Droylsden A Glossop North End A

In the words of the not quite immortal Mr. Bob Hite, the GNE travelling army are “On the Road Again”. Due to the vagaries of the weather and the peculiarities of the fixture computer, this is our first away day since that day in deepest Leicestershire on December 5th – apologies for reviving memories of that one! The frustration of this enforced lay-off is perhaps similar to how injured football players feel when they are in the process of recovery but not quite yet ready to step back into action. I say perhaps because, to be honest, it’s been that long ago I can’t really remember!

Talking of memory, who remembers the Local Government Act of 1972? Don’t all shout at once! Although we may think that we know nothing about this particular bit of political jiggery pokery, in fact we do, or at least we know the consequences of it.

This Act of Parliament was all to do with local government reform and came into effect on April 1st 1974. Anyone who seriously thought that any legislation introduced to be effective from April Fools Day would be welcomed with open arms was a long way away from the beating pulse of the British people.

Well, what’s it all about (asks your ageing scribe as he only just prevents himself from adding the almost obligatory “Alfie” at the end of the question)? In short, this Act redefined in an almost cavalier way the concept of counties and districts, which we had understood for close to 100 years, in the sense of local government. Amongst the biggest shake up was in Wales where the historic 13 counties were simply deleted from the local government map and replaced by 8 new ones. In effect, goodbye to counties such as Merionethshire, Radnorshire etc. and hello to Gwynedd, Powys and friends. Just a note here, for those struggling with the Welsh pronunciation I refer you to the Supporters Club Chairman of Vice who is fluent (or is that fluid?) in Welsh. Who says that these Supporters Club chaps (and chapesses I suppose to fall in with current politically correct thinking) are not multi-talented? In England also, traditional counties, such as Rutland, disappeared and new ones, for example, Avon were invented. So, at a stroke, 100 or so years of the history of this green and pleasant land of ours were expunged on the whim of meddling bureaucrats for whom the only concept of the term “status quo” is related to a certain rock band. Having said that, Status Quo have demonstrated far greater longevity than many a misguided Act of Parliament.

Moving closer to home, the effect of the Local Government Act of 1972 was to create Tameside – one of the towns of which, as we know, is Droylsden. Now, at the time, many residents of the towns which were subsumed into Tameside were less than happy. In my own case I was born in Stalybridge, Cheshire (OK, don’t mock, somebody had to be born there although judging by what I see today, most people have escaped – just like me). And believe me; nobody was going to write their postal address as Stalybridge, Tameside. Call it one-upmanship if you like with the often desperate (and sometimes disparate) residents of Stalybridge wishing to be more associated with the upmarket towns and villages of genteel Cheshire than “smelly” Ashton and all those other places “on the way to Manchester”.

Coming back to Glossop, it is said that the then residents of Glossop had a choice to join in with Tameside or to remain in Derbyshire. Your ageing scribe was not around Glossop at the time so has no personal recollection of this however, anecdotally, it seems that the residents of Glossop wished to remain in Derbyshire and, in an act of democracy unlikely to be repeated today, their wish was granted. Did this decision have any consequences? Yes it did! From this time we can trace the history of the Tameside and Glossop Primary Care Trust which means that critically ill people of Glossop have to travel by ambulance to Tameside Hospital (which used to be Ashton Hospital) for treatment – a horrendous journey thru’ the Glossop Crawl, which is likely to get worse before it gets better as prospects for the Longdendale By-Pass (and associated Glossop Spur) fade slowly into the distance despite some efforts in Greater Manchester to revive the plans. And don’t get me going about the controversy currently surrounding Tameside Hospital otherwise we could be here for a very long time and the dog needs a walk.
Another consequence of remaining in Derbyshire was brought home to me the other week. A friend of mind (yes, I do have one or two!) reported to the police that his caravan had been broken into. After some delay, a forensic team arrived on the scene to do the normal type of investigation, fingerprints and that sort of thing. In conversation, it turned out that the forensic team had travelled to Glossop from Chesterfield. One of them was heard to comment “we like coming out to Glossop, it’s a nice day out for us” – especially on overtime rates!! Well, as ever dear reader, make your own mind up on that one but in these strained financial times I would have thought that we could have done better than that.

However, the GNE travelling army cross the, less than heavily fortified, border into Tameside and enter Droylsden, native town of the Supporters Club multi-talented Events Co-ordinator and the place where your ageing scribe “worked” in the university holidays a long, long time ago. Droylsden FC are members of the Conference North so are three leagues above the mighty GNE so what are we doing here? Well, this is the semi-final of the Manchester Premier Cup and a chance for us to measure up against the current “Pride of Tameside” team.

There had been some doubts during the day about this match going ahead due to persistent rain in Droylsden – and probably elsewhere in Tameside as well. Having paid £10 to get in and not being able to find a programme, the first person we encounter is our “Barry the Ground”. Barry is watching groundstaff and volunteers trying to remove excess water from the surface of the pitch and looks horrified as the methods used by some seem to involve scraping the top surface off the pitch. “Would never do that at Surrey Street” was the gist of the comment from Barry but without the more colourful bits – I leave that to your imaginations.

We retire to the well appointed clubhouse to be greeted by the “standard” array of keg “ales”. Special note here – thanks to Rhona and everybody for keeping the Longdendale Lights “burning bright” in our clubhouse. Before the match starts, an official of the home club takes on the role of MC, grabs a microphone, and announces the teams and other bits of useful information. This is a good idea and, perhaps, another job for one of our esteemed Directors when we play at Surrey Street!

“Suitably” refreshed we move outside and take up residence in the covered area behind one of the goals. Difficult to count the numbers tonight as a few of our spectators drift around the ground but a conservative estimate would put the presence of the GNE travelling army at a minimum of 75. This, on a wet and cold Monday night in February, is magnificent!!

The teams enter, onto the paddy field of a pitch, with the GNE players sporting a new kit with the “Hillmen” logo on the front – very smart. As the match kicks off, our worst fears are confirmed as the ball struggles to make progress over the sodden turf. Anyway, the match progresses and, after 45 minutes, it’s half-time. 1-0 to Droylsden.

The rain continues and puddles start to form on the pitch. After a half time interval limited to 10 minutes (now, correct me if I am wrong but wasn’t the half time interval always 10 minutes in the dim and distant past?) the teams come out again. After 5 minutes, the referee has a discussion with both captains and the match is abandoned due to a waterlogged pitch. Fair enough really and credit to all involved in getting the match started in the first place and then the attitude of the players of both sides who, whilst probably not relishing playing in such conditions, did adapt their game to try to play football and to ensure the safety of their fellow players.

Much discussion on the terraces about when this match can be re-scheduled. Some talk of next Monday but nothing is clear. Some rumblings also about conspiracy theories relating to starting the second half only so that the entrance money need not be refunded – bit harsh that perhaps. Maybe we will get a reduced entry price when the game is played again and, to be honest, that would be fair reward for the GNE travelling army who were truly magnificent tonight.

We will see…