It was at Tibshelf services that I realised I had a major problem. For complicated reasons we had been up in the NE the night before but my wife had gone up in the car whereas I had travelled by train from work in London. I had been driving to Derby in my white t-shirt (OK, OK, vest – but Marlon Brando wore one in “On the Waterfront” and looked cool) when we stopped to pick up some scran for later on. I went to put on my replica shirt – and disaster, it was my son’s! The only other thing I had (other than my suit from work) was a scruffy sweatshirt I use for dossing on the couch watching the telly.
And I, like the rest of the 5,000 travelling red and white army, so wanted to impress Roy. It was like a first date where you put on the one shirt that makes you feel like a sex bomb (all the others make you feel like an awkward teenager) but then spill something on it (because in fact you are an awkward teenager) just before you are about to go out.
What would Roy think of us now? We were surprised that he was prepared to date, err, I mean manage, us in the first place. How would we hold on to him if we were the sort of supporters who turned up for a first match in a vest or scruffy sweatshirt?
Sometimes I think I obsess too much about my relationship with SAFC. In fact I lie awake at night worried that I obsess too much about it. Frustratingly opinion is divided amongst my imaginary friends as to whether I do or not.
The slightly off-key nature to the day continued when we got to Derby. The bastards had knocked down Wilmorton College to build a housing estate. That was where we had parked since Pride Park was built. How could they do that? Fortunately we were fairly early so we parked up in the Navigation. This pub usually gets packed out with away fans but despite the huge size of our following it was not that busy. I assume the demolition of Wilmorton College means that the signs directing away fans to that side of the ground have now been taken down and so most SAFC supporters were drinking on the town side of the ground (the alternative that there had been a mass declaration of temperance amongst the men and women of the NE doesn’t seem likely). It was just as well as the service at the Navigation was abysmal. I went to the bar for our second round at 1.05 and didn’t get served until 1.20 (see above re compulsive-obsessive behaviour).
Keano had said in the press conference he wouldn’t be making major changes. So he started with all 5 of his available new signings. Tee, hee. I guess the press (and us) will just have to start getting used to the fact that Keano is not going to let the opposition know anything just because the journos have pages of fish and chip wrapper material to fill.
The downside of having all 5 starting at the same time is that it made it even harder to work out who it was that was doing what and to whom. Varga was easy to identify mind. Gratifyingly he still looks like Varga – and large with it. He was in the right centre back spot and Cunningham was moved over to the left one. As interesting as the starting line-up was who made it on to the bench. There was no place for either Murphy (arguably one of the stronger performers from the Quinn management era) or Lawrence. I am not a great fan of Lawrence generally but I thought he had had a good game against West Brom.
We started the match kicking away from the massed ranks of the red and white army. At first we were dictating the match. However, this often happened in the first 5 games. As time wore on Derby got more and more into it (again a pattern we had got used to). Just before half time they had a shot smash off the bar – we really ought to have woken up then. From another attack their centre half saw Alnwick get the ball and we were set up for a quick break. So he collapsed onto the floor in mock injury. Alnwick felt obliged to throw the ball out. I am sick of this crap. I see the Premier managers have agreed they will no longer do it (other than for an obviously serious injury). It is just plain cheating and really should stop. To compound matters, from the resultant throw in, with Alnwick asking for the ball, the Derby player deliberately threw it out for a goal kick – which is not even vaguely the same as having the ball in your hands. The ref (who was having a bit of a shocker, including waving on the most ridiculous Derby back pass you could imagine) didn’t even bother having a word. Shortly thereafter, with the 45 minutes already up and only 1 minute of injury time shown, the inevitable happened. A ball over from the left to the back post (should Alnwick have gone for it? I thought so but maybe I am being harsh. He certainly thought about it then dropped back to his line) was headed back and a Derby player volleyed a good shot into the net. Ah well.
Second half was our chance to see what the new Keano SAFC was made of. And boy did we show it. With the team now attacking the ridiculously loud away support, the result was never in doubt. Kavanagh in central midfield could almost be Keane. He probably wasn’t yet firing on all cylinders and yet he still looked a different class of player to anyone else on the pitch. I assume he will be captain- it is fairly bizarre having Whitehead having the armband when Kav is there actually doing the job.
The goals came in a great 2 minute spell half way through the half. Both came from good build up play. Brown bundled over the first (and no criticism intended by “bundling” – that is what a striker should be doing, where a striker should be doing it) and Wallace sliced in the second past a defender. Both resulted in the players being booked (Brown for jumping into the crowd – although two other players followed him and weren’t booked) and Wallace for taking his shirt off. I actually think players shouldn’t get themselves booked in this way but I think I have made myself look a boring old fart enough in this report so I won’t mention it. Mind you Wallace was quite funny. As the ref was booking him, he still didn’t have his shirt on and he turned to the SAFC crowd again and waved his arms (holding his shirt of course) up to us – and again after he was booked (and still shirtless) as he was running back to the half way line he turned to us again and raised both arms to us. All good stuff – mind you I can imagine a more gittish Poll-like ref might have sent him off – or at least given him a third yellow card.
After that, we made it look easy. We dropped a bit deeper – but sensibly were still prepared to attack so Derby could never give it their all up front. Varga was immense and even Cunningham looked OK alongside him. For some bizarre reason the ref found 5 minutes injury time (of which he then played 7 according to the scoreboard clock) but that was never going to intimidate us.
Beforehand I had been worried as to whether we’d turn on a performance to excite the big travelling support. In my memory so many times we have such huge numbers things don’t quite work as we’d want them to (although Wigan away in our Championship season was the last really big support – so many grounds these days restricting you to 3,000 – and that was out of this world). I think Keano’s team did us proud. God only knows what happens next. Things seem stuck in the doldrums for years but at SAFC the last few years seem to have been constant turmoil. The immediate “next” is of course Leeds where Roy will no doubt receive a warm welcome – and once again we will be there in numbers to support the lads.