Treading water as apathy reigns

^^^ What is a MIF?!

Mehdenhead United 0-4 Welling United  

I could go to town on the experience last night. Stick the boot in, Alex Wall style. I won't as (1) it would give me little or no pleasure and (2) I can't really be bothered. The latter is rather apt.

Needless to say ...

Some things that I wish had changed, haven't:

Overpriced food; befuddled stewards; the Magpies conceding a far-post header and a comedy OG; ill-disciplined players (Messrs Wall and Hinds, unsurprisingly, the chief culprits); double standards as standard; a chronic lack of midfield creativity; the tannoy not working correctly; a soulless, shabby and soon-empty Club Shack. I could go on ...

Some things that I wish hadn't changed, have:

Before last night, a 2-1 win over Staines Town in April 2010 was the last game that I had attended at York Road (we weren't allowed in for the 3-0 defeat against Basingrad that followed in August). On paper, it was a meaningless, end-of-season encounter between two mid-table teams. The Youth (and the not-so-youthful) were behind the goal in numbers, though, and in good voice. Indeed, the Bell End was absolutely rocking during the second half.

It was a legendary midweek match, in my opinion, with memorable moments including:
   

A St John's Ambulance man with dwarfism truly excelling himself as a stretcher-bearer at half-time - he had to hold his handle up above his head - as the Youth rather cruelly hummed the Oompa Loompa tune

Darti Brown - "You're sub, in a shitty team" - staying out of sight within the away dugout; not once venturing out to warm up despite our encouragement for him to do so

Louis Wells - baited loudly throughout - gifting Lord Jamal of Fyfield (!) a late winner with a customary howler :-)

The standard of football wasn't great (far from it). Neither was the attendance (271, similar to the 260 announced last night ... although the latter seemed about thirty or forty steep to me). Yet there was a sense of togetherness (sort of). Noise. Humour. Enjoyment. Good times. In stark contrast, the only MUFC-affiliate inside York Road who could possibly feel contented last night was the person who gets to drive the shiny black 2011-plate Volkswagen Toureg parked close to the home dugout ... he/ she is obviously doing something right! ;-)

^^^ Ground improvements have clearly gone well
#palletastic

^^^ I did tell him he should have worn a disguise

Macleod (M), Bobby P, Joe and I ended up chewin' the fat in the Anchor until the small hours (I was the only one who had work the next day, more fool me!). The usual choons played on the jukebox: 3712 - 'Black and White Town' by Doves - sounding more profound than ever ...

It's been preying on me and mine

This is a dangerous place, man

This is a dangerous place, there's nothing here

Macleod (M) mentioned that Craig occasionally reads the Sunday Post to remind himself of why he doesn't regularly read the Sunday Post.

The relevance of this story was crystal clear.

^^^ The aftermath of Welling's fourth goal; a brilliant strike from Harry Baker. Coxy, on tannoy duty, had to ask the keeper - who didn't have a save to make all night - which player had scored! And he (Coxy) was standing right next to me when he announced it ... and I still couldn't understand a word he said! :-)

^^^ A new addition to the wall in Stripes. How long do you give it? M.U.F.F.