A VIEW FROM THE TERRACE
Aylesbury v Wealdstone
Saturday at last, it was FA cup day and another day in the chapter of Aylesbury’s short history.
We were playing Wealdstone and were the only step 5 team left in the competition.
If we could win today the record books would have to be rewritten.
I got up early, as I was so excited.
Even the missus said she would come to the next game if we won. I didn’t know if that was a good thing or not. The last time she came to a match I missed the only goal when she sent me back to the car for a blanket.
It was raining and I hoped it did not spoil the game.
At ten the phone rang and it was silly Bob saying he was going to the game and would pick me up, he had something to show me.
Silly Bob arrived at one and we headed off to the pub for a quick one.
“So what you got to show me Bob”
“There” he said pointing proudly.
I looked down to where he was pointing and there was a brand new Saisho stereo fitted. I twisted round and in the back there was the biggest pair of bloody speakers I had ever seen in a car.
“What the flippin hell do you want that for?”
“It’s cool and the chicks like it.”
“Has your missus seen it?”
“Not yet, she will love it.”
More likley she would jam it up his bum, that must still be sore from last week.
“Listen to this” he said and flicked a switch.
The noise was deafening, bloody Abba was coming out of every hole in the car. At a rough estimate I’d say the noise level was equivalent to 8 Concordes taking off inside the car. He was sharing bloody Dancing Queen with half of Aylesbury.
“For christ sake turn it off I screamed, my ears are bleeding.”
He switched it off and I thought I had gone deaf. I couldn’t hear a bloody thing. There was a buzzing noise inside my head and nothing else, no car noise, nothing.
I was going to kill him, The little shit had made me deaf.
We got to the pub and my hearing was still not right. Silly Bob said something but I could not hear him, I was going to swing for the git.
Arthur the old boy well into his nineties and as deaf as a post was sitting at the bar nursing a near empty glass.
He wasn’t the only one deaf.
“Want a drink Arthur,” I said
“No son, I can only have a half a shandy as my girlfriend is going through a midlife crisis and I have to be home early.
“Oh ok”
“All right I’ll have a scotch,” he said swigging his beer down.”
If his girlfriend was going through a midlife crisis she was going to live until she was a 180
“I’m off to Aylesbury today they’re playing in the FA cup, they’re playing Wealdstone.” I shouted it much too loud as my ears were still ringing.
Silly Bob was busy telling the barmaid about a new drink he had discovered and she should put it on special. She was busy telling Bob to piss off.
“They were bombed in the war you know.”
Here it comes I thought, “You will have to speak up Arthur I’m a bit deaf.”
“You taking the Mick son”
“No Arthur, that dick head over there,” I said, pointing to Bob “deafened me with his new quadraphonic, twin tweeters, double whammy stereo. My ears are still ringing.”
“Oh” he said. He carried on a bit louder.
“Yeah they got it bad in the war”
There was a slap from further down the bar, even I heard it. Silly Bob had caught an unfortunate one from the barmaid. Good on her.
Time to get him out.
“Got to go Arthur see you later”
I grabbed Bob and marched him out. “If you put that bloody music on I’ll stick your goolies in a mincer” I told him.
He gave me a look of disdain.
The longest journey completed with the handbrake on, was one of 313 miles from Stranraer to Hollyhead, by Dr. Julie Thorn, Dr. Thorn smelled burning two miles into her journey at Arid, but pressed on to Hollyhead with smoke billowing from the rear wheels.
Silly Bob only managed 12 miles, but we still got the black smoke coming out the back.
I wasn’t going to tell him, even though he kept complaining that the car seemed slow. I just commented that it was probably the weight of the bloody stereo. It was built to go in a concert hall not a Ford Focus.
We made it to the ground in time for a beer before the match. We both smelt of burned rubber.
That wasn’t the only thing that smelled, the club had a BBQ going and that smelled good.
The rain had stopped but there was still a bit of wind about.
The club house was packed, the ground was packed, I had not seen Haywood Way so busy.
I had to queue to get into the ground and the atmosphere was electric.
We were in our famous red and black kit and Wealdstone in yellow.
The game started and I couldn’t believe the dream start. Price went on one of his runs flying down the right, cut inside and smacked it into the net. 1 – 0.
We went mad, I must admit I had to look round to see if everyone was cheering as I was still a bit deaf and it sounded as I was shouting on my own. I wasn’t nearly half the crowd were.
Aylesbury were getting stuck into Wealdstone and it was nice to see they were not overawed by their higher opposition and in fact looked the far better side.
A few chances came for both sides and Aylesbury were unlucky not to score again and then ten minutes later Brennan was brought down in the penalty area. Henney stepped up for the kick and sent the keeper the wrong way. 2 – 0.
This was better than anyone could have dreamed of, Aylesbury 2 – 0 up and only ten minutes gone. I looked round to see if I should start singing, were going to Wembley you’re not you’re not and thought better of it.
Wealdstone did not drop their heads and came back at Aylesbury, but Aylesbury were giving as good as they got. Then on 27 min Wealdstone got the goal they were looking for. 2 – 1.
The Game continued in typical FA cup fashion and the teams went in at half time with Aylesbury still leading 2 – 1 and I thought the far better side.
We had a burger at half time and even managed to get in and have a pint.
The second half Wealdstone looked a different side and we knew they had stepped up a gear, probably a rollicking at half time. A stronger wind was also helping them.
On 49 min they equalised after a mistake in the Aylesbury are and the ball dribbled over the line. 2 – 2.
Only a few minutes later Wealdstone made it 2 – 3, a good run through the middle of the park and the Wealdstone forward placed it into the net.
Wealdstone were far the better side now and were giving the Aylesbury defence a hard time.
With half an hour to go there was a bit of handbags between Boyce and a Wealdstone player and the referee after a word with the linesman sent the Wealdstone player off. Apparently for a smack in the mush.
Right I thought this is where Aylesbury can take the upper hand.
It was not to be, the boys did not take advantage, and the one-man advantage did not show.
Then on 77 min the game was over Wealdstone made it 2 – 4. This time a suspicion of handball outside the area went unpunished as the Aylesbury defence seemed to stand still.
The final whistle came and the crowd gave the boys a great round of applause. There were a few that gave them some stick, but I don’t think they were football supporters just the people that I feel should stay away from the beautiful game. They are the few people that give the game a bad name.
The boys came off and their faces showed how they felt, they had done well.
I was proud to be part of them in my small way.
Our FA cup run over we could now concentrate on the league.
I had to go as silly Bob had to get home, he didn’t know it yet but he also had to go the motor repair shop.
Aylesbury v Wealdstone
Saturday at last, it was FA cup day and another day in the chapter of Aylesbury’s short history.
We were playing Wealdstone and were the only step 5 team left in the competition.
If we could win today the record books would have to be rewritten.
I got up early, as I was so excited.
Even the missus said she would come to the next game if we won. I didn’t know if that was a good thing or not. The last time she came to a match I missed the only goal when she sent me back to the car for a blanket.
It was raining and I hoped it did not spoil the game.
At ten the phone rang and it was silly Bob saying he was going to the game and would pick me up, he had something to show me.
Silly Bob arrived at one and we headed off to the pub for a quick one.
“So what you got to show me Bob”
“There” he said pointing proudly.
I looked down to where he was pointing and there was a brand new Saisho stereo fitted. I twisted round and in the back there was the biggest pair of bloody speakers I had ever seen in a car.
“What the flippin hell do you want that for?”
“It’s cool and the chicks like it.”
“Has your missus seen it?”
“Not yet, she will love it.”
More likley she would jam it up his bum, that must still be sore from last week.
“Listen to this” he said and flicked a switch.
The noise was deafening, bloody Abba was coming out of every hole in the car. At a rough estimate I’d say the noise level was equivalent to 8 Concordes taking off inside the car. He was sharing bloody Dancing Queen with half of Aylesbury.
“For christ sake turn it off I screamed, my ears are bleeding.”
He switched it off and I thought I had gone deaf. I couldn’t hear a bloody thing. There was a buzzing noise inside my head and nothing else, no car noise, nothing.
I was going to kill him, The little shit had made me deaf.
We got to the pub and my hearing was still not right. Silly Bob said something but I could not hear him, I was going to swing for the git.
Arthur the old boy well into his nineties and as deaf as a post was sitting at the bar nursing a near empty glass.
He wasn’t the only one deaf.
“Want a drink Arthur,” I said
“No son, I can only have a half a shandy as my girlfriend is going through a midlife crisis and I have to be home early.
“Oh ok”
“All right I’ll have a scotch,” he said swigging his beer down.”
If his girlfriend was going through a midlife crisis she was going to live until she was a 180
“I’m off to Aylesbury today they’re playing in the FA cup, they’re playing Wealdstone.” I shouted it much too loud as my ears were still ringing.
Silly Bob was busy telling the barmaid about a new drink he had discovered and she should put it on special. She was busy telling Bob to piss off.
“They were bombed in the war you know.”
Here it comes I thought, “You will have to speak up Arthur I’m a bit deaf.”
“You taking the Mick son”
“No Arthur, that dick head over there,” I said, pointing to Bob “deafened me with his new quadraphonic, twin tweeters, double whammy stereo. My ears are still ringing.”
“Oh” he said. He carried on a bit louder.
“Yeah they got it bad in the war”
There was a slap from further down the bar, even I heard it. Silly Bob had caught an unfortunate one from the barmaid. Good on her.
Time to get him out.
“Got to go Arthur see you later”
I grabbed Bob and marched him out. “If you put that bloody music on I’ll stick your goolies in a mincer” I told him.
He gave me a look of disdain.
The longest journey completed with the handbrake on, was one of 313 miles from Stranraer to Hollyhead, by Dr. Julie Thorn, Dr. Thorn smelled burning two miles into her journey at Arid, but pressed on to Hollyhead with smoke billowing from the rear wheels.
Silly Bob only managed 12 miles, but we still got the black smoke coming out the back.
I wasn’t going to tell him, even though he kept complaining that the car seemed slow. I just commented that it was probably the weight of the bloody stereo. It was built to go in a concert hall not a Ford Focus.
We made it to the ground in time for a beer before the match. We both smelt of burned rubber.
That wasn’t the only thing that smelled, the club had a BBQ going and that smelled good.
The rain had stopped but there was still a bit of wind about.
The club house was packed, the ground was packed, I had not seen Haywood Way so busy.
I had to queue to get into the ground and the atmosphere was electric.
We were in our famous red and black kit and Wealdstone in yellow.
The game started and I couldn’t believe the dream start. Price went on one of his runs flying down the right, cut inside and smacked it into the net. 1 – 0.
We went mad, I must admit I had to look round to see if everyone was cheering as I was still a bit deaf and it sounded as I was shouting on my own. I wasn’t nearly half the crowd were.
Aylesbury were getting stuck into Wealdstone and it was nice to see they were not overawed by their higher opposition and in fact looked the far better side.
A few chances came for both sides and Aylesbury were unlucky not to score again and then ten minutes later Brennan was brought down in the penalty area. Henney stepped up for the kick and sent the keeper the wrong way. 2 – 0.
This was better than anyone could have dreamed of, Aylesbury 2 – 0 up and only ten minutes gone. I looked round to see if I should start singing, were going to Wembley you’re not you’re not and thought better of it.
Wealdstone did not drop their heads and came back at Aylesbury, but Aylesbury were giving as good as they got. Then on 27 min Wealdstone got the goal they were looking for. 2 – 1.
The Game continued in typical FA cup fashion and the teams went in at half time with Aylesbury still leading 2 – 1 and I thought the far better side.
We had a burger at half time and even managed to get in and have a pint.
The second half Wealdstone looked a different side and we knew they had stepped up a gear, probably a rollicking at half time. A stronger wind was also helping them.
On 49 min they equalised after a mistake in the Aylesbury are and the ball dribbled over the line. 2 – 2.
Only a few minutes later Wealdstone made it 2 – 3, a good run through the middle of the park and the Wealdstone forward placed it into the net.
Wealdstone were far the better side now and were giving the Aylesbury defence a hard time.
With half an hour to go there was a bit of handbags between Boyce and a Wealdstone player and the referee after a word with the linesman sent the Wealdstone player off. Apparently for a smack in the mush.
Right I thought this is where Aylesbury can take the upper hand.
It was not to be, the boys did not take advantage, and the one-man advantage did not show.
Then on 77 min the game was over Wealdstone made it 2 – 4. This time a suspicion of handball outside the area went unpunished as the Aylesbury defence seemed to stand still.
The final whistle came and the crowd gave the boys a great round of applause. There were a few that gave them some stick, but I don’t think they were football supporters just the people that I feel should stay away from the beautiful game. They are the few people that give the game a bad name.
The boys came off and their faces showed how they felt, they had done well.
I was proud to be part of them in my small way.
Our FA cup run over we could now concentrate on the league.
I had to go as silly Bob had to get home, he didn’t know it yet but he also had to go the motor repair shop.
