2012-13 Uncovered: Saturday 28th July - Ill Manored In Southchurch

   With the Olympics getting into full flow, Chipper was off to see Team GB on the Sunday, so that was obviously going to be the come-down, the methadone after the intoxicating Southend Manor had brushed aside Woodstock Sports.

   The Manor will always have a place in my heart, after doing the PA at Southchurch Park every once in a while for the past three years and Chipper being part of one of their title winning youth teams.  It's not every club that comes out to the strains of "Hearts, Hearts, Glorious Hearts".  And not every club would let me do that.  Or any other club, come to that.

   It was another gloriously hot day.  All this moaning about an awful summer?  Pah, selective memories, that's all it is.  Although the weather was good, as soon as Chipper and I got there, well, you could tell there was something not quite right.

   Previous chairman Bob had gone out in a blaze of glory after Manor's epic FA Cup run and runners-up spot in the ESL.  The new incumbent, Steve, another decent lad, obviously would a slightly different way of doing things and, hmmmm, you could feel some people weren't quite used to it.

   We were taken aback at the gate.  Instead of the usual chat and banter, the guy on the gate said simply "Oh good, two paying punters."  Chipper and I exchanged glances.  The £12 we were charged made it cheaper for us to see a Football League side last week.  I don't begrudge giving a single penny to any non-league side (Bowers aside, maybe, but that's only because I'm petty) but, that much for a friendly between two Step 5 sides?  Hmmmm.  Again.

      The first face we saw was Colin, Chipper's coach for a couple of years.  He's always good for a chat and a nice line in dry wit.  His assessment of the squad was withering.  "They won't do much this year."  Despite not a cloud in the sky, you could feel the gloom.

   The game was awful, comfortably the poorest of all the pre-season friendlies.  The squad, still with most of the players that had been part of their famous Cup last term, could hardly string two passes together.  Aimless punts up in the air and aggressive tackles were the order of the day.  It was horrible to watch, like 22 Jodie Marshes on laxatives.

   Next to us, too, was one of the old guard of tireless volunteers.  He regaled us with exactly what the new chairman was doing wrong and the rumbles of discontent it was causing.  It was a tough afternoon.

     
   At half time, one of the coaching staff comes over, beaming.  He's a good lad, the sort that will help anyone out, so when he said "We played some good stuff there" I didn't want to be cruel.  Well, obviously cruel.  I replied "You wouldn't have looked out of place there yourself, mate."  Chipper grinned.

   To make it more difficult, this was meant to be being covered on the radio.  We were reduced instead to letting the listeners knowing what the score was and instead talking about other sports.  Or, well, anything.  At least Manor won.  And they still sold Irn Bru at the bar, so Steve is obviously getting the main things right.

   To top it all off, Chipper is invited for a training session for the Under 18's, turns up, and is met with an empty clubhouse after it was cancelled without him being told.  Of course, it was unintentional, but it's just another of those things that seem to go wrong when a club begins to slide.

   I hope I'm wrong.

   Southend Manor 3,  Woodstock Sports 1