What a match. We were suddenly back to the United of old: the careless start then attacking flair and literal bloody mindedness to win at any cost. There would always be blood, sweat and tears at Bloomfield Road, just as there was at Burnley last year. I feared that before the match and especially when we went a goal down early on.

It just had to be Cathcart, the lad who was at United as a trainee. I’m reading Catch 22 at the moment, in which General Cathcart sends the American soldiers to the doom of more missions against the Germans. Another Yank and former Red Jonathan Spector started the rout at West Ham in our only loss of the season, a nightmare from which Jonny Evans has only just woken up. The law of the ex; the first time we had faced Blackpool in over 40 years. Just as I did after going 1-0 down to Burnley, I feared the way the Blackpool match was going. It looked written, but enough about the book. Football rarely follows the plot.

This time the tears belonged to brave old Blackpool, their ludicrous manager and their ludicrous fans. Their jubilation at 2-0 was absolutely hilarious. My particular favourite was a shot of a tangerine-skinned man (fake tan not face paint) in a pair of sunglasses that spelt ‘Blackpool’ with the ‘o’s as eyes, then a cut to a person in a hood with a face fully covered in wool inexplicably spinning round and round in circles.

For that I almost forgave ESPN and the early kick-off for forcing me to watch the match alone in Soho in a shithole pub after work, in which the old pisshead sitting almost on my knee tried to claim I was drinking his pint every time I brought one back from the bar. The more he did this and subsequently slurred bollocks to me whilst melting my face with his breath, the more pints I bought. That bloody book again.

Blackpool were fantastic in the first half. Their technique almost matched their passion, and rather than soaking up United’s pressure and scoring on the break, they kept pressing forward and forced two goals from well-earned set pieces. They reminded me of why, until then at least, I had enjoyed watching them this season – their fearless style of play (and the fact they have beaten Liverpool twice).

As the half drew to a close they had us kicking out in frustration, as first Paul Scholes and then Darron Gibson were booked. If this match proved United’s determination it also proved Gibson’s inadequacy. He may be Irish but he ain’t no Keano; he may pack a shot but he ain’t no Scholesy. What we’re left with is a central midfielder with no particular calibre in attack or defence, like an Anderson but without the determination or resolve. He was the worst player on the pitch by some distance, and was thankfully withdrawn for Giggsy at the interval. Giggs needed a rest after his heroics on Saturday, but the reason why the gritty, tenacious Brazilian was on the bench for Blackpool away is only known by one man.

Ferguson, however, has not lost his touch. A dejected man on the plastic orange seats in the Bloomfield Road dugout, you could see the anger boiling within his red face. This was a match that would have given at least four teams great hope had it been lost. The Birmingham match aside, United had been somewhat complacent for a while despite their place at the peak of the league table. There is no doubting Ferguson’s half-time team talk was as old school as the facilities. This match was replayed because of a lack of under-soil heating during the cold… an old Scotsman doubtlessly snapped at the interval with enough steam to fly a hot air balloon, never mind thaw a football pitch.

Dimitar Berbatov sprang into action. It seems he has finally, belatedly, learned what is expected of him. He’s a mere cog, not the scratchproof glass on United’s Rolex. The result is five goals in two matches; superb build-up play and, crucially, the stamina to wind the clock down whilst defending a narrow lead when down to ten men. During the (for once) unwelcome period of injury time – 10 minutes – he always showed for the ball, knowing when to hold play up and when to deftly release Chicharito, who came on to make relentless darting, direct runs which were consistently found by the Bulgarian. Eric and Ole in the making?

It may be too soon for such comparisons, but the rapid progress of Rafael shows that we have the real deal here. Whilst chasing a deficit he was at times United’s best player both in defence and going forward. Although his head may hurt tomorrow after he was carried off on a stretcher with concussion, the lad’s heart cannot be doubted (particularly confusing was the constant camera switches from Rafael on a stretcher receiving medical attention to Rafael standing up and worriedly looking over at himself. It was Fabio of course, but for a second it looked like little Rafa had died in a cheap film).

Blackpool’s equally large heart, meanwhile, was ultimately broken. For once I’m tempted to feel sympathy and sorrow for this group of plucky over-achievers and their charismatic boss, but unfortunately for them games are 90 minutes long, and they have been beaten by a United side focussed on a much bigger prize that they themselves narrowly missed out on last season, and that they now have the momentum to go and win.

Winner takes all

When Mike Dean blows for the final whistle tonight, one set of fans will have to face the ultimate realisation that their club will almost certainly be playing in The Championship next season.

With West Bromwich Albion impressively defeating Wigan 3-1 on Saturday, the pressure is on for Newcastle and Middlesbrough to walk away victorious.

The good old cliché of a ‘six pointer’ could not be more perfectly used when previewing this match. The supporters will be expecting both sides to be going all-out for the victory, as a point each would be about as useful as a chocolate teapot.

The North East rivals have both racked up 31 points so far in this campaign, with Newcastle topping Middlesbrough on goal difference.

Assessing the current form fails to lead to an accurate prediction for this vital match. Middlesbrough have been unsuccessful in gaining a single point in their last ten Premier League away games, whereas Newcastle have not picked up maximum points at St James’ Park since their 2-1 victory over Tottenham in late December.

Middlesbrough have hit the back of the net just 25 times this season, which is fewer than any other Premier League side. But with Newcastle’s defence, Middlesbrough have a better chance than ever to score goals. The Toon though, have not exactly been scoring for fun recently, notching up just one goal in their last five outings.

Many pundits will be predicting a bore draw for this clash, and you could not blame them after recent results between the sides.

The Tyne-Tees derby has been somewhat disappointing in previous years, with each side tending to cancel each other out. Their previous meeting at The Riverside this season resulted in a 0-0 draw, and the last time Boro visited St James’ Park it finished 1-1.

However, the draw specialists cannot afford to settle for a point each, which predicts the match to be one of the best Tyne-Tees derbies for a long time. On paper, it does not look set to be a Premiership classic, but with two sets of vulnerable defences, an electric atmosphere and everything at stake, we might just be surprised.

Newcastle might just edge it tonight, with their fans getting behind them and with a bit of lady luck, I expect The Toon to win narrowly.

Prediction: Newcastle United 2-1 Middlesbrough

But who is number one?

No matter who they support, many football fans believe that their team is the pride of their area. Pride is not only about success, but also about reputation and respect for the team and their supporters. With Newcastle, Sunderland and Middlesbrough in the Premier League, there is always going to be debate about just who is the pride of the North East?

This season has been, in all truth, a disaster for the North East football clubs. With Newcastle, Sunderland and Middlesbrough all fighting for Premier League survival, it is almost guaranteed that at least one of the clubs will be visiting the likes of Derby, Sheffield Wednesday and Roy Keane’s Ipswich next season.

In terms of trophies, the North East cabinets do not exactly gleam in silverware. Newcastle have struggled to win a major trophy since the Fairs Cup in 1969 whilst Middlesbrough’s most recent trophy success was winning the League Cup in 2004 against Bolton. Sunderland however, won the Championship title in 2005 and again in 2007 under Roy Keane, promoting the Black Cats back into the top flight.

When considering the pride of the North East, it’s obvious you cannot judge it solely on trophy success. In terms of vocal support and attendance figures, Sunderland and Newcastle are perhaps well known for their passionate fans. However, you have to remember that the city of Newcastle has a higher population than their rival’s cities and towns.

Many may believe that Newcastle are the pride of the North East due to the fan base, but you have to consider how a club could be labelled this after numerous changes in management and other personnel behind the scenes.

With Sunderland, you also have passionate fans in numbers, but it is hard to consider them as the pride of the North East as they have yo-yoed from the top flight and the Championship in the last five years.

Middlesbrough however, could boast of their development of young players and giving them a chance to prove themselves. Whilst Newcastle and Sunderland splash the cash, Middlesbrough have brought through highly rated youngsters such as David Wheater, Stewart Downing and Adam Johnson. Although Boro do not have the same high attendances as their rivals, you still cannot question their passion and loyalty.

Outside of the Premiership, lets not forget the likes of Darlington and Hartlepool. It would be naive to dismiss these clubs within the debate just because of their position within the football league. After Darlington went into administration in February, the Quakers have slipped away from the playoffs. Whereas Hartlepool have all but secured their league one status after a disappointing campaign.

It might just be these fans, who choose to support their teams in the lower levels over the big timers, who are the pride of the North East.

Newcastle’s fate awaits

Being a Newcastle United fan is certainly a roller coaster experience, from the more successful days with Sir Bobby Robson and Kevin Keegan, to becoming the laughing stock of the football world.

Newcastle’s certainly a unique club, and the reasons for supporting them could only be understood by the Geordies. Since Kevin Keegan left in 1997, the club has had no fewer than nine managers, ranging from Ruud Gullit, who thought that Paul Robinson (now at Torquay) deserved to start ahead of Alan Shearer, to Sam Allardyce, who splashed £6million on the goal-machine Alan Smith.

In difficult times, which lets face it, is almost every season for Newcastle, you can’t help but reminisce of the good times as a reminder as to why you love your club so much. Who could forget Newcastle’s 5-0 demolition of Manchester United, which was topped off by a delightful Philippe Albert chip? Then there’s that magical Champions League night at Feyenoord, when Craig Bellamy scored in the 90th minute to put the Toon through to the second phase of the tournament.

With Sir Bobby Robson in charge of Newcastle, you had a gentleman, a well-respected football manager around the world and a great ambassador for the game who lead Newcastle into the Champions League. Now compare that to this season and you have Joe Kinnear, who somewhat differs from Sir Bobby.

Since the Sir Bobby Robson days, the personnel at Newcastle have changed more than the Geordie dancer changes his socks. Managers, chairmen and owners have come and gone, and lets not forget the addition of the executive director role been handed to Dennis Wise.

You could argue that there are many different individuals who have caused the decline of the club, but now is not the time for Newcastle fans to be pointing fingers, it’s time to roll up our sleeves and get behind the team.

Despite all of the criticisms that are thrown at Newcastle, there’s one thing you cannot question – the fans. We are all aware that the Magpies have failed to win a trophy since the Fairs Cup in 1969. So why do the 50,000 plus still turn up? Many could argue that no other club would still be attracting these huge attendances, despite being in the relegation zone.

The Magpies have not gained three points since their 3-2 win at West Brom in February. A vital point at Stoke for Shearer’s men was followed up by a 1-0 defeat at White Hart Lane, leaving Newcastle four points off safety. However, the towel need not be thrown in yet as Portsmouth, Middlesborough and Fulham still have to visit St James’ Park, whilst Middlesborough and Hull seem to have very difficult run-ins.

So if there’s one message to the Newcastle fans, it has to be to keep believing. Look at Fulham’s great survival last season, the Cottagers won four of their last five games to stay in the top flight. There’s hope yet.

Luton Town FC RIP

And so, on April 13th, Luton were finally consigned to step five football for the 2009/2010 season.

We were all expecting it of course. Only a miracle could have saved the Hatters this season, something which ex-newsreader come chairman Nick Owen happily pointed out on Sky News this morning.

As you’ll remember, Mick Harford’s team were forced to start the season on minus 30 points after they were deducted 20 points for failing to comply with the Football League’s insolvency rules. A further 10 points were taken away by the FA for paying agents through a holding company. Without the penalties, Luton, who lifted the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy by beating Scunthorpe United 3-2 at Wembley Stadium nine days ago, would be 15th in League Two.

What tickled me about Owen’s commentary though was his kind words about the Blue Square Premier League that his beloved Hatters are about to become a part of.

Far from the dour face and arrogant expectations I was expecting, Owen was full of praise for the teams currently in the Blue Square Prem. He spoke with warm tones about the history of these clubs (presumably he’s talking about Histon and York City here, rather than the renamed Ebsfleet) and praised them as worthy adversaries for the season ahead.

Still, it must be something of a bitter pill to swallow: Three and a half years ago Luton was fifth in the Coca Cola Championship – now they face a season alongside local strugglers Stevenage Borough and Woking.

Slough Town fans will probably empathise with the Hatters more than most, since Luton’s fall from grace mirrors the Rebels own downfall in the 1990s. Controversy struck the Rebels in the 1997/98 season when, despite finishing in 8th place in the Conference, they were ejected from the league.

The Rebels had completed an excellent season, reaching the semi-finals of the FA Trophy for the second time where they lost 2-1 on aggregate to Southport and holding Cardiff City to a 1-1 draw at former ground Wexham Park in the FA Cup 1st round proper before bowing out of the competition 3-2 in the replay at Ninian Park.

Quite why Slough was ejected from the Conference is still debated today. Whilst the official reason is the issue of the seats, there has been much talk that there were severe financial irregularities at the Club and that these were the real reason for the Conference expelling the Rebels.

Following a long period of dispute between the club and the council, chairman Alan Thorne, resigned his chairmanship of the club. His son elected not to install the additional 49 seats required by the Conference. He went on to sack manager, Brian McDermott and placed the entire playing squad on the transfer list.

Money slowly flowed away through mismanagement and poor decisions and by 2003 Slough found themselves groundsharing in the Ryman Premier with local rivals Windsor & Eton. After being relegated a further step and shunted across into the Southern League, Slough are now 18th in the British Gas Business South West Division, having gone through 6 managers and over 100 players in the past three seasons.

There are green shoots of recovery here however. A new chairman joined at the tail end of last season and talks are well underway with the local council for building a new home for Slough Town back in the town centre. Of course, those who have followed the Rebels longest remain cynical about whether any real progress is really being made, but with a new manager starting to string together a few promising results – and a busy pre season lined up already – the clouds are starting to clear in John Betjamin’s favourite town.

These boots were made for walking

One area where non-league football often shines over its professional counterparts is in its fans and players’ devotion to do something daft for charity.
The latest craze appears to be in wearing bright pink shirts to raise awareness of Breast Cancer. Oldham Athletic (all right, they’re not non-league but they’re hardly Chelsea) recently donned neon pink shirts in aid of the worthy cause and even managed to hold rivals Leeds United to a one-all draw.

Rumour has it that on-loan Hull striker Dean Windass got into such a sulk when he didn’t get to wear one for the whole match that he demanded to be released back to the town that reportedly smells of death. Actually, it probably had more to do with only playing for one minute of that match, but still maybe he really wanted to wear that shirt.

Anyway, my beloved Slough Town are about to follow suit – on Saturday 11th April when Slough host Taunton in the British Gas Business League, the Rebels will play in pink shirts and shorts as a mark of respect for this campaign, with each individual player and member of the management team participating as part of the fund raising event.

Pink isn’t the most macho of colours (even the keeper has to wear a new kit – rumour has it it’s pink and grey hooped) so fair play to the lads for swallowing their testosterone and doing their bit for charity. I mean, can you imagine Stevie G swapping the Red of Anfield for pink?

What’s more, most of those shirts have been successfully sponsored for £100 a go by some die-hard Rebels fans. A bucket collection will also take place on the day. I’d love to hear from you readers if there are any similar collections taking place this spring.

Another popular fund raising event which occurs at the end of the football season is the end of season walk. Slough Town FC, along with many other clubs, use the last away game of the season to promote a charity walk, usually splitting the proceeds between the club and a local good cause. STFC is walking in aid of Age Concern this year – 39 miles to Didcot!

Perhaps the most outrageous and courageous of these walkers however, is Paul McGreal and his fiancé Jacqui Cox – two devoted Hendon fans who vowed to 500 miles to away games in order to raise funds and publicity for the club. Inspired by that godawful Proclaimers song, Paul and Jacqui hit the 300 mark on Boxing Day. As of March 10, the pair had clocked up 407.9miles. Best of luck in raising the much needed funds for your club you guys – If you’d like to show your support, you can sponsor them at 500milewalk.com

Grass roots and beyond

Last Saturday the Rebels faithful, otherwise known as the fans of Southern league strugglers Slough Town FC, witnessed an unusual event.

On 14th March, Steve Daly celebrated his tenth anniversary of being a STFC centre half. While his appearances have been seldom in the 2008/09 season due to the previous administration believing he was “surplus to requirement”, the Rebels appointed a new manager a fortnight ago and Daly may yet get to pull on an amber and blue shirt before hanging up his boots for the last time.

Given the continuous player movement we usually see during any ten-year period, to witness this degree of loyalty, even at non-league level, is decidedly impressive.

During his 377 appearances, Slough won the league cup, beat Walsall in the FA Cup First Round and saw Ashley Hames take on the management position as part of Bravo TV’s Man’s Work series. (The nerdy little git won the game as well…Hames that is, not Daly.) In addition, he inspired one of the fans’ most memorable player chants to the tune of the Addams Family:

“In our defensive foursome
He’s absolutely awesome
From corners he will score some
It’s Steve Da-ly”

To his credit, Daly also stuck by the Rebels when the money ran out, they slid down the leagues and were threatened with relegation from the British Gas Business South West division at the end of last season.

So here’s to a true footballing hero, a gallant loyal servant to a non-league club who’ll always be welcome in the bar and will be treated to a free pint by most of the fanbase.

It did make me wonder though – what is it that prevents players from sticking around at a non-league club? Most fans don’t begrudge a move away from the club because of a better offer, whether its money or prestige – but there are countless examples of players who move sideways.

My favourite one with Slough was a midfielder who was well regarded but ran away the minute the money ran out. That was fair enough, but he lied about why he was going. He told everyone that he was moving to Essex to be with his missus, but then appeared a few months later playing for a local rival: Burnham. Cue many jokes about how having “moved to Essex” he must’ve got confused and thought he’d signed on for Burnham on Crouch.

However, I had a chat with a local talent scout this week which may help to clear the fog on this issue. He was complaining about a certain non league manager (who shall remain nameless, but I’m open to bribery) who treated not just his players, but those who were given to him on loan, appallingly.

When he wasn’t shouting and screaming at the players, he’d lead them on a merry goose chase around much of the Home Counties trying to find somewhere to train midweek. The manager had been told to give their home ground a rest, but had forgotten to book facilities elsewhere. Having sent the team and some on-loan reserves to one training pitch, he soon had to take them elsewhere as it was already booked. The manager sped off to an ulterior ground, forgetting that the loan-ers had no idea where they were and no knowledge of the local area. When that ground was taken too, the manager suggested a third location, but then decided to go home without telling anyone instead.

With the mid-week session abandoned, the manager ordered that the team arrive at the home ground early to put in some training before heading off to the away fixture. The on-loan players dutifully arrived and after the session, asked if they could go to the local shop for an energy drink. They returned 10 minutes before the departure time to find the manager, players, coaches et al had gone without them, leaving them with no idea how to get to the fixture.

Needless to say, the players returned to their own club with nothing but bad words to say about the offending manager, and no more loan agreements have been signed since. Somewhat unsurprisingly, that Sunday, the manager’s top striker left for a local rival, citing difficulties with the management.

Perhaps at our end of the football spectrum it’s a lack of tact and common decency which pushes the players to rotate around the local sides. Managers may have to employ a little more diplomacy at our end of the pyramid structure – typically this job isn’t the players’ primary employment, if they’re not enjoying themselves, they’ll leave. And the club will often be worse off as a result.