Kev hates the ‘Pride of County Durham’ tag, so I use it as often as possible on him. It’s annoying when some upstart starts outshining you, as Spenny have done recently with Darlington. Last Satdy they turned over Rochdale away in the FA Trophy semi final and are facing their first Wembley trip in non-league’s most senior cup competition. Was it 3, or even 4 messages of congratulations from Curzon in their programme tonite? If it’s an effort to soften them up, it doesn’t work.
I pick Kev up and drive the 3 miles or so to the Tameside Stadium, via Stalybridge. Ashton-under-Lyne is vast. It is my annual bewilderment how Curzon, based on tiny crowds (tonite: 328), have such a level of stadium and can fund a play-off push in the National League North. Do they pick up a cut of the associated sports facilities? There’s a popular cycle track adjacent to the ground and I admire the peloton, 1st half, as it makes one of its circuits. Mind, the Pennines is JUST THERE. It’s a hell of a lot easier cycling round a flat track.
There’s also been a development at the Tameside since I was last here. A scaffold roof has been put up at the near end, behind the goal. I’m not sure what the necessity is, given there’s cover for 1000 or so on the long side opposite the Main Stand, which in itself seats over 500. Kev eyes the surrounds with more than a touch of jealousy, as Darlo are still forced to share a rugby ground.
It’s a scandalous 17 (seventeen) pounds to get in. 17 quid? I could have gone to Huddersfield v Wycombe at the top end of League 1 tonite for 18. No wonder there’s only 328 here, in itself one of their lowest crowds of the season. I don’t suppose it helps that it’s the Champs League quarter final, Arsenal v Real Madrid. And it’s cold. I thought summer was coming? I get a programme (£3) and marvel again at its glossiness and content. Full marks to the programme editor.
We nip into the portacabin that doubles as the social club. It’s Kev’s round, after he’s taken me for a beer at the fabulous pub at Stalybridge station and he compliments the quality of the Guinness, despite it being from a can. Seems their fancy can opener does the magic. Then we are out onto the not-so-packed terraces. I want to go to the far end, which I’ve never been to, but it seems you can’t do that via the Main Stand, so we have to walk all the way round. We are joined by 4 others for an unremarkable opening half, peloton aside.
Second half, after draining the main veins (what film was that line in? ‘I’m off to drain the main vein.’ Robocop?) Anyway, the Main Stand looks tempting now we’re cold, and it does offer a nice view. We settle in, Kev all-in for Curzon and me kind of hoping Spenny keep up their own play-off push, keep it interesting. Junior Mondial (ex Darlo, useless) cheekily flicks in a low cross. Kev’s mood does not improve, and we find in the cheer that there’s more Spenny in the ground than we’d anticipated, maybe as many as 20. Maybe.
Then Spenny send on Glen Taylor, a centre forward who has played below his level for so many years he now has over 200 Spenny goals to his name. Game over. He scores one, creates continual havoc and Spenny score a 3rd before game’s end. Odds are neither will make the play-offs (Spenny have leaders Scunny away next) but odds are also that I’ll be back next season, to marvel at how Curzon have such a good stadium, how they’re in a play-off race and can produce such a glossy programme, all on tiny crowds. ‘It’s like de ja vous all over again’ as Shaka Hislop once said.
The Damage:
£17 ent
£3 prog
£11 2 pints of Guinness and Staropramen (I think)
= £31
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