The BBC are here too, the cameras forcing a midday kick-off. (The early kick-off will allow me chance to go on to Gateshead, for an FA Cup double header.) Ooh, look, there’s One Show presenter Alex Scott and that bloke from MOTD2, with the FA Cup. Wotshisname? Beard, dreads, big guy, centre half for Swansea…then Everton…isn’t he Welsh? Ashley Williams! I get there in the end. They’re on the pitch, chatting on to camera, near the clubhouse.
Should I have a beer? It’s a bit early for me (but too late for a programme). Let’s find a pew. There’s terracing on all 4 sides of the pitch for the home fans. On this side, the clubhouse side, the only terracing is a paddock in front of the old main stand. A good view, were it not for the roof supports. The yoof, meantime, populate behind the far goal, next to the away fans. Looks a bit packed, and, besides, the few steps of terrace don’t start for a couple of yards, meaning another poor view. I walk back behind the other goal, a couple of steps, but again, set back. I could stand here, behind those pinned to the fence, but I gamble.
The 4th side is a smart new stand housing exec facilities (hinting at Shields’ ambition, rather than their present level). It’s height and steepness offer great views of the pitch. Maybe I should have bought a seating ticket? Below, there’s no terracing, just a low fence and 2 yards to the touchline (if that). I head towards the away end and find a gap, big enough for one, next to a family….dad, grandma (least, I think it’s grandma) and 3 kids. What with half time burgers, I calculate this to be a £70+ day out, minimum. Wow. (I should point out, it’s cost me 60; I inadvertently bought 2 tickets online….let’s just say I had to go through the process twice and didn’t realise it’d counted my earlier ticket in the ‘basket’. And despite an email to Shields to sort out a refund, we kept missing each other. Still, they’ve a squad of professional footballers to pay…)
Parked near the away fans allowed me to listen to the ‘bantz’ between the 2 sets of fans behind the goal. ‘You’ve only come to see the Rovers’ (fair enough) segued nicely into ‘We hate Cheltenham and we hate Cheltenham’, which I’ve never heard any set of fans sing, ever. Maybe punters losing their bets at the nags, but not football. Who can hate Cheltenham? What have they ever done (apart from being down the road from Forest Green Nailsworth.) There were plenty of smiles around me for ‘Geordie Shore is s***’, probably from the same people as me who wouldn’t dream of watching such a programme. Shields’ response (amongst others) was ‘Football League, you’re having a laugh’ and some jibes about the club’s vegan stance, during quieter moments from the away end.
Still, Rovers’ support made more noise than the previous week when I’d seen them at Barnsley. I wonder if it was the same 150 who turned up both games? Either way, I wasn’t dismissing Shields’ chances. Forest Green are the worst League One team I’ve seen this season (and I’ve seen 12). Currently 2nd off bottom, they look certs to go down. Shields meantime, victims of their own success in the FA Cup, will find themselves 9th after today but with the games in hand to go top. Full-time professionalism demands they win promotion this season (as it did for the previous 2 seasons).
However, Forest Green took control in the first half and could have been 3 or 4 up. That it was one was probably due to the saves of Shields’ keeper. Former Premiership Young Gun Conor Wickham headed home easily from a devilish ball in. Second half, Forest Green had to dig in a little more, but again, chances were at a premium for the home side. Blair Adams threatened, bursting through on the left, only to drag his shot onto the near post.
With time running out and no sign of an equaliser, I headed toward the exit. Gateshead might be close (5 miles), but who knows how long it’ll take to get out of the Simonside industrial estate which surrounds the ground? On a hunch, on the way out, I climbed the main stand steps to get one last glimpse of the action. I couldn’t have timed it better, as I saw a Rover (Conor Wickham) hit a ball from nigh on the halfway line. The keeper tracked back, but I was in line with the trajectory. If the aim was right, it’s a goal. It was. If class is permanent, this is it. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a goal from the halfway line ‘live’ before. Thank goodness I stopped. The final whistle blew and I was out of there. Gateshead International Stadium, here I come!
The Damage:
£30 ent (I bought 2 tickets by mistake and between the club and I – both culpable – I never did get a refund)
= £30
The Tunes:
For Lack of a Better Name (Deadmaus)
BBC5Live (Fighting Talk)
No comments:
Post a Comment