The Storm After the Calm

A Catch-Up with 'Recent' Events in Tiers 2 & 7

Contrary to what appears to be a widely-held belief, The Football Pharaoh has NOT passed away. Not just yet. As Mark Twain might have said, “reports of my death have been greatly exaggerated”; although it's true that there was a recent E-mail deletion disaster - and a severe case of “man-‘flu’” for me to contend with. Despite that near-fatal health condition, however, I have attended a few Enfield Town & Fulham games, recently. It’s just that I’ve done so without serving up my preferred portion of post-match pontification, for your delight and delectation. Something I will attempt to correct right here, right now. It's official: I am back; by popular protest / demand.

Fulham vs. Preston North End

Saturday 4th March, 2017 - 3pm k-o

The English Football League Championship

Back in ancient history, on March 4^th, I went along to Craven Cottage with a suitably ancient college buddy (Ed) to check in on Fulham’s play-off hopes. Venerable, Football League founders Preston North End were our worthy opponents. Wiki reminds us that in their own ancient history, Preston completed that inaugural Football League season (1888-'89) unbeaten, to become the first ever league champions, also winning the FA Cup along the way, without conceding a single goal. Making them the first club to achieve the English football "Double", in the league's first ever season. Their unbeaten League and Cup season earned them the nickname "The Invincibles"; although the league season did 'only' last 22 games - and featured no "Southern" clubs at all. But all of that was then; and this is now, at least comparatively speaking.

This game represented the Preston fans’ annual “Gentry Day”. That’s a fairly long story, to do with raising money for charity and wearing plastic, sponsor-branded bowler hats to (and during) the game, strangely enough. Anyway, a good lunch and a great game were enjoyed by all those in our party, cheering on Slav's Boys from The Johnny Haynes stand (the oldest in English professional football). Simon, Duncan, Stuart, James and Tom were all in the party. Sincere thanks go to Ed's son, Alf, who was absent, playing a school sports fixture; allowing me to upgrade his season ticket to 'adult', for the day. Ed and his buddies sit in a great spot. They have an excellent view of all the goals scored at the Hammersmith End. Although there are some draw-backs to the restricted view, looking towards the Putney End - see below.

The trouble with 'classic', listed football architecture? The ball re-emerges from hiding, behind one of the JH stand's venerable supporters.

I was fully expecting to write up my musings in the usual, long-winded way; but - I believe as a result of walking back to Hammersmith tube station, under-dressed for the cool, un-forecasted West London drizzle? - I managed to go down with my bout of proper man-‘flu, just a couple of days later. Consequently, I wasn't well enough to write up my normal post-match notes; nor for anything much else besides, for more than a couple of weeks - and, by then, it all seemed pretty much too late and too lame to bother with. In truth, my Muse had abandoned me more or less completely. Suffice to say that a 3-1 home win was not a flattering score-line - and one well worth celebrating; not least since it kept Fulham in the hunt for one of those coveted, end of season play-off places.

Black & White Heaven: Neeskens Kebano celebrates his goal and his name's high Scrabble score, in front of "teenage sensation" Ryan Sessegnon and a subdued, largely bowler-hatted away crowd (Photo: Fulham FC website)

Enfield Town vs. Bognor Regis Town

Saturday 1st April, 2017 - Ryman Premier League,  3pm k-o

After I had finally recovered from my virulent, Fulham-induced man-'flu, I eventually went along to my next Enfield game, at Donkey Lane, on April Fool's Day. Would the date be an inauspicious omen, perhaps? In fact, no. This turned out to be an excellent and highly disciplined 1-0 home win against then-table-toppers, Bognor. Unfortunately, this news reaches you rather belatedly, since, I still couldn't quite muster up enough mojo to spread the good word, immediately after the match.

Town bossed the first half. With only 25 minutes gone, the home crowd were already singing "Top of the League? You're 'avin' a larrff!" Before Bognor responded by coming back at "us", in the second half. The all-important, single goal of an predictably tight contest came from Karl Oliyide, (see below) collecting a Scott Shulton pass and dispatching it to the right of the visitors 'Keeper, from the edge of the area, to send the home fans into Blue Heaven hysteria.

Oliyide, in white, about to jink inside his man and unleash a low, curling, right-footed shot across the Bognor goalie, for the only score of a cagey game.

The atmosphere in the Home end turns pyrotechnically to Blue Heaven: 1-0

It was a game not to have missed for other reasons, too; since it featured the annual visit by fans of our 'twin' Belgian club YBSK Beveren. They bolstered the crowd nicely (variously reported as 672 or 687 - but, either way, almost doubling our average gate). They brought along some lovely flags and crates of beer and, late on, also introduced the locals to some strangely-shaped, hand-rolled, funny-smelling European 'cigarettes'.

 A selection of those lovely, Belgian flags

 ..... A selection of those lovely, Belgian beers, in Beveren's luggage hold.

... And a selection of those well-fuelled, boisterous, Belgian footie fans.

I had also planned an away trip to a new ground (for me) to watch Enfield's crucial, follow-up 2-4 win over our Essex play-off rivals, Billericay ... but prior family commitments and potential fall-out from Southern Rail's ongoing strike action prevented me (a long and dull story, believe me). It seems I missed a cracker. For those who would like visual evidence of the standard of football being offered up Bradley Quinton’s men, ‘Ricay have provided helpful (and nicely edited) video coverage. Although, if you’re short on time, I’d just check out the link from about half-way through. Billericay Town's recently bolstered "All Star" squad currently features two ex-Fulham players (Paul Konchesky and ‘Fat-Boy Slim’ Jamie O'Hara). The latter still apparently too unfit to start, more than a month after joining the Essex club ... you'll notice he wears #12 if you open your highlights link to view the action: https://youtu.be/6m5OhY4unj8 

I was genuinely pleased to see O’Hara score (and what a cracker it was!); but I was even more pleased to see that his 'spectacular strike' came in a crushing home defeat to Enfield. That result more or less ended the Essex side's play-off hopes. The club has acquired (at least briefly?) a ‘sugar-daddy’ owner with deep pockets and stated aspirations to build up his own club. He was first turned down by the nearby "Daggers" of Dagenham & Redbridge. So it's difficult to believe his heart is really fully into investing in a village team, playing in the Ryman Isthmian League. Watch out for a tsunami of PR coverage, over the coming months and years; concerning the development of a new "Manchester United of the South". The risk of further imminent Essex cash-splashing would be another good reason for Enfield trying to ensure they grab that elusive promotion life-line THIS spring, if we possibly can. End of season catch-up fixtures played by the teams above them have gone just about as well for Enfield as we could have hoped. Leaving a play-off berth a distinct possibility; but with with three potential 'banana skins' still lying in wait for us. Two games in two days loom, over the holiday weekend; and, after those, we should have a reasonable idea of whether a post-season outing is still on the cards.

Nervy Home fans celebrate, at the Bognor game's final whistle.

... while the appreciative Enfield squad thank the home crowd for their valuable support. Manager Brad Quinton (centre, in tracksuit) claps loudest.

Favourable results meant I still hadn’t given up all hope of The Towners extending their season into the play-offs – which could provide yet more opportunities to watch their silky, flowing, football finesse. We went into the next weekend knowing that three more wins in our final three games would secure that much-sought play-off berth. Enfield had become the league's form team at just the right time; and it was still "all in their own hands", going into their next home game, against well-travelled strugglers, Fokestone Invicta.

Fulham also continue to offer a similar, tantalising play-off prospect; but with less control over their own destiny; in the sense that they have a difficult run-in, including away games against play-off place rivals Huddersfield and Sheffield Wednesday.

Further updates to follow, soon ...