2. The chips were, apparently, worth waiting for.
3. The place where I stand is slightly less packed when it's not a play-off final.
 |
| "Where are yer? Where are yer?" |
Sunday, 10 August 2014
Back to Reality
1. We aren't necessarily going to win the title at a canter.
2. The chips were, apparently, worth waiting for.
3. The place where I stand is slightly less packed when it's not a play-off final.
2. The chips were, apparently, worth waiting for.
3. The place where I stand is slightly less packed when it's not a play-off final.
Saturday, 9 August 2014
What we did in the holidays part 3 - Us
I don't know if optimism has been added to our drinking water (to balance out the fluoride and the lead rust from our Victorian pipes) but most supporters have an unhealthy, un-Poppies-like confidence in the coming season. Unhealthy, because as we all know, it never pays to shout the odds as a Poppies fans. The few times we have felt a swell of pre-season pride it has usually preceded a heavy fall. How many "We'll walk this league" Augusts been followed by teeth-grinding defeats through September?
Sure, given the enormous squad assembled, with presumably a thick wedge of them soon to be loaned out, we should be very much to the fore come the end of the season. But I can't help feeling a tremor of nervousness when fellow Poppies supporters, who presumably have watched us play before, seem to think we'll win the league at a canter. Some talk of remaining undefeated through the season! I'd be happy to remain undefeated through this afternoon!
We seem to have conveniently forgotten that there are a few teams in this division who play a bit. Even though we beat Daventry each of the 32 times we played them last season, they were a strong unit who played good football, and bossed us at Latimer Park in the league and in the play-off semi final. Rugby Town were a good team who, although we played them off the park at their place, beat everyone else comfortably, and took 4 points off us last season. Bedford Town are likely to be a threat. It only needs two teams to have slightly better seasons than us, and we're down here for another year.
Every team in this division will raise their game against us big-time Charlies. Ten behind the ball. Parking the bus. Victorian football. And what if we can't break teams down and hand them all the thrashings they richly deserve? That's when the biggest threat to our team emerges - us. Our nervousness, impatience and anger when not putting every lowly bunch of villagers to the sword won't take long to transfer to the players. Suddenly Moreman vanishes out on the wing. Henry starts carving more clearances over our goalie. Dubi sulks. Andy Hall falls into a small hole and is never seen again. Brett realises his mistake in joining us.....
....I'm making myself nervous already!
How about this? We take each game as it comes. Give 110%. Treat the opposition with respect. 11 men against 11 men. Stay focused for 90 minutes. Get behind the players. Hopefully we'll end up "Over the Moon".
Now, let's go out there and piss this poxy league!
Sure, given the enormous squad assembled, with presumably a thick wedge of them soon to be loaned out, we should be very much to the fore come the end of the season. But I can't help feeling a tremor of nervousness when fellow Poppies supporters, who presumably have watched us play before, seem to think we'll win the league at a canter. Some talk of remaining undefeated through the season! I'd be happy to remain undefeated through this afternoon!
We seem to have conveniently forgotten that there are a few teams in this division who play a bit. Even though we beat Daventry each of the 32 times we played them last season, they were a strong unit who played good football, and bossed us at Latimer Park in the league and in the play-off semi final. Rugby Town were a good team who, although we played them off the park at their place, beat everyone else comfortably, and took 4 points off us last season. Bedford Town are likely to be a threat. It only needs two teams to have slightly better seasons than us, and we're down here for another year.
Every team in this division will raise their game against us big-time Charlies. Ten behind the ball. Parking the bus. Victorian football. And what if we can't break teams down and hand them all the thrashings they richly deserve? That's when the biggest threat to our team emerges - us. Our nervousness, impatience and anger when not putting every lowly bunch of villagers to the sword won't take long to transfer to the players. Suddenly Moreman vanishes out on the wing. Henry starts carving more clearances over our goalie. Dubi sulks. Andy Hall falls into a small hole and is never seen again. Brett realises his mistake in joining us.....
....I'm making myself nervous already!
How about this? We take each game as it comes. Give 110%. Treat the opposition with respect. 11 men against 11 men. Stay focused for 90 minutes. Get behind the players. Hopefully we'll end up "Over the Moon".
Now, let's go out there and piss this poxy league!
Saturday, 2 August 2014
What we did in the holidays part 2 - Behind the Scenes
The conversion of Latimer Park from a roughly hewn field into a roughly hewn field with a bit of a football ground around it, continues. Last season, floodlights, hard standing, a couple of small seated areas, and a food concession, were all added. This season additional developments are on their way, such as a functional sponsor/boardroom area, hard standing on the 4th side of the ground and a small terrace with cover at the former-fir tree end. And whisper it quietly, but there is a rumour that chips will be available at home games this year.....
The make-up of the off-field Board of Directors has a distinctly Poppies-supporter feel, with fans of long-standing in positions of real authority. Best case scenario, this means that the wishes and hopes of the average fan might be represented at the highest level. Worst case scenario, it all goes tits up, but we know where the directors live, allowing us to extract personal vengeance at our leisure!
An unpopular move, and possibly Ritchie's first miss-step, is the winding-up of Poppies Radio, ahead of a club TV/Radio initiative. If you'd never listened to Poppies Radio, you missed a curious treat. A handful of Poppies fans, armed with microphones, part-commentating and part-reacting like you and me, whilst watching the game. Coming out with a mixture of observational gems, and screaming at every goal in such a way you could never quite tell for 5 minutes which team had actually scored. They even mentioned the score from time to time!
Poppies Radio has been disbanded by Ritchie in favour of an entirely club-run station. Will it work? Will people pay money where they used to receive a free service? People are prepared to put up with a cheerfully amateurish approach and occasional loss of signal with a free service. It is doubtful they will be as forgiving when paying out hard cash. Will Ritchie manage to assemble a team of fans prepared to run this new station for him? Will we really want pay to hear Henry chat post-match about being "Over the moon", when you can ask him in the bar for free? We'll see.
Poppies Radio themselves don't seem to be as cut up about their demise as the rest of us: -
http://poppiesradio.com/post/closing-statement
Rest assured, Ritchie has yet to announce plans for a club-run online fanzine, but, if he's reading this, we are ready to be bought out for a reasonably high figure.....
In the last few weeks the seemingly ridiculous plan to move us back into Kettering at the back of Avondale school has been announced. Everyone's first reaction is that this plan was a non-starter. The area in question is not large. It is in the middle of housing. There's no parking. Plans for 70-odd houses on the site already exist. The land would have to be paid for. And even if all of these hurdles are somehow overcome, we then need to get our plans past the Anti-Poppies Alliance (AKA Kettering Borough Council).
However, as more details came out about our bid, the more we are tempted to think this plan isn't entirely doomed to failure.
Presently, although permission has been given for housing, no developer has staked their claim. The locals, although not 100% in favour of us moving in there, have shown some enthusiasm. Not surprising, when the alternative is another big wedge of "affordable housing" probably owned by housing associations and rented out to the usual mix of undesirables.
Utilising the available parking already on the site there is more there than in both Rockingham Road and Latimer Par put together.
The cash for the land and the development is entirely beyond our control, but, presumably Ritchie is committing himself to this outlay. Why? Who can say. He's probably insane.....
This leaves us with our beloved Council. One or two councillors have broken cover and announced their initial support to getting us back into Kettering. This doesn't mean that when it comes to voting the usual old-stagers based out of the town won't pull rank and manage to screw us over once again.
It will be interesting if everything else falls into place, and it comes down to KBC to make or break the deal. They have professed support for the Poppies when we have safely been out of the way at Non Park, or Latimer Park. What will they do when this theoretical support for the club needs to be turned into actual support?
As ever, it's never dull.....
The make-up of the off-field Board of Directors has a distinctly Poppies-supporter feel, with fans of long-standing in positions of real authority. Best case scenario, this means that the wishes and hopes of the average fan might be represented at the highest level. Worst case scenario, it all goes tits up, but we know where the directors live, allowing us to extract personal vengeance at our leisure!
An unpopular move, and possibly Ritchie's first miss-step, is the winding-up of Poppies Radio, ahead of a club TV/Radio initiative. If you'd never listened to Poppies Radio, you missed a curious treat. A handful of Poppies fans, armed with microphones, part-commentating and part-reacting like you and me, whilst watching the game. Coming out with a mixture of observational gems, and screaming at every goal in such a way you could never quite tell for 5 minutes which team had actually scored. They even mentioned the score from time to time!
Poppies Radio has been disbanded by Ritchie in favour of an entirely club-run station. Will it work? Will people pay money where they used to receive a free service? People are prepared to put up with a cheerfully amateurish approach and occasional loss of signal with a free service. It is doubtful they will be as forgiving when paying out hard cash. Will Ritchie manage to assemble a team of fans prepared to run this new station for him? Will we really want pay to hear Henry chat post-match about being "Over the moon", when you can ask him in the bar for free? We'll see.
Poppies Radio themselves don't seem to be as cut up about their demise as the rest of us: -
http://poppiesradio.com/post/closing-statement
Rest assured, Ritchie has yet to announce plans for a club-run online fanzine, but, if he's reading this, we are ready to be bought out for a reasonably high figure.....
In the last few weeks the seemingly ridiculous plan to move us back into Kettering at the back of Avondale school has been announced. Everyone's first reaction is that this plan was a non-starter. The area in question is not large. It is in the middle of housing. There's no parking. Plans for 70-odd houses on the site already exist. The land would have to be paid for. And even if all of these hurdles are somehow overcome, we then need to get our plans past the Anti-Poppies Alliance (AKA Kettering Borough Council).
However, as more details came out about our bid, the more we are tempted to think this plan isn't entirely doomed to failure.
Presently, although permission has been given for housing, no developer has staked their claim. The locals, although not 100% in favour of us moving in there, have shown some enthusiasm. Not surprising, when the alternative is another big wedge of "affordable housing" probably owned by housing associations and rented out to the usual mix of undesirables.
Utilising the available parking already on the site there is more there than in both Rockingham Road and Latimer Par put together.
The cash for the land and the development is entirely beyond our control, but, presumably Ritchie is committing himself to this outlay. Why? Who can say. He's probably insane.....
This leaves us with our beloved Council. One or two councillors have broken cover and announced their initial support to getting us back into Kettering. This doesn't mean that when it comes to voting the usual old-stagers based out of the town won't pull rank and manage to screw us over once again.
It will be interesting if everything else falls into place, and it comes down to KBC to make or break the deal. They have professed support for the Poppies when we have safely been out of the way at Non Park, or Latimer Park. What will they do when this theoretical support for the club needs to be turned into actual support?
As ever, it's never dull.....
Thursday, 31 July 2014
What we did in the holidays part 1 - Comings and Goings
So, what has our club been up to during these warm summer months? And more importantly, what is PATGOD's opinion?
For the first time in a long time, we will be starting the season with the majority of the players who ended the previous campaign. This never used to be a big deal, as players racked up 100, 200 appearances for the club. Often these players were cheerily greeted during the first pre-season game with a heartfelt, "I see your bloody well still 'ere then?" In recent years we have started with different line-ups, different managers, hell, even different stadiums!
Our managerial triumvirate has become a duo since last season, with Crooner Thomas heading to a Rat Pack Tribute Night somewhere near you.
This season we are still at Latimer Park, and still looking at most of the same heavily tattooed players we grew to love over the past 12 months or so. One or two didn't stay. Elliot Sandy has gone to Dunstable, but, as reasonable a player as he was, I would keep Moreman and Dubi ahead of him. Any day.
James Jepson has chosen to leave and has already had another 2 clubs in the time it has taken to type this. Another good, if limited player, it was no coincidence that our upturn in fortunes coincided with him arriving at Latimer Park. With the arrival of Oulton and the return of Brett and diddy Andy Hall, JJ's opportunities were likely to be limited this season. It's understandable that James is looking for first team football, but his departure has been met with despair in some quarters. Main JJ Groupie, and chips aficionado, Dennis Kendall texted us to say, "Best midfielder, lovely left foot. Not a great start to the season - are Thomas Bailey and Scott Machin bringing in their mates? Sad. No ambition!"
The loss of Worby in goal may be a bigger gap to fill as no-one has filled us with terrific confidence yet. And without Andy Osei-Siribour we will need at least another body to sit on our bench.
Coming Soon - What we did in the holidays part 2 - Behind the Scenes. Can't wait eh? We can't blame you!
For the first time in a long time, we will be starting the season with the majority of the players who ended the previous campaign. This never used to be a big deal, as players racked up 100, 200 appearances for the club. Often these players were cheerily greeted during the first pre-season game with a heartfelt, "I see your bloody well still 'ere then?" In recent years we have started with different line-ups, different managers, hell, even different stadiums!
Our managerial triumvirate has become a duo since last season, with Crooner Thomas heading to a Rat Pack Tribute Night somewhere near you.
This season we are still at Latimer Park, and still looking at most of the same heavily tattooed players we grew to love over the past 12 months or so. One or two didn't stay. Elliot Sandy has gone to Dunstable, but, as reasonable a player as he was, I would keep Moreman and Dubi ahead of him. Any day.
James Jepson has chosen to leave and has already had another 2 clubs in the time it has taken to type this. Another good, if limited player, it was no coincidence that our upturn in fortunes coincided with him arriving at Latimer Park. With the arrival of Oulton and the return of Brett and diddy Andy Hall, JJ's opportunities were likely to be limited this season. It's understandable that James is looking for first team football, but his departure has been met with despair in some quarters. Main JJ Groupie, and chips aficionado, Dennis Kendall texted us to say, "Best midfielder, lovely left foot. Not a great start to the season - are Thomas Bailey and Scott Machin bringing in their mates? Sad. No ambition!"
The loss of Worby in goal may be a bigger gap to fill as no-one has filled us with terrific confidence yet. And without Andy Osei-Siribour we will need at least another body to sit on our bench.
Coming Soon - What we did in the holidays part 2 - Behind the Scenes. Can't wait eh? We can't blame you!
Wednesday, 16 July 2014
Poppies ready for that difficult "second album"
This coming season is the Club's 142nd. But, in reality, given the upheavals of the recent past, this could be seen as "Year Two". Last season was by turns, nervous, horrendous, apocalyptic, uplifting, exciting, disappointing and hilarious*
What should we expect this year?
Hopefully we will manage to build upon the good things from last season, such as an improving squad, improving facilities, and improving supporter numbers. Hopefully the ultimate disappointment of the play-off final capitulation won't have put off those wavering supporters who have slowly drifted back to the club.
Obviously the vast majority of the 2000 Kettering fans who stole my position at Latimer Park won't be back again in a hurry. Not that I would have expected them to, even if we had won promotion. Like most clubs, we have a large wedge of people who are attracted to the "big games". Once it meant a trip to Wembley, or Selhurst Park, or Ewood Park. These days it means crowding around a bobbly field in Burton Latimer.
But it would be good for the club if a few more were persuaded to return. More people equals more money equals better team equals more success, even if it also means more f*cking people nicking my spot at the ground.
The club hierarchy seem to be trying to do things right. Making Martin Bellamy the Commercial Director is an obvious step given he has been doing this unofficially for years. If nothing else, it increases our chances of securing sponsorship from the Melton Mowbray area.
Keeping prices the same for next year is a good move, along with allowing those who wish to reserve a seat to do so for a small additional charge. Anyone moaning about this could do worse than consider seated supporters always paid more than us mere Terrace Gods until we were exiled to Non Park. So, shut up and pay your money!
An open evening to allow people to pop up to Latimer Park to buy Season tickets would be a good idea, especially since some of us have managed to be away whenever the forms have been accepted at the Newland Centre!
On the pitch the squad looks a damn sight better than the one that started last season like runaway sloths. At this level the likes of Brett and Andy Hall should be more than useful. Hopefully Dubi will get his head back on straight and come out all guns blazing. Likewise we trust Henry will finally realise that everyone except us think he's sh*t and commit to us for a whole season!
We owe no former owners anything. We owe no former landlords anything. We have a playing squad. We have a management team. We have a Board of Directors who we know and mostly trust (no one can entirely trust a suspiciously rabid George Michael fan). We have a goodly number of typically thick, pig-ignorant, boorish but loveable supporters. As long as bloody Burton Park Wanderers don't go bust, things are looking good for this season!
Now, let's go and piss this poxy league!
*the fact that Daventry couldn't buy a goal against us, no matter how many games we played!
What should we expect this year?
Hopefully we will manage to build upon the good things from last season, such as an improving squad, improving facilities, and improving supporter numbers. Hopefully the ultimate disappointment of the play-off final capitulation won't have put off those wavering supporters who have slowly drifted back to the club.
Obviously the vast majority of the 2000 Kettering fans who stole my position at Latimer Park won't be back again in a hurry. Not that I would have expected them to, even if we had won promotion. Like most clubs, we have a large wedge of people who are attracted to the "big games". Once it meant a trip to Wembley, or Selhurst Park, or Ewood Park. These days it means crowding around a bobbly field in Burton Latimer.
But it would be good for the club if a few more were persuaded to return. More people equals more money equals better team equals more success, even if it also means more f*cking people nicking my spot at the ground.
The club hierarchy seem to be trying to do things right. Making Martin Bellamy the Commercial Director is an obvious step given he has been doing this unofficially for years. If nothing else, it increases our chances of securing sponsorship from the Melton Mowbray area.
Keeping prices the same for next year is a good move, along with allowing those who wish to reserve a seat to do so for a small additional charge. Anyone moaning about this could do worse than consider seated supporters always paid more than us mere Terrace Gods until we were exiled to Non Park. So, shut up and pay your money!
An open evening to allow people to pop up to Latimer Park to buy Season tickets would be a good idea, especially since some of us have managed to be away whenever the forms have been accepted at the Newland Centre!
On the pitch the squad looks a damn sight better than the one that started last season like runaway sloths. At this level the likes of Brett and Andy Hall should be more than useful. Hopefully Dubi will get his head back on straight and come out all guns blazing. Likewise we trust Henry will finally realise that everyone except us think he's sh*t and commit to us for a whole season!
We owe no former owners anything. We owe no former landlords anything. We have a playing squad. We have a management team. We have a Board of Directors who we know and mostly trust (no one can entirely trust a suspiciously rabid George Michael fan). We have a goodly number of typically thick, pig-ignorant, boorish but loveable supporters. As long as bloody Burton Park Wanderers don't go bust, things are looking good for this season!
Now, let's go and piss this poxy league!
*the fact that Daventry couldn't buy a goal against us, no matter how many games we played!
Wednesday, 9 July 2014
Farewell to Sid
The best we can do to add our condolences on the death of Sid Chapman is to repeat here a cartoon in which he featured in PATGOD back in 1996. What we were on back then....?
God knows Sid made of it! But, we'd like to think that, deep down, he would have appreciated being the only Poppies supporter to ever get his own comic strip in the fanzine. Surely that would count for something?
Sunday, 6 July 2014
Update from Guy
Lads,
Thought I'd drop a quick line to let you know what's going on in Branstonville and to catch up with what's new with the Puppies. But that's enough about you - what about me?
Unbelievable, I know, but I'm going to be hanging my boots up, even though I'm still officially only 31! Ha Ha!
When I finished last season at Plymouth I thought it was about time I gave the Premier League a crack. My Agent assured me that there was a LOT of interest, but, strangely, nothing seems to come of it.....
Well, bollox to it! I've decided to leave footie behind and try pastures new. The BBC website did a nice write-up about me, but with one tiny error -
"He has had 19 different clubs, played more than 450 professional games and headed countless long balls back from whence they came."
As you all know, I NEVER headed the ball straight anywhere! Ha Ha!
Thought I'd drop a quick line to let you know what's going on in Branstonville and to catch up with what's new with the Puppies. But that's enough about you - what about me?
Unbelievable, I know, but I'm going to be hanging my boots up, even though I'm still officially only 31! Ha Ha!
When I finished last season at Plymouth I thought it was about time I gave the Premier League a crack. My Agent assured me that there was a LOT of interest, but, strangely, nothing seems to come of it.....
Well, bollox to it! I've decided to leave footie behind and try pastures new. The BBC website did a nice write-up about me, but with one tiny error -
"He has had 19 different clubs, played more than 450 professional games and headed countless long balls back from whence they came."
As you all know, I NEVER headed the ball straight anywhere! Ha Ha!
 |
| Branston - even teammates weren't safe! |
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