Day Out
Gareth Jones goes to the Manor Ground…
I set off from Canterbury at about 9.40am on one of Connex South Eastern’s usual boneshakers.
On the way I chatted to a middle-aged couple who were going for a weekend to London to see, among other things, the Dome and the Millennium Wheel and to visit the theatre. At Paddington I found a fantastic soup stand and had curry flavoured soup which was spot-on. I got into Oxford at about 1pm and at the station I was met by a friend with whom I used to live in Canterbury. Richard is from Oxford and a U's fan. We went for a quick hot dog in a little cafe in the town prior to heading to Headington on a bus. I was told to keep my Wrexham scarf covered in case there were any idiots around.
I bought a programme on arrival at the Manor. At £2 this was pretty flimsy and not a patch on Wrexham’s, which I think is the same price. It was also interesting to learn about Oxford fans’ boycott of Morrells. This is a chain of pubs which, as I understand it, are trying to block a move by the U's to their partly-built new ground - Minchery Farm.
The pair of us watched the game from the home supporters’ end behind the goal. I therefore had to keep very quiet! I wasn't unimpressed with the Manor, given the criticism I had come across on one particular web-site. From where I stood, Wrexham had a good away support.
I was impressed with Wrexham’s play. Our passing seemed quite good. Danny Allsopp was great and Rooster played well also (except for some petulance towards the end when he got booked). Sometimes Dearden looked shaky when crosses came in; as a shot- stopper though he was good. It was nervy for a while when the scoreline was 2-1. For a time Oxford were attacking well and I thought they would equalize. This, of course, was until Lundin’s stupid mistake in the U's goal, which let Allsopp in to score and make it 3-1.
At the final whistle I was very pleased with the result. It's not often I see the Robins play, let alone win! After the match, while walking to the U’s club shop, two friends (who I knew from years ago and who live in Oxford) caught up with us. We took the bus to a nearby pub and had a few beers. Iain and Dave had expected me to be in the away supporters end so they had watched the game from there. My mates told me what the Reds fans had been chanting during the match.
I was obliged to catch a train at about 7.30pm, so as to be able to return to Kent that evening. Alas, on the Reading-to-Poole train I lost my railcard. As a consequence I had to pay a further £16 on top of the £18 I'd already paid, so as to get home. Fortunately though, the card was returned to me a few days later. So, all's well that ends well! RP
Night Out
James Morris watches Flexsys play Barry Town…
Barry Town: every Wrexham fan remembers them, don’t they? Since that fateful day in May at the end of last season, the name of Wales’ second-best side has become forever etched into the history of Wrexham FC…because they were responsible for, and I quote Mr Pryce Griffiths, “one of the darkest days in the history of the club.”
Considering the recent red-hot form shown by Cefn Druids - the only Wrexham area-based side to play in the League Of Wales (thank you Mr John Edwards!) - their home fixture against Barry looked like a good opportunity to see just how far they had progressed since entering the top flight of Welsh soccer. How would they fare against a side who had comprehensively shown us up 12 months previously?
I made my way down to Plaskynaston with my two usual travelling companions, Mark and Nigel - two men who could not be more knowledgeable about both Druids and Welsh football. The topics of conversation in the car on the way down were the usual: how the Druids would do, the general state of the LoW (yes, there are people who care!), the astronomical level of top players’ wages, and the question of whether Ryan Giggs should actually play for Wales again, or even be considered as Welsh, given his latest cop-out for the fixture against Qatar. We arrived at the ground with about half an hour to spare, as a large crowd was expected and the car parking space at Plaskynaston is probably best described as tight.
As we stood there waiting for the game to commence, I was struck by a sudden thought: basically, that I was becoming a bit of a regular at Druids games. I realized that I was beginning to recognise most of the players and that I was actually standing on the same spot I had been standing on for the past few Druids home games I had been to. Given that the game coincided with Wrexham’s incredible 4-1 drubbing of Oxford at the Manor Ground, I had a sudden crisis of footballing loyalties. I’ve bought a Druids badge, and even pledged to pen something for the excellent Ancient Druid fanzine. So, are my days at the Racecourse numbered?
Looking around the large crowd of 600-odd people, I was pleased to spot several other disenchanted Reds and, among those Wrexham fans I spoke to, the general consensus seemed to be that Oxford away was a long trip…and that Druids v Barry was a far more attractive proposition. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: if Druids games didn’t clash so frequently clash with Wrexham games, attendances of 600+ would be a regular occurrence at Cefn. I actually find it hard to believe that Druids/Wrexham games clash so often. With the exception of Inter-Cardiff, no other LoW side plays in such close proximity to an established football league side - especially not one with such a colourful history as the Druids. So, why then can’t more Druids games be played on either Friday nights or Sunday afternoons? I realize that players’ private lives have to be taken into consideration, but surely there must be some way around this problem. If a solution could be found, there would surely, one day soon, be an attendance of 1,000-plus at Plaskynaston.
The game itself was an absolute cracker, with Druids being very unlucky to go down by a single goal. This seems to indicate that they have now found their feet at this level after a bit of a shaky start. While they are perhaps not quite good enough for a top-eight finish - and thus Premier Cup entry in Season 2000-1 - next time around it should be a distinct possibility.
I can’t praise a visit to a Druids game highly enough: turn up, pay to get in, buy something from the excellent club shop, have a pint. All in all, a top day’s entertainment - by anyone’s standards. So, next time the Robins are playing in the corner of some far-flung field, or the next time the despair of another defeat is too much to bear, get along to see the Druids. You never know - European football may not be too far away. RP
Day Out
John Funnell goes to watch his home-town team play a very poor team indeed…
I have not given up on Wrexham, even after their poor performance against Oldham, but I did go down to watch Chester play Brighton at the Deva.
Wrexham were away at Oxford, so I took the opportunity to watch my second team - having been born and bred in Sussex ‘several’ years ago. The weather was bright and sunny, with a strong blustery wind. I stood in the away end with the Brighton fans, who provided most of the atmosphere both before and during the game.
The one-minute tribute to Sir Stanley Matthews was observed in total silence, in total contrast to some other grounds. The Chester team included a Brighton player, Gary Hobson, and Stuart Hicks, who had signed the week before. I wonder whether he already regrets this decision. In goal for Brighton was Mark Walton, who once played for Wrexham. Warren Aspinall - who has possibly played for more clubs than Rooster - was in midfield and ex-Chester man Andy Crosby was at the centre of defence.
Brighton attacked from the kick-off and were unlucky to go in at half-time with only two goals to show for their superiority. After the break Brighton continued to press forward and were rewarded with five more goals - the last one, a volley from Paul Roberts, being the pick of the bunch. The attendance was 2,743, boosted by a large travelling contingent from the South Coast. The Chester supporters were relatively quiet throughout the game…and they started leaving soon after half-time. I heard no boos and no calls for the manager or management to go. The players appeared to be lacking in ideas, spirit and will to win, as if they were already resigned to finishing bottom of the Football League. On the evidence of this game against Brighton, I think that’s just where they will end up.
The standard of the officiating was similar to that which we are used to at the Racecourse. One of the assistant referees allowed Chester to take a corner-kick with the ball placed clearly outside the corner quadrant. The programme cost £2 and contained a lot of information about the Brighton players, plus a history of the club from its beginnings on 24 June 1901 and a brief record of all previous games between the two clubs.
I hope Brighton can continue their winning run, although they will not meet such poor opposition again in their future games. Meanwhile, I’m hoping the Reds can build on some creditable recent performances. RP