Didn't We Have A Lovely Time The Day We Went To Wembley

Earlier this month I was fortunate enough to win 2 tickets to the FA Trophy final at Wembley in a competition run by Non League day,for those of you  unaware of the mysteries of Non League Football the Trophy is for clubs at the top 4 levels of the Non League pyramid and this years final was between Conference side (Step1) Wrexham who many will have heard of and North Ferriby Utd (Step 2) some of the players mothers have never heard of them, I certainly had to get Google Maps out to find out they are a few miles from Hull.

So at 9.15 my mate Dave and I hopped on board a Virgin Voyager at Sandwell and Dudley Station for the trip south, 15 minutes later the days only mishap occurred when we took the "Long" walk from New Street to Moor street and took 10 minutes instead of five,at our age that can be a bugger.
Anyhow safely ensconced on one of Chiltern railways very nice Class 168 unit's we set off,I do have a bit of a think for Chiltern,the empty seats by us were soon taken by a couple of guys of similar age,Wrexham fans, the 100 minute journey flew by as we regaled each other with  tales of football of years gone by from the very top to parks football,it was sad that their journey home would be on the back of defeat.

Getting off the station I got my first proper view of the new Wembley having last been there in 1974 to see the mighty Wolves give Man City a good spanking,a win for the underdogs that was very prescient considering how the day was to unfold

As we made our way onto the concourse there were plenty of fans milling around even though kick off was  still a good 90 plus minutes away drinking in the atmosphere and taking photos.talking of photo's I should point out that the tickets I won were in a small photographic competition and mine and those of the other winners were in the programme and on the big screens inside.

The reason for saying this was that Dave had decided to be my agent for the day and was regaling anyone who would listen with tales of my magnificence (Sad Bugger),this included 2 young ladies fans of North Ferriby and I guess there dad who Dave ,realising they might want a photo of the 3 of them together dived in and persuaded them to let an award winning photographer take the shot,one of the young ladies was less impressed as she had to show me how to take a photo on her iPhone (Well if it's not got canon or Fuji on the front I haven't got a clue

And so midday chimed the gates opened and in we went and immediately I was confronted by officialdom,as I had a small rucksack  it needed to be searched and so I queued cynically awaiting the attentions of the usual humerlous jobsworth,well no the Security Guard was polite jovial and efficient and that was an attitude we were to experience from all the staff we encountered,Wembley should be very proud of them

Inside is light and airy with plenty of food outlets,expensive but not quite as extortionate as I expected so we had a coffee before going to look at the stadium itself

Over coffee we got chance to chat to some North Ferriby fans,we were in their end,a and find out a bit more of the club we had never heard of before

And so up the steps into the stadium itself and I have to say it us a hell of a place,perfect sight lines from I think all angles wide aisles and well marked  seats although why in our case one side of the aisle was 90 and the other 120 baffles me.

Anyhow Dave and I found our seats and started taking in the atmosphere,oh yes this is Dave a mate from school of nearly 50 years standing

As the ground started filling my shot and those of the other winners started coming up on the big screen,it doesn't half give the ego a boost 

As the ground began to fill friends from the Non League Fraternity started to arrive both in the stands and pitchside,I am a member of a Facebook group of photographers some of whom were photographing the match,so as I says friends I had met before some who were Social Media friends and it was great to meet them in the flesh for the first time

And so to the match and for about 70 minutes it was a decent game with Wrexham largely on top and as their second goal went in I was not alone in saying "Game Over", and had it ended that way it would have been a thoroughly pleasant day out but football as all of us who love the game know can in the immortal Mr Greaves's words be "A Funny old game" and so it turned out.

With 15 minutes to go Ferriby put together a neat passing move got a player free in the box and as he went around the keeper was brought down,penalty,should it have been a sending possibly but I will give ref Michael Oliver the benefit of the doubt as he added to his reputation with another quality display

So Penalty expertly dispatched and 2-1 with 15 minutes to go,now I'm not sure if Wrexham's confidence was fragile but they were now very much in the decendancy,if there is such a word, as Feribly launched a wave off attacks and with just 4 minutes of normal time left grabbed a deserved equaliser and their fans who had given good support even at 0-2 went wild,so extra time it was.

At this point thye massed brains of our neutral group analysed what had happened and how extra time would pan out and came to the conclusion that  the fitness of full time Wrexham would be the telling factor over part time Ferriby.

And so extra time started and once again it was realised why most of us spend our times photographing Reffing writing or just spectating because Ferriby tore into Wrexham with wave after wave of attacks and the third goal was not long in coming.

Finally Wrexham woke from their malaise and began to exert some influence with the pressure finally telling 4 minutes from the end as an unstoppable strike made it 3-3 and gave us the drama of penalties.

By this time we had given up predicting and just watched the drama unfold,Wrexhan missed,the giant Feriby centre foirward had a chance to win it and blue it with a powder puff attempt,more goals and then the pressure finally told on the Full Time Professionals as the Ferriby keeper became the hero oif the hour with I think his third save.

The green and white around us went barmy and the underdog had triumphed in a pulsating afternoons entertainment

And so back homes crowds of Wrexham fans quietly leaving,4 by us on the train hardly saying a word but Dave and I were buzzing,it had a fabulous day out from start to finish and reinforced our love of Non League football and all that it can give us

As a footnote it was fate that I was there in the first place,up until December I had been a club photographer and as a result of a very ill judged social media rant against the mangers tactics I ended up leaving,without that I wouldn't have been at Stourbridge to take the photo that won me the tickets that meant I had that incredible day

Thats's Life

The Non League Family At It's Very Best

People often ask me why I have such a love for Non League football and my reply is always the friendliness the banter on most occasions whether it will a well supported match or 3 men and a dog in attendance,well yesterday I experienced that at its ultimate in the match between Halesowen Town and FC United Of Manchester

For those in the dark and unaware of the story of FC United they were formed as a breakaway by Manchester United fans sickened of what was happening to their club after the takeover by the Glazer family in 2005 on the principle that it would be and remain a fan owned club,well in 10 short years they have moved from the North West Counties  League Division 2 to the brink of the Vanamerama Conference North and in the process funded the building of their own stadium where hopefully they will finish off their season this year

Now anyone who knows me will be well aware that to say that Manchester United are a long way from being my favourite club and that some of their supporters epitomise all that is wrong with football at the top levels so it was with mild trepidation that  I waited to see what the breakaway was like,well they couldn't have been more different.
Being at the match yesterday was like being at the matches I used to watch in my youth with opposing fans sitting next to each other non stop chanting the vast majority of which was unoffensive and the applauding of good play even if by the opposition

What really made the day and epitomised what is so good about this level of football came at the end of the game, United fans obviously happy at their sides 1-0 win but Halesowen fans cheering their side off the pitch after a fine battling performance,as we see in the Bundesliga both sets of players applauding the fans befoire leaving the pitch and on my way out fans of each side shaking hands ,hugging and wishing each other all the best for the remainder of the season

  And in case you think this was a match with a few hundred there the attendance was over 1400 behaving impeccably and enjoying the game as it should be done

In The Shadow Of A Bigger Neighbour

Yesterday I paid my first visit to Allpay Park home of Step 5 Westfields who play in the Midlands Football League and are based in the city of Hereford and thereby hangs a tale ,as anyone with a love  of Non League football will know this year saw the sad demise of Hereford Utd one of the great names of Non League football famous for their victory over Newcastle Utd back in the 70's.

Since Utd collapsed Westfields have been the beneficiaries with an increase in gates this season of over 90% obviously many former Utd fans need a regular fix of Non League Football

But there is an Elephant in the room that being the Phoenix club Hereford FC who have this week secured a 5 year lease on Utd's old ground at Edgar Street and will kick off there next season in a League somewhere between Steps 4 & 6 dependent upon the strictures of the FA.So where will that leave Westfields ,well firstly I am sure at least some of the former Utd fans who have decamped across the road have been impressed with what they have seen at Allpay Park ,I have seen them a couple of times this season and they are highly entertaining and the club itself most welcoming

But of course the vast majority of former Utd fans will be following the new Hereford FC and Westfields will probably have to live without the extra income but there is an option,if the homeless of Hereford who found solace at Allpay were made as welcome as I was yesterday and are unable or unwilling to make long journeys that by the nature of things they will have to make in  whatever league they are in next year then do what you have this year and go and watch Westfields on Herefords away days.

Hopefully the powers that be in the world of fixtures will ensure that the 2 clubs being so close won't be at home at the same time so maybe this seasons upturn in attendance for Westfields wont totally go away