Post by Deleted on Oct 24, 2011 20:46:53 GMT
Sunday football – all that stuff about separate Sunday leagues as opposed to ordinary mainstream matches played on Sundays – has never really appeared on my radar. Teams named after pubs, businesses, night clubs isn’t quite for me. I mean look at the current Torbay Sunday League: Wheel Power, Mint Casino, Old Brewery, Dog & Duck. Nah....
But two weeks ago I found myself looking at the fixtures for the FA Sunday Cup (holders: Oyster Martyrs), a competition that’s been running since the 1960s and usually fills page 1000 (or thereabouts) of the Sky Sports Football Yearbook. It’s a funny one: only 126 entrants this year including twenty-two from Liverpool and eleven from Bedfordshire. According, that is, to the inevitable thread at www.nonleaguematters.co.uk/forum/gforum.cgi?post=358716;guest=48400914).
The other thing is that, in terms of the facilities demanded, the competition is almost on a par with the FA Vase save for the need for floodlights. Spectators are normally charged £2 and should be given access to a programme and refreshments. That’s why some of last week’s first round games were played at places such as Bedfont Sports, Carshalton Athletic, Mangotsfield United and Hitchin Town. It’s a case of the participants lining-up reasonable non-league venues to host their games.
Okay, I’m tempted. Just the once mind you, preferably at somewhere I’ve never been. After all, a national football competition won three times by Hetton Lyons Cricket Club must have something to offer even if I’m not sure what. How about Efford United v All Saints Bristol at Elburton Villa? Could be a bit spicy with the dubious bonus of a jarring of accents that would easily fill a socio-linguist’s notebook. And, from what I’ve heard about the FA Sunday Cup, it’ll probably feature a bunch of Peninsula and Western League players who are both knackered and pissed from the day before.
Ferry to Mountbatten; a snoop around the old railway lines, quays and quarries of Hooe, Turnchapel and Oreston; £2 at the gate; a cuppa for 70p and even a match ticket:
Basic programme – note the staples down the side but, hey, somebody is making an effort. There’s also the cry, on the Efford United team page, for PRIDE PASSION BELIEF TEAMWORK:
Elburton is at the far end of Plymstock just before Plymouth gives way to the South Hams. I’d heard that Elburton Villa had a new pitch but I didn’t realise it adjoins the old. By the looks of things floodlights are being installed with foundations also being prepared for a stand. But last week’s game is on the older, rougher looking surface which – if I was a half-decent ‘hopper with a bloody spreadsheet – I’d have to record as Elburton Villa [1]. The Groundhopping Police would then insist I return to tick off Elburton Villa [2] before properly counting it. I’ll probably not bother unless TUFC visit in the Devon St Luke’s....
At first impression the clubhouse is functional and plain-looking. Venture inside and there’s a smashing little bar with – and this is surely a unique feature south of Small Heath – a job lot of rather fetching Birmingham City folding chairs. Absolutely brilliant: the backrests are the team shirt (with the Flybe logo); the seats are the shorts. Nip outside round the back and the loos are first-rate with a splendid balcony and walkway which wouldn’t look out-of-place on a holiday camp at Bigbury-on-Sea. Yes, the charms are hidden at Elburton and I don’t just mean the cheery young woman selling raffle tickets with a call of “A pound a strip!” Somehow she amended that to “50/50 draw?” when she reached me, perhaps being unwilling to try her sauciness on a non-Effordian.
As for the game, it wasn’t bad. One or two Peninsula League names including Lee Rundle of Falmouth Town who doubles these days as a semi-pro cage fighter. Several from Tavistock and, I think, a number of Roman Glass St George (Western League) players for the visitors. A few characters, too, you wouldn’t want to cross on Union Street but – generally speaking – save for several choice challenges it was sensible stuff and passable Step 6/7 football. Initially All Saints were the more plausible team and looked likely winners throughout the first half. But Efford went ahead just before half-time and grew into their lead in the second half.
Then, with about twenty-five minutes to go, I found myself stood next to a group of young bucks who were present in their official capacity as Efford’s substitutes. This was the only low point of a pleasant afternoon as two in particular immediately got on my tits with their clever dick disparaging remarks about the Efford manager and several of their team mates (especially, as might be imagined, those in “their” positions). Egged on by a bloke who may have been a Saturday team mate, Young Buck 1 went to talk to the manager. I’m not sure what was said but the gist of the outcome was “**** off! If you’re only going to give me ten minutes you can stuff it!” Cue disappearance of Young Buck 1 subsequently followed by Young Buck 2 who must have had a similar exchange of opinion. Earwigging later conversations, it transpired that both had demanded to be brought on in place of the disparaged duo who were playing in their place. Fair play for enthusiasm and self-belief. At least it’s a variation on the Tevez theme.
As page two of the programme declared: “RESPECT ALL”. Suffice to say Efford were now restricted to bringing on defenders and midfielders as both Young Buck 1and Young Buck 2 were strikers. This at a time when, it needs to be said, Efford’s front men were tiring with every prospect – should a goal be conceded – of extra time and penalties.
You can only surmise what the Two Young Bucks had to say when All Saints scored twice in the final five minutes to win the game....
Pound a strip, anyone?
But two weeks ago I found myself looking at the fixtures for the FA Sunday Cup (holders: Oyster Martyrs), a competition that’s been running since the 1960s and usually fills page 1000 (or thereabouts) of the Sky Sports Football Yearbook. It’s a funny one: only 126 entrants this year including twenty-two from Liverpool and eleven from Bedfordshire. According, that is, to the inevitable thread at www.nonleaguematters.co.uk/forum/gforum.cgi?post=358716;guest=48400914).
The other thing is that, in terms of the facilities demanded, the competition is almost on a par with the FA Vase save for the need for floodlights. Spectators are normally charged £2 and should be given access to a programme and refreshments. That’s why some of last week’s first round games were played at places such as Bedfont Sports, Carshalton Athletic, Mangotsfield United and Hitchin Town. It’s a case of the participants lining-up reasonable non-league venues to host their games.
Okay, I’m tempted. Just the once mind you, preferably at somewhere I’ve never been. After all, a national football competition won three times by Hetton Lyons Cricket Club must have something to offer even if I’m not sure what. How about Efford United v All Saints Bristol at Elburton Villa? Could be a bit spicy with the dubious bonus of a jarring of accents that would easily fill a socio-linguist’s notebook. And, from what I’ve heard about the FA Sunday Cup, it’ll probably feature a bunch of Peninsula and Western League players who are both knackered and pissed from the day before.
Ferry to Mountbatten; a snoop around the old railway lines, quays and quarries of Hooe, Turnchapel and Oreston; £2 at the gate; a cuppa for 70p and even a match ticket:
Basic programme – note the staples down the side but, hey, somebody is making an effort. There’s also the cry, on the Efford United team page, for PRIDE PASSION BELIEF TEAMWORK:
Elburton is at the far end of Plymstock just before Plymouth gives way to the South Hams. I’d heard that Elburton Villa had a new pitch but I didn’t realise it adjoins the old. By the looks of things floodlights are being installed with foundations also being prepared for a stand. But last week’s game is on the older, rougher looking surface which – if I was a half-decent ‘hopper with a bloody spreadsheet – I’d have to record as Elburton Villa [1]. The Groundhopping Police would then insist I return to tick off Elburton Villa [2] before properly counting it. I’ll probably not bother unless TUFC visit in the Devon St Luke’s....
At first impression the clubhouse is functional and plain-looking. Venture inside and there’s a smashing little bar with – and this is surely a unique feature south of Small Heath – a job lot of rather fetching Birmingham City folding chairs. Absolutely brilliant: the backrests are the team shirt (with the Flybe logo); the seats are the shorts. Nip outside round the back and the loos are first-rate with a splendid balcony and walkway which wouldn’t look out-of-place on a holiday camp at Bigbury-on-Sea. Yes, the charms are hidden at Elburton and I don’t just mean the cheery young woman selling raffle tickets with a call of “A pound a strip!” Somehow she amended that to “50/50 draw?” when she reached me, perhaps being unwilling to try her sauciness on a non-Effordian.
As for the game, it wasn’t bad. One or two Peninsula League names including Lee Rundle of Falmouth Town who doubles these days as a semi-pro cage fighter. Several from Tavistock and, I think, a number of Roman Glass St George (Western League) players for the visitors. A few characters, too, you wouldn’t want to cross on Union Street but – generally speaking – save for several choice challenges it was sensible stuff and passable Step 6/7 football. Initially All Saints were the more plausible team and looked likely winners throughout the first half. But Efford went ahead just before half-time and grew into their lead in the second half.
Then, with about twenty-five minutes to go, I found myself stood next to a group of young bucks who were present in their official capacity as Efford’s substitutes. This was the only low point of a pleasant afternoon as two in particular immediately got on my tits with their clever dick disparaging remarks about the Efford manager and several of their team mates (especially, as might be imagined, those in “their” positions). Egged on by a bloke who may have been a Saturday team mate, Young Buck 1 went to talk to the manager. I’m not sure what was said but the gist of the outcome was “**** off! If you’re only going to give me ten minutes you can stuff it!” Cue disappearance of Young Buck 1 subsequently followed by Young Buck 2 who must have had a similar exchange of opinion. Earwigging later conversations, it transpired that both had demanded to be brought on in place of the disparaged duo who were playing in their place. Fair play for enthusiasm and self-belief. At least it’s a variation on the Tevez theme.
As page two of the programme declared: “RESPECT ALL”. Suffice to say Efford were now restricted to bringing on defenders and midfielders as both Young Buck 1and Young Buck 2 were strikers. This at a time when, it needs to be said, Efford’s front men were tiring with every prospect – should a goal be conceded – of extra time and penalties.
You can only surmise what the Two Young Bucks had to say when All Saints scored twice in the final five minutes to win the game....
Pound a strip, anyone?