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The Quest for the 92
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The Quest for the 92
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Paul Johnson



Joined: 25 Feb 2011
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PostPosted: Wed Jan 26, 2022 9:19 pm 
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ive done the 92 and all but 3 in the National League. If any ive done get promoted to the Football League i still count it as done
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pafcprogs



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PostPosted: Thu Jan 27, 2022 12:58 pm 
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[quote="sharrowblade"]Well after all the comings and goings this season, we've lost Bury and Stevenage and now have to add Barrow and Harrogate and Brentford's new one.

Back to 78.....14 to go (can't see many being added next season) Sad[/quote

Horses mouth Smile
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sharrowblade
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PostPosted: Thu Jun 09, 2022 6:38 pm 
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Apologies for the pro-longed sabbatical with regards to an update on the quest.

Over the recent months I'd received several malicious emails by an online troll.

Ex forum member Mr Angry from the Greater Manchester area wrote:


'It can't be easy being a superfan dragging two kids round the country filling them with pop and crisps and trying to pretend you are a doyen of the football world.
You telling forum members how many shite run down grounds you have visited and how many shitholes you have thrown up doing it.Your kids,i am sure,will one day thank you for these family outings.
In the 1920's it was a big adventure
In the 2020's who gives a shit whether you went in the dog or the duck and what flavoured crisps you chose to eat.
Go public if you want, but stop bad mouthing me on the forum. (I've not mentioned him in 5 years, so someone's imagination is running wild).
Heed the warning. I couldn't be clearer.

Scouse Crying or Very sad Crying or Very sad Crying or Very sad Crying or Very sad Crying or Very sad Crying or Very sad Crying or Very sad Crying or Very sad Crying or Very sad Crying or Very sad

Ground No: 79, St Mary's Southampton

‘More Haste, less speed’, my old mum used to say, I never understood what it meant but I was soon to find out . Macca is at Uni, doing a degree in ‘The social effects of alcohol on Saturday nights', disconnecting the phone and worshipping the Greek God Hypnos. This no show, the early hour, combined with Dan banging on about Krypto-currency, the car sensor alarm going off, which I wrongly assumed was because of my close proximity to the driveway wall resulted in a somewhat expensive catostaphic consequences.

There was the unmistakable sound of metal to metal as next door’s BMW which was parked across the road felt the full force of the Robin Reliant.

Dan fell silent as I continued a tirade of abuse about Macca and the implications of what had just happened. ‘Lets do one’ muttered Dan as way of apology. ‘Nah, I’ll leave him a note, it will be a nice surprise when he wakes up’.

In all honesty, the actual trip was quite painless apart from Dan having control of the musical playlist.

Free car Park on the opposite bank of the River Itchen, had its downside, I'm not eactly keen on walking along high bridges over water especially when there's a breeze. Just kept the head up and didn't look over.

Considered a venture to the marina to be fed and watered but needed to collect the tickets and therefore opted for the fanzone area, which was basked in sunshine, and unwisely decided on a pint of 76’, whether this was a reference to Bobby Stokes finest hour or just the age of the ale I’m not sure.



The ground is neat and tidy with plenty of footroom and a good view, its all rather pleasant apart from the bloke behind me insisting that Ward Prowse is the best midfielder in Europe. The Saints lack a cutting edge and its no real surprise when Wolves break away in the second half and Jiminez gets the only goal of the game.

Out into the afternoon sunshine and a brief moment of madness descends as I consider the use of an e-scooter, which are plentiful in these parts, to get to the other side of the bridge, Memories are recalled of halcyon youth, summer holidays on greek Islands, wearing sunglasses at midnight, riding a Lambretta that had the headlamp strength of half a candle.

I decided that the old days were safer than challenging my balance upon a motorised skateboard on a high bridge. I'd already had one mishap, there was no point in attempting an unfortunate double.

Good day out, Dan now one in front of Macca.

Next Stop: Wimbledon
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Dorking



Joined: 05 Feb 2010
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PostPosted: Thu Jun 09, 2022 8:31 pm 
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Keep doing what you do Sharrow, love this thread and your write ups.

My son is 12 now and has visited 76 different league (and former league) grounds (our criteria is any ground that has ever hosted EFL or Prem football).

Watching Palace at almost all of those, new 'ticks' are very rare as the team is pretty settled. Last season he only got 4 new ticks - the new Wimbledon ground and the new Brentford one, plus Sutton Utd and also Southend Utd (watching Dorking). This despite him attending over 100 live games last season.

I'm at 116 such grounds, but bear in mind I count places like Dorchester (AFC Bournemouth played a handful of league games there) and Bath City (a home venue for Bristol Rovers for many years) but both watching 'non-92' games. But it's my rules!!! Very Happy

Next season, watching Dorking Wanderers, I will gain another 3 - Chesterfield, Wrexham and Halifax. My son will gain those 3, plus Oldham, Notts C, Dagenham and Torquay, so a nice way to add some ticks watching 'real' football.

As for Palace, unless the Papa Johns trophy gives us games at Northampton or MK Dons, I suspect our next new tick watching Palace could even be Everton's new ground, which is still 2 years off!

I do love visiting new grounds (as in new for us), and I love reading your write ups too!

I guess being a keen collector, I see league tables as 'lists' and so grounds are there to be collected just as some people collect programmes!
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garyspain



Joined: 24 Mar 2010
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PostPosted: Fri Jun 10, 2022 11:01 am 
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I also really enjoy your posts Sharrow. Awful to see so much online abuse these days

Great you can do these trips with your lads.
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Paul Johnson



Joined: 25 Feb 2011
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PostPosted: Mon Jun 13, 2022 7:10 pm 
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Lets the haters hate as it says more about them than you. I also enjoy reading your posts and as a 92 member i await your membership Smile Smile

Keep up the good work
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Ron Saunders 2



Joined: 17 Mar 2022
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PostPosted: Mon Jun 13, 2022 11:14 pm 
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Paul Johnson wrote:
Lets the haters hate as it says more about them than you. I also enjoy reading your posts and as a 92 member i await your membership Smile Smile

Keep up the good work

Member 813 - joined in 1992!
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seand



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PostPosted: Tue Jun 14, 2022 4:47 pm 
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Jeezus, some people......

keep up the splendid work Sharrow, love your posts. I similarly drag the kids around football grounds home and abroad, and they love it (I htink!!!)
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pastpirate
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PostPosted: Wed Jun 15, 2022 10:31 am 
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Ex forum member Mr Angry from the Greater Manchester area wrote:

Ignor him Sharrow. People like that are sad little morons that deserve NOTHING. I love this thread and enjoy reading about your trips.
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tufcprogs



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PostPosted: Wed Jun 15, 2022 4:33 pm 
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I love your posts and reading them all.
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BlueFinn



Joined: 15 Jul 2018
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PostPosted: Wed Jun 15, 2022 4:57 pm 
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I'm the total opposite to you!!
I'm a home bird, Windsor Park Belfast, (Home of the World record holders, fifty-six League titles) Simply love visiting the ground my father introduced me to some sixty years ago.
However, I also love your posts, we're all different and I totally get why others want to visit new grounds.
Regarding the nasty individual, if he happens to read this. If you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all.
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tackler7



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PostPosted: Mon Jul 11, 2022 9:50 am 
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Do you think it is possible to visit the 92 grounds and watch a game NOT featuring the host club (men or women's teams, any age group)?

It doesn't have to be a football game.

Some grounds are easier than other. Brentford for a London Irish game or Spurs for American Football but how many others either currently or historically offer this choice?
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Pete’s Picture Palace
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PostPosted: Mon Jul 11, 2022 12:15 pm 
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tackler7 wrote:
Do you think it is possible to visit the 92 grounds and watch a game NOT featuring the host club (men or women's teams, any age group)?

It doesn't have to be a football game.


Some grounds are easier than other. Brentford for a London Irish game or Spurs for American Football but how many others either currently or historically offer this choice?


Sure - Selhurst Park 1946 - Bicycle Polo. Must admit, it's before my time, and I don't know when this craze started & stopped - maybe somebody does. Some cricket to follow later.




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Pete’s Picture Palace
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PostPosted: Mon Jul 11, 2022 12:54 pm 
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Selhurst Park 1981 - Cricket. Maybe I was dreaming, maybe I was drunk or hallucinating, but I swear that all I can remember from the evening's entertainment was Kent's Chris Tavare hitting many sixes.




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GrestytheLion



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PostPosted: Mon Jul 11, 2022 6:36 pm 
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Pete’s Picture Palace wrote:
Selhurst Park 1981 - Cricket. Maybe I was dreaming, maybe I was drunk or hallucinating, but I swear that all I can remember from the evening's entertainment was Kent's Chris Tavare hitting many sixes.






I was there that night as Kent had already played at Priestfield Stadium and seemed to have progressed to the next round. I think they played Essex, the idea being I guess a modern runner to T20. Crowds were sparse at both venues I think, and have no idea what happened if you progressed further.
Various other football grounds participated on a regional basis but no idea where.
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sharrowblade
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PostPosted: Wed Aug 31, 2022 5:02 pm 
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Ground No 80: Plough Lane, AFC Wimbledon

‘I wished I’d come up with the idea, once you’ve got the mould, just bang them out, somebody out there must be minted. There’s millions of them.'

I sit motionless, staring into a traffic abyss, lamenting the invention of the traffic cone.
‘Heard it all before dad, every trip to be honest’ say the boys in unison before returning to the safe haven of their ear pods.

Its midday, and the M25 has come to a halt, we hadn’t reached Heathrow yet, so after 20 minutes of tortoise pace I made the momentous and somewhat calamitous decision to take the next exit and cut across West London.

Macca the harbinger of doom, is intrigued 'which way you going’. Oh you know Harefield, Ruislip, down to Northolt, head for Brentford or Putney, cross the river and so on. Macca nodded impressed, some people are easily fooled I’ve no idea where I’m going but it curtailed any of his Peter Pan advice.

By the time I’ve hit Greenford and Hanwell and then Richmond, it was clear that I’d made a terrible mistake. Pedestrians on mobiles, Car drivers, scooter riders were all taking their lives in their hands, Kids on electric scooters coming from all angles exaspareated the situation along with more road works. it was more dangerous than Mosul.

I confess feelings of disbelief and awe of what we’re witnessing. Times have changed. Ahmed Kneival attempts to ride a 2 ft wide scooter through a 1 ft gap between a parked car and a bus, assaulting the bus as if it was Alfe Inge Haarland and he was Roy Keane. ‘Man Down’ I yell as the resulting skirmish sees him fall over.

Finally, we make it over the river and when we escape Roehampton, I'm laughing like a maniac on gas, I could have sworn that at one point we nearly managed to get to 30mph. At last we reached salvation. Now, there was a more pressing problem, where to park the Reliant.

Wimbledon common looked picturesque so I go for there, because basically I’d had enough. I'd developed the thousand yard stare, a cruel victim of the capital's lawless streets.

Its 2pm and it’s a brisk 45 minute walk through leafy suburbia.

Arrive 2:45pm, exhausted (lol). There’s a few familiar faces outside the ground Terry’s Badges look busy, and Terry is making sure nobody runs off with the FA Cup. Aaron Ramsdale recognizes our Dan from their time at the Blades Academy, and says ‘alright mate’. Dan smiles and then mutters ‘taught him everything he knows’.

There’s only two turnstiles open on our our side of the ground so its not exactly flowing through the gates and we take our seats just as the players come out, and a womble is pulling a wheelie bin around. ‘What’s that’, Macca pointed .A womble, ‘said I ‘That’s rubbish’ he replied, no need to go any further I thought.



The physical aspect is quite striking, Wigan have players on steroids whilst Wimbledon look like U16s.
Macca’s currently been to 8 games this season, and has a record of W0, D1, L7 in regards to which end he’s in. Wigan start brightly and Wimbledon don’t, Dan remarks that during the line up, Wimbledon must have spotted Macca in the home end and that the result was inevitable. He wasn’t wrong.

At half time, Pizza’s are selling well, and there are various different food and ale outlets around the back of the end terrace. Around the side, there’s a high fence about 40 ft which gives the impression of a prison yard. This may be slightly harsh as the ground itself is really pretty neat and the seats were good. Wigan win 2-0.



After the game I leave the boys at the BP station opposite and headed back into the main grandstand and to the far end where the press lads were packing up, teamsheets were rarer than a good driver down here but eventually found one on a table. All was well, the sun was shining and there were some cracking views of the London skyline on the walk back to the common. as we made our way back to the common. Homeward bound, should have been simple, head south west to the M25 and then head north, but as everything that day hadn’t gone to plan it wasn’t, and found myself retracing our earlier journey just for the hell of it. Only this time it was double jeopardy and it was dark.

It was an experience, and furthermore those nice boys of the Surrey Police force sent me a lovely letter a few days later thanking me for our visit and demanding £85 for doing 29 mph in a 20 mph zone. Nice.
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sharrowblade
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PostPosted: Thu Oct 06, 2022 8:51 pm 
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Ground No 81 Salford City, The Peninsular stadium.



Sunday evening, Cup Fever has taken hold. David v Goliath, possibly not. League v Non League, yes, but with a somewhat erroneous look.

Salford’s phantasmagorical rise. Aligned with Chesterfield’s likewise demise gave this fixture an almost chimerical feeling about it.

The ground is unrecognisable from a few years ago, the crumbling concrete walls and terraces have now gone.

There's a chill in the air, and space is at a premium.

Behind the net, was your typical school disco meets the Leeds Festival. The average age appeared to be about 15 and it was a schoolnight. So we chose the corner, but the degree of tranquility was short lived as kick off approached.

We quickly found ourselves in some kind of unholy trinity. Rocket Pocket Tracey was sporting bell bottoms, that should have come with a health warning. She may have been only 5ft but those Lionels (flares) belonged in the seventies and if hit by those bad boys could have had catastrophic results. She’s overdosed on Prosecco and she’s loving it, as she attempts to snog a copper, a common occurrence outside the Pink Panther in Chezzy.

Dave ’The Rave’ has arrived and has clearly been in the pub for the last 48 hours or Prison…or both, and promises that if the Spirites score he’ll be on the pitch bollock naked. I didn’t doubt it for one minute.

We’re looking for sanctuary and we’re failing, there’s a guy a few steps down from us who looks fairly normal, he’s wearing a hat, but on closer inspection it’s got ‘Weirdo’ written on it.

I now find myself singing ‘I met my love by the factory wall, dreamed a dream by the old canal’. I love a bit of The Pogues before a game.

Chesterfield survive an early onslaught and then score a worldie . Dave’s not seen it he’s on the floor somewhere, so much for the pre-match bravado, whilst Tra’ is attempting to get a piggy back from anyone near her. Wierdo looked interested for a minute.

At half time, there’s more people queuing outside the toilet then there was attempting to abandon the Titanic. I decided I could go later, which I did and to my dismay its a portakabin with one urinal and cubicle. Quite clearly, it wasn’t in the thoughts of Gary Neville when they built it.

As the match wore on, Salford were reaching kitchen sink territory although in earnest it was more like a wet flannel. With 5 minutes to go, its pandemonium in the away end as Chesterfield sealed their spot in the 3rd Rd.

Tra’ was beside herself, the occasion had got to her, and in her pure unadulterated joy she took out a couple of fans with her exuberance.

Dave had already gone, he was behind the net.
Dan said 'that guy was on some serious shit'. I nodded and asked
‘I know! I wonder where you can get it from’?.
My guess would be be behind the net', Macca chimed in,

and Wierdo…well he just clapped.

As we head off back to the Reliant, I ask the lads what they made of it all. For once they agreed - ’they’ve got cool floodlights’. Indeed they had.

PS, many thanks to forum member Ian (Bennospire) who managed to get me a team sheet when I had failed miserably.

Its also worth stating that Ian 'was not' Weirdo Laughing


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PostPosted: Fri Sep 29, 2023 9:33 am 
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Ground No 82 Stoke City, the Bet 365 Stadium:

I was once at Manchester City's training ground, listening to one of the Academy coaches waxing lyrical about their new facilities and in particular their indoor training pitch. He assured those listening patiently that they could replicate any climatic conditions in the world from a blistering 40 degrees to a mind numbing minus 11 in order ro prepare for any game.

It all sounded impressive until Little Tommy, a nine year old, diminutive wide eyed loner blurted out 'So its no good for Stoke on a Tuesday night then Mister'. His question dismissed out of hand had always resonated with myself, and there was a touch of forebodement about our trip to stoke.

The day had now come, the Antarctic gear, furry ear muffs and the two huskies which were on stand by could be stood down, the footballing gods had decided in their wisdom that this fixture was assigned for a sunny afternoon in April.

Base camp was to be Leek, centre of the UK Silk Industry during the Industrial Revolution, 10 miles from our destination, and we headed for the Green Dragon for a pre-match meal of Steak and Chips, but things were now to go astray. Plod was out in force, 2 of them to be precise and were standing guard. The landlord wore a forlorn expression 'Sorry lads they won't let me open. In fairness, there were several feral groups of neanderthal knuckle draggers with faces that had been caught in the open when the wind had changed direction, marauding around the town who clearly had a similar intention. It confirmed that we really do have some ugly looking fans and we were lucky not to be mugged on more than one occasion.

We backtracked to the Rose and Crown on the Congleton to Buxton road and the lads were fed and watered. Arrived at the ground about 1:30, and miraculously managed to get free parking on the road outside the Power League Complex, a stone's throw away from the ground. Sent the boys for the programmes and settled down and watched Liverpool on the tele.




Once in, I'm shocked, its actually warm, quite clearly the players were too, and unprepared for it as the performance suggested. The ground always felt like it was half built but they've filled at least one corner in since I saw Sinbad score for a Brookside XI against Hollyoaks in a charity game a few years previously.

Its eternal sunshine, but any warmth soon evaporated as Wayne, a 25 year old moron, who was auditioning as Town Crier in Numptyville began a diatribe from the word go. It was true that we were pretty clueless, but I don't need some Thicko yelling in the lugholes telling me this and anyone else in a 50 yard radius that several of the team should go and die somewhere or even worse. I knew I should have brought the furry ear muffs.

Macca pleaded with me not to say owt, and with 10 minutes to half time he staggered off to the bar. Miraculously he made his way back like some drunk homing pigeon in the second half and it all started again. I'd had enough, 'My good man, I don't mind you singing and shouting encouragement to the lads, but would you kindly refrain from yelling obscenities and commentating on the game. Wayne was obviously confused and mumbled 'Sorry Mate, I didn't mean owt by it' and promptly sat down and nodded off within seconds. I wish I had, its a really poor game and as Macca the delusional prophet declared this game has 0-0 written all over it, we score, unfortunately at the wrong end.

There's a shake of the head as we're resigned to a disappointing away defeat. Danny's not happy with Macca the soothsayer and states 'they're playing Jags (Phil Jagielka), Jags!!!!, he's about 76, and he could have got a deckchair out and read a paper for all we've done'. Football, eh.

Next time: Cheltenham Town
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PostPosted: Tue Oct 31, 2023 5:59 pm 
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At the start of 2022-3 season we lost Southend & Grimsby but got back Hartlepool, so at this point we were back to 81 out of 92.

GROUND No 82, CHELTENHAM TOWN. THE COMPLETELY SUZUKI STADIUM - WHADDON ROAD

Beautiful trip between Sheffield and Cheltenham spoilt only by the whole of the Midlands. I’m living life on the edge, and I throw caution to the wind by taking a chance on nostalgia by revisiting a local hostelry that I’d hadn’t been to for over 30 years, hell, I didn’t even know if it would still be there.

On arrival,
‘Is it really a pub or somebody’s house’ added Dan,
‘Both' Macca chipped in, like some modern day Nostradamus’
They were probably both right.
But, there it was, in all its finery, although I confess I thought it was further away from the main road, but it my defence it was on a rain lashed Monday night back in 1990.
As we reached the entrance I spoke quietly ‘Now listen carefully boys, a man’s got to know how to handle his balls in here’ There’s an audible gulp.

Its 1pm on a Saturday afternoon in the Adam & Eve.
It may not be the best pub in Cheltenham, but it does have its own traditional skittle alley, It’s a win-win situation. Literally because an hour, and a pint of Arkells Hoperation later the result’s a foregone conclusion. Dad is triumphant. Unfortunately, the pub isn’t particularly close to the ground, but putting that to one side I decide to leave the Reliant on a side street and enjoy the sunshine as we march into town admiring a gallery of gable ends that are resplendent with artistry. Not sure why there were so many, but very good they are too.
Wayne from the local housing estate with his spray can need not apply.

Arrive Whaddon Road about 5 to 3, suffering from kidney failure and a bad back. Not a programme seller in sight, or a programme or team sheet. I try my best to disguise the sigh.
We are on the terracing, and my back has nowhere to go, I'll just have to grin and bare it, suddenly I get a nudge from Macca.
’That blokes got a programme dad’.

I’m curious. There’s a wave of suspicion coursing through the veins, I dismiss it as some kind of fanzine, but the eyes are constantly switching from the game to the quarry in this bloke’s hand. I’m spiralling into oblivion. I’m telling myself it’s not true, but the eyes are telling me it is. The temperature was rising and so was the heart rate. How can this be happening. My concentration had gone like Peterborough’s defence. The Home side are 2-0 up.

At half time I abscond, it may feel like somebody’s rabbit punched me from behind but I’m like a gazelle at the water’s edge on the Serengeti as I move from row to row in the main grandstand, I don’t see anyone else with anything that resembles a programme, I decide to move to Plan B which was to go outside and mug somebody or better still find the reception.
For once lady luck shone, There’s a guardian to the portal known as the hospitality section next door and I politely enquire if there really is a programme for today’s game to which I’m met with a rather beknowing ‘of course there is, you’re thick northerner’ He didn’t actually say that but I knew he was probably thinking it, and off he went to fetch me one, which he did and a couple of team-sheets.

Back inside, all is good, Dan's bemused, thought you were on your last legs Dad. Programmes son, I love the smell of a fresh programme in the afternoon, nothing else smells like it. The quote was lost on both of them.

The Posh make a trio of substitutions at half time and the game is transformed, there’s almost an air of resignation when Peterborough complete the comeback to win 3-2. These Cheltenham people they’re so……nice. No pitch - forks and ropes ready in the car park no abuse aimed at the players, manager, the board or even the tea lady.
On the way back we encounter three follicle challenged dimwits on the street corner, waving pint pots and chanting 2-0 up and you f****d it up’ to all passer-bys. Given the fact that the three Amigo’s were heading in the direction of the ground, with half full pints, and not a pub within 400 yards, I think it’s safe to say they didn’t witness the second half fight back.

Back home 8:30pm. Jobs a good un’.
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giorgio



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PostPosted: Tue Dec 19, 2023 12:17 pm 
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Can't remember if I've posted on this thread previously but have recently been asked to write an article for a programme and thought I'd post it here as well........

October last year (2022), my local garage told me my car was looking, ‘tired’ and that I’ll get another year out of it. Since then, it’s completed a trouble free, 2 and a half thousand-mile ground hopping trip etc round Scotland, got through its MOT this October and just got back from a 4300 mile trip to Italy and back, trouble free as well! Don’t ask me how it’s managed this – it’s only a dinky little Ford KA, 19 years old and rusting to bits, but what a car!

Don’t know why I’m telling you this when I’m supposed to be talking about my footballing exploits. I guess it’s because groundhopping is not all about the football. Driving through the alps, for instance, one can easily be fooled into thinking that everything with the world is going to be just fine. Amazing. On my return trip, as I approached the German side of the alps, I got all the snow topped mountains and trees etc. Awesome. Looked like one of those fictional Christmas cards you see with all the snow, only this wasn’t fictional.

Oh dear, sorry – there I go again. So, my aim on this trip was to complete my visits to all Serie B grounds – I had 7 to do. I didn’t quite make it – the international break messed everything up, but I got 6 in with just Feralpisalo left to do. Yeah – I’ve never heard of them either! Don’t worry – you probably won’t hear from them again because they’re rock bottom and aint coming back up again. Managed to squeeze in Udinese in Serie A, who I have seen before but wanted to redo because it’s basically a new stadium although they’ve never moved, just redeveloped a bit at a time.

I did manage to visit family as well although I think they’re starting to wonder if I go to Italy to see them or the football!

On my return, I stopped in Sittard to catch a game in the Eredivisie. When I left London, in early October, it didn’t occur to me that I might be needing my Long Johns on this trip (8 weeks later) - on my way back the whole of Germany was covered in snow. Sittard was freezing but it was nice to get some draught beer and hot food, at last, at a football match – facilities at Italian stadia are often found to be lacking. The beer at the Sittard game was cold as well and got colder as I drank it. Not joking.

A thoroughly enjoyable trip. Was apprehensive about doing all that mileage but a walk in the park in the end. The only thing is – I don’t think I want to put any more petrol in the car for a while!!

Date of trip: 7/10/23 – 3/12/23
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