On the Left Wing
KIT NAPIER
It didn’t start too well.
The day dawned cold, wet and grey in the North East, and the skies promised little change in the weather conditions.
Our mood was further dampened when Glen Hoddle and his better half telephoned to say they couldn’t make the match as they were having to work their last day before going off on holiday on Sunday.
But still determined that this day was going to be something special, Mrs OTLW and I tucked into a plate of eggs and bacon and pulled on our stripes.
The car was filled with fuel and a large carrier bag filled with Fans United, We Need Falmer and Save the Racecourse placards stuffed into the back. A second bag with red, blue and white balloons was placed alongside the AA map and directions for our journey.
So off we set on a busy Saturday morning with all the usual early shopping traffic to head for our first stop: Leeds – and our planned 12.45 pick-up of The Northstander.
The journey down the A1 was fairly uneventful until we hit the inevitable traffic jam just 15 miles short of our first stop.
We eventually cut through the jam and then proceeded to get hopelessly lost trying to find our NSC colleague at junction 3 of the M621!
After half and hour of cursing the “feckin” navigator (I apologised later!) and stupid weekend drivers we found a lone guy standing at the side of the road in an Albion centenary shirt!
We were only 45 minutes late!
Our day brightened …. And so did the weather as grey skies parted to reveal bright sunshine and a clear autumn blue sky.
Now for the final leg down the M62 and A1 to our destination: Belle Vue, Doncaster.
Just 30 minutes later we were on the outskirts of the town following Graz126’s careful directions to the Park Hotel, for a pre-match drink (lemonade for me!) before the game.
More traffic congestion followed and our planned journey end was nearer 2.30pm than 1.50pm!
The drink had to pass as we parked the car in a side street and scurried the half mile towards the ground.
It was the 125th anniversary of the founding of Donny Rovers, so this was a special match for them and consequently the streets were heaving with families in red and white hoops, all heading for Belle View.
As we walked with them, there were many strange looks and muttered queries of “They’re Brighton” and “what the feck are they doing here?” … mixed with a few knowing smiles and nods.
It was 2.40pm when we reached the away side of the ground and met a nervous looking Rod Thomas – he had been waiting alone outside the ground for almost half an hour.
Introductions over we made our way in (only £10 admission!!!!) and immediately saw why Donny Rovers need a new ground. It was over seven years since I had last been here and I had forgotten how cramped and genuinely old their ground is. A large grandstand dwarfs on one side, the opposite side is a small covered stand of seats, one end is open terracing and the other is an abortion of glass fronted portacabins stacked on top of each other like a child’s lego set.
The away support was herded into part-covered terracing to the right of the main grandstand.
On all sides was a sea of red and white – Belle Vue was filling quickly and the hub-bub of tannoy announcements and Rovers chanting filled the air.
Somewhere out there we guessed that Yorkshire Seagull was standing with his Donny friends.
We found ourselves amid scores of Wrexham fans – quite a few seemed genuinely surprised to see us.
As we walked to a position conveniently in front of the pie shop, strangers began coming up to us and shaking our hands with welcomes of “thanks for coming, we really appreciate it” and “this is brilliant, thanks Brighton”.
We hurriedly handed out our various placards and began taking photos as more and more Wrexham fans came over to say hello.
On the pitch pom pom girls and other entertainment was keeping the crowd occupied.
Suddenly Rod Thomas pointed out a massive banner being passed among the Donny fans on the other side of the ground.
The banner said simply: “Save the Racecourse”!
As we were taking this all in, a squat bald guy in official Rovers tracksuit and camera waved to us to come down to the hoardings.
He explained that they wanted us on the pitch!!!
We looked at each other bemused.
Nervously, and one by one we clambered the wall at pitch side and followed him onto the pitch.
Almost spontaneously the far side the Donny fans broke into “Brighton and Hove Albion” while behind us the Wrexham applause was incredible …. the hairs on the back our necks stood on end – this was turning into something very special.
While trying to soak all this in, we were introduced to the chairman of Donny Rovers who shook our hands and said “We’ve come a long way since the dark days, haven’t we” and the vice chair who wished us all well and said Brighton was always the first result they looked for.
We were then huddled with a few Donny and Wrexham fans for a group photo on the pitch while holding up our various Falmer, Racecourse and Fans United placards.
Gingerly we looked around, turned to applaud the Donny fans and walked back to our friends in the Wrexham end … and yes we were applauded off the pitch as well!!! (That is an incredible measure of the esteem that Brighton and Hove Albion is held in).
More greetings and shaking hands followed as we clambered back to our position in front of the pie shop. Then the game kicked off.
In all honesty the match was quite poor. Wrexham looked the more organised while Donny showed midfield penetration but few ideas up front.
The Wrexham chanting began: a mixture of Anti-Hamilton songs (the best was: “Hamilton is a looney, he’s uglier than Rooney, he only wants our ground, the f***ing lying twat”), Bread of Heaven and a spine tingling Men of Harlech (felt like Zulu all over again!!!!).
We joined in with “We shall not be moved” and the anti-Hamilton songs we knew. Then suddenly it seemed the entire 300 plus Wrexham fans began singing “We love you Brighton, we do” …. The four of us looked at each other embarrassed and awestruck.
Then the inevitable: “Brighton, Brighton give us a song”.
In the loudest voice I could manage I yelled back “Seagulls”. Some applause before a witty: “Do you know anymore”.
Then thankfully Rod Thomas broke in leading a great “We shall not be moved” – thanks Rod!
We settled back to watch the match, when suddenly my pocket vibrated – it was a text from Cheshire Seagull at Palookaville – and Currie had scored 1-0!!!!!
We jumped around like looneys. Cheers from the Wrexham joined in when they realised what had happened and more strangers came over to shake our hands.
Half time and pie and Bovril was interrupted by dozens of Wrexham fans coming over to say hello – one guy gave us all Wrexham AFC enamel lapel badges, another copies of their Dismal Jimmy mag and another showed us a video of their campaigning activities that morning at Hamilton’s home!!!
Barely had time to eat our pies before respositioning ourselves amid in the middle of the Wrexham crowd.
The second half passed too quickly in the brilliant sunshine. More photo’s. another chant of “Brighton Brighton give us a song”, to which we all replied with “Albion Albion”, which Wrexham joined in.
Then a great quip of “Four away ... is that all you bring?”
Then a chant went up behind us “Nine months and we’ve got no ground” to which we replied “Six years and we’ve got no ground”. There was a roar of laughter all round.
Before we knew it the final whistle had blown and we stood to applaud both teams and their fans.
Then came the umpteenth lump in throat as two Wrexham players (one was their skipper) walked across to the stand and applauded us. We raised a thumb to them and they returned the salute …. marvellous scenes!!!!
We slowly left Belle Vue, said so-long to our new friends (many said they would try to make it to Crewe in two weeks time) and wended our way back to the car and home.
What a day it had been ….. extended slightly when an impromptu call to 606 gave us the chance to air the Falmer and Racecourse case and the poignancy of the day at Doncaster.
Got home at 9pm, knackered and very warm inside ….
Thankyou Donny and Wrexham … both very special friends.
Pix will follow later
The day dawned cold, wet and grey in the North East, and the skies promised little change in the weather conditions.
Our mood was further dampened when Glen Hoddle and his better half telephoned to say they couldn’t make the match as they were having to work their last day before going off on holiday on Sunday.
But still determined that this day was going to be something special, Mrs OTLW and I tucked into a plate of eggs and bacon and pulled on our stripes.
The car was filled with fuel and a large carrier bag filled with Fans United, We Need Falmer and Save the Racecourse placards stuffed into the back. A second bag with red, blue and white balloons was placed alongside the AA map and directions for our journey.
So off we set on a busy Saturday morning with all the usual early shopping traffic to head for our first stop: Leeds – and our planned 12.45 pick-up of The Northstander.
The journey down the A1 was fairly uneventful until we hit the inevitable traffic jam just 15 miles short of our first stop.
We eventually cut through the jam and then proceeded to get hopelessly lost trying to find our NSC colleague at junction 3 of the M621!
After half and hour of cursing the “feckin” navigator (I apologised later!) and stupid weekend drivers we found a lone guy standing at the side of the road in an Albion centenary shirt!
We were only 45 minutes late!
Our day brightened …. And so did the weather as grey skies parted to reveal bright sunshine and a clear autumn blue sky.
Now for the final leg down the M62 and A1 to our destination: Belle Vue, Doncaster.
Just 30 minutes later we were on the outskirts of the town following Graz126’s careful directions to the Park Hotel, for a pre-match drink (lemonade for me!) before the game.
More traffic congestion followed and our planned journey end was nearer 2.30pm than 1.50pm!
The drink had to pass as we parked the car in a side street and scurried the half mile towards the ground.
It was the 125th anniversary of the founding of Donny Rovers, so this was a special match for them and consequently the streets were heaving with families in red and white hoops, all heading for Belle View.
As we walked with them, there were many strange looks and muttered queries of “They’re Brighton” and “what the feck are they doing here?” … mixed with a few knowing smiles and nods.
It was 2.40pm when we reached the away side of the ground and met a nervous looking Rod Thomas – he had been waiting alone outside the ground for almost half an hour.
Introductions over we made our way in (only £10 admission!!!!) and immediately saw why Donny Rovers need a new ground. It was over seven years since I had last been here and I had forgotten how cramped and genuinely old their ground is. A large grandstand dwarfs on one side, the opposite side is a small covered stand of seats, one end is open terracing and the other is an abortion of glass fronted portacabins stacked on top of each other like a child’s lego set.
The away support was herded into part-covered terracing to the right of the main grandstand.
On all sides was a sea of red and white – Belle Vue was filling quickly and the hub-bub of tannoy announcements and Rovers chanting filled the air.
Somewhere out there we guessed that Yorkshire Seagull was standing with his Donny friends.
We found ourselves amid scores of Wrexham fans – quite a few seemed genuinely surprised to see us.
As we walked to a position conveniently in front of the pie shop, strangers began coming up to us and shaking our hands with welcomes of “thanks for coming, we really appreciate it” and “this is brilliant, thanks Brighton”.
We hurriedly handed out our various placards and began taking photos as more and more Wrexham fans came over to say hello.
On the pitch pom pom girls and other entertainment was keeping the crowd occupied.
Suddenly Rod Thomas pointed out a massive banner being passed among the Donny fans on the other side of the ground.
The banner said simply: “Save the Racecourse”!
As we were taking this all in, a squat bald guy in official Rovers tracksuit and camera waved to us to come down to the hoardings.
He explained that they wanted us on the pitch!!!
We looked at each other bemused.
Nervously, and one by one we clambered the wall at pitch side and followed him onto the pitch.
Almost spontaneously the far side the Donny fans broke into “Brighton and Hove Albion” while behind us the Wrexham applause was incredible …. the hairs on the back our necks stood on end – this was turning into something very special.
While trying to soak all this in, we were introduced to the chairman of Donny Rovers who shook our hands and said “We’ve come a long way since the dark days, haven’t we” and the vice chair who wished us all well and said Brighton was always the first result they looked for.
We were then huddled with a few Donny and Wrexham fans for a group photo on the pitch while holding up our various Falmer, Racecourse and Fans United placards.
Gingerly we looked around, turned to applaud the Donny fans and walked back to our friends in the Wrexham end … and yes we were applauded off the pitch as well!!! (That is an incredible measure of the esteem that Brighton and Hove Albion is held in).
More greetings and shaking hands followed as we clambered back to our position in front of the pie shop. Then the game kicked off.
In all honesty the match was quite poor. Wrexham looked the more organised while Donny showed midfield penetration but few ideas up front.
The Wrexham chanting began: a mixture of Anti-Hamilton songs (the best was: “Hamilton is a looney, he’s uglier than Rooney, he only wants our ground, the f***ing lying twat”), Bread of Heaven and a spine tingling Men of Harlech (felt like Zulu all over again!!!!).
We joined in with “We shall not be moved” and the anti-Hamilton songs we knew. Then suddenly it seemed the entire 300 plus Wrexham fans began singing “We love you Brighton, we do” …. The four of us looked at each other embarrassed and awestruck.
Then the inevitable: “Brighton, Brighton give us a song”.
In the loudest voice I could manage I yelled back “Seagulls”. Some applause before a witty: “Do you know anymore”.
Then thankfully Rod Thomas broke in leading a great “We shall not be moved” – thanks Rod!
We settled back to watch the match, when suddenly my pocket vibrated – it was a text from Cheshire Seagull at Palookaville – and Currie had scored 1-0!!!!!
We jumped around like looneys. Cheers from the Wrexham joined in when they realised what had happened and more strangers came over to shake our hands.
Half time and pie and Bovril was interrupted by dozens of Wrexham fans coming over to say hello – one guy gave us all Wrexham AFC enamel lapel badges, another copies of their Dismal Jimmy mag and another showed us a video of their campaigning activities that morning at Hamilton’s home!!!
Barely had time to eat our pies before respositioning ourselves amid in the middle of the Wrexham crowd.
The second half passed too quickly in the brilliant sunshine. More photo’s. another chant of “Brighton Brighton give us a song”, to which we all replied with “Albion Albion”, which Wrexham joined in.
Then a great quip of “Four away ... is that all you bring?”
Then a chant went up behind us “Nine months and we’ve got no ground” to which we replied “Six years and we’ve got no ground”. There was a roar of laughter all round.
Before we knew it the final whistle had blown and we stood to applaud both teams and their fans.
Then came the umpteenth lump in throat as two Wrexham players (one was their skipper) walked across to the stand and applauded us. We raised a thumb to them and they returned the salute …. marvellous scenes!!!!
We slowly left Belle Vue, said so-long to our new friends (many said they would try to make it to Crewe in two weeks time) and wended our way back to the car and home.
What a day it had been ….. extended slightly when an impromptu call to 606 gave us the chance to air the Falmer and Racecourse case and the poignancy of the day at Doncaster.
Got home at 9pm, knackered and very warm inside ….
Thankyou Donny and Wrexham … both very special friends.
Pix will follow later
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