2012/13 Uncovered: Monday 16th July - (Stam)Bridge Of Sighs

   And so it came to pass, at the third time of asking.  Brian, Eileen, and a field.  There was some football as well.

   I remember Stambridge United from my playing days in the 80's.  What stands out is a 4-2 win at their place, and getting one of their players sent off just by telling to ref to send him off a few times.  Yep, we were screaming like bairns on the pitch even in those days, too.

   Turns out I'd played against them in their centenary season too.  Which I only found out as this evening's match against Southend United was a 125th anniversary match.

   Stambridge had risen to the heights of the Essex Senior League before that perennial problem, finances, meant a drop back into the more localised leagues.  The Olympian was where they were turning up this season, with ambitions to reclaim an ESL place.

   Bearing in mind it was a special anniversary, and the club were looking for funds to upgrade their facilities and push on, I was only too happy to give the car park guy £6.  Not so some others though.

   Looking on the Southend supporters message boards, it was, predictably, the usual suspects, the ones that make the biggest noise about what great supporters they are, that were moaning the most.  The irony of seeing people boast about what fans they are now voicing publicly how they weren't going was lost. 

   Six quid too much?  Yeah, rightio.  Especically when you considered they'd paid fifteen at the weekend to watch a glorified training session and put money into the worthy cause that is Premier League players pockets.  Still, it is the emptiest of vessels that make the most noise.


   First bonus of the evening - the barmaid was a Rangers supporter.  And 'was' is the operative word these days.  Was she impressed by my County wallet and Novikovas key ring?  About as impressed as a rabbi at a bacon sandwich morning.  Still, Hearts in the bus stop.  That'll do.

   Second bonus?  We walk behind the goal and another ex-Rangers fan is there.  It's like shooting fish in a barrel.  He was particularly fed up, too, being a Stranraer man - who were then promoted because of Sevco's demise so won't see his local side play them.  Chortle.

   The game was played in overcast showers and Mickey G on the mic.  We couldn't hear Mickey, though, so that was bonus number 3.  Southend fielded a reserve / youth mix, and Stambridge had one or two players I recognised from ESL level, Nathan Dewberry among them.

   Inevitable, I suppose, that I would settle down quickly into my normal spectating mode.  Chatting inanely and missing a goal.  The corner came in, the Stambridge keeper took the ball cleanly, I turned to congratulate someone on having his wife so well trained that she got the drinks, and that horrible sound of "ahhhhhhh ...." and muted applause. 


   Poor goalie.  I guess, anyway, because I didn't bloody see it.

   At full time, though, I sighed contentedly.  The rain.  The cold.  The mud.  Yes.  Come to Daddy for another 10 months.

Full Time:  Stambridge United 0,  Southend United 5