EDITORIAL - SUPPORTERS CLUB
My apologies if you read the programme online, but I’m going to reproduce the column I wrote on Tuesday, because for some reason we lost four pages from the print version, this one included: Oh what great memories of watching higher-level football came flooding back as we visited Aggborough, the home of Kidderminster Harriers, and temporary stomping ground of our FA Trophy opposition, Worcester City. First of all, having to pay to park my car, with all the nearby streets all having “No Football Parking” signs on their walls. It reminded me of those heady days going to places like the Reebok Stadium, finding yourself hemmed into a ‘Visitors Parking’ lane with traffic cones, only to discover when you get to the front of the queue, that they want £12 from you to park, and the only other option is to get out, move the cones, and park three miles away! Then came the long walk around the ground to the turnstiles, that meant missing the first couple of minutes of the game. Then the £12 to get in! I promised that we’d let the turnstile operator into the replay for just £7, but a sense of humour obviously doesn’t bother turning up at Squirrel Premier grounds. Pies? £4, though they do have something for us puffy vegetarians, so some credit to them for that. A cup of tea was also a relative bargain at just £1.50 (I wonder how many bags they put in their urn!). Changing ends at halftime seemed to cause a bit of consternation for the stewards, and I wasn’t allowed into the other end to take photos unless I had a pass from reception, for which I was required to walk all the way back round the ground to get my ID. And then the entertaining little episode with the stewards, as we all congregated in ‘Naughty Corner’. Gaskell was adjudged to have brought down one of their players, which ended up with a bit of fun on the pitch, with the standard vocal contributions from the assembled Rammy fans. Johnno was doing that thing where he puts his arms out wide, and Jocker was running along the touchline to tell the linesman about his dubious parentage. George’s booming voice joined in from row G, with a selection of Andys chipping in from the back row of the stand. Pretty standard stuff, if the truth be told. The Squirrel Premier equivalent of a baton charge ensued, with four stewards being sent over to the ‘Naughty Corner’, to make sure that Little Katie didn’t upset the linesman by standing too close, or that Jocker didn’t vault the barrier in nobbut his underpants (or whatever they were expecting him to do). In an otherwise disappointing second-half, the reactions of the four (and occasionally six) stewards to a handful of friendly Lancashire women, old boys and kids was a definite highlight, and almost worth the £12 we had to stump up to pay for them to come along. Oh thank heavens tonight we get back to some proper football, where you’re allowed to stand up, ‘interact’ with the officials, and generally enjoy being a part of stuff. My days of watching footy as though it’s on the telly are well and truly over!