"We're only here 'cause we're ugly" - Valentine's Matchgoing

[Ray de Galles]

The title comes from a chant heard the last time I can recall being at a match on the evening of February 14th, a hugely entertaining 3-3 draw between Cardiff and Luton at Kenilworth Road in 2006. So it must have been over a decade ago that my wife made it clear that she wasn't overly fussed about us marking the occasion with a meal or similar.

I'm off to Wimbledon v Coventry with my son as my date, my first Dons game for four weeks and only the second time I've seen them in the league this year. I do hope playing the bottom side gives them a much-needed win but things don't normally work out that way, do they?

[Bored Of Education]

"We're only here 'cause we're ugly" - Valentine's Matchgoing

Just realised that the rearranged league game away at Oxford City is on tomorrow, the cup version of which I shared enjoyably with Ray and other 1927 club members. I am not, it has to be said, tempted tomorrow even though we don't really celebrate Valentine's Day.

[Various Artist]

"We're only here 'cause we're ugly" - Valentine's Matchgoing

Wimbledon v Coventry was always a fixture I looked out when I first started following football, as they were both teams I liked and were the unlikely FA Cup winners in the two seasons immediately before I started watching. It's still faintly distressing to witness it being played out in the third tier, all the more so for it being the last chance for one in a while since Cov look doomed to sliding into the fourth division next season.

[Southport Zeb]

"We're only here 'cause we're ugly" - Valentine's Matchgoing

Two promotion battles in the North West Counties this week. Tonight it's Atherton Collieries v Bootle in the Premier Division, then it's Charnock Richard v Widnes in Division One tomorrow night.

[Benjm]

"We're only here 'cause we're ugly" - Valentine's Matchgoing

I'm off to watch my childhood sweethearts Wolves (v Wigan) this evening, for the first time in about 15 years.

I hope they don't read too much into the date: I can't see us ever being more than friends again.

[Third rate Leszno]

"We're only here 'cause we're ugly" - Valentine's Matchgoing

I'm off up the M6 shortly for Carlisle v Doncaster. Looking forward to it, but not confident of a positive outcome.

[JVL]

"We're only here 'cause we're ugly" - Valentine's Matchgoing

In Berlin for a flying (work-related visit) and time on my hands this evening. Could have indulged in any number of cultural activities in this fine city but decided to take in one of the few matches taking place tonight, a friendly between SV Norden-Nordwest Berlin and Füchse Berlin.

Kreisliga v. Verbandsliga but no idea how strong the respective teams are. Was a close-run thing for the match to take place at all, when I arrived the ref (who looks like he'll have to be up early for school tomorrow) was querying the home team's line-up and no-one seemed sure who is wearing which number.

Anyway, the NNW-Platz is apparently one of the oldest football grounds in constant use in Berlin (if Wikipedia is to be believed).
[IMG]/converted_files/media/kunena/attachments/620/1487096762614-497443832.jpg[/IMG] Sort of like the German equivalent of York Rd in Maidenhead.

[Gerontophile]

"We're only here 'cause we're ugly" - Valentine's Matchgoing

Why do none of the replies in this thread, have a thread title above their replies?

[Wouter D]

"We're only here 'cause we're ugly" - Valentine's Matchgoing

Gerontophile wrote: Why do none of the replies in this thread, have a thread title above their replies?

Maybe the forum software mistakes the opening quote sign for code, and trips over it.

[Ray de Galles]

"We're only here 'cause we're ugly" - Valentine's Matchgoing

A distinct lack of sexy football or much to love about The Dons v Sky Blues. An absolutely appalling game between two desperately struggling sides. I can't remember a more subdued atmosphere at Kingsmadow despite a 93rd minute equaliser.

Still. I suppose I saw the Return of The Yak.

[GCostanza]

"We're only here 'cause we're ugly" - Valentine's Matchgoing

Ray de Galles wrote: The title comes from a chant heard the last time I can recall being at a match on the evening of February 14th, a hugely entertaining 3-3 draw between Cardiff and Luton at Kenilworth Road in 2006.

Refined this year to
https://www.facebook.com/awaydayfootball/posts/1348589085187254:0

They seem to like scoring on the 14th of Feb, your Cardiff boyos.

[Sam]

"We're only here 'cause we're ugly" - Valentine's Matchgoing

JVL wrote: Anyway, the NNW-Platz is apparently one of the oldest football grounds in constant use in Berlin (if Wikipedia is to be believed).

Correct me if I'm wrong, but wouldn't, 'ist Deutschlands ältester noch existierender Vereinssportplatz,' mean it's the oldest multi-sport ground in Germany, never mind Berlin?

[Ray de Galles]

"We're only here 'cause we're ugly" - Valentine's Matchgoing

GCostanza wrote:

The title comes from a chant heard the last time I can recall being at a match on the evening of February 14th, a hugely entertaining 3-3 draw between Cardiff and Luton at Kenilworth Road in 2006.

Refined this year to
https://www.facebook.com/awaydayfootball/posts/1348589085187254:0

They seem to like scoring on the 14th of Feb, your Cardiff boyos.

Not mine, not mine at all.

[Third rate Leszno]

"We're only here 'cause we're ugly" - Valentine's Matchgoing

Carlisle 2-1 Doncaster

Quite a poor first half, Doncaster missing a handful of chances whilst Nicky Adams volleyed home to give Carlisle a lead at the break.

More enterprise from both sides in the second period, many chances being spurned before an Ibehre cross-shot was stumbled into his own net by a Doncaster defender with 5 minutes to go. At that point I felt like we might have a chance of getting something out of the game, and although Doncaster scored in the fifth minute of stoppage time and contrived to miss two more chances in the 96th and 97th minutes as our jittery defence tried their best not to commit ritual suicide (again), we hung on for a much-needed and confidence boosting three points.

Referee was shit - in the first half every time Ferguson had a paddy, he gave them a free kick. In the second half, he missed what looked like a good shout for a penalty to Rovers, gave numerous free kicks for people just falling over but gave our striker Jamie Proctor absolutely nowt, despite most of his challenges falling into the 'six of one, half a dozen of the other' category from where I was watching.

[Benjm]

"We're only here 'cause we're ugly" - Valentine's Matchgoing

Wolves 0 - 1 Wigan

The main positive to take away from this was that we hadn't travelled specially from Finland to attend, unlike three poor sods on the row in front of us. Both sides were pretty useless, Wigan slightly more thuggish with it. Wolves' Connor Ronan, making something like his third start, was their stand out player and was both enthusiastic and noticeably accurate in his delivery of the ball. He is also about 4'6" so naturally Wolves maximised his impact by endlessly passing back to the keeper to hump it long and high upfield.

Anyway, despite being a crap performance it was an enjoyable outing and Ronan definitely looks one to watch.

[JVL]

"We're only here 'cause we're ugly" - Valentine's Matchgoing

Sam wrote: Correct me if I'm wrong, but wouldn't, 'ist Deutschlands ältester noch existierender Vereinssportplatz,' mean it's the oldest multi-sport ground in Germany, never mind Berlin?

Quite right. The sub-zero temperatures must have affected my memory of what I'd read before heading out to the match! There were only a few hardy souls in attendance and some of them disappeared at halftime, but it was a surprisingly decent game for a friendly. NNW scored twice in the first 20 minutes (and their celebrations suggested that they were playing their much higher-ranked opponents' first team, but the Füchse stepped up a gear and were 3-2 up by the break. They scored two more in the second half and it finished 5-2. There were no linesmen but the young ref did a very good job and there was a refreshing lack of cheating and play-acting from both teams.

[Arturo]

"We're only here 'cause we're ugly" - Valentine's Matchgoing

Norwich City 2-2 Newcastle United

A hectic game. Exciting, but short on quality in many areas. Every goal was poorly conceded, especially Karl Darlow's feeble air kick for Cameron Jerome's easy tap-in.

Norwich look far better than their dreadful spell before Christmas, although the fact we're still conceding too many goals means we probably won't go up. I think our legs will eventually go and we'll fall short into 7th place or the play-off semis. The jury is still out on Alex Neil, but he will still be here until at least the summer or beyond.

Newcastle probably should have won in the end with the many chances they had. I suspect they'll have just enough to get at least automatic promotion, but they're not infallible. Oddest moment was Matt Ritchie sarcastically applauding Benitez on being substituted. They looked a very tetchy side at times.

[Billy Casper]

"We're only here 'cause we're ugly" - Valentine's Matchgoing

Aston Villa 1-3 Barnsley

Stat of the day - Aston Villa have spent more money this year than Barnsley have in our entire 130 year history.
Despite Josh Scowen being injured and Conor Hourihane playing for the opposition, we still managed to win quite comfortably. It doesn't seem to matter who plays for us, we continue to work harder and have a better plan than the opposition. The success seems to be down to our scouting system (Angus MacDonald from Torquay barely got out of second gear yesterday), and more importantly our manager, Paul Heckingbottom. I just hope other teams owners don't notice this.