Six games last week have taken me up to 143 for the season and 6,803 in total.
My first official game was Crystal Palace v Hitchin Town in an FA Cup First Round tie in 1960, Palace winning 6-2 before a 22,000 crowd at Selhurst Park.
In those days they only had cover on one side.
Somerville Old Boys take on Old Meadonians
When you’re standing behind the goal in a biting wind that’s coming straight from the North Pole, you find yourself hoping that the game does not go to extra-time…but it always does!
On Saturday I was one of 25 spectators watching the AFA Intermediate Cup Final at Winchmore Hill FC’s Paulin Ground aka ‘The Home of Football’.
The first team of Somerville Old Boys, the well-known Oxford University College, were playing the second team of Old Meadonians, whose home ground is in Chiswick by the Thames.
It was a game of few chances, 0-0 after 90 minutes and Somerville won with two goals in the second period of extra-time.
I saw some of the game with ‘Chris’, Winchmore Hill’s historian.
It was The Barber's 141st game of the season
He told me that the club would be celebrating its centenary in five years’ time.
Apparently, in the early 1960s, Hill played Arsenal in a friendly and drew 2-2. For my part I can remember seeing them beat Malden Vale 2-1 in an FA Vase Preliminary Round tie in 1983.
During the half-time interval on Saturday I took the opportunity to take in a few minutes of a game on another pitch between Winchmore Hill’s ninth team and Old Finchleians’ seventh team.
I saw Finchley score twice and it was perfectly watchable football. I understand that it finished 9-0.
The highlight of the week for The Barber was the AFA Intermediate Cup Final
It wasn’t quite as windy in Regent’s Park on Sunday and it was almost warm in the sun by mid-afternoon.
Iconic v KPMG Salmon in the London Accountants League, a 1-1 draw, was one of those games where the players see fit to dispute most of the referee’s decisions.
At one point I heard one of the more sensible players say: “Cut the chat, boys. It’s becoming a joke”.
In the afternoon I initially thought I was watching a team called ‘Hotbed’ but it turned out to be ‘Honved’, named after the crack Hungarian club side of the 1950s.
Euston Honved, to give them their full name, won 2-0. And it was the same poor harangued ref that I’d seen in the morning!
All being well, I’ll see nine games this week.
Those will include England v Lithuania on Friday and the FA Trophy Final on Sunday.
