Emil's Blog
Mon 21st July 2014 | Atherton Collieries | By Ian Templeman
Atherton Collieries Secretary Emil Anderson takes a look back at some memorable pre-season trips with Colls.
JOLLY BOYS OUTING
On Saturday 26th July we are going to the North East seaside town of Whitley Bay for our final pre season friendly. We realise that this is going to be a tough match up for Cleggy’s lads. Our hosts are year on year top 3 finishers in the highly competitive Northern League and have won the ultimate competition for teams at our level The Vase on four occasions.
To get a game at Whitley Bay is a major coup for the club and credit goes to Joe Gibbons for getting it sorted. We like a pre season ‘Jolly Boys’ trip and this is possibly the most prestigious to date.
The ‘Jolly Boys’ trip dates back to the 2008/09 campaign when Dave Conlon was at the helm and we got a game at Holyhead Hotspur on the Island of Anglesey. I pride myself on my memory but for the life of me cannot remember how we got the gig. Anyway it was a hot ‘un and we got a fine welcome at the New Oval Ground. It was a really nice set up having only been opened in 2007, I recall there was another ground yards away which I am certain was their old one.
We lost 3-2 in a close encounter but we weren’t particularly bothered as the beer, or more accurately cider, was flowing in the club. Pear cider was deemed to be the future and Savannah Dry Cider from South Africa was introduced to thirsty Athertonians (is that actually a word). There was soon a run on them in our local Tesco. The day was a success and despite plenty of hangovers in the morning it was decided to have a regular pre season trip on a charabanc.
The 2009/10 version was organised as we ate some excellent food at a Bolton Wanderers v Sunderland Premiership game. Some of our committee for their sins follow England away and had struck up a friendship with a group of like minded Sunderland fans and they met up in blighty at Bolton v Sunderland contests. Conversation got around to our involvement with the Colls and one of our guests said he had a pal at Sunderland RCA, a club in our equivalent division in The Northern League.
The day came and we didn’t have the bestest start. The coach was stuck on the car park at TGI Friday’s in Prestwich for nigh on a hour as our centre forward had not switch his bedside alarm on. We only had 13 Men and I think 2 of these were keepers. We eventually got our act together and sped to ‘Mackem’ land in the rain. We still arrived late and the lads had a quick warm up while the faithful went to the tea hut which fortunately sold cans of beer.
Sunderland RCA had got a quality squad together and were apparently nailed on for promotion. We had suffered a relegation and the squad was in a transitional period. We conceded in the opening minute and in 3rd and the 6th. You didn’t have to be Einstein to realise that we had bitten off more than we could chew. Our under strength team trailed 7-0 at the interval.
The players returned to the dressing room for a bit of respite shell-shocked while the fans ordered another beer equally shell-shocked. We performed better in the 2nd period and the final score was 10 (ten) goals to nil. We left Wearside a little bit embarrassed but we did the best we could. RCA were a good side and easily promoted at the end of the season. We were told that we had drunk more beer than any other team, but as a consolation it was scant.
We had a year off in 2010 but went on two in 2011. Steve Pilling was now the Colls’ gaffer, and one of his assistants Decker who lived on the Wirral had contacts with a club just in Wales. Llay Welfare and Atherton Collieries met on Saturday 23 July. The game wasn’t play on Llay’s ground but on a pitch on a hotel complex. It was Wolverhampton Wanderers’ training pitch and no understatement it was in magnificent condition. We played some quality stuff on the carpet and managed to win 10 (ten) – 0. More goals could have been scored.
The previous ‘jolly boys’ ghost had been partially exorcised. The highlight of the day was when Llay’s best player had been withdrawn for insubordination to his manager and in frustration he threw his Predator’s in the adjourning farmer’s field. Minutes later a tractor entered the field and started churning up the ground. The lad was still sulking and only just realised what was happening to save his footwear. We didn’t over drink on the day and returned home ridiculously compos.
We should have visited Coventry Sphinx in 2010 but didn’t trap for some reason so it was agreed to go the following year. Saturday 30 July 2011 was a boiling day and we didn’t go on a coach. In fact I think only Ian and Carole Williams, The Reverend (Vincent) and I were our only spectators. We travelled down in cars and played a team operating in a Step higher than us.
I had been on a door at the club the previous night and had been the Jagerbomb Meister and only got in at stupid o’clock. It was a miracle I was there but you can’t keep a good man down. A can of Strongbow (Savannah Dry was no longer en vogue) kept me going on the way down. I recollect very little of the game but we led 3-0 at the interval. The ‘Towndogg’ himself Paul Townshend scored an absolute screamer. We only had 12 men and one lad had to come of with blistered feet.
Sphinx made a plethora of changes and our lads were out on their feet in the second half in the blistering heat. Somehow we managed to hang on and gained a notable scalp winning 3-2. I was out on my feet for different reasons, but being a true Trojan didn’t sleep till bedtime that night. Andy Walker was the Coventry Minx as he moved his car at the services leaving the Reverend flummoxed. He relented five minutes later. Andy and I thought it was funny anyway.
There was another fallow Jolly Boys year in 2012 but we were back in 2013 with an impressive cast of players and supporters. We were returned to Anglesey and met Glantraeth FC. Not the easiest to spell, and it was my faux pas to spell the presentation plate marking the occasion wrong. Stan, the ex Burscough and now Glantraeth secretary, agreed that worse things had happened at sea.
The trip there was a good affair and everybody was in the mood for a cracking day’s entertainment. The weather again was memorable. We hit a snag when we got within minutes of the ground and our coach driver was struggling to reach the location because of the narrow roads and overhanging foliage. He was getting increasingly irascible and even said it would be the last time he would bring us here. No worries Glantraeth was not likely to become a regular Colls destination.
The ground was in a rural setting and was picturesque. Sheep roamed the opposite field and a few of our gang had a run with them after a few drinks. The game was nothing to shout about and a 0-0 stalemate was a fair result. We managed to win the half time supporters penalty shoot out. I loved the way the locals spoke Welsh and English in the same sentence. After a few beers at the ground we decamped to a pub and the players got fed. A good time was had by all. Mr Coach Driver you can be rest assured we have no current plans to go back.
A jaunt down memory lane. I am looking forward to seeing Whitley Bay FC. Will we see the Angel of the North? If you fancy it get booked on the coach!
Emil
Emil's Blog
Mon 21st July 2014 | Atherton Collieries
By Ian Templeman
Atherton Collieries Secretary Emil Anderson takes a look back at some memorable pre-season trips with Colls.
JOLLY BOYS OUTING
On Saturday 26th July we are going to the North East seaside town of Whitley Bay for our final pre season friendly. We realise that this is going to be a tough match up for Cleggy’s lads. Our hosts are year on year top 3 finishers in the highly competitive Northern League and have won the ultimate competition for teams at our level The Vase on four occasions.
To get a game at Whitley Bay is a major coup for the club and credit goes to Joe Gibbons for getting it sorted. We like a pre season ‘Jolly Boys’ trip and this is possibly the most prestigious to date.
The ‘Jolly Boys’ trip dates back to the 2008/09 campaign when Dave Conlon was at the helm and we got a game at Holyhead Hotspur on the Island of Anglesey. I pride myself on my memory but for the life of me cannot remember how we got the gig. Anyway it was a hot ‘un and we got a fine welcome at the New Oval Ground. It was a really nice set up having only been opened in 2007, I recall there was another ground yards away which I am certain was their old one.
We lost 3-2 in a close encounter but we weren’t particularly bothered as the beer, or more accurately cider, was flowing in the club. Pear cider was deemed to be the future and Savannah Dry Cider from South Africa was introduced to thirsty Athertonians (is that actually a word). There was soon a run on them in our local Tesco. The day was a success and despite plenty of hangovers in the morning it was decided to have a regular pre season trip on a charabanc.
The 2009/10 version was organised as we ate some excellent food at a Bolton Wanderers v Sunderland Premiership game. Some of our committee for their sins follow England away and had struck up a friendship with a group of like minded Sunderland fans and they met up in blighty at Bolton v Sunderland contests. Conversation got around to our involvement with the Colls and one of our guests said he had a pal at Sunderland RCA, a club in our equivalent division in The Northern League.
The day came and we didn’t have the bestest start. The coach was stuck on the car park at TGI Friday’s in Prestwich for nigh on a hour as our centre forward had not switch his bedside alarm on. We only had 13 Men and I think 2 of these were keepers. We eventually got our act together and sped to ‘Mackem’ land in the rain. We still arrived late and the lads had a quick warm up while the faithful went to the tea hut which fortunately sold cans of beer.
Sunderland RCA had got a quality squad together and were apparently nailed on for promotion. We had suffered a relegation and the squad was in a transitional period. We conceded in the opening minute and in 3rd and the 6th. You didn’t have to be Einstein to realise that we had bitten off more than we could chew. Our under strength team trailed 7-0 at the interval.
The players returned to the dressing room for a bit of respite shell-shocked while the fans ordered another beer equally shell-shocked. We performed better in the 2nd period and the final score was 10 (ten) goals to nil. We left Wearside a little bit embarrassed but we did the best we could. RCA were a good side and easily promoted at the end of the season. We were told that we had drunk more beer than any other team, but as a consolation it was scant.
We had a year off in 2010 but went on two in 2011. Steve Pilling was now the Colls’ gaffer, and one of his assistants Decker who lived on the Wirral had contacts with a club just in Wales. Llay Welfare and Atherton Collieries met on Saturday 23 July. The game wasn’t play on Llay’s ground but on a pitch on a hotel complex. It was Wolverhampton Wanderers’ training pitch and no understatement it was in magnificent condition. We played some quality stuff on the carpet and managed to win 10 (ten) – 0. More goals could have been scored.
The previous ‘jolly boys’ ghost had been partially exorcised. The highlight of the day was when Llay’s best player had been withdrawn for insubordination to his manager and in frustration he threw his Predator’s in the adjourning farmer’s field. Minutes later a tractor entered the field and started churning up the ground. The lad was still sulking and only just realised what was happening to save his footwear. We didn’t over drink on the day and returned home ridiculously compos.
We should have visited Coventry Sphinx in 2010 but didn’t trap for some reason so it was agreed to go the following year. Saturday 30 July 2011 was a boiling day and we didn’t go on a coach. In fact I think only Ian and Carole Williams, The Reverend (Vincent) and I were our only spectators. We travelled down in cars and played a team operating in a Step higher than us.
I had been on a door at the club the previous night and had been the Jagerbomb Meister and only got in at stupid o’clock. It was a miracle I was there but you can’t keep a good man down. A can of Strongbow (Savannah Dry was no longer en vogue) kept me going on the way down. I recollect very little of the game but we led 3-0 at the interval. The ‘Towndogg’ himself Paul Townshend scored an absolute screamer. We only had 12 men and one lad had to come of with blistered feet.
Sphinx made a plethora of changes and our lads were out on their feet in the second half in the blistering heat. Somehow we managed to hang on and gained a notable scalp winning 3-2. I was out on my feet for different reasons, but being a true Trojan didn’t sleep till bedtime that night. Andy Walker was the Coventry Minx as he moved his car at the services leaving the Reverend flummoxed. He relented five minutes later. Andy and I thought it was funny anyway.
There was another fallow Jolly Boys year in 2012 but we were back in 2013 with an impressive cast of players and supporters. We were returned to Anglesey and met Glantraeth FC. Not the easiest to spell, and it was my faux pas to spell the presentation plate marking the occasion wrong. Stan, the ex Burscough and now Glantraeth secretary, agreed that worse things had happened at sea.
The trip there was a good affair and everybody was in the mood for a cracking day’s entertainment. The weather again was memorable. We hit a snag when we got within minutes of the ground and our coach driver was struggling to reach the location because of the narrow roads and overhanging foliage. He was getting increasingly irascible and even said it would be the last time he would bring us here. No worries Glantraeth was not likely to become a regular Colls destination.
The ground was in a rural setting and was picturesque. Sheep roamed the opposite field and a few of our gang had a run with them after a few drinks. The game was nothing to shout about and a 0-0 stalemate was a fair result. We managed to win the half time supporters penalty shoot out. I loved the way the locals spoke Welsh and English in the same sentence. After a few beers at the ground we decamped to a pub and the players got fed. A good time was had by all. Mr Coach Driver you can be rest assured we have no current plans to go back.
A jaunt down memory lane. I am looking forward to seeing Whitley Bay FC. Will we see the Angel of the North? If you fancy it get booked on the coach!
Emil
