Shack's Back

Here are links to snippets from six football matches involving Sunderland in 1955-6, during the days of the great Len Shackleton. I missed them all, due to the fact that I was undertaking my National Service in Iraq. But now after 55 years I get to see them, including the famous 6th Round FA Cup tie between Newcastle and Sunderland. Everything comes to he who waits. As Len Shackleton said "I'm not biased when it comes to Newcastle, I'm not bothered who beats them!" - especially when it is Sunderland. Here you can hear him being interviewed.

In Memory Of My Father

It is 100 years ago today since my father Joseph Barnes (known as Joe) was born. He died in 1996.

The above photograph says a great deal about him. He is the young man in the centre of the back row. He is part of a locally organised football team of coal miners from Easington Colliery in County Durham. He was the goalkeeper and will be in his mid-teens when the photo was taken. Directly in front of him is his brother Bobby who was five years his senior and to your far right in the back row is his brother Arthur who was almost 2 years his junior. (Click onto the photo to enlarge it).

The team is sitting at the edge of an open field with a row of terraced colliery-owned houses in the background. This is Boston Street. Behind it is Baldwin Street which my father, mother and myself moved into some quarter of a century later.

Seven rows of streets further back is Bolam Street, where my father and Uncles lived with my grandparents John and "Polly" Barnes. These houses were part of a complex of almost 50 rows of terraced houses for miners which were clustered around the local pit.

The team are in their best suits, waistcoats and cloth caps. The man in the trilby is probably in charge of the team.

The photo explains the comradeship, spirit, commitment, family links, team competitiveness and football fanaticism of those times. It is likely to have been taken around the time of the aftermath of the General Strike of 1926.

No-one belonged more to Easington as a mining colliery than my father. He arrived there in 1912 before his third birthday as part of John and Polly's fully established family of seven children. Coal had only first been drawn at the local pit in 1910 and a community was rapidly being established on what had been farm and open land.

When my father died after 84 years at Easington, the pit had shut down just 3 years earlier. It was the final pit in County Durham to close.

My father's life, therefore, covered a distinctive era within a single tightly knit mining community. Not many people could have fitted Easington's mining existence so precisely.

In his 80s my father continued his daily walk down Easington's main road called Seaside Lane. He stopped to speak to friends and family. When my mother was moved into a nursing home (on the far side of the field shown in the above photo) he just walked further past long familiar territory to spend much of the day with her. The nursing home was the house of the former Colliery Manager.

Although Easington went through some tough pioneering years, by the time the 1931 economic depression broke and my father was 22 the population (of Easington Colliery and adjoining Easington Village combined) had reached 12,000. This meant that even with relative impoverishment it established a range of shops, cinemas, clubs, pubs, churches, chapels, schools and Miners' Welfare facilities. The Miners' Federation was committed to building Aged Miners' Homes and providing medical facilities. Whilst the Labour Council embarked upon Council House building.

It meant that although my father did not have an easy life, he had a full life. These fulfilments need to be appreciated if we are to put the harsh aspects of his life in perspective.

Tom and Polly had six sons and a daughter. The boys all became Miners on leaving school at 14 and Aunt Ada invariably went on to marry a Miner. Only Uncle Arthur finally deviated from this pattern when he moved out of the area to join the RAF in 1937.

( 3 of the 7 Barnes siblings who arrived in Easington Colliery in 1912. Uncle Arthur (left) was the only one of six brothers to move away from links with the local pit, when he joined the RAF in 1937 and then eventually retired to Eastbourne. Yet he often visited "home". Aunt Ada was the only girl and raised her own family living in the same Council House for over 60 years before moving into sheltered accommodation. They are with my father.)

The family went through tough times. In 1918 they were in the midst of a serious influenza epidemic, in 1921 the pit was subject to a 13 week strike, in 1926 the pit was at standstill for 30 weeks following the collapse of the General Strike, then the inter-war depression hit coal production at the local pit. In the midst of such developments John and Polly's children married and set up homes of their own. Even when post-war prosperity, full-employment and the welfare state helped to transform life; Easington experienced the terrible cost of coal when a mining disaster at its pit took the lives of 79 Miners and 2 rescue workers.My father was in the pit at the time, but in a different seam from the explosion. He later assisted with the salvage work. The extended Barnes family were lucky to avoid deaths in both the 1951 disaster and the earlier 1918 influenza epidemic.

My father then managed to engage in flying picket duties in the 1973 Miners' Strike before retiring the following year. He was then to share in the communal traumas of the 1984/5 Miners' Strike before witnessing the communal loss which came with the final closure of the pit in 1993.

He married in 1933 in difficult times (see here for my tribute to my mother). They spent several years in differing rented "rooms", essentially a bedroom with shared kitchen and toilet facilities. In 1936 I was born in "rooms" to add to the complexities.

Around this time my father was off work for almost two years with kidney trouble and could only return to "light work" for a period before he returned to the coal face.

A war-time move into a semi-detached Council house with a front and back-garden helped to improve life. As time moved on his luxuries became visits to the workingmen's club, meeting his mates, his continuing family links, betting (at one time the bookie sent him Christmas presents) and the visits from his grandchildren. And always there was football.

He had an extensive career as a local amateur goalkeeper playing for a variety of teams throughout the Durham coalfield. At 21 he had a successful season with Easington Village Rovers who acquired two trophies. He then moved to play for Stanley United in the Northern League. This led to him playing in a practice match for Hartlepool Reserves against the first team. They won 2-1. As a result he signed amateur forms with them, but when they sort to sign him as a professional Stanley United (who held his prior registration) insisted on a transfer fee of £25. Hartlepool either wouldn't or couldn't meet the fee!

He continued to play football until he was 40, disrupted by his spell of kidney trouble and the vagaries of war-time football.

I went with him to home and away games after the 2nd World War when he returned to play for Easington Village Rovers.

When I was 10, I walked with my mates to the neighbouring colliery of Horden to see Easington Colliery Welfare play our rivals Horden Colliery Welfare in the FA Cup Preliminary Round. Imagine my shock and predicament when my father turned out in goal for Horden. He had gone to the game to support Easington, but when Horden's goalkeeper didn't turn up he was signed up to fill the vacancy. It is the only time I saw him play other than for Easington Village Rovers.

Despite his 84 years in Easington, he was born in a terraced house close to Roker Park the then home of Sunderland AFC and became a lifelong supporter. At 10 his father first took him to see them play. The team he saw included the great Charlie Buchan. I was the same age when my father first took me to see Sunderland play. As we approached the ground my father showed me the house where he had been born. It was next door to a pawnbrokers.

But Easington was my father's home and the only time the two of us went to Roker Park to support the opposition was when Easington Colliery Welfare got to the final of the Shipowners Cup and played Sunderland Reserves on its hallowed turf. We lost, but only just.

In retirement my parents eventually moved into sheltered accommodation and enjoyed life as part of its elderly community. Pride of place in their flat was given to my father's football cups and to the photos of their two grandchildren which now look down on me as I type this.

(Enjoying retirement. My Mother and Father on your right, with neighbours.)

UPDATE 1st AUGUST, 2009. This is worth veiwing about what happened to my father's Easington Colliery. And although there are a couple of factual errors, this brief history of the pit community he belonged to is impressive.

The Newcastle Police Suspect The Culprits Are Sunderland Fans

SEE HERE

Excuse the triumphalism. I am a Sunderland Fan and I am obviously greatly relieved that Newcastle United and Middlesborough have just been relegated from the Premier League rather than the Mackems.

But unlike many Sunderland Fans I am not massively opposed to our team's fellow North East rivals. I would be over the moon if Middlesborough were Premiership runners up and the Black and Whites finished third, as long as Sunderland took the title.

When I was 15 I had a very happy Easter watching Sunderland defeat Huddersfield Town 7-1 at Roker Park on the Good Friday, Newcastle defeat Man City 1-0 at St James' Park the following day and Middlesborough defeat Newcastle 2-1 at Ayresome Park on the Easter Monday. That seemed to me to be the natural order of things.

Mind you Len Shackleton played for Sunderland in those days and is the footballer I have seen play more games than any other. Having played for both the Black and Whites and their Red and White striped rivals, his take on the rivalry was "I'm not biased when it comes to Newcastle, I'm not bothered who beats them!". Not even Aston Villa, I assume.

In A Fog

Following an 8 week spell in which I hadn't attended a football match, I turned up yesterday for the 5th time in 11 days at Sheffield FC's ground.

The freezing fog of the morning had burnt away and the sun was shining although it was still bitter cold. A hundred or so boys and girls in football kit and sportswear provided a guard of honour as the teams ran onto the pitch and later engaged in a half-time penalty contest. This is a great form of community involvement. It also boosts the size of the crowd as parents also turn up. I suspect that they are allowed in free, but it is likely to have a future spin-off at the turn-styles.

The game against Lincoln United was going well. There was some good play, except that both sides were given to hoofing the ball in the air. At half-time Sheffield FC had the edge due to a goal by Goddard.

The fog was rolling back in by half-time as Martin and I made our way to the Coach and Horses pub. It got worse as we looked at the half-time League score on their telly - but as luck had it, it hadn't got into the pub! We returned to the ground to find out that the match was abandoned.

Sheffield FC are now into a bit of chaos over their league fixtures. Although that are level pegging in the league with 4 wins, 2 draws and 4 defeats; they are third from bottom in the league with 6 games in hand of the team above them and between 3 and 9 games in hand of everyone else.

The main problem has been cup runs. We have played 14 cup games, 10 league games plus yesterday's abandoned match. Yet our cup runs have mainly come to nought. We have been in 5 competitions and have been knocked out of 4 of these. We remain in the Unibond League Cup and had a worthwhile and lucrative run in the FA Cup, just failing to make it to the first round proper.

When I made it back home, I picked up on the news from the Premiership. My team Sunderland lost 4-1 at home to Bolton. Our half-time fog had been in the wrong place.

A Twist From Chimbonda

Here is a another picture of Pascal Chimbonda in Sunderland's change strip. He will be found seated on the hallowed turf of local Sheffield FC's ground. The incident occurred yesterday evening when he did one of his trade mark 180 degree turns and twisted his ankle.

He hobbled on for a period and seemingly recovered, but he was subsituted after 60 minutes. I'm not sure whether he was being rested for a place in Sunderland's first team on Saturday or whether he is now on the injured list.

He was playing in central defence in a cup game between Sheffield United Reserves and Sunderland Reserves. The Blades are currently playing their 2nd XI home games on Sheffield FC's ground.

Although Chimbonda played well, I am not sure why Roy Keane (who was at the match) was trying him out in central defence - where his qualities are known. I would have liked to see how he can play in the midfield. For when he plays at right-back, his strength is coming forward into attack rather than blocking opponents.

Chimbonda was a regular in Sunderland's first team at the start of the season, but for some unknown reason he has recently been dropped entirely from the first team squad.

In yesterday's game, Sunderland Reserves dominated the proceedings and won 3-0. From a Sunderland perspective (which I share) there is a fine report here.

I agree entirely with the writer (whom I chatted to twice at the match) that El-Hadji Diouf and Daryl Murphy had poor games. Yet they both came on as substitutes in Sunderland's last premiership game. I had finally come to the conclusion that they should both be substituted this time, when Keane did exactly that. I just hope that his motive was the same as mine and that he wasn't saving them for the next Premiership game.

Due praise is given to numbers of Sunderland's regular reserves in the report I have linked to above. I would, however, also add left-back Nathan Luscombe to the list. He was particularly creative in the second half.

For a Sunderland supporter it was a good night out. Especially as I used my free bus pass to travel the short distance too and from the ground and then only paid a £1 concessionary entrance fee. It wouldn't even pay for the time it took Chimbonda to twist his ankle.

Thumbs Up

Yesterday evening Sheffield FC were at home to North Ferriby United in a Unibond League Cup game. We expected the worst as our opponents play in a higher Unibond Division to ours and are pressing for promotion. Furthermore our team experienced a humiliating defeat on Saturday from the bottom team Brigg Town, who had been without a league victory until they turned us over 2-0.

But you can't apply logic to football. We were transformed and outplayed our opponents from the start with a smart passing game. Admittedly things went wrong at some stage. A defensive blunder enabled our opponents to take the lead via Alex Davidson in the 32 Minute. We also had two goals disallowed and when a North Ferriby defender belted the ball into the crowd it nearly burst my thumb. The pain only made the subsequent gain more enjoyable.

Once Dave slipped out just before half-time to get the drinks in for Martin and me, we scored two quick goals from two of our stars Steve Woolley and Scott Partridge. It is a pity that we haven't a bar like the one at Gresley which overlooks the ground. But we are working on that one.

The start of the second half was delayed as a substitute linesman had to be found. Once in action again we pressed on. But again a defensive error cut across our efforts. Peter Davidson put the scores level after 58 Minutes. But with Smudge (Paul Smith) marshalling our forces from the left-back position with free kicks, corners, centres and defence splitting passes, we felt that justice would emerge.

After duties at the County Council at Matlock. Janet turned up for the last 20 minutes of the game. Just in time to see us run riot. Scott Partridge ran onto through passes in the 73 and 88 minutes. Each time you knew that he would not miss the net. He had added a hat-trick to the 4 he had scored in the first round of the cup. Then on 90 Minutes, Daz Winter scored a well deserved 5th goal.

So whilst Dave only saw us win 3-2, Janet his wife saw us win 3-0. It was Martin and myself who saw the full 5-2 victory. And it wasn't until we got back to the Coach and Horses at the end of the game that I noticed the swollen state of my thumb. But it was a small price to pay for a fine evening.

Frozen, Teetotal And Defeated

Yesterday afternoon everything looked set for Sheffield FC to record a thumping home victory.

Their opponents, Brigg Town were without a League win all season, having drawn only 3 games and lost 13. Earlier in the season Sheffield FC had recorded a 5-0 win at Brigg's ground and only last Tuesday they had seen off high flying Durham City with an impressive performance.

But it turned out to be a pretty miserable afternoon. It was freezing cold and I was on medication which ruled out a half-time pint. Worse still Sheffield FC suffered a shock 2-0 defeat.

We conceded two sloppy goals, nothing went right for us when we put the pressure on and we finally resorted to hopeful and unimpressive long range punts at goal in the final 20 minutes.

At half time we were 1-0 down and I then dashed to the Coach and Horses for warmth and companionship. I was with Dave and Martin who had pints in front of them. When Tom joined us with his drink he was astonished to see that I was abstaining. I pointed out that my medication did not permit alcohol and that the instructions went on to say the tablets' side effects could lead to constipation and a lowered sex drive, but unfortunately they did not lower my urge for alcohol when the temptation was all around me in a pub.

I soon decided it was time for me to return to the ground. For once I was back in time for the second half kick off. Brigg went straight up the field and scored their second goal.

Once the dismissal game was over, Martin and I dashed for the bus to get away from things. I was hardly going back into the pub to watch others drown their sorrows.

I can only hope that the weather, my medical condition and the football pick up for Tuesday evening's game.

Watch Your Back, John

At long last I made it to a football match at Sheffield FC's ground. This was on Tuesday evening and it was 8 weeks since I had attended. On the surface it looked as if we were in for a drubbing.

It was the second round of the Unibond League Cup. Our opponents, Durham City play in a parallel league. Although they are in fifth position, they are unbeaten and have sufficient games in hand of the teams above them to readily take over the top spot.

In contrast, Sheffield FC have a middling league record and have suffered so many injuries that when the teams ran out onto the pitch I only recognised five of our players - two of whom used to occupy the substitutes bench.

But my fears were soon put to rest. After 13 minutes we had established a two goal lead and were pouring on the pressure. We were three up after 63 minutes and seemed to be coasting it.

Jez Mitchell, a new signing had provided the assist for Mick Goddard's opening goal and added the two other goals. In the first half he had three carefully placed shots which just crept past the Durham post. Then a Durham defender made a dramatic save by blasting the ball against his own post.

Next to me Dave was busy on his mobile, letting the absent Martin know when each goal whizzed in. Near the end, however, the tide turned with Adam Johnson (73 Minutes) and Tommy English (83 Minutes) putting Durham back in the game. But it was only just that we held on for a 3-2 victory as we had dominated most of the game.

Events were enlivened when the Sheffield FC supporters heard the referee regularly shout out to the Durham captain Stephen Harrison, calling him "Steve". A series of wisecracks came from the terraces on the assumption that Steve was the ref's son. If we hadn't gone on to win, I think that there would have been calls for a steward's enquiry.

When Dave, Janet and I settled into the Coach and Horses pub after the match, it was time for chats with the visitors. I originate from Easington which is just eight miles east of Durham, so I was keen to find out what gossip I could.

I came across two Durham supporters. One was from Shiney Row and the other was from Murton Colliery. John Cummings (photo above) whom I know well, is the MP for the Easington Constituency and he worked at the pit at Murton. When I mentioned this the reply came back "why I, I used to wash his back for him at the pithead baths".

I next talked to the Durham City goalkeeper Craig Turns, as the programme said that he was born at Easington. It turned out that he had been born at the maternity hospital at Littlethorpe, Easington Village and that he really originated from nearby Seaham. But that was fine as our son was born in the same "baby farm" and the first job I ever had as a railway clerk was at Seaham.

The programme notes also said that Tommy English a Durham goalscorer was born at Easington. But he had left the crowded pub before I could discover whether he was another product of the baby farm. I had shouted at him from the touch line about his Easington connection, but I didn't hear what he shouted back. Perhaps I incensed him that much that he ran up the field and scored!

Four of the Durham team had been on Sunderland's books at some time (including "Steve" and Craig the goalkeeper), whilst two others were born in Sunderland. But although (like John above) I am a Sunderland supporter, this did not undermine my support for Sheffield FC. My chance to support Sunderland from the terraces will come on 26 November when Sheffield FC host a match between Sheffield United Reserves and Sunderland Reserves. There is only once that I ever supported a team playing against Sunderland Reserves and that was when they played Easington Colliery Welfare. I am hardly going to desert the lads to support a bunch from Bramall Lane.

Give Us A Goole

In The End Goole Are Cut Down To Size

Sheffield FC have averaged home league crowds of 417. But yesterday evening in the first round of something called the President's Cup the attendance dropped to 211. It didn't help that the Club's web site and match programme told us nothing about the nature of the bauble that was at stake. From the teams playing in the cup that night, it seems to be a contest involving the teams in both the North and South Leagues of the Unibond First Division.

As this is a sort of Unibond Carling Cup for the lower leagues; Sheffield rested their goalkeeper Leigh Walker, full-back Gavin Smith, mid-fielder Asa Ingall and striker Scott Partridge. That's almost the guts of the team. They did not even have a substitute goalkeeper on the bench.

Sheffield still spent most of the match weaving towards the visitors goal. They were playing Goole AFC, but I have no idea how many reserves Goole were playing. Sheffield missed chance after chance, desperate defenders bodies got in the way of goal bound shots and two of the Goole players almost scored spectacular own goals.

Yet it was Goole that grabbed the lead in the 7th minute, when our goalkeeper failed to stretch out his hand far enough when he dived at a shot from Nicky Darker. He made amends in the second half with a fine tip over the bar. Which was just as well as we were still 1-0 down.

Yet it was nearly all attack, attack, attack from Sheffield. Man of the match, Martin Goddard won ball after ball in the air, controlled through balls and set up his colleagues. It was justice when he got the eventual winner. But this did not arrive until the 84th minute. Andy Gascoigne coming on as substitute having vollied a fine equaliser in to the back of the net after 73 minutes.

But we had trailed for over an hour in a game that we were dominating. Our only problem was that we were so extended in attack that some of our reserve defenders were in danger of falling to the odd sucker punch from the Goole attack.

Yet when the deserved victory finally arrived it meant that Dave, Janet and myself could then reflect on the good things in this non-event when we finally retreated to the Coach and Horses bar. Its a pity that the President's Cup doesn't provide a backdoor into a European Cup Competition.

Making The Quorum

I was prepared to sacrifice football for politics on Saturday. For although my local team Sheffield FC were playing at home at Dronfield, I went instead to a Constituency Labour Party meeting held six miles to the south in Chesterfield.

But the meeting lacked a quorum, so John Gilbert (the Constituency Secretary) and myself made it back to the match just before the kick-off.

Managing to get to a match at the last minute in unexpected circumstances is always a great treat. The weather was great and we met up with Ted who was part of a crowd of 457 which meets any quorum. In fact Sheffield FC are the best supported team in their league.

It was a tough game in which the goals came at the end of each half.

Gavin Smith, our right back gave us the lead in the 39th Minute. His role as an attacking full-back tends to have been taken over by his colleague Paul Smith. But Gav has a tendency to creep up into the opposition's six yard box unnoticed by fans and the opposing defence alike. The goal he headed in close to the Stamford post was his second effort.

The game had been held up earlier as a bucket of earth had to be assembled to provided the means of filling in a deep divot on the pitch. These little extras seldom happen on Premiership grounds. The hold up meant that it was difficult to judge when the half time whistle would sound and hence when I should anticipate this in order to dash to the Coach and Horses to get the drinks in. But extra goals resolved the problem for me.

First, Stamford equalised on what is officially recorded as 45 minutes. Then immediately Matt Roney put us back in the lead with a smart shot that went in off the post. Judging that lighting would not strike three times in a row and whilst everyone was celebrating Roney's goal, I dashed out of the ground for the bar as fast as my walking stick would enable me.

It wasn't, however, until the 89th minute that matters were settled at the ground with Pete Davey putting matters 3-1 in our favour.

It was, however, a game which made me feel more confident about our progress this season. Chris Dolby's policy of playing a settled team seems to be working. Mick Goddard our striker also seemed to me to have his first impressive game since we signed him from Retford. When he was replaced by Gary Townsend, things were just as good. Gary came to us as a striker and was then moved into the mid-field. He impressed in both roles until he suffered a serious inquiry last season. His role this season has normally been that of a substitute midfielder. He hadn't then got back to his old form. Now for the first time he was back as a striker. I felt that this was the old Gary, near his best once more. Things can only get better.

More fun, we have a home cup game this evening.

Up For The Cup

Only 12 More Wins And Its Ours
On Saturday the sun shone at and on Sheffield FC. They progressed into the Second Qualifying Round of the F.A.Cup with a 3-2 win over Colne.

Yet at half time we led 3-1. With the rest of the home crowd I thought we were in for an easy win, especially as Colne play below us in the non-league pyramid in the same division as AFC Flyde whom we hammered 4-0 in the previous round. In the end, however, we were glad to hold on for a narrow victory.

Colne grabbed a lead only five minutes into the game, which was in conflict with everything else which happened in the first half. Our central defender Greg Wright upended Liam Garbutt when the Colne striker had already failed to control the ball. Martin Brodrich converted the penalty.

The game then, however, settled into one way traffic. Within 2 minutes Daz Winter equalised with a fine header. On 20 minutes our striker Mick Goddard prodded a ball home - he has yet to score from more than 8 yards. Five minutes later we were 3-1 up from a Scott Partridge header. We were coasting it.

But then we let Colne back into the game in the second half. It took two great saves from our goalkeeper Leigh Walker to keep us in the game. Then with only 6 minutes of normal time left Colne's Ted Cockett beat Walker on the rebound from a further save. The final whistle was more than welcome, we were in the draw for the next round with only four more FA Cup matches to win before we get drawn against the likes of nearby Chesterfield!

There were a number of reasons why we did not live up to our early promise. Paul Smith (Smudge) was missing and we missed his passes and runs forward from the left-back position. Matt Roney who has been our super-sub had earned a start, but he ran out of steam. Then we need Vill Powell back from inquiry in his striker's role.

We have now drawn Bacup Borough at home in the next round. They also play in the North West Counties League alongside Colne and AFC Fylde. But they were giant-killers on Saturday, dispatching Cammell Laird who play two leagues above them. In a dramatic fashion they won 3-0, scoring all their goals in the first three minutes.

We will have to ensure that we aren't caught napping next time at the start of the game.

The Departure Of Mike Ashley

With apologies to Jelly. and Mike Ashley.

The Heavens Open

The heavens opened on Tuesday evening as I made my way to the bus shelter. I was going to watch a football match at Sheffield FC's home ground and decided to get the bus for the short trip because of the dodgy weather.

I was surprised that the game hadn't by then been cancelled as this is what kept happening all the time last season. But improved drainage and a dedicated ground staff had seemingly overcome the problem.

The torrent as I ran to the bus shelter was unbelievable. But I could not return home without being drowned. So I jumped on the bus and made a quick dash for the Coach and Horses pub which is next to the ground.

Surprise, Surprise - the heavy rain stopped and it was game on with a soggy pitch. It was a pity really, for we lost 2-0 to Shepshed Dynamo.

This was the third home league game of the season. They have all followed a similar pattern. Each time the opposition has taken command in the first half, then when we have brought Matt Roney on as a substitute we have come fully into the game. This led to us grabbing a 2-2 draw against Charlton Town (see here) and then a 3-1 win over an unlucky Quorn (see here). The luck ran out against Shepshed.

In the first half it looked as if the gods were with us thanks to desperate defending, missed chances and the woodwork and it was 0-0 at half-time. Straight after half time Shepshed got what they deserved and took the lead (guess who hadn't got back in time from the Coach and Horse's to see the goal?).

Then Sheffield come into the game. Matt as substitute backed by Smudge (Paul Smith) who was playing as an attacking left-back, helped to take over the left hand side of the pitch. Just as the Benjamin twins (numbers 10 and 11) had done for Shepshed in the first half.

It wasn't so easy for the Benjamin twins to progress down the left-wing in the second half as they were now at the worst drained part of the pitch. Yet this did not stop Shane Benjamin scoring twice. The second was from a penalty given for something-I-know-not-what. But the rough justice delivered a just result.

Today (with some sunshine around), I am off to see our home game against Colne in the First Qualifying Round of the FA Cup. We qualify thanks to a 4-0 win over AFC Fylde in a preliminary round replay (see here).

But for our problematic home form in the league, we should be favourites to win today as Carlton (like Flyde) play at the 5th step of the Non-League pyramid, a step below Sheffield FC. And we all know what the FA Cup is like.

50,000 For Key Football Match In Baghdad

Who would think it. 50,000 attended a football match in Baghdad on 24 August between Al Zawraa and Arbil. Here is one report and another aspect.

Nowt - But Goals

Janet And Martin Celebrate (David's Photo And Wife)
Tuesday evening's FA Cup Preliminary Round Replay between Sheffield FC and AFC Flyde was so enjoyable that Janet, Dave, Martin and myself resolved to make the trip to Loughborough Dynamo's ground yesterday to see our away game. Unfortunately, the game was postponed at the last minute due to a waterlogged pitch. But we had had the foresight to anticipate this and called off our trip 3 hours earlier.

Apart from goals, there was a shortage of supplies for the Tuesday evening game. Janet bought the club scarf which she displays in the above photo, but when Dave decided to buy the only other scarf in the Club Shop they had sold out. Then Martin went to buy a pie just as the game got going and they had none ! I mean what is a football match without scarves and pies? Luckily this one was quite something.

The replay resulted from a 1-1 draw at AFC Fylde just three days earlier and Sheffield FC's administration had been caught on the hop. Luckily, the same had not happened to the team.

Apart from even exchanges at the onset, Sheffield FC dominated proceedings and ran out 4-0 victors over last season's FA Vase winners.

First, Mick Goddard scored his first goal since his move to Sheffield FC following a fine cross from Smudge (Paul Smith) plus a fine header by Asa Ingall. The second goal came from that-man-again Smudge as he headed home a Gavin Smith free-kick.

Unlike the Sheffield FC administration, our group made its own forward planning and Mark made it to the Coach and Horses bar to line up our half-time drinks.

The football, therefore, looked even better in the second-half. Although Scott Partridge had a perfectly good goal disallowed, he went on to split the AFC Fylde defence in the 61st Minute and Daz Winter smashed the ball into the back of the net. Mick Goddard rounded off the festivities when he converted a penalty in the 86th Minute.

For the second time this season we had run riot in front of a crowd of 285. The previous time being at our 5-2 win at Gresley. In future we will have to close the gates when the magic number is reached.

We stayed to clap the team off the pitch, not least because we knew that the half-time crush at the bar is seldom repeated at full-time. The lads behind the goal had chanted "We're going to wemb-ber-ley". That is the beauty of the FA Cup, we only have to triumph in 12 more rounds for that to come true. And only 5 victories will put in the hat with Football League teams.

It was celebration time, which was completed by the fact that Martin our computer expert had discovered that Smudge originates from Easington Colliery - as I do. When I then discussed this with our man of the match, I discovered he had lived only seven doors away from my parents and from my own earlier home. Furthermore (unlike myself) he had played for my old school's team.

It is now roll on Tuesday evening for the next game against Shepshed Dynamo. There is only one problem. All our games against teams with "Dynamo" in their title have (like yesterday) been postponed due to a waterlogged pitch. Still the Coach and Horses will be open!

A Loss Of Gravitas ?

In Iain Dale's rating of Labour Bloggers, I first appeared in 70th place for 2005-6 when I was a novice blogger. Then I bounced up into 21st place for 2006-7. So full of enthusiasm, I jazzed up my blog with the help of a scanner at the start of this year. What is the result? I have fallen back to 62nd place in this year's ratings.

Admittedly, Iain does not compare like with like this time. For this years list is for "Left of Centre Blogs" in place of "Labour Blogs" - in ideological terms I'm not sure if this widens and reduces the field for some Labour bloggers don't qualify for Left-of-Centre status from my viewpoint.

I can only assume that my attempt to be modern and "with it" has dented my saintly image. But I can't revert back again. A loss of gravitas is much like a loss of virginity. So with the help of more of Dave's photos of Sheffield FC games, I will continue to be promiscuous.

Weather permitting we have a FA Cup replay this evening.

But if I can't make it as a political blogger, perhaps like Iain I can make a bit of money in the publishing world with my own annual rating of footy bloggers - I might even get the backing of an Oil Sheik. But I won't be including Iain Dale's separate West Ham United blog in my list. This has nothing to do with my taking the hump over his political blogging ratings. It is just because I haven't got over West Ham's 8-0 defeat of Sunderland when Geoff Hurst scored 6. Then on my first two visits to Upton Park, Sunderland whom I have supported for over 60 years lost 6-0 and 6-1.

There is only so much that human flesh can take.

Acts Of Unjust Justice

Sheffield FC's Goalkeeper To the Rescue (Photo From Dave Hill)

After three games, Sheffield FC are top of their League, leading goalscorers, top crowd pullers and are playing a settled team.

I have already reported on how pleased we were to grab a 2-2 draw in our last game, but it had nothing on yesterday's events.

Our opponents were Quorn from Leicestershire, who must feel robbed to have ended up in the League's relegation zone. They stormed all over us in the first half. Thankfully our goalkeeper, Leigh Walker was on top form. The photo above shows him pouncing to smother one of the Quorn's attacks.

Justice was done for Quorn in the 21st Minute when they took their lead in a totally unjust fashion. The Quorn striker, Justin Jenkins was clearly offside when he ran onto a through pass with only our goalkeeper to beat. That his goal was offside is confirmed by Dave, Martin, Mark and myself and all the other Sheffield FC fans situated in line with the linesman. What further independent evidence is needed !

We all breathed a sigh of relief when we rushed for a half-time pint at the Club's pub. The score had not progressed beyond 1-0 and the second half might be different.

Football is of course a game of two halves - except for the Sunderland v Derby County game in September 1894 which was covered in our match programme. It had three halves, for reason's that can best be explained in a pub quiz. But we were limited to the normal two halves and Sheffield FC turned the game on its head in the second half.

Sean Bowles in the Quorn goal now matched and surpassed our own goalkeeper's first half performance. Especially as he was allowed to get away with enough time-wasting to have accommodated for a third-half. Scott Partridge was a constant danger in our attack and was denied what should have been a penalty in the 70th Minute (well that was the consensus around me).

But the minutes passed and Quorn were headed for victory, until in the 85th Matt Roney our substitute did his Rooney act. He beat three defenders cutting in from the left wing and hit the back of the net with a fierce ground shot from more than 20 yards.

As the 90th Minute approached, Scott Partridge got his revenge for being denied a justified penalty 20 minutes earlier. He now engineered a penalty. Paul Smith (Smudge) is the master of dead ball kicks and even the mighty Quorn keeper had no chance with his penalty shot.

Now well into added time Roney/Rooney struck again. Cutting into the box from the left-wing he hit another firm ground shot into the back of the net.

3-1 was a flattering score, although each of our goals was a form of gem. It allowed us to end up with 7 points out of our first 9, when we might have had to settle for a total of only 3 points. It has been late twists in our last two games which have saved us.

Sheffield FC have now attracted the three largest attendances in the League for the games they have played in - 408 yesterday. The games have all been pulsating in their different ways. So we may hold on to some of the new fans. Martin's mate Mark was a first time attender and is an obvious convert.

Even if things go wrong, we have our goalkeeper to entertain us. He is liable to walk towards the half-way line when we are on the attack and he continually shouts instructions to the rest of the team - even to our captain. Well it is fun until it goes wrong.

His volatile behaviour is countered by our new player-manager, Chris Dolby. To start with he won't play himself and stays on the bench. Then he sticks with the same (non-losing team) when he can. There have only been two forced changes in the initial line-up. Steve Hawes (midfield) is an holiday, whilst from our mid-week game Vill Powell (striker) has a hair line fracture of the tibia which will keep him out of the team for 6 to 8 weeks.

Perhaps Chris is wise not change a non-losing team. But I have two suggestions for a modest reshuffle. In the absence of Vill, why not move Gary Townsend up into his old position as striker where he was highly effective on his initial arrival at the Club? Then he has a returning Steve Hawes or even himself to put into Gary's current mid-field position. If Chris doesn't then like how he is playing, he can always substitute himself.

For an alternative report of the match and photos see here.

Smudging It

Who says that politics and football don't mix? This is a photo taken by one member of the Dronfield Labour Party of four of his comrades celebrating (or is it commiserating ?) in Sheffield FC's pub after last night's match. The chap on the left is John Gilbert the Constituency Party's Secretary, next is Janet Hill Labour's Vice-Chair of the Derbyshire County Council, then Martin Brader the Constituency Party's Treasurer and myself the Constituency Party's Political Education Officer (in an old Sheffield FC "Dennis The Menace tie"). Dave Hill the photographer being the former Labour Mayor of Dronfield - the town in Derbyshire where Sheffield FC's ground and pub is situated.

The match we had just seen was both entertaining and disappointing. After our 5-2 away win at Gresley, we had hoped for a continuation of the fun. But Carlton were fully in command for the first half-hour. We then broke away and new signing Scott Partridge made a defence splitting pass for Vill Powell to run on to and put us 1-0 ahead.

The game was then turned on its head for the next half hour with Sheffield FC in command. We then had a mirror image of the earlier change in fortunes and Carlton not only equalised but took over once more, taking the lead a few minutes later.

It was only in the later stages that Sheffield FC rallied, but the game now went too and fro and anything could have happened. Luckily for us it was Paul Smith (Smudge) who helped save the day.

In the second half he took three free kicks between 25 to 30 yards away from the Carlton goal. His initial shot early in the second half rattled the bar. His next effort went just over the bar. When he took the third free kick after 87 minutes, the Carlton goalkeeper knew what to expect. So instead, Smudge hit a low shot which bounced back off the startled goalkeeper and Scott Partridge returned the ball back into the net.

With four minutes of added time, a great chance fell to Sheffield's substitute Mick Goddard who ballooned the ball over the bar when it was crossed to him in the six yard box.

But I was happy to settle for a 2-2 draw. For over the 90 Minutes Carlton were the better team. Unfortunately, Vill Powell our striker collided with the Carlton goalkeeper late in the second half and had to be carried off the pitch, with an ambulance then arriving to take him to hospital.

On the positive side, 480 turned up to watch the game. It was the highest attendance of the 20 games played in our League this season - one at each of the League's grounds. The second highest crowd was at our away match at Gresley on Saturday. That crowd was nearly 200 fewer than last night.

Sheffield FC will need to step up a gear from last night's performance to hold onto such crowds and challenge for promotion. If they fail, however, then as you can see from the above photo we know how to drown our sorrows - it could be the same when it comes to politics.

Hear We Go

Sheffield FC (blue) Attack The Gresley Goal
(Photo by Janet/Dave Hill)

Yesterday Sheffield FC kicked off their "Unibond League Division One South" season away at Gresley Rovers.

Gresley's ground is made up of bits and pieces and is full of character. They have a fine clubhouse from which the pitch can be observed. So I knew that this time I wouldn't miss any of the goals when I slipped away for my half-time pint.

Janet and David Hill provided me with a lift to the ground, with Janet doing the driving. Although both Sheffield FC and Gresley play in Derbyshire, the grounds are 57 miles apart. The motorway journey took us into Nottinghamshire and Leicestershire.

It's The Only Place

As we made our way through Leicestershire we passed Ashby-de-la-Zouch, so I burst out into the only two lines of the song I know - "Ashby-de-la-Zouch Castle Abbey. That's the only place I long to be." But Janet and Dave either hadn't heard it before or my tones confused the issue. I accept that it was before their time when I used to hear it on what we then called the wireless.

Before the game started, we bought £1 raffle tickets. When we opened the envelope it predicted the score. In my case a 3-4 away win. Each envelope contained a different score between 0-0 and 6-6. I estimate that this covers 39 options. The prize was £25, which is reasonable.

There were a good number of Sheffield FC supporters present, which accounted for the crowd being the biggest of the day in its league. At 285, this was one more than at a game at Stamford. Tom was the one. I had not seen him at any of the pre-season friendlies due to his shift work and his dislike of non-games.

Game On

As the game started, I attempted to sort out our team, because some of the old favourites have departed.

Compared to last season we had four new players in the starting line. Our goalkeeper, Leigh Walker had not even played in the pre-season games - he has previously been on the books of Sheffield United and Scarborough. Yet the keeper who had then performed heroics in the friendlies, Steve Hernandez had moved on to sign for his third on-loan spell with Worksop Town from Sheffield United. We are only lucky that he did not play for Worksop in our last competitive game when we defeated them in the final of the Sheffield and Hallamshire Senior Cup.

The other three newcomers were (1) a striker, Scott Partridge who has moved into the area from the south west, (2) Steve Wooley from Lincoln United who plays what used to be called outside left, and (3) Greg Wright in central defence - he is from Retford Town but was previously on our books.

Gresley's pitch slopes. Sheffield kicked uphill in the first half. Our two strikers struck to give us a 2-0 lead at half time. But the moment of the match came in the 42 Minute when Gresley's goalkeeper David Clarke made a double save from the same two strikers. This was the non-league equivalent of the double save Montgomery made in the 1973 Cup Final against Leeds United which ensured that what was then a Second Division Sunderland became giant killers.

Second Half Mix

The windows at the club house served their purpose when I spent time on my pint at half time. Again our two strikers hit home and we were 4-0 up. I could only win my £25 if Gresley now staged a revival. After I nipped to the toilet at one stage, Tom told me it was now 4-3. He was only joking of course, but I responded by demanding that the referee should blow the full-time whistle.

Matters were soon settled, however, when Asa Ingall made it 5-0 on the hour. Next Chris Dolby our new player-manager moved (in stages) to use his three substitutes. Unfortunately, he did not include himself. We lost the momentum. Gresley's David Blenkinsopp scored twice.

We ran out 5-2 winners and went to the top of the one game league. I don't know if we will still be there after another 37 games. In the old days no-one would ever produce a league table until at least three games had been played.

Verdicts

When Janet and Dave asked me who I thought was our man of the match, I could not come up with anyone. For Gresley, it was their goalkeeper or their goalscorer. Ours was very much an all-round performance. There were the goalscoring strikers, our own goalkeeper who also brought off a fantastic save, a defence that normally contained and then set up attacks and a mid-field which kept probing.

We only had one grouse. The Gresley programme contained a full page advert from the leader of the South Derbyshire Conservatives. Hardly something that would appeal to a Labour County Councillor, a former Labour Mayor and a Labour ex-MP.

On Tuesday night at 7.45 pm we are at home to Carlton Town. Last season they finished level on points with Gresley. It is only if we repeat yesterday's performance that we can start thinking of promotion.

China's Blades

On the day of the opening of the Olympics in Beijing, Sheffield FC were at home in a pre-season friendly against the Chinese team Chengdu Blades.

In January 2006, Sheffield United bought a controlling interest in the Chengdu team, whose name had previously been Chengdu Wuniu. They won promotion last season to the top league in China - the Super League, where they are mid-table. They have been touring the UK during a mid-season break.

In May, Chengdu was rocked by the Sichuan earthquake and the team has played a full and active role in bringing aid to the victims. Fund raising included their pre-tour game at home when they lost 7-0 to Chelsea.

The Chinese Blades were far too sharp for Sheffield FC (especially in the second half) and won 4-1. Sheffield took the lead and were holding on at 1-1 at the interval. I did my standard trick and went for a pint at half-time and missed seeing Chengdu immediately take the lead at the start of the second half. Beer and a weak bladder have now robbed me of seeing no-less than 5 pre-season goals in total!

The Chinese had a seven foot goalkeeper who was seldom troubled, whilst our five foot six keeper was in the thick of it. He saved a penalty, brought off some fine saves and saw Chengdu waste chance after chance.

It was a pleasant but cool evening. Dave is now a regular and unlike myself had seen Wednesday's game hosted by Sheffield FC when Sheffield United (including four first-team players) defeated Chengdu 3-1.

We also had a good chat to John Austin who with his mate Malcolm Ford wrote a key and serious study on an era in Dronfield, entitled "Steel Town : Dronfield and Wilson Cammell 1873-1883" (Scardale Publications, 1983). The Steel Works were uprooted and taken to Workington.

Dronfield is now the home of Sheffield FC. I hope that no-one decides to uproot them and the Coach and Horses pub.