Fulham 2-0 BFC, Saturday 14th January 2017

‘Here’s to you, Conor Hourihane
Barnsley loves you more than you will know   
A whoa whoa whoa....'

Welcome to ....

Yesterday was a was a strange day.  Having read endless missives on the Winnall saga, I was half expecting some kind of mutinous away end.  Not a bit of it.  Even as I walked through Bishops Park to the stadium, you could hear the Barnsley noise inside.  The general jist was summed up by Dave, pre-match: Winnall is dead to us.  We move on.  

Of course, it wasn’t the most auspicious of starts, without everyone’s favourite crap goalscoring centre forward.  We lost 0-2 to a side who, on second half showing (and the lesson they gave us at Oakwell) are simply a better side than us.  So it sticks in the craw that the only way for them to break us down was a decidedly iffy penalty in 1^st half injury time.  Also, how reasonable of Chris Martin to go on strike against everyone else but come back to bury us.  Equally galling was the late penalty he DIDN’T give to the Super Reds, as Armstrong ran at the defender, outpaced him, and was barged over.  The other week, Roberts was sent off for similar. This week: nothing.  And there I was, thinking refs always tried to even things up in the same match.

Martin: On strike one week, on strike the next.

Without He Must Not Be Named, there were a few changes. Ryan Williams was in. Hamill was in, Kent was out.  And with Yiadom on African Nations’ duty, there was a timely return from injury for Aidey White (who was promptly skinned early doors, twice).  Looked like a 4-4-1-1 to me, with Bradshaw leading the line.  And it was the latter who nearly bagged a second half equaliser, with a header which went wide.  ‘Winnall woulda bagged that’ I joked, as an angry bloke turned around ready for a row.  (It was diffused very quickly, when it was pointed out I had never rated Winnall..and neither had this bloke).

Fulham, you're just too nice.

Otherwise, the closest we came to a goal was when Hamill cracked a long ranger off the bar at 0-0. He ran at their defence, and was looking for the inside ball to Bree…who instead went wide, leaving Adam with no choice but to have a go himself.  (A later break by Hamill ended with a misplaced pass as Bree made the wrong run; the Hamill/Bree relationship needs working on).  But it was a promising game from the former Messiah.

The Riverside Stand.

It was a pretty open 1^st half, with both sides having a number of half chances.  They probably shaded it, but 0-0 seemed about right at half time…till THAT decision.  Second half, they ran the match, until Armstrong and Miller Kent were sent on to add some pace.  (Moncur allegedly came on too, but I wouldn’t recognise him if he came up and tw*tted me in the face).  Unfortunately, we were two down by then, undone by an excellent cross to the back post and a measured volley across the keeper and into the far corner.  Superb technique.  But what was he doing there unmarked?  (Scoring.  I’m answering my own question.)

...and the historically listed Stevenage Road Stand.

Let’s be honest, it was pretty one-way traffic 2^nd half and Davies kept us in it.  He gets plenty of practice these days, like a coconut shy at Penistone Fair.  (Do they have a fair?  Probably.  It strikes me as the kind of place.)  We were well beaten and I stand by Fulham being one of the two best sides I’ve seen this season, along with Reading.  All that was left was another ovation for Captain Supreme, Conor Hourihane, who, by the cursory clap and then gaze at his shoelaces looks like he's played his last game for us.  (Possibly) goodbye - and good luck.

Still, what I like about Fulham – you can get beaten and still enjoy your day. 

Obligatory shot of the cottage...

*** Davies.  Kept us in it 2^nd half with some excellent saves. 
** Hamill.  Looked keen. A pity he doesn’t have telepathic understanding with Bree (yet).
* Armstrong.  Came on and created (relative) havoc.

Londontykes' Top 3:
1. Davies
2. Williams
3. Hamill

Despatches:Some top drinking at the Sloany Pony in Parsons Green.  Unpasteurised Pilsner Urquell on tap and a pile of Londontykes to converse with.  And Alison Loko telling me about Little Loko’s latest betting faux pas:  stick a oner (?) on the Reds to win at Blackpool while at the game…think it’s not gone through cos of dodgy internet reception, so stick another 100 on….lose £200.  I’m telling you, you don’t get GIVEN a nickname like ‘Loko’ (Loco), you EARN it.  Ben – you were missed last Satdy!  (In other Loko news, he’s missing his favourite team Leeds play us next week.  I can’t remember if I've seen the photo of him in his first Leeds kit…but it’s somewhere).  Oh, and I had my 1st ever s*** in a football ground that I can remember.  It was near the end of half time, the urge just engulfed me.  Thankfully, the seat was still warm from the last chap!

Relief doesn't cover it.

  
Onwards and upwards! 

Drink du jour: Unfiltered Pilsner Urquell pre-match, Asahi in Mabels after, as we revelled in Harrow and Salisbury’s company all the way to Kings Cross. A great day for drinking and (for us Londontykes) not travelling.

Away: 1800.  Where did they all come from? Great atmosphere, especially 1^st half.

The Damage:20 ent

I'd have considered a programme, but why should I pay £3.50 when everyone else charges 3 quid?

The Tunes:Biggest Bluest Hi-Fi (Camera Obscura)

Craven Cottage panorama

Where else but the walk to Fulham?

Looking towards the Hammersmith End.

Look at the size of their gantry.

'Here's to you, Conor Hourihane...'

Craven Cottage at dusk.

Oh well.

BFC 3-1 Millwall (League 1 play-off final), Sunday 29th May 2016

'You can never have too much of a good thing'

Welcome to our new home.

Can I start with a disclaimer?  Whatever I write cannot do justice to this match, or our season. You had to be there.

And so it came to pass that the most memorable season since forever is finally over, 2 days off June. What began with high hopes and middled with desperation and abject misery has ended with the highest of highs, victorious at Wembley for promotion to the giddy stratosphere of the Championship. Goodbye Shrewsbury, Fleetwood, Oldham and other legendary Londontykes' away days this season, hello Wolverhampton, Brum and Dirty L**ds.  Joy.  Oh well, at least we won't have to face going to the Ricoh.

The meeting of the greats...Irn-Bru and Spongebob Squarepants (WTF?)

I don't think there's anything new to say about our rollercoaster season.  The whole land knows it.  Or should do. Beaten by non-league Altrincham in November, coupled with an 8 game losing league run.  And I wouldn't even mind but we finally hit literal rock bottom with THAT draw at home to the Blunts - yet Conor Hourihane's last minute equaliser proved to be the beginning, not the end.  And since signing the unknown Adam Hammill (!) it has been a non-stop party, both on the pitch and in the stands.  It has been, quite simply, the most unbelievable season I have ever known.  The sheer relentless winningness of the last 6 months.  (Of the last 10 games I've seen away from Oakwell, we've won 8 and drawn 2.)  The sheer, relentless losingness of the first 4 months.

In years to come, we'll remember this line up.

So, how apt that it should all end as it did - playing Mi'wa' off the park at Wembley to secure the final promotion place.  And, despite finishing 6th, who is to say we don't deserve it?  For the last half a year we have been the best team in the division.  This was the way to get promotion; how else would the Londontyke diaspora meet up in the same pub and sit together at the match and share the joy? From far and wide they came; Vienna, Bergen, Adelaide...Calgary.  Bl**dy hell.  Me?  I came from Peckham, so close to The Den that, when the wind is right, I can hear them from my garden (true).  I think there was a fan from Brazil there too, ginger bloke...well, he never put his Brazil flag down all night, from what I remember!

Londontykes celebrate in Mabels.

I think we're all agreed these two matches at Wembley (two!) have been about celebrating with friends and family at the 'home of football'.  None of this sending a text to someone with the result, or seeing them in the pub later, or never.  No, they were HERE, sharing the experience with the rest of us.  Thank god we won?  It was NEVER IN DOUBT.

Those Barnsley hordes

And we really did play them off the park.  Even the local 'Southwark News' says we deservedly won; in synopsis: 'They were better than us.'  To take the lead within 2 minutes was a dream come true. Lucky this wasn't Oakwell, or else I'd have almost certainly missed it.  Memory says Winnall won a flick on before Fletcher drove past 2 challenges to bury it into the far corner.  TV pictures say Winnall had no-one near him (the local rag did point out that their late injury was the bloke whose job it would have been to win that header).  Who cares!?  1-0.

Roberts drills one in.

After 19 minutes it was two and it looked like it could be a hammering.  The Mi'wa' defence ignore manager Harris's warnings about not letting Hammill cut inside and shoot...only to let Hammill cut inside and shoot.  But what can you do when he's, like, MILES better than you?  Easier said than done.  And once he's beaten 2 players he still only has to curl it into the top corner from 25 yards.  If he goes - what a way to sign off.  I love you Adam.

20 or so mins in, game over.

It was never going to be all Barnsley though was it?  And we have a slight wobble before half time, letting them pull one back.  Considering Beevors is Barnsley born and bred and used to be a season ticket holder, I make this 3-0 to Barnsley.  He rolls Roberts superbly in the scramble after a corner and sticks it in with his left.  Top striking.  Given we still win, I may even forgive Scowen for conceding the corner in the 1st place.

Wembley panorama

Half time comes and goes and so does a fair portion of the 2nd half with only one team looking like they'll score: us.  But that can't get in the way of a toilet break with Pompey (ooh-err) and as we re-enter (ooh-err), it's to see a cross come in and a Barnsley player flick the ball into the net.  GET THE F*** IN!!!!!!!!!  WE ARE THERE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Everyone bounces around hugging their nearest and dearest.  Or, in Pompey's case, me. (Stuart, however, passed us on his way out and missed the goal. Unlucky.)  Turns out to be Little Lloyd Isgrove, tiniest bloke this side of Little Lee (cnut) heading home from 4 yards. WHAT IS GOING ON???????

The lower tier light up a fat one in celebration.

Now all we have to do is sit back, let them commit too many men and hit them on the break.  Davies makes a couple of saves, but every time we look up it's 2 on 2, 3 v 3...and from one of these Marley Watkins is fouled, but no pen.  The ref must think Winnall's still on.  (Sorry, couldn't resist). Seriously, I was pleased for Marley; he was there during the s***, played a massive part in the recovery (and in particular, SSW's return to goalscoring form) and missed the Oxford game through injury.  A fitting end, seeing him out there sharing the glory.

Hammill leaves another Mi'wa' on his ar5e.

Oh, I nearly forgot.  That 3rd goal also enlivened a some Mi'wa' in the upper tier, trying to break through a line of stewards to attack what few Reds were up there.  I heard it described as 'shocking'...but how shocked was anybody to see this happen?  I for one think it was one of the reasons we didn't bring so many this time, compared to our last visit to Wembley, ooohhh...6 weeks ago.  Did I already mention we've already been to Wembley this season?

A couple come to blows (look carefully!)

And, after celebrating inside the stadium, it was back to where our day had started, 7 hours earlier...Mabels Tavern.  And where it wouldn't end till closing (again).  And where Hicksy got his money out for champers, having won £400 on today's result.  Who says betting with your heart doesn't work?  Lloyd Isgrove had to score ONE DAY...didn't he?

*** Obvs, they were all heroes.  Hourihane:  Great passing all day long, as well as the odd tackle.  Excellent deliveries from deadballs, including 2 daisycutters from corners which Super Sammy Winnall buried...into the stands.

** Hammill.  Cos he's class.  The goal of the season was the icing on the cake for a superb seasonal turnaround sparked by him.  I love you, Adam.

* Isgrove.  Finally, finally, all his running about got the goal his performances have deserved.  Good on you Lloyd - and good luck (if you don't remain on our bandwagon).

Londontykes MOTM: *** Hourihane   ** Hammill   * Isgrove

See you next season - same time, same place.  Anyone for Mabels pre-match?

YOOOOOOOOOOOUUUUUUUU REDDDDDDDDDSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The Damage:
£62 ent (plus another £62 for my other half, and £31 for a pensioner, but anyway...)
£6 programme

Full time.  You Reds!

Bob's head's lost weight...

A former rock star, at the match incognito.

The scourge of the 21st century.  (Selfies, not SSW)

Cometh the occasion...I love you Adam!!!!!!!

Pyrotechnics for division 3's 6th best team

Super Sammy Winnall celebrates.

And again.  Give someone else a turn, Sam.

Contrasting emotions at full time.

Conor lifts the cup!

The celebrations continue.

Pre-match line ups.

The Ponty, at Wembley.

See you next season?

The Millwall end.  Good turnout, considering how far they've come...

Junior Waddington into the spirit

Peter Beagrie and the Sky crew.

Reds' flags behind the goal.

Do I love you?  Indeed I do.

Toby meets and greets pre-match.

That Brazilian bloke, with interloper.

BFC 3-0 Walsall, Saturday 14th May 2016

'He's sh*t, he's lame, he scores in every game.'

The message is clear: build a better Barnsley by knocking it down.

In news hot off the press, I am an idiot.  On the train up, having just discussed how to get to Walsall for the 2^nd leg, Dave asks me why I’m marking a bunch of books.  ‘Well, I’ve gotta get through them.  It’s Year 8 Parents Evening on Thursday.’  Oh.  We make the play-offs approximately once every blue moon and I can’t make the away leg cos of a prior commitment.  Still, at least it’s on telly.  And we’re 3-0 up so it won’t matter anyway (!)

The Barnsley diet: Percy Turners and pure lard

YES!  Three-nil up from the 1^st leg.  Dreamland.  Word in the pub beforehand was we’d take a draw, or even a 0-1, cos we know we’ll destroy Walsall away and, besides, Walsall have the best away record in the division.  The Super Reds make all of this a nonsense.  We cruise it, SSW scoring twice and putting one foot and a couple of arms into that there game at Wembley.  Cancel the camping trip I have planned for the Bank Holiday.

Must be a big game; crowd outside Walkabout

I thought we were comfortable throughout, even though they missed 3 decent chances.  The least they could have done was test Davies, which they barely did.  Hecky’s comment that we’d be in a better position cos of our big game experience this season was prescient; Walsall completely bottled it, despite having nearly 60% possession.  (40% is the new 60% anyway; ask Leicester.)

When was the last time this was full?

I wasn’t even sat in my usual seat, so that didn’t jinx us.  My dad took his mate, so, as I perused the upper tier on t’web, I hit on an idea: I’d go in the Ponty.  There might even be an atmosphere!  The good old days!  And what an atmosphere.  It was buzzing throughout.  It was a bit like Wigan last week, a full stand of Reds behind the goal getting behind their team.  I was a bit gutted though that my seat in Row Z didn’t catch any crosses from the ghost of Tom Williams.  But if Wigan was my fave away game of the season…and Oxford my fave neutral…then this has to be my favourite home game – of years.  It really was brilliant and anyone not there missed out.  Well, if you insist on living in Vienna, Adelaide, Bergen, Singapore, Witney, etc…

It's a beautiful day...I'm coming over all U2.

The crowd were never wavering in their support and we got our reward just before half time.  Having already had a goal (wrongly) disallowed for offside (Isgrove sliding in Hammill’s sublime cross), SSW pulls a ball back across goal for Hammill to sidefoot into an empty net.  Only he misses the goal completely, it hits a defender, and still goes in.  Who says we never get lucky?  This is compounded early in the 2^nd half when Winnall actually manages to put his foot through a shot (I didn’t think he had it in him) and it loops in over the keeper.  Who says we never get lucky?  I make that 3 deflected goals in 2 games.  Still, as Alan Shearer would say, ‘if you don’t buy a ticket…’.  

YOOOOUUUUU REDS!!!!!!!!!!!!

A couple of minutes later and Super Sammy Winnall has topped becoming the world’s worst 22 goal a season striker (last week) to being the world’s worst 24 goals a season striker this.  And fair play, it’s a great goal, as he bursts through a couple of challenges and lifts the balls over the keeper with his left.  The finish was reminiscent of THAT Michael Owen goal against Argentina (though obviously, SSW is a better player than HIM).  I am another 20 pounds lighter thanks to that second goal. Thanks, Sammy.

Under the stand at half time.

It’s 3-0 and there’s more than half an hour to go.  While we never actually showboated, we never really went for the jugular.  Several times we broke 3 on 3, but the end product wasn’t there.  Will we live to regret such generosity?  I know we nearly did, when they broke and they shunned a golden opportunity.  Thus, the tie is neatly poised – in our favour.  But go a goal down early in the 2nd leg and Walsall could still make something of this game.  Let’s not make history by becoming the 1^st side to throw away a three goal 1^st leg play off lead.

*** SSW.  Scores 2, sets up another.  Always liked him. 
** Roberts.  Wins everything AND can play.
* Isgrove.  Ran around.  He likes running around.  Though should’ve squared it once instead of being greedy.

Londontykes Top 3:
*** Roberts  ** Winnall  * Isgrove

pre-match panorama.

Despatches:
I don’t know where to start.  They were all great.  

Onwards and upwards!  

Drink du jour: A 6.5% IPA, followed by an Erdinger, then the IPA again…followed by vodka, orange and champagne (not all together) on the train.  Y’know, together with the lie in this morning, I could really go for 5:30 kick-offs in a big way.  Not sure I need to be paying £4 for a programme though, however many colour photos I get.  Did I fall asleep on the bus?  I can't actually remember.  Maybe I didn't.  I know I fell asleep on the couch.  Went to bed at half four. Deleriously happy.

Away: Just over 2,000.  They didn’t look very lively either.  Shellshocked?‘East Stand, give us a song ……

West Stand, give us a song ……Walsall, give us a song …..’

The Damage:
£15 ent
£36 travel
£4 prog
£4 scarf (half price)
£5 t-shirt (half price)
= £64

Drunken Londontykes back in Kings Cross

Fans and friends outside the latest incarnation of the cod Irish pub

Toby meets and greets

Match action in front of the Walsall 2,000.

Looking towards the away end.

A packed out East Stand and Corner Stand.

The players head towards their mates / WAGS.

Full time, 3-0.

Anything to stop ppl watching the match as they leave early.

The Ponty!