Cod Almighty | Diary

Defy the law

3 December 2018

Trentside Diary writes: So many things suck the joy out of football. So many people take pleasure in making sure we don't have too much fun. Yesterday was a case in point.

The day started well with a quick trip to the pub to catch up with a few Town exiles and then off to the stadium for the second round of the FA Cup. This was a nervy one. It's a long time since I've been to a match that we are expected to win, and it's 2013-14 since we were last in the third round. Chesterfield are in a mess but that counts for nothing on the day when anything can happen in a cup game. A message before the game from youngest son described a "riot wall" while he was kicking his heels waiting for Mum to turn up with his ticket. A what? A riot wall? This is going to be interesting.

It makes you think when Chesterfield have managed to build a 10,000-seater stadium as part of a regeneration of that area of the town. It was suggested as a possible site only at the end of 2004, planning permission granted in 2008 and the stadium completed in 2010 in time for the new season. Easy, peasy, lemon squeezy. Unless of course you are John Fenty. Then you need all kinds of complications to make you feel important. Anyone have any idea where we are with the latest plan?

Meanwhile, back to the football. We started slowly, slightly out of sorts, but still managed to pass it around. Chesterfield never looked dangerous but that means nothing till you have a two-goal cushion. And what a two-goal cushion. When was the last time, two local boys put their names on the list of scorers? Oh yes... [slaps forehead] last Tuesday! But before that? We should pause a moment to reflect on that. It really is very special.

Then the man in the middle tried very hard to suck the joy out of it by booking Clifton for his celebration. How ridiculous have the rules of professional football become? You're not allowed to celebrate with fans when you score. He didn't go charging into the stand, he didn't taunt the Chesterfield fans, he didn't rip his shirt off. Don't enjoy the sheer exuberance of scoring for your hometown club because the ref won’t like it.

We departed on a high to be met by the riot wall. What on Earth? Who thought that was a good idea? A large stainless steel wall that had been opened up to prevent Town fans from walking back to their cars. It looked like, and had all the charm of, one of those 1970s public toilets that the council put in but can't be bothered to maintain properly. They can't be vandalised because they are just a stainless steel wall/sink/toilet. (Think Garibaldi Street near Freeman Street market.)

Several fans were getting very annoyed with the riot police. Little old chaps leading the assault, walking sticks at the ready. Some numpty said they were sending us off round Chesterfield town for our own protection. Thing is, we were predominantly middle-aged Mariners; if we had been young lads they would probably have arrested us or kettled us to the station. No wonder football fans get angry. We really are treated abysmally and yet 99 per cent of us go to see the Town and have a good day out. These are Town fans.

Town fans have stumped up £500 to keep the commentaries on hospital radio. Target smashed in just a few hours. Increased to £1,000 and when I last checked the total raised had reached over £900. Well done as ever. I just hope that some numpty from the board doesn't then tell us it wasn't used to keep the commentaries on air but to buy decent stationery for some consultant. No... they wouldn't do that, would they? I'd still like to know, did we pay for Omar Bogle or not, because if not I'd like my money back.

Anyway, must try to concentrate tonight and not to dream too much about what the draw might bring...

UTM