Manor Farm’s season started with the manager (who was also the chairman) resigning, the entire squad being replaced and a couple of fixtures being rearranged after someone drove a car onto the pitch and set fire to it. Non-league!
Against that backdrop the new manager has done pretty well to achieve midtable mediocrity, no danger of the play-offs and a reasonable but not insurmountable cushion to the relegation zone. Weston have recalled Brandon Bak which means they have absolutely no goal threat (and oh how it showed against Exmouth on Saturday) but attendances and general vibes are still good.
He plays up this image of being really well connected and having the inside scoop on the forum all the time. Is always very funny when he’s wrong (like he was about our summer hire).
I like the bloke in person when he isn’t moaning, he’s a nice guy who has experienced horrendous tragedy, but oh my god his online persona and negativity is tiresome!
If you have any tips for successfully getting cynical fans onside with activity then please do share…
Ironically this is probably the moment our season went off the rails after an incredible start.
Weird season, things were incredible back in summer and we were daring to dream of winning the league or at least guaranteeing playoffs, with Mark Dacey coming across as a really excellent hire, but now we are mid-table and 10 pts off the pace.
Amusingly for all our huge crowds at home of mostly disinterested casuals we’ve actually been much better away from Champion Hill (2-2 draw against champions elect Folkestone Invicta, anyone?) But at this point it’s largely damage limitation, as long as it doesnt get worse it will be a nice surprise if it gets better.
Still, work begins on the new ground this month so some exciting progress there at least.
Sadly, my experience is the best you can do is not directly engage - there’s usually little that will change their minds beyond seeing for themselves change that they perceive as positive.
Long shot, but on the off chance that anyone’s around Manchester and looking for a game on Saturday, my local side Maine Road FC could do with your support. Things aren’t looking good. Attendances averaging under a hundred and relegation from the North-West Counties leagues looking quite possible. They’ve got a big game against relegation rivals Colne this weekend.
Err, you can’t (openly) bring booze in anymore and factor in time for queues at the gates and at the bars. We are down to one outside bar (carwash end) as the Greendale end one is closed in preparation of the new stadium works, there is however a wee can bar next to the fish and chips truck. There is also a new events space and bar above the clubhouse that people often forget about so can often get served quicker.
As is tradition, the rabble will be behind whatever goal we’re shooting at and as we’re in Six Nations season expect a particular flavour to the disinterested casuals
The main stand is very family friendly, but does fill up fast so if you want seats again I’d advise getting in early, if not I’d say the corner where the now closed Greendale bar (to the right of the main stand), is best as you get the most space there/near food options and toilets
I take my boy a fair amount. We never bother with the seats and just bring a ball for the kids to have their own kick about with. Where severed says is good or the opposite side by the fish and chips fine too. Depends on how old your kids are though I guess
Small note, turns out the Greendale bar is still open for this one last game (let’s pray it doesn’t get rained off btw) but that shouldn’t change too much as it’s still generally the widest space available regardless
Like we lost our already rearranged midweek game against Whitehawk last Tuesday and bar the day after it has rained pretty consistently every day since
Good performances have been few and far between in the past couple of months. It looked like things might’ve turned around with the Padiham away and Winsford in the Vase wins, but then it’s back to two toothless losses. I didn’t go to Hallen on Saturday but it sounded like a sickener, conceding an equaliser in added time and then losing on penalties to a clearly inferior team who didn’t offer much.
Hopefully the reasoning is nothing serious and he’s just run out of ideas and motivation. He’ll probably be back managing at Baller League in a couple of weeks so probably doesn’t have time to do that and West two or three times a week.
I’m not so sure we’ll even make the playoffs, depends on if we can keep key players now. Playing Rammy either side of Padiham later this month is going to be a tough week.
