How many sleeps? Not the words normally uttered from the mouth of a grown
man and nor will they be, at least not at an audible level. I realise this is the sort of countdown more in-keeping with the wait for the big fella coming down the chimney or the annual chorus of Happy Birthday and yes, it goes hand-in-hand with anyone from the age of 3 to 10 but, it’s going to help get me through the next 7 days and right now that’s all that matters.
Whoever coined the term ‘emotional rollercoaster’ must have been into football. And I’m ashamed to use such a naff expression but it’s nigh on perfect to describe what I’m going through.
27.04.08 – Sunday morning
Not the best start. Losing at home to Rotherham isn’t filling me with hope for the last game of the season… away at Dagenham & Redbridge, could be relegated. It hasn’t been a season flush with success what with one thing and another and to top it off our fate is now in the hands of Chester City. If Chester can just make sure they lose at least it’s down to the players on the pitch on Saturday. It all hangs on Tuesday night’s result and there’s nothing worse than having your hopes taken away by another bloody team’s result. Come on Stockport!
28.04.08 – Monday morning
You didn’t think I wouldn’t mention the ‘other’ event that occurred on Saturday did you? Losing at home to Rotherham was just the warm-up to the spectacle that followed: the assault on Keith Haslam by three fans. Not behaviour I condone in anyway whatsoever but it does display quite savagely just how desperate fans feel in their frustration and inability to reform their club to one of which they can feel proud again. The club is quite literally falling apart and we, the fans, are struggling to find any means to save it.
Now if I was in a position such as owner of my most treasured football club I’d ensure the finest manager was in place and our road to a cabinet full of trophies as hiccup free as possible. Okay so that’s in an ideal world but it’s still what you’d work towards isn’t it? Or am I just a disillusioned fanatical Stag? Let’s assess what we’ve got at Field Mill; no consistency when it comes to a manager and good, credible players being sold left right and centre for financial gain (though evidence of where the cash is spent is scant). And as for the shambles off the pitch… doesn’t he know we’ve been in the football league for 77 years and there is a very real possibility it’ll end there?
It’s not just the footballers and the fans, it’s your own self-worth. I’d be doing everything, and I do mean everything, in my power to make sure relegation was not on the agenda. But then I don’t feel it is on the agenda for Keith Haslam if the soap opera on show is anything to go by. How can it be? Maybe I should cash-in now and get down on paper what the enduring fans of Mansfield Town are witnessing. With ‘Enders bringing back ‘Bianca’ the BBC must be desperate and on the look-out for a new soap. Or is John Batchelor one step ahead of me? If rumours of his plan to buy the club and change its name to Harchester United are true perhaps he’s already drafted a pilot episode because one thing’s for sure, it gets more like an unedited script of Dream Team everyday. Let’s hope he includes being turned away from Field Mill by the police. It might be the only thing left for us Stags to laugh about.
That’s a good bit of ranting out of the way. Feeling a bit more chipper about Saturday already. There’s no way we’re going to give either of them the satisfaction of going down. On the other hand though Stockport might not share our plight.
29.04.08 – Tuesday morning
This is awful. Feeling very nervous and now the fiasco surrounding MFTC is disrupting everything.
Last week the commercial manager phoned to invite myself and a guest to travel with the WAGs to the game. I accepted and without hesitation offered my ‘plus one’ to Rob Green, fellow Stags supporter and colleague. He jumped at the chance so with travel plans in place we were feeling buoyant about the match. I was slightly concerned that this change to the norm might affect the outcome but my worries were a waste of energy. Due to the events that were brought to the aforementioned Mr. Haslam on Saturday the hospitality package for Dagenham is off. To be honest I think it’s for the best. We’ll go down by car and stand. A more fitting way to end the season.
30.04.08 – Wednesday
So it’s all over. I’d like to extend my most sarcastic thanks to Mr Haslam as I do believe that the responsibility for Mansfield’s decline lies at his feet. Though you have to admire his footballing genius in commenting that,
“One minute you are okay, the next you are not” (Chad.co.uk, 28/04/08) because more than ever before we can say with confidence that Mansfield Town are definitely not okay.
Whilst TV sets galore showed Manchester United’s victory over Barcelona, Chester City quietly achieved the point they needed to send the Stags down and ultimately out of the Football League.
Will we ever come back? I’m keeping a positive outlook. Colchester and Carlisle have been there and done it so if the pantomime season at Mansfield Town ever ends we could do it too. Though with Batchelor seemingly basking in his portrayal as “a pantomime villain” (StagsOnline, 18/04/08) if Dick Whittington comes to the stage in Mansfield there’ll be a couple of strong contenders for the role of King Rat. And I know plenty of people who’d be queuing up to watch.
PS – anyone got a tank??
01.05.08 – Thursday
I’m now replying to the texts and emails from friends and acquaintances from Tuesday. I even got one from someone I haven’t seen for nearly twenty years who tracked me down via Google having typed ‘Mansfield commiserations’. And later I’ve got to pick the banner up from the dry cleaners ready for Saturday. Luckily the girl in there won’t have a clue of the dire situation so at least I won’t have to go through it all again.
So, I’ll still be there on Saturday with Rob and my banner – MTFC and Size 101/2 Boots. Yes, I even named my company after the boot size of Kevin Hitchcock. You can’t let Cup Final glory go unnoticed now can you!
And I’ll still be wearing my lucky shirt. No doubt it’ll invite a few comments from certain household members but it’ll be on my back regardless and I’ll be willing a win for my team.
Bring on the Daggers…
03.05.08 – Saturday
Not the happiest of diary entries so I’ll keep this brief. And you’ll note I’m writing it on the day of the match, there will be no celebrating till the early hours and at this moment I’m sober. This won’t last and jovial drunkenness won’t follow. I’ll be having a couple and leaving it at that.
It wasn’t a dramatic match, in fact it was simply ‘odd’. I joined the fans with the common chant ‘Haslam Out’, watched as Dagenham scored 2, wondered what would have happened if we still had players like Bobby Hassell, Craig Disley and Liam Lawrence and put an arm out to Jason White as he left the pitch in tears… and he wasn’t the only one.
So MTFC leaves the football league. Will it be for good? I sincerely hope not. This is a trying and disappointing time in my life as a Stag fan.
