Competitive football was starting again all over the country and Egham Town’s first home fixture in the Combined Counties League’s Premier Division was against Guildford City. I did see an Egham home game in the ‘60s, an FA Amateur Cup tie with Redhill, but from memory that took place in the corner of a field.

 

This was a proper stadium, with bits of cover on all four sides. It was clear evidence that the club had played at a higher level. The ground was a 20-minute walk from the station, passing farmland with its traditional smells, some winding streams and a small chunk of the M25. I was the fourth person through the turnstile and it cost me £5.50 to get in, plus a quid for a glossy programme.

 

I sat behind the far goal. The red seats were all cobwebbed to some degree and, curiously, only about three inches off the ground. Egham finished tenth last season and Guildford were second from bottom, so it had the feel of a home win. But the visitors were 2-0 up at the break and the Egham wheels really came off after the third goal went in, a powerful far-post header from the No.2 that went in just under the “angle”.

 

Guildford ran out easy 5-0 winners against a team reduced to ten men after a fracas right in front of me. The Egham ‘keeper clattered into the No.11 as they went for a 50-50 ball and, having got to their feet, they eyeballed each other for a few seconds before Egham’s No.2 rushed in to knock the Guildford player to the ground. Having “seen red”, he saw red again in the shape of the referee’s card.

 

The train back to London was also packed to the rafters, this time with tourists rather than rugby fans. I had to stand, sweating, but there was some amusement as this chap in a peaked cap went through the carriage calling out “Tickets, please!” He looked completely authentic, certainly fooling me into showing mine, but he turned out to be someone having a laugh.

 

On Tuesday night I saw QPR lose 2-1 at home to Leyton Orient in the Carling Cup. I used to watch Rangers regularly after moving to Holland Park in the early ‘80s. I’ve seen them in Wembley finals and finish as the top London club in the Premership. I thought they tried their best against the O’s, but they just lacked a bit of quality. Ferdinand, Sinclair, Wegerle, Wilkins…just a distant memory.

 

So that’s 26 games this season and 5,358 all told. At the weekend I’m going for an FA Cup “treble”, taking in Extra Preliminary Round ties on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.