Rossington Main 1 GNE 2

The bell in the town hall clock tower strikes 12 as the Official GNE coach – players, management, staff and just part of the GNE travelling army of supporters – waits for one last passenger. Then he arrives – late – and it is one of the playing staff. Cue sarcastic round of applause and a potential fine to be administered by our ebullient Captain.
Under leaden skies and out from below the rust streaked chimney, the coach departs. Unusually, we are heading in an easterly direction today but, nevertheless, the traffic is still bad up to Arundel Street – welcome to Glossop dear tourist, “Gateway to the Peak”.
After 5 minutes, the clouds disappear, the sun warms the fields, and a glorious drive through magnificent countryside lightens the gloom we left behind.
Entering the village of Rossington we see a sign by the side of the road

Unwittingly, perhaps, this signpost speaks volumes about Rossington and its recent history. Rossington is a colliery village in the South Yorkshire coal field. One of the very few survivors of the coal miner’s strike of 1984 -5. Many readers will recall the “battles” between Margaret Thatcher and Arthur Scargill and the real battles at the Orgrave coking plant during this period. At the beginning of 1984 there were around 100 coal mines operating in the UK. In the aftermath of the strike only eight remained and all in private ownership – the end of one of this country’s great nationalised industries. Rossington was then owned by RJB mining and survived as an operating mine up to 2007 when it was closed and the pit head gear demolished. The sign referred to above could now be considered to be a poignant memory of times past where once there was a vibrant industry there is now simply a hole in the ground which can be used for Household Waste.
We arrive at the ground which is located at the back of a 1950/60s council house estate. Looks like most if not all of the residents opted for the subsidised purchase of council owned houses and everything is very neat and tidy. Your ageing scribe could go off on one here about the merits of owner/occupancy of ex-council houses and the subsequent depletion of the stock of “affordable” homes for rent, but perhaps this is for another day (or not at all).
We discover that there is no draught beer within the ground and are encouraged to go to the local Welfare Social Club. Chief scout scousemark leads the trek over two fields to get there. We enter to discover gentlemen in dark suits with ties and ladies in cocktail dresses – magnificent. Maybe this is the normal attire in Rossington for Saturday Afternoon or perhaps there is going to be a new series of the TV programme “A Bit of a Do” and filming is about to start. Maybe you remember this series, which starred David Jason and was set in a Yorkshire town, from the late 80s on ITV? It was really a sort of send up of formal functions – christenings, weddings, funerals etc – and how people reacted in such situations – funny and very true to life. Or, going back to the main point, this could have been a wedding party.

After suitable refreshments, we trek back across two fields to the ground. £5 entrance and would have been £1 for a programme but none left. Another example perhaps of a club underestimating the strength in depth of the GNE away support – remember the cans of “Bitter” at Formby?
This is a classic non-league set up. Your ageing scribe gets into conversation with a club official. Seems that, like many non-league outfits, Rossington had money problems during the 1990s but have come out of it with a renewed spirit. Ground, effectively built by volunteers, is tidy. Average age of the first team is around 20 and the total wage bill is £0-00. Yes, absolutely zero.
The GNE travelling army take over one of the stands on the dug out side and unfurl the flags. Directly opposite in the Gerry Murden Stand is a huge Rossington Main flag. Unfortunately the flag is in place but a distinct lack of supporters. The Glossop contingent number around 60 in a crowd of 110 as the players take to the pitch. GNE in White again – oh dear (although after the efforts at Winsford in mid-week this is not so much of a portent of disaster as before).
After 45 minutes, it’s half time with GNE 1-0 to the good rather against the run of play many would say. Mixed messages on the pie front but we did see pies and peas topped with mint sauce – haute cuisine in Yorkshire perhaps and worth at least two “Goodyear Stars” I would think! Informed opinion on the pies suggests 6 out of 10 would be fair.
Rossington equalise early in the second half and the travelling Blue and White army start to get a bit twitchy. As a result of substitutions, the Supporters Club preferred back four of Youngy at right back, Jamie at left back with Danny and Kelvin in the centre is seen for the first time this season. Team looks to be more solid now and a fine goal by Rick Bailey proves to be the winner.
Retire to the Welfare Social Club for liquid sustenance before the journey home. Or, in the case of the players, sustenance in the form of chip butties and watching Arsenal v. Man. U. on the big TV screen. Thanks to the erudite Haggis, we learn that we will meet Chorley at home in the next round in a fortnight’s time. Pity it’s at home as this ruins an opportunity for your ageing scribe to rabbit on seemingly endlessly about the relative merits of Chorley Cakes and Eccles Cakes – still, never mind.
We leave Rossington having had a good day out (the result helps) and the feeling that this place has a real sense of the often misused description “community”. The board in the Welfare Social Club commemorating the villagers who died in the pit is a stunning reminder of this. First time GNE have played here and who knows when we might get the opportunity again.
Stop at McDonalds on the way back for whatever – I leave that one to your imagination.
We approach Glossop to be greeted by dark clouds and scudding rain. Welcome to Glossop dear tourist, “Gateway to the Peak”.