(and it only took a month and 4 days to get there !) Two angry camels travel to Stevenage - or back to the future ( title courtesy of brb ) Happy New Year to camels everywhere! No, I'm not a bit late or slow ( not as slow as our defence ), nor have I entered a time warp. Stevenage v Gills was meant to be played on 1st., January. Unfortunately it rained and the game was called off --- but not until about 12.40pm - by which time the camels had boarded the coach and had reached half way to nowhere.(angry camels) The postponement did nothing to help in the preperation of this thread - on which I refuse to do major surgical editing - besides it would deprive you of some rubbish I had researched. The postponement deprived me of large scale alcohol consumption the night before - because of the need to drive to the pick up point. I expect that the players were feeling a little less merry for similar 'dry' reasons. You'd have thought that as news of the postponement came through there would be sympathy for us already on the coach. I never ask for, nor want any pity - but I can do without the clever comment that Simply Posh made - that we would take the chance to go and do some shopping. I may talk like an old woman - but I can assure S P that I DO have appendages between my legs - that cannot allow me to comprehend why it is necessary to have so many pairs of shoes. New Year's day it should have been. But there was no lie in on a Bank Holiday for the two angry camels as they ventured to Stevenage - well Gravesend before turning round upon the announcement that the game was off. Trust Simply Posh to think about the New Year sales. The only bargain we were looking for was to get a set of cheap three points in Hertfordshire.... Talking of sales - is there ever a time at DFS when there isn't a sale ? Their radio adverts are so annoying that I just have to change channels each time they are aired. I'm glad that I don't have to turn out to engage in sport on 1st January. I can imagine that some footballers wouldn't mind nursing an injury over the festive season. I'd think that it would have been quite miserable for them on New Years eve. I'm not sure that I can believe anyone when they say that you don't have to be full of party spirit to enjoy the occasion the same as others - and of course, we NOW know that the players COULD have had a drink or two and a lie in. 1st., January hasn't always been New Years Day - only since 1751 in England. We know that other countries have their cultural New Year on all sorts of different dates - and not always on the same day each year. ( Chinese use the new moon of the first lunar month .) Modern dating of New Years Day co-incided with the Feast of Circumcision of Christ - now a threat of THAT could inspire footballers not to over indulge the previous night. The camels were grateful that the journey was to be a short one - to Stevenage. The football club is quite new in the 'top' tiers of English football, but were the first team to win a competitive game at the new Wembley ( 2007 F.A..Trophy win (3-2) v Kidderminster.) The town itself is not new - featuring in the Domesday book. They like to party in Stevenage ! Stevenage used to be home to an English novelist, Sir Edward Bulwer-Lython. No, I've never heard of him either! He would have been a scream at any New Year's Eve party. He used to think that he was invisible ! ( can you imagine what he'd be like with much alcohol inside him.).... the camels were hoping that the Gills defence / attack wouldn't be unseen today. There was another weirdo in Stevenages history - Henry Trigg. He clearly liked a few drinks. One night out with his mates ended up in a churchyard (as you do !) where he encountered some people out for a spot of grave robbing - body snatching ( as you do when intoxicated ). The experience traumatised Trigg - who became paranoid that HIS remains would be desecrated. He decided to bequeath his body to the beneficiaries of his estate - with one proviso -- That the recipient had to place the coffin containing Trigg's body in the rafters of their home to prevent it being stolen. NICE ! Puts a whole new slant to the term 'skeletons in the cupboard.' Remarkably THIS situation prevailed. Trigg's body remained in the aforementioned state - until a modern breed of grave robbers in World War 1 stole his bones for souveneirs. Would The Gills perform a smash & grab of 3 points - hopefully with no broken bones for souveneirs - or would they play as if already mummified ? Those of you that have read the Alwaysright Gordon Road Stand thread will know that I have strong thoughts about roundabout rage. It's probably best that I do not consider moving to Stevenage - because it has very few traffic lights - but many roundabouts.( use your bloody indicators ). The town also boasts some of the tallest street lamps in Britain. ( I think that somebody should tell the residents that THESE are actually the football grounds' floodlights ). As the camels arrived in town, their alcohol levels were in need of topping up. They were interested to locate the watering hole known as The Pied Piper. This is the only pub that has been opened by our present monarch - but she wouldn't have bought you a pint - because it is thought that royalty do not carry any cash.... I don't think that we've ever had a King called Paul ! ( just when you thought that I wasn't going to mention our Chairman ) The camels were keen to see if any of their favourites had made any resolutions for the New Year - hoping that some intent to play good football and win games might feature on the list. So it was with renewed hope, and full of best wishes that the Gills fans went to the ground for kick off. Unfortunately the game was ruined as a contest in the 19th minute when Hewitt handled on the goal line and was shown a red card. The resultant penalty was scored to put the Gills 0-1. We then moved Smith to right back - but this was a disaster, as he was easily beaten too often - and eventually the 2nd Stevenage goal came from a cross after Smith was beaten. 0-2, and only 10 men - so no way back ! But things could have been so different despite the numerical disparity. Immmediately after the opening goal, McDonald missed a glorious open goal chance, and despite finishing well for the Gills goal early in the 2nd half, he had other reasonable chances to add to his tally. In the 2nd half Gills gave a good account of themselves. It was clear that if it had been 11 v 11 the result would have been very different. Harriman was brought on to fill in at right back. Whilst this stopped the Stevenage attacks, unfortunately we had to sacrifice Akinfenwa and thereby reducing our attacking options. We (understably) played a lot of long balls to overcome the number shortage, and with a bit of luck, we might have salvaged an unlikely point. In the end we have to write off the match without any real criticism of the players - the sending off dictated the destiny of the game - as it would in most similar circumstances. The camels returned to Kent - nursing a hangover unrelated to alcohol & one that doesn't affect your head - another footballing defeat - which is a different sort of pain (in the anus.) If this game ( and same result ) had been played on New Years day, ( 8th day of Christmas ) it would seem that it would have been better to have stayed at home, along with my maids and milked some cows.(I'm still not being nasty to my neighbour.) The January transfer window has been & gone. We are stuck with what we've got. Will it be enough to achieve L1 survival ? I think so (just) - let's hope that I'm not counting my Easter eggs before they've hatched. The next trip is that well known local derby v Carlisle. I won't be going - instead making my annual trip to Barcelona - The flight is cheaper than the coach to Hadrians wall - and I might actually see some decent football. belated Happy New Year everyone.
Excuse me ...... you must have been between Lake Side & Blue Water ..... I was only trying to be helpful As for your appendage .... glad you have found a use for it at last ... always wondered what they were for
We paid the discounted rate of £10 travel costs for this game after the fiasco of New Year's Day. The coach got to Stevenage the earliest it has got to any game this season. The M25 is so unpredictable. Hence we must have arrived before 6pm for a 7.45pm kick off. The driver managed to navigate us to the back of some car park which appeared in sections to resemble some mud bath with all the chewed up grass and practically absense of any lighting. The parking was the opposite side of a busy main road and we found it easier to use the subways rather than take our lives in our hands as was experienced at Wolves. After a shortish walk to the ground we eventually frequented the Stevenage Club Bar after getting stewards guidance in or need for beverages. This probably had to be one of the best clubs bars we have visited this season. Basic in interior but thankfully nothing resembling the over exuberance of the dreadful Blues Rock Cafe. The service was quick and efficient and queues apart from one small period kept to a minimum. I can't remember how much it was for a couple of pints but you got change out of six quid, so couldn't have been bad in a captive market. We even had large plates of chips, hot and not bad for £2 and far better than the tiny cardboard boxes served up and Priestfield. They were diet chips before anyone starts. Reasonably comfortable and warm conditions on a cold night. There was even carpet on the floor and not spit and sawdust as at Swindon's County Ground. Tables and seats reasonably plenty and some decent large screen TV's, not the cheap nasty portholes at the BRC. Mr Scally if you want to learn some lessons on the basic but efficient needs of a football supporter for the future, then get yourself along to here. Trying to do overall comparison's to other grounds (excluding pubs), ie our own, Swindon, Shrewsbury, Colchester...then Stevenage come out top. My match views have been given elsewhere.
