National League opening day fixtures - 21/08

[GTFCfish]

I'm assuming that was the day the ref had to stop the game due to Grimsby fans climbing up the floodlights.

Yeah that’s the one, the Police were waiting at the bottom of the floodlights to arrest them so they wouldn’t come down.

 

[East Bank Shot]

Just seen the highlights from Saturday - there is no way that was a penalty, one of the worst dives I’ve seen.

 

[Shrimper92]

Ahhh the Lego set jibe. The last bastion of fans whose teams still run their operations like it's 1975.

That Lego stadium pays our HMRC bill, something that Southend struggle with a lot.

We always pay our HMRC bill

 

[Luke Imp]

Something SERIOUS has happened for this to get to 15 pages, so to save me reading everything, what was it? Or is it just a handful of posters arguing?

 

[Urban]

Something SERIOUS has happened for this to get to 15 pages, so to save me reading everything, what was it? Or is it just a handful of posters arguing?

An Internet cafe opened in Chesterfield.

 

[SpireiteDan]

An Internet cafe opened in Chesterfield.

With broadband as well.

We're a town on the up!

 

[TheEndIsNigh]

What a thread.
I think there’s a misplaced nostalgia for some of the old grounds. Saltergate was a shithole, the new ground is good, decent atmosphere with plenty of decent pubs close by.

The away end at Blundell Park is a fucking disgrace, the sooner Grimsby move the better. The only thing that would improve some of the newer grounds is a decent home end/terrace.

 

[EnglishRed]

We are investing money into the old stands (as well as building a replacement for the kop) and I am looking forward to seeing what/how they've improved things. The toilets were typically grim last time I went in them. I obviously go in the new (compared to the others anyway) stand nowadays because I'm well posh and if I'm paying 20 quid I expect a certain standard of facilities.

 

[DN14 Spire]

First thing I'll talk about was the atmosphere, absolutely fucking superb. Best away atmosphere for years, non stop singing, however if you're taking numbers there good luck, was a shambles, more of that later.

The game - Kings Lynn got well and truly Phil Browned. It's like he's never been away, we start well, we score, we play for about the next 10-15 mins, then we just drop back and decide to try and play on the break. Having said that we still had by far the best chances and if Murphy especially had, had his shooting boots on it would have been 3 or 4. I couldn't tell what formation we were playing and he played Jack Bridge as left wing back, he does love a random non-winger on the wing does Phil.
Best players were Coulson, looked unfit and carrying a few extra pounds but his reading of the game was exceptional, right place, right time all the time. Ogogo who looked equally composed in the midfield and Dalby up front who scored, got the flick ons, held the ball up well, did all that was asked of him.

Kings Lynn looked ok up top, some really nice football from them in and around our box, just not clinical but at the back they were not so good. Any pressure they gave the ball straight back and couldn't hit an accurate pass any further than 5 yards. Their keeper was their best player, pulled off some wonder saves. I'll predict that they will give someone a spanking 4 or 5 but one or more of the better teams in this division will give them a pasting 7 or 8. Oh and they also had a winger who was slower than Jason Demetriou, who is now 65 years old and doesn't have knees.

So onto their shambles of a set up - I turned up 30 mins before kick off to find a rammed away end which had 2 stewards attempting to hold back hundreds of Southend fans from a section (with our fans in already) that they had decided to close. You can obviously imagine how that went. The open terrace behind the goal they gave us one half and as more people piled in the suggestion was made by one or two that they should just open the other half to us as well (at this point the other half had about 30 Kings Lynn fans in). That was too sensible for them, they just let more and more people pile in. They eventually opened it around 40 minutes into the first half.
I hang around to speak to players after the game, while I was there I was chatting to some Kings Lynn official, he said they'd sold too many tickets to us and also had the problem that they'd halved their stewarding numbers for the coming season. I asked what they're going to do when others come to town, notably Notts County, who I'd think could bring double what we took. He just said he didn't know, they'd see when the time comes! I reckon they should just give 2 full sides and half the seats to the clubs that will bring a lot to them.

And finally - briefly met the Kings Lynn owner before the match and you'll be pleased to know other than his shirt he and Phil Brown were dressed completely the same.

Fantastic, we're there on Monday with a similar following in all likelihood, hopefully a few more. Organised chaos and football always go so well together. Hopefully some lessons have been learned.

 

[Soup Ladle]

I’ve only ever been to Saltergate once but I was spat on by the Chesterfield fans to the side of us through the metal fence

I heard that Carson lad was a swallow type rather than a spit but you know I might be wrong there.

 

[chief]

We are investing money into the old stands (as well as building a replacement for the kop) and I am looking forward to seeing what/how they've improved things. The toilets were typically grim last time I went in them. I obviously go in the new (compared to the others anyway) stand nowadays because I'm well posh and if I'm paying 20 quid I expect a certain standard of facilities.

I went in the away end for the friendly and there was virtually no change.

As it should be.

I was told by people who went in the Mold Road Stand that the only thing that they'd changed was they'd added a lick of paint.

 

[EnglishRed]

I went in the away end for the friendly and there was virtually no change.

As it should be.

I was told by people who went in the Mold Road Stand that the only thing that they'd changed was they'd added a lick of paint.

Mold Road didn't really need a lot doing to it to be fair.

The main change they need to make is getting rid of the name 'WrexRent Stand'

 

[CFC91]

Fantastic, we're there on Monday with a similar following in all likelihood, hopefully a few more. Organised chaos and football always go so well together. Hopefully some lessons have been learned.

I'm driving as don't fancy a day on the ale so no idea what to expect

Any recommendations for parking either in town centre or around the ground would be great from anyone thats been

 

[B2TF]

Sorry.
I don't know what happened there.
Did I actually stoop so low as to compliment B2TF.?
It won't happen again.

Nay worries, I'm not here to be loved.

 

[OneDecentLester]

For the Notts lads cos I know they love a stat. Judging by these, pen or not, fully deserved 3 points

https://twitter.com/x/status/1429822126110957573

 

[B2TF]

Yeah that’s the one, the Police were waiting at the bottom of the floodlights to arrest them so they wouldn’t come down.

The magistrate in the juvenile court asked my uncle, then just a nipper, why hadn't he come down out of the tree when the orchard manager told him too- "because he said he was going to beat me. I told him to call a copper!". So the copper came, arrested him and here he was in the court. He got off because the magistrate refused to believe he had 3 stone in apples (half his body weight) in his pockets, as the policeman alleged, and told him to "stop exaggerating, that's impossible". My uncle left the court wearing the same jacket with the slits in the linings where he had stuffed the 3 stone of apples.

Further snippets of "UK Life In The 50s" will be published here, for your enjoyment, in the coming weeks and months.

 

[EnglishRed]

A win against perennial strugglers Aldershot has really fired up the Chesterfield lot.

 

[OneDecentLester]

A win against perennial strugglers Aldershot has really fired up the Chesterfield lot.

Doesn’t take much to get us going, you should know that by now.

Looking forward to the weekend when we come back crashing down to reality after a stinking 1-1 home draw with the Wealdstone Raiders

 

[chief]

Mold Road didn't really need a lot doing to it to be fair.

The main change they need to make is getting rid of the name 'WrexRent Stand'

My season ticket is in the WREXRENT Stand. Cannot wait to see the changes they've made in there as that stand was a total disgrace. Toilets hadn't been cleaned in what seemed like decades, though I've seen that they've knocked those down completely, as well as Jonesy's bar which is very upsetting.

 

[SuperHans]

Just seen the highlights from Saturday - there is no way that was a penalty, one of the worst dives I’ve seen.

Stonewall

 

[jacobncfc]

For the Notts lads cos I know they love a stat. Judging by these, pen or not, fully deserved 3 points

https://twitter.com/x/status/1429822126110957573

A penalty is 0.75 xG I think, so that was basically the difference.

Still interesting, mind. Comparing it to Notts shows what an outlier we’re going to be in terms of style - Notts had well over 100 successful passes more in our game than Chesterfield and Aldershot added together. 92% passing accuracy for us would suggest Barnet were genuinely terrible, mind - only Man City in the Prem were close to that this weekend.

 

[Son of Cod]

Saltergate was quality, surprised that so many in here are toilet obsessed wet lettuce and prawn sandwich types. Give me a bit of architectural character and individuality within walking distance of a train station over a plastic replica on the side of a dual carriageway any day of the week.

What a thread.
I think there’s a misplaced nostalgia for some of the old grounds. Saltergate was a shithole, the new ground is good, decent atmosphere with plenty of decent pubs close by.

The away end at Blundell Park is a fucking disgrace, the sooner Grimsby move the better. The only thing that would improve some of the newer grounds is a decent home end/terrace.

Must be the toilets that offended you in our away end? Can't be the poor view from the back few rows because you lot never get close to selling it out. In its defence, the acoustics are great in that stand so away fans make a right racket when it's full.

 

[chief]

Saltergate was quality, surprised that so many in here are toilet obsessed wet lettuce and prawn sandwich types. Give me a bit of architectural character and individuality within walking distance of a train station over a plastic replica on the side of a dual carriageway any day of the week.

I'm not asking for gold plated toilet seats, I just like being able to go for a piss without having to hold my breath due to the stench, while getting attacked by spiders.

 

[EnglishRed]

Doesn’t take much to get us going, you should know that by now.

Looking forward to the weekend when we come back crashing down to reality after a stinking 1-1 home draw with the Wealdstone Raiders

Of all the clubs of a comparable size down here your forum is the most relentlessly positive. That might be a good thing but maybe you need to stay down here a few more years do you can all be as pessimistic and dour as the rest of us.

Saltergate was quality, surprised that so many in here are toilet obsessed wet lettuce and prawn sandwich types. Give me a bit of architectural character and individuality within walking distance of a train station over a plastic replica on the side of a dual carriageway any day of the week.

Must be the toilets that offended you in our away end? Can't be the poor view from the back few rows because you lot never get close to selling it out. In its defence, the acoustics are great in that stand so away fans make a right racket when it's full.

I might be misremembering but in my minds eye Saltergate was a random collection of ramshackle sheds.

 

[Son of Cod]

I'm not asking for gold plated toilet seats, I just like being able to go for a piss without having to hold my breath due to the stench, while getting attacked by spiders.

I just always expect toilets in football grounds to be grim. That way when they're not, it's a bonus.

Of all the clubs of a comparable size down here your forum is the most relentlessly positive. That might be a good thing but maybe you need to stay down here a few more years do you can all be as pessimistic and dour as the rest of us.



I might be misremembering but in my minds eye Saltergate was a random collection of ramshackle sheds.

Exactly. I love grounds like that. Although, I'd argue that Saltergate was more like a traditional old ground with stands that had been upgraded at different times. Underhill and Rodney Parade are probably the best two ramshackle collection of sheds I've been to.

 

[EnglishRed]

I just always expect toilets in football grounds to be grim. That way when they're not, it's a bonus.

Exactly. I love grounds like that. Although, I'd argue that Saltergate was more like a traditional old ground with stands that had been upgraded at different times. Underhill and Rodney Parade are probably the best two ramshackle collection of sheds I've been to.

You're a sicko

 

[Son of Cod]

You're a sicko

If you like nice clean toilets, you're in for a shock when you make that trip to Korea!

 

[CFC91]

Saltergate was quality, surprised that so many in here are toilet obsessed wet lettuce and prawn sandwich types. Give me a bit of architectural character and individuality within walking distance of a train station over a plastic replica on the side of a dual carriageway any day of the week.

Must be the toilets that offended you in our away end? Can't be the poor view from the back few rows because you lot never get close to selling it out. In its defence, the acoustics are great in that stand so away fans make a right racket when it's full.

I still love and miss Saltergate.
Standing on the terrace at Aldershot brought back memories on Saturday, miss that every afternoon especially when the place got going

 

[TonyM]

Fantastic, we're there on Monday with a similar following in all likelihood, hopefully a few more. Organised chaos and football always go so well together. Hopefully some lessons have been learned.

I would be amazed if any lessons have been learned given what has gone before but I hope for your sakes you have a better experience than some of the Southend fans

I'm driving as don't fancy a day on the ale so no idea what to expect

Any recommendations for parking either in town centre or around the ground would be great from anyone thats been

Basically its street parking around the ground which was already pretty packed by 1.30 last weekend. Town is a bit further walk but if you park by the swimming pool (St James car park PE30 1NN) you can cut through the Walks (park) but would also open up a few more options for lunch if you want to eat before getting to the ground. If you haven't been to Norfolk on a bank holiday, allow a bit (lots) more time for the A17 than you would ever think necessary.

 

[Stoney Ground]

I just always expect toilets in football grounds to be grim. That way when they're not, it's a bonus.

Exactly. I love grounds like that. Although, I'd argue that Saltergate was more like a traditional old ground with stands that had been upgraded at different times. Underhill and Rodney Parade are probably the best two ramshackle collection of sheds I've been to.

You’ll love Grosvenor Vale.