New Year’s Day, and the snow has finally cleared enough to allow today’s game against Port Vale to go ahead. People who’ve been cooped up with the family over Christmas emerge blinking into the light, eager to see some football. Of course, there’s very little in the way of public transport, but luckily my dad and I get a lift to the ground courtesy of Gordon.
Once there, we find Jenny and Chris Turner lurking outside the turnstiles. Between us, we have a few complimentary tickets to dispose of, sent as a thank you for our continuing sponsorship. The nice letter from the commercial department includes the line, ‘If you’re unable to use them, perhaps you can pass them on to your staff.’ This is fair enough, given that most of the sponsorship is taken up by businesses, rather than individuals, but don’t they realise that when you work for yourself and have cats, that makes you the staff? Chris is taking one of the tickets, but everyone else we see who we know is already a season ticket holder. Jenny was hoping she could pass one on to Nigel Hall, who’s come up for the day, but he’s been dragged off to see relatives instead. We hope that, like Chris Kirkland on his enforced trip to Meadowhall, he’ll protest by sitting in the car, listening to the commentaries on Radio Sheffield...
As we go through the turnstiles, Howard Webb is being congratulated over the Tannoy for being awarded the MBE. No mention on how this news is being received in Holland...
Once inside, it’s clear there are plenty of non-regulars here today. Our chum on the row in front has brought his wife for once. Apparently, the last time she attended a game we won by a big score. Let’s hope she’s a lucky charm...
Port Vale arrive following the defection of manager Mickey Adams to Sheff U. If the team are hoping to impress whoever’s in caretaker charge, it doesn’t really work. Last time they came, they were bustling and purposeful, with Anthony Griffiths running the midfield. Today, they seem a little subdued, and we have the ball in the net in the first couple of minutes, only for Johnny Mullins to be ruled offside. A legitimate goal isn’t long in coming, though, fired home by Nicky Law, and after twenty minutes we’re two up, following a beautiful move and a Danny Coid cross which Ryan Taylor heads in.
Vale are trying to create chances, and their all-Richards strikeforce does look as though it could be more of a threat as the game goes on. Unfortunately for them, their keeper comes charging out when one-on-one with Marcus Marshall and brings him down. It’s not clear whether he’s handled the ball outside his area, but he’s certainly taken Marshall out, and the ref brandishes the red card. It seems as though every other time we play Port Vale, one side ends up with ten men. They have to take off Justin Richards to bring on their sub keeper, the amply-buttocked Chris Martin, and we see out the rest of the half without too many problems. The only nasty moment is when Coid gets heavily clattered in a challenge. He manages to play the half out, but at half-time he’s sent out to see whether he’s fit to carry on. He’s limping heavily, and Luke Ashworth comes on, with Mullins moving to fill Coid’s place at right back. Apart from that, the only other notable half-time moment is the huge cheer from the Vale fans when they learn Sheff U are losing 3-1. Not bitter, not at all...
Almost unbelievably, we score about ninety seconds into the second half. The Vale defence appears to stand still as Law puts in a cross and Will Atkinson taps it home. After that, things go from good to excellent. Ryan Taylor scores his second goal of the day with a beautiful acrobatic volley, and Mark Randall, playing for the first time since he broke his collarbone at Southend, makes it five when a free kick is played into his path and he lashes it in off the crossbar from about twenty-five yards out. We definitely have a lucky charm in our midst.
But even playing as well as we are, there’s still grumbling around us. Some people are baffled when Alfie is substituted with about fifteen minutes to go, while others are furious that we don’t appear to be going all out for a sixth goal. As the man sitting to my left points out, we play again on Monday. Why tire ourselves out needlessly?
But the most important question, as we file out at the end of the game is – just how sick is Nigel going to be that he missed this?
