Tony Kempster RIP

So a poor week on the old sporting front, the England boys get destroyed by the Germans 4-0, and Andy Murray loses in the semi’s at Wimbledon & the Lions lose the series in South Africa (bloody excellent effort in both games though).

Summer seems to have appeared and it has suddenly got very warm and very muggy. Our friendlies list has been posted, with a hefty 8 games in 4 weeks, which includes a game against a Hull XI.

I meant to mention, and very remiss of me for not, the untimely passing of Tony Kempster. He was the non-league authority on league structures and tables and loads of other things. His website was the first place many would go to, to try and get to grips with the FAs pyramid structure. I had read a few months ago that Tony had been diagnosed with very advanced liver cancer, and was resigned to the fact he was off to meet his maker in the not too distant. He set up a message wall which was a awash with get well messages from people from all over the country – most probably never having met the man – thats testament to his dedication and hard work.

His final posts can be read here Tony Kempster and his last updated non-league site is here Tony Kempster. I am sure you will concur, our thoughts are with his loved ones.

England’s U21’s – European Finalists

It’s some 2 months since our last game and to be honest, i’m not missing the smells and excitement at Queensgate. In fact, i’m not missing football at all. I was explaining to a couple of fellow fans at cricket recently, that the start of the footy season means the end of summer in my book, and for the third year running, summer hasn’t started – its so depressing. Plus I want to keep focused for the Ashes which start next week.

In amongst the high profile summer sporting events of Wimbledon, the Ashes, the Lions tour. F1 etc etc, the England U21’s have quietly been going about their business in the Euro championships in Sweden. After defeating the hosts on penalties in the semi’s (we were 3-0 up at half time ), we will play our old footballing nemesis in the final -the  Geermans.

Two things that i pondered whilst doing the hugely extensive research for this topic:

1) Why are the British press only just getting into the fact that we are in a strong position to win a footy tournament, we odn’t get the opportunity that often, we last won this in 1984 (when Mark Hately was voted player of the tourney).

2) Why is the final being played on a Monday night ? Nothing like de-valuing your only European show peice event of the year. Monday night for goodness sake.

Good luck to Stuart Pearce (ex-Wealdstone FC) and his lads. Lets hope the next post on here is of you bringing the trophy home, where all European and World trophies belong.

Season’s end

I suppose as you get older, time slips by at an ever alarming rate. It only feels like a couple of weeks ago that I was writing about the excitement of going into a new season, full of optimism and promise. And in my short tenure of following the mighty Bridlington Town, I was happy to receive a season that was extremely optimistic and definately full of promise.

The 2 or 3 seasons before this were not very good, a trawl through my quips from last year will testify to that. But this year was very different. We had some exceptional players, great support from the fringe players, a fantastic management duo and a very generous chairman with brilliant back room support – and yet, the crowds never flocked to Queensgate. Perhaps they got bored of watching us win 4-1 / 5-1 etc most weeks.

However, a season that promised so much, faded out to a fizzle at the end, probably due to fatigue. We made a cup final, and bar the last few games in the league, were seeking automatic promotion with 3 or 4 other teams. Our failures against the other top 5 probably costing us the title.

I made a few away games this year, and hoped to have done more, and went to the KC which was a brilliant night out, bar the result. To everyone involved, thank you – me and the lad enjoyed every minute of it.

Brid 3 North Ferriby 1 (at the KC)

Here’s part 1 (the best part i suppose). Apologies in advance for missing Chibs goal, well sort of.

and a currently muted part 2

Stoke 1 Blackburn 0

After not having the opportunity earlier in the season to go to a Stoke game, when I was offered another chance, I wasn’t going to let this one pass. It took the best part of three hours to get there, and I was late. I had to meet up with a colleague and 4 guests, unfortunately 2 of these guys were very late due to the traffic on the M6. I was able to take my lad for the experience.

We were supposed to be in the Greenhoff suite, named after one of our best players of the 70’s-  Jimmy Greenhoff, but there had been some trouble with a few of our customers at the last home game against Newcastle, so we were moved to the Waddington suite – named after our legendary manager of the 60’s and 70’s. Terry Conroy was compere, and a thriving throng of helpers were on hand to make sure our every need was catered for. There was a programme, a new Stoke City magazine and free to enter competitions at the table with a commemorative badge of the game – the club crests of Stoke and Blackburn with the Premier League icon included. Food was out of the top draw, I skipped starters as my Big Mac breakfast was still sitting a little heavy, but this was soon obliterated by the stunning Plaice main course and Orangey Chocolate number for afters. We made our way to the seats just before kick off, to find ourselves right on the half way line, half way up the John Smiths stand – there could have only been a few better seats in the house.

27,500, a sell out, were in the ground ready for this “relegation” threatened encounter. Credit to the Blackburn fans who turned up in large numbers and were very loud. The last time I encountered a tingle down my spine like I did at this point, is when I last went to Wembley to watch Stoke beat Stockport in the Autoglass Trophy win, thanks to a fantastic Mark Stein strike.

The game was scrappy, Stoke had the upper edge throughout, apart from a 10 minute spell in the first half when Rovers tried to pass and muscle their way into our half. In reality they were poor and posed no threat to goal all game. We had numerous Rory Delap throw in’s, Liam Lawrence corners, created one or two opportunities, but Rovers (or big Sam Allardyce’s tactics) had us reasonably contained throughout. Sam should know our style, he sort of created the Stoke style when he was at Bolton for all those years. The first half disappeared in a flash – the 45 went in no time, probably because me and the lad were enjoying ourselves so much. The interval comes and goes, again in no time.

Second half is much the same, with the deadlock eventually broken by Liam Lawrence from a Danny Higginbotham cross, that was flicked on by James Beattie. It was only our second shot on target all game, but the crowd noise was deafening and the most amazing rendition of Delilah fills the ground.

We hold out for a win, local Brid lad Richard Cresswell comes on for the last finve minutes, but the poor lad receives some abuse from the home fans who don’t think he is up to the task – perhaps not, as far as I am concerned he has been an integral part of our squad in the last two years, and deserves more respect from my fellow fans. He does more than enough in the five minutes he is on for.

The win gives us a huge lift to Premiership survival, and the relief and feeling at the end, by people like Abdoulaye Faye, Lawrence, Beattie and 25,000 fans is amazing. A huge weight lifts off the Brittannia and Abdoulaye Faye does a virtual lap of honour kissing the badge and thanking the crowd. He was immense today.

Thanks to everyone for the time I had, brilliant, and if there are any tickets left for one of the two remaining fixtures, count me in.

Oh and no luck in the raffle – lol.

Brid lose 2-1 at Thackley, after taking the lead too. Thackley admitted they had received intel (from Hallam) to target our keeper as he “is” the weakest link of the team, and unfortunately for Tom he apparently, didn’t help his doubters. Two games left, we have hit a poor run of results, which is a shame, because with the others faultering as well, we could really be fighting for top spot right now.

Brid 1 Nostell Miners Welfare 1 (a)

The weather was just incredible, there had been a heavy cool mist over the town all day. I’d taken my lad up to Sewerby for cricket practice at 6.30 and you could barely see anything as the mist was getting thicker. We had to rush from there to get to the game for the lad to be ballboy.

This was our penultimate home game of the season, against Nostell Miners Welfare. They were going to have a busy couple of weeks as they have three league games and two cup final games against Scarborough. Nostell lost 7-2 at home to Thackley on Saturday and now lie 14th in the league. But given our form on Saturday, I wasn’t taking anything for granted.

We were still missing Chib, Palms wasn’t playing and Frank Belt was on the bench, Ash Allanson was back. It was a scrappy affair without a great deal happening. There were three memorial things that stood out:

1. Liverpool leading Chelsea 2-0 at half time to tie their Champions League tie, eventually drawing 4-4 in what was one of the best games ever – and i missed it.

2. with about 15mins to go, Phillo desperate to get the ball back from where we were behind the goal saying to me “we must score against these boring bastards”

3. Dom saying during a game we dominate, “I can see them nicking one you know, I can just sense it” – and yes, 5 minutes later they score to lead 1-0. Thankfully Mally Osiende spares Dom’s blushes by bundling one in just before full time.

Lincoln Moorlands beat Mickelover 1-0 at Mickelover – amazing !

Brid 7 Hallam 5 (aggregate H&A)

The week has been a hectic one since our first game at Hallam last week, with trips to Sheffield, Preston and Stoke and ironically back to Sheffield for the return encounter. I missed the midweek 1-0 drubbing of Winterton, but was able to smile with glee, as all the Manc U fans that i was eating with had their cheesy grins wiped off their faces with a Porto equaliser at the Theatre of Dreams, (much aligned to the Theatre of Wet Dreams in Bridlington – each having huge crowds, expansive football, an imposing stand, gourmet nosh and a warm welcome for the travelling armies).

The first game of this double entendre was at Chez Town, a monster 129 turned up to watch this duel of 3rd v 7th. The lads played tremendously well, and going 1 up in the first few minutes helped calm nerves, however, the visitors replied within a couple to level it up.  From then on it was cruise control for the home team who played really well and turned out 6-1 winners with Palms, Hotte, Fearne(x2) and Ash Allanson adding the others. By a queer co-incidence we were to meet 7 days later at their place (one of these must have been a re-arranged fixture due to the winter frosts).

We play well against a physical and well drilled Winterton in midweek, with Chib scoring within 3 minutes, another disappointing crowd of 132 (not bad for a midweek game i suppose).

This meant we had won 8 on the trot since losing to Mickelover, 31 goals for and 4 against – some very impressive stats – and still no one comes to see us.

I’d managed to talk the good lady and daughter to come with me and the lad to Sheffield, they could “do” Meadowhall (I suppose for the ladies, crossing off their shopping malls and complex’s is a bit like us ticking off the grounds we’ve been to – albeit a lot more expensive to the old plastic than a trip to a ground on the old Step 5 of non-league.

Hallam claim to have the oldest ground in the world, circa 1860 – and looking at the stte of it, its hardly been touched by a groundsman in that time, and why did they carve into the side of a hill ? The ground was the second smallest ive ever been to, the pitch at the local park having slightly less facilities.

We kicked down the mountain in the first half, we did have some decent opportunities, but the home team were 3-0 in front by the half hour mark. There was no Chib, Ash Allanson, Sam Sharman, Frank Belt, and Alex Rhodes. Quick word on Rhodesy, he came back on Tuesday night after an eternity out, only to suffer another dibillitating injury- such a shame for him, I hope he does get better soon, for his sanity more than anything else. We had a recogniseable 11 out, Mally Osiende on the bench, with little Palms and our Physio – our Physio ? We were that short of players our physio got a game. I told Warren that he may get a game next week if we are that short again.

Damien Fearn got an equaliser, missed a good opportunity and had a pen appeal turned down  – just on the officials, they were poor and seemed very bias, we had sod all go our way and when Captain Phillo told the ref accordingly, he got booked for his troubles and 5 other lads got booked by the tosser in black. Whilst he was poor, so were we, nobody could really hold their head up after the game. We eventually lost 4-1, there team didn’t resemble the one beaten 6-1 at Queensgate last week, and neither did ours.

For the first time in a very long time, I left the game with a few minutes to go, more to avoid the Sheffield Wednesday traffic than any more humiliation. And to top that the wife had a load of bags from the shopping expedition. Joy for the trip home, Stoke v Newcastle on Five Live, its all going to plan, until they equalise with 9 to go.

All in all a pretty depressing day  lol.

Congratulations lads

To the lads who won 5-1 tonight to make the final of the East Riding Cup Final, which will be at the KC in a few weeks time.

Lets hope you cap the season off in style. Well Done.

Brid 3 Pickering 2 (a)

I couldn’t think of anything funny, other than West Bromwich Brazil are a great team.

Quick recap of the footballing week, we go to Eccleshill and win 2-0 in conditions similar to Maltby Main. Eccleshill are not having a good time of it, they lost again at home, 6-0, to Lincoln Moorlands Railway anoraks on Saturday, 20th beating 19th to leapfrog 19th into 19th place, thus relegating 19th to 20th place – Lincoln improving their goal difference to minus 52 and Eccleshill’s to minus 89, i feel for them coz they have similar stats to ours last season.

I’d managed to talk Mrs and daughter to come to Pickering with me and the lad, not to cheer the boys on, but to go shopping, oh well, some company for the trip.

After some lunch in town, me and the lad made our way to the gound, contending with the wind and the drizzle and meeting one or two Brid-ites on the way. £5 for me and the lad went free, and as we entered Pickerings tidy little ground, I was surprised to see so much red and white. And on entering the bar, there was aload more – brilliant !!

Early doors we stand in the main stand behind the goal by the club house, but just as we get settled, the teams decide to change ends, so loads of us mozey on down to the other end. A quick reccy and I think we have around 30 in the stand at the far end, another 15-20 around the dug outs, this doesn’t include peeps int he main stand and those at the far end. A good 80 – thats nearly as good as a mid week home game in the freezing cold of winter.

The ground is tidy, the pitch is awful, more undulations than Pamela Andersons chest, this caught out Frank Belt early on, as he suffered from a bad hamstring injury when pot-holing on said undulation.

10 minutes in they score

11 minutes in so does Chib

43 minutes their keeper up ends Chib outside the box gets  a red card and we miss the free kick

55 they score again – but how ? they’re down to 10 and against the wind

77 Chib gets another

88 The moment that stays with everyone for a very long time. The goal that cuts the tension, whereby you know you should have won by a huge margin and kicked them into touch ages ago, but the response from the players and fans was such a joy. As i’d written on the forum, Phillo’s corner just sailed over, got caught in the wind, misses everyone and hits the far post and then goes in. There is a moment of stunned silence as everyone thinks “Shit, it’s in…..YYYYYYEEEEEESSSSSSSSSSSSSS” a big bundle on the pitch eunsues, with 2 Brid fans jumping in too. It was such a spine tingling feeling.

If we had done that at home, the feeling wouldn’t have been the same, I suppose when you are away, you have a tendency to stick together, especially when you are on someone else’s manor, so you share all those tense moments, those fingernail biting moments, the highs and lows. Whereas at home, you congregate in your own little cliques.

Thankfully a warm car await us in the car park, a short drive to Ayton to the Dennison Arms for a welcoming dinner.

Brid 4 Parkgate 0 (h)

With the sweet smell of spring in the air, the warmth of the old sun bursting through, footy on the box, newly installed footy table in the club-house, cold beer on tap, live footy at 3, Gail’s chilli and chips – Omens were really good.

0-0 at half time, bloody freezing, we’re playing ok, so were they, no luck in the raffle, indegestion. Omens looking crap.

We score 4 unanswered goals in the second half, Stoke beat boro, Man Utd lose, still cold but bloody satisfying.

Forum topic of conversation afterwards – who farted in the bus shelter today !