Chapter 8 â The Moaning of Life An attempt to add a touch of humour to our travelling fortunes whilst following The Gills in our 2013/14 League One campaign. Angry maybe, but possibly better described as two grumpy old men sharing the fate of their beloved team; win, lose or draw. This story is more about the thoughts and journeys of two supporters with traditional hearts in the modern game...in our version of âThe Moaning of Lifeâ... As Gills supporters we have certainly had plenty to moan about this season. I suggested to my friend today on the way up to the game that we start standing around on the terraces with traffic cones on our heads like Glasgowâs iconic Duke of Wellington statue. We could also double it up as a megaphone, so the Chairman and manager know we are still here, despite the lino knowing week in week out! After recent events at Priestfield there appears to be some 15 minute delay in communication between the stands and the pitch. Iâve seen MadDog in red trousers fall down steps from the dugout even quicker than Father Christmas down a chimney than it takes us to rectify miscommunication at home this season. However, today there could be no complaints about vocals and communication as something like 500 Gillingham FC supporters clearly out sung 16,000 Sheffield United fans in the battle of Bramall Lane. Although the dayâs journey did not start quite so well...when a dog and its owner, decided to make battle of his own and cross the path of the camelâs, not quite sure which one should have been on the lead the dog or its owner, as the latter clearly had a dislike of football supporters! The exchange of conversation was entertaining to say the least. But there was only ever going to be one winner in the humour stakes, to the laughter of our fellow travellers, nothing better to wake you up at 8.30am on a Mid-November morning. Turning our sights to Yorkshire, my friend tells me in 1937 George Orwell called Sheffield the ugliest city in the World. So my research took me to the Sheffield Forum â For Everything Sheffield, where I steal this sentence: âHe regarded it as a hideous, frightful, ugly, stinking industrial hell holeâ Now I promise you I never read that above line before listing my location as âHellâ on not606 below my avatar and as for the stink it just reminds me of when I walk past the blues rock cafe on match day or has that now improved. Unless he was Peter Crouch in disguise, only knows what George Orwell would have thought of the goings on at Gillingham FC this season. Season Tickets, Turnstiles, Remembrance just to list a few...own up, who just shouted âAnimal Farmâ? Personally I felt Sheffield was one of the better places I had visited on our travels this season and certainly never resembled anything like Orwellâs supposed description. That is apart from one individual, the dreaded steward, who got on our coach at arrival outside the ground...his speech/introduction certainly resembled something out of an Orwell chapter, followed by our echoes on the top tier of our double decker to do one! Treated to a comedy criminal lecture before our feet had even touched Yorkshire soil after a five hour journey, I suppose at least he tried it with humour. Seriously guys, no wonder the Peter Taylor army out sung the Kennedyâs Kop you are just turning all seater grounds into sterile subbuteo style stadiums. It was at this point we decided to make an escape for the pub, especially after our last disastrous dry run to Port Vale the two camels were keen to test the claim that Sheffield has a large number of pubs - hoping to temper our hot tongues ready to cheer our team rather than to sharpen it for any cutting remarks towards the officials. Thankfully no scumbags had attempted to wreck our coach on this journey otherwise we really would have got the hump. Anyway swiftly moving on, my first recent thoughts on this fixture, has to turn to that of Nigel Clough, particularly so that his father probably partly influenced my opinions on youth within the game. Strange considering I have no time for the elite. But it was a different game back then in âOld Big Headâsâ day. When European glory was more worthy and valued in my mind, than that of the current Champions League game. BT or Sky it makes no difference to me, itâs all served for a purpose of marketing and money men and has nothing to do with the roots of the working class game, as social cleansing creates either a sterile stadium environment as mentioned above or a generation that are deep rooted to the cosy comfort of their armchairs in front of TV. I think the only blot that falls upon Brian Cloughâs glory days has to be the Million pound transfer...if only in hindsight I could have spoken to him and warned him of the 21st Century and the great market in buying and selling plastic. But this is Sheffield, and a place known back in the 70âs for the footballer Tony Currie. Described by wiki as follows; an exuberant attacking midfield player with the vision and ability to strike long dangerous passes. Scally sign him! Whoa, hang on their Mr Chairman I was only joking but whoâs this coming through the door the Special One, Jose Mourinho a second closer look at the news headlines state John Mousinho, Preston midfielder on a two month loan. Not quite a Tony Currie or a Jose to replace the interim but most Gills supporters had already guessed PT had got the job. Turning back to our hosts, I always get confused to who is the oldest football club, Sheffield United or Notts County? My camel friend tells me, Sheffield can claim to be the birthplace of football, with the formation of Sheffield FC. Birthplace! it was more like a boxed coffin with the deafly silence from the opposing three sides of the ground. Although the sight of red and white stripes strike fear through my bones after the Priestfield visit of non-league Brackley Town last week. But there was to be no disappointment this time as the Gills put in a gutsy performance and an unexpected fantastic result, probably the best game I had seen in ages. To come away with three points as 1-2 winners is a great feeling and the last four minutes of injury time was a nervy but a brilliant experience as the Blades became ever more frustrated in being beaten by little ole Gillingham as we take to our feet in the finale. I saw some comments via twitter on my way home, from some not so happy Sheffield United tweeters, I didnât engage them, because the simple fact of the matter was you lost and we didnât and the points are on the table to prove it...everything else is completely irrelevant. People can point at Sheffieldâs position in the table but donât let that fool you we could easily have conceded a couple of goals early on if it has not been for Hewitt on the near post. Great warriors stood up today in blue what an incredible worthy journey it was for the two old grumpy camels, was that a smile they come away with...NEVER!, we have a reputation to keep. Well done lads. Chapter 1: http://www.not606.com/showthread.ph...amels-travel-to-Wolves-Gillingham-FC-Football Chapter 2: http://www.not606.com/showthread.ph...mels-travel-to-Swindon-Gillingham-FC-Football Chapter 3: http://www.not606.com/showthread.ph...mels-travel-to-Crawley-Gillingham-FC-Football Chapter 4: http://www.not606.com/showthread.ph...els-travel-to-Coventry-Gillingham-FC-Football Chapter 5: http://www.not606.com/showthread.ph...el-in-a-tiny-car-travel-to-Camp-Nou-(-Crewe-) Chapter 6: http://www.not606.com/showthread.ph...s-travel-to-Shrewsbury-Gillingham-FC-Football Chapter 7: http://www.not606.com/showthread.php/234726-Two-very-angry-camels-travel-to-Port-Vale Chapter 8:
Ha! BRB I was the person behind you when you had an argument with the idiot with the dog! The one who said we should take him to Sheffield with us, what a prat he was! Great day out and a great in, season defining. 2 very winnable home games now that we need to take full advantage of.
GmAD - hello mate, I was the better looking one of us two...lol Yes, I agree the dog walker was a bit of a prat. I do remember someone saying something but could not remember quite what? Are you saying that was you that said...'we should take him to Sheffield with us' He was just so rude the dog owner when he charged through us. It was obviously going to provoke a reaction.
What, and let alwaysright loose on him all the way to Sheffield? Punishment is one thing, but torture is in fact legally banned!
Yep that was me! I think I might have made a comment as he came through as well, a few people did but talk about an overreaction though! I've always wondered with away games, how do pes everyone get there? I usually drive, unless like yesterday it's a bit too far, but rarely see other cars. When I do get the coach there is usually only 1 or 2, then all of a sudden there's 650 Gills fans there! Do most go by train to have a drink? Whenever I look at the train prices they seem outrageously expensive.
