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Posted 13 June 2005 - 11:22 PM
I’ve always been judged for being into football, like I was committing a crime for doing something which girl’s shouldn’t do. I should behave like other teenage girls do and every Saturday afternoon go to town with the rest of my girlfriend’s in and out of every shop, trying clothes on just for the fun of it even when were too skint to buy them. But what’s the point in that? Waste of time if you ask me. I’d get asked through-out the school week ‘so what you doing at the weekend, fancy coming to town?’ over and over again I turned them down, when they asked for a reason I’d tell them. ‘Ahh cause I’m going to the footie’ their reply ‘Well can’t you miss just one game?’ whilst they gave me that look, you know the one where the eyebrow slightly raises. Were they having a laugh? Miss a game, yeah sure! ‘Nah soz’ I’d reply, they’d just walk away after giving me yet another dirty look.
I’d often get questioned about why I went from the girl’s, ‘I bet you just go for a nosy at their leg’s running round the pitch, Is there any fit un’s?’ I’d look at them and raise my eyebrow back at them and just walk away. It seems that’s the only reason girl’s are allowed to go to the football, just to gorm at the ‘sexy’ legs in shorts running round kicking a ball around a bit of grass. How wrong could they be? I tried in vain to make them understand how amazing it was to go and watch a game every week, and cheer the lads on.
I made them watch games on TV, an England game; surely they’d get a buzz from that? Nope, whilst I sat on the edge of the sofa biting my nails at the anxiety of would we get through, could we keep the one goal advantage? My friend who had been playing on her phone for the past half an hour and not even kept one eye on the game decided she wanted a bath. I think I’d learned that moment I’d never make them understand what a quality sport football is.
I’d still carry on going to every game I could get to, I loved this team and I knew I always would. Most people just have to look at our ground to make their mind up about our team. Well if they want to do that, more fool them. They will never experience the breath-taking experience of being a Chesterfield fan. Being stood on the back of the Kop singing your heart out until your throat is so scratched and sore you can sing no longer. Holding your hands up in the air as high as you can singing from the bottom of your heart “Spireite Till I Die”. No Premiership fans can say they’ve felt the emotions we have through the years supporting town.
More highs than lows, the famous FA Cup run, Old Trafford has never buzzed so much, the feeling when Jamie equalised with seconds to go was unbelievable. Survival away at Blackpool and at home to Luton. Collapsing on the Kop in a flood of tears in amazement at the fact of surviving with two minutes to go. The sight of fans who didn’t know each other crying in relief and hugging each other.
After the poor start, having to wait 13 games for a victory, the heart-breaking 7-0 defeat to Plymouth, this was it we’d achieved survival against all odds we’d stayed up. No words can describe the emotion that day to quote one of the players after the game ‘Your heart’s in your mouth, it really is’ sums it up to a tee.
Gaz Davies the Chesterfield born and bred lad netting at Field Mill to win the game against our deadliest of rival’s. A 3-2 victory in Bristol, finally after a hundred years of trying. One hundred and twenty eight fans made the long journey west that night and believe me the feeling was unbelievable to say the least. A whole lot better than being sat in some boozer watching it on the box.
Experiencing amazing goals, Sammy Clingan’s 30-yard screamer against the Bowel’s. Mark Allott’s breath-taking left-footed volley on a freezing cold Tuesday night at Stockport. The 2-0 victory at Wembley versus Bury to make us Play-Off Champions. There are many highs of supporting Chesterfield FC but of course you’ve got the lows of being relegated, the Darren Brown era, David Elleray’s deadly mistake at Trafford, losing quality player’s over the years. But none of these things have stopped us from progressing as a Football Club. No matter how difficult the task we have got through it, together.
The whole atmosphere of going to Saltergate for me never gets tiring; yes it’s the same routine, but I love it and have done for as long as I can remember.
Many people who visit Saltergate return home with the same attitude pulling to pieces our ground and the fact we have no money. For me Saltergate may not be an idealistic ground and fair enough yes it is gradually falling to pieces but for me it is a real football ground.
Wooden benches for seats, posts in the way on every stand coming home with splinters in your bum. But for me those were the highlights of being a kid. Getting ready before the game wearing your shirt on top of a jumper, pair of tights on underneath your jeans, pair of socks on the top. Dr Martens boots, Spireite scarf that you'd wear every single game and yet it never managed to find it's way into the wash, gloves so when you had your drink you didn't burn your fingers!! Hair tied up high with blue&white ribbons hanging down. Walking up St Margaret’s Drive after purchasing a programme the voice beckoning getting closer "FIFTAAAAAAY FIFTAAAAAAY!", walking through the turnstiles and hearing the music echoing underneath the stands.
Wandering up and down the Family Stand looking for somewhere to sit with the best possible view with no posts in the way and a front-seat view of the team running up and down in two columns, Dychey leading the lads in training. Listening to Howard call out the team line-ups. Sat down in the freezing cold but with the comforting smell of Bovril hovering in the air. Looking round at all the Grandma's and Grandad’s arranging their blanket's on the bench whilst they go rummaging through their bag to unveil a big flask of hot coffee to keep them warm through-out the 90 minutes.
Looking over at all the hundreds of fan's on the Kop screaming and shouting for the lad's no matter what the score, always an atmosphere and whenever the ball was to be put in the back of the net that was it the Kop erupted. Seeing the man with the inflatable crooked spire made out of plastic bags with 'Up The Blues' felt-tipped onto the plastic, just to show his support for the lads.
Now we may not have Mourinhio's millions but to be quite frankly honest I'd rather be in our position than Chelsea's we have hope's and dream's of success and getting as high as we possibly can. Once Chelsea have completed and achieved everything that's it. They've done everything. Now I know I'd rather be at Saltergate every two weeks and following town up and down the country for the rest of the time then wasting pathetic money watching a team with no dreams.
We have a real special bunch of lads with us at the moment each and every one has something different to offer to the squad. The ever faithful “Lord Blathers Of Saltergate” longest serving player at the Club, the word loyalty springs straight to mind when his name arises in conversation. Along with Blathers we have experience in Shane Nicholson an excellent signing by McFarland, he may have had his troubles in the past but he’s proved he is worthy with an excellent first season with the Spireites, scooping every ‘Player Of The Year’ award going. The Chief is well known to all and is highly respected wherever he goes. Muggsy, whilst he’s been at Chesterfield has given his all, a great keeper in his time and a genuinely nice bloke. New summer signing Paul Hall from Tranmere who I cannot yet comment on but looks a very promising player. Mark Allott in my opinion an excellent player, his vision and ability of passing the ball is quality. The rest of our squad consists of promising youngster’s who I can’t wait to watch over the month’s progress into excellent players. Alex “Too Good For Arsenal” Bailey a brilliant signing from Macca. O’Hare, Niven, DeBolla, Davies, Downes, Folan, Smith, N’toya and Larkin. Each of these players give 100% for Chesterfield FC and at the end of the day that’s all that matters.
We are a football team that to be fair hasn’t got a lot. We have to get by, by putting our faith and trust in McFarland and Richardson to do the best they possibly can for this team, which I know myself and many other fans trust them in doing.
As a team I believe we are going places, and we shall prove all the critics wrong when they say we are 50/1 for the title. We may not win the title but don’t hold your breath on us slogging our guts out to try and get there.
At the end of the day all it comes down to is that the team we support is a real football team, with a real football ground and real fans.
And I will always be proud to be a Spireite, until the day I die.
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Posted 14 June 2005 - 01:28 PM
