Thank christ the rugby world cup is over. I’m not too sure if I could have taken “Wilko and the boys” rammed down my throat any longer. Nor a game where kicking the ball out for a throw-in every 15 seconds is celebrated as much as a 30 yarder screamer. And don’t get me started on the RFU’s attempts to ape the GAA…
Actually, I’m trying to decide who’s more irritating : England football fans who drink loads and spew everywhere, act like cunts and whinge about being “betrayed” when they get caught on camera singing 10 German Bombers. Or England rugby fans, who drink loads and spew everywhere, who go round squealing how much mummy and daddy paid for their ticket, and who justify gouging, maiming and other acts of GBH as “part of the game”.
The women are the worst for that kind of thing. Mind you, to follow up my theory about females who watch rugby union, look at the bird in the first photo and tell me she didn’t get rugby tackled from both ends last night. And no, I don’t think it’s a euphemism. Much….
Speaking of being taken on the flanks, Real Dons 2 Pretend Dons 1. I know this won’t make me a proper Wimbledon fan right now, but I actually quite enjoyed this game. Yes, I know that Hendon had a crocked goalkeeper. Yes, I know that Daniel Webb’s “kick the ball” instructional DVD was presented by Jonny Wilkinson. Yes, I know we went behind. Yes, I know we should have scored a few more, etc etc.
But compared to the absolute shitefest on Tuesday this was well worth £9. I know that…. sorry. So we need another striker or two? Hold the fucking front page, Hitler has invaded Poland. Unlike some games I could mention this season, at least we created the chances yesterday. And it’s not like TB himself doesn’t know where the main problem lies.
Please don’t tell me this was somehow as bad as Boreham Wood, or Harrow Borough, or Leyton, or Tuesday. It wasn’t. Trouble is, I can hear the complaints now. “But Hendon were a weak side”. So were other teams who we failed to beat. “But we were playing some players out of position”. And? That might cause a problem against teams higher up, but I don’t think we’re near the finished article as of yet. “But Chelmsford put five goals past Hendon”. Good for them. They’ve got their strikeforce settled and firing, and we haven’t. Again, is that really news? “But, but, but…..”. STFU. Listen, we won and we played well enough and we’re through to the next round of the FAT. Sometimes, I wonder what people actually want.
Sorry to be a little bit ratty, but I’ve seen enough matches in my time to differenciate between a shit game and a decent game. There must be no fan out there who thinks we’re remotely where we should be, but yesterday we took a step forward, not backwards. Are we already slipping back into the mentality under DA, where some elements were determined to give him no credit whatsoever for anything? I know it always happens at every club, presumably when certain peoples’ favourites aren’t picked for whatever reason, but we had a good two years of it before and now some just want to carry on where others left off.
Granted, I did go to KM yesterday feeling a bit underwhelmed at going. Judging by the crowd, a lot of people decided to stay at home and stock up for the rugby. As for the game itself, we started off OK, showed a bit of urgency etc etc, then we went behind. And yes, for about 20 minutes afterwards we were shit.
But here’s what pleased me anyway. We regained that confidence enough to force a succession of corners. So much so that we even scored from one. And you know what pleased me even more? The way that we didn’t let it slip a la Tuesday. We knew we could get a second, and sure enough we got a penalty. Up steps the rather impressive Mark DeBolla and from then on in I really didn’t think we’d lose. Seriously.
The only real disappointing thing from yesterday – apart from some post-match reactions – is that we didn’t put it into the net. Everything else seem to click a bit more yesterday. Perhaps when people say we’ll start scoring “soon”, they might mean in a matter of games and not months. DeB and Webb actually seemed to work quite well together, although even so I think Webb will eventually be second or third choice. If he’s still here of course.
Anyway, that’s that, and we’re in the next round. Sorry to be a little bit irritated this afternoon, but some of the comments I heard/read last night really put me in a foul mood. As the great Harry Bassett once said in his programme notes, enjoy the game. I know some who won’t be.
Plus points: A win. Decent second half performance. Mark DeBolla. Neutralising Hendon to the point they had virtually nothing to offer. Comfortable. Overcoming a sticky period in the first half.
Minus points: Them scoring. Us not adding more. Unwarranted negativity from some quarters.
The referee’s a……..: Cock. Actually, make that a complete cock, complete with veins running down the side.
Them: Considering they’re higher than us in the table, they really didn’t look all that. Maybe their early run of form is about to desert them? Danny Dyer played for them. Cos he’s all pwopa nawty innee? Ee pooped his pants when ee went to Belgrade in Real Football Factories dinnee? Aaht of ‘is mannah..
Three’s a crowd: 1238, and again a bit disturbingly low for my liking. This time, there’s no rugby or international football, or 1pm kickoffs that can be used as a ready-made excuse, so why the distinct lack of interest? I overheard one guy on his phone before kickoff saying that 12 of his mates weren’t bothering to come yesterday. That ain’t good.
Last week, I mentioned why we don’t have posters advertising our games any more. This week, I find out the club are asking for volunteers to distribute leaflets. Problem is, it’s for KM Live. Now, it’s a worthwhile source of income, but our main business is the football club and not a music venue. Again, I ask why aren’t the club asking for volunteers to put up posters to advertise matches? Christ, I’ve seen posters for the charity game against Arsenal but nothing for AFC Coldseal on the 10th November. Getting more people in regularly for league games is likely to do more for the long term future of AFCW (you know, the football club), surely?
Call me ungrateful, but surely the club should spend a bit more time advertising actual games? 1238 yesterday is quite simply shit. Crowds hovering about 2500 is again an issue that will have long term implications. Getting in 3000 people is our priority – not 150 or so for a music venue.
As for the OS recently, is it a website for AFCW or is it a website for KM Live? When was the last time we got proper team news on a Friday afternoon? Or indeed much from TB full stop? A quick glance at the Aldershot website (or indeed our local press) suggests he’s not one to hide from interviews. If anything, with him being a full time manager, we should be hearing from him at least twice a week, if only to tell us how he thinks the reserves or youth teams are progressing.
Why did it take a little bit of pleading for the Whyteleafe cup game to get up there? Yet who’s playing after the game, or who is up for the Comedy Night isn’t hard to find – and to be honest, it does stick in the throat a bit when you don’t get much AFCW news yet adverts news items for “There’s Only One Wayne Matthews” pop up regularly.
Yes, AFCW should certainly stick with KM Live, but it’s only a sideline business. It’s not the main core. The main business is stagnant in size of support, and if anything for cup games getting worryingly lower. I don’t doubt that people would help out if AFCW asked for help to put up posters locally – we could have done with some ones for yesterday. And just a thought from a listener – if we prioritise getting people through the turnstiles instead, perhaps more of them might stick around afterwards…….?
Point to ponder: Is it me, or did we look worse when Fergie came on? Come to think of it, yesterday we had quite a few starting XI type players on the bench. With TB’s blast earlier this week at them, perhaps we shouldn’t really be surprised. Can’t say we looked any worse without them – will a couple be on their way before long?
Truth is stranger than fiction: ITV World Cup 1986 theme tune blasted out before the second half. Phillo, your job is in danger.
Anything else? Yeah – Rob Ursell returned for a cameo for Hendon. I know plenty has been said since his departure, but ultimately I think like KC going we did the right thing. He certainly didn’t prove yesterday he shouldn’t have gone. Nice to see him get applauded on and afterwards, with the favour returned. In fact, I couldn’t help noticing that the loudest post-game chants were for him……..
So, was it worth it? Yes it was.
In a nutshell: At least WUP can still sell their Undefeated t-shirts…
And finally: It’s my birthday on Thursday. Also, I’m off to Hungary that day, so no Harlow Town report – the offer is there for anyone going who fancies writing a report. I should however be going to watch Ujpest vs Debrecen instead, if I can work out when they’re playing. Any Hungarian speakers about?