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Joy And Heartbreak
May. 22nd, 2022 08:10 pmSet off at 7.30 yesterday for Stockport for the FA Women’s National League promotion play-off, Southampton FC Women v Wolverhampton Wanderers Women. I’m enough of a Pompey fan still to root against the Saints, and a couple of old acquaintances are Wolves fans anyway, so I’d bought an old gold polo shirt online and a ticket in the Wolves end.
There were no trains running from Portsmouth Harbour station (at least the cafe was still open; a 480 mile round trip without a coffee in me is unthinkable) so it was a replacement bus up to Portsmouth & Southsea. The journey from there to Waterloo went without a hitch and I made it over to Euston in time to catch an earlier train north than the one planned.
So I arrived in Stockport just before 1 pm, messaged Jane who replied that she’d keep me informed if she could meet me, and made my way to the football ground following some other fans. After a wander round the outside of the ground showed no food outlets, I passed through the turnstile and into the Cheadle End where a smattering of Wolves fans were already present. I headed up into the concourse behind the stand, found a food stall also dispensing programmes, and got a prog and a Rollover hot dog.
At the front of the stand, I spotted legendary former Wolves Women player Anne Blackham and went to say hello. She remembered me, as did former team-mate Jen who was with her, and we chatted for a while then Anne agreed to have a pic done with me. Jen took it.
I’d texted Tony Leighton, formerly of She Kicks, a Wolves fan, to let him know I was at the ground. He rang me to say he was in the press box but had come down to the corner between the main stand and the Cheadle End. I walked down to the corner, the gate guard let Tony pass and we had a quick catch-up. Obviously Tony was freelancing covering the game for someone - maybe even She Kicks as poor old Jen was stuck at home self-isolating with Covid. He was going to the FAWNL Awards Ceremony in the evening so was staying in a hotel.
As kick-off drew nearer the end began to fill, as did the Southampton fans’ section in the main stand. The teams came out to mighty cheers and were presented to league chairlady Carol West and FA Head of Women’s Football Baroness Sue Campbell, the National Anthem played and the game was on.
Both teams continually pressed forward, with the amateur Wolves players not fazed by their semi-pro opponents, till in the 12th minute Southampton’s Sophia Pharaoh eluded her marker and rounded another defender to roll the ball home. The game continued still open and even from there on in, both teams had their chances but either fired high or wide or were thwarted by resolute defending.
On the stroke of half time, alas, Wolves’ Kelly Darby brought down a Southampton player, received her second yellow card and was dismissed.
Yet after the break Wolves continued to battle as before and the game remained even, both sides’ chances still coming to nothing. What I will always remember of that second half is the constant wall of sound from the Wolves fans. Hi Ho Silver Lining sung as ‘Hi Ho Wolverhampton’, ‘Stand up if you love the Wolves’ and others fairly easy to learn so I joined in with them all. A couple of Wolves corners in the dying minutes came to nothing, the final whistle went and the Southampton bench all rushed onto the pitch to celebrate with their players.
For the Wolves fans, there was just applauding their players in appreciation of a magnificent season in which they’d won the Northern Division with only one defeat, plus the Birmingham County Cup, only to be denied promotion now at the last hurdle. ‘We love you Wanderers, we do’ rang out through the end. As the Wolves players came over to receive the applause and condolences of the fans, I messaged Jane, from whom I’d heard no more, to let her know I could stick around until 5.30 or so.
I waited around by the dividing gate but no word from Jane. Then just before 5.30 a siren sound came over the PA followed by an instruction to all spectators to leave the stadium. I sent Jane one last message - ‘sorry missed you, have a great time at the awards’ - and drifted slowly back towards the station, Hank Marvin. On the way to the station I spotted a kebab shop and stopped for a Doner pitta.
The train pulled into Stockport 15 minutes late. We were heading towards Crewe when the message from Jane came - ‘Sorry buddy I couldn’t get away from the dignitaries, fantastic occasion’. With the delay to the train, which despite his stated hope in his first passenger announcement, the driver didn’t make up, and a six minute wait for the tube at Euston, I only had enough time at Waterloo to get a bottle of sugar free Sprite quick before boarding the Portsmouth train…which was then held up for 15 minutes because of a broken switch, which happily there was an engineer to hand to fix. Another replacement bus at Portsmouth & Southsea and a scrum for taxis at Gosport ferry with returning revellers, then the taxi driver got lost. Home at 11.30 pm. Lying on my bed - had I really been to Stockport? yes - nodded off to The Missionary with Michael Palin on Talking Pictures.
I’d been invited to the aforementioned FA Women’s National League Awards in Stockport yesterday evening. Alas, I’d been obliged to decline with a heavy heart, as by the time the invitation came I’d already promised the AFC Portchester Ladies that I’d come to their last game of the season today. So at lunch time I was at Fareham station for Lewis, chairman of the Arancione, fellow fan TK and club photographers Dan and Nathan to pick me up for the drive to a little pitch in Romsey.
We chatted about Portchy and football along the motorway. Lewis warned us there wouldn’t be facilities, just a pitch and a pavilion. Terrific. Happily he’d brought Tangos for all of us - needed as it was blazing sun. Lewis said Portchy Ladies were down to 10 players today. When we arrived and I went to say hello to manager Mark, that turned out to be the case. Sam was absent as she was getting married and several more of the squad were at the wedding. I revealed that I’d missed a posh awards do to attend the game. Lewis said “A true Portchy fan there” and Mark thanked me and said he’d let the girls know.
We were reduced to nine players before the match started as one girl injured herself during warm-up. Seeing a sign on the fence indicating a coffee shop, I followed it and passed through a steel stile to see a perfect little cafe. Bought a toffee crunch ice cream and an orangeade from the two friendly ladies and popped back to the pitch with minutes to kick-off.
The home team AFC Varsity were in lime green shirts and amethyst shorts. Lewis said they looked like Seattle Sounders. Lewis and TK put up the Arancione banners behind the goal Portchy were attacking. Lewis led us in singing the Arancione chants including ones adapted to individual players on the Ladies’ team. With Lynsey Crewe having got married during the week, her chant to the tune of Voulez-vous was now obsolete. We spent a while trying to make a chant for Lynsey Crewe-Way. Meanwhile the newlywed herself put Portchy in front with a sweet looping strike from 20 yards.
Lewis visited the cafe at half time and came back with a strawberry ice cream and a cold Coke. During the second half he came up with the needed chant - to the tune I know well from CCFC, “Lynsey Crewe-Way, allez, allez, allez”. We gave it a couple of renditions and got a round of applause from Lynsey’s bride and a couple of friends standing along the touchline around the corner from us.
The nine women won 1-0 and came over at the final whistle to shake hands with us. I asked Lynsey how her wedding day went, she said it was perfect. Lynsey, a Liverpool fan, talked the Premier League title race with Lewis and TK.
The lads dropped me back at Fareham station. I hit the Fareham Kebab van for an excellent chicken strips wrap.
There were no trains running from Portsmouth Harbour station (at least the cafe was still open; a 480 mile round trip without a coffee in me is unthinkable) so it was a replacement bus up to Portsmouth & Southsea. The journey from there to Waterloo went without a hitch and I made it over to Euston in time to catch an earlier train north than the one planned.
So I arrived in Stockport just before 1 pm, messaged Jane who replied that she’d keep me informed if she could meet me, and made my way to the football ground following some other fans. After a wander round the outside of the ground showed no food outlets, I passed through the turnstile and into the Cheadle End where a smattering of Wolves fans were already present. I headed up into the concourse behind the stand, found a food stall also dispensing programmes, and got a prog and a Rollover hot dog.
At the front of the stand, I spotted legendary former Wolves Women player Anne Blackham and went to say hello. She remembered me, as did former team-mate Jen who was with her, and we chatted for a while then Anne agreed to have a pic done with me. Jen took it.
I’d texted Tony Leighton, formerly of She Kicks, a Wolves fan, to let him know I was at the ground. He rang me to say he was in the press box but had come down to the corner between the main stand and the Cheadle End. I walked down to the corner, the gate guard let Tony pass and we had a quick catch-up. Obviously Tony was freelancing covering the game for someone - maybe even She Kicks as poor old Jen was stuck at home self-isolating with Covid. He was going to the FAWNL Awards Ceremony in the evening so was staying in a hotel.
As kick-off drew nearer the end began to fill, as did the Southampton fans’ section in the main stand. The teams came out to mighty cheers and were presented to league chairlady Carol West and FA Head of Women’s Football Baroness Sue Campbell, the National Anthem played and the game was on.
Both teams continually pressed forward, with the amateur Wolves players not fazed by their semi-pro opponents, till in the 12th minute Southampton’s Sophia Pharaoh eluded her marker and rounded another defender to roll the ball home. The game continued still open and even from there on in, both teams had their chances but either fired high or wide or were thwarted by resolute defending.
On the stroke of half time, alas, Wolves’ Kelly Darby brought down a Southampton player, received her second yellow card and was dismissed.
Yet after the break Wolves continued to battle as before and the game remained even, both sides’ chances still coming to nothing. What I will always remember of that second half is the constant wall of sound from the Wolves fans. Hi Ho Silver Lining sung as ‘Hi Ho Wolverhampton’, ‘Stand up if you love the Wolves’ and others fairly easy to learn so I joined in with them all. A couple of Wolves corners in the dying minutes came to nothing, the final whistle went and the Southampton bench all rushed onto the pitch to celebrate with their players.
For the Wolves fans, there was just applauding their players in appreciation of a magnificent season in which they’d won the Northern Division with only one defeat, plus the Birmingham County Cup, only to be denied promotion now at the last hurdle. ‘We love you Wanderers, we do’ rang out through the end. As the Wolves players came over to receive the applause and condolences of the fans, I messaged Jane, from whom I’d heard no more, to let her know I could stick around until 5.30 or so.
I waited around by the dividing gate but no word from Jane. Then just before 5.30 a siren sound came over the PA followed by an instruction to all spectators to leave the stadium. I sent Jane one last message - ‘sorry missed you, have a great time at the awards’ - and drifted slowly back towards the station, Hank Marvin. On the way to the station I spotted a kebab shop and stopped for a Doner pitta.
The train pulled into Stockport 15 minutes late. We were heading towards Crewe when the message from Jane came - ‘Sorry buddy I couldn’t get away from the dignitaries, fantastic occasion’. With the delay to the train, which despite his stated hope in his first passenger announcement, the driver didn’t make up, and a six minute wait for the tube at Euston, I only had enough time at Waterloo to get a bottle of sugar free Sprite quick before boarding the Portsmouth train…which was then held up for 15 minutes because of a broken switch, which happily there was an engineer to hand to fix. Another replacement bus at Portsmouth & Southsea and a scrum for taxis at Gosport ferry with returning revellers, then the taxi driver got lost. Home at 11.30 pm. Lying on my bed - had I really been to Stockport? yes - nodded off to The Missionary with Michael Palin on Talking Pictures.
I’d been invited to the aforementioned FA Women’s National League Awards in Stockport yesterday evening. Alas, I’d been obliged to decline with a heavy heart, as by the time the invitation came I’d already promised the AFC Portchester Ladies that I’d come to their last game of the season today. So at lunch time I was at Fareham station for Lewis, chairman of the Arancione, fellow fan TK and club photographers Dan and Nathan to pick me up for the drive to a little pitch in Romsey.
We chatted about Portchy and football along the motorway. Lewis warned us there wouldn’t be facilities, just a pitch and a pavilion. Terrific. Happily he’d brought Tangos for all of us - needed as it was blazing sun. Lewis said Portchy Ladies were down to 10 players today. When we arrived and I went to say hello to manager Mark, that turned out to be the case. Sam was absent as she was getting married and several more of the squad were at the wedding. I revealed that I’d missed a posh awards do to attend the game. Lewis said “A true Portchy fan there” and Mark thanked me and said he’d let the girls know.
We were reduced to nine players before the match started as one girl injured herself during warm-up. Seeing a sign on the fence indicating a coffee shop, I followed it and passed through a steel stile to see a perfect little cafe. Bought a toffee crunch ice cream and an orangeade from the two friendly ladies and popped back to the pitch with minutes to kick-off.
The home team AFC Varsity were in lime green shirts and amethyst shorts. Lewis said they looked like Seattle Sounders. Lewis and TK put up the Arancione banners behind the goal Portchy were attacking. Lewis led us in singing the Arancione chants including ones adapted to individual players on the Ladies’ team. With Lynsey Crewe having got married during the week, her chant to the tune of Voulez-vous was now obsolete. We spent a while trying to make a chant for Lynsey Crewe-Way. Meanwhile the newlywed herself put Portchy in front with a sweet looping strike from 20 yards.
Lewis visited the cafe at half time and came back with a strawberry ice cream and a cold Coke. During the second half he came up with the needed chant - to the tune I know well from CCFC, “Lynsey Crewe-Way, allez, allez, allez”. We gave it a couple of renditions and got a round of applause from Lynsey’s bride and a couple of friends standing along the touchline around the corner from us.
The nine women won 1-0 and came over at the final whistle to shake hands with us. I asked Lynsey how her wedding day went, she said it was perfect. Lynsey, a Liverpool fan, talked the Premier League title race with Lewis and TK.
The lads dropped me back at Fareham station. I hit the Fareham Kebab van for an excellent chicken strips wrap.
