot more entertaining that I thought it would be, with England's openers, Jos Butler and Alex Hales, battering the Aussie bowlers early on. I must be a jinx for local hero Cameron Green - I've seen him play in the flesh a few times now and every time he's had a shocker. This time it was firstly with the ball as he got skelped all over the place, and then the bat as he last only a couple of balls before walking back with zero runs to his name. Australia looked like they were going to chase England down with David Warner looking in good form, but then a flurry of wickets fell and the Aussies fell short.

                  Whilst I enjoy watching T20 cricket on the tele, I had forgotten how much I hate being there live. It's just a total assault on the senses - fireworks, flames and a constant thudding soundtrack after every ball is bowled. You cannot have a conversation. We were sat by the end of the row by the stairwell and it's just a constant stream of folk wandering up and down to get their beer/food/toilet break etc. And none of the old-school etiquette of waiting until the end of the over - some walking back up the stairs even stop to turn around to watch the ball being bowled and just don't realise/care they're obscuring the view for everyone else. The only good thing about the constant noise is that it drowned out the lairy England fans, arms out fully-stretched as they sang GSTK.

                  Unfortunately I'll be doing this all again a week on Saturday for the T20 World Cup when England play Afghanistan. It's my son's birthday so got tickets for him and a couple of friends - it's going to be horrendous.




                  Comment


                    #84
                    West Didsbury and Chorlton 2-1 Isle of Man
                    NWCFL Premier Division


                    A decent enough game between the top 2 from last season's Division One South made all the more memorable by 2 goals as good as you'll see anywhere.

                    Having played the better football West led at the break with a goal scored right on half time. A free kick was deflected to the right of the box and no.10 Rhain Davis was first to react, burying his shot into the far corner. The equaliser was one of those, Wow did that really just happen moments that has the whole crowd spontaneously applauding. The manxmen's big no.9 had looked like he had a goal in him all night - not one like this though. A cross from the right found him just inside West's box where he spun and launched himself into a Zlatanesque overhead which fair thundered into the back of the net giving the keeper no chance.

                    Not unsurprisingly the goal galvanised his team and it was they who came the closest to scoring during the remaining 30 minutes, one almighty scramble in the box in particular somehow failing to produce a goal. But with 5 minutes to go West's keeper spotted fans' favourite Dontai Gabidon running into space and raked a pass upfield for what became a race between Dontai and the visitors' keeper for who would reach the ball first. Dontai won but in knocking the ball past the keeper looked to have taken himself too far wide for a chance at a shot on goal. With a mass of defenders making it back into the box and with a teammate screaming for a pass Dontai checked back onto his left foot - his only foot to be fair - and curled the most exquisite of chips over the sea of heads and into the far corner of the goal.

                    669 were there to see it which though down on the thousand plus who watched them on Saturday is another remarkable crowd for a very special club and team.

                    Comment


                      #85
                      Originally posted by Third rate Leszno View Post
                      Jobi1 I wondered what had happened to Nathan Thomas. He had two half decent loan spells at Carlisle and there was talk of a permanent move but as we barely had a pot to piss in at the time it was assumed that we'd not made him an offer (or not one worth his consideration). Like a lot of wide players in the 4th division he was inconsistent and drifted in and out of games, frequently taking wild shots when playing in a team mate might've been a better option - but on his day he could be unplayable and he scored a couple of cracking goals when his shots turned out to have accuracy as well as power.
                      He did look seriously impressive in his brief appearance last night, really stood as having ability deserving of a higher level. He'd tried a couple of pretty dangerous runs before the one that led to the goal (from 6:30 in the highlights), but that was particularly impressive with the burst into the box and turning/holding off three opponents before getting it to a team mate. I've never seen anyone celebrate so emotionally what technically wasn't even an assist (he played it to LJL whose miscontrol happily teed up Sanders), so you can really tell how much it means for him to be back playing again. We've given him a contract until January, so will be interesting to see how the next few months pan out.

                      Comment


                        #86
                        Originally posted by My Name Is Ian View Post
                        My version of events on the oak tree at Clarence Park runs something like this:

                        Everybody at St Albans knew the oak tree was a problem, but they'd never looked anywhere near close to promotion to the Conference, and I think the sudden realisation that the team could go up was something of a surprise to everybody concerned. So when the 1992/93 season came around and City were duking it out at the top with Chesham (whien they hadn't finished above mid-table once in the previous six years, and that was in 10th), the club wasn't ready for it in any way whatsoever. The physio room wasn't fit for purpose, there were no segregation fences, no crush barriers on the terraces, and it didn't even have a solid exterior, just a wire fence separating it from the rest of the park.

                        The tree broke all the rules. It wasn't so much that it was stationed in the middle of the terrace, rather that it's branches hung over hung onto the pitch. I don't remember how often they were trimmed back, but I do remember them hanging over the goal and the ball striking them more than once, which in theory kept the ball in play (although referees would routinely give a goal kick or corner anyway and I don't recall there ever being any actual complaining from players or fans when they did). I remember that it used to be fairly regular procedure to pelt opposing goalkeepers with acorns when they were defending that end, but that stopped quick-sharp after an artice in a broadsheet newspaper in about 1987 on 1988 about an FA Trophy game with Bromley during which it was described in less than complimentary terms.

                        The tree, like a lot of the park, had a preservation order and couldn't be cut down, so the club allowed that to do the heavy lifting for their failed application for promotion after Chesham - who'd arrived at the top of the similarly unprepared - just didn't bother. The cutting down of the tree was done with comical haste. The club was under new ownership which was 'ambitious'. This resulted in a period of overspending which resulted in them in administration. They were suspended by the Isthmian League for six weeks in 2002 and came extremely close to folding altogether (this period was when I was most closely connected with the club, having done some stewarding, some bar work, and some commentary for the local cable TV station) - I remember the last home game before the suspension, when there was no electricity or beer in the bar after te match, and it realy felt like The End), the tree was declared unsafe and cut down with incredible speed. I'd have liked them to keep the stump there as a momento, but that didn't happen.

                        The main stand might even be 100 years old this year. It's had a little bit of work done to it, over the years. It was coated in fireproof paint after the Bradford fire, and its front was changed from cream to a rather ugly shade of blue in the early 2000s. Other than that, they replaced some of the bench seats in there with tip-up seats a few years ago, but I don't think it's had much else done to it apart from having crappy signs put all over it. The one thing it does is to act as a reminder of how steep the hill is towards the Hatfield Road end goal (the end which had the tree) - think it's about 8 feet , from end to end.

                        In Cantaglo's picture above, the tree was more or less exactly where the tree is most prominently visible behind the terrace behind the goal you can see - that terrace is the Hatfield Road end and the terrace from which the photo was taken is the York Road end, which is what most people who go there would probably consider to be the 'home' end, though you can still swap ends for most matches there. It was basically there, but in the middle of the terrace. The picture below is how I best remember it. The covered terrace, the Cola (so named because for many years the back of it was painted with a huge, pop-arty Coca Cola logo, would have been to the left of that picture.

                        (As I'm sure I've mentioned on here before, but the yellow and blue crush barriers that now surround the pitch came from Plough Lane.)

                        It's a fine gorund, and any motivation to leave it on the part of the owners is likely motivated by a desire for housing planning permission in an area in which getting it is almost impossible because of green belt restrictions. I'll be very angry if/when it goes, because there'd be enough space to redevelop the whole site where it is and even keep the origial main stand in place, if they wanted to. The main stand is, I think, Grade II listed.

                        Fantastic stuff. Thanks for that.

                        Comment


                          #87
                          The terrace tree reminds me of the one at Pro Vercelli, which I posted a couple of snaps of in the football photos thread a while ago, which I think has also sadly been felled in the name of stadium improvement since my visit.

                          Comment


                            #88
                            Yes, they are sadly gone

                            Comment


                              #89
                              On Tuesday night I set off to go to Sheffield v Brighouse Town, until I got to the station and found the trains had buggered so turned round and went home again. Sheffield won 1-0 and I didn't get the sense I'd missed much. Anyway tonight I went back onto more familiar terrain for some Northern Counties East League League Cup 2nd round action in the shape of

                              Parkgate 2-4 Handsworth

                              Given that Handsworth are fifth in the Premier and Parkgate bottom of the first I expected a comfortable away win especially after they took an early lead, but it took a while to get there. On the quarter hour Parkgate's striker burst through the defence and went one on one with the keeper who fouled him. The striker got back to his feet and slid at the ball on the wet pitch and shot over the bar. At this point the ref blew for the foul and sent the keeper off. This took a while to get through, a lot of delay and argument (actually the rest of the game was played in a remarkably good spirit after, possibly as the presence of a female liner seemed to calm everybody down as often happens) and a substitution to get another keeper on. Gate fired through a gap in the wall from the free kick to equalise and we had a game on our hands. To which Parkgate responded by their defence going to sleep to give Handsworth a rather soft goal to lead again. A thunderbolt of a shot levelled it, then Handsworth scored twice late on to win it through fitness and more poor defending. The last goal was quick feet from Mitch Dunne to get a shot away and which went through the bottom of the net.

                              Good sized crowd what with it being a local derby. I had some lads next to me who talked at length about the local Sunday leagues. They were of the age where they were a bit "I could still be a contender" and discussed players at this level actually getting paid to play with some wonder, although the amounts these players earnt seemed to climb with the amount of cider they drank. "I'd love to get paid to do this, wouldn't care who for ... he played for them in a friendly and they gave him a fucking tenner in a brown envelope after"

                              Got a Futbology badge - tenth time I've seen Handsworth.



                              Comment


                                #90
                                Rangers 1-7 Liverpool

                                Ibrox is a lovely stadium, I was really happy when the draw pitted Liverpool against Rangers and I'd have the opportunity to tick it off. It didn't disappoint either, impressive from the outside and at times seriously loud inside. It does seem to generate some very odd behaviour in people though. There were far too many people on both sides who seemed to want to go to ever weirder lengths to goad the opposition fans rather than getting behind their team. Special mention to the Union Bears who'd brought a Scouse Rats flag - have a look around you next time lads eh?



                                Comment


                                  #91
                                  Colliers Wood United 2-1 Fleet Town
                                  Combined Counties Premier South


                                  Many on OTF will know that the Wibbandune Sports Ground is a difficult to reach by public transport and it’s even more so if you want a decent pub beforehand. But I found the Royal Oak near New Malden station and it was pleasant enough with the ground being, I reckoned, just less than a mile away. What I hadn’t reckoned with was that many of the roads on the walk would be gated and private and the area was lined with huge houses with huge gates and huge cars parked on their huge paved fronts and a general air of “fuck off, we don’t want you round here”. The ground stands next to the A3 which near me is just a normal main road but by the time it gets down here is a roaring dual carriageway. Not a promising environment for a small football club, then, but in fact the ground itself is a pleasant tree-lined affair with a couple of small stands, a neat clubhouse and a generally welcoming air about it.

                                  The game was due to kick off at 7:30 (I wish more would) but was, naturally, a few minutes late. The home side opted to kick down the hill but the slope didn’t appear to count for much in an even first half of passing football. Colliers Wood took the lead after 33 minutes with a left-footed shot from just outside the penalty area by their number 7. The main talking point in the first half came when two players went in for what appeared to be a 50/50 and both came out injured. After consulting her assistant, the referee booked both players and the game restarted with a drop-ball. Almost immediately afterwards, with 45 minutes on the clock, Fleet equalised with a cross/shot from the left-hand side which found its way into the top corner of the net. In the second half, Colliers Wood were the better side and took the lead on 55 minutes with a tap-in following a slick passing move. They really should have scored more and had a number of chances to do so but had to endure a nervous last few minutes as Fleet pressed for an equaliser. Att: 82


                                  Comment


                                    #92
                                    Walthamstow 0 Hadley 4
                                    Southern League D1 Central
                                    Wadham Lodge


                                    I had a strange evening, primarily my own fault though. I thought that a 7;45pm kick-off fitted perfectly with my plans to watch Wales Women’s World Cup play-off at 6pm so made sure a local pub would have a screen showing it and planned my night accordingly.

                                    What threw me in to disarray was Wales’ game going to extra time which I ended up watching on my phone in the stand at Wadham Lodge with only half an eye on the (scrappy and goalless) first half of the match being played out in front of me. After the excruciating finale to the play-off (which caused me to shock some pensioners nearby by collapsing in to my seat shouting “NOOOOOOOO!”) during the break I could finally settle down to witness the ‘Stow’s complete capitulation in the second period.


                                    That said, I missed the first goal around five minutes in as I was having a wee but think it came from a corner which seemed to be the home side’s Achilles heel. I did see their excellently-attired but hapless keeper (whose kit was a delicious Hummel outfit aping Sweden’s nations first colours) spoon a shot out for an onrushing opponent to hammer past him in the 76th minute and fail to leave his line for another corner in the 83rd allowing a Hadley player to nod in.

                                    While this was going on, both sides supports created a lot of noise and colour with chants and banners in what is becoming the default “non-league ultra” style. I was particularly impressed by the visiting side’s song that repurposed The Cranberries ‘Zombie’ with "Hadley" replacing the title and also by Walthamstow’s fans adherence to wearing the club’s excellent bobble hats (one of which I bought, obvs). I don’t think I’ve seen such a large proportion of any other team’s support so dedicated to a certain style of headgear outside of Wales’ fans’ bucket hat obsession.

                                    Another strange aspect of my night was that one of the younger chaps from work who is throwing himself in to groundhopping had said he would be at the game on a date. That date seemed to consist of sitting on the far corner of a concrete terrace on an unseasonably chilly night drinking their own supply of cans, smoking roll ups and watching eighth tier football. The world of romance for millennials is certainly very different from when I was out there.

                                    I managed to miss another goal in injury time as I was trying to swap the badge I’d bought pre-match for one of a better design (that the chap from work had, rather sweetly, bought for his lady friend) but to no avail. I wandered off to start the journey home but with a feeling that neither Walthamstow or I had done ourselves justice for the evening. I may return again when it’s warmer near the end of the season.



                                    Last edited by Ray de Galles; 13-10-2022, 14:46.

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