FA Cup Extra Preliminary Round Replay – Tuesday August 17th 2010
Chocolate box houses glow in the reflected light of the early morning sunshine. Children wake early and are excited at the thought of the day to come, one they have all looked forward to since the last time. The first buses of the day keep to perfect time as they wend their way along the main street of the pretty town and then on to the outskirts to pick up the early morning travellers.
It’s market day! And with that brings the prospect of another colourful day spent amongst the costermongers of the town spending both precious time and precious money. Others see it as an excuse, as if one is needed, to spend convivial time with friends in the local bars.
On the other side of town, in a smart hotel, things are stirring a little later. Awakening from a drink induced sleep and yawning at the day the first thought is “is breakfast over yet?” Fortunately, the answer is a resounding NO as the local hoteliers are well aware of the peculiarities of the seasoned traveller. Breakfast is taken in almost total silence broken only by the gentle stirring of sugar into black coffee. The restorative effects of coffee begin to kick in and the plan for the day is recalled. Taxi, aircraft, train and then shanks’ pony will suffice to reach the intermediate stop of the day, the final leg home being completed by car – it’s going to be a long day!
Security queues at the airport are almost interminable, seriously reducing available drinking time. Not a bad ruse this although it must be said that your ageing scribe missed this particular piece of EU legislation which must have sneaked through under the Elf’n Safety banner whilst no one was looking – plus ca change! The flight to Manchester is uneventful save only for the absolutely shocking price FlyBe charge for a can of beer (small). Still, they’ve rather got you. You can’t exactly decamp to the “bar next door” when 24,000 feet above Western Europe.
At Manchester Airport, and in best Baldrick tradition, a cunning plan is hatched. Luggage goes back to Glossop whilst the intrepid travellers switch mode of transport to the train. The train is faultless, which is more than can be said for the information dispensed in the ticket office. After an unnecessary stop at Salford Crescent, Wigan Wallgate station is reached. Where to go next? The Vodkat League handbook, conveniently carried by one member of the travelling party, suggests that the way to Robin Park is to follow the signs from the town centre. OK so far as it goes but how far away is it? Taking courage in both hands, two “ladies” who are leaning on a pub doorway consuming examples of the evil weed are consulted. After a conversation which can only be described as “confused” the answer seems to be 10 minutes if you are sober or an hour and a half if you are not. Somewhat precise timing this as the effects of alcohol are known to vary between individuals for example, four steps forward, three steps back or three steps forward, two steps back make a considerable difference to the calculation without adding in any effects of sideways steps. One for our resident mathematician – who is also the Supporters Club Chairman of Vice - to solve. We walk into the setting sun.
After about 15 minutes the Robin Park Arena – rather grand name that don’t you think – comes into view. Conveniently located next to supermarkets, out of town shed type retail emporia and the DW Stadium – home of Wigan Athletic FC who, just a few short days previously, experienced a 4-0 defeat to Blackpool FC on the first Saturday of the new Premier League season – this looks to be an interesting place.
£6.50 gets entrance into the Arena and a very good programme. Someone has worked hard on this given that this match is a cup replay organised at 72 hours notice – good effort. In essence, the Arena is an athletics stadium featuring all you would expect to see such as a running track, sandpits and a water- jump for the steeplechase. On examination of the latter (it was empty), a significant upward slope is noted between the hurdle and the exit of the water thus giving the inexperienced hurdler the double whammy of landing lower than the running track and getting considerably wetter than those with greater skills, cruel perhaps and puts a premium on skill, but how do you learn? Always thought that about pole vaulting, just how do you start to learn what must be one of the most technically demanding of all athletic pursuits? A question for another day perhaps, or not at all!
Football is played on the green bit in the middle which is a long way from what we now know we have to call the “pitch perimeter” – the joys of precision. Along the home straight of the running track is a 1000 seater covered stand with glass fronted vantage points high up – very nice. The bar is in this area but cannot serve whilst the match is in progress. We are informed that the best way round this is to drink beer from a tea cup but please don’t tell anyone – my lips are sealed. Around the rest of the ground there is nothing except a fence and a few trees. The GNE travelling army of around 30 from a crowd given as 115 set up on the hard standing in front of the stand. A two flag day. Interesting to note that most of the Wigan Robin Park Supporters sit in the stand whilst the GNE contingent stand next to the pitch perimeter rail – old habits die hard!
The teams enter the pitch from behind the stand – quite a long trek is this – GNE in White again and away we go. After 45 minutes it’s half time – GNE lead 1-0. Much discussion on the subject of pies which is not altogether surprising given where we are and recent publicity on this subject – ours are better of course. After a hard grafting second half, GNE keep a clean sheet and win the tie 1-0. The question then arises, where next? Previous information is that we will be away at Nostell MW or St. Helens Town who also replay tonight – well, who do you think we would prefer?
The intrepid travellers get a lift back to Glossop, thanks Nesser, and the journey is dominated by text messages trying to find out the result of Nostell v. St. Helens. That match goes into extra time and then a penalty shoot out until St. Helens Town emerge the winners having won 5-4 on penalties – oh dear – Stasi Central here we come!
The cunning plan works as luggage is collected from the pre-arranged place and the journey ends. Something like 650 miles covered for a match in the Extra Preliminary Round of the FA Cup – it is indeed a “long road to Wembley”…
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