Nineteen … and Twenty! Oldham at home.

Funny how your mind works. Standing on the raised decking at Landywood Railway Station (en route for London) I notice the little unmanaged patches of “benign wilderness beside and alongside the track and platforms. But also the rubbish that accrues there, dropped mainly by passengers and “swept” by the wind into neat little piles. It reminds me (as I watch a pair of courting goldfinches) of a time when Cully and I were at an away match, and he pointed out similar, but larger, stacks of chip papers, crisp packets, old tickets and posters underneath the seating areas. A time, coincidentally when football grandstands and seating were largely of wooden construction – and painted. He said something about a fire risk and we went on watching the game.

This weekend is actually the thirtieth anniversary (if that is an appropriate word to use) of the Bradford Fire Disaster (when that same stadium did actually catch fire, fencing and unmanned, locked exit gates prevented safe exit for the fans and fifty six lives were lost.

But we’re on the train, passing what is now Morrison’s supermarket but was once Fellows Park: former home ground of Walsall. Past Bescot Stadium. Change at New Street and into reserved seats for the comfortable ride to the capital.

Oyster cards and tube to Gloucester Road to meet, for the first time in a long time, Cornelia.

After a coffee  we decide to walk the sights, eventually reaching (via a wandering snail route that took in Harrods’, Knightsbridge, Green Park, the Wellington Arch,  Downing Street (massive security in evidence there), the Cenotaph, St James’ park (the BIrdkeeper’s Cottage traditional garden and pelicans), Buckingham Palace,  Horse Guard’s Parade, Westminster Hall, the Houses of Parliament, that impressive statue of Boudicca and the Thames Embankment).

 

Too soon we are struggling with rush hour commuters on the busy, impersonal underground again and bidding Cornelia a fond farewell. We make our connections all the way back to Landywood, sharing this train with what I guess is a typical Friday night mixture of types.

Saturday morning and I turn on the TV and there on the screen are the places we walked around yesterday: the Cenotaph. The Queen is laying a wreath and there are processions of soldiers and veterans commemorating the Gallipoli campaign of the First World War. The campaign which ended the dominance in that area of the Ottoman (Turkish) Empire and, arguably set up the Middle East in almost its current form (Israel/Palestine being the notable exception). So that’s what all of the cameras were setting up for: that and Sunday’s London Marathon.

Saturday morning: our last home game of the season (and only Bristol City away to go) for the first team. For this fixture last year another teacher and her “team” are coming to the game (see https://saddlersfan.wordpress.com/2014/05/04/not-with-a-bang-colchester-home/) but today is today: Oldham, managed by Dean Holden who earlier this season was one of our player coaches are the visitors.

It is warmer than predicted and we are having showers, but I get parked up and make that familiar walk. Cully and Andy are already seated and the scout from Wigan is back. May be a bit worrying. We have decent players who are soon to be out of contract (Tom Bradshaw, Richard O’Donnell and Kieron Morris).  Wigan might just manage to hang on in the Championship, they have Wolves at home today.

By the looks of it, this is Oldham’s last away game: that tradition of “fancy-dress-for-the-last-away game” has pirates, Where’s Wally characters, clowns, Bedouins and ghosts in the away stand. Credit to these supporters: sticking by their team to the end. Faith doesn’t come into it sometimes, you just grit your teeth and get on the bus!

Before kick-off (and this is happening at all League and Premiership games this weekend, there is a respectful minutes silence in memory of those killed in the Bradford Fire. Nobody expects to go into a football ground and not get home. Oldham fans properly join in – as they should.

But their team lack ideas, while we have seemed like a different team recently. We are far more positive, playing into and keeping the ball in the attacking end of the field. A new system?  Certainly Kieron Morris has made a difference.

O’Donnell is on the bench today, reserve keeper Craig McGillivray getting a well-deserved debut.

We look purposeful. Bradshaw who has publicly revised his goals-for-the-season tally to twenty, is on the prowl. He has bulked up and retains pace and is skilful when he has the ball. But we are not pumping long balls up for him to chase. We place passes, long and short, make ground steadily. Hiwula and Morris playing well, linking up well. At left back we are playing Mal Benning. He’s fast, and always looking to go forward, but can be quite manic at times.

After eighteen minutes we break out of defence, good understanding in midfield, ball out to Hiwula and a long, confident ball into the path of Super Tom, who, clinically measures the gentle pass into the net. His nineteenth goal!

“Pay no attention to him, “ I tell the scout, wishing I had Jedi powers, “he’s just been lucky nineteen times!”

Still on the attack (Oldham are doing little to prevent it) Benning zooms forward, exchanges neat passes with Bradshaw and is tackled in the box. Looks fairly innocuous but, surprise, surprise the referee points at the spot. Penalty? We confer, deciding that this is the first penalty we have had at Bescot this season.

Bradshaw has the ball in his hands before the whistle has dropped form the ref’s lips. He’s after that twentieth!

Short run up: goal. This is Tom Bradshaw, was there ever a question?

He is subbed in the second half and we control the game, seeing out the time.

At the final whistle fans ignore the P.A. request to stay off the grass … but I am heading for the car.

Sunday morning: a gentle lie in and watching the superb BBC coverage of the London Marathon. Every participant is  a hero, running for charities and causes and there is Jane Sutton, mother of local teenage hero (in every sense of the word) Stephen Sutton (see https://saddlersfan.wordpress.com/2014/06/15/youre-only-supposed-to-blow-the-bly-doors-off/).  Like her son a resourceful and inspiring role model. Mentally I wish her luck. Blind Dave Heeley, from the Black Country, not content with running the gruelling Marathon des Sables in the Sahara Desert is also in the 38,000 runners somewhere.

The wheelchair racers likewise are inspirational, but credit to all the runners, whatever their times, whether or not they complete the course and whatever wacky get-ups they choose to carry on their frames.

What’s In A Word: Drone?

 

Earlier this week high drama at an international Euro qualifier match being played in Belgrade, Serbia against Albania violence erupted; first on the field of play, then involving spectators. Because of tremendous political enmity between the two teams Albanian fans were banned from the game. However, a drone (pilotless remote controlled flying machine carrying an Albanian flag entered the airspace above the players. One of the Serbian defenders, Stefan Mitrovic, ripped the flag from the machine and the Albanian players – offended perhaps by this abuse of their national banner – attacked the defender. The situation worsened. The experienced English referee, Martin Atkinson, lead the teams off the pitch. On the way off players continued to scuffle and fans also joined in. Thirty minutes later, with Albanian players stating that they were in no emotional state to continue, the game was called off.

 

 

Even if it was misguided, this is passion eh?

It’s been a busy week with wet weather and a visit to the Black Country Living Museum – thankfully in fine autumn sunshine.

… and swapping short text messages with a Mark Savage, author of e-book 120 Grounds for Divorce. We were trying to make arrangements to hook up before the game. I offered canned soup, bread and cheese at our house, he responded with The Saddlers Club at 2.15. No competition there then?

So my brother drifted in with fully lubricated Alfa Romeo (plus two new tyres on the front) and off we spun. Sun happily shining down and filled with the wonderful enthusiasm that’ll get the best of supporters when you know you are playing against the bottom team who are conceding goals at the rate of about three a game. So far that is.

This being me, I waltzed straight past the paying desk in the club and was about to be dragged to the ground by a reluctant but-still-burly security guy … before his feet could leave the ground I had slowed and turned to see my brother (cheers mate) paying my dues. I think the security man was also relieved.

 

Over to the bar, chatter pouring between us. They now have Febian Brandy – a one time rescue project and agile hit man loanee for us – playing for them (on loan from Rotherham). Have no doubt that he should have stayed at Bescot, but equally have no issues with him gong for the money he was certainly promised at Championship Rotherham… but not looking forward to his raiding runs against our defence – even with iron man Andy Butler there (for perhaps his last game for us; he being on loan from Sheffield United (ironically our November opponents in the next round of the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy – to be televised apparently).

 I ordered a pint from a tap displaying a label saying “Golden Ale” but even as I watched it being poured I knew it was no such thing. The bar man didn’t seem to understand …

“What? You think the label on it tells you what it’s going to be?”

Then a quick dash across the car park, up the stairs, through the Bonser Suite to meet the others. Walsall sat back in the first half. Cook the lone man up front – I am disappointed by this especially when we have so many forwards. Sawyers playing a blinder, energetic, challenging and physical: really up for it. So good to see. Ben Purkiss in at right back, Taylor (out with a sickness bug last weekend) as left back and Benning on the left wing. Crewe playing a wide attack, using the wingers a lot and attempting to push up and catch our players off-side.

A comedy moment when Richard O’Donnell saved well and the ball bounced off different bits of his body, between his legs before he got it under control. Well, I say comedy … could have gone seriously wrong.

Flanagan had an exceptional game – guess he’ll be a star of the future – but ran himself into the ground and was duly substituted (Billy Clifford) in the second half which Saddlers started aggressively. Why oh why can’t we start games like that?

Manset came on, but this meant Cook was pushed out to the wing leaving us again with only one striker up front. Go figure, I have this fantasy about how well this pair – or Manset and Bradshaw – would play together in a 4 – 4 – 2. And Baxendale came on. But it was like some kind of shadow boxing, like watching one team play itself, with a lot of lateral passing and skill, but little attack and woefully few shots on goal. Either way.

In the stand we talked about preparations for the family bonfire, going to Crawley on Tuesday, why home fans boo-ed former players (in this case Brandy) and storylines in the classic Eagle comics. Of course there was also banter and work-talk.

But Walsall just couldn’t make the direct approach – perhaps because this is not possible with a target man alone. So there were passages of marvellous passing – from both teams actually, but little passion.

Until our defenders failed to clear a corner on eighty four minutes and Crewe centre half Dugdale stuck the ball in the net.

Crewe fans went wild – of course they did! – and they held out until the final whistle. Of course they did.

Now we are in the relegation zone and trouble is a wolf knocking on the door, while we listen to a different kind of drone in the media. About how the players and management are frustrated and upset and just cannot seem to score goals. Excuse me: whose job is it to sort that out?

Dan Dare (Oldham Away)

Ever since I first watched Mathieu Manset playing as a “guest” in the friendly against Leicester City I have been impressed: by his mobility, by his strength, by his speed and close control ability – especially being such a big man, able to deal with the inevitable physicality of league One challenges.

He played against Rochdale on Tuesday night, scored his first goal indeed. Ben Purkiss back after a long lay-off from injury also played well. But both were absent from the starting line up at Oldham. Mystifying.

Andy Taylor, in my opinions one of our key players, was also missing, possibly injured.

I am left wondering about the team choices made by Dean Smith and Richard O’Kelly.

Back-to-fitness Jordan Cook took on the lone striker role and, in one of our few attacks of the whole game ran onto a well-judged through ball and netted. Fifteen minutes gone –and in the crowded corner of the ground where the Walsall faithful were sitting, or standing cheering, we could see a marvellous game unfolding.

 

 

This was almost a last-minute trip, but on the journey we were talking about weddings, UKIP getting their first member of parliament in the Clacton on Sea by-election (and any effect it might have on the policies and sound-bites of Conservative and Labour politicians), who might play Dan Dare in a hoped-for film and why we came off the M6 a junction early to get to Oldham. The sun was shining on the second-highest English League ground (West Brom’s is apparently the highest) and the pint and the meat and potato pie served up were fine (although eating and drinking in the rough area allocated was poor; no seats, no tables) and a poster in the entry to the gents toilets reading:

Pyro Facts 05

WE CAN’T SEE YOU SNEAKING OUT

Smoke billowing across the pitch can affect the play – or even cause the game to be delayed

had us puzzled. What?

Back to the game then. After the goal we were, simply poor: poor passing, poor defending, unable to stop the ball coming back and back and back and back into our penalty area.

It could only be a matter of time – it was. Thirty one minutes and our hard-ridden luck ran out. The equaliser going to Connor Wilkinson. Baxendale was ineffective, trying challenges that a player his size is always going to lose. Clifford? Was he playing? Grimes, already clocking up yellow cards again at fault. Chasing back is one thing, but battering somebody because they got to the ball first is unacceptable. Get there first next time1!Let the ball do the talking!

 

A poor pass from Mal Benning, no longer a natural left back, had Andy Butler down, injured and staying down, The Oldham number nine making a nuisance of himself, perhaps by leaving a boot in. Almost immediately Poleon (the number 9, doing the kind of work we need someone to do for us) was in a follow up with Butler. Other players got involved – so unnecessary. Butler booked – apparently for allowing himself to get fouled – and Poleon? Well after a little play the referee – poor game from him – had a word. Should have been booked along with Butler. And, er what exactly was the ref saying to him – and, er why ?

 

Manset on after the start of the second half, Butler put up forwards. Hmm, so a little bit of target man stuff then?

Not a bit of it!

That same old pass across the pitch, short, back, back to the ‘keeper business. Passes going hopelessly wrong and Oldham pouring forwards. Eventually going 2 – 1 up (a Jones goal).

We had a couple of chances but fluffed ‘em.

Crewe at home next week. They are in dire straits, but we ain’t so pretty either.

England beat san Marino 5 – 0 at Wembley and the Under21s playing at Molineux, won 2-1 against Croatia.

Jules Bianchi was involved in a terrible crash at the Japanese Grand Prix last week. A car had crashed out and was being removed by a heavy tractor-crane. The pace car was on, with heavy rain falling. Bianchi’s car left the track and – what are the odds? – crashed into the tractor lifting the first crashed car. He is still in a “stable but critical condition” reports say.

A seventeen year old student, Malala Yousafzai, from a school in Birmingham is joint winner of this year’s Nobel Peace prize. Until shot in the head by the Taliban (in 2012) she lived in Pakistan, but came to Queen Elizabeth’s Hospital in Brum for surgery. Now she attends a local school. The Taliban do not want girls to receive an education and Malala stood up against this inequality despite threats and intimidation.

The other winner, Indian campaigner Mr Satyarthi has maintained the tradition of Mahatma Gandhi and headed various forms of peaceful protests, “focusing on the grave exploitation of children for financial gain,” the committee said at the Nobel Institute in Oslo.

No Signal, Jet Lag and Doncaster Rovers at Home

I have been away: three days in New York (so much seen, so much left to see) before joining an escorted “heritage of America Tour” that swooped through Philadelphia, Lancaster County, Gettysburg, Colonial Williamsburg and ended in Washington: a city of many monuments and, for me, little identity or soul.

          

 

Overall a great experience: meeting such friendly people and learning so much while travelling the miles and the years. Also frustrating. Because my nephew lives in New York, but without a mobile ‘phone signal – and after running up a twenty dollar ‘phone bill getting the wrong numbers _ I had no way to get to see him. My guess is he would still have got engaged even if he’d met up with us. (Congratulations Tom!)

But, after delays, long-time sitting in airports and plane seats, watching all three available TV episodes of the Vikings and winning two virtual poker tournaments – oh and a marvellous taxi driver who mentioned driving a visiting friend of Randy Lerner’s past the Aston Villa ground – we got home. Stayed awake until English bed time and went to sleep.

At some indecent early hour before the sun was up my ‘phone went off. A message from my brother which read:

“Won – lost – drew”

Needless to say I cursed the ‘phone and wonder – still – why the message didn’t drop in earlier.

Lost seems not to cover it –as we were, apparently truly hammered 4 – 0 at Rochdale, having previously beaten Preston N.E. 3 – 1 at home – the only home game I missed because of the trip.

Meanwhile in the cup formerly known as the League Cup (now the Capital One Cup) Shrewsbury won against Norwich City to earn a home tie against Chelsea and Liverpool and Middlesbrough were involved in a penalty shoot out that needed thirty spot kicks (imagine that) for Liverpool to go through. This took an additional nineteen minutes and is – it goes without saying – a new record number of penalties that, hopefully will not be broken for many a long year.

So I set out to drive to the game: still feels strange to be on this side of the road. It also felt like a long time since I have been to a game (that’s how good the holiday was!) Feeling also some trepidation: we have only won one game in nine this season so far – or three out of the past twenty seven – and the season is finely balanced. Local media talk is about James Baxendale – who once played for Doncaster Rovers and Andy Butler has returned to Walsall (from Sheffield United) on what is termed an “emergency loan”. I have no idea how this differs from any other loan, but it sounds rather desperate.

 

Warm day, no problems parking; stroll to the ground, into the Bonser Lounge. Met up with Andy and Cully. Out in the stadium my first impression was green, space , watching O’Donnell signing autographs for kids behind the practice goal and noise: that “overture and the crashing drums of The Who to welcome players onto the pitch.

Tom Bradshaw back from injury, Reece Flanagan, Grimes on the bench. And the kick off appeared a little chaotic, players not seeming sure who was going to take the kick making me think of schoolboy games when somebody says, at the last minute “Oh all right, you take it but give me the ball; OK?”

Poor first half; no routine, passes going astray, no rhythm and Saddlers players staying back, putting no pressure on the ball or the Donny defence. Bradshaw working hard, bravely and selflessly up front, but nobody behind him to pick up the scraps.

Then, almost as even the most hardened of us was ready for the half time whistle some good play down the left had Sawyers threading a ball to – impossibly – Baxendale when the tall Rovers defenders were expecting a cross (I guess) and little “Bax” fired a sweet shot into the corner of the net.

Second half was a different matter. Walsall in full flow. Players up for it and going forward relentlessly. Some hard and some harsh tackling from Doncaster, but following an injury to the first choice ‘keeper and Billy Clifford coming on for Flanagan, Forde found more space and had composure down the left, with fine support from Andy Taylor (an accomplished player who looks the least athletic of footballers I have seen for some years (don’t judge a book by it’s cover”). Fine, sharp passing brought Sawyers into the game. He looked up, spotted a run by Bradshaw, popped the ball into the space and – another goal for “Bradders”.

Later a free kick on the edge of the box had us wondering who would take it. A real tussle going on in the area, Baxendale upsetting the defenders, getting roughed up, Andy Butler going over and elbows flying about. My guess that Taylor would take the kick was completely wrong: Antony Forde stepped up, shot, the ball arced in, bounced of the inside of the post and into the net. Some credit has to go to Butler and Baxendale here for the distraction I think. But the ball was in the net – again!

This was the final result, although Bradshaw and Sawyers would be replaced by Grimes and Manset (some fine touches and strong play) and there was a general sigh of relief. Maybe this means we are back to business as we once knew it – that’ll be at the start of last season incidentally. But, just maybe, a lot of weight has been taken off the players shoulders now and we are at home again next Saturday.

Open Training Session

                            

Nothing to do (well, nothing to do immediately anyway) and the lure of an open training session at the Banks’ stadium. Free.

Enough said eh?

Driving through the lanes I noticed the hedges greening up; large sections of blackthorn blossom (“sloe winter” I think my grandfather would have said, with a smile). Past the arboretum. Talk on the radio is about the approaching Commonwealth Games (Glasgow, Scotland, The World Cup in Brazil: first game is England v Italy!) and the start of the cricket season (which doesn’t and never has particularly interested me).

Bright sun, inflatable have a go goals outside the stand, car park full.

First day of the Easter holidays of course. Well done to whoever organised the day, picking up local school kids (and their parents). About three hundred there. Young children, grandparents, teenagers (trying to look cool – and why not?).

Playing surface is remarkably good. In the stand where a couple of days ago, Bristol City fans celebrating managing to avoid promotion (and doing the double over us!) a couple of people are tidying up rubbish with brooms, gloves and plastic bags.

I have mentioned Stadium Disasters in recent posts (Hillsborough was followed quite quickly by a fire at Bradford). This fire was caused when a match or cigarette ash fell through the boards of the stand into piles of rubbish tucked “out of sight/out of mind” and quickly spread. People rushed – sensibly enough – to get out of the ground, but the outside doors were locked and people died in the crush: those at the front of the rush. And, rather morbidly my mind is taken back to that time.But then Dean Smith is being interviewed on the pitch by our, hmmm, let’s say portly stadium announcer.

There is a deep modesty about Smith here. He speaks well, quietly, no dissembling. He talks about this being a “routine, no-tricks, usual Monday training session”. He mentions the play-offs (“now it seems we can no longer make the play offs” …) and confirms we will be doing “our duty to the other League One clubs” by going out for results in the remaining games and goes on to talk about ambitions for next season, looking for players coming in, young academy players stepping up (for me Bakayoko is a great example of this happening already) and the success o Jamie Paterson and Will Grigg.

But, and I paraphrase here, he also says that while we are looking for players to do a job, we will only take on players if they can add something to the squad and are better than what we already have.

I am reassured. Then announced as on match day with the phrase

“… the pride of the Midlands, the Saddlers: Walsall Football Club” on come the players. They stroll, walk and skip to the centre.

Down below me there are three guys who strike me a professional types. I wonder, lazily if they are scouts. There are players here that have had a good season, should be attracting the attention of higher league clubs. Others, out on loan, Ngoo, Lalkovic (nowhere to be seen), Brandy well worth a look. It might be worth finding out about their attitude to training. They have books, folders and I try to sneak a look but am too far away.

I quietly fill in a form that might win me two tickets to the game on Bank Holiday Monday. If I try hard enough I can visualise myself winning. Can’t I ?

There’s an announcement that the day will be Family Fun Day, cheaper entrance, activities. Again, great local promotion. I hope it brings a few extra faces, young ones to the game. We need fans, that loyalty. This is one way to do it.

The “cleaners” have moved around and are now in the upper tiers of the Tiles R Us stand.

Exercises are intended to stretch the players, a lot of core work, getting rid of the effects, tensions and toxins from the game on Saturday.

Andy Butler is obviously aware of his physical strength; a shame he isn’t this imposing in every game, but shows his strength. The way he did in riding a couple of strong challenges early on in the Bristol game. Confident, relaxed: a captain.

The second training session alongside is run by Richard O’Kelly and is a series of game situations.

I take some photos (A lot actually), enjoy the sunshine, the lack of pressure because this is not a match day and, failing to win the free match tickets, creep away, passing Milan Lalkovic sitting in the stand; presumably resting his hamstring injury.

Carlisle away on Good Friday. Won’t be able to make that long journey (although it was where our first fight back against relegation under Dean Smith started (was that last season or the one before) when we won 3-0 (goals from Will Grigg as I recall).

Then at home to Gillingham on Bank Holiday Monday – have to get my ticket.