There
can scarcely be a better feeling of optimism and positivity in the world than
that frisson of both anticipation and excitement engendered by the arrival of
each New Year. The sentiments are certainly deepened for followers of football,
when the vagaries of the fixture list throw up 5 straight home games for your
team, including the promise of two magical cup nights under a twinkling frosty
sky, augmented by the warm, soothing glow of floodlights, as well as a pair of
local derbies with your closest sporting rivals to boot. Or, at least, that
should be the case, rather than the desperate, disproportionate and unnecessary
state of affairs that either sends you to other grounds to watch games you’re
only half interested in, or keeps you in the house; vainly attempting to
profess interest in a televised contest you couldn’t care less about (what the
hell is a Carabou anyway?), while hammering the phone battery, trying to gain
updates on your first and only love’s progress from WhatsApp and Twitter.
A
lot of things have happened since issue #13 hit the streets in mid-November, on
the day East Hull were routed and I enjoyed the cerebral delights of Dumbarton
1 Falkirk 1; The Sons against The Bairns, when the travelling support barked
and howled at their club’s hierarchy, like rabid wolves on a bad acid trip. If
you recall reading that issue, my piece was about the unpleasant experience of
being forced to resign from my cherished positions of programme editor and
committee member at my beloved Newcastle Benfield FC, because of anti-racist
comments I’d made in an article in our programme for a 2-2 draw with
Guisborough Town in late September and which I still stand by. I quit my
position on October 1st. A month after stepping down, we were due to
host Guisborough again, but this time in the FA Vase. In the end, at the
request of our acting club chair, of whom more later, I graciously did not attend this game,
preferring to watch the intermittent floodlit semaphore at North Ferriby that
seemed to take precedence over the straightforward home win over Swallownest.
Of course, I still had one eye on updates coming through on my phone from Sam
Smith’s Park.
That
day, Benfield demolished Guisborough 4-0 to progress to the next round and I
had a blinding day at Ferriby. Consequently, I didn’t feel too bad about
missing my team’s game as, about once a month on average, I head up to Scotland
to take in a new ground, in my hope of ticking off all 42 league clubs north of
the Border. I suppose I’m in a bit of a hurry to get them all done before
Jeanette Mugabe erects armed custom posts to repel English refugees from the
post Brexit Armageddon that’s arriving like a jail on wheels. As well as
Dumbarton, I’ve been to Stirling Albion this season and have both Alloa
Athletic and Airdrieonians in my sights before this publication reaches its
intended audience, with a trip to Dundee a little further down the road.
Back
to Benfield where, Guisborough aside, the nature of my supporting life began to
take on the shape of a new normal. During October and November, I attended home
games at Sam Smith’s Park against Northallerton Town, Bedlington Terriers and
Thornaby, all of which were wins, as well as a comprehensive loss to Northern
League title contenders Stockton Town on November 20th that, as it
stands, appears destined to be my last visit of the season to the place I fell
in love with my beloved club. I also attended our away game at Ryhope CW, which
I mentioned in the last issue, missed the trip to North Shields to watch
Stirling Albion in the Scottish Cup and went on the coach to Ellesmere Port,
paying my full whack as I’m no longer a committee member, to our FA Vase game
against Vauxhall Motors. The whole day was a disaster; we lost 2-0 without
having a shot on target, saw 2 players red carded for mindless and unnecessary
fouls, then crawled home with only a substantial craft ale carry out for
company. Probably the last thing I did for my club was during our comfort stop
at Hartshead Services, when I bought a cup of tea and a pack of ginger snaps
for Johnny “Tourettes” Innes, Benfield’s octogenarian half time bait commis
chef and the bloke with the most creative approach to swearing I’ve ever met. Honestly,
he’s one of the best characters in the grassroots game on Tyneside; an absolute
hero. It was the best £5 I could possibly have spent. I’d have got Johnny a
three course meal if I’d known what was in the post.
On
the Tuesday after, without any warning or indication there was anything in the
air on the Saturday, I received a lengthy Twitter
DM, effectively stating I was no longer allowed to attend home games,
because of complaints made against me by certain of the new committee members,
suggesting that I had brought the club into disrepute with some of the
political statements I’d made on social media and in real life. You’ll be aware
there was a General Election last year. You’ll presumably be aware that
politically I am at the extreme left of any axis of opinion on each and every
subject you care to mention. You’ll sadly be aware that vast swathes of voters
in the former Labour heartlands have defected to the extreme right, with
disastrous electoral consequences for us all. While Newcastle East and Wallsend
returned Nick Brown as MP for the tenth election in a row, since he first stood
in 1983, there is still a significant groundswell of angry, bitter, working
class voters in the constituency who embrace and espouse authoritarian populist
positions on topics such as militarism, Islam and Brexit. Inevitably, I sharply
diverge in an ideological sense from all populist positions on this and many
other topics, from immigration to Irish reunification. The worst part about the
current level of public debate is the fact that people holding what I consider
to be reactionary ideals not only disagree with me, but seek to deny my right
to express any political opinions that they do not share. It’s a terrible state
of affairs, in the whole country, not just Benfield clubhouse.
To
put things in a Benfield context, as a way to explain my expulsion from the
inner circle, the most important thing to note is our club’s founder and ex officio chair Jimmy Rowe tragically passed
away after a short illness in early September, having closely nurtured the club
for more than 30 years. Jimmy was the
most benevolent dictator any team could wish for and I’ll state two things
here; firstly, he is the man I have respected the most all the time I’ve been
involved with non-professional football. Secondly, he would not have given
house room, much less credence, to the opinions of several of those who have been
denigrating and decrying those who have been at the club far longer than they
have. Especially as the points of contention are either deeply personal or
rooted in the undemocratic wish to suppress opinions at variance from their
own, like a miniature military dictatorship or putative police state. This does not sit easily with someone like me
who instinctively distrusts any form of authority.
The
hammer blow of my banning order was tempered a day later by further detail in a
follow-up DM that stated I was banned until the end of this season, but could
apply in writing to be allowed to return next year, unless I caused “further
disruption” in the meantime, which would
result in a life ban. Now remember, we’re talking about volunteering at a club
at Level 5 in the non-league pyramid, not full-scale rioting on a Euro away
trip, but at least there is a potential resolution to this. All I want is to
watch my team and thankfully I still can, away from home (other than at Guisborough
of course). Since the home ban was instituted, I’ve seen us win at Whickham, Seaham
and Northallerton as well as drawing at Consett. Some committee members talk to
me pleasantly enough, while others pointedly avoid me, not that I’m bothered to
be perfectly honest.
When
it comes to home games, I’ve been able to keep myself entertained at Hebburn 2
Billingham Town 4, Whitley Bay 7 Seaham 1 and West Allotment 0 Redcar Town 1, while
we faced West Auckland (1-1), Hebburn (1-3) and Whitley Bay (2-1), though the
Leicester v Villa League Cup semi was nowhere near as absorbing as our 8-0
drubbing of Brandon would have been. At the time of writing, I had home games
left to miss, of which 7 were played before football was suspended. My initial
trip to Alloa, which coincided with a rearranged home tie with North Shields,
was booked when we went out of the FA Vase and our scheduled opponents Hebburn
won their game. The first irony is that they’re heading to Ellesmere Port and a
meeting with our conquerors, Vauxhall Motors. The second is I’m exchanging the
Hornets (Hebburn) for the Wasps (Alloa). A far bigger irony was that the 4G
pitch at Recreation Park was waterlogged, meaning I had to take in
Stenhousemuir 2 Brechin City 2 instead. The least said about 120 minutes of sterility
at Bedlington Town 0 Rothbury 0 in the Alliance Combination Cup semi-final the
better.
I
should have been at Billingham Town 1 Benfield 2 on January 25th but
kick off was moved to 2pm because of their dodgy floodlights, so I ended up at
Ryton & Crawcrook 5 Bedlington Terriers 0 instead. On February 1st,
Benfield hosted Bishop Auckland, losing 3-2 after being 2-0 up, while Laura and
I were in Glasgow for a gig. In the circumstances, a diversionary outing to Hampden
Park for Queen’s Park 1 Cowdenbeath 0 was most appealing and appropriate, though
Chemfica Amateurs Heaton Stan A 0 in the Alliance a week later had only its
proximity to my house to recommend it.
Stockton
Town 4 Benfield 0 was the usual massacre, as we’ve had that score 3 years in a
row now. I wish I’d been barred from that one and not the encouraging point at
Guisborough the week after, while I slithered in the mud at Blue Star 1
Winlaton Vulcan 3. Leap Day saw Canadian Dave and I finally get to Alloa; a
great day, even if they lost 2-0. The
first Saturday in March was also a great day; being 20% of the travelling
support with Benfield to Northallerton, where we won 2-1. That was Benfield’s
last game before this current emergency. The last game I saw before everything
stopped was the brilliant tussle at Purvis Park, when Percy Main bested
Winlaton 2-1.
With
no football happening at present, we have other things to worry abput. However,
my mind still strays to Newcastle Benfield on a regular basis. Things aren’t
devastatingly bleak for me, but I do feel as if I’ve been treated more than
unfairly. Certainly, it has made me more than a little cautious about offering
my services to Benfield or any other club in the future, though I hope my
cautionary tale doesn’t put anyone off getting involved with their club of
choice. Also, I sincerely hope to be cheering Benfield on at home games next
season.
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