In an eventful season...

[I.C.@G&NFC]

Now that the seasons well and truly over and having attended all the League and Cup games, and most of the friendlies, both home and away, this is a light-hearted look at some of the grounds and events that took place in an eventful season. These are my own opinions and some, if not all of you will have your own thoughts on what was best or worst about it.

 

I’ve deliberately kept references to Stonebridge Road to a minimum as of course I’m biased. So in no particular order.

 

Best Pitch - Dartford

Lush, green and as smooth as a snooker table.

Worst Pitch - Histon

A strip of mud down either wing and one of sand from goalmouth to goalmouth. Not a blade of grass in sight.

 

Best Food - Burton Albion

Mushy peas and chips ‘n’ gravy.

Worst Food - Sutton United

A shriveled dogs d*ck in an asbestos roll and lukewarm tea.

 

Best Toilets - Harrow Borough

Clean and Oh! So fresh.

Worst Toilets - Hendon

A wee, beastie growled and and flashed it’s fangs at me.

 

Funniest Event - Canvey Island (Away)

The referee threatening to restart the game even though Canvey refused to come back out after the floodlight ‘hitch’.

Saddest Event - Margate (Away)

Kent Senior Cup Final

An OTT police presence.

 

Warmest Game - Hampton & Richmond (Away)

Basking in the late summer sunshine in ourshirt sleeves.

Coldest Game - Basingstoke Town (Away)

Just two months later doing convincing impersonations of ‘brass monkeys’ looking for their bearings.

 

Best Game - Canvey Island (Away)

Outnumbering the Canvey fans 2 to 1.

Outsinging the Canvey fans 100%.

And outplaying the Canvey team, priceless.

Worst Game - Croydon (Away)

4-0 up at half time, then just scrapping a win 4-3.

 

Best Player - Francis ‘The Fridge’ Duku

For always being there.

Worst Player - Derek ‘Bad Vibes’ Bryant

For not being there.

 

Best Clubhouse - Cinderford Town

A freezing cold day where anywhere indoors was better than being outside.

Worst Clubhouse - Histon

Did they have one? I never found out.

 

Best Opposition - Burton Albion

Despite the result they made a game of it. We had to play up to their level and succeeded.

Worst Opposition - Stalybridge Celtic

Can’t they run 5 yards without falling down in Cheshire. They weren’t good we were bad. Unibond next season chaps.

 

Best Surrounding Area - Chesham United

Constable would have been in his element. The sun going down behind the rolling hills of Buckinghamshire.

Worst Surrounding Area - Canvey Island

In the middle of bloody nowhere and awkward to get to.

 

Most Magnanimous Person - Liam Hatch

Whilst the challenge was heavy handed/footed, Liam was more concerned about the welfare of Michael Gorman, the Maidenhead defender, than receiving a red card.

Biggest Prat - Jeff King

For pulling the plug and throwing a wobbly, and stating – ‘We’re the champions, we now it and so do Gravesend and Northfleet’.

 

Best Ground - Dartford

Always feel at home here.

Worst Ground - Canvey Island (at the time)

To small, to cramped and falling to bits.

 

Best Goal - Croydon (Away)

Jimmy Jacksons goal from the centre circle.

Worst Goal - Huddersfield Town

Leon Knights injury time winner.

 

Best Opposition Supporters - Burton Albion

For being gracious in defeat.

Worst Opposition Supporters - Canvey Island

Not the true Canvey supporters, but the hangers on from Billericay and Grays.

 

Best Programme - St. Albans City

Full of colour and informative.

Worst Programme - Histon

Some smudges on blotting paper.

[Steve W]

IC, a very impressive record of attending all league / cup matches last season, well done. Will you be able to match it next season especially with the prospect of midweek away matches in Southport, Halifax, etc. It will be difficult for you to maintain your 100% record but no doubt you will go for it. The best I can hope for is 100% attendence at home matches with maybe up to a dozen away matches <img border="0" title="" alt="[Frown]" src="images/icons/frown.gif" /> . The wife won't allow me out too often <img border="0" title="" alt="[Mad]" src="images/icons/mad.gif" />

I enjoyed your summary, my worst pitch was Cinderford, worst ground Croydon, best programme Hitchin, best clubhouse Harrow, worst food Bedford - didn't get a chance to try by the time I got served the burgers, sausages were all sold out <img border="0" title="" alt="[Mad]" src="images/icons/mad.gif" />

The most annoying comment from opposing fans especially in the last 2 months was '' We are going to beat you today but we still want you to win the league' <img border="0" title="" alt="[Confused]" src="images/icons/confused.gif" />

[I.C.@G&NFC]

Let me be the first to admit I won't be able to make all the away games next season. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Frown]" src="images/icons/frown.gif" /> Working nights and only gettting one Tuesday off in six will make it virtually impossible. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Frown]" src="images/icons/frown.gif" /> However, there is annual leave and sick leave to add into the equation. <img border="0" title="" alt="[smile]" src="images/icons/smile.gif" /> Used with discretion, this could work to my advantage. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Wink]" src="images/icons/wink.gif" />

[Blind Bigot]

Scuse me I.C. but when you say worst goal Leon Knights at Hudders, I take it you mean in terms of being a sickener - not its execution.

 

Just thought I'd ask!

 

- Only Jokin' Mate.

 

BB

[I.C.@G&NFC]

Of course BB, as I said at the top of the page.....I'm biased. <img border="0" title="" alt="[big Grin]" src="images/icons/grin.gif" />

[Essy]

In terms of sickeners how about whoever equalised for Hampton in the home game two weeks before the end of the season? "Oh b*gger" didn't begin to sum up what most people were feeling when that went in...

 

In that case best goal (in terms of outright joy as opposed to execution) would be Beast's winner in injury time of the same game. That or Macca's goal against Burton. Heres my list anyway plus a few other sections...

Best food - Egg and bacon roll at Braintree...hmm...

Most extreme 30 seconds of the season - Canvey away. Fridges goal followed by the lights going out, 500-odd Fleet fans going from absolute elation to absolute fury in under a minute.

Moment of the season - That miss at Bedford (see signature). Then recieving news a few minutes later that Canvey were one down at Braintree, we knew we were almost home.

Funniest moment of the season - Hampton home again; their keeper desperately hobbling to the corner flag to get to the ball then being hoofed over the wall and into the stand upon getting there. <img src="http://www.longdog.org.uk/smilies/loljump.gif" alt=" - " />

Away day of the season - Burton (obviously).

Best ground - Usually I hate all these new concrete purpose built grounds with no character or atmosphere but it has to really be the Mac.

Best opposition fans - Margate and Burton for providing a bit of banter. (Segregation's good for one thing at least.)

Opposition goal of the season - Admittedly it has to be Canvey without a doubt.

Most annoyingly nice gesture of the season - Jeff King phoning Andy to congratulate him. Guess we can't call him a smug/fat/rich/arrogant tw*t anymore... <img border="0" title="" alt="[Frown]" src="images/icons/frown.gif" />

 

<img src="http://www.longdog.org.uk/smilies/fatbloke.gif" alt=" - " />

[jc]

I must admit I'm largely in agreement with you all here - although here are a few alternatives for the separate 'awards':

 

Best goal (i.e. most spectacular): Wilko's 40-yard volley over the 'keeper's head in the 3-2 home win over St. Albans (although I admittedly didn't see that Jacko goal at Croydon!)

Best player(s): I couldn't choose between three of them - Fridge, Macca and Jacko are the three elite players who, for me, are the only ones whom you only notice when they have had a bad game.

Funniest moment: The streakers in the dark at Canvey (or should that be most disturbing moment... <img border="0" title="" alt="[Eek!]" src="images/icons/shocked.gif" /> )

 

And how about some new ones...

 

Carlos Alberto, Brazil v Italy, World Cup Final 1970-style goal of the season: Jacko's second goal away to Enfield - a precise, low finish that culminated a nonchalant display of smooth passing. I remember that it was at this stage of the season that we actually played some stunning football, before the nerves set in when we actually realised we had a strong chance of winning the title.

'Was it good or was if fluky?' goal of the season: Liam's 25-yarder that looped over the 'keeper at home to Maidenhead - did he crash it home himself, or did he need the aid of the defender kicking it into his shins and in? <img border="0" title="" alt="[Confused]" src="images/icons/confused.gif" />

'How did we get away with that?' moment of the season: Many contenders for this - when Jamie struck a clearance against an opposing player and it flew just wide (sorry, but I can't remember what game it was), Griffiths' miss (obviously) and the two shots from the opposition that somehow struck the inside of the post against Enfield and (most significantly) Canvey.

 

Okay, maybe these categories are just too specific. <img border="0" title="" alt="[big Grin]" src="images/icons/grin.gif" />

[David Holden]

Liam's goal won a Sefton as flukiest goal of the season, but Jacko's goal at Boreham Wood must have come close.

 

Surely the snow on the ball made the keeper drop it <img border="0" title="" alt="[smile]" src="images/icons/smile.gif" />

[kmj]

I can recall another truly great goal by Liam in a game that probably didn't matter, ie the home friendly against Charlton on the 5th October. This was a ferocious shot from the edge of the area which went in off the crossbar with real venom. Mind you Skinner's goal was also special as we pulled back a 0-2 deficit to draw a very entertaining game. Steve McKimm's two against Maidenhead were also memorable in a game sadly remembered for other reasons.

[Andy Y. (G&NFC)]

I totally agree with just about everyones point of view here, so I would just like to add another couple of reminders of a truely fantastic year.

 

Best Goal just has to be Danny Lyes effort against Aldershot.,Can a Fleet player ever have had made a more important contribution on his debut? and didn't it shut that P/A geezer up!!

 

Worst moment The few seconds after Borem-Silly scored in the last home game of the season, I honestly thought we had blown it. (Shows how wrong you can be!)

 

Best goal conceeded The Canvey goal shades it from the free kick by Stalybridge Celtic in the Trophy game, shame that they shouldn't have been given it anyway. A lesson that even the worst sides can still have their moments.

 

Best day out Burton away without doubt! Great hosts, great food and a great laugh in the bar. This tallys nicely with ....

 

Best Comment My daughters saying to me, while in the bar at Burton. "Dad, does everybody from up north put the word, f*****g in the middle of every sentence that they say!" <img border="0" title="" alt="[big Grin]" src="images/icons/grin.gif" /> (sorry Natz!)

 

Nicest bunch of supporters I am so glad Harrow didnt go down. Its a strange ground with an even stranger team, but the clubhouse is a joy to drink in and the people were so pleased to see us, that it was quite sad to have stuffed them so easily!

 

Finally, Best hosts Got to be Bedford, thanks again for a great last game of the season. Nuff said.