Escape to victory

“Football isn’t about profit and loss. It is about glory and excitement.” I’ve experienced some gloriously exciting evenings at Market Road. As the only spectator. Doing a Mexican wave on my own.

In September this year, I will have watched football at Carshalton Athletic’s War Memorial Sports Ground for half a century. My first match there was an FA Amateur Cup First Qualifying Round tie against Chobham in 1963, which Robins won 3-0 in a season in which they reached the Third Round Proper, and I was there again at the weekend for their Isthmian League Premier Division fixture with Cray Wanderers.

Also in the ‘60s I saw their special game against Crystal Palace’s first team to open the floodlights, which they lost 2-5 before a massive crowd, and walked all the way from Coulsdon on an evening during the Easter school holiday for a First Round tie in the ‘South of the Thames Cup’ against Tooting. I wonder if anyone else remembers that competition. Tooting won 3-1.

Robins were two points adrift at the bottom of the table before kick-off on Saturday. They had won their game on the previous Tuesday, a six pointer with Enfield Town, but began by defending nervously against the Wands. The visitors went ahead with a spot-kick, Robins levelled soon afterwards with a less than menacing 30-yarder that the ‘keeper fumbled over the line, and there was a cracking Carshalton winner on 83 minutes that sent everyone home happy.

For me it was back to Purley on the 127 for some tea and ‘Splash!’, the diving show that no-one else seems to like.

It was starting to feel like January on Sunday, with the temperature close to freezing, so I had five layers on for the 10.45 game on Pitch 8 in Regent’s Park between Quinine and Philosophy Football. Again I was the only one watching. I asked one of the Philosophy subs shivering on the touchline if the teams played in a particular league. He revealed that it was the ‘Grafton and West London Millennium Sunday League’.

The Quinine goalie had ‘HOUDINI 12’ on the back of his jersey but it was his Philosophy counterpart who was picking the ball out of the net after about 30 seconds. It was soon 2-0, but Philosophy hit back with an almost unbelievable shot into the top corner. The ball was bobbling along and the striker seemed to be slightly off balance as he ‘pulled the trigger’. The ref, in tracksuit and woolly hat, barely left the centre circle.

I have an FA Cup replay tonight, my 20th game in the competition this season, and will be at the launch of The FA’s 150th anniversary celebrations at the Grand Connaught Rooms tomorrow. I’ll be the only one there who isn’t a celebrity.

Games this season = 107
Games in total = 6,402

Twitter: @thebarberfan