Did He Really Mean It?

Being back at work after a long weekend is a thoroughly depressing situation, isn’t it? I’ve always been one to look on the positives of most situations - and I get vexed at those who constantly moan at things that everyone else is experiencing (seriously, when it’s cold, you know we’re all cold, right? When it’s dark in the mornings when you rise - you’re not alone there, wise guy, so keep it zipped, yeah?) - but this morning, after a weekend offering what can only be described as ‘mixed’ emotions, I really don’t want to be here.  

Stuck in my Kent office with only the assorted borderline mental patients that keep me company for nine hours of the day is hardly going to inspire wordplay on a Shakespearean level, or help my workrate rise above that of Mick Quinn, let’s be honest. But strive I shall to wade through this situation as best I can…  

It’s the final week before the ‘big’ game on Sunday afternoon, the FA Cup Second Round Proper. News has emerged that the draw for the Third Round Proper will take place DURING the game we will be at on Sunday afternoon, as the tie immediately prior to the Chasetown/Port Vale clash, Harrogate Railway v Mansfield Town, will be broadcast on the BBC and in their infinite wisdom the Beeb have deemed it right and proper to pretend that the Second Round is already over, despite a game kicking off an hour after the one they’ve chosen to televise. Pfft. 

Having taken around 700 travelling fans to Team Bath, Chasetown will be looking to increase those numbers by at least double. A relatively local journey up the motorway to Burslem, Stoke-on-Trent, should provide those hidden fans that traditionally come out on occasions like this with reason enough to travel. Tickets, unfortunately, are only available from the Chasetown ticket office, and the chances of being able to get there at any point this week are minimal. So it looks like we’ll be taking our chances with tickets on the gates - or braving the ‘home end’. That’s the only trouble when you get to this stage of the competition. Having exclusively been to non-league grounds thus far, it’s something of a culture shock when you go to an all-seater stadium, with segregation and the possible prospect of a ticket shortage.  

As I’ve mentioned before, Chasetown were the visitors at the first FA Cup game I paid to go and see, at my local club Gresley Rovers. That afternoon’s entertainment was prompted by a friend of mine ringing me (at my house! Imagine that! A home phone! I miss those halcyon days before mobile phones, when you’d be sitting in the living room watching The Chart Show and eating ham sandwiches, and then a friend would ring the house. You’d leave the phone to ring so that your mother could answer it as there was NOTHING more embarrassing than talking to someone who wanted to talk to your parents, only for her to immediately slam it down on the side with such force that the entire cabinet would rattle and almost cause an avalanche of Princess Diana and Royal Crown Derby memorabilia, and say in a tone that could chill the bones of Mike Tyson at 20 paces,  ’It’s for you’) and asking me if I fancied spending a freezing afternoon on the terraces at the Moat Ground, the ramshackle old home of Gresley Rovers.

I agreed, and a thoroughly wonderful afternoon’s entertainment was enjoyed by all. Well, me and him. I remember certain things very clearly. Gresley, who at that stage were conquering all in front of them at the top of the Dr Marten’s Premier Division, had fans that sang with great gusto, and a crowd in excess of 500. Nowadays, a visit to Gresley makes you long for those days as around 250 souls will stand soundlessly (bar a few young lads, determined to bring back those days - I hope they succeed) around the edge of the pitch and moan about how things used to be.

That game ended in a home win, as plucky underdogs (as they were, as they shall ever be…) Chasetown were narrowly defeated by the bigger, stronger Gresley side.  They can, however, go into the Port Vale game in greater heart. They’ve improved immeasurably since those days ten years ago, and their performance against Team Bath showed that they can take the fight to a higher club - and not only out-muscle their opponents, but out-think and out-play them as well. OK, a huge gulf exists between Team Bath and Port Vale - but this competition is made for shocks.  

Vale’s shining light will be their new manager, Lee Sinnott. Prized by a number of league clubs, Sinnott has considerable experience of the Non-League game having taken Farsley Celtic to the pinnacle of the Non League set-up. He, for one, will know not to take his opponents lightly. Yes, the pre-match interview cliches will be in abundance for all to see - expect Sinnott to say ‘There are no easy games in the FA Cup’ and ‘They’re an organised outfit and can cause us a lot of trouble…’ etc etc - but that doesn’t mean that this time, he doesn’t have a point.Since taking over on November 5th, Sinnott has seen his new Port Vale charges go down to defeats at Crewe and Promotion-chasing Doncaster, and gain a creditable draw at Oldham - as well as defeating Morecambe to set up this tie today. The fact remains, however, that Port Vale are rooted to the foot of League One. Confidence, despite the ‘new manager bounce’ that may still be in evidence, won’t be the highest. And they will be there for the taking. And we’ll be there to see it.