It was just after 11.15am, at 12.45 we pulled out of Marks Tey and were ten minutes from Colchester main line station but by then I was losing the will to live. 20 minutes sitting at Witham does that to you. I had come to the conclusion that I'd made a mistake and another was to follow!
At least I could now get a pint. Then I saw that the pub recommended on the Pub Crawl because it took away fans, didn't! The Norfolk was closed to Yellow shirts and a few old Bill, one with a video camera, was making sure it remained that way. Putting on my best Farmers accent I asked the landlord was this now regular, (yes, I went in, I was very thirsty!), "No, just heard there was going to be trouble." Blimey, us and Col. U, the odd word but I didn't think it went past that but after grabbing a £2.70 plastic cupped pint of Old Speckled Hen I could sense an uglier mood amongst the natives than usual.
I fought my way to the bar for another pint, not literally as I was outnumbered, but this was horrible. There were several other pubs I would rather be than this one, Layer Road certainly had a small advantage there, and the one reason it was at the top of the Crawl had been taken away, I had to escape (and a promise to rewrite for next visit). Text messages were sent and received, do not meet here!
The best pub and closer to the buses to the stadium is the Bricklayer Arms, good beer, bigger bar, more staff, but here I knew there would be bouncers checking up. Following right behind an obvious Farmer, (blue striped shirt, webbed fingers), I got in quite easily, too easily, I checked my hands. There were three mates to join me, that might not be so easy, a cunning plan was needed.
Two pints of the excellent White Dwarf were ordered, last bought in Crewe of all places and £2.85 but in a real glass, and outside I went as Spring had broken out in the south. As the lads approached I got in front of the door staff, handed over a pint with a big smile, "you made it", and they followed me past them. No questions asked, except from me, "can I have my pint back?"
There were some worrying glances that the bus queue was getting bigger but the buses not turning up in great numbers so we left around 2.10 and were at the stadium after a ten minute journey at 2.40. The concern that the home side might be unprepared for a 8,000 plus crowd confirmed when we saw a couple of away turnstiles closed! As the queues got longer and words exchanged with the stewards those turnstiles opened just in time for everyone but real latecomers to get to their seat for the kick-off.
The full story behind the game and the Moose's man of the match rating here: www.thelittlegazette.com/news/loadnews.asp?cid=TMNW&id=433835
The boys at the side for Col U were doing their best to raise humour levels in our end with some mindless chants but I did not hear the not so amusing stuff that was directed at some of our players, especially goal scorer Moussa, and now confirmed: www.thelittlegazette.com/news/loadnews.asp?cid=TMNW&id=434345
What can you say about club stewarding? I thought I had covered everything after the Stockport game about most individuals who take up this position, but this raised it to new levels. Balls thrown directly in the face of an opposing player. Worse, monkey taunts made yards from stewards and local police. Institutionalised racism is alive and well in North Essex.
Unbelievable! I hope Southend don't just pass on this, which would be insulting to 55% of our starting line-up last Saturday.
Thank God we won, the players enjoyment at the result at the end was obvious. The kissing of badges has become a bit of a cliché but not on Saturday, the bows and gestures of the black players in the Southend team to the home support said more than words. Well done lads, I certainly enjoyed this more than most, beat even the 3-0 win for me, sometimes it is just is the result.
The buses back to the station were full of smiling Shrimpers, and very quiet Farmers. The away sections trying to share their enjoyment at the result with the departing Col U outside but they didn't seem as pleased. One bloke was getting quite excited as every finger he was allowed to open was furiously being stuck up in our direction, "yes, quite right, 1-0", a yellow shirted Southender next to me was reminding him. It was very funny.
I'm told some action kicked off later at the station which I missed seeing if it happened as I got an early bus back to Billericay then home, a touch quicker this time.
The next time we meet should make for an interesting occasion.
For now, there is only one team in Essex.
Two pints of the excellent White Dwarf were ordered, last bought in Crewe of all places and £2.85 but in a real glass, and outside I went as Spring had broken out in the south. As the lads approached I got in front of the door staff, handed over a pint with a big smile, "you made it", and they followed me past them. No questions asked, except from me, "can I have my pint back?"
There were some worrying glances that the bus queue was getting bigger but the buses not turning up in great numbers so we left around 2.10 and were at the stadium after a ten minute journey at 2.40. The concern that the home side might be unprepared for a 8,000 plus crowd confirmed when we saw a couple of away turnstiles closed! As the queues got longer and words exchanged with the stewards those turnstiles opened just in time for everyone but real latecomers to get to their seat for the kick-off.
The full story behind the game and the Moose's man of the match rating here: www.thelittlegazette.com/news/loadnews.asp?cid=TMNW&id=433835
The boys at the side for Col U were doing their best to raise humour levels in our end with some mindless chants but I did not hear the not so amusing stuff that was directed at some of our players, especially goal scorer Moussa, and now confirmed: www.thelittlegazette.com/news/loadnews.asp?cid=TMNW&id=434345
What can you say about club stewarding? I thought I had covered everything after the Stockport game about most individuals who take up this position, but this raised it to new levels. Balls thrown directly in the face of an opposing player. Worse, monkey taunts made yards from stewards and local police. Institutionalised racism is alive and well in North Essex.
Unbelievable! I hope Southend don't just pass on this, which would be insulting to 55% of our starting line-up last Saturday.
Thank God we won, the players enjoyment at the result at the end was obvious. The kissing of badges has become a bit of a cliché but not on Saturday, the bows and gestures of the black players in the Southend team to the home support said more than words. Well done lads, I certainly enjoyed this more than most, beat even the 3-0 win for me, sometimes it is just is the result.
The buses back to the station were full of smiling Shrimpers, and very quiet Farmers. The away sections trying to share their enjoyment at the result with the departing Col U outside but they didn't seem as pleased. One bloke was getting quite excited as every finger he was allowed to open was furiously being stuck up in our direction, "yes, quite right, 1-0", a yellow shirted Southender next to me was reminding him. It was very funny.
I'm told some action kicked off later at the station which I missed seeing if it happened as I got an early bus back to Billericay then home, a touch quicker this time.
The next time we meet should make for an interesting occasion.
For now, there is only one team in Essex.