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NEWS
31 March 2007
OK, I've had enough. After all the hype and good feeling that Monday gave us, I saw some of the most disgraceful scenes ever. I am totally ashamed to be an AFCW fan right now. We were told that things would be better. Well, they're not. I feel embarrassed right now. Sick and tired as well. Yes, after Conformists 9 Rebels 0, I ask the question nobody has the guts to put forward: why didn't we score ten?
Chelmsford would have scored 13. H&R would have netted 15. Us? Nine. Poxy nine. A piddling single figure scoreline that will be laughed at and used to mock us. Wear paper bags on your heads for the next week, and prepare to be jeered at Boreham Wood. All the players should hang their heads in shame. Footballers? Pah. They don't know the meaning of the word. Failures, one and all. DA out.....
Oh OK, winning 9-0 wasn't that bad. Actually, it was quite good. Let's be honest, at some point a team was going to suffer a thumping at our hands. I just didn't think it would be a joint AFCW-era record score. With recent events, this was the ultimate in getting it out of your system.
Once we went 4-0 up after 18 minutes, I think we took our foot off the pedal. And I mean, really off the pedal. I had visions of Slough getting one, then sneaking a second, and then..... you can guess the rest. But we steadied the ship, turned it around and basically laid siege to the goal. Watch Dons Online, especially Steve Wales' effort. What I say won't do it justice. Five on Tuesday, nine today. A bit different to the woeful shit that the games beforehand gave us.
If I have one concern right now, it's complacency. I believe that Boreham Wood could spring a very nasty surprise on us, and I don't mean in a back alley outside their ground either. The toughest task right now will be to get us focused again, make us realise that we still have a month of football left to play, and that it won't be like this every week. This league is so unpredictable that the team with the best attitude will finish top. If we approach every game like we did today, we'll be OK. We may not win every game, but we'll have the best chance. We are capable of finishing top with six wins, it depends on whether we want to do it or not.
And yes, I did say finish top. Right at this moment, H&R are doing well (bastards). But their form can easily desert them as well - their last six games were 4 wins and 2 draws. Time will tell if they've peaked at the wrong time, they have previous for choking at the last. Chelmsford aren't too solid either. The rest? Who can say? The team who will finish top will be the one who has the best April. Not the best March. Our March has generally been quite lousy. But we are the only team who doesn't have to play anyone in the current top six. That is worth an extra game in itself.
If it comes to handling pressure, we do it most weeks. I think we are more scared of our own pressure than anything like a run-in. Can the others? We have two advantages in our favour. Firstly, and let's be honest about it, the FA appeal came at the right time for us. With the right result, obviously. If that isn't a shot in the arm, I don't know what is. The team that was so shit last Saturday is unrecognisable from the one that stuffed Leyton on Tuesday and Slough today. That wheel clamp has been removed, and boy does it show. And if you're going to put your best run together, with the momentum it brings, why not do it in the last few games of the season?
Second thing isn't quite so blatantly obvious, but I believe it to be true. We're best when we're focusing on something. We focused on beating Aldershot and Gravesend and we did it. In the past, I have felt that we've gone into games not chasing anything and coming unstuck in the process. Now, we know that with five wins we could finish champions. True, it'll mean that at least H&R will need to slip up, but they'll effectively have to go 6 more games unbeaten. And as we know, nobody remains unbeaten for 12 in a row in this season.
The club is clearly serious about this push, giving DA money for Richard Jolly, and boy did he try hard today. A little bit too hard to score IMO, but that's good. It will all be about scoring goals now, because if we concede 4 in a game but score five, it's still a vital three points. Jolly looks a goodun, RB is back and looking sharp again, and suddenly RDS is under pressure to perform.
I'm not going to predict what's going to happen, today was our easiest game of the season and it will be a lot harder from now on. But I expect playoffs at a bare minimum now - in fact 2nd or 3rd is well within our capabilities. And finishing top? Ask me in a months' time if we should even dare to think that.
Meanwhile...
Plus points: Just about everything I suppose.
Minus points: Bit shit for last 25 minutes of first half.
The referee's a.......: Wonder if his pencil run out eventually? He missed a tackle that was a par with LO'L's last week, but other than that, can we really slag him off?
Them: I'd like to think that if we were ever bottom and losing 9-0 we'll be like their support. Never gave up, and got a lot of deserved credit afterwards. Can't help thinking they'll do a Wealdstone though. As for their performance, the expression "CCL" came up a lot, and that's what it was. They weren't really dirty, they were just out of their depth.
Point to ponder: Was it me or was there a distinct lack of triumphalism about today? Not so much gobsmacked at winning 9-0 - though there was a bit of shock - but more a case of "that's one step". Hopefully, this bodes well. That said, I notice a couple of people seem a bit confident that we'll finish top. And not in the usual we're-the-best way either. More of a quiet confidence. Me, I'm saying nothing.
Song sung blue: Quite funny today. "We're going to lose six-five" was just us being our realistic worst. But the best one was the very slow, male voice choir rendition of the Champagne Song, and done straight down the middle. Such was its delivery that I half expected Aled Jones to come on and recite a psalm afterwards. I don't think I've ever heard a crowd go so quiet as to hear a chant before. Maybe it was just one of those days. Incidentally, Slough sang something about the Ryman League. Anyone know what it was about?
Truth is stranger than fiction: (1) Your editor saying "Richard Jolly so badly wants to score" 20 seconds before...... go on, have a guess. Should really have done better with that tap in though. (2) Loads of AFCW flyers tucked under windowscreen wipers on Coombe Lane. Bet the locals were right happy with that....... (3) Wombelles did their annual sponsorship, and I promise not to do my usual sexist comment. About 20 of them, which meant 20 starving husbands this evening.......
Anything else? I don't know why, but you would think there's masses to say about winning 9-0. The trouble is, there isn't. Remember what I said about lack of triumphalism? I hope we can lay the JD saga to rest now, unless other people use it to beat us with, but I think it's done us a world of good. While it's relaunched the team/club/bought us together etc, it's also made us realise that you should take nothing for granted. In the past, had we won 9-0 we'd be bigging it up on the rooftops. Now? The reason I'm quite cautious at the moment tells you a lot. We might not do it this year, but it would be a criminal waste to not take up all we've recently learnt next season....
So, was it worth it? Well, the Slough fans enjoyed it ;)
In a nutshell: Doesn't 9-0 look good on the Sky Sports vidiprinter?
And finally: While I'm here - RIP Richard "Rickent" Bugg, Kent Womble and avid SW19 reader. Last time I saw him was at Horsham, where he was determined to give me a hug. Somehow, Frankie's hat-trick today was a little more poignant than usual....
26 March 2007
I'll be honest - I so wanted to have two front pages up, but I couldn't fit them on. But while world history will focus on the two individuals above, football history finds its own landmark decision in these very 24 hours.
First things first. Extra massive special thank-yous to Erik Samuelson, Jim Sturman, David Barnard, everyone who put their arse out to get these points back. Massive, massive thanks. And I mean that. Oh, and Trevor Williams as well, probably the most relieved man in football at this moment.
Another massive, massive thanks to all those supporters and clubs who did back us. In one or two cases, teams that would have directly prospered with our 18 points lobbed off (hello Margate). Trust us when we say we really do genuinely appreciate it. Ultimately, we were the only ones likely to change this rule simply because of the (financial and legal) backing we had. That's not me swinging my large gonads, that's just the way it was. Thankfully, if it happens again, there's now a precedent set - only downer is that Alty are a bit pissed off...
So, where do I start? Let's look at what the deal is. We've lost 3 points, which is what the punishment would have been before this rule was set in stone last season. It caught out Altrincham, and until today it caught us out as well. Don't believe me? Do a bit of googling about international clearance, see all the various cases about this, and see what the punishments were. Some were 3 points, some were 2, a couple of 1s, and one lucky bastard team got zero points and a mere £200 fine. And even they thought it was excessive. Ungrateful gits.
So we haven't smashed the rulebook up, we haven't waved a magic wand about and got our wish. We merely closed a very nasty little loophole that shouldn't have been there in the first place.
Funnily enough, at time of writing no details are up on the Ryman site. I wonder why. Not much more on our OS either, although I hope we'll get the breakdown of what occured soon enough.
But it's the FA website that you should be referring to right now. Read it? Good. Here's the money quote:
"The Appeal Board ruled that, although the Ryman League had not misinterpreted its rules on eligibility and the decision to deduct 18 points was wholly in accordance with those rules, given the specific and unusual circumstances the deduction of 18 points was excessive."
So rules are rules, except when they're not. To me, I think it's a case that they knew the rules were basically a load of bollocks, and the thought of us taking this to the CAS (or even to the law courts) were probably the "specific and unusual circumstances". Hey, didn't we get a football club taken away because of unusual circumstances? I guess what goes around really does come around. The truth is, if we'd needed to we could have pushed this further and won it anyway. As I've said before, if this was in the real world, none of this would have got to this stage.
It's now safe to write this. I think it was after the Margate game, but I met an SW19 reader who seemed quite high up and knew quite a fair few people. Anyway, he pointed out something to me that I'm glad I can now type : apparently Altrincham didn't appeal against their 18 points. Or at least not "properly", because another team's points deduction kept them up anyway. So in effect, our appeal today was unprecedented.
If I remember that conversation correctly (and apologies to the party concerned if I haven't), then it proves one thing : take on these bastards and you can win.
Other thoughts keep spearing themselves into my head. This is our first appeal we've been and we've got it overturned. What does that say about the FA Trophy board then? Or worse, the Surrey Senior Cup board? The way we were treated by them, especially in the latter case, was completely vile. No appeal? Even Myra Hindley was allowed one. Is it true that the SSC refused to even let us state our case?
But there are two main points I want to bring up. Firstly, AFCW itself has a bit to learn. This whole episode proves once and for all that we have to be on top of our game off the pitch as well. We got away with it today. I've said more about this in the article I wrote a little while back, and I won't bother repeating it again. Just remember that next time, we might not be so lucky.
Secondly, we've discovered a very nasty side effect of non league football. You all know what it is, we've had some of it thrown at us over the past few weeks.
Some of the outright bitterness towards us by rival fans borders on insanity. It's going on right now as we speak. I swear that I really would kill the next twat who robotically slurred "Rules are rules". Right now, we're accused of being "cheats". Why? Dunno. We were allowed one appeal, we got it overturned. I believe we were allowed to appeal, unlike the FA Trophy and the SSC tinpot saucer. Wonder if the Ryman has ever complained when a team takes them to appeal, loses and can't have another go? Somehow, I think not...
There's more. "Preferencial treatment" as well, just because it's us? Yeah, yeah. Just like we got the same in 2002, or 1991, or doubtless other times when we've been bent over, sodomised with a large weapon and told it's our fault. Believe it or not, this is only minor payback in the grand scheme of things.
But this evening, as I type, Turdey's been on the radio. Here's what he had to say (I am transcribing as much as I can make out):
"The League were not involved in the decision other than being in attendance, as were AFC Wimbledon. And the three man independent Football Association panel dealt with the matter.
"The appeal board rule said although the Ryman League had not misinterpreted this rule on ineligibility, and the decision to deduct 18 points was wholly in accordance with these rules, given the specific and unusual circumstances the deduction of 18 points was excessive. The £400 fine was not reduced" (hey, wasn't that word-for-word the FA's response?)
"Now the (Ryman) have asked for written reasons as to how the Football Association appeal board came to that decision".
When asked about appeals...
"That's a matter for other clubs to consider. There isn't an appeal against this decision. But I understand that Mr Samuelson has said that several (his emphasis) clubs had written in. There were two that were in the papers and another two were brought today. So that's four out of 66. And I believe those clubs were phoned up and asked if they would be supportive".
Here's what I think : Turdey has been humiliated. His power has been openly challenged and he's lost it. He's been giving it large about us "not knowing all the facts", and now he's been kicked in the ego. If you want to know why there's so much hatred towards certain clubs in this league, your source is right here, croaking away like a dictator without a country.
He is openly suggesting - or is that bravado? - that other clubs should "consider" taking this to appeal. In short, getting his mates to do his dirty work. This is the same Alan Turdey who in the NLP was considering going past the mandatory 75 years of age to keep in his position. Rules are rules, eh Alan?
Don't be fooled, this is a power thing. If the senile old cunt wanted to, he could consider legal action on behalf of the Ryman League. But he knows he can't, so he's banking on other clubs to take that financial hit on his behalf. We know if it goes further we can just make a phone call to a decent lawyer. Can the others?
As for his assertion that only 4 out of 66 backed us, ask Wealdstone fans why that is. Or rather, ask the clubs who backed Wealdstone back in 1999, only to apparently find "unannounced" ground inspections. There, you might get a different story as to what teams really think....
For probably the first time in a long while, Turdey's fiefdom has been well and truly violated. I know we need to get out of this division ASAP, because I think Turdey is going to get quite nasty. But if we don't this season, we should really get ugly ourselves next season. Fight fire with fire....
Actually, I've just had yet another thought. If relations between us, the Ryman and other clubs really deteriorate, can the FA move us to the Southern for everyone's sake? Assuming we don't go up....
Meanwhile, in a lesson of how not to do it, listen to the Billy Ricky manager on IMBD.
"The rules are the rules, and the FA have let me down twice. I was part of that Dagenham squad that missed out on promotion thanks to Boston.
"The rules are there for everybody to adhere to. If you start changing the rules midway through the season because somebody's applied political pressure, or financial pressure, or legal pressure.
"What's to stop me now going out tomorrow before the transfer deadline and sign two ineligible players, make sure I win the league by more than three points and have three points deducted?
"What is the motivation to stick to any rules? If you think you can bend the rules to your favour, then yeah. A precedent was set last year with Altrincham".
See above. I gave up listening to it as he really came across like he didn't really know what was going on. And to be honest, if he really did sign two illegible players he would scupper his case there and then. Remember that ours wasn't deliberate (as the FAT board willingly accepted)- that's the difference. Mind you, he says he has nothing personal against us. So that's all right then.
Finally, a word to our players. You have it in your hands. Don't fuck about like you've done the last three games. We've got you out of a hole. Tomorrow at Leyton, you have to prove to each and every one of us that you want it. You can finish top. But you must get in the playoffs. There will be a lot of us on Lea Bridge Road tomorrow. Don't let us down. We haven't let you down.....
24 March 2007
Fucking hell. Seriously, fucking hell. Twelve Men 2 Ten Men 0 is 90 minutes of my life I will never get back. Once again, I had a strange feeling about this game, but it wasn't the same as Hendon a couple of weeks ago. Many people thought that we would finally break the H&R curse, but if anything it just got tighter.
From beginning to end, it was just one big state of wrongness. I think people were so busy thinking it was payback for everything before it was bound to backfire. And we all know what happens when we build ourselves up for the big fight : we've done it before against H&R, and lost 4-0. We built up AFC Wallingford big time in our first CCL season, and lost 3-0. When we expect, we fail.
So now what? To be totally honest, if the appeal goes against us, that's it. We plan for next season. Does this mean a total overhaul? Quite simply, we might have to. I don't want DA to go especially, but if the clamour for new ideas/a fresh face is such, it might be a natural conclusion. Though I hope the club (and those yelling for his blood) are willing to take the risk that we could go backwards as well as forwards.
I'll mention about the ref in due course, but christ - we really don't help ourselves. When Lee O'Leary got sent off, and when they went a goal up (and where the fuck is our marking? Don't tell me our defence is solid. It's been horse wank for a while), that was it really. Did we have a shot on target? Did we make their fat cunt of a goalie do something other than playing with his maggot dick? Did we even look remotely close to scoring?
Sorry, but this is not good enough. When you're 10 men down and one goal down, no matter who you're playing, you fucking fight like madmen. That is Wimbledon. OK, I don't expect a LO'L type challenge, although their #15 deserved a career threatening elbow to the head. Although I doubt if you dropped a paving slab on his head you'll do brain damage. But I certainly expect battling qualities, a siege to goal, you name it. Today, we got none of that.
Are we bothered any more? As somebody put it, how galling must it be for all those working their arses off to get these 18 points back only for the players to give up like they have? Perhaps they know there is going to be a massive change in the summer, so why put themselves out now? If we get the points back and we get treated to more of the same as today, it won't be Turdey who gets the threats in the mail...
And if we do lose the 18 points, somebody tell our players that we'll be about 8 points off relegation. If we go down, I would not want any of them putting on an AFCW shirt ever, ever again.
TBH I'm fucked off, just as fucked off as I was against Billy Ricky way back when. We've gone from an underperforming outfit to one that destroyed all before them to, well, relegation candidates quite frankly. Today we were distinctly mid table, in fact lower mid table. I can forgive Hendon, but I can't forgive last week or today. Yes, we played an H&R who, cough, got the rub of the green. But that's no excuse. And neither is one point in nine.
Leyton has suddenly become the match of the season. Fail to perform, or indeed to win, regardless of what the FA does to us, and that's it. Lose or even draw, we have gone as far as we can go now. And even if we win, all won't suddenly be well.
I can't be fucked to write any more. Instead, here's...
Plus points: At least H&R is only about 5 miles door to door.
Minus points: 3pm to 5pm.
The referee's a.....: Currently has the biggest collection of brown envelopes from a certain high street stationary store. I have many things to say about him, most of them involve the word "cunt" and generally hoping he dies a horrible, slow, painful death, with lots of blood and vital organs damaged as well. Preferably in front of his wife and kids.
Note to the easily offended : I don't actually wish death on the referee - there are only three or four people on this planet I do mean it to - but feel free to share your moral indignation with the world. I could do with a laugh.
Them: If it's possible to hate this lot further, I'd shudder to think how. From the smart-arse PA bloke, safely hiding on the rooftop to their onfield hardmen of #7 and #15, to the Brentford fans behind the goal, you name it. Usual cynical, secret-elbowing stuff we've come to expect from them. The day we finally beat this lot will be one of the sweetest in recent times. I was asked to mention that their #7 and #15 were reported for making wanker signs at us, which I will gladly do. If you heard/saw them do anything, feel free to report them. Like most footballers, they're hard as fuck behind a barrier yet strangely quiet as dead mice when they're not under protection.
Yeah, they were better than us, but then, they wanted it more. It was their cup final after all. : for all their lies that we don't really matter to them, their reactions afterwards tell us that they do. In fact, we matter a lot. World Cup was it this time? Or was it the Champions League? As for the wannabe Football Factory lot behind the goal, who I believe were Brentford*, it was extremely funny at the end. After claiming their lifelong alligence to the Beavers, we asked them point blank "will you ever come again?". Their reaction? Blank. Sheer blank. Total "what the fuck do we say to that?". That told the real story, especially as I didn't see half of their fans there today at last year's playoff final.....
* - I was told this by somebody "in the know". He expressed surprise as he reckons they were the same people being chased down the road by us a mere 25 years ago. Of course, violence is wrong....
Truth is stranger than fiction: (1) H&R had the world's shittiest mascot. It was supposed to be a beaver, but looked more like a deformed chipmunk with a cushion nicked from a WMC stapled to its arse. Made me look tall, and if all beavers were like that the birth rate would collapse. If I was the individual in that costume, I'd kill myself. (2) David Barnard was there, first time I've seen him in ages. Wonder how the home fans felt with their team's secretary in our end? (3) One sodding toilet entrance/exit for us pissed (up) souls. So much so, some of us ended up having to use the ladies. Who do we think we are anyway? Bryan Robson?
Anything else? If losing to this lot really winds you up, take a deep breath and consider this. They may have beaten us today (and every other single time), and they might go up before us (christ, they've spent a couple of seasons falling away at the death even before we joined the RP). But it will be a seriously big financial struggle for them. Something some of their 20 legit fans privately admit. They might have a decent season or two up there, but soon reality will bite for them and they'll fall down again, a la Carshalton. As we saw today, they have so many hangers-on it's unsubstainable. Basingstoke and Eastleigh are bigger/richer than they are, and look at their league position. Simply put, it may be better to be a Hampster tonight, but you're better off being AFCW tomorrow.
So, was it worth it? Fuck off, and fuck off again.
In a nutshell: Roll on Tuesday when it'll all be over...
22 March 2007
As we prepare for the biggest matchup of our season - and no, I don't mean H&R on Saturday - I'm reminding myself of my old GCSE history lessons about the art of propaganda. Not quite so much what is presented to the masses, but the importance of timing. If you ever go here on your travels, you'll soon twig that with the right poster in the right place at the right time, power suddenly becomes a lot easier to grasp.
So what has this got to do with AFCW? Well, after Tony Blair's intervention yesterday, quite a lot.. OK, Blair probably doesn't know what AFCW is, he's effectively yesterday's man anyway, and those of us who remember 1990s WFC may be a bit wary of McDonagh. But in the context of things, this couldn't have come with better timing.
I couldn't have been
the only one last week thinking that we were doomed. In fact, as I alluded
to last Saturday, I have never seen an AFCW crowd so down after a game. Then,
we knew our season was over. The 18 points were to be deducted without so
much of a fight, and our season was about to whimper and die. We had took
a couple of knocks in the propaganda wars ourselves - witness the threat to
Turdey and (although I didn't read it) a couple of puff-pieces in the NLP
about the Ryman fuhrer chief. The momentum was definitely going against
us.
Now all of a sudden the vibe has changed. By Sunday night, all being well, the petition will reach the 10k mark. That is more than what Alty got. I've no idea of this EDM but plenty of MPs have apparently written back submitting comments to the FA (more on that in a sec). And with the PM's intervention yesterday, Turdey is now acting a little bit rattled:
"It's a pity that Mr Blair has entered into such a thing when the Government sets rules that people have to work. The rule has been approved by our clubs. I regret that a politician of that standing should make such a statement."
According to the local Guardian, anyway. Which is a bit of a departure from the Ryman's vow of silence over this before. We'll leave the rules bit to the QC, and lest we forget it's not the rules, it's the punishment, something I think even our own fans forget. Although even the "rules" thing isn't as straightforward as Turdey claims, apparently.
I'm going to write these words for the final time, for anyone confused, ignorant or just outright forgetful. If we had failed to get ITC even a year ago, we would have been fined a couple of hundred quid and probably no points deducted. That is what we're fighting. It's gone from a sensibly applied rule to a very badly written one, one that offers no contextual punishment. One that could have only come from the cackhands at the FA. If this rule was written in the real world, it would have been torn up long ago.
But then, this is football bureaucracy. A body that thinks "real world" is a Spanish football team.
One interesting thing that has popped up, almost un-noticed, is that our appeal will be held "independently", at least according to a couple of MP replies. Did somebody say 3 men just then? Is that significant? Well, I dunno. I assume that now with Blair's intervention the FA must be thinking "hang on". Remember, they need government support for the WC 2018 bid. Will this work in our favour? Guess we'll see come Tuesday.
The bottom line of all this is that there is nothing more we could have done. The fans and club have collected so many previous cases where rules certainly weren't rules. We've organised petitions and EDMs. They may be minor weapons, but they're still weapons. But just as importantly, we've got a grip on the propaganda war. Put it this way, when R5 gets Erik Samuelson on to talk about the West Ham situation, it's obvious that he's conducted our public campaign brilliantly. It could have gone wrong for us, especially after the Turdey threat. But it didn't.
We've also found out a lot about peoples' real characters. We've found out how strong the collective mettle of AFCW is in some serious adversity. And it is good. We've also discovered about how non-league football really operates behind the friendly facade. That ain't so good. The attitudes they hold are why they're always destined to be backwaters, why they'll always struggle to attract floating fans or disgruntled Prem fans en masse. Ever wondered why non-league attendances never really skyrocket for international weekends? Prem fans have twigged the same thing we've twigged.......
Will all this get our 18 points back? Dunno. If it does, that's our season relaunched. It would be the John Fashanu signing of 2007. If it doesn't, we can simply write this season off, and prepare for next year. And yes, we'll get the RrRs brigade sneering at us. That will just make us more determined to wash ourselves in their blood next season.
As for our relationship with the likes of Turdey, regardless of result, who knows? If the Wealdstone saga is anything to go by, expect "sudden" ground inspections of KM next season. That is, if we're still here......
18 March 2007
When I walked out after AFCW 1 Withdean 2000 1, three little words kept running through my mind. Three tiny, almost insignificant words that come together to make a bombshell of a sentence.
We've blown it.
When I stepped into the gents just in the main entrance afterwards, I have never experienced anything so quiet and still. It was as though somebody had died. And let's be honest, this shouldn't have happened. In two games where we should have got at least four points, we got one. I'll repeat that again, just in case you didn't take it in first time - in two games where we should have got at least four points, we got one. 1. Numero uno. Une. A single point. No matter what way you look at it, that is fucking shit.
Question is, why? Why have we thrown away two almost certain three-pointers in a week? Why have the games before that been drifting to this inevitable outcome? Why has our verve, our running, our all round threatening play evaporated? Why has the play that greeted Bromley, Chelmsford away (to name plenty of others) gone out of the window? Why have we regressed into painful early-season malaise? Or indeed, why are we watching the AFCW that was 11th in about September/October rather than the 2nd placed AFCW that should be doing a lot, lot better?
After RDS missed that penalty (well, it wasn't so much a penalty, more of a backpass to the goalie) you just knew what was going to happen. Just like the game at their place, one goal was always going to be surrendered. That is not the sign of a side that is second place. It's the sign of a side that is.... well, I dunno. Really, I dunno. We're only second nominally, because the others are fucking up as much as us.
I mention it ever single week, and I'll mention it again - are we waiting for the 26th March to come and go? Reality check time - lose 18 points and you can forget the playoffs full stop. But unless we somehow get it down to three points, you can certainly forget a late surge.
Yes, we all know the punishment is a crock of shite. Yes, we know that it's showing up certain people in their true colours, and shows us exactly why this section of non-league football will always be a backwater. But it's as though we're just holding fire and waiting. It's like we're expecting a shot in the arm to get us motoring again. Sorry, it doesn't work like that. You have to earn the points, and we've forgotten that. Yesterday, and at Hendon, we thought one goal would be enough. Goal scored, job done, let's bugger off home and watch the cricket on Sky.
Maybe it's because of our circumstances that things haven't turned out nastier? Lest we forget that after THAT Billy Ricky game, DA apparently had five games to save his job. Chances are, he'll be back next season, as we now have a new (justifiable) scapegoat in the authorities. But how long can we keep doing that? One thing for sure, repeat this against Slough and there will be more than a murmur.
Need I go on? Come on, do I need to annoy you further?
Anyway....
Plus points: We didn't lose. Scored a goal.
Minus points: Sure you can fill this bit yourself.
The referee's a........: What a cock. About the size of a tiny penis and with the reffing abilities of one as well. Case in point : booked SF for kicking the ball away. OK, fair enough. Worthing player does exactly the same a couple of minute later and strangely enough the cards remain in his pocket. No more needs to be said. Oh yeah, and did the lino get a sexual thrill every time he lifted his flag up to offside us? He must have been spurting away for most of the second half.
Them: A big
boys version of Withdean 2000, which is probably why losing drawing
to them sucks so much. Wonder where the lovely Mr Pook is these days? They
took a few fans down, and managed to come out with the stupidest chant at
us : "You're not famous anymore". Course we aren't. Our problems
with the FA getting coverage in the Daily Mail. Our CEO getting on Radio Five
Drivetime to talk about the West Ham situation. As much coverage on SSN in
the past couple of years as most clubs outside the top two divisions, to name
but a couple. How tragic that we're not famous any more obviously. Incidentally,
what is Worthing famous for? Apart from being the place where you send your
elderly relatives to die?
Point to ponder: Is it me or does Steve Butler suck? Surely I can't be the only one who thinks that when he returned from Australia we suddenly looked more vulnerable?
Truth is stranger than fiction: Frankie's 100th start for us, apparently. Somehow, that just fails to register...
Anything else? Yeah. I read in somebody elses' programme that Erik wasn't too impressed with certain sections of support after Hendon. In fact, it was quite scathing, and not unlike something this very site would do (obviously nicer put and with a bit less swearing).
OK, frustration happens, and yes there's a high level of expectation, but sometimes I think some of our support still think we're in the professional leagues and/or the CCL. The likes of DA and the players aren't tactical geniuses. If they were, they would be earning shitloads at Wolves or Palace or somewhere. That's why I always give our players/management a lot of slack, a lot more than most people (Steve Butler excluded). If they were earning £40k a week and spending it on Bentleys, then they deserve all the abuse they get. But they're not. Most of them have full time jobs, so obviously they're not always going to put on 110%.
Yes, playing badly is shit. But that is nothing unique to AFCW in the entire history of football. Christ, cast your minds back to the last two seasons of our Premiership era. Now they were shit, a zillion times shittier than anything we put on the plate now. And as I just said, those players then were earning as much in a week as most of us in a year. These days, the slagger-offers probably earn more per annum than those on the field. There's a level of leeway that needs to be employed these days, and it's clear some fans haven't grasped that.
While I'm happy to defend AFCW fans against the bullshit of so many other clubs, some of our fans really don't do themselves any favours. Going ballistic for the sake of it just means that people stop listening very quickly. That's why I get pissed off at those who scream "DA Out" after every non 4-0 performance. Perhaps instead of checking tickets to go in, we ought to put breathlysers in the turnstiles.....?
(and yes, I've probably contradicted myself from what I wrote first off. Or have I?)
So, was it worth it? Can you tell what I think?
In a nutshell: I'm not looking forward to next Saturday.
11 March 2007
There's never been a time when the phrase "a picture tells a thousand words" has been so welcomed. So, to sum up Dons 3 Dons 1, here's a pictorial description of the game.
Whilst some may find the last one a little bit harsh, I firmly believe that no more needs to be said.
Now, onto the good (sic) stuff.
Plus points: At least we scored. Didn't look quite so bad when our subs came on
Minus points: Everything else in the entire Western world, and probably beyond. And Paul Smith's kicking. And the pitch. And our passing. And our heading. And shooting. And the fact we're no longer top/out of the playoff race. Fuck, you name it and it'll be a minus point. Even our red away kit sucked yesterday.
The referee's a.......: In a match report, I would describe him as a referee who let things go, often to the detriment of the game. As this is SW19 you're reading, instead of a respected journal, the referee was a complete dick. A totally blind, slobbering, guide dog wielding, help-me-cross-the-road-sonny dick. Shirt tugs, high feet missed, you name it. No, we can't use him (or the pitch which was more suited to Warrington vs St Helens) as an excuse, but sometimes you just don't have a chance.
Them: I should like Claremont Road. It's on the Northern line, and it's reminiscent of Plough Lane (sniff) in so many ways. Even the housing behind the stand was Durnsford Road stock. So why do I hate going there? Apart from the fact that we get stuffed every time I find myself in the ground? OK, they're strugglers but they have been on a little bit of form recently. And luckily for them, they caught us on a bad day. They do look seriously poor off the pitch though. Whether they're genuinely hard up I don't know, but when they finally leave their place they could be finished. Merge with Wealdstone? Stranger things have happened....
Three's a crowd: 859, and felt like a reserve game to boot. Whether it was because many Lawrie Sanchez dinner attendees were still out of their skull, or the fact that our fans just don't like travelling north of the river I don't know, but this wasn't great at all. That said, I wonder if the venue had something to do with it? I know for a fact yesterday that plenty were unhappy at being there, when you consider that last season it was the final goodbye to Claremont Road. Quite a bit of of "I want my money back" type comments from people who put cash into last season's bucket collections, which all led to a rather sour taste in the mouth.
OK, Hendon got a reprieve and that's not a bad thing. But once again, the old milch cow feeling returns. Turn up in numbers, give us your money, and if you complain about being ripped off/having MK songs sung at you it's because you're totally arrogant and BBB. Sounds all too familiar, doesn't it? Effectively the business plan of too many Ryman clubs, who wouldn't even exist if they weren't friends of Turdey and the rest of the Ryman Drinking Club. They know it, and so do we.
And they wonder why we have an attitude problem? And they wonder why so many of our fans want to break the Ryman's neck (even literally)? Christ, we even got slagged off yesterday for not bringing enough. I know one Womble who had to put up with a home fan complaining about DA leaving them and how we've got so much money etc. Fine, we know what to do with our cash next time. Instead of paying £8 to watch a game, we might as well put £8 towards AFCW Dinner evenings, or merchandise. At least we know the money will be appreciated a bit more. Ultimately, who loses out? Not AFCW, that's for sure.....
Point to ponder: Did you really expect anything different? Scroll down to last week where I say "you just know we'll lose to at least one of them". I'm claiming credit for that. Let's be honest, we've been teetering a little bit recently. We may have had the occasional crappy draw against Staines and Ramsgutter, but we always had enough to win. Yesterday, it finally slapped us in the face.
Thing is, now what? More than likely this was a bad day at the office. To lose only once from the 9th December is something in itself. Add our little, ahem, problems with the FA into that and you can forgive yesterday. Almost. Before we start getting back into early season suicide mode, let's see how we respond against Worthing.
Truth is stranger than fiction: (1) Just what was Rob Ursell doing on our bench yesterday? For the unitiated, he hasn't returned to play, he was just popping in to see old mates. Rate things are going, expect Kevin Cooper to return soon. (2) Their mascot, described as a bit, erm, camp by a Womble near me. At least I got the last laugh over it, as one of its relatives was my meal last night. (3) Jobsworth stewards, who were adamant that nobody was ever going to stand right at the front. For Hendon vs AFCW? If they wanted to torture us, they should have forced us to look at the pitch. Incidentally, they had "Premier Events" on their backs, which has to be the least apt brand name since Reg Davis bought a Smart car.
Point to ponder, part deux: Just had a thought leading on from the previous P2P. How much is the pending appeal affecting us? Subconciously, I think it is having more than we let on. I bet many of us walked away from Hendon yesterday knowing our season was over. I certainly did. Normally, to lose top spot with a shit performance brings out the angst, but it didn't. I think it's because deep down, many have accepted that we'll get the 18 points lobbed off, and as such losing yesterday would have snuffed out the playoff chances. Although I think the deduction would have meant we were in the RP next season anyway. If what I say is true, the time from now until the 26th will be a very, very long wait...
Anything else? Not really. Just that going to the game yesterday felt exactly like it did going to Billericay in December. And I mean, dead on exactly. Even the weather was the same. Maybe those who didn't turn up had the right idea?
So, was it worth it? Piss off.
In a nutshell: Merchant bank.
4 March 2007
You can always tell how dull a game is when your editor helpfully informs you of how much he's written on the contest in question. And in the case of Everstrong 0 Chas n Dave 0, it was almost literally the length of one sheet of bog roll.
OK, there were a couple of chances in the first half, and whoever got the first goal would have won it. But put it this way - if this fixture was a Premiership game, it would have been the 4pm Sunday kickoff. It would have been hyped as second versus fourth. You would have had Richard Keys coming on and announcing "this is the big one". You would have had the dangerously excitable Jamie Redknapp bouncing off the wall explaining SF's runs. We would have had Martin Tyler and Andy Gray informing us that this would indeed settle the Premiershi... er, Ryman title.
And at the end, everyone would have been deflated and saying what a tough game it was.
OK, it wasn't great. The pitch really didn't help, and it seemed that the two teams were scared to lose. I'm not too sure whether we've run out of adrenaline over the past couple of weeks, or whether this was the other standard top-of-the-table clash you often get. You know the sort of thing, few chances and even fewer memorable moments. Either way, I am seriously struggling to write anything about the game.
What summed it up was the fact I had to leave 20 minutes before the end and missed absolutely nothing. No anguished cries of what might have been. No bloodletting of missed opportunities. Just, well, not a lot. Maybe I should expect it in an end-of-season midtable affair. I don't expect it so much in the start of the run-in to the title....
For some reason, the old fears are beginning to return. We've got the Friends of Franchise on Tuesday, then Hendon away next week, and you just know we'll lose to at least one of them. Games like Margate, Canvey City and Bromley may decide your eventual playoff placings, but games like Hendon and Carshalton determine if you're up there in the first place. Right now, I'll settle for two 1-0ers.
If you haven't fallen asleep yet yet, this will certainly send you comatose....
Plus points: We didn't lose. Had the better chances. Potential banana skin avoided.
Minus points: We didn't win. Cutting edge seems to have gone. Too much overplaying at times.
The referee's a......: He, er, tried to let the game flow at times. In other words, he missed about half what was going on. Managed to book SB for something that a Margate player got away with just minutes earlier.
Them: Even though they had injuries, I expected more from them. It merely confirms my suspicions that there's no Braintree/Fi$her level side this season. Which makes our impending doom even more of a kick in the bollocks. Their #5 was a big bastard, and looked like he would lose a mobility competition to an HGV. Seem a decent bunch of lads off the field. Their board won the raffle and subsequently gave the ball back for us to reauction. Their support in the JD case is beyond thanking, and their fans seem a good natured bunch as well. I'm told one or two of them even read this very site. No idea why, though I believe hits from the Kent coast rose after my comments on Ramsgutter...
Point to ponder: Not too sure if there is one after yesterday. Actually, yes there is : isn't it interesting how our attendances have gone up after you-know-what? OK, there's more away fan turnout at the moment, and we might get a few again from SM5 on Tuesday. But it's further sign of the re-awakening of the club. Think about it - how well would yesterday's raffle have done if it was carried out in, say, last October? Would it be too cynical of me to note that the Dons Directory is about to go into print, and another little push for the Dons Draw has come about in the last month?
Truth is stranger than fiction: (1) Some Dover fans turned up after a nearby game got called off. Strange that they split into those in our end and those in the Margate end..... (2) A brand new AFCW sign where the old one was (outside the main stand). Wonder how long that will last before somebody vandalises it again? Note no mention of the shite vomit-inducing Fans Stadium name. Hopefully the concept is being phased out - surely recent events show that there's no real supporter unity and there never was? (3) Tried the new catering for the first time. Nice to know the tea was the right temperature - at least it would have been if it was 100F and I need to lower my body temperature. At least the mother/daughter combo at the TE wore AFCW kit...
Anything else?
Yeah. I'm seeing posters for the annual Walk For Wimbledon a lot (including
one of Tintin Haydon acting all Uncle Sam like). All good and noble
I'm sure. But bearing in mind that non-FA appeal fundraising has died the
death, how about a Wank For Wimbledon? You can leave it to your own imagination
what form that could take, and indeed what criteria for sponsorship there
would be. Or any special guests to join in the, er, exercise. Me, I'll be
seriously impressed if anyone could do that from Plough Lane to KM - then
again, some people in the TE/John Smiths are more than capable of being a
tosser for a good 90 minutes.....
So, was it worth it? Yes it most certainly was. If you support Chelmsford or Bromley, that is.
In a nutshell: Urm....
2 March 2007
Ah, the good old late Friday update, when everyone else buggers off to go home and get drunk/laid and won't bother reading this until at least Monday....
Anyway, first things first : the Margate report will be up on Sunday, as I'm doing a TFP roundup tomorrow evening. So no complaints please.
There was going to be a Leyton report, but for one slight problem - there wasn't actually a match. Well, there was, but whether through sheer misfortune or fuckwitted planning, I got a text message at 6.15pm that it was off. Very handy, especially as I was five minutes away from the ground. Thing is, why leave it so late? OK, in Leyton's case they really must have had a freak downpour in a very short space of time, but once again a postponement happens at exactly the least opportune moment.
Are clubs too keen to get matches on? I guess that's why inspections are held about 60 minutes before kickoff - leave it as late as possible and just hope for the best. I know this will make various insurance companies go white, but I would suggest a 2.5 to 3 hour time limit for a game to be called off - if it's playable 2/3 hours before kickoff, the game goes ahead. Nearer the time? Too late, let the players really earn their corn. The ref can always abandon the game if need be. Besides, if we get a deluge next time we play Billy Ricky, and their goalkeeper acts like he's just died again, perhaps he might end up drowning.....
Onto more pressing matters : you-know-what rears its ugly head again. Firstly, the hearing was going to be on 13-14th March, but it turns out our QC and/or Erik can't make it. At least it does prove that Jim Sturman does get involved at the coal face, so to speak. Can you imagine Sturman, who has dealt with some of the real top judges in the land, having to face the old tinpot dictators at the FA/Ryman? Especially now we know that it's a real headmaster/pupil relationship
Now, we have a twist
in the tale, and it's about 20 miles north-east of SW19 Towers. The salubrious,
well-to-do settlement of Newham, to be more precise. Turns out that West Ham
United have been charged themselves over the two Argies playing for them.
Why? Because they "failed to disclose" that they were owned by that
rather dodgy as fuck sophisticated looking Iranian bloke. In short,
they didn't tell the Prem League that the players weren't actually theirs.
So what has this to do with AFCW? More than a bit, actually. Basically, the Hammers could be deducted points over this, although SSN allegedly said that games could be replayed. Certainly a fine anyway, and needless to say WHU will oppose this with all their might. It's accepted that if found guilty it'll be about 5 points deduction.
Already, you'll be thinking about a certain number between 17 and 19, and while some may try and establish some parity of 5 points with 18, it puts our harsh punishment into even more perspective. In WHU's case, they're accused of witholding registration. Read the statement where they even state that in black and white. At least the FA didn't accuse us of doing it deliberately.
The only real problem for us is the timing of the West Ham saga. Their hearing will come around the same time as our appeal. While it would be better if WHU was the case to hook things on, it looks like we'll have to do the running first, if necessary. It could be fun if both hearings were on the same day at Soho Square. Think about it, mass protests outside, Haydon and that walking hammer thingy for the soft, cuddly publicity opportunities outside with fan delegations inside. AFCW will have Sturman, Erik and a couple of others. West Ham will probably have the ICF....
It does make me wonder just what is going on behind the scenes though. Are our trials and tribulations being examined in close detail in darkest East London? OK, Sturman hasn't had any dealings with WHU himself, but football is pretty incestuous at the best of times and I don't doubt that somebody at West Ham "knows" somebody involved IYSWIM. What it does say to me is that somebody down the line is going to do over the FA like a kipper eventually. With Wenger's outbursts as well, the FA might have to start earning their living for once.
Anyway, enough of all that. I am sorry for turning this into a West Ham site. I'm off to write a 600 page article on Bobby Moore before going down the old rub-a-dub and talk endlessly about how much of a gentlemen Reggie and Ronnie were. Dear old Joey Pyle was buried about a mile away from me this week (seriously), gawd bless im
Oh, and one other thing - looks like one of your editor's other clubs is also having difficulties with the authorities. Perhaps we ought to have a pre-season tournament with City, Alty and WHU (and I suppose Bury could come along as well)? Just make sure that we don't have any tournament rules on playing registered players...