“It was the third of September, a day I’ll always remember” The Temptations famously sang when warbling about their dad being like a “Rolling Stone”. Well, for me, the 3rd September 2011 was the day I discovered National Non- League Day back home here in England and that meant a chance to visit the ground where my love of live football began – Booth Street, Congleton, home of Congleton Town Football Club – our version of “Da Bears”. (For the uninitiated, my hometown has the nickname of “Beartown”, a name that relates to the town’s ancient past, when it had a bear for entertainment.) The premise of “National Non-League Day” was to generate interest in the lower levels of English football. It is a day when fans of the bigger clubs, like yours truly, get the opportunity to go and watch non-league, or semi-professional football. It takes place when there’s an “international break” as was the case this weekend. To add extra spice to the occasion, Congleton Town was playing in the F.A. Cup, the oldest domestic competition in world football. Their opponents were Runcorn Town, a team they had drawn (or tied if you’re reading this in the USA) 2-2 in the League the previous Tuesday.
Booth Street Congleton is a million miles from Foxborough Massachusetts. Let me make that perfectly clear. There was no car parking charge of $40 to contend with on this occasion. Linda and I parked by the side of a nearby street and walked up to the ground.
It cost £6 each to get in. The admission fee is a long way from the exorbitant fees charge by the more glamorous grounds around the world (hello Old Trafford and Gillette Stadium). Once you’d made your way through the turnstiles the programme was the next thing to be bought. The cost of one of these programmes was the princely sum of £1.20. Again, very refreshing from the £3.00 we last paid at Old Trafford three years ago or the $10 we paid in Foxborough (admittedly, that was a very glossy brochure so I’ll let them off on this occasion!)
Hindsight is always 20/20, but maybe things weren’t meant to be when the announcer, when welcoming everyone to the ground, said “Welcome to Booth Street, home of Congleton Town, for this North West Counties League . . . oh, wait a minute, it isn’t a league game, it’s the F.A. Cup isn’t it? Anyway, welcome to our visitors Runcorn Town!”
Could it be possible that it might just be 1989 all over again, when Congleton famously got to the first round proper of the F.A.Cup, the game’s oldest domestic competition, only to be beaten by neighbours Crewe Alexandra? Congleton lost that day by 2-0 to a side that was several divisions higher in the football pyramid. I went to that game and remember it vividly. The score was 0-0 for 70 minutes until Town‘s resistance finally gave way to their near neighbour’s superior fitness. What made that day even more memorable were the commemorative scarves made to celebrate the occasion.
Quality control went missing as the scarves famously said “Congletown Town” on them instead of “Congleton Town”! That rogue “W” was the inspiration for the title of a Congleton Town fanzine I once featured in entitled “What W?” Anyhow, let’s get back into the DeLorean and get back to 2011!
Would the game have a similar outcome to the recent league meeting or would “The Bears” win and continue on the road to Wembley? Sadly the game would prove to be the last Town would play in this season’s F.A.Cup as they lost 6-0. Tragedy struck after 14 minutes when the team’s goalkeeper, making his debut, broke his fibula and tibia.
There has always been a concern over how money is distributed in football in England. The inequality between the top level and the bottom was never more visible than watching the goalkeeper getting treatment for his quite nasty injury. Those of you whose football viewing is limited to the glamour of the Premier League or MLS would be astounded by how limited resources are at the semi-professional level.
It was necessary for an ambulance to be called – no ambulance on standby here; no doubt they couldn’t afford that – don’t blame Congleton in any way shape or form. They did the best they could. It took 45 minutes for the aforementioned ambulance to arrive. I’ve never seen a game held up for that amount of time in nearly 40 years of watching football, but hey, this is the harsh reality of life in the lower leagues. The poor goalkeeper needed morphine and gas and air to ease the pain.
I’m of the opinion that the injury to the goalkeeper had a detrimental effect on the team’s morale. The team that had drawn only 4 days previously looked second best right throughout the game. Runcorn passed the ball better and looked hungrier to win the ball whenever they lost possession. Defensive errors were costly for the home team.
An honourable mention must go to the number 8 for Congleton, Walsh, who battled ferociously for the 90 minutes and looked composed on the ball. Even though his team were getting a “thrashing” his head never went down and he always made himself available to a team mate. Both Linda and I liked the way he played very much.
So, although the result was not the one Linda and I hoped for, it was nice to go to watch Congleton Town again. It was a lovely fresh Saturday afternoon with an autumnal breeze that made it very refreshing after another hot and humid New England summer. Going to a game at a lower level is great because it gives you an understanding of how much it means for people to give up a couple of nights a week to train, because these guys have “day jobs” and then play on a Saturday afternoon at 3pm – the traditional fixture kick-off time. No games commandeered for satellite TV here my fiends!
I first watched Congleton Town play back in the 1970’s . . . I think I’ll be going to a game again soon – despite not winning the half-time raffle!
Enjoy your football wherever you watch it,
Ed
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