retired_bloumoose89

Total Attendance: blah,blah,blah (blah pr game)

Looking forward to your trip to the Millers, if it's not a local derby, change your plans fella. Millmoor only gets full when the locals are in town.

retired_manpk1

Bazza - not really sure what the attendance figure adds. Might do it on a monthly (or divisional) basis


4. Brisbane Road, London (Attendance: 4561)
10 August 2004 – English League Two: Leyton Orient vs Northampton
This was my first game in my home city (metropolis?) of London, and it was easier to take the Central Line to Leyton on the Tube to get to my destination, rather than trying to drive across London.

Northampton were looking to bounce back up a division after relegation last time around, and with Frenchman Eric Sabin pulling the strings, they certainly looked like a decent enough outfit. The visitors, known for their purple outfit – although today they were playing in white, bossed the game early on, although neither goalkeeper was unduly tested in the first twenty five minutes. Then Northampton got a grip on the game, and started causing the Orient defence all sorts of problems. Sabin put them ahead on 29 minutes, and could have easily added a second in the minutes after the goal. Orient got back into the game as the half wore on, but it was still 1-0 as the referee blew up for half time.

As so often happens in football, the side who had been under the cosh get a rollicking at the break and come out fighting at the start of the second half. It happened up at Stenhousemuir, and it also happened here as Andy Scott stole in to equalise against the run on play. Northampton still had the better chances, but the game was turning into a midfield battle by now, and chances were few and far between. That all changed when I kept up my record of seeing a sending off in every game; Sabin seeing red for the visitors on 72. Six minutes later Gary Alexander put the home side ahead, but with ten minutes to go Tom Youngs pounced on a defensive mistake to give Northampton a deserved point.

I got home late that night; it was no surprise that there were delays on the Tube, especially the Northern “Misery” Line. There was another long drive tomorrow, as I headed back up North, and I fell asleep straight away as soon as my head hit the pillow.

Games watched: 4
Total mileage: 1754
Total number of goals witnessed: 11 [+8] (2.75 per game)
Sending offs witnessed: 5 (1.25 per game)

retired_manpk1

5. Hillsborough, Sheffield (Attendance: 15908)
11 August 2004 – English League One: Sheffield Wednesday vs Hartlepool

It was only eleven years ago when Sheffield Wednesday were losing both major Cup finals to Arsenal, but since then Wednesday have slipped down two divisions, and fallen behind their city rivals, United. It’s not good time for Owls fans.

Hartlepool are feeling their way in the third tier of English football following their promotion last season, and I felt that they may just be able to get a result as this most impressive of grounds.

My instincts were confirmed within 360 seconds of the start as Hartlepool broke at the Wednesday defence and Aussie international striker Joel Porter had the visitors ahead. Wednesday though clearly had the greater attacking threat, although their shooting was a little wayward. Hartlepool looked dangerous on the break, but they also rarely threatened, and it was still 1-0 at half time.

It was much the same in the second half, but Wednesday started to find the target more often, only for the impressive Jim Provett to keep them out. I think he earned the Man of the Match award, and it was certainly well deserved. Hartlepool also looked increasingly dangerous when Eifion Williams came on, but there was no more scoring, and Hartlepool had a decent result for them. The Wednesday crowd were not a happy bunch, and I wasn’t surprised to hear the boos emanating from the stands at full time.

Games watched: 5
Total mileage: 1905
Total number of goals witnessed: 12 [+8] (2.40 per game)
Sending offs witnessed: 5 (1 per game)

Mike..

I just hope that the car, and the driver, can handle the mileage - I'm anticipating a "falling asleep at the wheel" disaster before the end of month two

:thup:

retired_manpk1

Flip - the car and driver will be OK, this is fiction after all. As for the story, I hope to complete this - should do it sometime during the second season by my reckoning.

Dan - Mileage is in miles (hence the term). 1 mile = 1.6km. Distances around the UK aren't too bad - I think the longest journey is something like 550 miles; but I also try to make trips between grounds shortish - depends on the fixture list though


6. East End Park, Dunfermline (Attendance: 10229)
12 August 2004 – UEFA Cup, Second Qualifying Round, First Leg: Dunfermline vs Sileks (Macedonia)

I managed to get up to a hostel in Edinburgh for the night following the game in Sheffield, and it was then a relatively short trip on the A90 across the Firth of Forth to get to Dunfermline for my first European game in my challenge.

To be honest, I don’t know much about Macedonian football, other than from what I had seen in England’s Euro 2004 qualifying campaign. I knew they could be dangerous, but perhaps stupidly, I fully expected Dunfermline to take a decent lead with them into the second leg.

Both sides were eyeing each other up in the opening minutes, and neither side seemed to want to give away an early on. Slowly though Dunfermline sensed that their opposition was there from the taking, and after making a few openings, Craig Brewster got in to give the home side the lead on 27. Nine minutes later Brewster turned provider for Simon Donnelly to score his first goal for the club, and things looked good for Dunfermline.

Sileks looked like they might pose a problem on the break, but to be honest, they never really got much of a chance. Scott Thomson hit the post early in the second half, and Butler was also denied by the woodwork late on. Demiri, for Sileks, hit a post in injury time, but it would have been harsh on Dunfermline, who did well to get the result and not concede that all important away goal.

It was in the early hours of Friday morning by the time I got back to London, but I couldn’t get too lethargic; I had to get to my first tier six game at the weekend.

Games watched: 6
Total mileage: 2531
Total number of goals witnessed: 14 [+8] (2.33 per game)
Sending offs witnessed: 5 (0.83 per game)

retired_sander

Loving it :thup:

I once started a story where the aim was to manage all 92 clubs in england this way would of been much easier

retired_manpk1

Thanks John. I remember your story, and also remember thinking that'd you never manage :eek:


7. The Moorlands, Birmingham (Attendance: 714)
14 August 2004 – English Conference North: Moor Green vs Altrincham

The newly formed Conference North and South were having their opening weekends today, and I decided to join in the celebrations with a trip to the Midlands and Moor Green, who are tipped for relegation.

I must admit that I don’t know much about football at this level, and even to describe The Moorlands as a stadium would probably we kind. It’s more of a pitch, with facilities to keep the fans who bother to turn up off the field of play.

It was a decent attendance for the home side, and they had the best of the early chances, taking the lead through debutant Jae Martin with a 25-yard screamer after 19 minutes. Altrincham looked good without threatening to score too often, and by half time Moor Green were two up thanks to Neil Davis’ effort on the break.

Altrincham though didn’t lie down, and within three minutes of the restart Rod Thornley finished off a swift counter-attack to pull a goal back. Thornley then provided the equaliser on the hour, and it was all level. Moor Green started to dominate again, and then it was Altrincham’s turn. In the end, a 2-2 draw was a fair result, although Thornley might have won it for the visitors ten minutes from time; only to see his effort rebound off the post.

Games watched: 7
Total mileage: 2632
Total number of goals witnessed: 18 [+8] (2.57 per game)
Sending offs witnessed: 5 (0.71 per game)

retired_sander

I'm pleased to see the number of sending off's per game now decreasing, it was rather high at first. You'd think they were putting on a boxing match for you

i'll hazard a guess at total mileage for all 200 games will be 75-80,000 in total

as for my epic i might resurect it concentrating on a summary of the time at each club rather thsn more frequent monthly updates as that would take too long. It wil be fun to find out just how many years it will take to complete it.

retired_manpk1

Good luck if you do decide to do it again - you'll need it


8. Tannadice Park, Dundee (Attendance: 13381)
15 August 2004 – Scottish Premier League: Dundee United vs Dunfermline

Dundee is, so far, the furthest north that I have had to travel so far; and the reason for the Sunday fixture was because of Dunfermline’s efforts in Europe on Thursday.

Dundee is famous for being the smallest town in Britain to have two major football sides, and the two grounds are separated by not more than about half a mile.

Today’s fixture was at Tannadice, home of United, and although Dunfermline had the first effort, it was the home side who were creating more of the football, and deservedly took the lead midway through the first period through Jim McIntyre. To be fair to them, Dunfermline didn’t really show any signs of tiredness after their European exploits, although they didn’t have their shooting boots on when they got close to goal.

That was until four minutes into the second half when Craig Wilson found an equaliser, and the visitors sensed that they could get something out of the game. The second half wasn’t a classic, and captain Scott Thomson’s effort eight minutes from time was enough to win the game for the visitors.

So a hectic week finally came to an end, and although the game was an afternoon kick-off, it was gone midnight by the time I arrived back home. I couldn’t afford to sleep for too long though, as the coming week would see four more games, although I wouldn’t be travelling to Scotland for this coming week. However, it promised to be a week of contrasts, as I intended to watch games from the Conference and the Premiership.

Games watched: 8
Total mileage: 3405
Total number of goals witnessed: 21 [+8] (2.63 per game)
Sending offs witnessed: 5 (0.63 per game)

retired_manpk1

9. The Lawn, Forest Green (Attendance: 715)
17 August 2004 – English Conference National: Forest Green vs Morecambe

A relatively short trip to deepest Surrey sees my first taste of Conference football, National style. Just in case you’re wondering, that’s the fifth tier in England.

Neither side on display here tonight are expected to do anything other than struggle for their status in the Conference, but maybe that will open up the game, even at this early stage of the season.

Forest Green had a very early chance, but after that it was all one-way traffic as Morecambe had a fair few chances to take the lead. It was no different after half time, but Forest Green keeper Steven Perrin deserved his Man of the Match accolade to keep out everything that Morecambe could throw at him. Forest Green only really woke up in the last ten minutes, but they couldn’t do anything either, and I had witnessed my first 0-0.

Games watched: 9
Total mileage: 3449
Total number of goals witnessed: 21 [+8] (2.33 per game)
Sending offs witnessed: 5 (0.56 per game)