York City 2-2 BFC, Tuesday 22nd July 2025

‘I think we’ll struggle this season.’ ‘Oh, shut up.’

I can’t resist a new stadium, even if it is only a friendly. It’s our first ever visit to the York Community Stadium, yet another out-of-town new build with barely any character beyond the seats being different colours. I’d put it up there (down there?) with Northampton and Donny, a small stadium in the middle of a few retail bits. This one had a swimming pool at one end, and a cinema at the other. Beyond one side (the away side) you’d be hard pushed to know you’re outside a football ground.

Chris had come up from London. Handily, Yorkshire Cricket Club had arranged to be playing at Scarborough the next day and Chris was going to that. So of course he was coming to York, to drink beer (and wine) and be merry. And see the near-future of Barnsley FC. After several drinks we caught a bus to the ground from outside the pub we were nearly in. Excellent research, C.

We arrived in good time, time enough to do a circumference of the stadium. We met Gally in the queue outside, and cheekily took seats right on the halfway line. We were the far right of Reds support. (Far right of Brexiters? Dear me.) One obvious change from the Harrogate game was Conor Barrett in for Shepherd at centre half and the new guy from Brighton (Caylan Vickers) played right wing. Yoganathan got a trot out in centre mid.

We went behind to a superb goal. A few one-touch passes before Ollie Banks (son of Ian) curled one into the far top corner from 20 odd yards. Later, Cooper was forced into a diving save to keep the score at one-nil going into the break. Of the players, my main thought was of this new winger from Brighton. Apparently he’d had a good season at Mansfield last season. All I saw was a bloke who likes to keep possession (ie, doesn’t like to part with the ball), cuts inside, and carries on going till he’s forced to knock it back. Skill enough to keep a ball, but not skill nor pace enough to beat players beyond cutting inside them.

Coach Conor made no changes at half-time, which gave the 1st half players chance to make amends against the non-league Minstermen. And who should pop up with the equaliser but Caylan Vickers? Jon Russell played a peach through the middle and Vickers comfortably despatched.

On the hour (ish) the subs came on…Phillips for Russell, Farrugia (still being played at right mid) for Cleary and Senior (who?) for Roberts. Ogbeta then hit the post but with McGoldrick, Farrell (who?) and Graham on for DKD, Vickers and Bland, York went ahead. Another superb one-touch move leaves our players stood still in wonder, before the ball is whipped across goal for a tap-in. Now, had we scored their two goals, I’d be raving. Incredible. Movement, passing. Perfect. But as they were AGAINST us, I’m starting to think all you have to do is give it the old one-two. Our players are simply incapable of turning and running, or pro-actively spotting what’s happening before them. These are NON-LEAGUE.

McGoldrick had ensconced himself at left midfield, but fair play, he set up the equaliser a minute later with a throughball behind the defence for Phillips to run onto and score at the second time of asking. Nothing happened in the last 15 minutes. Two-all, a good runout, but we’re still 4 or 5 additions off midtable mediocrity. (Prove me wrong, Barnsley.)

Onwards and upwards!

Despatches: Chris thought it was his round when we got back to the statin, and the York Tap. I soon put him right – it was my turn. Biggest mistake of the nite. Would he like this red wine, that one, or the other one. ‘I’ve never heard of that one, I’ll try that.’ Make it a large one. FIFTEEN POUNDS, or one thousand five hundred pence, whatever sounds cheaper. Of course, Chris’s company is cheap at twice that price. Good job I don’t see him every game.

Drink du jour: Northern Monk Faith and Erdinger at the Fossgate Tap, Bluebell IPA at the Bluebell, Neck Oil at The Golden Fleece and Weihenstephaner at the York Tap.

Away: 772 (2,567).

The Damage:
£15 ent
£4.90 vegan pasty (the only one they had left, and I was hungry)
c.£20 petrol
£12 buses
= £51.90

Darlington 1-2 York City, Saturday 25th September 2021

Darlington 1-2 York City, National League North, Blackwell Meadows, att. 2,176

I decided to have a trip down Memory Lane today, as, rather than jump in the car to Darlo, I’d catch a bus. Thirty odd years have passed since I last did this. The 722/723 is now the Number 7 bus. It’s a single rather than double decker, and it goes every 15 minutes instead of the half hour. So, some things improve. Though instead of a detour round the Central Avenue of Newton Aycliffe, a new route seems to cover the whole town. I could have done without that.

I thought I’d treat myself to the bus and have a couple of pints (unlike 30 odd years ago). I must have gone in half a dozen pubs looking for something which WASN’T San Miguel, Heineken, Fosters, Strongbow Dark Fruit (WTF?), etc . Eventually I found myself in The Quakerhouse, a real ale pub down an alley off High Row. They had a beer brewed in my hometown. It’s a sign! I ordered a pint of it. Meantime, at the bar, conversation revolved around ‘Teeswater’ and ‘Skernewater’ (the Skerne is the Tees tributary running through Darlo). I presume they were describing my pint. Horrible. I left half of it (cos, obviously, you have to give it a chance).

Once upon a time, Darlington used to be quite the Quaker town, as reflected in the pub name and the nickname of the football team. So of course there was a HUMANIST stall on High Row. Makes a change from all the God botherers I’m used to in Rye Lane, Peckham. And humanists don’t seem to be in your face and ears with a microphone hooked up to some speakers, so I can thank them for that at least. There were also alpacas in the market place, though they were wisely behind a barrier. Who doesn’t love an alpaca!?

So, I headed towards Blackwell Meadows, the latest home of Darlington FC. At least I’d be able to get a pint there, and watch some football. (Another presumption which was shot down; no beer to be had, no idea why). This is the 4th home ground I’ve seen Darlington, after Feethams (R.I.P.), the Darlington Arena and Bishop Auckland’s Heritage Park. At least they’re back in town (or the edge thereof), but the walk is 15 minutes further on from where Feethams (R.I.P.) used to be, now a very nice looking housing estate. The best ground in the league, lost forever, just like that.

It was a nice walk as it goes, past Feethams (R.I.P.), along the river and through South Park. I took the scenic route, along with as many as three other fans. The rest presumably took the more direct path, along a busy A167 (the old ‘Great North Road’, or A1). Times had further changed in my match ticket. Ordered in advance, it was now a code on my phone. Thankfully, it still had some battery life.

Today’s visit was considered a ‘local derby’, though back in the days of Division 4 I don’t remember it ever advertised as such. Hartlepool (the monkey hangers) was THE derby, and one the fans still yearn for. One day. But, for a Conference North (Division 6) game, the crowd of over 2000 was the highest of the day, and comparable with what they used to get in the Football League. Even better, the old Feethams (R.I.P.) Tin Shed (the roof behind one goal) was put in storage during their absence of Darlington leave, and has now been resurrected at Blackwell Meadows, home of Darlington Rugby Club. (The other rugby club, Mowden Park, have taken over the 27,000 Darlington Arena. Considered too costly for the football club to run, a rugby team with half the number of fans now owns it. Anyone would think rugby fans have more money than football fans…

Blackwell Meadows was not as basic as I imagined, although a Spenny (Spennymoor) fan described it as a disgrace to me the other week. True, the away end is a small grass bank, but the other 3 sides are respectable for this level. Two virtually identical tin shed roofs cover a terrace behind one goal, and a seated stand mainly situated in the away half. The 4th side houses the rugby pavillion and contains the best view in the ground – from a balcony high above the pitch. All in, a capacity of around 3,300.

One thing that doesn’t change over the years is the calibre of home performance. Barely half an hour had elapsed and Darlo were two down with a man sent off. Worse, the departed player was Rotherham loanee Jake Cooper, who’d strengthened the defence no end of late. Manager Alan Armstrong was still seething enough at half-time to inform the ref of what he thought of his decision(s)…and received a red of his own for his troubles. Alan, for what it’s worth, the sending off didn’t look too surprising to me, Cooper dived in and took the player out. A brave second half performance brought a consolation goal for Darlo, but the damage had been done. The more things change….

The Damage:
£14 ent
£2.50 programme
= £16.50

The Tunes:
Brothers Gonna Work It Out (Chemical Brothers)